The Fables of Phaedrus Part 13

FABLE VIII.

THE EMBLEM OF OPPORTUNITY.

A Bald Man, balancing on a razor's edge, fleet of foot, his forehead covered with hair,[13] his body naked--if you have caught him, hold him fast; when he has once escaped, not Jupiter himself can overtake him: he is the emblem how shortlived is Opportunity.

The ancients devised such a portraiture of Time, {to signify} that slothful delay should not hinder the execution of our purposes.

[Footnote V.13: _His forehead covered with hair_)--Ver. 2.

From this figure of Time or Opportunity, Time came to be represented in the middle ages with a tuft of hair on his forehead; whence our common expression "To take time by the forelock," signifying to make the best of an opportunity.]

FABLE IX.

THE BULL AND THE CALF.

When a Bull was struggling with his horns in a narrow pa.s.sage, and could hardly effect an entrance to the manger, a Calf began to point out in what way he might turn himself: "Hush," said {the Bull}, "I knew that before you were born."

Let him who would instruct a wiser man, consider {this as} said to himself.

FABLE X.

THE HUNTSMAN AND THE DOG.

A Dog, who had always given satisfaction to his master by his boldness against swift and savage beasts, began to grow feeble under increasing years. On one occasion, being urged to the combat with a bristling Boar, he seized him by the ear; but, through the rottenness of his teeth, let go his prey. Vexed at this, the Huntsman upbraided the Dog. Old Barker[14] {replied}: "It is not my courage that disappoints you, but my strength. You commend me for what I have been; and you blame me that I am not {what I was}."

You, Philetus,[15] may easily perceive why I have written this.

[Footnote V.14: _Old Barker_)--Ver. 7. We may here enumerate the names of this nature, which we find given by Phaedrus to various animals: "laniger," "wool-bearer," the sheep; "auritulus,"

"long-ears," the a.s.s; "sonipes," "sounding-hoof," the horse; "barbatus," "long-beard," the goat; "retorridus," "brindle," the mouse; and "latrans," "barker," the dog.]

[Footnote V.15: _Philetus._)--Ver. 10. Of this Philetus nothing certain is known, but he is supposed to have been a freedman of the emperor Claudius.]

THE NEW FABLES,

BY SOME ATTRIBUTED TO PHaeDRUS.[1]

[Footnote NF.1: _Attributed to Phaedrus_)--Ca.s.sito and Jannelli, with several other critics, are strongly of opinion that these Fables were written by Phaedrus. On a critical examination, however, they will be found to be so dissimilar in style and language from those acknowledged to be by Phaedrus, that it is very difficult not to come to the conclusion that they are the work of some more recent writer, of inferior genius, and less pure latinity. They were first published in 1809, at Naples, by Ca.s.sito, from a MS. which had belonged to Nicholas Perotti, Archbishop of Sipontum or Manfredonia, at the end of the fifteenth century, and who, notwithstanding his a.s.sertions to the contrary, was perhaps either the author of them or altered them very materially. They appear in the MSS. in a mutilated condition; and the lacunae have been filled up according to the fancy of the successive Editors of the Fables. Those inserted in Gail's edition have in general been here adopted.]

FABLE I.

THE APE AND THE FOX.

_The Greedy Man is not willing to give even from his superabundance._

An Ape asked a Fox for a part of her tail, that he might decently cover his naked hinder parts therewith; but the ill-natured creature {replied}: "Although it grow {even} longer {than it is}, still I will sooner drag it through mud and brambles, than give you ever so small a part {thereof}."

FABLE II.

THE AUTHOR.

_We must not require what is unreasonable._

If Nature had[2] formed the human race according to my notions, it would have been far better endowed: for she would have given us every good quality that indulgent Fortune has bestowed on {any} animal: the strength of the Elephant, and the impetuous force of the Lion, the age of the Crow, the majestic port of the fierce Bull, the gentle tractableness of the fleet Horse; and Man should still have had the ingenuity that is peculiarly his own. Jupiter in heaven laughs to himself, no doubt, he who, in his mighty plan, denied these {qualities} to men, lest our audacity should wrest {from him} the sceptre of the world. Contented, therefore, with the gifts of unconquered Jove, let us pa.s.s the years of our time allotted by fate, nor attempt more than mortality permits.

[Footnote NF.2: _If nature had_)--Ver. 1. This can hardly be styled a Fable; it is merely an Epilogue or moral lesson.]

FABLE III.

MERCURY AND THE TWO WOMEN.

_Another Fable on the same subject._

Once on a time, two Women had given their guest, Mercury, a mean and sordid entertainment; one of the women had a little son in the cradle, while the profession of a Courtesan had its charms for the other. In order, therefore that he might give a suitable return for their services, when about to depart, and just crossing the threshold, he said: "In me you behold a G.o.d; I will give you at once whatever each may wish." The Mother makes her request, and asks that she may immediately see her Son graced with a beard; the Courtesan {requests} that whatever she touches may follow her. Mercury flies away--the women return in-doors: behold the infant, with a beard, is crying aloud. The Courtesan happened to laugh heartily at this, on which the humours {of the head} filled her nostrils, as is often the case. Intending therefore to blow her nose, she seized it with her hand, and drew out its length to the ground; and {thus}, while laughing at another, she became herself a subject for laughter.[3]

[Footnote NF.3: _For laughter_)--Ver. 17. This story savours more of the false wit of the middle ages than of the genius of Phaedrus.]

FABLE IV.

PROMETHEUS AND CUNNING.

_On Truth and Falsehood._

When once Prometheus, the framer of a new race, had formed Truth from fine earth, that she might be able to dispense justice among mankind, being suddenly summoned by the messenger of great Jove, he left {his} workshop in charge of treacherous Cunning, whom he had lately received in apprentices.h.i.+p. The latter, inflamed by zeal, with clever hand formed an image of similar appearance, corresponding stature, and like in every limb, so far as the time permitted. When nearly the whole had now been wondrously set up, he found he had no clay to make the feet. {His} master came back, and Cunning, confused by fear at his quick return, sat down in his own place. Prometheus, admiring so strong a resemblance, wished the merit to appear to belong to his own skill, {and} therefore placed the two images together in the furnace. When they were thoroughly baked, and life had been breathed into them, hallowed Truth moved on with modest gait; but her imperfect copy remained fixed on the spot.

Thence the spurious image, the result of the stealthy work, was called Mendacity,[4] because they say, she has no feet,--an a.s.sertion with which I readily agree.

[Footnote NF.4: _Was called Mendacity_)--Ver. 21. There is a sort of pun intended upon the word "menda," a blemish. Because Falsehood was blemished in having no feet, she was called "mendacium" or "mendacity." Here the author's etymology is at fault, as the word "mendacity" comes from "mentior," to lie; which is not likely to have been derived from "menda." Besides, Falsehood, whether she has feet or not, generally travels more speedily than Truth.]

FABLE V.[5]

THE AUTHOR.

_Nothing is long concealed._

* * * Pretended vices are sometimes profitable to men, but still the truth appears in time.

[Footnote NF.5: _Fable V._)--This seems to be only a fragment; probably the moral of a Fable now lost.]