The Probert Encyclopaedia of People

AESOP

Aesop was a Greek writer of fables. Aesop is said to have been a contemporary of Croesus and Solon, and thus probably lived about the middle of the sixth century BC. But so little is known of his life that his existence has been called in question. He is said to have been originally a slave, and to have received his freedom from a Samian master, Iadmon. He then visited the court of Croesus, and is also said to have visited Pisistratus at Athens. Finally he was sent by Croesus to Delphi to distribute a sum of money to each of the citizens. For some reason he refused to distribute the money, whereupon the Delphians, enraged, threw him from a precipice, and killed him. No works of Aesop are extant, and it is doubtful whether he wrote any. Bentley inclined to the supposition that his fables were delivered orally and perpetuated by repetition. Such fables are spoken of both by Aristophanes and Plato. Phaedrus turned into Latin verse the Aeopian fables current in his day, with additions of his own. In modern times several collections bearing to be Aesop's fables have been published.
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