Who is Aesop? The answer to this question must be known to every person who likes such instructive literary works as fables. The ancient Greek writer is considered practically the founding father of the genre, however, the existence of this character is still unproven. His biography consists, rather, of legends, many of which contradict each other, than of reliable facts.
Aesop's fabulist - man or legend?
For the first time in the existence of this character, Martin Luther doubted in the 16th century , before him no one disputed the fact of the life of an ancient Greek writer. Since then, the discussion has not stopped, scientists have divided into several camps, offering different versions of the answer to the question of who Aesop is.
Proponents of a theory that confirms the historicity of the writer, cite a lot of arguments that can indirectly prove its existence. However, even they are not able to deny the fact that practically nothing is known about the appearance possessed by the fabulist Aesop. In biographies examining his personality, he is endowed with various traits. There is even a popular version stating that the fabulist was a hunchback, had an extremely repulsive appearance.
The character of a sage is described by all authors in approximately the same way. Who is Aesop, if you trust their characteristics? A cunning, dodgy person, endowed with a sharp mind and sense of humor, capable of deceiving anyone. Often attributed to him and such qualities as grumpiness, viciousness. However, the facts, these characteristics are also practically not confirmed, only preserved legends.
Writer Biography
The fabulist Aesop, if you believe in its existence, was born in the 6th century BC. All popular legends about its origin indicate that the writer was born and raised in slavery, this fact is not disputed by historians. The most common version says that this man was the property of the owner, whose name was Jadmon, who lived on the island of Samos. This theory was spread thanks to the Greek historian Herodotus, who insisted on it.
Who is Aesop, assuming that the information Herodotus possessed is correct? The scientist claimed that the writer was a freedman, fell at the hands of the Delphic priests. At the same time, Jadmon insisted on the ransom that he received from the priests of the temple. It is assumed that the execution of the sage is associated with his mockery of the god Apollo, which the people worshiping him could not tolerate.
There is another version, insisting that the owner of Aesop was Xanthus, and the writer was born in Thrace. The basis for such allegations was the study of fables attributed to the semi-legendary hero, as well as the processing of information provided by Herodotus.
What is known about fables
Did a man named Aesop really live, or is it just a beautiful legend? He is credited with creating over 450 fables. It is assumed that the works were written in poetic form, but the original was not preserved. Aesop's fables reached our contemporaries in the form of paraphrases, set out in prose. It is also believed that they originally traveled from generation to generation orally.
The first who combined the works of the fabulist in the volume was Demetrius Falersky, at least his works are the most ancient of the known. In the third century BC, Demetrius created 10 books, unfortunately, they were lost more than 10 centuries ago. Further, fables were translated into Latin and written down by other scholars, for example, Flavius Avian.
Features of the works
Aesop's reasoning about the world had a great influence on many writers who lived much later than the legendary character. It is not surprising, because he invented the whole universe, the inhabitants of which were animals, birds, insects. Since people are not heroes of works, an instructive lesson assumes an allegorical character.
The stories attributed to the fabulist captivate with the laconicism, simplicity and uncomplicated morality. The object of ridicule in them are vices that people have not been able to get rid of to this day. This gives Aesop's works the same relevance. An instructive conclusion is a characteristic feature common to all fables, without exception. The person reading them does not have to guess on their own exactly where the main character was mistaken.
The writer suggests readers to think about their own behavior, actions, views on the world around them, to separate true values from false ones. His writings are useful for people of all ages, from the youngest children. The latter is still better to get acquainted with instructive creativity with the help of Krylov's fables.
Subjects of works
Many stories of fables, written allegedly by Aesop, are familiar to people from early childhood. Hardly anyone had heard of children who, in the futile search for their father's inheritance, dug up the entire vineyard. About a fox who, not by force, but by cunning and flattery, took the food of a raven, leaving the unfortunate bird in the cold. About the fox, which justified its inability to obtain grapes, located on a branch too high, by the fact that it has not yet ripened. About how a flea was caught, and what came of it.
Impact on other writers
Russian Aesop is the name of the writer Ivan Krylov, on whose work the works of the ancient Greek sage really had a tremendous impact. To be convinced of this, it is enough just to recall the famous story of the raven, fox and cheese, and then compare it with the “original”. Indeed, almost all the plots of popular Krylov’s fables are taken from works preserved from ancient times. This does not mean that the writer can be blamed for plagiarism. It is his works, written in simple language, are ideal for reading to young children, are considered an impeccable example of the modern genre.
Those who like the fables of Krylov and Aesop can pay attention to the work of other writers who actively used ancient Greek stories as a source of inspiration. For example, the works of the Frenchman Jean de Lafontaine, "simplified" translations of Leo Tolstoy.