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I.8. Lupus et Gruis

 

Parallels: For parallel versions, see Perry 156. 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.)

 

Qui pretium meriti ab improbis desiderat,

bis peccat: primum quoniam indignos adiuvat,

impune abire deinde quia iam non potest.

Os devoratum fauce cum haereret lupi,

magno dolore victus coepit singulos

inlicere pretio ut illud extraherent malum.

Tandem persuasa est iureiurando gruis,

gulae quae credens colli longitudinem

periculosam fecit medicinam lupo.

Pro quo cum pactum flagitaret praemium,

"Ingrata es" inquit "ore quae nostro caput

incolume abstuleris et mercedem postules".

 

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

 

Qui desiderat ab improbis pretium meriti,

peccat bis:

primum quoniam adiuvat indignos,

deinde quia iam non potest abire impune.

Cum os devoratum haereret fauce lupi,

victus magno dolore

coepit inlicere singulos pretio

ut extraherent illud malum.

Tandem gruis persuasa est iureiurando:

gruis fecit periculosam medicinam lupo

credens longitudinem colli sui gulae lupi.

Cum flagitaret pactum praemium pro hoc,

lupus inquit:

"Ingrata es:

tu abstuleris caput ore nostro incolume

et postules mercedem!"

 

Here is the poem with meter marks:

 

Qui pret~jum mer'~t(i) ab im~probis ~ desi~derat,

bis pec~cat: pri~mum quo~ni(am) indig~nos ad~iuvat,

impu~n(e) abi~re dein~de qui' ~ iam non ~ potest.

Os de~vora~tum fau~ce c(um h)ae~reret ~ lupi,

magno ~ dolo~re vic~tus coe~pit sin~gulos

inlic'~re pret~j(o) ut il~lud ex~tra'rent ~ malum.

Tandem ~ persua~s(a) est iu~reiu~rando ~ gruis,

gulae ~ quae cre~dens col~li lon~gitu~dinem

peri~c'losam ~ fecit ~ medi~cinam ~ lupo.

Pro quo ~ cum pac~tum fla~gita~ret prae~mium,

"Ingra~t(a) es" in~quit "o~re quae ~ nostro ~ caput

incol'~m(e) abstul~'ris et ~ merce~dem pos~tules". 

 

The Wolf and Crane (trans. C. Smart)

Who for his merit seeks a price

From men of violence and vice,

Is twice a fool-first so declared,

As for the worthless he has cared;

Then after all, his honest aim

Must end in punishment and shame.

A bone the Wolf devoured in haste,

Stuck in his greedy throat so fast,

That, tortured with the pain, he roar'd,

And ev'ry beast around implored,

That who a remedy could find

Should have a premium to his mind.

A Crane was wrought upon to trust

His oath at length-and down she thrust

Her neck into his throat impure,

And so perform'd a desp'rate cure.

At which, when she desired her fee,

"You base, ungrateful minx," says he,

"Whom I so kind forbore to kill,

And now, forsooth, you'd bring your bill!"