Lectitō › Phaedrus › Fables, Book 1
Phaedrus 1.24
The frog and the ox
Phaedrus, Fabulae I. Latin text with a sentence-by-sentence English translation, notes and vocabulary.
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Read in LectitōPhaedr. 1.24.1Inops, potentem dum vult imitārī, perit.
The poor man, trying to imitate the powerful, perishes.
Note. Inops … potentem: 'the poor man … the powerful'. imitārī: deponent infinitive.
Phaedr. 1.24.2In prātō quondam rāna cōnspexit bovem
et tācta invidiā tantae magnitūdinis
rūgōsam īnflāvit pellem: tum nātōs suōs
5interrogāvit, an bove esset lātior.
Once in a meadow a frog caught sight of an ox, and, touched with envy of such great size, she puffed out her wrinkled skin; then she asked her children whether she was broader than the ox.
Note. tācta invidiā: 'touched by envy'. tantae magnitūdinis: genitive with invidiā, 'of such great size'. bove … lātior: ablative of comparison, 'broader than the ox'.
Phaedr. 1.24.6Illī negārunt.
They said no.
Note. negārunt = negāvērunt, 'said no'.
Phaedr. 1.24.6Rūrsus intendit cutem
maiōre nīsū et similī quaesīvit modō,
quis maior esset.
Again she stretched her skin with a greater effort, and asked in the same way which was larger.
Note. intendit cutem: 'stretched her skin'. quis maior esset: indirect question, 'which was bigger'.
Phaedr. 1.24.8Illī dīxērunt bovem.
They said the ox.
Note. bovem: supply maiōrem esse.
Phaedr. 1.24.9Novissimē indignāta dum vult validius
10īnflāre sēsē, ruptō iacuit corpore.
In the end, indignant, while she tried to puff herself up more strongly, her body burst and she lay dead.
Note. Novissimē: 'at last'. indignāta: 'indignant'. ruptō … corpore: 'with her body burst'.
Vocabulary
| inops, -opis | poor, needy |
| potēns, -entis | powerful |
| dum, conj. | while, as; as long as; until |
| volō, velle, voluī | wish |
| imitor, -ārī, -ātus sum | copy, imitate |
| pereō, -īre, -ii, -itūrus | pass away, perish |
| in, prep. with acc. and abl. | with acc.: into, onto, against; with abl.: in, on |
| prātum, -ī n. | meadow |
| quondam (adv.) | once, formerly, at one time |
| rāna, -ae f. | frog |
| cōnspiciō, -spicere, -spēxī, -spectus | behold, perceive, see |
| bōs, bovis, gen. plur. boum, dat. and abl. plur. bōbus, m. and f. | ox, bull, cow |
| et, conj. | and; et ... et, both ... and |
| tangō, tangere, tetigī, tāctus | touch |
| invidia, -ae f. | envy, jealousy, ill will |
| tantus, -a, -um | so great or much |
| magnitūdō, -tūdinis, f. | greatness, size |
| rūgōsus, -a, -um | wrinkled, shrivelled |
| īnflō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus | blow into; inspire |
| pellis, -is, f. | hide, skin, pelt |
| tum, adv. | then, at that time |
| nātus, -ī m. | son; (pl.) children |
| suus, -a, -um | his, her, its, or their own; his, her, its, their |
| interrogō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus | ask, question |
| an, conj. | or (in questions) |
| sum, esse, fuī, futūrus | be |
| lātus, -a, -um | broad, wide |
| ille, illa, illud, dem. pron. | that; he, she, it, they; ille ... hīc, see hīc |
| negō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus | say no or not, deny, refuse |
| rūrsus, adv. | again |
| intendō, -tendere, -tendī, -tentus | stretch out; stretch, draw, aim |
| cutis, -is f. | skin |
| magnus, -a, -um | large, big, great, mighty; loud |
| nīsus, -ūs m. | effort, straining |
| similis, -e | like, similar (vērī similis: likely) |
| quaerō, quaerere, quaesīvī, quaesītus | seek; ask, inquire |
| modus, -ī, m. | way, manner |
| quis, quid, interrog. pron. | who? which? what? |
| dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictus | say, speak; diem dīcere, to appoint or set a day |
| novissimē (adv.) | lastly, finally, at last |
| indignor, -ārī, -ātus sum | be indignant, resent |
| validē (adv.; comp. validius) | strongly, vigorously, hard |
| suī, sibi, sē or sēsē, reflexive pron. | himself, herself, itself, themselves |
| rumpō, rumpere, rūpī, ruptus | break, burst |
| iaceō, -ēre, -uī | lie, be prostrate |
| corpus, corporis, n. | body |