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DE ALAUDA ET PULLIS EIUS

 

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

 

Introduction: This story of the lark and her chicks is one of the most famous Aesop's fables from ancient Rome. There is a version of this story found in the writings of the archaic Roman poet, Ennius, dating to around the year 200 B.C.E. That makes it one of the oldest fables in the Roman literary tradition! Ennius applied this moral to the fable: "Ne quid exspectes amicos, quod tute agere possis," "Don't expect your friends (to do) something which you yourself are able to take care of." The English writer G. F. Townsend gave this moral to the fable: "Self-help is the best help." What do you think the moral of this fable should be? For another story about a wise bird, see the story of the swallow and the crop of flax seed or the thirsty crow and the water pitcher.

 

Latin Text:

 

Alauda positos in segete Pullos monet ut, dum ipsa abest, diligenter attendant praetereuntium sermones de messe. Redit a pastu Mater. Pulli anxii narrant Dominum agri operam illam mandasse Vicinis. Respondet nihil esse periculi. Item, alio die, trepidi aiunt rogatos ad metendum esse Amicos. Iubet iterum illa ut sint securi. Tertio, ut audivit ipsum Dominum cum Filio statuisse postremo mane cum falce messem intrare, "Iam (inquit) est tempus ut fugiamus. Dominum enim agri timeo, quia probe scio quod illi res cordi est."

 

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

 

Alauda

positos in segete Pullos monet

ut, dum ipsa abest,

diligenter attendant

praetereuntium sermones

de messe.

Redit a pastu

Mater.

Pulli anxii narrant

Dominum

agri operam illam mandasse Vicinis.

Respondet

nihil esse periculi.

Item, alio die,

trepidi aiunt

rogatos ad metendum esse Amicos.

Iubet iterum illa

ut sint securi.

Tertio,

ut audivit

ipsum Dominum

cum Filio statuisse

postremo mane

cum falce messem intrare,

"Iam (inquit) est tempus

ut fugiamus.

Dominum enim agri timeo,

quia probe scio

quod illi res cordi est."

 

Translation: A lark, who had deposited her chicks in the standing field of wheat, warned them to carefully pay attention while she was away to anything the passers by said about the harvest. The mother came back from the pasture and the worried chicks told her that the owner of the field had assigned the work of the harvest to his neighbors. The mother replied that there was no danger here. Then, the next day, the worried chicks said that the man's friends had been asked to come do the reaping. Again the mother ordered them to be calm. On the third day when she heard that the master himself had agreed with his son to come the next day with sickles to begin the harvest. Now, she said, it is time for us to flee. I fear the owner of the field, because I know full well that this is a matter near and dear to his heart.

 

[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 325.

 

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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