972. Senex et Cani Tincti. Quidam aetate provectus venit Lacedaemonem. Cum vero et alias turgeret superbia, et senectutis suae eum puderet, canos occulere conabatur tinctura. Itaque cum in conspectum Lacedaemoniorum prodisset, ostenso tali capite, exposuit quorum gratia venerat. Consurgens itaque rex Lacedaemoniorum, “Quid,” inquit, “hic sani diceret, qui non animum tantum gerit mendacem, sed etiam caput?”
M0972 (not in Perry). Source: Aelian, Historia 7.20. This fable is not in Perry’s catalog; Perry did not use Aelian as a source. Aelian tells this story about King Archidamus (there were several kings of Sparta by this name) and an old man from the island of Chios. For a note about Sparta and the Spartans, see #878.
