Ut ratiōne parī fortūnae mūnera sūmant,
sūmunt foedus ovis capra iuvenca leō.
Cervus adest, cervum rapiunt. Leō sīc ait: “Hērēs
prīmae partis erō: nam mihi prīmus honor.
Et mihi dēfendit partem vīs prīma secundam. 5
Et mihi dat maior tertia iūra labor.
Et pars quārta meum, nisi sit mea, rumpet amōrem.”
Pūblica sōlus habet fortior, īma premēns.
Nē fortem societ fragilis vult fābula praesēns:
nam fragilī fīdus nesciet esse potēns. 10
notes
The Sheep, Goat, Heifer, and Lion
The four animals capture a deer while hunting, but the lion claims all four shares of the spoils.
Also known as The Lion's Share. Other versions: Perry 339.
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This fable is the first of many that critique corrupt leaders. Note that the villainous character isn't simply blamed in the moral; rather these fables seem to be showing the reader how to navigate a world populated with these villains. Here, the fable suggests that the weak, such as the goat, sheep, and heifer, not partner with the strong.
1 ut ... sūmant: "to take," a noun clause giving the substance of the foedus mentioned in the next line (AG 563.d).
1 ratiōne parī: ablative of manner, “by an equal title,” i.e., in equal shares. ratiō = "right," "title" is later legal Latin (DMLBS ratio 8).
1 fortūnae mūnera: "the gifts of fortune.”
2 sūmunt foedus: “make a covenant,” another legalistic term.
4 prīmae partis: “of the first part.” The lion speaks of the deer meat as if it were a legacy and he the primary heir—a clue to the real life situation behind the fable.
4 mihi: supply est, "there is for me," that is, "I have," a common way to express possession (AG 373).
5 mihi ... defendit: "grants title to me,” a later Latin legal meaning of the verb (DMLBS defendere 2), and another clue to the situation underlying the allegory.
5 vīs prīma: = maior fortitūdō, subject of dēfendit.
7 nisi sit mea, rumpet: a mixed future condition, with the less vivid subjunctive in the protasis ("unless it should be mine") and more vivid future indicative in the apodosis ("it [definitely] will break off"). This mixing of conditional types is not uncommon, see AG 516.b note.
7 meum ... amōrem: “my fondness (for you),” direct object of rumpet. If the lion does not get all four shares, then he will turn on his companions.
8 publica: n. pl. acc., supply bona, "shared goods."
8 īma: neut. pl. acc., "the lowest" in social status, "inferiors."
9 Nē fortem societ fragilis vult fābula presēns: order: fābula presēns vult nē fragilis societ fortem.
9 nē ... societ: jussive. subj. after vult, giving the central message of the fable.
9 vult: "means," "signifies," a common sense of volo velle, LS volo I.B.3.
10 Nam fragilī fīdus nesciet esse potēns: order: nam potēns (homō) nesciet esse fīdus fragilī (hominī).
10 fragilī: substantival, "to the weak (person)," dat. after fidus.
10 nesciet: future indicative, stating the general rule, "will (normally) not know how," + infin., a common construction with this verb.
10 potēns: substantival, "the powerful (person)."
vocabulary
foedus –eris n.: a agreement, covenant
ovis –is f.: a sheep
capra –ae f.: a she-goat
iuvenca –ae f.: a young cow, heifer
leō –ōnis m.: a lion
cervus –ī m.: a stag, deer
adsum, adesse: to be present
hērēs –ēdis m.: an heir
imus –a –um: lowest
sociō –āre –āvī –ātus: to partner with (+ acc.)
fragilis –e: weak
fīdus –a –um: faithful, loyal to (+ dat.)