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DE MILVO AEGROTO

 

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

 

Introduction: In this fable, you will see a thieving, wicked creature, the kite, experiencing a sudden fit of repentance on what appears to be his deathbed. He begs his mother to go pray to the gods on his behalf but, as she rightly points out, there is probably not much the gods are willing to do at this point, as the kite spent all his life defiling their altars! The English version of the fable by G.F. Townsend adds this moral: "We must make friends in prosperity if we would have their help in adversity." What is the moral that you would give to this fable? For more fables about the predatory kite, see the story of the battle between the mouse and the frog, and the story of the doves and the kite.

 

Latin Text:

 

Aegrotus lecto decumbebat Milvus, iam ferme moriens. Matrem orat precatum ire deos, multa promittens, si redire ad salutem liceret. Mater autem respondebat nil opis sperandum a diis, quorum sacra et aras rapinis toties violasset.

 

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

 

Aegrotus

lecto decumbebat Milvus,

iam ferme moriens.

Matrem orat

precatum ire deos,

multa promittens,

si redire ad salutem liceret.

Mater autem respondebat

nil opis sperandum a diis,

quorum sacra et aras

rapinis toties violasset.

 

Translation: A kite had grown ill and was lying in bed, already on the verge of death. he begged his mother to go pray to the gods, making many promises if he would be allowed to return to health. His mother, however, replied, "There is no help to be hoped for from the gods, whose offerings and altars you defiled so many times with your robbery."

 

[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 324.

 

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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