The Fables of Phaedrus Part 3

The needy man, while affecting to imitate the powerful, comes to ruin.

Once on a time, a Frog espied an Ox in a meadow, and moved with envy at his vast bulk, puffed out her wrinkled skin, {and} then asked her young ones whether she was bigger than the Ox. They said "No." Again, with still greater efforts, she distended her skin, and in like manner enquired which was the bigger:[23] they said: "The Ox." At last, while, full of indignation, she tried, with all her might, to puff herself out, she burst her body on the spot.

[Footnote I.23: _Which was the bigger_)--Ver. 8. "Quis major esset. Illi dixerunt Bovem." Bentley censures this line, and thinks it spurious. In good Latin, he says "uter" would occupy the place of "quis," and "bovem" would be replaced by "bos."]

FABLE XXV.

THE DOG AND THE CROCODILE.

Those who give bad advice to discreet persons, both lose their pains, and are laughed to scorn.

It has been related,[24] that Dogs drink at the river Nile running along, that they may not be seized by the Crocodiles. Accordingly, a Dog having begun to drink while running along, a Crocodile thus addressed him: "Lap as leisurely as you like; drink on; come nearer, and don't be afraid," said he. The other {replied}: "Egad, I would do so with all my heart, did I not know that you are eager for my flesh."

[Footnote I.24: _It has been related_)--Ver. 3. Pliny, in his Natural History, B. viii. c. 40, and aelian, in his Various and Natural Histories, relate the same fact as to the dogs drinking of the Nile. "To treat a thing, as the dogs do the Nile," was a common proverb with the ancients, signifying to do it superficially; corresponding with our homely saying, "To give it a lick and a promise." Macrobius, in the Saturnalia, B. i. c. 2, mentions a story, that after the defeat at Mutina, when enquiry was made as to what had become of Antony, one of his servants made answer: "He has done what the dogs do in Egypt, he drank and ran away."

FABLE XXVI.

THE FOX AND THE STORK.

Harm should be done to no man; but if any one do an injury, this Fable shows that he may be visited with a like return.

A Fox is said to have given a Stork the first invitation to a banquet, and to have placed before her some thin broth in a flat dish, of which the hungry Stork could in no way get a taste. Having invited the Fox in return, she set {before him} a narrow-mouthed jar,[25] full of minced meat:[26] and, thrusting her beak into it, satisfied herself, {while} she tormented her guest with hunger; who, after having in vain licked the neck of the jar, as we have heard, thus addressed the foreign bird:[27] "Every one is bound to bear patiently the results of his own example."

[Footnote I.25: _Of minced meat_)--Ver. 7. "Intritus cibus,"

is thought here to signify a peculiar dish, consisting of bread soaked in milk, cheese, garlic, and other herbs.]

[Footnote I.26: _Narrow-mouthed jar_)--Ver. 8. The "lagena,"

or "lagona," was a long-necked bottle or flagon, made of earth, and much used for keeping wine or fruit.]

[Footnote I.27: _The foreign bird_)--Ver. 11. Alluding probably to the migratory habits of the stork, or the fact of her being especially a native of Egypt.]

FABLE XXVII.

THE DOG, THE TREASURE, AND THE VULTURE.

This Fable may be applied to the avaricious, and to those, who, born to a humble lot, affect to be called rich.

Grubbing up human bones,[28] a Dog met with a Treasure; and, because he had offended the G.o.ds the Manes,[29] a desire for riches was inspired in him, that so he might pay the penalty {due} to the holy character of the place. Accordingly, while he was watching over the gold, forgetful of food, he was starved to death; on which a Vulture, standing over him, is reported to have said: "O Dog, you justly meet your death, who, begotten at a cross-road, and bred up on a dunghill, have suddenly coveted regal wealth."

[Footnote I.28: _Human bones_)--Ver. 3. This plainly refers to the custom which prevailed among the ancients, of burying golden ornaments, and even money, with the dead; which at length was practised to such an excess, that at Rome the custom was forbidden by law. It was probably practised to a great extent by the people of Etruria; if we may judge from the discoveries of golden ornaments frequently made in their tombs.]

[Footnote I.29: _G.o.ds the Manes_)--Ver. 4. Perhaps by "Deos Manes" are meant the good and bad Genii of the deceased.]

FABLE XXVIII.

THE FOX AND THE EAGLE.

Men, however high in station, ought to be on their guard against the lowly; because, to ready address, revenge lies near at hand.

An Eagle one day carried off the whelps of a Fox, and placed them in {her} nest before her young ones, for them to tear in pieces as food.

The mother, following her, began to entreat that she would not cause such sorrow to her miserable {suppliant}. The other despised her, as being safe in the very situation of the spot. The Fox s.n.a.t.c.hed from an altar a burning torch, and surrounded the whole tree with flames, intending to mingle anguish to her foe with the loss of her offspring.

The Eagle, that she might rescue her young ones from the peril of death, in a suppliant manner restored to the Fox her whelps in safety.

FABLE XXIX.

THE a.s.s DERIDING THE BOAR.

Fools often, while trying to raise a silly laugh, provoke others by gross affronts, and cause serious danger to themselves.

An a.s.s meeting a Boar: "Good morrow to you, brother," says he. The other indignantly rejects the salutation, and enquires why he thinks proper to utter such an untruth. The a.s.s, with legs[30] crouching down, replies: "If you deny that you are like me, at all events I have something very like your snout." The Boar, just on the point of making a fierce attack, suppressed his rage, and {said}: "Revenge were easy for me, but I decline to be defiled with {such} dastardly blood."

[Footnote I.30: _The a.s.s, with legs_)--Ver. 7. This line is somewhat modified in the translation.]

FABLE x.x.x.

THE FROGS FRIGHTENED AT THE BATTLE OF THE BULLS.

When the powerful[31] are at variance, the lowly are the sufferers.

A Frog, viewing from a marsh, a combat of some Bulls: "Alas!" said she, "what terrible destruction is threatening us." Being asked by another why she said so, as the Bulls were contending for the sovereignty of the herd, and pa.s.sed their lives afar from them: "Their habitation is at a distance," {said she}, "and they are of a different kind; still, he who {is} expelled from the sovereignty of the meadow, will take to flight, {and} come to the secret hiding-places in the fens, and trample and crush us with his hard hoof. Thus does their fury concern our safety."

[Footnote I.31: _When the powerful_)--Ver. 1. This is similar to the line of Horace, "Quicquid delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi."]

FABLE x.x.xI.

THE KITE AND THE PIGEONS.

He who entrusts himself to the protection of a wicked man, while he seeks a.s.sistance, meets with destruction.

Some Pigeons, having often escaped from a Kite, and by their swiftness of wing avoided death, the spoiler had recourse to stratagem, and by a crafty device of this nature, deceived the harmless race. "Why do you prefer to live a life of anxiety, rather than conclude a treaty, and make me {your} king, who can ensure your safety from every injury?"

They, putting confidence in him, entrusted themselves to the Kite, who, on obtaining the sovereignty, began to devour them one by one, and to exercise authority with his cruel talons. Then said one of those that were left: "Deservedly are we smitten."

BOOK II.

THE PROLOGUE.

The plan of aesop is confined to instruction by examples; nor by Fables is anything else[1] aimed at than that the errors of mortals may be corrected, and persevering industry[2] exert itself. Whatever the playful invention, therefore, of the narrator, so long as it pleases the ear, and answers its purpose, it is recommended by its merits, not by the Author's name.