Konj in jelen

Besedilo

Konj in jelen

When the people of Himera had elected Phalaris general with absolute powers and were about to grant him a bodyguard, Stesichorus, after addressing them on other matters, told them this fable: A horse once had a meadow all to himself. But a stag came and spoiled the pasture, and the horse, wishing to take revenge on the stag, asked a man whether he could help him punish it. The man said he could, “provided the horse accepted a bridle and allowed him to mount its back with javelins in hand.” The horse agreed, and the man mounted; but instead of taking his revenge, the horse became the man’s slave. “So you too,” he said, “must beware lest, in seeking revenge on your enemies, you suffer the same fate as the horse. You have already accepted the bridle by electing a general with absolute powers. If you give him a bodyguard as well and let him mount, you will [at once] become slaves to Phalaris.”