FablesParte 2 de 26

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THE LIFE LA VIE OF AESOP D’ÉSOPE THE PHRYGIAN LE PHRYGIEN

WE NOUS have n’avons nothing rien certain d’assuré concerning touchant the birth la naissance of Homer d’Homère and et Aesop; d’Ésope; one hardly à peine even knows même sait-on what most remarkable things ce qu’il happened to them. leur est arrivé de plus remarquable. It is C’est something of which de quoi there is reason to be astonished, il y a lieu de s’étonner, seeing that vu que history l’histoire does not reject ne rejette pas things des choses less agreeable moins agréables and et less necessary moins nécessaires than those. que celles-là. So many Tant de destroyers destructeurs of nations, de nations, so many tant de princes princes without merit, sans mérite, have found ont trouvé people des gens who qui have taught us nous ont appris even the jusqu’aux smallest moindres particulars particularités of their lives; de leur vie; and et we ignore nous ignorons the most les plus important importantes of those de celles of Aesop d’Ésope and et Homer, d’Homère, that is to say c’est-à-dire of the two des deux characters personnages who qui have ont best le mieux deserved mérité from des subsequent siècles centuries. suivants. For Car Homer Homère is not n’est pas only seulement the father le père of the gods, des dieux, he is c’est also aussi that celui of good des bons poets. poëtes. As for Quant à Aesop, Ésope, it seems to me il me semble that one qu’on ought to place him le devoit mettre among au nombre the wise men des sages of whom dont Greece la Grèce has boasted so much, s’est tant vantée, he who lui qui taught enseignoit true wisdom, la véritable sagesse, and who et qui taught it l’enseignoit with much more art avec bien plus d’art than those who que ceux qui give definitions and rules for it. en donnent des définitions et des règles. The lives of these two great men have truly been collected; On a véritablement recueilli les vies de ces deux grands hommes; but mais most la plupart scholars des savants hold them both to be les tiennent toutes deux fabulous, fabuleuses, particularly particulièrement the one celle that que Planude Planude wrote. a écrite. For my part, Pour moi, I je did not wish n’ai pas voulu to engage m’engager in dans this criticism. cette critique. As Comme Planude Planude lived vivoit in a century dans un siècle where où the memory la mémoire of things des choses that happened arrivées to Aesop à Ésope ought not ne devoit pas yet to be être encore extinguished, éteinte, I believed j’ai cru that he qu’il knew savoit by tradition par tradition what he ce qu’il has left. a laissé. In this belief, Dans cette croyance, I je followed him, l’ai suivi, without sans removing retrancher from what he de ce qu’il said a dit of Aesop d’Ésope anything but what seemed to me que ce qui m’a semblé too puerile, trop puéril, or ou which qui deviated s’écartoit in some way en quelque façon from propriety. de la bienséance.

Aesop Ésope was étoit Phrygian, Phrygien, from a d’un village bourg called appelé Amorium. Amorium. He was born Il naquit around vers the la fifty-seventh cinquante-septième Olympiad, olympiade, some quelque two deux hundred cents years ans after après the la founding fondation of Rome. de Rome. One cannot say On ne sauroit dire if he s’il had cause eut sujet to thank de remercier nature, la nature, or rather ou bien to complain de se plaindre of her: d’elle: for, car, in endowing him en le douant with a d’un very fine mind, très-bel esprit, she elle made him be born le fit naître deformed difforme and et ugly of face, laid de visage, having ayant barely à peine the figure of a man, figure d’homme, even to jusqu’à almost entirely refusing him lui refuser presque entièrement the use of speech. l’usage de la parole. With these defects, A ces défauts, even if quand he had not been il n’auroit pas été of a condition de condition to be a slave, à être esclave, he il could not fail ne pouvoit manquer to become one. de le devenir. For the rest, Au reste, his soul son âme always remained se maintint toujours free libre and et independent indépendante of fortune. de la fortune.

The first master Le premier maître he had qu’il eut sent him l’envoya to the fields aux champs to till the earth, labourer la terre, whether he soit qu’il judged him le jugeât incapable incapable of anything else, de toute autre chose, or to soit pour remove s’ôter from before his eyes de devant les yeux such an unpleasant object. un objet si désagréable. Now Or it happened il arriva that que this master ce maître having gone to see étant allé voir his country house, sa maison des champs, a peasant un paysan gave him lui donna some figs: des figues: he il found them les trouva beautiful, belles, and et had them stored les fit serrer very carefully, fort soigneusement, giving order donnant ordre to his butler, à son sommelier, named appelé Agathopus, Agathopus, to bring them de les to him lui apporter upon leaving au sortir the bath. du bain. Chance Le hasard willed voulut that Aesop qu’Ésope had business eût affaire in the lodging. dans le logis. As soon as he had entered, Aussitôt qu’il y fut entré, Agathopus Agathopus seized the occasion, se servit de l’occasion, and et ate mangea the figs les figues with avec some quelques-uns of his comrades: de ses camarades: then puis they cast ils rejetèrent this trickery cette friponnerie upon Aesop, sur Ésope, not believing ne croyant pas that he qu’il could ever justify himself, se pût jamais justifier, so much tant was he il étoit a stammerer bègue and et appeared idiotic! paroissoit idiot! The punishments Les châtiments which dont the ancients les anciens used usoient towards envers their leurs slaves esclaves were étoient very fort cruel, cruels, and et this cette fault faute very punishable. très-punissable. Poor Aesop Le pauvre Ésope threw himself se jeta at his master's feet; aux pieds de son maître; and, et, making himself understood se faisant entendre as best he could, du mieux qu’il put, he il testified témoigna that he qu’il asked for demandoit as his only grace pour toute grâce that his punishment qu’on be suspended sursît for a few moments. de quelques moments sa punition. This grace Cette grâce having been granted to him, lui ayant été accordée, he went il alla to fetch quérir lukewarm water, de l’eau tiède, drank it la but in the presence en présence of his lord, de son seigneur, put se mit his fingers les doigts in his mouth, dans la bouche, and what followed, et ce qui s’ensuit, without yielding sans rendre anything else autre chose than this water alone. que cette eau seule. After having thus justified himself, Après s’être ainsi justifié, he made a sign il fit signe that the others should be compelled qu’on obligeât to do the same. les autres d’en faire autant. Everyone Chacun remained demeura surprised: surpris: one on would not have believed n’auroit pas cru that such an invention qu’une telle invention could come pût partir from Aesop. d’Ésope. Agathopus Agathopus and et his ses comrades camarades did not appear at all ne parurent point astonished. étonnés. They Ils drank burent water de l’eau as comme the Phrygian le Phrygien had done, avoit fait, and et put se mirent their fingers les doigts in their mouths; dans la bouche; but mais they took good care not to ils se gardèrent bien de push them les enfoncer in too far. trop avant. The water L’eau did not fail to act, ne laissa pas d’agir, and et to bring to light de mettre en évidence the figs les figues still all raw toutes crues encore and et all red. toutes vermeilles. By this means, Par ce moyen, Aesop Ésope protected himself; se garantit; his accusers ses accusateurs were punished furent punis doubly, doublement, for pour their gluttony leur gourmandise and et for pour their wickedness. leur méchanceté. The next day, Le lendemain, after après que their master leur maître had left, fut parti, and et the Phrygian le Phrygien being at étant à his ordinary work, son travail ordinaire, some lost travelers (some say they were priests of Diana) quelques voyageurs égarés (aucuns disent que c’étoient des prêtres de Diane) begged him, le prièrent, in the name of au nom de hospitable Jupiter, Jupiter hospitalier, that he qu’il teach them leur enseignât the way le chemin which qui led conduisoit to the city. à la ville. Aesop Ésope first obliged them les obligea premièrement to rest de se reposer in the shade; à l’ombre; then puis having offered them leur ayant présenté a light collation, une légère collation, he il wished to be voulut être their guide, leur guide, and et did not leave them until after ne les quitta qu’après he qu’il had put them back les eut remis on their way. dans leur chemin. The good people Les bonnes gens raised levèrent their hands les mains to heaven, au ciel, and et prayed prièrent to Jupiter Jupiter not to leave de ne pas laisser this charitable action cette action charitable without reward. sans récompense. Hardly had A peine Aesop left them, Ésope les eut quittés, than que the heat le chaud and et weariness la lassitude compelled him le contraignirent to fall asleep. de s’endormir. During Pendant his sleep, son sommeil, he il imagined s’imagina that que Fortune la Fortune was standing étoit debout before him, devant lui, who qui untied his lui délioit tongue, la langue, and et by the same means par le même moyen presented him with lui faisoit présent de this art cet art of which dont one can say on peut dire that he is qu’il est the author. l’auteur. Rejoiced Réjoui by this adventure, de cette aventure, he il awoke se réveilla with a start, en sursaut, and et upon waking: en s’éveillant: What is this? Qu’est ceci? he said, dit-il, my voice ma voix has become est devenue free; libre; I pronounce well je prononce bien a rake, un râteau, a plow, une charrue, all that tout ce que I want. je veux. This marvel Cette merveille was the cause fut cause that he qu’il changed masters. changea de maître. For, Car, as comme a certain Zenas, un certain Zénas, who was there qui étoit là in the capacity of steward en qualité d’économe and who had an eye on the slaves, et qui avoit l’œil sur les esclaves, had beaten one en eut battu un outrageously outrageusement for a fault pour une faute which did not deserve it, qui ne le méritoit pas, Aesop Ésope could not help ne put s’empêcher but reprimand him, de le reprendre, and threatened him that et le menaça que his ill-treatment ses mauvais traitements would be known. seroient sus. Zenas, Zénas, to preempt him pour le prévenir and to take revenge on him, et pour se venger de lui, went to tell alla dire the master au maître that a prodigy had occurred qu’il étoit arrivé un prodige in his house, dans sa maison, that the Phrygian que le Phrygien had recovered his speech; avoit recouvré la parole; but that the wicked man mais que le méchant used it ne s’en servoit only to blaspheme qu’à blasphémer and to speak ill of their lord. et à médire de leur seigneur. The master Le maître believed him, le crut, and went much further: et passa bien plus avant: for car he gave him il lui donna Aesop, Ésope, with liberty avec liberté to do with him d’en faire what he wished. ce qu’il voudroit. Zenas Zénas having returned de retour to the fields, aux champs, a merchant un marchand went to find him, l’alla trouver, and et asked him if lui demanda si for pour money de l’argent he il would accommodate him with some le vouloit accommoder de quelque beast of burden. bête de somme. Not that, Non pas cela, said Zenas, dit Zénas, I je do not have the power for it: n’en ai pas le pouvoir: but mais I will sell you, je te vendrai, if si you wish, tu veux, one un of our slaves. de nos esclaves. Thereupon Là-dessus having sent for ayant fait venir Aesop, Ésope, the merchant le marchand said: dit: Is it in order to Est-ce afin de mock me te moquer that que you propose to me tu me proposes the purchase l’achat of de this ce personage? personnage? one on would take him le prendroit for pour a une wineskin. outre. As soon as Dès que the merchant le marchand had thus spoken, eut ainsi parlé, he il took leave of them, prit congé d’eux, partly murmuring, partie murmurant, partly laughing partie riant at de this ce fine bel object. objet. Aesop called him back and said to him: Ésope le rappela et lui dit: Buy me Achète-moi boldly, hardiment, I will not be useless je ne to you. te serai pas inutile. If Si you tu have as children des enfants who qui cry crient and et who qui are soient naughty, méchants, my ma appearance will silence mine them: les fera taire: one on will threaten them les menacera with me de moi as comme with a de la beast. bête. This Cette jest raillerie pleased plut the au merchant. marchand. He Il bought acheta our notre Phrygian for Phrygien three obols, trois oboles, and et said dit laughing: en riant: The Les gods dieux be praised, soient loués, I je have not made a n’ai pas fait great acquisition, grande acquisition, in truth; à la vérité; nor aussi have I n’ai-je pas disbursed déboursé much grand money. argent.

Among Entre other autres goods, denrées, this ce merchant marchand trafficked trafiquoit in slaves, d’esclaves, so much so that going si bien qu’allant to à Ephesus Éphèse to pour get rid of se défaire de those ceux he had, qu’il avoit, what ce que each chacun of them was to d’eux devoit carry porter for pour the convenience la commodité of the du journey voyage was distributed fut départi according to their employment and according to selon leur emploi et selon their strength. leurs forces. Aesop Ésope prayed pria that que one l’on would have regard for eût égard à his sa stature; taille; that he qu’il was étoit new-come, nouveau-venu, and ought to et devoit be treated être traité gently. doucement. You Tu will carry nothing, ne porteras rien, if si you wish, tu veux, his comrades replied to him. lui repartirent ses camarades. Aesop Ésope took it as a point of honor, se piqua d’honneur, and et wished to have voulut avoir his burden sa charge like the others. comme les autres. So he was allowed On le laissa donc to choose. choisir. He took Il prit the bread basket: le panier au pain: it was c’étoit the heaviest burden. le fardeau le plus pesant. Everyone believed Chacun crut he had done it qu’il l’avoit fait out of foolishness: par bêtise: but mais from dinner, dès la dînée, the basket le panier was started, fut entamé, and et the Phrygian le Phrygien relieved of as much; déchargé d’autant; likewise ainsi in the evening, le soir, and et similarly de même the next day: le lendemain: so that at the end of de façon qu’au bout de two days deux jours he walked il marchoit empty-handed. à vide. The good sense Le bon sens and et reasoning le raisonnement of the character du personnage were admired. furent admirés.

