De delphino et smaride: The Dolphin and The Fish

Source: Aesop's Fables, 1687 (illustrated by Francis Barlow).

Parallels: For parallel versions, see Perry 113.

Latin Text:

Persequebatur Pisciculum Delphinus. Hunc ut vitaret Pisciculus ad rupem confugit. Quem ut captaret Delphinus tam violento sequebatur impetu, ut arenis illisit et haerens morti succubuit. Quod cum vidisset Pisciculus, sibi paululum consolatus est, moribundulus, inquiens, Dulcior mihi profecto mea mors futura est quod prius auctorem meae mortis defunctum prae oculis viderim.

Here is a segmented version to help you see the grammatical patterns:

Persequebatur Pisciculum

Delphinus.

Hunc ut vitaret

Pisciculus

ad rupem confugit.

Quem ut captaret

Delphinus

tam violento sequebatur impetu,

ut arenis illisit

et haerens

morti succubuit.

Quod cum vidisset

Pisciculus,

sibi paululum consolatus est,

moribundulus, inquiens,

Dulcior mihi profecto

mea mors futura est

quod prius

auctorem meae mortis

defunctum

prae oculis viderim.

Translation:

A dolphin was chasing a little fish. In order to escape the dolphin, the little fish fled towards the rocks. In order to catch the fish, the dolphin chased him with such a violent rush that he hit the sand, got stuck there and succumbed to death. When the little fish saw this, he was somewhat consoled, dying as he was, the poor little guy, and he said, "My death is going to be sweeter for me indeed because before dying I saw the maker of my death dead before my eyes."

[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.]

This edition of Aesop's fables was published in French, Latin, and English, so here it the English poem that accompanies this fable (I've modernized some of the 17th-century spelling):

The Tuna to escape the Dolphin's shock

Flying for safety to a fatal rock,

There lay unsnared, as was her foe beneath,

Who to behold him perish, welcomes death.

The injured innocent is pleased to see

His treacherous friend oppressed as well as he.

Illustration:

Here is an illustration from this edition, by the renowned artist Francis Barlow; click on the image for a larger view.

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