Phaedrus: Fabeln

Abstract

Martin was just retiring from teaching and so gave me a set of teaching materials dealing with fables. Here is a very strong piece done for Austrian schoolchildren. I find it sophisticated, challenging, and exciting. From 10 to 59 there are twenty-five units with, on the left page, one or two appropriate texts from Phaedrus with more unusual vocabulary just below. On the right page is more standard vocabulary used in these texts and then, especially in a section called Activa et Contemplativa, opinions, challenges, questions, and comparative texts to work with. On one or both pages is a picture of the animal in question or a design from a leading edition of fables or even from student drawings. For example, 16 shows Phaedrus' Graculus superbus et pavo and a Schülerzeichnung of a crow with peacock feathers apparently being attacked by another crow. On the right-hand page, after vocabulary, there are four good questions ranging from noticing Phaedrus' characterizations to gauging our ability today to slip into other roles than our own. Two texts follow, Aesop's DLS and Helmut Arntzen's story of an encounter between the ass-in-a-lion's-skin and a snake. I am strong. How can I become clever? asks the ass. The snake responds: Take off your skin. But then I am the old ass. The snake answers, All cleverness begins with self-recognition. I find the whole work well conceived and executed.