Phaedrus: Mons Parturiens

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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This is the collection of Latin fables that started it all: Phaedrus! You can read more about Phaedrus at Wikipedia.

4.22 Mons Parturiens

Mons parturibat, gemitus immanes ciens,

eratque in terris maxima expectatio.

At ille murem peperit. Hoc scriptum est tibi,

qui, magna cum minaris, extricas nihil.

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Mons parturibat, 

ciens immanes gemitus,

et 

in terris

erat maxima expectatio.

At ille (mons)

peperit murem. 

Hoc scriptum est tibi,

qui,

cum minaris magna,

extricas nihil.

This famous fable is also found in Horace, and it has its own Wikipedia article.

The meter is iambic:

Mons par·turi·bat, gemi·tus im·manes · ciens,

erat·qu~ in ter·ris max·im~ ex·pecta·tio.

At il·le mu·rem pepe·rit. Hoc · script~ est · tibi,

qui, mag·na cum · mina·ris, ex·tricas · nihil.

Here is an illustration from a 1701 edition of Phaedrus:

Faernus: Vulpes et Uva

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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This is one of the 100 Aesop's fables in verse by the Renaissance scholar and poet Faernus (Gabriello Faerno). You can read more about Faernus at Wikipedia, and here are all the Faernus poems I have posted at this blog.

19. Vulpes et Uva

Vulpes esuriens   alta de vite   racemos

Pendentes   nulla cum prensare arte valeret,

Nec pedibus tantum   aut agili se tollere saltu,

Re infecta      abscedens,   haec secum,   "Age desine!" dixit,

"Immatura uva est    gustuque insuavis acerbo."

Consuevere homines,   eventu si qua sinistro

Vota cadunt,   iis sese alienos   velle videri.

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Esuriens vulpes,

cum non valeret 

ulla arte

prensare racemos

pendentes de alta vite,

et non [valeret] tollere se

pedibus tantum

aut agili saltu,

re infecta,

abscedens, 

dixit haec secum,

"Age desine!

Uva est 

immatura

et insuavis,

gustu acerbo."

Homines consuevere, 

si qua vota cadunt

sinistro eventu, 

velle 

sese videri 

alienos iis.

This is a famous Aesop's fable (Perry 15), and it's where we get the phrase "sour grapes," meaning the way a person disparages something that they actually want but cannot get.

The meter is dactylic hexameter (Faernus used a variety of meters).

Vulpes · esuri·ens al·ta de · vite ra·cemos

Penden·tes nul·la cum·prensar~ · arte va·leret,

Nec pedi·bus tant~ · aut agi·li se · tollere · saltu,

R~ infec·t~ absce·dens, haec · sec~ "Age · desine!" · dixit,

"Imma·tur~ uv~ · est gus·tuqu~ in·suavis a·cerbo."

Consue·ver~ homi·nes, e·ventu · si qua si·nistro

Vota ca·dunt, iis·ses~ ali·enos·velle vi·deri.

There are several illustrated editions of Faernus, and here is one of the illustrations for this poem (online at the Internet Archive):

 

Desbillons: Bos et Vitula

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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Hector and I did 3 new fables from the Latin poems of Desbillons (see this post for more info). I already blogged about 2 of them earlier: Asellus et Liber and Auceps, Palumbus, et Serpens, so today's post will be about the third one we did today, which happens to be one of my favorite fables!

III.15 Bos et Vitula

Arantem   Vitula pinguis   adspiciens Bovem,

Eum contempsit prae se,      quae nihil ageret.

Sed   sacrificii mox ut advenit dies,

Bovem reservat   rusticus,   Vitulam immolat.

Quod cum videret, "Heus amica," Bos ait,

"Laboravisse numquam      quid te nunc juvat?"

There are some breaks there to help with the pauses, and here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Pinguis Vitula,

adspiciens arantem Bovem,

contempsit eum

prae se

quae ageret nihil.

Sed 

ut mox

dies sacrificii advenit,

rusticus reservat Bovem,

immolat Vitulam.

Cum Bos videret hoc,

ait,

"Heus amica,

quid 

numquam laboravisse 

nunc juvat te?"

This is a fable from the classical Aesop, indexed as Perry 300, and you can find English versions and illustrations here. I really like how in Desbillons' version, he has not intruded with a moral at the start or end of the fable and instead lets the  hard-working bull have the last word.

The meter is iambic, and here is some help with the meter (for more about iambic meter, see the post about Desbillons 1.1).

Aran · tem Vitu · la pin · guis ad · spiciens · Bovem,

Eum · contemp · sit prae · se, quae · nihil a · geret.

Sed sa · crifici · i mox · ut ad · venit · dies,

Bovem · reser · vat rus · ticus · Vitul~ im · molat.

Quod cum · vide · ret Heus · ami · ca Bos · ait,

Labo · ravis · se num · quam quid · te nunc · juvat?

I used imgflip and this illustration by Bewick to make a graphic:

Meanwhile, for more Desbillons, here are the other poems I've posted so far here at the blog. :-)

Desbillons: Anguilla et Anguis + Arbores

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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I am learning so much from these reading sessions with Hector Tapia! At yesterday's session, we decided that it would help to indicate pauses in the Latin based on syntax. Some pauses are indicated with commas or periods, but there are other important pauses too defining phrases and clauses, so now I'll be adding in a little space "   " or a lot of space "      " to indicate where it helps to pause in reading the Latin based on the meaning, totally aside from the meter. (Meanwhile, see this post for more info about Desbillons and his Latin verse fables), Here are the poems we worked on yesterday:

The first poem is about the eel and the snake, although it is more elegant in Latin because the words are related: anguilla and anguis. Just out of curiosity, I looked up anguilla in the dictionary (it's always good to be curious about words, even ones whose meanings you know), and I found this amazing factoid: "The hard skin of an eel, used as a whip in schools." So while the eel in Desbillons' poem protests that she is harmless, I guess Roman schoolchildren might have thought otherwise!

