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V.10. Canis Vetulus

 

Parallels: For parallel versions, see Perry 532.

 

Adversus omnes fortis et velox feras

canis cum domino semper fecisset satis,

languere coepit annis ingravantibus.

Aliquando obiectus hispidi pugnae suis,

arripuit aurem; sed cariosis dentibus

praedam dimisit rictus. Venator dolens

canem obiurgabat. Cui senex contra Lacon:

"Non te destituit animus, sed vires meae.

Quod fuimus lauda, si iam damnas quod sumus."

 

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

 

Cum canis,

fortis et velox adversus omnes feras,

semper fecisset satis domino,

coepit languere,

annis ingravantibus.

Aliquando obiectus pugnae hispidi suis,

arripuit aurem;

sed cariosis dentibus

rictus dimisit praedam.

Venator dolens obiurgabat canem.

Cui senex Lacon contra:

"Non animus destituit te,

sed vires meae.

Lauda quod fuimus,

si iam damnas quod sumus."

 

Here is the poem with meter marks:

 

Adver~sus om~nes for~tis et ~ velox ~ feras

canis ~ cum dom'~no sem~per fe~cisset ~ satis,

langue~re coe~pit an~nis in~gravan~tibus.

Al'quan~d(o) obiec~tus his~pidi ~ pugnae ~ suis,

arrip~vit au~rem; sed ~ carjo~sis den~tibus

praedam ~ dimi~sit ric~tus. Ve~nator ~ dolens

can(em) ob~iurga~bat. Cui ~ senex ~ contra ~ Lacon:

"Non te ~ destit~vit an'~mus, sed ~ vires ~ meae.

Quod fu'~mus lau~da, si ~ iam dam~nas quod ~ sumus."

 

Translation:

 

There was a dog who had been swift and strong when attacking all the wild beasts, and who always did what his master needed, but now he had begun to grow feeble under the burden of old age. On one occasion he was sent forward to fight with a bristling boar. The dog seized the boar by the ear, but the weak grip of his decaying teeth allowed the quarry to get away. The hunter was angry and scolded the dog. Good old Rover said in reply, 'I did not fail you in spirit, only in strength. Praise me for what I once was, even if you must condemn me for what I am now!'

 

[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 Old Dog and the Huntsman (trans. C. Smart)

A Dog, that time and often tried,

His master always satisfied;

And whensoever he assail'd,

Against the forest-beasts prevail'd

Both by activity and strength,,

Through years began to flag at length

One day, when hounded at a boar,

His ear he seized, as heretofore;

But with his teeth, decay'd and old,

Could not succeed to keep his hold.

A t which the huntsman, much concern'd,

The vet'ran huff'd, who thus return'd:

" My resolution and my aim,

Though not my strength, are still the same;

For what I am if I am chid,

Praise what I was, and what I did."

Philetus, you the drift perceive

Of this, with which I take my leave.

 

Illustration:

 

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