ΚΩΝΩΨ ΚΑΙ ΤΑΥΡΟΣ
κώνωψ ἐπιστὰς κέρατι ταύρου καὶ πολὺν χρόνον ἐπικαθίσας ἐπειδὴ ἀπαλλάττεσθαι ἔμελλεν, ἐπυνθάνετο τοῦ ταύρου, εἰ ἤδη βούλεται αὐτὸν ἀπελθεῖν.
ὁ δὲ ὑποτυχὼν ἔφη·
»ἀλλ’ οὔτε, ὅτε ἦλθες, ἔγνων οὔτε, ἐὰν ἀπέλθῃς, γνώσομαι.«
τούτῳ τῷ λόγῳ χρήσαιτο ἄν τις πρὸς ἄνδρα ἀδύνατον, ὃς οὔτε παρὼν οὔτε ἀπὼν ἐπιβλαβὴς ἢ ὠφέλιμός ἐστι.
A mosquito seated itself on the horn of a bull and, having stayed there for a long time, when he
was about to leave, he asked the bull if he already wanted him to go.
The bull answered by saying:
»But neither did I notice when you came, nor will I notice when you will leave.«
This story one can apply to a weak man who, no matter whether he is present or absent, is neither harmful nor useful.
(Translation: Jenny Teichmann)