Wiſe Man values Another for his Underſanding, not for his Beauty; Beſide that the Deformity of my Perſon is no Incapacity at All as to your Buſineſs. Did you never taſt Delicious drink out of an Ill Look'd Veſſell? or did you never drink Wine that was Vapid, or Eager, out of a Veſſell of Gold? Tis Sagacity and Strength of Reaſon that you have Occaſion for, not the force of Robuſt Limbs, nor the Delicacies of Colour and Proportion. Wherefore I muſt Beſeech ye not to Judge of My Mind by my Body, nor to Condemn me Unheard. Upon this, they All cry'd out to him, If he had any thing to ſay for the Common Good, That he would ſpeak it. With your favour, fays he, It is for that End I preſume, that ye have called me hither, and it is with a Great Zeal for your Service, that 1 ſtand now before ye: But when I conſider the Weight of the Matter in hand, and the Office That I am now to Perform, it will as little ſtand with your Honors Perhaps, to take the Opinion of a Slave into your Councells and Debates, as it will with my Condition to offer it. Beſide the Riſque I run of my Maſters Diſpleaſure upon the Event. But All This may yet be Obviated, my Fears ſecured, my Modeſty gratify'd, and your own Dignity preſerved, only by making me a Freeman before hand, to Qualify me for the Function. They All ſaid it was a Moſt Reaſonable Thing, and preſently Treated about the Price of his Liberty, and order'd the Queſtors to pay down the Mony. When Xanthus ſaw that the thing muſt be done, He could not Decently ſtand Higgling about the Price; But making a Virtue of Neceſſity, he choſe rather to Preſent Æſop to the Common-Wealth, then to Sell him. The Samians took it very kindly, And Æſop was Preſently Manumiz'd, and made a Citizen in Form, Proclaim'd a Freeman; and after this Ceremony, he Diſcourſed upon the Subject of the Portent as follows.
I ſhall not need to tell ſo many Wiſe and knowing Men, that the Eagle is a Royal Bird, and ſignifes a Great King; that the Dropping of the Ring into the Boſom of a Slave that has no Power over himſelf, portends the Loſs of Your Liberties, if you do not look to your ſelves in Time; And that ſome Potent Prince has a Deſign upon ye. This put the Samians all a-fire to hear the Iſſue of the Prediction. In ſome ſhort time after there came Ambaſſadors from Craſus the King of Lydia, to Demand a Tribute on the Behalfe of their Maſter, and Threat'ned the Samians with a Warr in Caſe of a Refuſal. This Affair came to be Debated in the Councell, where the Majority was rather for Peace with Slavery, then for running the Riſque of a Diſpute; but they would not come to a Reſolution yet, without firſt Conſulting Æſop What They had beſt to do; Who gave Them his Thoughts upon't in Words to This Effect.
