Aesop's Fables: Zeus and the Bee

Two translations

Two translations are included here. The first, a new translation by Laura Gibbs in 2002, presents the original fable in plain modern English language translated directly from the original Greek. The second, translated from French to Middle English by William Caxton in 1484, demonstrates how medieval readers received the fable, and this was most likely taken from a French translation of an older Latin translation. Note that in the Caxton translation, Zeus is called Iupyter (Jupiter), the Roman name for Zeus.

Aesop's Fables, translated by Laura Gibbs (2002)

Zeus and the Bee

The bee, who is the mother of the honeycombs, went up to the gods, bearing honeycombs and honey. Delighted by the bee's offering, Zeus ordered that she be given whatever she asked for. The bee said, 'Bestow upon your servant a sting so that I can defend the fruits of my labour and protect myself.' Zeus was at a loss when faced with his request, since he felt affection for the human race. He therefore told the bee, 'I cannot do exactly that: but if some man does come to take your honey and you want to get rid of him, here is your sting! Yet you must keep in mind that if you strike a man, you will die at the moment your sting has gone in.'

The fable shows that in our prayers and requests we should never ask for evil to befall our enemies.

Aesop's Fables. A new translation by Laura Gibbs. Oxford University Press (World's Classics): Oxford, 2002.

William Caxton (1484)

Of the Bee and of Iupiter

Now the euyl which men wysshe to other

cometh to hym whiche wyssheth hit

as hit appiereth by this fable

of a Bee whiche offred and gaf to Iupyter a pyece of hony

wherof Iupyter was moche Ioyous

And thenne Iupyter sayd to the bee

demaunde of me what thow wylt

and I shalle graunte and gyue hit to the gladly

And thenne the Bee prayd hym in this manere

God almyghty I pray the that thow wylt gyue to me and graunte

that who so euer shal come for to take awey my hony

yf I pryke hym

he may sondenly deye

And by cause that Iupyter loued the humayn lygnage he sayd to the Bee

Suffyse the

that who so euer shalle goo to take thy hony

yf thow pryke or stynge hym

Incontynent thow shalt deye

And thus her prayer was tourned to her grete dommage

For men ought not to demaunde of god

but suche thynges that ben good and honest

Aesop's Fables. Wylliam Caxton: Westmynstre, 1484.