IX.1 Anguilla et Anguis

Anguilla dixit Angui,       "Cur nostrum genus

Quotidie   homines prendunt,   deglubunt,   edunt,

Dum vos refugiunt,       ac timent attingere?"

Respondit Anguis,       "Hi sciunt videlicet

Prodesse nos nihil      et      nocere plurimum."

Improbitas ipsa      saepe tuetur improbos.

As you can see, I put shorter breaks in the second line because the adverb quotidie really does go with all those verbs at the end, so the idea is to take a little pause, but not a very long one, between the adverb and homines, the subject of the three verbs to come.

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Anguilla dixit Angui, 

"Cur homines quotidie 

prendunt, deglubunt, edunt

nostrum genus,

dum refugiunt vos

ac timent attingere?"

Anguis respondit,

"Videlicet 

hi sciunt 

nos 

prodesse nihil 

et nocere plurimum."

Improbitas ipsa 

saepe tuetur improbos.

I really like the elegant epimythium for this one! When I Googled it out of curiosity (as you can tell, I am in a curious mood today), I found this German Latin textbook published in 1808 which presents Desbillons' fables as if they were written in prose!

The meter is iambic, and here is some help with the meter (for more about iambic meter, see the post about Desbillons 1.1).

Anguil · la dix · it An · gui, "Cur · nostrum · genus

Quoti · di~ homi · nes pren · dunt, de · glubunt · edunt,

Dum vos · refugi · unt, ac · timent · attin · gere?"

Respon · dit An · guis, "Hi · sciunt · vide · licet

Prodes · se nos · nihil et · noce · re plu · rimum."

Improbi · tas ip · sa sae · pe tue · tur im · probos. 

And here's the other poem we worked on yesterday:

V.25 Arbores

Rectae et procerae contemnebant Arbores

Unam inter ipsas,       torta quod.  et humilis foret;

Lignarius autem       cum venisset huc faber,

Caeduntur omnes illae,       at haec relinquitur.

Minimum fuisse pretii.     multis profuit.

Remember the poem about the myrtle and the oak tree? This has a very similar theme.

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Rectae et procerae Arbores

contemnebant 

unam inter ipsas

quod torta et humilis foret;

autem,

cum lignarius faber venisset huc,

caeduntur omnes illae [arbores]

at haec [arbor] relinquitur.

Profuit multis

fuisse minimum pretii.

I really like the elegant epimythium for this one too: Minimum fuisse pretii multis profuit. Such great soundplay! But when I Googled that one, no results. Desbillons definitely deserves more love than he's getting from the digital Latin world IMO.

The meter is again iambic (see note above):

Rect~ et · proce · rae con · temne · bant Ar · bores

Un~ in · ter ip · sas, tor · ta quod et · humilis · foret;

Ligna · rius au · tem cum · venis · set huc · faber,

Caedun · tur om · nes il · l~ at haec · relin · quitur.

Minimum · fuis · se preti · i, mul · tis pro · fuit.

Meanwhile, for more Desbillons, here are the other poems I've posted so far here at the blog. :-)

Aesopi Carmina: Desbillons Book 15

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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I'm excietd that I get to finish this series of posts about the Latin verse fables of Desbillons with one of my favorite fables (for more about Desbillons, see the starting post). We've reached Book 15 (see bottom of post for all the fables in the book), and the one I'm focusing on is the story of the philosopher in the ditch.

15.45 Thales et Ancilla

Caeli meatus ore sublimi Thales

Cum tacitus observaret, in foveam incidit.

Quem sic fuisse irrisum ab Ancilla Plato

Memorat, "Tuumne tam procul supra caput

Remota posse perspicere speraveris,

Dum, posita quae sunt ante pedes, non perspicis?"

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Cum Thales,

tacitus,

ore sublimi 

observaret

caeli meatus,

incidit in foveam.

Plato memorat

[Thalem]

quem sic fuisse irrisum ab Ancilla, 

"Speraverisne posse perspicere remota

tam procul supra tuum caput,

dum non perspicis

quae sunt posita ante pedes?"

Plato gets a mention here because he reported this story in his Theaetetus, and as a result of this philosophical fame, the story has its own Wikipedia article: The Astrologer who Fell into a Well. The fable is Perry 40 in the Aesopic canon.

The meter is iambic, and here is some help with the meter (for more about iambic meter, see the post about Desbillons 1.1).

Caeli · mea · tus o · re sub · limi · Thales

Cum taci · tus ob · serva · ret, in · fove~ in · cidit.

Quem sic · fuis · s~ irris~ · ab An · cilla · Plato

Memorat · "Tuum · ne tam · procul · supra · caput

Remo · ta pos · se per · spicere · spera · veris,

Dum, posi · ta quae · sunt an · te pedes · non per · spicis?

You can find illustrations for the fable here. Here's one by Grandville, and I used imgflip to make it a graphic:

More poems in Desbillons, Book 15:

