Ethics in Aesop's Fables: The Augustana Collection 9004118675, 9789004118676

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ETHICS IN AESOP'S FABLES: THE AUGUSTANA COLLECTION

MNEMOSYNE BIBLIOTHECA CLASSICA BATAVA COLLEGERUNT H. PINKSTER ·H. W. PLEKET CJ. RUIJGH • D.M. SCHENKEVELD · P. H . SCHRIJVERS BIBLIOTHECAE FASCICULOS EDENDOS CURAVIT

C .]. RUIJGH, KLASSIEK SEMINARIUM, OUDE TURFMARKT 129, AMSTERDAM

SUPPLEMENTUM DUCENTESIMUM SEXTUM DECIMUM

CHRISTOS A. ZAFIROPOULOS

ETHICS IN AESOP'S FABLES: THE AUGUSTANA COLLECTION

ETHICS IN AESOP'S FABLES: THE AUGUSTANA COLLECTION BY

CHRISTOS A. ZAFIROPOULOS

BRILL

LEIDEN · BOSTON · KOLN 2001

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Zafiropoulos, Christos A. Ethics in Aesop's fables : the Augustana collection I by Christos A. Zafiropoulos. p. em. - (Mnemosyne, bibliotheca classica Batava. Supplementum, ISSN 0 169-8958; 216) Includes bibliographical references (p.) and index. ISBN 9004118675 (alk. paper) l. Aesop's fables. 2. Fables, Greek-History and criticism. 3. Ethics, Ancient, in literature. PA3858 .Z24 200 l 398.24'52-dc2l

01-0018449 CIP

Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnalune [Mnemosyne I Supplementum] Mnemosyne : bibliotheca classica Batava. Supplementum. - Leiden ; Boston ; Koln : Brill Fruher Schriftenreihe Teilw. u.d.T: Mnemosyne I Supplements Reihe Supplementum zu: Mnemosyne

216. Zafiropou1os, Christos A.: Ethics in Aesop's fables- 2001

Zafiropoulos, Christos A.: Ethics in Aesop's fables : the Augustana collection I by Christos A. Zafiropou1os.-Leiden; Boston; Koln: Brill, 2001 (Mnemosyne : Supplementum ; 216) ISBN 90-04-11867-5

ISSN 0169-8958 ISBN 90 04 11867 5

© Copyright 2001 by Koninkliyke Brill.Nv, Leiden, The Netherlands All rights reserved. No part qf this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any.form or by a'!Y means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items.for internal or personal use is granted by Brill provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 91 0 Danvers 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS

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CONTENTS Acknowledgements ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .......... .. ...... ..... .... .. ... ... ... . List of Abbreviations .................................................................. I. The Greek Fable ................................................................... . I.1 Definition and Characteristics of the Greek Fable ............................................................... . I.2 History and Function of the Greek Fable ................ I.2.1 The Term 'Aesopic' ...................................... I.2.2 History and Function of the Greek Fable: The Archaic and Classical Periods .............. 1.2.3 History and Function of the Greek Fable: From the Hellenistic Period to Late Antiquity . .. .... .. ...... ... .. .... .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ......... .. . I.3 The Ethics of the Greek Fable .................................. I.3.1 Scholarly Approaches to the Ethical Content of the Greek Fable .......................... I.3.2 Theoretical Perspectives and the Project of this Book .... .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .... .. ... .. .. .. . II. Conflict in the Augustana Fables .......................................... II.l The Agon in the Augustana ... .. .. .... .. .... .. .... .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... . II.l.l The Theme of the Agon in Greece .... .. .. .. .. .. II.l.2 The Agon in the Augustana .............................. II.2 Lessons on Survival .................................................... II.3 The Fulfilment of Personal Interest .......................... II.3.1 The Need for Immediate Action and the Issue of Katp6~ .............................................. II.3.2 Custom ............................................................ II.4 Learning through Suffering and the Theme of Toil .......................................................................... II.4.1 Learning through Suffering .......................... II.4.2 The Theme of Toil ........................................ II.5 Respect Your Limits ..... .. .. .. .. ... ... .... .. ... ...... ...... .. .. ......

