Marriage and Love

12.
Aesop was 15 years in the house of Iadmon when the question of marriage came up. (482 BC.) Iadmon was enthusiastic about the idea. As he got older he wanted to see more order and happiness about him. He recalled his marriage was success. Once when he and his wife had time alone they sat together in the courtyard and talked of their early years. What struggle they had! So unlike and yet they thought nothing but the joy of sharing it all as one.
What she could not stop in her husband was his greed, she recalled. But she noted with satisfaction he did not bring that avarice into home. Looking at the old companion she noted he had totally put his incessant talk on money-grubbing behind. Thinking over it she asked, ”Where did our greed go to?”
Iadmon looked at her in surprise. “Greed? O dear!” he sighed, ”You meant to say my weakness? Did you not?”
She said patting his hand, ”When I married (*512 BC.), your greed also became mine. How I trembled to hear others speak ill of you. It was as if they cast it to spite me!”
“Where did our tears go to?”
“I suppose the same place where our fears, joys and dreams go to.” He looked at her and he thought he saw her as she was some thirty years ago with her youthfulness still so unforgettably etched in her face. “Can you love this old goat still dear?” “Oh yes,” she said with a chuckle, ”We loved each other in the strength of our youth. Didn’t we?” She continued, “Older and wiser what do we feel? Strength stronger than before.” Yes it was the truth of experience she meant. Truth that is collated from life shared with all life-beings on the earth, in her case living with Iadmon. Truth of action was in his learning to put a lid on the greed that made her feel humiliated.
“So we shall drink to Happiness?” She nodded. They did.
(Selected: The Life of Aesop Ch-7.12 pp 135-136)

benny

One That Didn't Make It-3

Here is a story, which I wrote sometime in 1996 when I first thought of writing the Life of Aesop. Till I had the book in its final form there were too many, more stories than I could have possibly used. In order to achieve a smooth flow of narration I had to discard many. So here is one such a piece of Aesopiana.
Home Improvement
Iadmon who came from the island of Samos was a very strange character whose bark as his slaves found out was worse than his bite. He became mellowed and friendlier but his greed still remained hard as flint and unchanged. Once he came home after a distress sale crowing what a killing he made.
His wife Eugenia took him to the task for his money grubbing. “Haven’t you have had enough?” she asked him in irritation.
Aesop was busy with making the master’s bed and none noticed that he was present. Iadmon said defensively,” I can’t help it, dear.” He added after looking at his wife with a sidelong glance. Aesop could see that he was embarrassed,” My father was poor as his father before him.”
“So what?” his wife shot back.
“Lack of money presses me. My patrimony was nothing but this need to make wealth.”
“You did it well. But must you overdo it?”
“Perhaps not.” Iadmon said, “ Why don’t you compliment for my perseverance and so many good qualities I have acquired?” “What is the point of looking for things which are visible? I can only speak what I have lost in you. It is for you to do something about it.”
Embarrassed Iadmon came out; seeing Aesop on the way he went on finding fault with his work. Suddenly he broke off, confused and muttering something. The slave with a grin said under breath,” He was fishing for compliments with his wife while I wasn’t even fishing for complaints!”

benny

One That Didn't Make It

Here is a story, which I wrote sometime in 1996 when I first thought of writing the Life of Aesop. (www.lulu.com/content/344881) Till I had the book in its final form there were too many, more stories than I could have possibly used. In order to achieve a smooth flow of narration I discarded many. So here is one such piece of Aesopiana.

AN UNEQUAL CLASS WAR.

Agabus, a fellow slave who was older, could not understand Aesop. He had a number of hangers-on. One day he called the young slave aside and said: "We have been watching you from the time you joined us. Must you show so much enthusiasm to serve the master? Slaves cannot run with other slaves and hunt with masters as well."
"Is my loyalty in question here?" Aesop asked him.
"We slaves need to stand together. Any slave who wavers, is a chink in our armor. Understand? Master should not be able to see through our weak spots." Agabus explained.
"You have got it all wrong." Aesop said. "What covers our weak spots are our replacements. What with a great army of slaves ready to fill in our shoes, the master need only look at our works to know whom to blame."
* It is an unfortunate condition of the class struggle that money could lose in value; but labor cannot afford to.
benny