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Barlow 22. DE LEONE ET QUIBUSDAM ALIIS QUADRUPEDIBUS
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Convenere Leo et Ovis et alii Quadrupedes, pepigerantque inter se venationem fore communem. Itur venatum; procumbit cervus; spolia dividunt, singulas singulis partes tollere incipientibus. Irrugiens surgit Leo: “Una (inquit) pars mea est, quia sum dignissimus. Altera item mea est, quia viribus sum praestantissimus. Porro, quia in capiendo cervo plus sudaverim, tertiam mihi partem vendico. Quartam denique partem, nisi concesseritis, actum est de amicitia; ilicet periistis!” Reliqui, hoc audito, discedunt, vacui et taciti, non ausi muttire contra Leonem.
Translation: The lion, sheep and other four-footed animals got together and pledged amongst themselves that they would hunt as a group. They went hunting; a stag fell to them and they divided the spoils, each one starting to take a portion for himself when the lion roared and rose up, saying: One part is mine because I am the most worthy; the second part is likewise mine because I am the most superlative in strength; then, because I sweated the hardest in the catching of the stag, I claim the third part as mine; finally, as for the fourth part, unless you give it to me, that's the end of our friendship - you are as good as dead." The rest of them, when they heard this, went away empty-handed and silent, not daring to mutter a word against the lion.
[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.]
Illustration: Here is an illustration from this edition, by the renowned artist Francis Barlow; click on the image for a larger view.
