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DE CANE ET OVE

 

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

 

Latin Text:

 

Litigiosa Canis Ovem in ius vocat. Panem ex mutuo deberi clamitat. Ovis innocenter it inficias. Milvus, Lupus, Vulpes statim accersuntur falsique Oves contra Ovem subornantur. Misera damnatur Ovis. Damnatam omnes confestim rapiunt deglubiuntque.

 

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

 

Litigiosa Canis

Ovem

in ius vocat.

Panem

ex mutuo deberi

clamitat.

Ovis

innocenter it inficias.

Milvus, Lupus, Vulpes

statim accersuntur

falsique Oves

contra Ovem subornantur.

Misera damnatur Ovis.

Damnatam

omnes confestim rapiunt

deglubiuntque.

 

Translation: A dog who liked to go to law summoned a sheep into court. The dog cried out that bread was owed that the sheep had borrowed. The sheep innocently denied the charge. A kite, wolf, and a fox immediately were summoned and lying sheep were suborned against the sheep. The wretched sheep was condemned. Immediately they all grabbed the condemned sheep and flayed her.

 

[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 478.

 

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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