Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/53

Rh This wrought nothing upon the Hearts of the Delphians, but as they were Bawling at the Executioner, to Dipatch and do his Office, Æop on a Sudden gave them the Slip, and Fled to an Altar hard by there, in hopes that the Religion of the Place might have Protected him, but the Delphians told him, that the Altars of the Gods were not to be any Sanctuary to thoe that Robbed their Temples; Whereupon he took Occaion to tell them the Fable of the Eagle and the Beetle to this Following Effect, As it tands in the Book, Num. 578.

Now ays Æop (after the telling of this Fable) you are not to Flatter your Selves that the Prophaners of Holy Altars, and the Oppreors of the Innocent, hall ever Ecape Divine Vengeance. This Enraged the Magitrates to uch a Degree, that they commanded the Officers Immediately to take Æop from the Altar, and Dipatch him away to his Execution. When Æop found that Neither the Holynes of the Place, nor the Clearnes of his Innocence was Sufficient to Protect him, and that he was to fall a Sacrifice to Subornation and Power, he gave them yet one Fable more as he was upon the Way to Execution.

There was an Old Fellow (ays he) ''that had pent his Whole Life in the Countrey without ever feeing the Towne, he found himelfe Weak and Decaying, and Nothing would erve, hut his Friends mut needs hew him the Towne once before he Dyed. Their Aes were very well Acquainted with the Way, and o they caued them to he made Ready, and turned the Old Man and the Aes Looe, without a Guide to try their Fortune. They were overtaken Upon the Road by a Terrible Tempet, o that what with the Darknes, and the Violence of the Storm, the Aes were Beaten out of their Way, and Tumbled with the Old Man into a Pit, where he had only time to Deliver his Lat Breath with This Exclamation. Mierable Wretch that I am to be Detroyd, ince Dye I mut, by the Baet of Beats; by Aes. And that's my Fate now, in uffering by the Hands of a Barbarous Sottih people, that Undertand Nothing either of Humanity or Honour; and Act Contrary to the Tyes of Hopitality and Jutice. But the Gods will not uffer my Blood to lye Unrevenged, and I doubt not, but that in Good Time the Judgment of Heaven will give you to Undertand your Wickednes by your Punihment. He was peaking on, but They Puhed him Off Headlong from the Rock, and he was Dahed to pieces with the Fall.'' The Delphians, oon after This, were viited with Famine and Petilence, to uch a Degree, that they Went to Conult the Oracle