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DE PAVONE ET GRUE

 

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

 

Introduction: There are several Aesop's fables about the "proud peacock." In one story, the peacock is proud of his feathers, but ashamed that he does not have a good singing voice; the peacock's voice is an ugly screech compared to the song of birds who have beautiful voices, such as the nightingale. In this story, the crane points out another failure on the part of the peacock: the peacock's feathers may be beautiful, but they are not very good for flying. In the Greek fable, the crane states the moral of the story as follows: "I would prefer to be admired while dressed in my well-worn clothes than to live without honour, no matter how fine my clothes might be." What do you think the moral of this fable should be? For another debate about animal beauty, see the story of the fox and the leopard. For another fable about a creature who is foolish and proud, see the story of the frog and the ox.

 

Latin Text:

 

Pavo et Grus foedus inter se ineunt unaque cenant. Inter cenandum, Pavo nobilitatem suam iactat, formosam ostentat caudam, Gruemque hospitem contemnit. Grus fatetur Pavonem formosiorem esse pennis; se tamen, cum vix tectis supervolitat Pavo, animoso volatu penetrare nubes.

 

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

 

Pavo et Grus

foedus inter se ineunt

unaque cenant.

Inter cenandum,

Pavo

nobilitatem suam iactat,

formosam ostentat caudam,

Gruemque hospitem contemnit.

Grus fatetur

Pavonem

formosiorem esse pennis;

se tamen,

cum vix tectis supervolitat Pavo,

animoso volatu

penetrare nubes.

 

 

Translation: The peacock and the crane entered into an aagreement, and they had dinner together. While dining, the peacock boasted about his nobility, and showed off his lovely tail. He scorned his host, the crane. The crane confessed that the peacock was more lovely in terms of feathers, but that he could barely flap his way up to the rooftops, while he, the crane, was able to penetrate the clouds in his spirited flight.

 

[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 294.

 

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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