50: De Patre et Filio

Like the early “Woman Marrying a Thief,” the narrative of the father and the son serves as a framework for the animal fable. Here a father is frustrated with his son’s bad behavior, but continuously punishes his servants for it. The fable is included to instruct the old man; a wise man hooks both an ox and his calf to a yoke, so that the calf might learn to plow from his parent. The moral suggests to the father this form of instruction — teaching by example.

Perry 540

huic: “for whom (there is) a son”; dative of possession referring to the father

hic: refers to the son.

patri: “yield to the father”; dative with cēdere.

fugienda…facienda: supply a form of the verb esse, “things that must be fled … things that must be done”; the son makes escapes and avoids doing chores.

menti: dative with cōnsonat.

Mentis et aetātis turbine: “from the whirlwind of the mind and age.” Turbine could be an abl of means or an abl. of place from which with the ex understood. 

prō nātī crīmine: “for the crimes of his son.”

nōta senī: “known to the old man.” Nōta modifies ista fabula. 

cauta bovem vitulumque manus: chiasmus. Cauta manus is the subject. 

arātrō: dative with suppōnit.

laetē: the text technically has laetus but it does not scan properly. 

maiōrī: dative of reference with arare

des: “you should give”; second person jussive

pede, cornū: abl. of means. 

pugnat abīre: “fights to escape.” 

iugō: abl of place from which with ab assumed because of abīre. 

domitō bove: abl. abs. 

Maiōrī: abl. of comparison, “more than in the elder.”   

merito: “is deservedly useful”; ablative of manner.

docendi: “of the example that must be taught,” i.e., teaching by example; gerundive agreeing with exempli.

credat: “let the lesser trust”; pres. jussive subj. Ordinarily credo takes a dative, but here it’s taking in + abl.