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DE LUPO ET AGNO

 

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

 

Introduction: In many fables, you have seen that the final words spoken by one of the characters may express the "moral" of the story. In a version of this fable by Joseph Jacobs, the lamb has the last word in the story, saying: "Any excuse will serve a tyrant." Likewise, G.F. Townsend expressed the moral with these words: "The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny." Another English writer, Sir Roger L'Estrange, used an English proverb to express the moral of the story: "'Tis an easy Matter to find a Staff to beat a Dog." If you were to let the lamb have the last word in this fable, what do you think he would say? For other fables about the wolves attacking the sheep, see the story of the wolf in sheep's clothing or the story of the boy who cried wolf.

 

Latin Text:

 

Sitibundus Lupus, dum ad caput fontis accedit ut sitim levaret, videt innocentem Agnum,  procul fluminis umorem haurientem. Accurrit igitur; Agnum increpat quod vitreum turbavit fontem. Trepidus ad haec supplicavit Agnus in Innocentem ne saeviret; se quidem, cum tam longe infra biberet, potum Lupi ne potuisse quidem turbare, nedum voluisse. Lupus contra fremebundus intonat, "Quid vanas sacrilege innectis moras? Pater, Mater, et omne tuum invisum genus sedulo mihi et semper adversantur. Tu autem hodie mihi poenas dabis!"

 

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

 

Sitibundus Lupus,

dum ad caput fontis accedit

ut sitim levaret,

videt innocentem Agnum,

procul fluminis umorem haurientem.

Accurrit igitur;

Agnum increpat

quod vitreum turbavit fontem.

Trepidus ad haec supplicavit Agnus

in Innocentem ne saeviret;

se quidem,

cum tam longe infra biberet,

potum Lupi

ne potuisse quidem turbare,

nedum voluisse.

Lupus

contra fremebundus intonat,

"Quid

vanas sacrilege innectis moras?

Pater, Mater, et omne tuum invisum genus

sedulo mihi et semper adversantur.

Tu autem hodie

mihi poenas dabis!"

 

Translation: A thirsty Wolf, when he approached the head of a source of water in order to alleviate his thirst, saw a harmless Lamb, the embodiment of good behavior, drinking from the stream some distance away. The Wolf therefore ran up and accused the Lamb of having disturbed the crystal-clear water. In reply the frightened lamb implored the Wolf not to be cruel to a harmless creature, saying that he, in fact, since he was drinking so far downstream, was not even able to disturb the Wolf's drinking, much less want to do so. The Wolf in response angrily intoned, "Why are you wickedly crafting these useless delays? Your father, your mother and all your hateful clan diligently are working against me, and they never stop. Therefore, today you are going to be punished by me."

 

[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.]

 

Parallels: For parallel versions, see Perry 155.

 

Related Links: Crossword Puzzle

 

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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