As for Quant au the merchant, marchand, he got rid il se défit of all his slaves, de tous ses esclaves, with the exception of à la réserve d’ a grammarian, un grammairien, a singer, d’un chantre, and Aesop, et d’Ésope, whom lesquels he went to expose for sale il alla exposer en vente in Samos. à Samos. Before Avant que de leading them les mener to the market, sur la place, he had the first two dressed il fit habiller les deux premiers as neatly le plus proprement as he could, qu’il put, as comme everyone chacun packs farde their merchandise: sa marchandise: Aesop, Ésope, on the contrary, au contraire, was dressed only ne fut vêtu que in a sack, d’un sac, and et placed placé between his two companions, entre ses deux compagnons, in order to afin de give them luster. leur donner lustre. Some buyers Quelques acheteurs presented themselves, se présentèrent, among others entre autres a philosopher un philosophe named Xantus. appelé Xantus. He asked Il demanda the grammarian au grammairien and et the singer au chantre what they knew how to do. ce qu’ils savoient faire. Everything, Tout, they replied. reprirent-ils. That Cela made the Phrygian laugh: fit rire le Phrygien: one can imagine on peut s’imaginer with what air. de quel air. Planude reports Planude rapporte that it was almost qu’il s’en fallut peu that one did not flee, qu’on ne prît la fuite, so frightful a grimace he made. tant il fit une effroyable grimace. The merchant Le marchand made fit his singer son chantre a thousand obols, mille oboles, his grammarian son grammairien three thousand; trois mille; and, et, in case en cas que one bought l’on achetât one of the two, l’un des deux, he was to give il devoit donner Aesop Ésope into the bargain. par-dessus le marché. The dearness La cherté of the grammarian du grammairien and et the singer du chantre disgusted dégoûta Xantus. Xantus. But, Mais, so as not to return pour ne pas retourner home chez soi without having made sans avoir fait some purchase, quelque emplette, his disciples ses disciples advised him lui conseillèrent to buy d’acheter this little bit of a man ce petit bout d’homme who qui had laughed avoit ri so gracefully: de si bonne grâce: one would make on en feroit a scarecrow of him; un épouvantail; he il would amuse divertiroit people les gens by his appearance. par sa mine. Xantus Xantus allowed himself to be persuaded, se laissa persuader, and et set Aesop’s price fit prix d’Ésope at sixty obols. à soixante oboles. He Il asked him, lui demanda, before buying him, devant que de l’acheter, for what he would be useful to him, à quoi il lui seroit propre, as he had asked comme il l’avoit demandé his comrades. à ses camarades. Aesop replied: Ésope répondit: For nothing, A rien, since the other two puisque les deux autres had kept everything avoient tout retenu for themselves. pour eux. The customs clerks Les commis de la douane generously remitted remirent généreusement to Xantus à Xantus the penny per pound, le sou pour livre, and et gave him a receipt for it lui en donnèrent quittance without paying anything. sans rien payer.

Xantus Xantus had avoit a une wife of femme de goût rather delicate taste, assez délicat, and et to whom à qui all sorts of people toutes sortes de gens were not pleasing; ne plaisoient pas; so that si bien que to go and seriously present de lui aller présenter sérieusement his new slave to her, son nouvel esclave, there was no likelihood, il n’y avoit pas d’apparence, unless he wished à moins qu’il ne la voulût to make her angry mettre en colère and et make himself mocked. se faire moquer de lui. He judged it more appropriate Il jugea plus à propos to make a subject of jest of it, d’en faire un sujet de plaisanterie, and et went to say alla dire at home au logis that he had just bought qu’il venoit d’acheter a young slave, un jeune esclave, the most beautiful in the world le plus beau du monde and the best made. et le mieux fait. Upon this news, Sur cette nouvelle, the girls les filles who qui served servoient his wife sa femme almost fought se pensèrent battre over who à qui would have him l’auroit for pour their servant; son serviteur; but mais they elles were furent very bien astonished étonnées when quand the character le personnage appeared. parut. One L’une put se mit her hand la main before devant her eyes; les yeux; another l’autre fled; s’enfuit; another l’autre cried out. fit un cri. The mistress La maîtresse of the house du logis said dit that que it was c’étoit to pour drive her away la chasser that such a monster qu’on was brought to her; lui amenoit un tel monstre; that it qu’il had been y avoit a long time longtemps since que the philosopher le philosophe was tiring se lassoit of her. d’elle. From word to word, De parole en parole, the dispute le différend heated up s’échauffa to jusques à such a point tel point that que the wife la femme demanded demanda her property, son bien, and et wished voulut to withdraw se retirer to chez her parents’ home. ses parents. Xantus Xantus did fit so much tant by par his patience, sa patience, and et Aesop Ésope by par his wit, son esprit, that que matters les choses were settled. s’accommodèrent. There was no more talk On ne parla plus of leaving; de s’en aller; and et perhaps peut-être que habit l’accoutumance at last erased effaça à la fin a part une partie of the ugliness de la laideur of the new slave. du nouvel esclave.

I will omit Je laisserai many beaucoup de small things petites choses where où he showed il fit paroître the vivacity la vivacité of his mind; de son esprit; for, car, although one quoiqu’on can judge his character puisse juger thereby, par là de son caractère, they are elles sont of too little consequence de trop peu de conséquence to pour en inform posterity of them. informer la postérité. Here is Voici only seulement a sample un échantillon of de his good sense, son bon sens, and of et de his master's ignorance. l’ignorance de son maître. This one Celui-ci went alla to a gardener's chez un jardinier to choose se choisir himself lui-même a salad; une salade; the herbs les herbes picked, cueillies, the gardener le jardinier begged him le pria to satisfy de lui satisfaire his mind l’esprit on sur a difficulty une difficulté which concerned qui regardoit philosophy la philosophie as well as aussi bien que gardening: le jardinage: it is that c’est que the herbs les herbes which he planted qu’il plantoit and et which he cultivated qu’il cultivoit with great care avec un grand soin did not profit at all, ne profitoient point, quite to the contrary of tout au contraire de those celles which the earth que la terre produced produisoit by itself d’elle-même without sans cultivation culture or ni amendment. amendement. Xantus Xantus referred rapporta the whole le tout to Providence, à la Providence, as comme one is accustomed to do on a coutume de faire when quand one is at a loss. on est court. Aesop Ésope began to laugh; se mit à rire; and et having drawn ayant tiré his master son maître aside, à part, he il advised him lui conseilla to tell de dire this gardener à ce jardinier that he qu’il had given him lui avoit fait such a general answer, une réponse ainsi générale, because parce que the question la question was not n’étoit pas worthy of him: digne de lui: he il was therefore leaving him le laissoit donc with his boy, avec son garçon, who would qui surely satisfy him. assurément le satisferoit. Xantus Xantus having gone to walk s’étant allé promener on another side d’un autre côté of the garden, du jardin, Aesop Ésope compared compara the earth la terre to a woman à une femme who, qui, having children ayant des enfants from a first husband, d’un premier mari, would marry en épouseroit a second un second who would also have qui auroit aussi children des enfants from another woman: d’une autre femme: his new wife sa nouvelle épouse would not fail to conceive ne manqueroit pas de concevoir an aversion de l’aversion for these, pour ceux-ci, and et would take away leur ôteroit their nourishment, la nourriture, so that afin que her own les siens might profit from it. en profitassent. It was thus Il en étoit ainsi with the earth, de la terre, which qui n’ adopted only with difficulty adoptoit qu’avec peine the productions les productions of labor du travail and cultivation, et de la culture, and which reserved et qui réservoit all its tenderness toute sa tendresse and et all its benefits tous ses bienfaits for pour its own les siennes alone: seules: it was elle étoit a stepmother marâtre to some, des unes, and a et passionate mother mère passionnée to others. des autres. The gardener Le jardinier seemed parut so si content content with de this reason, cette raison, that he qu’il offered offrit Aesop à Ésope all that tout ce qui was étoit in dans his garden. son jardin.

