PHAEDRUS.
The title of Phaedrus’ work, ‘Phaedri Augusti liberti fabularum Aesopiarum libri,’ probably means that he was a freedman of Augustus. Tiberius is called ‘Caesar Tiberius’ in ii. 6, 7; contrast the reference to Augustus, iii. 10, 39, ‘a divo Augusto.’ Phaedrus was born in Thrace, possibly in the district of Pieria; but the date is unknown; iii. prol. 17,
‘Ego, quem Pierio mater enixa est iugo,
in quo tonanti sancta Mnemosyne Iovi
fecunda novies artium peperit chorum’;
ibid. 54,
‘Ego, litteratae qui sum propior Graeciae,
cur somno inerti deseram patriae decus?
Threissa cum gens numeret auctores suos,
Linoque Apollo sit parens, Musa Orpheo.’
Some wrongly take these allusions to mean that he belongs to the realm of poesy. That he came to Rome early is shown by the knowledge of Latin literature he acquired in his boyhood. Cf. iii. epil. 33, where he quotes Ennius,
‘Ego, quondam legi quam puer sententiam,
“Palam mutire plebeio piaculum est,”
dum sanitas constabit, pulchre meminero.’
After publishing two books of fables, Phaedrus was persecuted by Seianus, in some way unknown; iii. prol. 38,
‘Ego porro illius [Aesopi] semita feci viam,
et cogitavi plura quam reliquerat,
in calamitatem deligens quaedam meam.
Quod si accusator alius Seiano foret,
si testis alius, index alius denique,
dignum faterer esse me tantis malis.’
This persecution may have arisen from references in his fables, such as i. 1 (Lupus et agnus), l. 14,
‘Haec propter illos scripta est homines fabula,
qui fictis causis innocentes opprimunt’;
i. 6 (Ranae ad solem), which Nisard[73] thinks refers to the ambitious marriage which Seianus projected with Livia, daughter of Germanicus, ‘The sun dries up the ponds; what will happen if the sun marries and has children?’ l. 9,
‘Quidnam futurum est, si crearit liberos?’
Phaedrus survived the attacks made on him, and Book v. was written in his old age (see below).
Several personal points are clear from his writings:
(1) He had to meet the attacks of critics; ii. epil. 10,
‘Si livor obtrectare curam voluerit,
non tamen eripiet laudis conscientiam.’
(2) His desire for fame and his self-consciousness; iii. prol. 60,
‘Ergo hinc abesto livor, ne frustra gemas,
quoniam sollemnis mihi debetur gloria.’
(3) His contempt for money; iii. prol. 21,
‘Curamque habendi penitus corde eraserim’;
v. 4, 7,
‘Huius respectu fabulae deterritus
periculosum semper vitavi lucrum.’
Phaedrus wrote five Books of fables. Many have certainly been lost. Cf. his reference to tree-fables, none of which we have; i. prol. 6,
‘quod arbores loquantur, non tantum ferae.’
There are, besides the five Books, thirty fables usually printed as an appendix, and probably composed by Phaedrus. The fables are all in ‘impure’ iambic senarii, like those of Terence and Publius Syrus. Phaedrus followed Aesop, but, as he affirms, not slavishly; i. prol. 1,
‘Aesopus auctor quam materiam repperit,
hanc ego polivi versibus senariis’;
iv. prol. 10,
‘fabulis
quas Aesopias, non Aesopi, nomino.’
We have the Greek originals for about a third of the fables; but Phaedrus speaks of his additions to Aesop; ii. prol. 8,
‘Equidem omni cura morem servabo senis;
sed si libuerit aliquid interponere,
dictorum sensus ut delectet varietas,
bonas in partes, lector, accipias velim.’
Stories from contemporary or recent history are given in ii. 6, 7; iii. 10; v. 7.
Books i. and ii. were published under Tiberius; Book iii. was published after Tiberius’ death (cf. iii. prol. 33), and is dedicated to Eutychus, who has been identified with a favourite slave of Caligula. Book iv. followed, addressed to Particulo (iv. prol. 10). Book v., addressed to Philetes, was written in the poet’s old age; v. 10, 7,
‘Cui senex contra Lacon:
“Non te destituit animus, sed vires meae.
Quod fuimus, lauda, si iam damnas, quod sumus.”
Hoc cur, Philete, scripserim, pulchre vides.’
Martial is the only classical writer who refers to Phaedrus; iii. 20, 5,
‘An aemulatur improbi iocos Phaedri?’