Æsop _Adopts_ Ennus. Ennus_’s Ingratitude and Falseness, and_ Æsop_’s
Good Nature_.
It was the Fashion in those Days for Princes to Exercise Tryalls of Skill
in the Putting and Resolving of Riddles, and Intricate Questions; and
He that was the Best at the Clearing or Untying of Knotty Difficulties
carry’d the Prize. Æsop_’s_ Faculty lay notably that way, and render’d
him so serviceable to the King, that it brought him both Reputation and
Reward. It was his Unhappiness to have No Children, for the Comfort and
Support of his Old Age; So that with the King’s Consent, he Adopted a
young Man, who was Well Born, and Ingenuous enough, but Poor; His Name
was _Ennus_. Æsop took as much care of his Instruction as if he had
been his own Child, and Train’d him up in those Principles of Virtue
and Knowledge that might most probably render him Great and Happy. But
there’s no working upon a Flagitious and Perverse Nature, by Kindness
and Discipline, and ’tis Time lost to think of Mastering so Incurable
an Evil: So that _Ennus_, after the Manner of other Wicked Men, heaping
One Villany upon another, Counterfeits his Fathers Name and Hand to
Certain Letters, wherein he Promises his Assistance to the Neighbour
Princes against _Labynetus_. These Letters _Ennus_ carry’s to the King,
and Charges his Father with Treason, though in Appearance, with All
the trouble and unwillingness that was possible, Only a Sense of his
Duty to his King and his Country, swallow’d up All other Respects of
Reverence and Modesty that a Son owes to a Father. The King took All
these Calumnies for Instances of _Ennus_’s Affections to him, without the
Least Suspicion of any Fraud in the Matter: So that without any further
Enquiry, he order’d Æsop to be put to Death. The Persons to whom the Care
of his Execution was Committed, being well Assured of his Innocence and
of the Kings Ungovernable Passions, took him out of the Way, and gave it
out that he was Dead. Some few Days after this, there came Letters to
_Labynetus_ from _Amasis_ the King of _Ægypt_, wherein _Labynetus_ was
Desired by _Amasis_ to send him a certain Architect that could raise a
Tower that should hang in the Air, and likewise Resolve All Questions.
_Labynetus_ was at a Great Loss what Answer to return, and the Fierceness
of his Displeasure against Æsop being by This time somewhat Abated, he
began to Enquire after him with Great Passion, and would often Profess,
That if the Parting with One half of his Kingdom could bring him to Life
again, he would Give it. _Hermippus_ and Others that had kept him out of
the Way, told the King upon the Hearing of This, That Æsop was yet Alive;
so They were Commanded to bring him forth; which they did, in All the
Beastliness he had Contracted in the Prison. He did no sooner Appear,
but he made his Innocence so manifest, that _Labynetus_ in Extreme
Displeasure and Indignation, commanded the False Accuser to be put to
Death with most Exquisite Torments; But Æsop, after all this, Interceded
for him, and Obtained his Pardon, upon a Charitable Presumption, that
the Sence of so Great a Goodness and Obligation would yet Work upon
him. _Herodotus_ tells the story of _Cambyses_ the Son of _Cyrus_, and
_Crœsus_, and with what Joy _Cambyses_ received _Crœsus_ again, after he
was supposed to be put to death by his own Order; but Then it Vary’s in
This, that he Caused Those to be put to Death, that were to have seen the
Execution done, for not Observing his Commands.