Cum cānē silva lupum sociat. Lupus inquit: “Amoenā
Pellē nitēs, in tē cōpia sāncta patet.”
Prō verbīs dat verba canis: “Mē dītat erīlis
Grātia, cum dominō mē cibat ipsa domus.
Nocte vigil furēs lātrātū nūntiō, tūtam 5
Servō domum; mihi dat culmus in aede torum.”
Haec movet ōre lupus: “Cupiō mē vīvere tēcum:
Commūnem capiant ōtia nostra cibum.”
Reddit verba canis: “Cupiō tē vīvere mēcum;
Ūna dabit nōbīs mēnsa manusque cibum.” 10
Ille favet sequiturque canem gutturque canīnum
Respicit et querit: “Cūr cecidēre pilī?”;
Inquit: “Nē valeam morsū peccāre diurnō,
Vincla diurna ferō, nocte labante vāgor.”
Reddit verba lupus: “Nōn est mihi cōpia tantī 15
Ut fierī servus ventris amōre velim.
Dītior est liber mendīcus dīvite servō:
Servus habet nec sē nec sua, līber habet;
Lībertās, praedulce bonum, bona cētera condit:
Quā nisi conditur, nīl sapit ēsca mihi. 20
Lībertās animī cibus est et vēra voluptās,
Quā quī dīves erit, dītior esse nequit.
Nōlō velle meum prō turpī vēndere lucrō;
Hās quī vēndit opēs, hic agit ut sit inops.
Nōn bene prō tōtō lībertās vēnditur aurō: 25
Hoc celēstē bonum praeterit orbis opēs.
notes
Another popular fable, “The Dog and the Wolf” seems to have been particularly important to medieval readers. The theme in this fable remains popular today. A wolf befriends a dog, and the dog begins to tell of all the luxuries that his master provides, including a warm bed and an abundance of food. The wolf is almost convinced to join the dog in this lifestyle until he notes the bare patches on the dog’s neck. The dog explains that those are left by the chains which bind him during the day so that he doesn’t injure anyone. The wolf explains that he would rather be a beggar and remain free than be fettered. Much like the country mouse and the ant of earlier fables, the wolf chooses to remain poor and retain his freedom.
cum cane: “joins with a dog”; ablative of accompaniment.
amoena pellē: “in your lovely coat”; pellē: ablative of specification. Pellis is technically skin, but it works better as a coat, since we’re talking about a dog.
in tē cōpia sāncta patet: “sacred abundance lies open in you.”
prō verbīs dat verba: “[the dog] gives words for words”; i.e. “the dog responds.”
cum dominō: ablative of accompaniment.
nocte vigil: “awake at night”; nocte: ablative of time when.
lātrātū: “with my barking”; ablative of means.
tūtam servō domum: “I keep the house safe.”
mihi dat: “(my master) provides for me.”
ōre: ablative of means, “with his mouth.”
commūnem capiant...cibum: “let our leisure seize common food”; capiant: pres. jussive subj.
cupiō tē vīvere mēcum: “I desire you to live with me.”
ūna…mēnsa manūsque: “one table and one hand”; nom. compound subject
cecidēre: syncopated form of ceciderunt; perfect tense.
nē valeam morsū peccāre: “lest I have power to sin with a bite”; nē valeam: pres. subj. in purpose clause; morsū: ablative of means.
nocte labante: “with the night slipping away”; abl. abs.
tantī ut fierī servus…velim: result clause; “so great that I wish to become a slave…”; fierī: pres. pass. infinitive; servus: predicate nominative; velim: pres. subj.
ventris amōre: “because of the love of my stomach”; ablative of cause.
dītior...servō: “wealthier than a rich slave”; ablative of comparison.
nec sē nec sua: “neither himself nor his own (things).”
praedulce bonum: “most sweet good”; appositive to lībertās.
quā: “by which means,” or “by this means”; ablative of means; antecedent of lībertās.
quī dīves erit: “he who will be (made) rich.”
dītior esse nequit: “cannot be(come) richer”; dītior: comparative adj.
Nōlō velle meum vēndere: “I do not want to sell my own (self).”
ut sit inops: purpose clause; sit: pres. subj., “(in such a way) that he is poor and helpless.”
prō tōtō... aurō: “for all the gold”; ablative of price.
vocabulary
lupus –i m.: a wolf
socio –are –avi –atus : to unite, join
inquam: to say
amoenus –a –um: beautiful, attractive
pellis –is f.: skin, hide
dito –are –avi –atus: to enrich
erilis –e: of a master or mistress
cibo –are –avi –atum: to feed, nourish, give food
vigil –is (gen.): awake, wakeful
fur furis m./f.: a thief, robber
latratus –us m.: barking
nuntio –are –avi –atus: to announce, report
culmus –i m.: hay, straw
torus –i m.: a bed, cushion
faveo –ere favi fauturus: to befriend, support
guttur –uris: throat, neck
caninus –a –um: of a dog
pilus –i m.: hair
morsus –us m.: a bite
pecco –are –avi –atus: to sin, do wrong
diurnus –a –um: by day
labor –i lapsus: (dep.) to glide
vagor –ari –atus: (dep.) to wander, roam
venter –tris m.: a stomach
ditior –us: rich, wealthy
mendicus –i m.: a beggar
praedulcis –e: very sweet
sapio –ere –ivi –– : to be tasty
esca –ae f.: food, meat
nequeo –ire –ivi (–ii) –itum: be unable (+ inf.)
vendo –ere –didi: to sell
lucrum –i n.: gain, profit, avarice
inops –opis (gen.): weak, poor
celestis celeste: heavenly
praetereo –ire –ii –itus: surpass, excel