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I.26. Vulpis et Ciconia

 

Parallels: For parallel versions, see Perry 426.

 

Nulli nocendum, si quis vero laeserit,

multandum simili iure fabella admonet.

Ad cenam vulpes dicitur ciconiam

prior invitasse, et liquidam in patulo marmore

posuisse sorbitionem, quam nullo modo

gustare esuriens potuerit ciconia.

Quae, vulpem cum revocasset, intrito cibo

plenam lagonam posuit; huic rostrum inserens

satiatur ipsa et torquet convivam fame.

Quae cum lagonae collum frustra lamberet,

peregrinam sic locutam volucrem accepimus:

"Sua quisque exempla debet aequo animo pati".

 

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

 

Nulli nocendum;

si quis vero laeserit,

ei multandum simili iure -

fabella admonet!

Vulpes dicitur

prior invitasse ciconiam ad cenam,

et posuisse liquidam sorbitionem in patulo marmore;

ciconia esuriens

nullo modo potuerit gustare sorbitionem.

Ciconia,

cum revocasset vulpem,

posuit lagonam plenam intrito cibo;

huic inserens rostrum

ciconia satiatur et torquet convivam fame.

Cum vulpes frustra lamberet collum lagonae,

accepimus

peregrinam volucrem locutam esse:

sic:

"Quisque debet pati aequo animo sua exempla."

 

Here is the poem with meter marks:

 

Nulli ~ nocen~dum, si ~ quis ve~ro lae~serit,

multan~dum sim~'li iu~re fa~bell(a) ad~monet.

Ad ce~nam vul~pes di~citur ~ cico~niam

pr'or in~vitas~s(e), et liq'~d(am) in pat'~lo mar~more

posvis~se sor~bitjo~nem, quam ~ nullo ~ modo

gusta~r(e) esur~jens pot~verit ~ cico~nia.

Quae, vul~pem cum ~ revo~cass't, in~trito ~ cibo

plenam ~ lago~nam pos~vit; huic ~ rostr(um) in~serens

satja~tur ip~s(a) et tor~quet con~vivam ~ fame.

Quae cum ~ lago~nae col~lum frus~tra lam~beret,

per'gri~nam sic ~ locu~tam vol'~cr(em) acce~pimus:

"Su' quis~qu(e) exem~pla de~bet ae~qu(o) an'mo ~ pati".

 

Translation:

 

Do no harm - if anyone injures another person, then he must pay a penalty in turn, as this fable cautions. The fox is said to have earlier invited the stock to dinner and to have placed a liquid broth on a marble slab. The hungry stork could not taste the broth in any way. The stork, when she invited the fox in turn, put out a narrow-mouted jug filled with crumbled food; by inserting her beak inside it, she ate her fill while torturing her dinner companion with hunger. When the fox licked the neck of the jug in vain, we have heard that the migratory stork said to the fox: "Everyone must endure calmly the example they have set for others."

 

[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 Fox and the Stork (trans. C. Smart)

One should do injury to none;

But he that has th' assault begun,

Ought, says the fabulist, to find

The dread of being served in kind,

A Fox, to sup within his cave

The Stork an invitation gave,

Where, in a shallow dish, was pour'd

Some broth, which he himself devoured;

While the poor hungry Stork was fain

Inevitably to abstain.

The Stork, in turn, the Fox invites,

And brings her liver and her lights

In a tall flagon, finely minced,

And thrusting in her beak, convinced

The Fox that he in grief must fast,

While she enjoy'd the rich repast.

Then, as in vain he lick'd the neck,

The Stork was heard her guest to check, -

' That every one the fruits should bear

Of their example, is but fair."

 

Illustration:

 

Here is an illustration from an early printed edition; click on the image for a larger view.