Chapter 60

'Huius respectu fabulae deterritus periculosum semper vitavi lucrum.'

Phaedrus wrote five Books of fables. Many have certainly been lost. Cf. his reference to tree-fables, none of which we have; i. prol. 6,

'quod arbores loquantur, non tantum ferae.'

There are, besides the five Books, thirty fables usually printed as an appendix, and probably composed by Phaedrus. The fables are all in 'impure' iambic senarii, like those of Terence and Publius Syrus. Phaedrus followed Aesop, but, as he affirms, not slavishly; i. prol. 1,

'Aesopus auctor quam materiam repperit, hanc ego polivi versibus senariis';

iv. prol. 10,

'fabulis quas Aesopias, non Aesopi, nomino.'

We have the Greek originals for about a third of the fables; but Phaedrus speaks of his additions to Aesop; ii. prol. 8,

'Equidem omni cura morem servabo senis; sed si libuerit aliquid interponere, dictorum sensus ut delectet varietas, bonas in partes, lector, accipias velim.'

Stories from contemporary or recent history are given in ii. 6, 7; iii. 10; v. 7.

Books i. and ii. were published under Tiberius; Book iii. was published after Tiberius' death (cf. iii. prol. 33), and is dedicated to Eutychus, who has been identified with a favourite slave of Caligula. Book iv. followed, addressed to Particulo (iv. prol. 10).