THE PROLOGUE.
The plan of Æsop is confined to instruction by examples; nor by Fables
is anything else[1] aimed at than that the errors of mortals may be
corrected, and persevering industry[2] exert itself. Whatever the
playful invention, therefore, of the narrator, so long as it pleases the
ear, and answers its purpose, it is recommended by its merits, not by
the Author's name.
For my part, I will with all care follow the method of the sage;[3] but
if I should think fit to insert something[4] {of my own}, that variety
of subjects may gratify the taste, I trust, Reader, you will take it in
good part; provided that my brevity be a fair return for such a favour:
of which, that {my} praises may not be verbose, listen to the reason why
you ought to deny the covetous, {and} even to offer to the modest that
for which they have not asked.
[Footnote II.1: _Is anything else_)--Ver. 2. Burmann thinks
that the object of the Author in this Prologue is to defend
himself against the censures of those who might blame him for not
keeping to his purpose, mentioned in the Prologue of the First
Book, of adhering to the fabulous matter used by Æsop, but mixing
up with such stories narratives of events that had happened in his
own time.]
[Footnote II.2: _Persevering industry_)--Ver. 5. "Diligens
industria." An industry or ingenuity that exerts itself in trying
to discover the meaning of his Fables.]
[Footnote II.3: _Of the sage_)--Ver. 8. Meaning Æsop.]
[Footnote II.4: _To insert something_)--Ver. 9. He probably
alludes to such contemporary narratives as are found in Fable v.
of the present Book; in Fable x. of the Third; in B. IV., Fables
v., xxi., xxiv.; and B. V., Fables i., v., vii.]
FABLE I.
THE LION, THE ROBBER, AND THE TRAVELLER.
While a Lion was standing over a Bullock, which he had brought to the
ground, a Robber came up, and demanded a share. "I would give it you,"
said {the Lion}, "were you not in the habit of taking without leave;"
and {so} repulsed the rogue. By chance, a harmless Traveller was led to
the same spot, and on seeing the wild beast, retraced his steps; on
which the Lion kindly said to him: "You have nothing to fear; boldly
take the share which is due to your modesty." Then having divided the
carcase, he sought the woods, that he might make room for the Man.
A very excellent example, and worthy of all praise; but covetousness is
rich and modesty in want.[5]
[Footnote II.5: _Modesty in want_)--Ver. 12. Martial has a
similar passage, B. iv., Epig. 9:--
"Semper eris pauper, si pauper es, Æmiliane,
Dantur opes nulli nunc nisi divitibus."]
FABLE II.
THE TWO WOMEN OF DIFFERENT AGES BELOVED BY THE MIDDLE-AGED MAN.
That the men, under all circumstances, are preyed upon by the women,
whether they love or are beloved, {this} truly we learn from examples.
A Woman, not devoid of grace, held enthralled a certain Man of middle
age,[6] concealing her years by the arts of the toilet: a lovely Young
creature, too, had captivated the heart of the same person. Both, as
they were desirous to appear of the same age with him, began, each in
her turn, to pluck out the hair of the Man. While he imagined that he
was made trim by the care of the women, he suddenly found himself bald;
for the Young Woman had entirely pulled out the white hairs, the Old
Woman the black ones.
[Footnote II.6: _Of middle age_)--Ver 8. It has been a matter
of doubt among Commentators to which "ætatis mediæ" applies--the
man or the woman. But as she is called "anus," "an Old Woman," in
the last line, it is most probable that the man is meant.]
FABLE III.
THE MAN AND THE DOG.
A Man, torn by the bite of a savage Dog, threw a piece of bread, dipt in
his blood, to the offender; a thing that he had heard was a remedy for
the wound. Then said Æsop: "Don't do this before many dogs, lest they
devour us alive, when they know that such is the reward of guilt."
The success of the wicked is a temptation to many.
FABLE IV.
THE EAGLE, THE CAT, AND THE WILD SOW.
An Eagle had made her nest at the top of an oak; a Cat who had found a
hole in the middle, had kittened {there}; a Sow, a dweller in the woods,
had laid her offspring at the bottom. Then thus does the Cat with deceit
and wicked malice, destroy the community so formed by accident. She
mounts up to the nest of the Bird: "Destruction," says she, "is
preparing for you, perhaps, too, for wretched me; for as you see, the
Sow, digging up the earth every day, is insidiously trying to overthrow
the oak, that she may easily seize our progeny on the ground." Having
{thus} spread terror, and bewildered {the Eagle's} senses, the Cat
creeps down to the lair of the bristly Sow: "In great danger," says she,
"are your offspring; for as soon as you go out to forage with your young
litter, the Eagle is ready to snatch away from you your little pigs."
