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DE GALLO ET PERDICE

 

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

 

Latin Text:

 

In eadem area Rusticus Perdicem et duos Gallos incluserat. Ubi Galli diu in Perdicem passis alis et calcaribus cruentis involabant. Sed tandem mutata rabie in seipsos crudelia calcaria exercebant et alternis vulneribus in conspectu Perdicis ceciderunt. Quod cum vidit Perdix sibi plaudebat, inquiens, Non miror si in me civile odium exerceant, quod seipsis tam male discreverint.

 

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

 

In eadem area

Rusticus

Perdicem et duos Gallos

incluserat.

Ubi Galli

diu in Perdicem

passis alis et calcaribus cruentis

involabant.

Sed tandem

mutata rabie

in seipsos

crudelia calcaria exercebant

et alternis vulneribus

in conspectu Perdicis

ceciderunt.

Quod cum vidit Perdix

sibi plaudebat,

inquiens,

Non miror

si in me

civile odium exerceant,

quod seipsis

tam male discreverint.

 

Translation: A farmer shut up a partridge and two roosters in the same barnyard. When the roosters had been flying at the partridge with their spread wings and their bloody spurs. But finally the roosters turned their rage against each other, harassing each other with their cruel spurs, and in sight of the partridge they died of their mutual wounds. When the partridge saw this, she flapped her approval and said, "I am not surprised that they directed their popular hatred towards me, since they treated each other so badly."

 

[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 23.

 

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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