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I.3. Graculus et Pavo

 

Parallels: For parallel versions, see Perry 472. 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.)

 

Ne gloriari libeat alienis bonis,

suoque potius habitu vitam degere,

Aesopus nobis hoc exemplum prodidit.

Tumens inani graculus superbia

pinnas, pavoni quae deciderant, sustulit,

seque exornavit. Deinde, contemnens suos

immiscet se pavonum formoso gregi

illi impudenti pinnas eripiunt avi,

fugantque rostris. Male mulcatus graculus

redire maerens coepit ad proprium genus,

a quo repulsus tristem sustinuit notam.

Tum quidam ex illis quos prius despexerat

"Contentus nostris si fuisses sedibus

et quod Natura dederat voluisses pati,

nec illam expertus esses contumeliam

nec hanc repulsam tua sentiret calamitas".

 

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

 

Aesopus prodidit nobis hoc exemplum

ne libeat

gloriari alienis bonis,

et potius

degere vitam suo habitu.

Graculus

tumens inani superbia

sustulit pinnas

quae deciderant pavoni

et exornavit se.

Deinde, contemnens suos,

immiscet se formoso gregi pavonum;

pavones eripiunt pinnas

illi impudenti graculo,

et fugant eum rostris.

Male mulcatus graculus

maerens

coepit redire ad proprium genus;

repulsus a hoc genere

sustinuit tristem notam.

Tum quidam ex illis graculis

quos prius despexerat

"Si contentus fuisses nostris sedibus

et voluisses pati hoc

quod Natura tibi dederat,

nec expertus esses illam contumeliam

nec tua calamitas sentiret hanc repulsam."

 

Here is the poem with meter marks:

 

Ne glo·ria·ri · libe·at ali·enis · bonis,

suo·que poti·us habi·tu vi·tam de·gere,

Aeso·pus no·bis hoc · exem·plum pro·didit.

Tumens · ina·ni gra·culus · super· bia

pinnas, · pavo·ni quae · decide·rant, sus·tulit,

sequ(e) ex·orna·vit. Dein·de, con·temnens · suos

immis·cet se · pavo·num for·moso · gregi

ill(i) im·puden·ti pin·nas e·ripiunt · avi,

fugant·que ros·tris. Male · mulca·tus gra·culus

redi·re mae·rens coe·pit ad · proprium · genus,

a quo · repul·sus tris·tem sus·tinuit · notam.

Tum qui·d(am) ex il·lis quos · prius · despex·erat

"Conten·tus nos·tris si · fuis·ses se·dibus

et quod · Natu·ra de·derat volu·isses · pati,

nec il·l(am) exper·tus es·ses con·tume·liam

nec hanc · repul·sam tua · senti·ret cala·mitas". 

 

The Vain Jackdaw (trans. C. Smart)

Lest any one himself should plume,

And on his neighbour's worth presume;

But still let Nature's garb prevail-

Esop has left this little tale:

A Daw, ambitious and absurd,

Pick'd up the quills of Juno's bird;

And, with the gorgeous spoil adorn'd,

All his own sable brethren scorn'd,

And join'd the peacocks-who in scoff

Stripp'd the bold thief; and drove him off

The Daw, thus roughly handled, went

To his own kind in discontent:

But they in turn contemn the spark,

And brand with many a shameful mark.

Then one he formerly disdain'd,

"Had you," said he, "at home remain'd--

Content with Nature's ways and will,

You had not felt the peacock's bill;

Nor 'mongst the birds of your own dress

Had been deserted in distress."