1. acanthis et pueri (lines: 20+)
2. philomela et aves aliae (lines: 20+)
3. rationis Liber (lines: 11)
4. asinus somnians (lines: 13)
5. rusticus et venti (lines: 20+)
6. adolescens et anguillae (lines: 20+)
7. homo et aranea (lines: 10)
8. puer et cadi duo (lines: 12)
9. pyrus et surculus (lines: 20+)
10. saxum piscatoriis retibus captum (lines: 14)
11. cedrus et rubus (lines: 20+)
12. Mercurius et Apollo (lines: 20+)
13. opilio et lupae catulus (lines: 20+)
14. porcus et canis venaticus (lines: 20+)
15. homo et equus (lines: 16)
16. columbae et retia (lines: 20+)
17. vulpis et corvus (lines: 16)
18. canes duo (lines: 20+)
19. opilio et capreoli (lines: 20+)
20. equus domitus (lines: 15)
21. viator et pyra (lines: 20+)
22. caprarius et capella (lines: 20+)
23. sus et equus (lines: 19)
24. Jupiter, columba, et anguis (lines: 16)
25. aranearum telae (lines: 10)
26. agaso et asinus (lines: 20+)
27. poetae epicus et Aesopus (lines: 20+)
28. canes duo (lines: 20+)
29. homo docilis (lines: 20+)
30. simia et castaneae nuces (lines: 10)
31. cornix et columbae (lines: 20+)
32. simiolus et bos (lines: 20+)
33. lupus et ovis (lines: 20+)
34. simius et vulpecula (lines: 8)
35. apodes duae (lines: 20+)
36. cothurnix, perdix, et cornix (lines: 20+)
37. miles et equus (lines: 14)
38. rusticus et pagi dominus (lines: 20+)
39. taurus et canes duo (lines: 20+)
40. mulus et canis (lines: 11)
41. musca et apis (lines: 13)
42. insectum hemerobion et cornix (lines: 18)
43. aegithus et asinus (lines: 20+)
44. Alexander rex et Apelles (lines: 8)
45. Thales et ancilla (lines: 6)
46. lilium (lines: 20+)

Aesopi Carmina: Desbillons Book 14

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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Wow, I'm almost done with this series of posts about the Latin verse fables of Desbillons; for more about Desbillons, see the starting post. There are 15 books of fables total, this is the post for Book 14. 

For each book, I've been picking out one very short poem as the focus, so here's the poem I selected from that book: it's the first poem in Book 14, and it's just 8 lines long. There's a moral pronounced by one of the characters in the story (a plant!), which is something I always like, getting to hear the punchline of the fable spoken by one of the characters in the story.

XIV.1 Spicae

Cum falcem agricola jam pararet messibus,

Erectum ad auras Spica tollebat caput;

Hinc gloriatur, ceterasque despicit

Curvo sorores capite spectantes humum,

Quarum una, "Caput hoc si tibi, ut nobis," ait,

"Esset refertum granis, non ita tolleres."

In capite vacuo laxe habitat superbia.

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Cum agricola jam pararet falcem 

messibus,

Spica tollebat caput

erectum ad auras;

hinc gloriatur,

et despicit ceteras sorores 

spectantes humum curvo capite.

Una sororum ait, 

"Si tibi, ut nobis, hoc caput

esset refertum granis,

non ita tolleres."

In capite vacuo 

superbia laxe habitat.

It's a very elegant commentary on a "lofty" appearance that is actually just a sign of inner emptiness. This is not a classical fable; instead, Desbillons has adapted one of the French fable sof Eustache Le Noble.

The meter is iambic, and here is some help with the meter (for more about iambic meter, see the post about Desbillons 1.1).

Cum fal · c~ agrico · la jam · para · ret mes · sibus,

Erect~ · ad au · ras Spi · ca tol · lebat · caput;

Hinc glo · ria · tur, ce · teras · que des · picit

Curvo · soro · res capi · te spec · tantes · humum,

Quar~ u · na, Caput · hoc si · tib~ ut · nobis · ait,

Esset · refer · tum gra · nis, non · ita tol · leres.

In capi · te vacu · o lax~ · habitat · super · bia.

I found this image at PxFuel and I used imgflip to make it a graphic:

More poems in Desbillons, Book 14:

1. spicae (lines: 7)
2. Persa apud Gallum hospes (lines: 20+)
3. pulex et homo (lines: 16)
4. aves deceptae (lines: 12)
5. villicus et canes (lines: 11)
6. equi duo (lines: 18)
7. ficus et aves (lines: 8)
8. aesculus, agricolae, et pagi dominus (lines: 20+)
9. melis fetida et canis (lines: 16)
10. rusticus, eius filius, et eiusdem asellus (lines: 20+)
11. hirundo et aves aliae (lines: 20+)
12. homo et pulex (lines: 20+)
13. aranea et podagra (lines: 20+)
14. sol, mors, et vallis (lines: 18)
15. puer et nux castanea (lines: 16)
16. arbuscula et arbores (lines: 20+)
17. poeta et anser (lines: 20+)
18. colubra et ericius (lines: 12)
19. vinum et amphorae (lines: 12)
20. mus captus (lines: 20+)
21. citrus et aliae arbores (lines: 19)
22. hirundo et eius filia (lines: 20+)
23. asellus junior (lines: 12)
24. culex in casa, tum in aula (lines: 20+)
25. gallina et philosophus (lines: 19)
26. aranea et bombyx (lines: 20+)
27. gallus et vulpecula (lines: 20+)
28. magus et circulator (lines: 20+)
29. cimex, pulex, et culex (lines: 20+)
30. sciurus et nuces (lines: 20+)
31. cisterna et rivulus (lines: 20+)
32. nanus et gigas (lines: 10)
33. leo et simius (lines: 20+)

Aesopi Carmina: Desbillons Book 13

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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I'm excited about today's post for Book 13 (we're almost through the series of posts about the Latin verse fables of Desbillons; for more about Desbillons, see the starting post) because it's one of my favorite Desbillons poems! For links to the rest of the poems in Book 13, see the bottom of the post.

XIII.32 Latrunculorum Ludus

Latrunculorum praeliis cum luditur,

Rex et regina, pedites et equites, loco

Quisque suo et ordine varia obeunt munia,

at bello ubi finis impositus est ludicro,

capsa conduntur una omnes promiscue.

Humanas variat vita, mors aequat vices

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Cum luditur

latrunculorum praeliis,

rex et regina, 

pedites et equites, 

quisque obeunt varia munia

suo loco et ordine,

at ubi finis impositus est

ludicro bello,

omnes promiscue conduntur

una capsa.

Vita variat [humanas vices],

mors aequat humanas vices.

Now I think about this little poem whenever I see a set of chess pieces! Desbillons' inspiration for this poem was the fable in French verse by Aubert: Le Jeu des échecs.

The meter is iambic, and here is some help with the meter (for more about iambic meter, see the post about Desbillons 1.1).