Having filled this place likewise with alarm, she cunningly hides
herself in her safe hole. Thence she wanders forth on tiptoe by night,
and having filled herself and her offspring with food, she looks out all
day long, pretending alarm. Fearing the downfall, the Eagle sits still
in the branches; to avoid the attack of the spoiler, the Sow stirs not
abroad. Why make a long story? They perished through hunger, with their
young ones, and afforded the Cat and her kittens an ample repast.
Silly credulity may take this as a proof how much evil a double-tongued
man may often contrive.
FABLE V.
CÆSAR TO THE CHAMBERLAIN.
There is a certain set of busybodies at Rome, hurriedly running to and
fro, busily engaged in idleness, out of breath about nothing at all,
with much ado doing nothing, a trouble to themselves, and most annoying
to others. It is my object, by a true story, to reform this race, if
indeed I can: it is worth your while to attend.
Tiberius Cæsar, when on his way to Naples, came to his country-seat at
Misenum,[7] which, placed by the hand of Lucullus on the summit of the
heights, beholds the Sicilian sea in the distance, and that of Etruria
close at hand. One of the highly girt Chamberlains,[8] whose tunic of
Pelusian linen was nicely smoothed from his shoulders downwards, with
hanging fringes, while his master was walking through the pleasant
shrubberies, began with bustling officiousness to sprinkle[9] the
parched ground with a wooden watering-pot; but {only} got laughed at.
Thence, by short cuts {to him} well known, he runs before into another
walk,[10] laying the dust. Cæsar takes notice of the fellow, and
discerns his object. Just as he is supposing that there is some
extraordinary good fortune in store for him: "Come hither," says his
master; on which he skips up to him, quickened by the joyous hope of a
sure reward. Then, in a jesting tone, thus spoke the mighty majesty of
the prince: "You have not profited much; your labour is all in vain;
manumission stands at a much higher price with me."[11]
[Footnote II.7: _Country-seat at Misenum_)--Ver. 8. This villa
was situate on Cape Misenum, a promontory of Campania, near Baiæ
and Cumæ, so called from Misenus, the trumpeter of Æneas, who was
said to have been buried there. The villa was originally built by
C. Marius, and was bought by Cornelia, and then by Lucullus, who
either rebuilt it or added extensively to it.]
[Footnote II.8: _Of the chamberlains_)--Ver. 11. The
"atrienses" were a superior class of the domestic slaves. It was
their duty to take charge of the "atrium," or hall; to escort
visitors or clients, and to explain to strangers all matters
connected with the pictures, statues, and other decorations of the
house.]
[Footnote II.9: _To sprinkle_)--Ver. 16. Burmann suggests that
this duty did not belong to the "atriensis," who would
consequently think that his courteous politeness would on that
account be still more pleasing to the Emperor.]
[Footnote II.10: _Another walk_)--Ver. 18. The "xystus" was a
level piece of ground, in front of a portico, divided into
flower-beds of various shapes by borders of box.]
[Footnote II.11: _Much higher price_)--Ver. 25. He alludes to
the Roman mode of manumission, or setting the slaves at liberty.
Before the master presented the slave to the Quæstor, to have the
"vindicta," or lictor's rod, laid on him, he turned him round and
gave him a blow on the face. In the word "veneunt," "sell," there
is a reference to the purchase of their liberty by the slaves,
which was often effected by means of their "peculium," or
savings.]
FABLE VI.
THE EAGLE, THE CROW, AND THE TORTOISE.
No one is sufficiently armed against the powerful; but if a wicked
adviser joins them, nothing can withstand such a combination of violence
and unscrupulousness.[12]
An Eagle carried a Tortoise aloft, who had hidden her body in her horny
abode, and in her concealment could not, while thus sheltered, be
injured in any way. A Crow came through the air, and flying near,
exclaimed: "You really have carried off a rich prize in your talons; but
if I don't instruct you what you must do, in vain will you tire yourself
with the heavy weight." A share being promised her, she persuades the
Eagle to dash the hard shell from the lofty stars upon a rock, that, it
being broken to pieces, she may easily feed upon the meat. Induced by
her words, the Eagle attends to her suggestion, and at the same time
gives a large share of the banquet to her instructress.
Thus she who had been protected by the bounty of nature, being an
unequal match for the two, perished by an unhappy fate.
[Footnote II.12: Literally: Whatever violence and
unscrupulousness attack, comes.]
