52: De Lupis et Ovibus

The wolves are engaged in a battle with the sheep, and with the help of the dog and the ram, the sheep seem to be winning. The wolves lose hope, turning to deceit instead. The wolf and the sheep negotiate a treaty, which is marked by the exchange of hostages. The sheep trade the dog, while the wolves trade their young. This agreement holds until the young wolves grow up; the treaty is then soon forgotten and the wolves devour the sheep. The moral warns against losing a defender as the sheep did, saying that without a strong defense you are vulnerable to the enemy.

Perry 153

lupis: “opposes the sheep to the wolves”; dat. after a compound verb.

oviumque satelles: “accomplices of the sheep.” The accomplices are listed in the next line. 

vervex: “a ram.”

turba lupōrum: “a pack of wolves.” 

simulāns foedus, foedere temptat: “pretending a treaty, they try to pollute,” a pun. The turba lupōrum is the subject of temptat. 

iūrātō nūmine: “a divinty having been sworn,” i.e., an oath having been taken; ablative absolute.

Id firmat: “secures this (i.e. the pact).” The id refers back to the foedus. 

obside: abl. of means with firmat, “with a hostage.” 

male sana: “madly.” Modifies dat. Sana modifies ovis which is the subject. This action is mad, because the dog is their protection against the wolves. 

canēs: plural here, although the dog was singular in the second line. 

luporum pignora: “receives pledges of the wolves,” i.e., the wolves’ pups as hostages.

nec metuit nec sua damna videt: take sua damna as the direct object of both verbs, “and neither does she fear his own losses nor does he see them.” The implication is that the sheep do not realize that they have already been beaten. 

nātūra iubet: lit., “nature orders,” or, “nature commands” + indirect statement. The idea is that the wolf pups have aged enough to learn to howl. i.e. they have grown up. 

 foedera rupta (sc. esse): “protesting that the pledges have been broken”; indirect statement after querens.

in viscera mergit: “plunge into their stomachs,” i.e., they are eaten by the wolves.

praeside nūdā suo: “stripped from their own protector”; praeside suō is an ablative of separation after nuda.

retinere: “to keep your protector is safest”; pres. inf. subject of est.