Latrun · culo · rum prae · liis · cum lu · ditur,

Rex et · regi · na pedi · tes et e · quites · loco

Quisque su~ · et or · dine va · ri~ obe · unt mu · nia,

at bell~ · ubi fi · nis im · positus · est lu · dicro,

capsa · condun · tur u · n~ omnes · promis · cue.

Huma · nas vari · at vi · ta, mors · aequat · vices.

I found this lovely image at Wikimedia, and I used imgflip to make it a graphic:

More poems in Desbillons, Book 13:

1. gibberorum civitas (lines: 20+)
2. bufo et mustela silvestris (lines: 20+)
3. cerva et bos (lines: 20+)
4. bos et asinus (lines: 11)
5. hostis beneficus (lines: 7)
6. Apelles et sutor (lines: 20+)
7. hirundo et ardea (lines: 11)
8. Jupiter, Phoebus, et paludes (lines: 20+)
9. mors et eius ministrae (lines: 13)
10. passer et accipiter (lines: 20+)
11. myrtus et quercus (lines: 6)
12. puer et felis (lines: 11)
13. cicada et hirundo (lines: 11)
14. ovis tonsa (lines: 12)
15. catellus et molossus (lines: 17)
16. musca et caccabus (lines: 20+)
17. agricola et apes duae (lines: 13)
18. agricola et perticales arbusculae (lines: 20+)
19. cicindela et luscinia (lines: 10)
20. sol et luna (lines: 18)
21. libri duo (lines: 19)
22. buccina et echo (lines: 5)
23. vultur et columbae (lines: 20+)
24. turdus et hirundo (lines: 20+)
25. asini vota (lines: 20+)
26. graculus, cornix, et aquila (lines: 19)
27. combibones duo (lines: 12)
28. canis et herus (lines: 16)
29. sciurus et canis (lines: 20+)
30. ostreae (lines: 20+)
31. libellus flagitiosus et iudex (lines: 13)
32. latrunculorum ludus (lines: 6)

Aesopi Carmina: Desbillons Book 12

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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This post goes back to my series of posts about the Latin verse fables of Desbillons; for more about Desbillons, see the starting post. I'm working through the poems book by book with indexes to each of the individual fables; this is the post for Book 12, and the poem I've picked out from this book is about a seriously feisty bull and a farmer:

XII.11 Taurus et Villicus

Taurus ferire cornibus ausus est Herum;

Secantur illa. Tunc novum meditans scelus:

"Haud vereor," inquit, "ne mihi secentur pedes,"

Simulque calce Villicum impacto ferit.

Ratio nocendi suppetit semper malis.

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Taurus ausus est ferire Herum 

cornibus;

[Herus] secantur illa [cornua].

Tunc Taurus,

meditans novum scelus,

inquit,

"Haud vereor

ne mihi pedes secentur,"

simulque ferit Villicum impacto calce.

Ratio nocendi semper suppetit malis. 

Desbillons cites as his source the French fables of Benserade, which I found online at BNF Gallica. It has an illustration too!

The meter is iambic, and here is some help with the meter (for more about iambic meter, see the post about Desbillons 1.1).

Taurus · feri · re cor · nibus au · sus est · Herum;

Secan · tur il · la. Tunc · novum · meditans · scelus:

"Haud vere · or," in · quit, "ne · mihi se · centur · pedes,"

Simul · que cal · ce Vil · lic~ im · pacto · ferit.

Ratio · nocen · di sup · petit · semper · malis.

And here are all the poems in Desbillons, Book 12, linked to an edition at the Internet Archive:

1. lyra et homo imperitus musicae (lines: 16)
2. corvo et cycnus (lines: 8)
3. rosa et homo naribus et oculis captus (lines: 20+)
4. simius trossuli ornatu instructus (lines: 12)
5. cuniculus et hirudo (lines: 19)
6. lupi duo (lines: 20+)
7. bos philosophus (lines: 20+)
8. asella et eius pullus (lines: 17)
9. noctua, cornicula, et aves aliae (lines: 15)
10. sturnus et cuculus (lines: 17)
11. simius ad tabellam elegantem (lines: 13)
12. statua (lines: 8)
13. mulier et speculum (lines: 16)
14. rivuli duo (lines: 16)
15. aquila et gruis (lines: 20+)
16. ovis et ranae (lines: 18)
17. canis et herus (lines: 18)
18. ficedulae duae (lines: 20+)
19. taurus et canis (lines: 20+)
20. Tethys et halcyon (lines: 20+)
21. ignis et eius repertor (lines: 8)
22. taurus et villicus (lines: 5)
23. culex (lines: 20+)
24. templum bovis (lines: 15)
25. jactator facti incredibilis (lines: 13)
26. vomeres duo (lines: 9)
27. cuniculus et venator (lines: 18)
28. salix et agricola (lines: 20+)
29. Arion et delphin (lines: 20+)
30. porcus et felis (lines: 20+)
31. leo, filius eius, et venator (lines: 20+)
32. mus, mustela, vulpis et lupus (lines: 9)
33. chorda lyrae argentea (lines: 18)
34. nux et Jupiter (lines: 18)
35. sol et nebula (lines: 15)

Desbillons: Vulpis et Canis & Gallina et Ova Crocodili

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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As part of this work on the Latin fables of Desbillons (see this post for more info), did another session with Hector Tapia; you can see our poems from last time here. We worked on two more poems yesterday!

The first poem is Vulpis et Canis.

I.16 Vulpis et Canis

Vulpis rapuerat gallum gallinaceum,

Voraveratque, at hanc recenti sanguine

Adhuc madentem fortis occupat Canis,

Crebroque dente membra discerpens vorat.

Ab alio exspectes, alteri quod feceris.

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Vulpis rapuerat 

gallinaceum gallum,

et voraverat.

At fortis Canis

occupat hanc [Vulpem],

adhuc madentem

recenti sanguine,

et vorat,

discerpens membra

crebro dente.

