이솝우화 1814

이솝 지음

투나미스 2017년 08월 01일 출간

작품소개

책소개

최초의 이솝우화 영역본은 아니지만 현대영어와 가장 유사하면서도 풍성한 에피소드를 자랑하는 책이다. 총 110가지의 우화가 수록되었는데 몇몇 일화는 놀랍게도 탈무드의 기록과도 흡사했다. 특히 이 책은 이솝우화를 적용하는 글도 읽을 수 있어 유익하다.

목차

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책 속으로

FABLE I.

THE COCK AND THE JEWEL.

A brisk young Cock, in company with two or three pullets, his mistresses, raking upon a dunghill for something to entertain them with, happened to scratch up a Jewel. He knew what it was well enough, for it sparkled with an exceeding bright lustre; but, not knowing what to do with it, endeavoured to cover his ignorance under a gay contempt; so, shrugging up his wings, shaking his head, and putting on a grimace, he expressed himself to this purpose:―'Indeed, you are a very fine thing; but I know not any business you have here. I make no scruple of declaring that my taste lies quite another way; and I had rather have one grain of dear delicious barley, than all the Jewels under the sun.'

APPLICATION.

There are several people in the world that pass, with some, for well accomplished gentlemen, and very pretty fellows, though they are as great strangers to the true uses of virtue and knowledge as the Cock upon the dunghill is to the real value of the Jewel. He palliates his ignorance by pretending that his taste lies another way. But, whatever gallant airs people may give themselves upon these occasions, without dispute, the solid advantages of virtue, and the durable pleasures of learning, are as much to be preferred before other objects of the senses, as the finest brilliant diamond is above a barley-corn. The greatest blockheads would appear to understand what at the same time they affect to despise: and nobody yet was ever so vicious, as to have the impudence to declare, in public, that virtue was not a fine thing.

But still, among the idle, sauntering young fellows of the age, who have leisure as well to cultivate and improve the faculties of the mind, as to dress and embellish the body, how many are there who spend their days in raking after new scenes of debauchery, in comparison of those few who know how to relish more reasonable entertainments! Honest, undesigning good sense is so unfashionable, that he must be a bold man who, at this time of day, attempts to bring it into esteem.

How disappointed is the youth who, in the midst of his amorous pursuits, endeavouring to plunder an outside of bloom and beauty, finds a treasure of impenetrable virtue concealed within! And why may it not be said, how delighted are the fair sex when, from among a crowd of empty, frolic, conceited admirers, they find out, and distinguish with their good opinion, a man of sense, with a plain, unaffected person, which, at first sight, they did not like!

출판사 서평

현존하는 최고령 이솝우화 1814, 이솝우화를 오리지널로 읽는다!

작가정보

저자(글) 이솝

『이솝우화』의 작자. 이솝은 그리스 이름 아이소포스(Α？σωπο？)의 영어식 표기이다. 헤로도토스에 따르면 이솝은 BC 6세기 사람으로, 사모스 사람 이아도몬의 노예였으며, 델포이에서 살해되었다고 한다. 그보다 좀 뒤의 기록에는 그가 프리기아인이라는 것과, 그가 살해당한 원인 등이 좀더 뚜렷이 드러나 있으나 그 진위는 분명치 않다. 안짱다리, 불룩 나온 배, 검고 비할 데 없이 추악한 용모를 가졌다는 유명한 아이소포스 상像은 아득한 후세의 창작에 지나지 않는다. 그의 지혜는 세월이 흐를수록 온 세계에 빛을 발하고 있다.