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phaedrus008

Page history last edited by Laura Gibbs 14 years, 3 months ago

 

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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.)

 

Quī pretium meritī ab improbīs dēsīderat,

bis peccat: prīmum quoniam indīgnōs adiuvat,

impūne abīre deinde quia iam nōn potest.

Os dēvorātum fauce cum haerēret lupī,

māgnō dolōre vīctus coepit singulōs

inlicere pretiō ut illud extraherent malum.

Tandem persuāsa est iūre iūrandō gruis,

gulae quae crēdēns collī longitūdinem

perīculōsam fēcit medicīnam lupō.

Ā quō cum pactum flāgitāret praemium,

"Ingrāta es" inquit "ōre quae ē nostrō caput

incolume abstuleris et mercēdem postulēs."

 

Bis peccat quī meritī pretium ab improbīs dēsīderat: prīmum, quoniam indīgnōs adiuvat, deinde, quia impūne abīre iam nōn potest. Cum os dēvorātum lupī fauce haerēret, māgnō dolōre vīctus, singulōs pretiō inlicere coepit ut illud malum extraherent. Tandem gruis iūre iūrandō persuāsa est, quae, collī longitūdinem gulae crēdēns, perīculōsam medicīnam lupō fēcit. Ā quō cum praemium pactum flāgitāret, inquit: "Ingrāta es quae ē nostrō ōre caput incolume abstuleris et mercēdem postulēs."

 

Bis peccat qui mériti prétium ab ímprobis desíderat: primum, quóniam indígnos ádiuvat, deinde, quia impúne abíre iam non potest. Cum os devorátum lupi fauce haeréret, magno dolóre victus, síngulos prétio inlícere coepit ut illud malum extráherent. Tandem gruis iure iurándo persuása est, quae, colli longitúdinem gulae credens, periculósam medicínam lupo fecit. A quo cum praémium pactum flagitáret, inquit: "Ingráta es quae e nostro ore caput incólume abstúleris et mercédem póstules."

 

Quī preti·um merit~ · ab im·probīs · dēsī·derat,

bis pec·cat: prī·mum quoni~ · indīg·nōs ad·iuvat,

impūn~ · abī·re dein·de quia · iam nōn · potest.

Os dē·vorā·tum fau·ce c~ hae·rēret · lupī,

māgnō · dolō·re vīc·tus coe·pit sin·gulōs

inlice·re preti~ · ut il·lud ex·tr~erent · malum.

Tandem · persuā·s~ est iū·re iū·randō · gruis,

gulae · quae crē·dēns col·lī lon·gitū·dinem

perī·culō·sam fē·cit medi·cīnam · lupō.

Ā quō · cum pac·tum flā·gitā·ret prae·mium,

"Ingrāt~ · es" in·quit "ō·re qu~ ē · nostrō · caput

incolu·m~ abstule·ris et · mercē·dem pos·tulēs."

  

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!"

 

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