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DE VIPERA ET LIMA

 

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

 

Latin Text:

 

Vipera in officina fabraria inveniens Limam, coepit rodere. Subridens autem Lima, Quid, inquit, inepta? Quid agis? Tu tuos contriveris Dentes, antequam me atteras, quae duritiem ferri praemordere soleo. Innuit haec fabula monetque, ne cum superioribus contendamus.

 

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

 

Vipera

in officina fabraria

inveniens Limam,

coepit rodere.

Subridens autem

Lima, Quid, inquit, inepta?

Quid agis?

Tu

tuos contriveris Dentes,

antequam me atteras,

quae

duritiem ferri

praemordere soleo.

Innuit haec fabula

monetque,

ne cum superioribus contendamus.

 

Translation: A snake found a file in a blacksmith's workshop and began to gnaw on it. The file, however, smiled and said, "What's this, you foolish thing? What are you doing? You will wear away your teeth before you wear me down, since I am in the habit of biting off hard bits of iron." This fable indicates and warns us not to compete with our superiors."

 

[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 93.

 

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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