FABLE VII.
THE MULES AND THE ROBBERS.
Laden with burdens, two Mules were travelling along; the one was
carrying baskets[13] with money, the other sacks distended with store of
barley. The former, rich with his burden, goes exulting along, with neck
erect, and tossing to-and-fro upon his throat {his} clear-toned
bell:[14] his companion follows, with quiet and easy step. Suddenly some
Robbers rush from ambush upon them, and amid the slaughter[15] pierce
the Mule with a sword, and carry off the money; the valueless barley
they neglect. While, then, the one despoiled was bewailing their
mishaps: "For my part," says the other, "I am glad I was thought so
little of; for I have lost nothing, nor have I received hurt by a
wound."
According to the moral of this Fable, poverty is safe; great riches are
liable to danger.
[Footnote II.13: _Carrying baskets_)--Ver. 2. "Fisci" were
baskets made of twigs, or panniers, in which the Romans kept and
carried about sums of money. Being used especially in the Roman
treasury, the word in time came to signify the money itself. Hence
our word "fiscal."]
[Footnote II.14: _Clear-toned bell_)--Ver. 5. Scheffer and
Gronovius think that the bell was used, as in some countries at
the present day, for the purpose of warning those who came in an
opposite direction to make room where the path was narrow.]
[Footnote II.15: _Amid the slaughter_)--Ver. 8. He alludes no
doubt to the murder of the men conducting the mules by the
Robbers.]
FABLE VIII.
THE STAG AND THE OXEN.
A Stag, aroused from his woodland lair, to avoid impending death
threatened by huntsmen, repaired with blind fear to the nearest
farm-house, and hid himself in an ox-stall close at hand. Upon this, an
Ox said to him, as he concealed himself: "Why, what do you mean, unhappy
one, in thus rushing of your own accord upon destruction, and trusting
your life to the abode of man?" To this he suppliantly replied: "Do you
only spare me; the moment an opportunity is given I will again rush
forth." Night in her turn takes the place of day; the Neat-herd brings
fodder, but yet sees him not. All the farm servants pass and repass
every now and then; no one perceives him; even the Steward passes by,
nor does he observe anything. Upon this, the stag, in his joy, began to
return thanks to the Oxen who had kept so still, because they had
afforded him hospitality in the hour of adversity. One of them made
answer: "We really do wish you well; but if he, who has a hundred eyes,
should come, your life will be placed in great peril." In the meanwhile
the Master himself comes back from dinner; and having lately seen the
Oxen in bad condition, comes up to the rack: "Why," says he, "is there
so little fodder? Is litter scarce? What great trouble is it to remove
those spiders' webs?"[16] While he is prying into every corner, he
perceives too the branching horns of the Stag, and having summoned the
household, he orders him to be killed, and carries off the prize.
This Fable signifies that the master sees better than any one else in
his own affairs.
[Footnote II.16: _Those spiders' webs_)--Ver. 23. The mode of
clearing away the spider webs may be seen described in the
beginning of the "Stichus" of Plautus.]
THE EPILOGUE.
The Athenians erected a statue to the genius of Æsop, and placed him,
though a slave, upon an everlasting pedestal, that all might know that
the way to fame is open to all, and that glory is not awarded to birth
but to merit. Since another[17] has prevented me from being the first,
I have made it my object, a thing which still lay in my power, that he
should not be the only one. Nor is this envy, but emulation; and if
Latium shall favour my efforts, she will have still more {authors} whom
she may match with Greece. {But} if jealousy shall attempt to detract
from my labours, still it shall not deprive me of the consciousness of
deserving praise. If my attempts reach your ears, and {your} taste
relishes {these} Fables, as being composed with skill, {my} success
{then} banishes every complaint. But if, on the contrary, my learned
labours fall into the hands of those whom a perverse nature has brought
to the light of day, and {who} are unable to do anything except carp at
their betters, I shall endure my unhappy destiny[18] with strength of
mind, until Fortune is ashamed of her own injustice.
[Footnote II.17: _Since another_)--Ver. 5. He probably refers
to Æsop: though Heinsius thinks that he refers to C. Mecænas
Melissus, mentioned by Ovid, in his Pontic Epistles, B. iv., El.
xvi., l. 30, a freedman of Mecænas, who compiled a book of jests
partly from the works of Æsop. Burmann, however, ridicules this
supposition.]
[Footnote II.18: _Unhappy destiny_)--Ver. 17. The words
"fatale exitium" have been considered as being here
inappropriately used. It is very doubtful whether the last part of
this Epilogue is genuine.]