There arose Il arriva some time quelque temps after après a great un grand dispute différend between entre the philosopher le philosophe and et his wife. sa femme. The philosopher, Le philosophe, being étant at de a feast, festin, set aside mit à part some delicacies, quelques friandises, and said et dit to Aesop: à Ésope: Go take Va porter this ceci to à my good friend. ma bonne amie. Aesop Ésope went to give it l’alla donner to à a little dog, une petite chienne, which qui was étoit his master's delight. les délices de son maître. Xantus, Xantus, upon his return, de retour, did not fail ne manqua pas to ask de demander for news des nouvelles of de his present, son présent, and if et si it on had been found good. l’avoit trouvé bon. His wife Sa femme understood nothing ne comprenoit rien of à this language: ce langage: Aesop was sent for on fit venir Ésope to pour clarify it. l’éclaircir. Xantus, Xantus, who qui sought only a ne cherchoit qu’un pretext prétexte to pour have him beaten, le faire battre, asked him lui demanda if s’il he had not told him ne lui avoit pas dit expressly: expressément: Go take Va-t’en porter from me de ma part these delicacies ces friandises to à my good friend. ma bonne amie. Aesop Ésope replied thereupon répondit là-dessus that que the la good friend bonne amie was not n’étoit pas the wife, la femme, who qui for pour the slightest word la moindre parole threatened to menaçoit de faire divorce: un divorce: it was c’étoit the dog la chienne who qui endured endurait everything, tout, and who et qui came back revenoit to make caresses faire caresses after après she had been beaten. qu’on l’avoit battue. The philosopher Le philosophe was at a loss; demeura court; but mais his wife sa femme entered entra into such a rage, dans une telle colère, that she qu’elle withdrew se retira from him. d’avec lui. There was Il n’y eut neither relative ni parent nor friend ni ami by whom par qui Xantus Xantus did not have him spoken to, ne lui fit parler, without sans que reasons les raisons or ni prayers les prières gaining anything there. y gagnassent rien. Aesop Ésope devised s’avisa a stratagem. d’un stratagème. He bought Il acheta much game, force gibier, as for comme pour a considerable wedding, une noce considérable, and contrived so et fit tant that he was met qu’il fut rencontré by par one of his mistress's servants. un des domestiques de sa maîtresse. This one Celui-ci asked him lui demanda why pourquoi so many preparations. tant d’apprêts. Aesop Ésope told him lui dit that que his master, son maître, being unable ne pouvant to oblige obliger his wife sa femme to return, de revenir, was going to marry en alloit épouser another. une autre. As soon as Aussitôt que the lady la dame knew sut this news, cette nouvelle, she elle returned retourna to her husband chez son mari out of a spirit of contradiction par esprit de contradiction or ou out of jealousy. par jalousie. This was not Ce ne fut pas without sans holding it against la garder bonne à Aesop, Ésope, who qui every day tous les jours played new tricks on faisoit de nouvelles pièces à his master, son maître, and et every day tous les jours saved himself from punishment se sauvoit du châtiment by par some stroke of subtlety. quelque trait de subtilité. It was not possible Il n’étoit pas possible for the philosopher au philosophe to confound him. de le confondre.

