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Enjoyable and didactic. Phaedrus was a Roman fabulist and ex-slave of emperor Augustus who eventually granted him his freedom. Phaedrus based his fables on the fables of Aesop. In fact, he mentions Aesop a couple times when he addresses the reader giving Aesop credit for the inspiration, while at the same time proclaims his independence as a writer.
Indeed, the stories might resemble some closer than others those of Aesop's, but the differences are clear I think, and also the writing style is different. Phaedrus wrote the fables in Latin and in verse. According to the book's introduction, "Phaedrus [...was] the first to adapt a whole Greek genre to Latin literature."
What surprised me were the several fables where the moral of the story ended up being that the strong or wicked wins over the weak and good-doer, even a fable where the liars are rewarded but the truth teller is punished.
Of course, we all want a good ending in a fable and a lesson that assures us of the rewards of doing good, being honest, and humble. However, this is not always the case in real life and I think Phaedrus in these fables was trying to show the reality of life as a warning that in life the outcome is not always the right outcome, and often the righteous or weak will be punished while the wicked or stronger will prevail. The book's introduction writes about this: "Phaedrus' attitude to life is one of dignified and humorous pessimism." I would prefer to call it realism; even if it seems a hard lesson to be warned or learn about it in a fable, it is also a necessary one, just like any other lesson.
If you like fables, I certainly recommend this book, but if you haven't read Aesop's fables, I would recommend that you start with Aesop first. I enjoyed this, but I still prefer Aesop more.
*(I had to get the real paperback -- the edition on the picture, but in beige color-- because the language of the kindle's edition was terrible and the sentences quite awkward at some parts).
Indeed, the stories might resemble some closer than others those of Aesop's, but the differences are clear I think, and also the writing style is different. Phaedrus wrote the fables in Latin and in verse. According to the book's introduction, "Phaedrus [...was] the first to adapt a whole Greek genre to Latin literature."
What surprised me were the several fables where the moral of the story ended up being that the strong or wicked wins over the weak and good-doer, even a fable where the liars are rewarded but the truth teller is punished.
Of course, we all want a good ending in a fable and a lesson that assures us of the rewards of doing good, being honest, and humble. However, this is not always the case in real life and I think Phaedrus in these fables was trying to show the reality of life as a warning that in life the outcome is not always the right outcome, and often the righteous or weak will be punished while the wicked or stronger will prevail. The book's introduction writes about this: "Phaedrus' attitude to life is one of dignified and humorous pessimism." I would prefer to call it realism; even if it seems a hard lesson to be warned or learn about it in a fable, it is also a necessary one, just like any other lesson.
If you like fables, I certainly recommend this book, but if you haven't read Aesop's fables, I would recommend that you start with Aesop first. I enjoyed this, but I still prefer Aesop more.
*(I had to get the real paperback -- the edition on the picture, but in beige color-- because the language of the kindle's edition was terrible and the sentences quite awkward at some parts).