1x xn1

10 10 12 19 26 26 36 45 45 45 48 52 57 57 62 65 65 69 71

Vlll

CONTENTS

III. Reciprocity in the Augustana ................. .. .. ..... .. .................... III.l The Norm of Reciprocity ...................................... III.2 Reciprocity in the Augustana .................................... III.2.1 Amicable Reciprocity: Friendship and Alliances ...................................................... III.2.2 Political Fables .......................................... III.2.3 Reciprocity and Economic Life ................ III.2.4 Hostile Reciprocity .................................... III.3 Factors that Control the Function of Positive Reciprocity ................................................................ 11!.3.1 Justice .......................................................... III.3.2 Internalized Sanctions ................................ III.3.3 Internalized Sanctions: Gratitude ............ III.3.4 External Sanctions: Supplication and Respect of the Suppliants .. .. .. .. .. .. .... ........ III.3.5 External Sanctions: Divine Punishment and Other Non-Human Forces (Fate, Chance) ............................................ III.3.6 External Sanctions: The Power of Others .................................................... III.3. 7 Conclusions ................................................ IV. The Fable as a Form of Ethical Reasoning .................... IV.l The Inner Qualities in the Augustana ... .. ............... IV.l.l Inner Qualities with Disastrous Effects .... IV.l.2 The Dispositions of the Figures of the Fables............................................................ IV.l.3 Inner Qualities with Ambivalent Effects: Cunning and Persuasion .......................... IV.l.4 Inner Qualities with Positive Effects ........ IV.l.5 Responsibility and Cognitive Indications Behind the Protagonist's Actions .............. IV.2 Conclusions ..............................................................

81 81 86 86 98 107 114 11 7 117 119 123 128 133 141 141 146 14 7 14 7 157 160 170 175 177

Bibliography ................................................................................

185

Indices Fabularum & Locorum

197

................................................

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Even though I have been dreaming ~iterally) of this moment a long time now, I had never figured the kind of life revelation that the acknowledgements would amount to. It was breathtaking to realize that my research all these years was not a monastic experience, but was rather part of "sharing salt and bread" with so many wonderful people, learning from them, discussing, laughing and exchanging fears, in general discovering from them the true content of education. I have been running my little marathon through the blurred fields of scholarship and was too lucky to have so many people offering me drinks of knowledge and encouraging words which made the run easier and exciting (often being more interested in the next drink than finishing the race). I consider myself extremely fortunate to have studied under the supervision of Professors Christopher Gill and Richard Seaford, to whom I would like to express my gratitude and respect. I will always be indebted to them for their intellectual xenia, which I know that I will never manage to reciprocate fully. I would also like to thank everyone at the Department of Classics and Ancient History of the University of Exeter-a hub for classical studies in the UK-for showing me many paths and shortcuts (with springs and softer soil) during my run. I am also obliged to the members of staff at the University Library who made every possible effort to satisfy my bibliographical needs, turning my nervous breakdowns into sighs of relief. Scholarship on the Greek fable is at the moment a kind of small family matter in the international community of Classicists. Nevertheless, it is a warm family, characterized by enthusiasm, great ability, willingness and readiness to assist its potential new members. I am thankful to all those scholars-not only those writing on the Greek fable--the work of whom I have used in my book, whether I share their views or not. I want, however, to record my appreciation and thankfulness in particular to those scholars who have been of paramount help during my research either by providing me with their valuable works or by sharing their views on the Greek fable with me. I am especially indebted to Professor Niklas Holzberg and the "Wild Bunch" of Classicists at the University of Munich. Their kindness, altruism,

X

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

and devotion to the Greek fable and Aesop will remain among the most treasured memories of my student years. They represent the fable scholars that I wish to emulate, while Daniel Holzberg secures the continuation of a great tradition. I would also like to thank Professors Pack Carnes, Irina Kovaleva and Morten Nojgaard for their help in completing the jigsaw of modern scholarship on the Greek fable from the four corners of the world. Finally, I can never forget the two persons who started it all: Professors Theodoros Stefanopoulos and Kostas Valakas, both at the University of Patras now, were the reasons I decided to study Classics and a continuous inspiration during my BA years at the University of Crete. I am particularly grateful to Kostas V alakas, who insisted on me making the journey to England, despite the major impediments (weather, food, obsession with cats). Finally, I want to thank the Brill Academic Publishers who showed confidence in my work and gave me the honour to have it included in their distinguished catalogue of publications. I am also indebted to the unknown reader of the draft version of this book for his enlightening remarks and to Marcella Mulder and Loes Schouten for their kind assistance throughout the editorial process. The greatest book of them all is that of my cpiA.ot; it is as large as life itself and it never ends. I will always value more than any academic title or achievement the friendship of Adonis, Akis, Andy, Barbara, David, Despoina, Edward, Elias, Fiona, Frosso, Ioulia, Lakis, all the Maries, Murli, R. Nagarajan, Nikos, Savas, Stelios, Tamara, Thomai, Vangelis, Y annis, Y oula. They have all contributed~in different ways~to the completion of this book. As for the "fAuKEta LUJ..LJ.wpia" of Elias, Fanis, Stefanos, Stelios and Vangelis, I wish that there are still many adventurous chapters to write. During the last couple of years of my life, machine guns and guarding posts have replaced classrooms and books. I was obliged to reciprocate the gift of being Greek by serving two years of national service. I wish to thank my country for giving me the chance to experience its darkest colours and to test the validity of traditional ethical norms. Aesop's fables are staged throughout the daily life in a military camp, especially the fable of "the mice and the weasels" (Pl65 p. 104 below). Last but not least, I thank the greatest teachers and friends of my life, my parents Andreas and Panayota, to whom this book is dedicated; words are not enough to describe my gratitude for the sacrifices

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Xl

and pains that they have gone through all these years; my sister Roubini, to whom I wish all the luck in her new adventures as a student of Classics; and all those relatives who have been supportive and did not consider postgraduate studies to be a waste of time, especially my aunt Tassia and my beloved aunt Maro, who I am sure will be smiling somewhere up there, making Heaven an even happier place.

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Abbreviations for ancient authors and works are those in and Oiford Latin Dictionary (Oxford, 1982) (Latin). Chambry CPG DGE DK FGrH (G)

Hausrath LS LSJ p

Pfeiffer PG PLF PLG PMG

LSJ (Greek)

fable in Chambry, E. (1927) (ed. and tr.), Esope, Fables. (Paris). von Leutsch, E.L. and Schneidewin, F.G. (1839-1951) (eds.), Corpus Paroemiographomm Graecomm vols. 1-2 (Gottingen). Adrados, F.R. ( 1980-) (ed.), Diccionario Griego-Espafiol (Madrid). Diels, H. and Kranz, W. (1951-2 6) (eds.), Die Fragmente der Vorsokratiker vols. 1-2 (Berlin). Jacoby, F. (1923-) (ed.), Fragmente der griechischen Historiker (Berlin). Life if Aesop, the version first edited by Perry, B.E. (1952), Aesopica. A Series if Texts Relating to Aesop or Ascribed to Him or Close[y Connected with the Literary Tradition that Bears His Name. Collected and Critical[y Edited, in Part Translated .from Oriental Languages, with a Commentary and Historical Essay. Volume 1: Greek and Latin Texts (Illinois), 35-77. fable in Hausrath, A., Hass, H. and Hunger, H. (1959-702) (eds.), Corpus Fabulamm Aesopicamm, L Fabulae Aesopicae soluta oratione conscriptae, vols. 1-2 (Leipzig). Long, A.A. and Sedley, D.N. (1987) (eds.), 1he Hellenistic Philosophers. Volume 2: Greek and Latin Texts with Notes and Bibliography (Cambridge). Liddell, H.G., Scott, R., and Jones, H.S. (1996 9) (eds.), A Greek-English Lexicon, With A Revised Supplement (Oxford). fable in Perry (1952), 301-711. Pfeiffer, R. (1949-53), Callimachus, vols. I-II (Oxford). Migne, J.-P. (1857 -66) (ed.), Patrologiae Graecae, vol. 102 (Turnholt). Lobel, E. and Page, D. (1955) (eds.), Poetarum Lesbiorum Fragmenta (Oxford). Bergk, T. (1853) (ed.), Poetae Lyrici Graeci (Leipzig). Page, D.L. (1962) (ed.), Poetae Melici Graeci (Oxford).

XIV

Pr. Radt RE S T VD

West

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

Aesopic proverb(s) in Perry (1952), 265-91. Radt, S. (1985) (ed.), Tragicorum Graecorum Fragmenta. Vol. 3: Aeschylys (Gottingen). Pauly, A., Wissowa, G., and Kroll, W. (1893-) (eds.), Real--Encyclopadie der classischen Altertumswissenschafl (Stuttgart). Aesopic maxims in Perry (1952), 245-58. testimonies in Perry (1952), 211-41. textual supplement in Van Dijk, G.-J. (1997), AINOI, AOTOI, MYBOI. Fables in Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic Greek Literature. With a Study if the Theory and Terminology if the Genre (Leiden), 400-568. West, M.L. (1971-2) (ed.), Iambi et Elegi Graeci vols. 1-2 (Oxford).

CHAPTER I

THE GREEK FABLE

I.l

Difmition and Characteristics qf the Greek Fable

The Greek fable is a brief and simple fictitious story with a constant structure, generally with animal protagonists (but also humans, gods, and inanimate objects, e.g. trees), which gives an exemplary and popular message on practical ethics and which comments, usually in a cautionary way, on the course of action to be followed or avoided in a particular situation. The above definition covers most Greek fables and all those of the Augustana collection. The majority of Greek and modem definitions of fable can be summed up in the definition given by Theon, a Greek rhetorician of the second century A.D. In his Progymnasmata (see p. 22 below) he discusses the Aesopic fable (which he terms J..LU8o