30: De Rustico et Angue

The Peasant and the Snake

A man and a snake dine together peacefully for many years, until the man becomes suddenly angered and strikes the snake. The man, overcome with remorse, begs forgiveness of the serpent. Because the man seems genuine in his sorrow, the animal forgives him. The moral points to the dangers of trusting those who have harmed you in the past.

Other versions: Perry 573, Prose Romulus.

1  Rustica mēnsa: "a peasant table," i.e., the dinner table of a peasant.

1  nutrītum: "nourished." The peasant fed the snake on table scraps.

2  potuit ... amāre: "was able to love." The snake had become tame.

3  īram: the reason for the peasant's sudden change of heart is not here explained. In the Prose Romulus versions the peasant becomes rich and then attacks the snake that had previously been his friend.

4  Īra per anguineum dīrigit arma caput: "Anger directs arms towards [DMLBS per 2.c] the snaky head." As becomes clear, the peasant has struck the snake with an axe (securis, see line 7), wounding but not killing it. Prose Romulus says, coepit irasci serpenti, quem secure vulneravit.

5  vulneris auctor: the peasant.

5  eget: "is (again) poor," after having become briefly rich.

5  sē vulnere crēdit egēnum:  “believes that he is poor because of the wound,” ablative of cause. The peasant realizes that his prosperity was due to the good luck brought by the snake, and his poverty is due to his wounding of the snake (Prose Romulus: intellexit fortunā serpentis hoc accidisse et causa illius divitem fierī, antequam ab illo laceraretur).

6  Anguī: dative after supplicat.

6  prō veniā supplicat: "begs for forgiveness." Classical Latin would say veniam petit or the like.

7  securus ... securis: both nom. Note the pun that juxtaposes safety with the danger of the ax. 

7  dum sit tibi tanta secūris: “as long as you have so great an ax."Tibi is a dative of possession.

8  vulnera scripta sibi: “wounds 'written' on itself," an odd use of the verb scrībo.

10  Expedit: "it is useful," "it is a good policy," impersonal verb, followed by the infinitive nōn iterāre.

10  īnfīdō: "a treacherous (person)," dative as if after a verb of trusting (AG 361).

11  sī tē piguit: = sī tē paenitet, "if it causes you regret," "if you are ashamed," + gen. of the thing regretted, as normal (LS pigeo II.B).

12  Nam gemitus veniam vulnere cordis emit: order: Nam gemitus vulnere cordis veniam emit. 

12  gemitus: a groan of true repentance, based on the heartfelt pain (vulnere cordis) regret.

12  emit: "obtains" by entreaty, DMLBS emere 2.b.

13  prīmō ... secundō: “in the first place ... in the second place.”

14  Quae: the antecedent is mella, "honey," i.e., sweet words or deeds.

14  venēna: supply esse.