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[5]
A fable, to give an example, is that of
Stesichorus concerning Phalaris, or that of Aesop on behalf of the demagogue.
For Stesichorus, when the people of Himera had chosen Phalaris dictator and were
on the point of giving him a body-guard, after many arguments related a fable to
them: “A horse was in sole occupation of a meadow. A stag having come
and done much damage to the pasture, the horse, wishing to avenge himself on the
stag, asked a man whether he could help him to punish the stag. The man
consented, on condition that the horse submitted to the bit and allowed him to
mount him javelins in hand. The horse agreed to the terms and the man mounted
him, but instead of obtaining vengeance on the stag, the horse from that time
became the man's slave. So then,” said he, “do you take care
lest, in your desire to avenge yourselves on the enemy,
you be treated like the horse. You already have the bit, since you have chosen a dictator; if you give him a body-guard and allow him to mount you, you will at once be the slaves of Phalaris.”
you be treated like the horse. You already have the bit, since you have chosen a dictator; if you give him a body-guard and allow him to mount you, you will at once be the slaves of Phalaris.”
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