Avianus (or possibly Avienus;Alan Cameron, "Avienus or Avienius?", ''ZPE'' 108 (1995), p. 260 c. AD 400) a

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

writer of

fable Fable is a literary genre: a succinct fictional story, in prose or verse (poetry), verse, that features animals, legendary creatures, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature that are Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphized, and that illustrat ...

s,"Avianus" in ''

Chambers's Encyclopædia ''Chambers's Encyclopaedia'' was founded in 1859Chambers, W. & R"Concluding Notice"in ''Chambers's Encyclopaedia''. London: W. & R. Chambers, 1868, Vol. 10, pp. v–viii. by William and Robert Chambers of Edinburgh and became one of the most ...

''. London:

George Newnes Sir George Newnes, 1st Baronet (13 March 1851 – 9 June 1910) was a British publisher and editor and a founding figure in popular journalism. Newnes also served as a Liberal Party Member of Parliament for two decades. His company, George Newne ...

, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 5. identified as a pagan. The 42 fables which bear his name are dedicated to a certain Theodosius, whose learning is spoken of in most flattering terms. He may possibly be

Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius, usually referred to as Macrobius (fl. AD 400), was a Roman provincial who lived during the early fifth century, during late antiquity, the period of time corresponding to the Later Roman Empire, and when Latin was ...

, the author of ''Saturnalia''; some think he may be the emperor of that name. Nearly all the fables are to be found in

Babrius Babrius ( grc-gre, Βάβριος, ''Bábrios''; century),"Babrius" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 21. also known as Babrias () or Gabrias (), was the author of a collection of Greek fables, many of whic ...

, who was probably Avianus's source of inspiration, but as Babrius wrote in

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

, and Avianus speaks of having made an elegiac version from a rough

copy, probably a

prose Prose is a form of written or spoken language that follows the natural flow of speech, uses a language's ordinary grammatical structures, or follows the conventions of formal academic writing. It differs from most traditional poetry, where the ...

paraphrase, he was not indebted to the original. The language and metre are on the whole correct, in spite of deviations from classical usage, chiefly in the management of the

pentameter Pentameter ( grc, πεντάμετρος, 'measuring five ( feet)') is a poetic meter. А poem is said to be written in a particular pentameter when the lines of the poem have the length of five feet, where a 'foot' is a combination of a particul ...

. The fables soon became popular as a school-book. ''Promythia and epimythia'' (introductions and morals), paraphrases, and imitations were frequent, such as the ''Novus Avianus'' of

Alexander Neckam Alexander Neckam (8 September 115731 March 1217) was an English magnetician, poet, theologian, and writer. He was an abbot of Cirencester Abbey from 1213 until his death. Early life Born on 8 September 1157 in St Albans, Alexander shared his b ...

(12th century).

Fables

#De nutrice et infanti #De testudine et aquila - noticed under The Tortoise and the Birds #De cancris - noticed under The Snake and the Crab #De vento et sole -

The North Wind and the Sun The North Wind and the Sun is one of Aesop's Fables (Perry Index 46). It is type 298 (Wind and Sun) in the Aarne–Thompson folktale classification. The moral it teaches about the superiority of persuasion over force has made the story widely know ...

#De asino pelle leonis induto - The Ass in the Lion's Skin #De rana et vulpe - The Frog and the Fox #De cane qui noluit latrare - The Mischievous Dog #De camelo #De duobus sociis et ursa - The Bear and the Travelers #De calvo #De ollis -

The Two Pots The Two Pots is one of Aesop's Fables and numbered 378 in the Perry Index. The fable may stem from proverbial sources. The Fable There is a short Greek version of the fable and a longer, more circumstantial late Latin poem by Avianus. It concerns ...

#De thesauro #De hirco et tauro #De simia #De grue et pavone #De quercu et harundine - The Oak and the Reed #De venatore et tigride #De quattuor iuvencis et leone -

The Bulls and the Lion The bulls and the lion is counted as one of Aesop's Fables and is numbered 372 in the Perry Index. Originally it illustrated the theme of friendship, which was later extended to cover political relations as well. The fable A lion keeps watch on a ...

#De abiete ac dumis - The Fir and the Bramble #De piscatore et pisce - The fisherman and the little fish #De luscinia #De cupido et invido #De Baccho - noticed under The Statue of Hermes #De venatore et leone #De fure et parvo #De leone et capella #De cornice et urna -

The Crow and the Pitcher ''The Crow and the Pitcher'' is one of Aesop's Fables, numbered 390 in the Perry Index. It relates ancient observation of corvid behaviour that recent scientific studies have confirmed is goal-directed and indicative of causal knowledge rather th ...

#De rustico et iuvenco #De viatore et fauno -

The Satyr and the Traveller The Satyr and the Traveller (or Peasant) is one of Aesop's Fables and is numbered 35 in the Perry Index. The popular idiom 'to blow hot and cold' is associated with it and the fable is read as a warning against duplicity. The Fable There are Gre ...

#De apro et coco #De mure et tauro # -

God helps those who help themselves The phrase "God helps those who help themselves" is a motto that emphasizes the importance of self-initiative and agency. The expression is known around the world and is used to inspire people for self-help. The phrase originated in ancient Greec ...

#De ansere ova aurea pariente - The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs #De cicada et formica -

The Ant and the Grasshopper The Ant and the Grasshopper, alternatively titled The Grasshopper and the Ant (or Ants), is one of Aesop's Fables, numbered 373 in the Perry Index. The fable describes how a hungry grasshopper begs for food from an ant when winter comes and is ...

#De simiae gemellis #De vitulo et bove #De leone et cane #De pisce et focis #De milite veterano - noticed under

The Trumpeter Taken Captive The Trumpeter Taken Captive is one of Aesop's Fables and is numbered 370 in the Perry Index. One of the rare tales in which only human beings figure, it teaches that association with wrongdoers makes one equally culpable. Sharing the guilt The fa ...

#De pardo et vulpe #De olla cruda #De lupo et haedo

Editions

* Hendrik Cannegieter (1731) * Lachmann (1845) * Wilhelm Fröhner (1862) * Emil Baehrens in ''Poetae Latini Minores'' (1879–1883) *

Robinson Ellis Robinson Ellis, FBA (5 September 1834 – 9 October 1913) was an English classical scholar. Ellis was born at Barming, near Maidstone, and was educated at Elizabeth College, Guernsey, Rugby School, and Balliol College, Oxford. He took a Firs ...

, ''The Fables of Avianus'' (1887) * The Fables of Avianus, translated by David R. Slavitt, Johns Hopkins University Press 1993

References

* Latin Wikisource

Fables

Editions

See also

References

Further reading