Exspectes ab alio [hoc] 

quod feceris alteri.

Desbillons does not cite a classical source for the fable, but he does have a classical source for the epimythium at the end; "Ab alio exspectes, alteri quod feceris" is from Publilius Syrus. The plot of the fable resembles many other fables with a similar moral, such as the bird-catcher and the snake.

The meter is iambic, and here is some help with the meter (for more about iambic meter, see the post about Desbillons 1.1).

Vulpis · rapue · rat gal · lum gal · lina · ceum,

Vora · verat · qu~ At hanc · recen · ti san · guine

Adhuc · maden · tem for · tis oc · cupat · Canis,

Crebro · que den · te mem · bra dis · cerpens · vorat.

Ab ali~ · exspec · tes, al · teri · quod fe · ceris.

The second poem is Gallina et Ova Crocodili.

V.10 Title

Ova Crocodili Gallina olim repperit,

Et incubavit, dum fetus excluderet,

At illi vita vix incoeperunt frui,

Altricem diris enecarunt morsibus.

Malum sibi fovet, quisquis educat malos.

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Olim

Gallina reperit

ova Crocodili

et incubavit

dum excluderet fetus.

At illi [fetus]

vix incoeperunt frui vita,

enecarunt [enecaverunt] altricem

diris morsibus.

Quisquis

educat malos

fovet malum sibi.

Desbillons cites as his sources Le Noble and Faernus; in the version by Faernus, a swallow comes and warns the chicken that she is being foolish, but we don't know if she heeded the swallow's advice or not. Desbillons showed us just what the poor chicken can expect if she does hatch those eggs!

The meter is iambic, and here is some help with the meter (for more about iambic meter, see the post about Desbillons 1.1).

Ova Cro · codi · li Gal · lin~ o · lim re · perit,

Et in · cuba · vit, dum · fetus · exclu · deret.

At il · li vi · ta vix · incoe · perunt · frui,

Altri · cem di · ris e · neca · runt mor · sibus.

Malum · sibi fo · vet quis · quis e · ducat · malos.

I found an image of a freshly hatched alligator (not crocodile) at Flickr and used imgflip to make it a graphic:

Meanwhile, for more Desbillons, here are the other poems I've posted so far here at the blog. :-)

Aesopi Carmina: Desbillons Book 11

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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After yesterday's post, I'm back to the series about Desbillons, book by book; for more about Desbillons, see the starting post. I'm working through the poems book by book with indexes to each of the individual fables; this is the post for Book 11, and the poem for today is about an overconfident dog facing off against a bull.

XI.5 Canis et Taurus

Pugnam parabat inire cum Tauro Canis,

et "Facile vincam," dixit, "namque dentibus 

Sum longe melior." Capite sed prono irruens

Hunc fodit ille necopinantem cornibus.

Fabella te ullo cum hoste congredi vetat,

Nisi ante noris, qua minus, qua plus valet.

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Canis parabat inire pugnam

cum Tauro,

et dixit,

"Facile vincam 

namque sum longe melior dentibus."

Sed ille [Taurus],

irruens prono capite,

fodit hunc [Canem],

necopinantem cornibus.

Fabella vetat te congredi

cum ullo hoste,

nisi noris ante

qua minus [valet], 

qua plus valet.

This is not a classical fable, although it is a typical Aesopic theme; Desbillons cites for his source the fables of Alberti. Here is Alberti's version; it is very short!

Canis cum tauro dimicaturus victoriam sperabat, quod adversario dentes superiores deessent. At

cornibus tauri saucius, "non istaec - inquit - putassem". 

The meter is iambic, and here is some help with the meter (for more about iambic meter, see the post about Desbillons 1.1).

Pugnam · para · bat ini · re cum · Tauro · Canis,

et "Faci · le vin · cam," dix · it, "nam · que den · tibus 

Sum lon · ge meli · or. Capi · te sed · pron~ ir · ruens

Hunc fo · dit il · le neco · pinan · tem cor · nibus.

Fabel · la t~ ul · lo c~ hos · te con · gredi · vetat,

Nis~ an · te no · ris, qua · minus · qua plus · valet.

There is actually an edition of Desbillons which has a few illustrations, and this is one of the fables that is illustrated, so you can see the fight here, when the dog first makes his attack, foolishing thinking he can defeat the bull:

More poems in Desbillons, Book 11:

1. amnes, pontus et natura (lines: 20+)
2. leo et villicus (lines: 17)
3. simiae et vulpecula (lines: 20+)
4. equi duo (lines: 20+)
5. canis et taurus (lines: 6)
6. naufragus et oceanus (lines: 10)
7. asellus fimum, deinde flores gerens (lines: 12)
8. pulex et homo (lines: 7)
9. canes duo et ovis (lines: 10)
10. gallina et formica (lines: 20+)
11. remi et clavus (lines: 11)
12. simius (lines: 12)
13. struthiocamelus et alauda (lines: 10)
14. fontes duo (lines: 20+)
15. tirunculus in pilae ludo et ludi magister (lines: 16)
16. ex servo dominus (lines: 11)
17. perdix et villica (lines: 20+)
18. viator et ignis fatuus (lines: 9)
19. homines duo, caecus alter, alter claudus (lines: 20+)
20. scarabaeus et aquila (lines: 15)
21. mus et taurus (lines: 17)
22. simii navigantes (lines: 20+)
23. sturnus, hirundo, et aves aliae (lines: 20+)
24. lynx et talpa (lines: 20+)
25. pictor et eius censores (lines: 20+)
26. exercitus duo proeliantes et muscae (lines: 20+)
27. felis, vulpis et lupus (lines: 20+)
28. formica et eruca (lines: 20+)
29. canis piger (lines: 20+)
30. rana, coluber, ciconia, et lacerta (lines: 20+)

Desbillons: Mors et Rusticus / Myrtus et Quercus

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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As part of this work on the Latin fables of Desbillons (see this post for more info), I'm reading some poems with Hector Tapia, and in this post I'll report on two poems we worked on this week: Mors et Rusticus and Myrtus et Quercus.

