The Fables of Phaedrus Part 8

FABLE XVII.

THE TREES UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE G.o.dS.

The G.o.ds in days of yore made choice of such Trees as they wished to be under their protection. The Oak pleased Jupiter, the Myrtle Venus, the Laurel Phbus, the Pine Cybele, the lofty Poplar Hercules. Minerva, wondering why they had chosen the barren ones, enquired the reason.

Jupiter answered: "That we may not seem to sell the honor for the fruit." "Now, so heaven help me,"[38] said she, "let any one say what he likes, but the Olive is more pleasing to me on account of its fruit."

Then said the Father of the G.o.ds and the Creator of men: "O daughter, it is with justice that you are called wise by all; unless what we do is useful, vain is our glory."[39]

This little Fable admonishes us to do nothing that is not profitable.

[Footnote III.38: _So heaven help me_)--Ver. 8. "Mehercule,"

literally "By Hercules." This was a form of oath used generally by men, and Phaedrus has been censured for here putting it in the mouth of Minerva. Some Commentators also think that he is guilty of a slight anachronism in using the name of Hercules here to give emphasis to an a.s.severation; but there does not appear to be any ground for so thinking, as the choice must, of course, be supposed to have been made after his death and deification. In the Amphitryon of Plautus, Mercury is represented as swearing by Hercules before that G.o.d was born.]

[Footnote III.39: _Vain is our glory_)--Ver. 12. "Nisi utile est quod facimus, stulta est gloria." This line is said to have been found copied on a marble stone, as part of a sepulchral inscription, at Alba Julia or Weissenburg, in Transylvania.]

FABLE XVIII.

THE PEAc.o.c.k TO JUNO.

A Peac.o.c.k came to Juno, complaining sadly that she had not given to him the song of the Nightingale; that it was the admiration of every ear, while he himself was laughed at the very instant he raised his voice.

The G.o.ddess, to console him, replied: "But you surpa.s.s the {nightingale} in beauty, you surpa.s.s {him} in size; the brilliancy of the emerald shines upon your neck; and you unfold a tail begemmed with painted plumage." "Wherefore {give} me," he retorted, "a beauty that is dumb, if I am surpa.s.sed in voice?" "By the will of the Fates," {said she}, "have your respective qualities been a.s.signed; beauty to you, strength to the Eagle, melody to the Nightingale, to the Raven presages, unpropitious omens to the Crow; all of {these} are contented with their own endowments."

Covet not that which has not been granted you, lest your baffled hopes sink down to {useless} repinings.

FABLE XIX.

aeSOP'S ANSWER TO THE INQUISITIVE MAN.

When aesop was the only servant of his master, he was ordered to prepare dinner earlier than usual. Accordingly, he went round to several houses, seeking for fire,[40] and at last found a place at which to light his lantern. Then as he had made a rather long circuit, he shortened the way back, for he went home straight through the Forum. There a certain Busybody in the crowd {said to him}: "aesop, why with a light at mid-day?" "I'm in search of a man,"[41] said he; and went hastily homewards.

If the inquisitive fellow reflected on this {answer}, he must have perceived that the sage did not deem him a man, who could so unseasonably rally him when busy.

[Footnote III.40: _Seeking for fire_)--Ver. 3. Fire was kindled in general by being kept smouldering in a log under the ashes, from day to day, for culinary purposes; or else it was begged from a neighbour, as we learn from the Aulularia of Plautus, A. I., Sc. ii., l. 12 _et seq._; and so generally was this done that we find it stated in the Trinummus, A. II., sc. ii., l. 53, that it was the custom not to refuse fire when asked for even to an enemy.]

[Footnote III.41: _In search of a man_)--Ver 9. Meaning that he did not deem the enquirer to be a man. The same story is told in Diogenes Laertius, of Diogenes the Cynic.]

EPILOGUE.[42]

There are yet remaining {Fables} for me to write, but I purposely abstain; first, that I may not seem troublesome to you, whom a multiplicity of matters distract; and next, that, if perchance any other person is desirous to make a like attempt, he may still have something left to do; although there is so abundant a stock of matter that an artist will be wanting to the work, not work to the artist. I request that you will give the reward to my brevity which you promised; make good your word. For life each day is nearer unto death; and the greater the time that is wasted in delays, the less the advantage that will accrue to me. If you dispatch the matter quickly, the more lasting will be {my} enjoyment; the sooner I receive {your favours}, the longer shall I have the benefit {thereof}. While there are yet some remnants of a wearied life,[43] there is room for {your} goodness; in aftertimes your kindness will in vain endeavour to aid me, infirm with old age; for then I shall have ceased to be able to enjoy your kindness, and death, close at hand, will be claiming its due. I deem it foolish to address my entreaties to you, when your compa.s.sion is so ready, spontaneously, to render a.s.sistance. A criminal has often gained pardon by confessing; how much more reasonably ought it to be granted to the innocent? It is your province[44] {now to judge of my cause}; it will fall to others by-and-by; and again by a like revolution, the turn of others will come.

p.r.o.nounce the sentence, as religion--as your oath permits; and give me reason to rejoice in your decision. My feelings have pa.s.sed the limits they had proposed; but the mind is with difficulty restrained, which, conscious of unsullied integrity, is exposed to the insults of spiteful men. "Who are they?" you will ask: they will be seen in time. For my part, so long as I shall continue in my senses, I shall take care to recollect that "it is a dangerous thing for a man of humble birth to murmur in public.[45]"

[Footnote III.42: This and the following Prologue seem better suited to their present places than to the close of the Fourth Book, where in most of the editions they appear.]

