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I.9. Passer ad Leporem

 

Parallels: For parallel versions, see Perry 473.

 

Sibi non cavere et aliis consilium dare

stultum esse paucis ostendamus versibus.

Oppressum ab aquila, fletus edentem graves,

leporem obiurgabat passer "Ubi pernicitas

nota" inquit "illa est? Quid ita cessarunt pedes?"

Dum loquitur, ipsum accipiter necopinum rapit

questuque vano clamitantem interficit.

Lepus semianimus "Mortis en solacium:

qui modo securus nostra inridebas mala,

simili querella fata deploras tua".

 

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

 

Ostendamus paucis versibus

stultum esse non cavere sibi

et dare consilium aliis:

Passer obiurgabat leporem,

oppressum ab aquila, edentem fletus graves,

et inquit: "Ubi illa nota pernicitas est?

Quid pedes ita cessarunt?"

Dum loquitur,

accipiter rapit passerem necopinum

et interficit ipsum clamitantem vano questu.

Lepus semianimus:

"En: solacium mortis!

Qui modo securus inridebas nostra mala,

deploras fata tua simili querella."

 

Here is the poem with meter marks:

 

Sib' non ~ cave~r(e) et al~jis con~siljum ~ dare

stult(um) es~se pau~cis os~tenda~mus ver~sibus.

Oppres~s(um) ab aq'~la, fle~tus e~dentem ~ graves,

lep'r(em) ob~iurga~bat pas~ser "Ub' ~ perni~citas

not(a)" in~quit "il~l(a) est? Quid ~ it' ces~sarunt ~ pedes?"

Dum loq'~tur, ip~s(um) accip'~ter nec'~pinum ~ rapit

questu~que va~no cla~mitan~t(em) inter~ficit.

Lepus ~ semjan'~mus "Mor~tis en ~ sola~cium:

qui m'do ~ secu~rus nos~tr(a) inri~debas ~ mala,

sim'li ~ querel~la fa~ta de~ploras ~ tua".

 

Translation:

 

Let us show in a few lines of poetry that it is a stupid thing to not watch out for oneself while giving advice to others. A sparrow scolded a rabbit who had been caught by an eagle and who was sobbing loudly; the sparrow said to him: "Where is that famous speed of yours? Why have your feet thus stopped running?" While the sparrow was speaking, a hawk seized him, unawares, and killed him while he shouted out his useless protest. The half-dead rabbit said: "Aha: a comfort in my dying! Carefree, you were just now making fun of our troubles but now you are bewailing your fate with a complaint similar to mine."

 

[This translation is meant as a help in understanding the story, not as a "crib" for the Latin. I have not hesitated to change the syntax to make it flow more smoothly in English, altering the verb tense consistently to narrative past tense, etc.]

 

The Hare and the Sparrow (trans. C. Smart)

Still to give cautions, as a friend,

And not one's own affairs attend,

Is but impertinent and vain,

As these few verses will explain.

A Sparrow taunted at a Hare

Caught by an eagle high in air,

And screaming loud-- "Where now," says she,

" Is your renown'd velocity ?

Why loiter'd your much boasted speed?"

Just as she spake, an hungry glede

Did on th' injurious railer fall,

Nor could her cries avail at all.

The Hare, with its expiring breath,

Thus said: " See comfort ev'n in death!

She that derided my distress

Must now deplore her own no less."

 

Illustration:

 

Here is an illustration by Samuel Howitt: