The Life of Aesop, the Famous Teller of Fables

A former slave from the island of Samos (in the eastern Aegean Sea) who was owned first by a man named Xanthus and then a man named Iadmon, Aesop had already gained considerable renown as a master storyteller before he ever left his native land.  Leaving Samos, Aesop traveled to Sardis (Turkey) to join in intellectual discussions with Solon of Athens and Thales of Miletus, as well as other exiled sages and philosophers of the time. There he found favor with King Croesus because of his superior wit, considerable intelligence, and ability to spin captivating yarns–fables that instructed while entertaining.  Read more . . .