The first poem is one found in the classical Aesopic tradition; sometimes the emphasis is on the fact that he is an old man, and sometimes on the fact that he is miserable. In Desbillons, he is both: senex miser.

II.11 Mors et Rusticus

Fascem lignorum Rusticus, senex miser,

Portabat aegre; longiore sed via

Fractus, victusque, abjecit infelix onus.

Mortem invocavit. Mors advenit. Tum senex:

Fascem, ait, in humeros hunc mihi reponas precor.

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Rusticus,

senex miser,

aegre portabat

fascem lignorum,

sed fractus et victus

longiore via,

abjecit infelix onus;

invocavit Mortem.

Mors advenit.

Tum senex ait,

"Precor:

reponas hunc fascem

mihi in humeros."

Reading through the poem with Hector helped me see that the adjective infelix is ambiguous: it could refer to the subject of the verb (giving the adjective an adverbial quality), or it could refer to the onus, as a kind of transferred epithet: because the man is unhappy, his burden becomes unhappy. I think I like that meaning best! 

The meter is iambic, and here is some help with the meter (for more about iambic meter, see the post about Desbillons 1.1).

Fascem · ligno · rum Rus · ticus · senex · miser

Porta · bat ae · gre lon · gio · re sed · via

Fractus · victus · qu~ abje · cit in · felix · onus;

Mort~ in · voca · vit. Mors · adve · nit. Tum · senex,

Fasc~ ait · in hume · ros hunc · mihi re · ponas · precor.

You can find illustrations for the fable here; as you can imagine, this is one that artists enjoy, as it offers a chance to depict Death personified. Here's one by Francis Barlow, and I used imgflip to make it a graphic:

The second poem is a familiar Aesopic theme, and for a specific source, Desbillons cites the French fabulist Le Noble.

XIII.11 Myrtus et Quercus

Pusilla Myrtus invidebat Quercui,

Sed agricolarum repetitis mox ictibus

Hanc sauciari, denique everti videns,

Humilior etiam optavit esse, quam fuit.

Dejicere summos grandibus sors invida

Gaudet ruinis, dum infimi tuto latent.

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Pusilla Myrtus 

invidebat Quercui,

sed mox videns

hanc [Quercum]

sauciari

repetitis ictibus agricolarum   

denique everti,

optavit

esse etiam humilior quam fuit.

sors invida

gaudet dejicere summos

ruinis grandibus, 

dum infimi

latent tuto.

The whole "story" part of the poem is told in just a single sentence! There's an imperfect verb to set the scene, a participle that shifts into the actual events of the story, and then a perfect verb for the finale. In the epimythium, the word sors is the key, and it really comes out of nowhere: it's like sors was the invisible actor driving the events of the story, and, like the myrtle, sors is invida, but in this case that envy has real consequences! You can read about sors in the Latin dictionary; it's a word really impossible to translate into English. In this case, I'd be tempted to translate it as Fortune.

The meter is iambic, and here is some help with the meter (for more about iambic meter, see the post about Desbillons 1.1).

Pusil · la Myr · tus in · vide · bat Quer · cui,

Sed ag · ricola · rum repe · titis · mox ic · tibus

Hanc sau · cia · ri, de · niqu~ e · verti · videns,

Humili · or eti · ~ opta · vit es · se, quam · fuit.

Dejice · re sum · mos gran · dibus · sors in · vida

Gaudet · rui · nis, d~ in · fimi · tuto · latent.

And while the myrtle may be scrawny compared to an oak, she can be pretty too! Here's a picture from Italy that I found at Wikimedia:

Meanwhile, for more Desbillons, here are the other poems I've posted so far here at the blog. :-)

Aesopi Carmina: Desbillons Book 10

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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In this series of posts about the Latin verse fables of Desbillons, we have hit number 10! And for more about Desbillons, see the starting post. For each of Desbillons' 15 books of fables, I am picking out one very short poem as the focus. So, you'll find a poem-by-poem index to Book 10 below (linking to the pages at the Internet Archive), and here's the poem I selected from that book. It's a little bit longer than some of the other poems I've featured (there are not a lot of super-short poems in Book 10), but it's still not too hard to read:

10.12 Corvus Nimium Loquax

Repererat olim Corvus pinguem caseum;

Cum debuisset tacitus hac praeda frui,

Sua crociendo significare gaudia,

Bonamque sortem ovante gutturis sono

Annuntiare maluit, nimium loquax.

Corvi ergo plures advolant famelici,

Ruuntque, rixasque vehementes excitant,

Demumque opimam diripiunt huius dapem.

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Olim

Corvus repererat  pinguem caseum:

cum debuisset frui hac praeda 

tacitus,

maluit,

nimium loquax,

significare sua gaudia crociendo 

et annuntiare bonam sortem 

ovante sono gutturis.

Ergo

plures corvi advolant,

famelici,

et ruunt

et excitant vehementes rixas,

demumque 

diripiunt huius opimam dapem.

Desbillons does not give a source for this anecdote, which is actually a believable bit of natural history rather than an Aesop's fable. When I first saw the title about the too-talkative crow, and then the cheese in the first line, I thought it was going to be a version of the fox and the crow, but instead: it's all crows! 

So now the next time you hear someone use the idiom "to crow about" something, you can think of Desbillons' little poem.

photo by Bennilover at Flickr

The meter is iambic, and here is some help with the meter (for more about iambic meter, see the post about Desbillons 1.1).

Repere · rat o · lim Cor · vus pin · guem ca · seum;

Cum de · buis · set taci · tus hac · praeda · frui,

Sua cro · cien · do sig · nifica · re gau · dia,

Bonam · que sor · t~ ovan · te gut · turis · sono

Annun · tia · re ma · luit · nimium · loquax.

