Mythologia ethica, or, Three centuries of Æsopian fables in English prose done from Æsop, Phædrus, Camerarius, and all other eminent authors on this subject : illustrated with moral, philosophical, and political precepts : also with aphorisms and proverbs in several languages, and adorned with many curious sculptures cut on copper plates / by Philip Ayres, Esq.

FAB. C. The Fox and the Ape.

AN Ape meeting a Fox, and observing him to be in good plight, having a plump Body, and his Coat lying smooth and sleeck, Ah! How much more bountiful, said she, has Nature been to thee, than to me, for she seems to have mademe, as it were, in spight, with a kind of exquisite Deformity. The Pru∣dent Fox willing to convince her of her Errour, invi∣ted her to walk on a while with him. I'll wait on you, answered the Ape, tho I confess I am ashamed to be seen on the Road, thus ragged, lean, and half naked as I am, with you, who are so hand∣som and well clad. They had not gone far, be∣fore they met an Elephant that had lost his Teeth; of whom the Fox enquired, what force was able to break Teeth of that mighty strength, which his, by the roots seemed to have been? It was the Co∣vetousness of men, answered he, who having long pursued me with fury, being greedy of such a Booty, I therefore thrust them in betwixt the Trunks of two Trees growing near to each other, and at the Expence of what they so earnestly sought after, I ransomed my Life. Going a little further, they

espyed coming towards them, a Beaver bleeding that had newly lost his Testicles. The Fox asking the occasion of his misfortune, understood by the poor Creature, that he himself had bit them off, being sensible that for their sakes, Men hunted him, and would have taken and kill'd him, Walking on, they were met by a Peacock, whose Wings and Tail having been stript of their Feathers, it was a hard thing to know what Bird he was: For which loss the Fox pitying him, desired to be informed who had, on that manner, plundred him? Men, said he, taken with the Beauty of my Glorious Plumes, caught me, and tore them off, to adorn their own pride with them. When they had left him, they went forwards and found a Vulture, whose Breast was all naked and raw, having had his downy Skin thus barbarously flee'd off alive; whom the Fox commiserating, entreated to tell how he had been brought into that deplorable Condition? Certain Curious Men, said he, coveting my soft Down, surprized me by their subtil Tricks, and used me as you see. They had scarce lost sight of the Vulture, when they met a Man loaded with several Bundles, followed by a small Troop of Children, ill clad, and his Wife bringing up the rear. He was courteously saluted by the Fox, and asked whither he was going, and whence he came with that Train. Alas! answered he, whither I go, I know not, but I come with this my distressed Fa∣mily from a Conquered City, lately most flourish∣ing; abounding in Riches, and flowing in a plenty of all things, which now by the fury of a Powerful Enemy is utterly destroyed, and in which Calami∣ty, I, from a Wealthy Citizen, have been reduced

to Beggery. Dost thou see? said the Fox to the Ape, that Riches and Plenty which are wont to raise their Minds, and so much please those who enjoy them, could not make their Possessors happy▪ Wherefore I advise thee so to dispose thy self, that thy Poverty may neither grieve thee, nor make thee ashamed.

Archilochus the Parian, that Celebrated Lyric Po∣et, of all whose Works we have only some small Frag∣ments remaining, and (who lived in the time when Gyges Reigned in Lydia, that Murdered his Ma∣ster King Candaules, for the enjoyment of his Queen, whom he afterwards Marryed.) This same Archi∣lochus, I say, writ Fables of this kind in Verse, and first incroduced the Fox speaking in them, And there is the beginning of a Fable of his related by Ammo∣nius, the Philosopher of Alexandria, in his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which might possibly have been to the same Effect, with the fore-recited Fable of the Learned Joa∣chim Camerarius; which shows that in Wealth and Abundance, there are generally more Mischiefs at∣tending, and more Dangers, than in Poverty and Want. It was this Archilochus that wrote so sharply in Iambic Verse against Lycambes, whose Daughter he had Espoused, tho her Father afterward refused to deliver her to him. This was the occasion of that Satyr, which made Lycambes hang himself.

Hence Horace says,

Archilochum proprio rabies armavit Jambo.