This Fable is said to have been spoken by Æsop to the Athenians, who
had flourished under their commonwealth, and lived under good and
wholesome laws of their own enacting, until, in process of time,
they suffered their liberty to run into licentiousness; and factious
designing men fomented divisions, and raised animosities among them.
When thus rendered weak, Pisistratus took the advantage, and seized
upon their citadel and liberties both together. The Athenians finding
themselves in a state of slavery, though their tyrant happened to be a
merciful one, could not bear the thoughts of it; but Æsop in reciting
the Fable to them, prescribes patience where there was no other remedy,
and adds, at last, “Wherefore, my dear countrymen, be contented with
your present condition, bad as it is, for fear a change should make it
worse.”
[Illustration: _Set them up with a king indeed!_]
[Illustration] [Page 137]