Corv~ er · go plu · res ad · volant · fame · lici,

Ruunt · que, ri · xasque ve · hemen · tes ex · citant,

Demum · qu~ opi · mam di · ripiunt · huius · dapem.

More poems in Desbillons, Book 10:

1. glires et fagus (lines: 17)
2. piscator (lines: 11)
3. rex et ludi magister (lines: 16)
4. musculus, felis et gallus (lines: 20+)
5. ranae et junci (lines: 13)
6. arbores duae (lines: 11)
7. viator, tirgris, et corcodilus (lines: 16)
8. navis et nauta (lines: 10)
9. serpens et eius filius (lines: 9)
10. canis astutia (lines: 20+)
11. canis venaticus et molossi (lines: 15)
12. corvus nimium loquax (lines: 8)
13. ovis et canis (lines: 13)
14. equus et muscae (lines: 15)
15. orator ad statuas (lines: 11)
16. turdi (lines: 20+)
17. asellus et rivus (lines: 15)
18. Iris et Phoebus (lines: 10)
19. cervus et piscator (lines: 10)
20. mus et talpa (lines: 20+)
21. chamaeleon (lines: 12)
22. villicus, felis, et caseus (lines: 16)
23. imago picta in camera (lines: 13)
24. homo etursus (lines: 20+)
25. vulturius, ostrea, et vulpis (lines: 16)
26. abes de creando rege deliberantes (lines: 20+)
27. puer et circumlitae saccharo nuces (lines: 17)
28. philomela et vespertilio (lines: 12)
29. myrtus et arbor magna (lines: 8)
30. avarus et graculus (lines: 10)
31. gallina plumis spoliata (lines: 20+)
32. ictericus (lines: 10)
33. asinus pelle leonis indutus (lines: 20+)
34. felis et canis (lines: 18)
35. agricola et eius filius (lines: 20+)
36. nux et arbores infructuosae (lines: 20+)
37. perdices duae et auceps (lines: 20+)
38. os et oculi (lines: 11)
39. adamas et artifex imperitus (lines: 9)
40. pratum, apis, et vipera (lines: 17)
41. sorex et mus (lines: 11)
42. ursa et leaena (lines: 6)
43. eruca et vipera (lines: 11)

Aesopi Carmina: Desbillons Book 9

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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I hope everybody is having a good weekend! This post continues my series of posts about the Latin verse fables of Desbillons; for more about Desbillons, see the starting post. I'm working through the poems book by book with indexes to each of the individual fables; this is the post for Book 9, and below you'll see the poem I selected from that book. Like many fables, it's got a "punchline" that makes it feel like a joke, and then the moral at the end.

IX.39 Cynicus et Rex

Cynicus talentum a Rege cum peteret sibi,

"Plus," inquit ille, "quam decet Cynicum petis."

Denarium ergo iam petit. "Petis minus,"

Ait ille rursus, "quam decet Regem dare."

Nil dare volenti causa facile suppetit.

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Cum Cynicus 

peteret sibi talentum 

a Rege,

ille (Rex) inquit,

"Petis

plus quam decet Cynicum."

Ergo (Cynicus)

iam petit denarium. 

Ille (Rex) rursus ait,

"Petis 

minus quam [decet] Regem dare."

Causa suppetit facile

volenti dare nil.

Desbillons does not provide a source for this story, so I assume it is his own invention. In the notes at the back of the book, he cites a saying of Publilius Syrus for comparison: Negandi causa avaro numquam deficit. That's a perfectly nice little iambic line, so I'm surprised that Desbillons did not lift that for his own poem, although I suppose there can be other reasons for not wanting to grant a request (nil dare volens) aside from just being avarus.

The meter is iambic, and here is some help with the meter (for more about iambic meter, see the post about Desbillons 1.1).

Cynicus · talent~ · a Re · ge cum · peteret · sibi,

Plus in · quit il · le quam · decet · Cynicum · petis.

Dena · ri~ er · go iam · petit. · Petis · minus,

Ait il · le rur · sus, quam · decet · Regem · dare.

Nil dare · volen · ti cau · sa faci · le sup · petit.

As for the professed poverty of Cynics, consider Diogenes and the story of how he threw away his cup when he realized he could drink from his hands instead: Diogenes the Cynic.

More poems in Desbillons, Book 9:

1. anguilla et anguis (lines: 6)
2. piscis (lines: 6)
3. sus et apes (lines: 8)
4. picta solitudo et columba (lines: 10)
5. pastor et rex (lines: 20+)
6. rusticus et sophus (lines: 20+)
7. felis et mus (lines: 20+)
8. villicus, vulpis, et canis (lines: 14)
9. cycnus (lines: 12)
10. simius et speculum (lines: 14)
11. gallus et cochlea (lines: 7)
12. serpens et talpa (lines: 11)
13. culex (lines: 20+)
14. mulus et porcus (lines: 20+)
15. vulpis (lines: 5)
16. rubus et ovis (lines: 13)
17. villicus et columba (lines: 20+)
18. cornicula et columba (lines: 8)
19. psittacus (lines: 20+)
20. vulpis et lupus (lines: 18)
21. viatores duo et latro (lines: 13)
22. Mercurius et sculptor (lines: 13)
23. gallus et vultur (lines: 6)
24. gallus et vultur (lines: 17)
25. canis domesticus et canis externus (lines: 14)
26. simis et eius filius (lines: 8)
27. avium et piscium fedus (lines: 8)
28. arbuscula et quercus (lines: 9)
29. auceps (lines: 15)
30. rusticus et canis (lines: 20+)
31. accipiter et luscinia (lines: 9)
32. gutta, pontus et ostreum (lines: 13)
33. corvus et lupi (lines: 9)
34. cuclus, philomela, et asellus (lines: 11)
35. porcus et nautae (lines: 14)
36. iuvenci duo et pratulum (lines: 20+)
37. ursus et vulpis (lines: 6)
38. lupus et agnus (lines: 11)
39. cynicus et rex (lines: 5)
40. orator et circulator (lines: 16)

Aesopi Carmina: Desbillons Book 8

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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Happy Weekend, everybody! This is the newest addition to my series of posts about the Latin verse fables of Desbillons; for more about this project, see the starting post. Today you'll find a poem-by-poem index to Book 8 below (linking to the pages at the Internet Archive), and here's the poem I selected from that book, which is another of the super-short fables, just 3 lines long.

