Lectitō › Phaedrus › Fables, Book 1
Phaedrus 1.15
The old man and the donkey
Phaedrus, Fabulae I. Latin text with a sentence-by-sentence English translation, notes and vocabulary.
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Read in LectitōPhaedr. 1.15.1In prīncipātū commūtandō saepius
nīl praeter dominī mōrēs mūtant pauperēs.
When the ruler changes, the poor usually change nothing but the character of their master.
Note. In prīncipātū commūtandō: gerundive, 'in changing the ruler'. nīl praeter dominī mōrēs: 'nothing except the character of their master'.
Phaedr. 1.15.3Id esse vērum parva haec fābella indicat.
This little fable shows that this is true.
Note. Id esse vērum: indirect statement, 'that this is true'.
Phaedr. 1.15.4Asellum in prātō timidus pāscēbat senex.
A timid old man was grazing his donkey in a meadow.
Note. timidus … senex frames the line, as often in Phaedrus. pāscēbat: 'was grazing'.
Phaedr. 1.15.5Is hostium clāmōre subitō territus
suādēbat asinō fugere, nē possent capī.
Frightened by the sudden shouting of enemies, he urged the donkey to run away, so that they could not be caught.
Note. suādēbat asinō: suādeō takes the dative. nē possent capī: 'so that they could not be caught'.
Phaedr. 1.15.7At ille lentus: Quaesō, num bīnās mihi
clītellās impositūrum victōrem putās?
But the donkey, unhurried, said: 'Tell me, do you think the conqueror will put two pack-saddles on me?'
Note. lentus: 'slow, unconcerned'. num … putās: num expects the answer 'no'. bīnās … clītellās: 'two pack-saddles'. impositūrum (esse) victōrem: future infinitive in indirect statement.
Phaedr. 1.15.9Senex negāvit.
The old man said no.
Note. negāvit: 'said no'.
Phaedr. 1.15.9Ergō quid rēfert meā
10cui serviam clītellās cum portem meās?
'Then what does it matter to me whom I serve, as long as I carry my own pack-saddle?'
Note. quid rēfert meā: 'what does it matter to me?'; rēfert takes meā (ablative feminine). cui serviam: indirect question. cum portem: 'since I will carry'.
Vocabulary
| in, prep. with acc. and abl. | with acc.: into, onto, against; with abl.: in, on |
| prīncipātus, -ūs m. | leadership, first place |
| commūtō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum | change |
| saepe, adv. | often, frequently |
| nihil, n., indecl. | nothing |
| praeter, prep. with acc. | before, past, by; besides, except |
| dominus, -ī m. | master, owner |
| mōs, mōris, m. | way, manner, habit, custom |
| mūtō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus | change |
| pauper, -eris | poor; as a noun, a poor person |
| is, ea, id, dem. pron. | this, that; he, she, it, they |
| sum, esse, fuī, futūrus | be |
| vērus, -a, -um | true; rē vērā, in truth, in fact |
| parvus, -a, -um | little, small |
| hic, haec, hoc, dem. pron. | this; ille ... hīc, that ... this, the former ... the latter |
| fābella, -ae f. | little story, fable |
| indīcō, -ere, -dīxī, -dictum | proclaim, call (a meeting) |
| asellus, -ī m. | young donkey, little ass |
| prātum, -ī n. | meadow |
| timidus, -a, -um | fearful, timid |
| pāscō, pāscere, pāvī, pāstus | feed |
| senex, senis, m. | old man |
| hostis, -is, m. and f. | enemy, foe |
| clāmor, -ōris, m. | shout, cry |
| subitus, -a, -um | sudden |
| terreō, -ēre, -uī, -itus | frighten, terrify |
| suādeō, -ēre, suāsī, suāsus | advise, urge |
| asinus, -ī m. | ass, donkey; (as an insult) dolt |
| fugiō, fugere, fūgī, fugitūrus | flee, run away |
| nē, adv. | not; nē ... quidem, not ... even; conj., that not, lest |
| possum, posse, potuī | be able, have power, can |
| capiō, capere, cēpī, captus | take, catch, seize; receive, suffer; adopt |
| at, conj. | but |
| ille, illa, illud, dem. pron. | that; he, she, it, they; ille ... hīc, see hīc |
| lentus, -a, -um | slow, sluggish |
| quaesō (defective) | I beg, please |
| num, adv., introducing a question to which a negative answer is expected | untranslatable |
| bīnī, -ae, -a | two each, two at a time |
| ego, meī, pers. pron. | I |
| clītellae, -ārum f. pl. | pack-saddle (for a donkey or mule) |
| impōnō, -pōnere, -posuī, -positus | place or lay upon, impose; embark |
| victor, -ōris m. | conqueror, victor |
| putō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus | think |
| negō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus | say no or not, deny, refuse |
| ergō (adv.) | therefore, then; quid ergō? what then? |
| quis, quid, interrog. pron. | who? which? what? |
| rēfert, rēferre, rētulit (impers.) | it matters, it is of importance |
| meus, -a, -um | my, mine |
| serviō, -ire, -īvī, -ītus | be subject to, serve |
| cum, conj. | when, while, after; since; although |
| portō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum | carry |