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phaedrus091

Page history last edited by Laura Gibbs 15 years, 8 months ago

 

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V.9. Taurus et Vitulus

 

Parallels: For parallel versions, see Perry 531.

 

Angusto in aditu taurus luctans cornibus

cum vix intrare posset ad praesepia,

monstrabat vitulus quo se pacto flecteret.

"Tace" inquit; "ante hoc novi quam tu natus es."

Qui doctiorem emendat sibi dici putet.

 

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

 

Cum taurus luctans cornibus in angusto aditu

vix posset intrare ad praesepia,

vitulus monstrabat

quo pacto flecteret se.

Inquit: "Tace! Novi hoc ante quam tu natus es."

Qui emendat doctiorem putet dici sibi.

 

Here is the poem with meter marks:

 

Angus~t(o) in ad'~tu tau~rus luc~tans cor~nibus

cum vix ~ intra~re pos~set ad ~ praese~pia,

monstra~bat vit'~lus quo ~ se pac~to flec~teret.

"Tac(e)" in~quit; "an~t(e h)oc no~vi quam ~ tu na~tus es."

Qui doc~tjor(em) e~mendat ~ sibi ~ dici ~ putet.

 

Translation:

 

When a bull was struggling to squeeze his horns through a narrow entryway, scarcely able to get inside his stable, a young calf showed the bull which way he should turn his head. The bull said: "Hush! I've known how to do this since before you were born!" The person who tries to correct his superior should recognize himself in this fable.

 

[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 Bull and the Calf (trans. C. Smart)

A Bull was struggling to secure

His passage at a narrow door,

And scarce could reach the rack of hay,

His horns so much were in his way.

A Calf officious, fain would show

How he might twist himself and go.

"Hold thou thy prate; all this," says he,

Ere thou wert calved was known to me."

He, that a wiser man by half

Would teach, may think himself this Calf.

 

Illustration:

 

Here is an illustration from an early printed edition; click on the image for a larger view (this is a picture of a bull from another fable, not this one).

 

 

 

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