Avianus

Avianus (or possibly Avienus; c. AD 400) was a pagan writer of fables in Latin.

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, the author of Saturnalia; some think he may be the emperor of that name. Nearly all the fables are to be found in Babrius, who was probably Avianus's source of inspiration, but as Babrius wrote in Greek, and Avianus speaks of having made an elegiac version from a rough Latin copy, probably a prose 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. 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 (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 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 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 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 De rustico et iuvenco De viatore et fauno - The Satyr and the Traveller De apro et coco De mure et tauro - God helps those who help themselves De ansere ova aurea pariente - The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs De cicada et formica - The Ant and the Grasshopper De simiae gemellis De vitulo et bove De leone et cane De pisce et focis De milite veterano - noticed under The Trumpeter Taken Captive 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, The Fables of Avianus (1887) The Fables of Avianus, translated by David R. Slavitt, Johns Hopkins University Press 1993