The oaks were complaining to Zeus: "In vain," they said, "did we come into the world; for more than all other trees we are exposed to the brutal blows of the axe." Zeus replied, "You yourselves are the authors of your misfortune; if you did not produce the handles for axes, and if you were of no use for carpentry and farming, the axe would not cut you down."
Some people, who are the authors of their own troubles, foolishly lay the blame for them on the gods.
Nº 48The Man Bitten by an Ant and HermesOne day, when a ship had gone down with all its passengers, a man who witnessed the wreck declared that the judgements of the gods were unjust,…Read the fable →
Nº 233The DivinerA diviner, set up in the public square, was doing good business there. Suddenly a fellow came to him and told him that the doors of his house were…Read the fable →
Nº 303The Two BagsLong ago Prometheus, having fashioned people, hung two bags round their necks, one holding the faults of others, the other their own faults, and he…Read the fable →