[Footnote III.43: _Of a wearied life_)--Ver. 15. It is impossible to say with any certainty to what he refers; but the most probable conjecture is that he has again got into trouble through his compositions, and is begging Eutychus, in some public capacity, immediately to give a favourable decision in his behalf.

That "Languens aevum" means a life worn out with misfortune, and does not refer to himself as sinking, in want, under old age, is evident from the next line. It has been conjectured by some that Phaedrus wrote these lines in prison, where he had been thrown through the malice of his enemies.]

[Footnote III.44: _It is your province_)--Ver. 24. He is supposed to allude to some judicial position held by Eutychus, which he would have to vacate at the end of a year, and be succeeded by others, probably not so favourably disposed to himself.]

[Footnote III.45: _To murmur in public_)--Ver. 33. "Palam mutire plebeio piaculum est." These words are quoted from the Telephus of Ennius.]

BOOK IV.

PROLOGUE.

TO PARTICULO.

When I had determined to put an end to my labours, with the view that there might be material enough {left} for others, in my mind I silently condemned {my} resolve. For even if there is any one desirous of the like fame, how will he guess what it is I have omitted,[1] so as to wish to hand down that same to posterity; since each man has a turn of thinking of his own, and a tone peculiar to himself. It was not, therefore, {any} fickleness, but a.s.sured grounds, that set me upon writing {again}. Wherefore, Particulo,[2] as you are amused by Fables (which I will style "aesopian," not "those of aesop;" for whereas he published but few, I have brought out a great many, employing the old style, but with modern subjects), now at your leisure you shall peruse a Fourth Book. If envy shall choose to carp at it, so long as it cannot imitate,[3] why let it carp. I have gained glory {enough}, in that you, and {others} like to you, have quoted my words in your writings, and have thought me worthy of being long remembered. Why should I stand in need of the applause of the illiterate?

[Footnote IV.1: _I have omitted_)--Ver. 5. "Divinabit" seems preferable here to "d.a.m.nabit," or "demonstrabit," the other readings; and Burmann is probably right in supposing that he means to say that many of the aesopian fables had not yet been used by him, and though others may make use of them as bearing a general moral, they will not be able so well as himself to point their moral in reference to individuals or cla.s.ses, in consequence of his advantage in having already adapted many of them to the censure of particular vices.]

[Footnote IV.2: _Particulo_)--Ver. 10. Of Particulo nothing whatever is known, except that he was a freedman.]

[Footnote IV.3: _Cannot imitate_)--Ver. 16. Gronovius thinks that he alludes to the Greek proverb "??e?s?a? ??d??? ?

?e?s?a?." "'Tis easier to blame than to imitate."]

FABLE I.

THE a.s.s AND THE PRIESTS OF CYBELE.

He who has been born to ill luck, not only pa.s.ses an unhappy life, but even after death the cruel rigour of destiny pursues him.

The Galli, {priests} of Cybele,[4] were in the habit, on their begging excursions, of leading about an a.s.s, to carry their burdens. When he was dead with fatigue and blows, his hide being stripped off, they made themselves tambourines[5] therewith. Afterwards, on being asked by some one what they had done with their favourite, they answered in these words: "He fancied that after death he would rest in quiet; but see, dead as he is, fresh blows are heaped upon him."

[Footnote IV.4: _Priests of Cybele_)--Ver. 4. During the Festival of Cybele, the Galli or eunuch-priests of the G.o.ddess went about with an image of her seated on an a.s.s, and beating a tambourine, for the purpose of making a collection to defray the expenses of the worship. They were called by the Greeks ?t?a???ta?, "Collectors for the Mother." See the Fasti of Ovid, B. iv., l. 350, vol. i., p. 149, of Bohn's Translation.]

[Footnote IV.5: _Tambourines_)--Ver. 7. "The tympana," which were almost exactly similar to our tambourines, were covered with the skin of a.s.ses or of oxen, and were beaten with the hand or a small stick.]

FABLE II.

THE WEASEL AND THE MICE.

This way of writing seems to you facetious; and no doubt, while we have nothing of more importance, we do sport with the pen. But examine these Fables with attention, {and} what useful lessons will you find {concealed} under them! Things are not always what they seem; first appearances deceive many: few minds understand what skill has hidden in an inmost corner. That I may not appear to have said this without reason, I will add a Fable about the Weasel and the Mice.

A Weasel, worn out with years and old age, being unable to overtake the active Mice, rolled herself in flour, and threw herself carelessly along in a dark spot. A Mouse, thinking her food, jumped upon her, and, being caught, was put to death: another in like manner perished, and then a third. Some others having followed, an {old} brindled fellow came, who had escaped snares and mouse-traps full oft; and viewing from afar the stratagem of the crafty foe: "So fare you well,[6]" said he, "you that are lying there, as you are flour."

[Footnote IV.6: _So fare you well_)--Ver. 21. "Sic valeas."

--"Fare you well, if you are flour, which you are not. I wish you luck as much as I believe you are what you pretend to be, _i.e._, not at all."]

FABLE III.