One certain Un certain market day, jour de marché, Xantus, Xantus, who qui had the intention of avoit dessein de entertaining régaler some of his friends, quelques-uns de ses amis, commanded him lui commanda to buy d’acheter what there was best, ce qu’il y avoit de meilleur, and et nothing else. rien autre chose. I will teach you, Je t’apprendrai said the dit Phrygian to himself, en soi-même le Phrygien, to specify à spécifier what ce que you wish, tu souhaites, without sans entrusting it to the discretion t’en remettre à la discrétion of a slave. d’un esclave. He Il therefore bought only n’acheta donc que tongues, des langues, which lesquelles he had prepared il fit accommoder with all sauces: à toutes les sauces: the starter, l’entrée, the main course, le second, the dessert, l’entremets, everything tout was only ne fut que tongues. langues. The guests Les conviés at first praised louèrent d’abord the choice le choix of this dish; de ce mets; in the end, à la fin, they ils became disgusted with it. s’en dégoûtèrent. Did I not command you, Ne t’ai-je pas commandé, said Xantus, dit Xantus, to buy d’acheter what was best? ce qu’il y avoit de meilleur? Eh! Eh! what is there better qu’y a-t-il de meilleur than the tongue, que la langue, replied Aesop. reprit Ésope. It is C’est the bond le lien of civil life, de la vie civile, the key la clef to sciences, des sciences, the organ l’organe of truth de la vérité and reason: et de la raison: by it par elle one builds cities on bâtit les villes and polices them; et on les police; one instructs, on instruit, one persuades, on persuade, one on reigns règne in assemblies, dans les assemblées, one discharges on s’acquitte the first du premier of all duties, de tous les devoirs, which is qui est to praise de louer the gods. les dieux. Well then! Eh bien! said Xantus dit Xantus (who (qui intended prétendoit to trap him), l’attraper), buy me achète-moi tomorrow demain what ce qui is est worst: de pire: these ces same mêmes persons personnes will come viendront to my house; chez moi; and et I want je veux to diversify. diversifier.

The Le next day, lendemain, Aesop Ésope again had only the same dish served, ne fit encore servir que le même mets, saying that disant que the tongue la langue is est the worst thing la pire chose that qui exists in the world: soit au monde: it is c’est the mother la mère of all debates, de tous les débats, the nurse la nourrice of lawsuits, des procès, the source la source of divisions des divisions and et wars. des guerres. If one says that Si on dit qu’ it is elle est the organ of truth, l’organe de la vérité, it is c’est also aussi that celui of error, de l’erreur, and, et, what is worse, qui pis est, of calumny. de la calomnie. By it Par elle one on destroys détruit cities, les villes, one persuades on persuade wicked things. les méchantes choses. If, Si, on one side, d’un côté, it praises elle loue the gods, les dieux, on the other de l’autre it utters elle profère blasphemies les blasphèmes against their power. contre leur puissance. Someone from the company Quelqu’un de la compagnie said dit to à Xantus Xantus that que truly véritablement this servant ce valet was very necessary to him, lui étoit fort nécessaire, for car he knew il savoit best in the world how le mieux du monde to exercise exercer the patience la patience of a philosopher. d’un philosophe. What De quoi are you troubling yourself about? vous mettez-vous en peine? replied reprit Aesop. Ésope. Eh! Eh! find me, trouve-moi, said dit Xantus, Xantus, a man un homme who qui troubles himself about nothing. ne se mette en peine de rien.

Aesop Ésope went alla the next day le lendemain to the square; sur la place; and seeing et voyant a peasant un paysan who looked qui regardoit at all things toutes choses with avec the coldness la froideur and et indifference l’indifférence of a statue, d’une statue, he brought il amena this peasant ce paysan to the house. au logis. Here is, Voilà, he said dit-il to Xantus, à Xantus, the carefree man l’homme sans souci whom que you request. vous demandez. Xantus Xantus commanded commanda his wife à sa femme to heat de faire chauffer water, de l’eau, to put it de la mettre in a basin, dans un bassin, then puis to wash de laver herself elle-même the feet les pieds of their new guest. de son nouvel hôte. The peasant Le paysan let her do it, la laissa faire, although he knew quoiqu’il sût very well fort bien that he did not deserve qu’il ne méritoit pas this honor; cet honneur; but mais he said il disoit to himself: en lui-même: It is C’est perhaps, peut-être, the custom la coutume to act thus. d’en user ainsi. He was made to sit On le fit asseoir at the head of the table; au haut bout; he took il prit his place sa place without ceremony. sans cérémonie. During the meal, Pendant le repas, Xantus Xantus did nothing but ne fit autre chose que blame blâmer his cook; son cuisinier; nothing rien pleased him: ne lui plaisoit: what was sweet, ce qui étoit doux, he found il le trouvoit too salty; trop salé; what was too salty, ce qui étoit trop salé, he found il le trouvoit too sweet. trop doux. The carefree man L’homme sans souci let him speak le laissoit dire and ate with all his teeth. et mangeoit de toutes ses dents. At dessert, Au dessert, a cake that the philosopher's wife had made was placed on the table: on mit sur la table un gâteau que la femme du philosophe avoit fait: Xantus Xantus found it bad, le trouva mauvais, although it was quoiqu’il fût very good. très-bon. Here is, Voilà, he said, dit-il, the most wicked pastry la pâtisserie la plus méchante I have ever eaten; que j’aie jamais mangée; one must il faut burn brûler the worker, l’ouvrière, for car she will elle never ne fera in her life make de sa vie anything worthwhile: rien qui vaille: let qu’on faggots be brought apporte des . fagots. Wait, Attendez, said dit the le peasant, paysan, I je am going to fetch m’en vais quérir my ma wife: femme: one on will make ne fera only qu’ one pyre un bûcher for pour both toutes of les them. deux. This Ce last dernier stroke trait unseated désarçonna the le philosopher, philosophe, and et took from him lui ôta the hope l’espérance of de ever jamais catching attraper the le Phrygian. Phrygien.