VIII.19 Sidera et Sol

De principatu contendebant Sidera.

Sol oritur; omnis cessat hic contentio.

Procerum superbia deficit cum Rex adest.

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Sidera

contendebant de principatu.

Sol oritur; 

hic omnis contentio cessat. 

Superbia Procerum deficit

cum Rex adest.

Of course, this is not a very scientific fable: astronomically speaking, our sun is just another star. But from our perspective, it outshines all the other stars by far. You might see the moon in a sunlit sky, but you won't see the stars, even though they are there! Desbillons does not cite a source for this fable, although the sun, moon, and stars do regularly make appearances in little fables like these.

The meter is iambic, and here is some help with the meter (for more about iambic meter, see the post about Desbillons 1.1).

De prin · cipa · tu con · tende · bant Si · dera.

Sol ori · tur; om · nis ces · sat hic · conten · tio.

Procerum · super · bia de · ficit · cum Rex · adest.

PickPik

More poems in Desbillons, Book 8:

1. Momi censura (lines: 13)
2. papilio et apis (lines: 13)
3. divinus (lines: 10)
4. accipiter et noctua (lines: 20+)
5. melezia et larix (lines: 20+)
6. edera et murus (lines: 20+)
7. asinus sophistae cuiusdam alumnus (lines: 20+)
8. simioli et pira (lines: 17)
9. perdix et auceps (lines: 18)
10. parasitus et pisciculi (lines: 20+)
11. apis et Jupiter (lines: 14)
12. leaenae apotheosis (lines: 20+)
13. agnus, canis, et lupus (lines: 20+)
14. homines duo et thesaurus (lines: 20+)
15. arbuscula, arbor, et colonus (lines: 20+)
16. porcus et sturni (lines: 8)
17. pica et acanthis (lines: 20+)
18. mustela et columba (lines: 7)
19. sidera et sol (lines: 3)
20. leo iratus (lines: 6)
21. leo iratus (lines: 20+)
22. erucae duae (lines: 10)
23. fur deceptus (lines: 20+)
24. vulpis et lupus (lines: 20+)
25. cervus aeger (lines: 15)
26. graculus (lines: 11)
27. Musarum alumnus et bombyx (lines: 14)
28. formica et Jupiter (lines: 14)
29. cultur arborum imperitus (lines: 20+)
30. columba et eius pullus, buboque et aquila (lines: 20+)
31. equus et sessor imperitus (lines: 12)

Aesopi Carmina: Desbillons Book 7

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This project has moved to a blog of its own: Fabulae Aesopi.

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Here's a new post in series about the Latin verse fables of Desbillons; for more about this project, see the starting post. You'll find a poem-by-poem index to Book 7 below (linking to the pages at the Internet Archive), and here's the poem I selected from that book, just 3 lines long! 

VII.14 Asellus et Liber

Librum elegantem quidam Asellus reperit;

Simul improbavit, atque discerpsit jocans.

Audaciorem stupiditas Criticum facit.

Here is the poem written out in English prose order to help in reading:

Quidam Asellus

reperit elegantem librum;

simul improbavit, 

atque discerpsit,

jocans.

Stupiditas

facit Criticum

audaciorem.

As Desbillons notes, this is not really a fable, but just a traditional way of depicting the "donkey" who meddles with things he doesn't understand, like the proverbial "asinus ad lyram."

In addition to the proverbial donkey, there is also Phaedrus's famous fable about the rooster who finds a precious gem but cannot appreciate its value; in that case also, Phaedrus interprets the fable in terms of a reader who does not appreciate the value of what he is reading. Here's an English version of that fable, with an illustration by Arthur Rackham:

A Cock, while scratching all around,

A Pearl upon the dunghill found:

“O splendid thing in foul disgrace,

Had there been any in the place

That saw and knew thy worth when sold,

Ere this thou hadst been set in gold.

But I, who rather would have got

A corn of barley, heed thee not;

No service can there render’d be

From me to you, and you to me.”

I write this tale to them alone

To whom in vain my pearls are thrown.

The meter of Desbillons' poem is iambic, and here is some help with the meter (for more about iambic meter, see the post about Desbillons 1.1).

Libr~ e · legan · tem quid~ · Asel · lus re · perit;

Simul im · proba · vit, at · que dis · cerpsit · jocans.

Auda · cio · rem stupi · ditas · Criticum · facit.

More poems in Desbillons, Book 7:

1. perdix et canis venaticus (lines: 14)
2. viator et platanus (lines: 12)
3. luporum legati ad anglorum regem (lines: 7)
4. canis fugitivus et herus (lines: 12)
5. Jupiter et rusticus (lines: 20+)
6. lepores, canes, et vulpes (lines: 20+)
7. leo furiosus et lepus (lines: 6)
8. canis mordax (lines: 10)
9. hirundo et luscinius (lines: 20+)
10. ensis et vomer (lines: 13)
11. hariolus sibi non providens (lines: 9)
12. opilio et oves (lines: 19)
13. ardea et pisces (lines: 20+)
14. asellus et liber (lines: 3)
15. talpa et olitor (lines: 9)
16. ollae duae (lines: 11)
17. milvi et columbae (lines: 20+)
18. puella et Naias (lines: 11)
19. catellus et molossus (lines: 14)
20. equus senescens (lines: 20+)
21. avis solitaria (lines: 20+)
22. mustela, cuniculus et felis (lines: 20+)
23. senex et mors (lines: 13)
24. testudo et anates duae (lines: 20+)
25. formicae duae (lines: 20+)
26. corvus et lepus (lines: 17)