Hercules came on and beat a small animal that grew with each strike until Pallas came along and said to stop as it was Strife and would shrink if not fed.
Strife will only increase if you feed it.
JBR Collection
Hercules once journeying along a narrow roadway, came across a strange-looking animal, that reared its head and threatened him. Nothing daunted, the hero gave him a few lusty blows with his club, and thought to have gone on his way. The monster however, much to the astonishment of Hercules, was now three times as big as it was before, and of a still more threatening aspect. He thereupon redoubled his blows and laid about him fast and furiously; but the harder and quicker the strokes of the club, the bigger and more frightful grew the monster, and now completely filled up the road. Pallas then appeared upon the scene. “Stop, Hercules,” said she. “Cease your blows. The monster’s name is Strife. Let it alone, and it will soon become as little as it was at first.”
Minerva et Hercules
Per arctam viam Hercules incedebat in qua, cum aliquid, malo simile, humi positum vidisset, omni vi diffringere conabatur. Sed cum illud duplo maius factum animadverteret, maiori nisu institit et clava atterere studebat. At mirum, arbor illa repente in immanem magnitudinem excrevit totamque viam obstruxit. Quapropter, clava abiecta, mira rei novitate perculsus ac stupefactus, restitit. Sed Minerva, illi apparens, “Desine,” ait, “mirari, frater. Quod enim vides, contentio et lis est, quae quidem, si quis sine pugna reliquerit, nullius momenti sunt, at contra si lacessiverit, magis magisque crescunt.”
Moral
Fabula monet quod iurgia ac lites maxima damna ferunt.
Perry #316
