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IV.17. De Capris Barbatis

 

Parallels: For parallel versions, see Perry 516.

 

Barbam capellae cum impetrassent ab Iove,

hirci maerentes indignari coeperunt

quod dignitatem feminae aequassent suam.

"Sinite," inquit, "illas gloria vana frui

et usurpare vestri ornatum muneris,

pares dum non sint vestrae fortitudini."

Hoc argumentum monet ut sustineas tibi

habitu esse similes qui sunt virtute impares.

 

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

 

Cum capellae impetrassent barbam ab Iove,

hirci maerentes coeperunt indignari

quod feminae aequassent suam dignitatem.

Inquit Iuppiter:

"Sinite illas frui gloria vana

et usurpare ornatum vestri muneris,

dum non sint pares vestrae fortitudini."

Hoc argumentum monet

ut sustineas

similes esse tibi habitu

qui sunt virtute impares.

 

Here is the poem with meter marks:

 

Barbam ~ capel~lae c(um) im~petras~sent ab ~ Iove,

hirci ~ maeren~tes in~digna~ri coe~perunt

quod dig~nita~tem fe~min(ae) ae~quassent ~ suam.

"Sini~t(e)," inquit, ~ "illas ~ glorja ~ vana ~ frui

et u~surpa~re ves~tr(i) orna~tum mu~neris,

pares ~ dum non ~ sint ves~trae for~titu~dini."

Hoc ar~gumen~tum mon't ~ ut sus~t'neas ~ tibi

hab't(u) es~se sim'~les qui ~ sunt vir~tut(e) im~pares.

 

Translation:

 

When the she-goats persuaded Jupiter to give them beards, the male goats were extremely upset and began to complain that the women now had the same degree of dignity that they did. Jupiter said: "Let the women enjoy this vain source of pride and stake their claim to the badges of your office so long as they cannot rival you in strength!' This example advises you to put up with people who wear the same uniform as you do, even if they are not your equals in quality.

 

[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 He-goats and She-goats (trans. C. Smart)

When the She-Goats from Jove obtain'd

A beard, th' indignant Males complain'd,

That females by this near approach

Would on their gravity encroach.

"Suffer, my sapient friends," says he,

"Their eminence in this degree,

And bear their beard's most graceful length,

As they can never have your strength."

Warn'd by this little tale, agree

With men in gen'ral form'd like thee

While you by virtue still exceed,

And in the spirit take the lead.

 

Illustration:

 

Here is an image of a goat: