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DE PAVONE ET LUSCINIA

 

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

 

Latin Text:

 

Querebatur et Jovem supplicabunde rogabat Pavo, cum sit Iunonis Avis, et omnibus Avibus pennarum pulchritudine praecellebat, ut eandem etiam vocis suavitatem Iupiter illi, quam perpusillae Lusciniae concederet. Cui Jupiter nequaquam hoc fieri oportere respondit nec omnibus dotes omnes aequaliter impertiri.

 

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

 

Querebatur

et Jovem

supplicabunde rogabat

Pavo,

cum sit Iunonis Avis,

et omnibus Avibus

pennarum pulchritudine

praecellebat,

ut eandem etiam vocis suavitatem

Iupiter illi,

quam

perpusillae Lusciniae

concederet.

Cui Jupiter

nequaquam

hoc fieri oportere

respondit

nec omnibus

dotes omnes

aequaliter impertiri.

 

Translation:

 

The Peacock complained and beseechingly made a request to Jupiter: since he was Juno's bird and excelled all the other birds in the beauty of his feathers, the peacock requested that Jupiter also grant to him the same sweetness of voice which he had granted to the tiny nightingale. Jupiter told the peacock in reply that by no means would it happen that this would be permitted, and that every gift was not equally imparted to everyone.

 

[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 509.

 

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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