Now Or it ce was n’étoit not pas only seulement with avec his son master maître that Aesop qu’Ésope found trouvoit occasion occasion to de laugh rire and et to de say dire good de words. bons mots. Xantus Xantus had l’avoit sent him envoyé to en a certain certain place: endroit: he il met rencontra on en the way chemin the le magistrate, magistrat, who qui asked him lui demanda where où he was going. il alloit. Whether Soit Aesop qu’Ésope was fût distracted, distrait, or ou for pour another une reason, autre raison, he il replied répondit that qu’il he knew n’en savoit nothing of it. rien. The Le magistrate, magistrat, holding this tenant à answer mépris as et contempt irrévérence and cette irreverence, réponse, had him le led fit to mener prison. en prison. As Comme the bailiffs were leading him: les huissiers le conduisoient: Do you not see, Ne voyez-vous pas, said he, dit-il, that que I have answered j’ai very well? très-bien répondu? Did I know Savois-je that one qu’on would make me go me feroit aller where où I am going? je vas? The magistrate had him released, Le magistrat le fit relâcher, and et found Xantus happy trouva Xantus heureux to have d’avoir a slave so full of wit. un esclave si plein d’esprit.

Xantus, Xantus, for his part, de sa part, saw thereby voyoit par là of what importance de quelle importance it il was to him lui étoit not to free Aesop, de ne point affranchir Ésope, and et how much combien the possession of such a slave la possession d’un tel esclave did him honor. lui faisoit d’honneur. Even one day, Même un jour, making merry faisant la débauche with his disciples, avec ses disciples, Aesop, Ésope, who qui was serving them, les servoit, saw that vit que the fumes les fumées were already heating their leur échauffaient déjà brains, la cervelle, as much aussi bien to the masters aux maîtres as to the qu’aux scholars. écoliers. The debauchery La débauche of wine, du vin, he told them, leur dit-il, has a three degrees: trois degrés: the first, le premier, of pleasure; de volupté; the second, le second, of drunkenness; d’ivrognerie; the third, le troisième, of fury. de fureur. They mocked On se moqua his observation, de son observation, and they continued et on continua to empty de vider the pots. les pots. Xantus Xantus indulged in it s’en donna to the point of jusqu’à losing perdre his reason, la raison, and of boasting et à se vanter that he qu’il would drink boiroit the sea. la mer. That Cela made the company fit laugh. rire la compagnie. Xantus Xantus maintained soutint what he had said, ce qu’il avoit dit, wagered gagea his house sa maison that he qu’il would drink boiroit the entire sea; la mer tout entière; and for et pour assurance assurance of the wager, de la gageure, he il deposited déposa the ring l’anneau that he had qu’il avoit on his finger. au doigt.

The Le following day, jour suivant, when que the vapors les vapeurs of Bacchus de Bacchus were dissipated, furent dissipées, Xantus Xantus was fut extremely extrêmement surprised surpris not to find his ring anymore, de ne plus retrouver son anneau, which he held very dear. lequel il tenoit fort cher. Aesop told him Ésope lui dit that it was lost, qu’il étoit perdu, and that his house was too, et que sa maison l’étoit aussi, by the wager he had made. par la gageure qu’il avoit faite. There is the philosopher very alarmed: Voilà le philosophe bien alarmé: he begged Aesop il pria Ésope to teach him a way out. de lui enseigner une défaite. Aesop thought of this one. Ésope s’avisa de celle-ci.