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I.1. Lupus et Agnus

 

Parallels: For parallel versions, see Perry 155. For  help in translating the poem, use the page for this poem at NoDictionaries.com, with interlinear word lists! (Here are some tips on using the NoDictionaries tool.)

 

Ad rivum eundem lupus et agnus venerant,

siti compulsi. Superior stabat lupus,

longeque inferior agnus. Tunc fauce improba

latro incitatus iurgii causam intulit;

'Cur' inquit 'turbulentam fecisti mihi

aquam bibenti?' Laniger contra timens

'Qui possum, quaeso, facere quod quereris, lupe?

A te decurrit ad meos haustus liquor'.

Repulsus ille veritatis viribus

'Ante hos sex menses male' ait 'dixisti mihi'.

Respondit agnus 'Equidem natus non eram'.

'Pater hercle tuus' ille inquit 'male dixit mihi';

atque ita correptum lacerat iniusta nece.

Haec propter illos scripta est homines fabula

qui fictis causis innocentes opprimunt.

 

Here is the poem in a more prose-like word order for easy reading:

 

Lupus et agnus venerant

ad rivum eundem,

siti compulsi.

Lupus stabat superior,

et agnus longe inferior.

Tunc latro,

incitatus fauce improba,

intulit causam iurgii.

Inquit:

"Cur fecisti aquam turbulentam

mihi bibenti?"

Laniger, timens, contra inquit:

"Quaeso:

qui possum facere hoc,

quod quereris, lupe?

Liquor decurrit a te

ad meos haustus."

Ille, repulsus viribus veritatis, ait:

"Male dixisti mihi

ante hos sex menses."

Agnus respondit:

"Equidem natus non eram."

Ille inquit:

"Hercle, pater tuus male dixit mihi."

Atque ita lupus lacerat agnum,

correptum iniusta nece.

Haec fabula scripta est

propter illos homines

qui opprimunt innocentes

fictis causis.

 

Here is the poem with meter marks:

 

Ad riv(um) · eun·dem lupus · et ag·nus ve·nerant,

siti · compul·si. Super·ior · stabat · lupus,

longe·q(ue) infer·jor ag·nus. Tunc · fauc(e) im·proba

latr(o) in·cita·tus iur·gii · caus(am) in·tulit;

Cur in·quit tur·bulen·tam fe·cisti · mihi

aquam · biben·ti? La·niger · contra · timens

Qui pos·sum, quae·so, face·re quod · quereris, · lupe?

A te · decur·rit ad · meos · haustus · liquor.

Repul·sus il·le ve·rita·tis vi·ribus

Ant(e) hos · sex men·ses male · ajt dix·isti · mihi.

Respon·dit ag·nus: Equi·dem na·tus non · eram.

Pater her·cle tuus · ill(e) in·quit male ·dixit · mihi;

atqu(e) ita · correp·tum lace·rat in·justa · nece.

Haec prop·ter il·los scrip·t(a) est homi·nes fa·bula

qui fic·tis cau·sis in·nocen·tes op·primunt.

 

The Wolf and the Lamb (trans. C. Smart)

 

BY thirst incited; to the brook

The Wolf and Lamb themselves betook.

The Wolf high up the current drank,

The Lamb far lower down the bank.

Then, bent his ravenous maw to cram,

The Wolf took umbrage at the Lamb.

"How dare you trouble all the flood,

And mingle my good drink with mud?"

"Sir," says the Lambkin, sore afraid,

"How should I act, as you upbraid?

The thing you mention cannot be,

The stream descends from you to me."

Abash'd by facts, says he, " I know

'Tis now exact six months ago

You strove my honest fame to blot"-

"Six months ago, sir, I was not."

"Then 'twas th' old ram thy sire," he cried,

And so he tore him, till he died.

To those this fable I address

Who are determined to oppress,

And trump up any false pretence,

But they will injure innocence.