THE LIFE OF AESOP
Translated by Sir Roger L'Estrange
CHAPTER XVI
AEsop presents himself before the King of LYDIA
IMMEDIATELY upon AEsop's Arrival in Lydia, he presented
himself before the King, who looking upon him with Contempt,
Hatred, and Indignation; is this a Man, says he, to hinder the
King of Lydia from being Master of Samos? AEsop then with a
Reverence after the Lydian Fashion, deliver'd what he had to say.
I am not here (says he) Great King, in the Quality of a Man that
is given up by his Country, or under the Compulsion of any Force;
but it is of my own accord that I am now come to lay my self at your
Majesty's Feet, and with this only Request, that you will vouchsafe
me the Honour of your royal Ear, and Patience but for a few Words.
'There was a Boy hunting of Locusts, and he had the Fortune
'to take a Grashopper. She found he was about to kill her, and
'pleaded after this manner for her Life. Alas (says she) I never
'did any Body an Injury, and never had it either in my Will or
'my Power to do't. All my Business is my Song; and what will
'you be the better for my Death? The Youth's Heart relented,
'and he set the simple Grashopper at liberty.'
Your Majesty has now that innocent Creature before you:
There's nothing that I can pretend to but my Voice, which I have
ever employ'd. so far as in me lay, to the Service of Mankind. The
King was so tenderly moved with the Modesty and Prudence of
the Man, that he did not only give him his Life, but bad him
ask any thing farther that he had a Mind to, and it should be
granted him. Why then, says AEsop (with that Veneration, Grati-
tude and Respect that the Case required) I do most humbly
implore your Majesty's Favour for my Countrymen the Samians.
The king granted him his Request, and confirmed it under his
Seal; beside that the Piety of making that Petition his Choice,
was a farther Recommendation of him to his royal Kindness and
Esteem.
AEsop soon after this returned to Samos with the News of the
Peace, where he was welcomed with all the Instances of Joy and
Thankfulness imaginable; insomuch that they erected a Statue for
him, with an Inscription upon it, in honour of his Memory. From
Samos he return'd afterwards to Croesus, for whose sake he com-
pos'd several of those Apologues that pass in the World to this day
under his Name. His Fancy lay extremely to travelling; but
above all other Places he had the greatest Mind to see Babylon: To
the King there: who, according to Herodotus, was a Friend and
an Ally of Croesus's, and his Name, Labynetus, not Lycerus, as
Planudes has handed it down to us upon a great Mistake. But
his Curiosity led him first to pass through Greece, for the sake
of the Seven wise Men, Whose Reputation was at that time famous
all over the World. He had the good hap in his Travels to find
them at Corinth, together with Anacharsis, and several of their
Followers and Disciples, where they were all treated by Periander
at a Villa of his not far from the Town. This Encounter was to
the common Satisfaction of the whole Company; the Entertain-
ment philosophical and agreeable, and among other Discourses,
they had some Controversy upon the Subject of Government,
and which was the most excellent Form; AEsop being still for
Monarchy, and the rest for a Commonwealth. He travell'd thence,
a while after into Asia, and so to Babylon, according to his first
Intention.