THE FABLES OF AESOP

   "'Twas the Golden Age when every brute¹

  Had voice articulate, in speech was skilled,

  And the mid-forests with its synods filled.

  The tongues of rock and pine-leaf then were free;

  To ship and sailor then would speak the sea;

  Sparrows with farmers would shrewd talk maintain;

  Earth gave all fruits, nor asked for toil² again.

  Mortals and gods were wont³ to mix as friends—

  To which conclusion all the teaching tends

  Of sage⁴ old Aesop."

BABRIUS

1 brute   

n.野兽，兽性

参考例句：

• The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
• That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。

2 toil   

vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事

参考例句：

• The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
• Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

3 wont   

adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯

参考例句：

• He was wont to say that children are lazy.他常常说小孩子们懒惰。
• It is his wont to get up early.早起是他的习惯。

4 sage   

n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的

参考例句：

• I was grateful for the old man's sage advice.我很感激那位老人贤明的忠告。
• The sage is the instructor of a hundred ages.这位哲人是百代之师。