HOME | Phaedrus: Previous Page - Next Page

 

I.31. Milvus et Columbae

 

Parallels: For parallel versions, see Perry 486.

 

Qui se committit homini tutandum improbo,

auxilia dum requirit, exitium invenit.

Columbae saepe cum fugissent milvum,

et celeritate pinnae vitassent necem,

consilium raptor vertit ad fallaciam,

et genus inerme tali decepit dolo:

"Quare sollicitum potius aevum ducitis

quam regem me creatis icto foedere,

qui vos ab omni tutas praestem iniuria?"

Illae credentes tradunt sese milvo.

Qui regnum adeptus coepit vesci singulas,

et exercere imperium saevis unguibus.

Tunc de reliquis una "Merito plectimur,

huic spiritum praedoni quae commisimus".

 

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

 

Qui committit se tutandum homini improbo,

invenit exitium

dum requirit auxilia.

Cum columbae saepe fugissent milvum,

et vitassent necem celeritate pinnae,

raptor vertit consilium ad fallaciam,

et decepit inerme genus

tali dolo:

"Quare potius ducitis sollicitum aevum

quam, icto foedere, creatis regem me,

qui praestem vos tutas ab omni iniuria?"

Illae credentes

tradunt sese milvo.

Milvus

adeptus regnum

coepit vesci singulas

et exercere imperium saevis unguibus.

Tunc una de reliquis:

"Merito plectimur:

nos commisimus spiritum

huic praedoni."

 

Here is the poem with meter marks:

 

Qui se ~ commit~tit hom'~ni tu~tand(um) im~probo,

auxil~ja dum ~ requi~rit, ex~itj(um) in~venit.

Colum~bae sae~pe cum ~ fugis~sent mil~uum,

et cel'~rita~te pin~nae vi~tassent ~ necem,

consil~jum rap~tor ver~tit ad ~ falla~ciam,

et gen'~s iner~me ta~li de~cepit ~ dolo:

"Quare ~ sollic'~tum pot~jus ae~vum du~citis

quam re~gem me ~ crea~tis ic~to foe~dere,

qui vos ~ ab om~ni tu~tas prae~st(em) inju~ria?"

Illae ~ creden~tes tra~dunt se~se mil~uo.

Qui reg~n(um) adep~tus coe~pit ves~ci sin~gulas,

et ex~erce~r(e) imper~jum sae~vis un~guibus.

Tunc de ~ reli~quis u~na "Mer'~to plec~timur,

huic spi~ritum ~ praedo~ni quae ~ commi~simus".

 

Translation:

 

The person who entrusts his safe-keeping to a dishonest man, finds destruction when he seeks that man's help. When the doves often had to flee from the kite, avoiding death by the swiftness of their wings, the rapacious kite turned his advice into deceit and fooled the defenseless flock with the following trick: “Why do you lead this anxious way of life rather than striking an agreement and making me your king, since I can keep you safe from all injury?" They believed the kite and entrusted themselves to him. The kite, having gained the kingdom, began to devour the doves one by one and to wield his authority with fierce talons. Then one of the remaining doves said: "We suffer this deservedly, since we entrusted our lives to this thieving scoundrel."

 

[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 Kite and the Doves (trans. C. Smart)

He that would have the wicked reign,

Instead of help will find his bane.

The Doves had oft escaped the Kite,

By their celerity of flight;

The ruffian then to coz'nage stoop'd,

And thus the tim'rous race he duped:

"Why do you lead a life of fear,

Rather than my proposals hear ?

Elect me for your king, and I

Will all your race indemnify."

They foolishly the Kite believed,

Who having now the pow'r received,

Began upon the Doves to prey,

And exercise tyrannic sway.

"Justly," says one who yet remain'd,

" We die the death ourselves ordained."

 

Illustration:

 

Here is an illustration from an early printed edition; click on the image for a larger view.