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I.25. Canes et Corcodilli

 

Parallels: For parallel versions, see Perry 482.

 

Consilia qui dant prava cautis hominibus

et perdunt operam et deridentur turpiter.

Canes currentes bibere in Nilo flumine,

a corcodillis ne rapiantur, traditum est.

Igitur cum currens bibere coepisset canis,

sic corcodillus "Quamlibet lambe otio,

noli vereri". At ille "Facerem mehercules,

nisi esse scirem carnis te cupidum meae".

 

Here is the poem in a more prose-like word order for easy reading:

 

Qui dant prava consilia cautis hominibus

et perdunt operam

et turpiter deridentur.

Traditum est

canes bibere in Nilo flumine,

currentes ne rapiantur a corcodillis.

Igitur cum canis currens coepisset bibere,

sic corcodillus:

"Quamlibet lambe otio;

noli vereri."

At ille:

"Mehercules facerem,

nisi scirem

te cupidum esse carnis meae."

 

Here is the poem with meter marks:

 

Consil~ja qui ~ dant pra~va cau~tis hom'~nibus

et per~dunt op'~r(am) et de~riden~tur tur~piter.

Canes ~ curren~tes bib'~r(e) in Ni~lo flu~mine,

a cor~codil~lis ne ~ rapjan~tur, tra~dit(um) est.

Ig'tur ~ cum cur~rens bi~b're coe~pisset ~ canis,

sic cor~codil~lus "Quam~libet ~ lamb(e) o~tio,

noli ~ verer~(i)". At il~le "Fac~'rem m'her~cules,

nis(i) es~se sci~rem car~nis te ~ cup'dum ~ meae".

 

Translation:

 

People who give crooked advice to thoughtful men both waste their time and are laughed at as losers besides. The story goes that dogs drink from the Nile river on the run so as not to be caught by crocodiles. So when a dog went running along to take a drink, the crocodile said: "Lap as much as you want at your leisure; don"t be afraid." But the dog said: "By god, I would do that, if I didn"t know that you are eager to eat my flesh."

 

[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.]

 

The Dog and the Crocodile (trans. C. Smart)

Who give bad precepts to the wise,

And cautious men with guile advise,

Not only lose their toil and time,

But slip into sarcastic rhyme.

The dogs that are about the Nile,

Through terror of the Crocodile,

Are therefore said to drink and run.

It happen'd on a day, that one,

As scamp'ring by the river side,

Was by the Crocodile espied:

"Sir, at your leisure drink, nor fear

The least design or treach'ry here."

"That," says the Dog, "ma'm, would I do

With all my heart, and thank you too,

But as you can on dog's flesh dine,

You shall not taste a bit of mine."

 

Illustration:

 

Here is an illustration from an early printed edition (this shows crocodiles, although it is not an illustration for this particular fable); click on the image for a larger view.

 

 

 

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