7: De Fure Uxorem Ducente

The Thief Who Took a Wife

While people are rejoicing at the wedding of a thief, a wise man (Aesop) tells a story of when the Earth lamented at the marriage of the sun. 

Also known as The Frogs and the Sun. Other versions: Perry 314.

Title: Uxorem Ducente: “leading a wife,” i.e. getting married, the normal idiom.

1  furī: dative after nūbit, as normal.

1  vīcīnia gaudet: the neighbors are enjoying the wedding festivities and wishing the couple well (see below, laetum ... favōrem).

2  Vir bonus et prūdēns: in Phaedrus's version (1.6.2) the comment comes from Aesop himself.

2  verba movet: dicit. 

3-4  aurem ... peculit: "struck the ear" (> percellō) or, as we would say, "bent the ear."

4  foret: = esset, impf. subj. in an indirect question: "was." 

4  aegra: "sad."

5  Sōle ... solō: ablative of means, "by a single (unmarried) sun." The wordplay is typical of the author.

5  crēverit: fut. perf. > crēscō in a future more vivid conditional: "arises," literally, "will have arisen." 

6  calōris hiems: “a storm of heat.” Storms usually occur in winter, hence the (paradoxical) metonymy, a winter of heat. A love of paradox and oxymoron is typical of the author.

7  prohibet ... praebēre: "discourages (people) from showing." The construction with infinitive is classical (LS prohibeo I.A.6). 

7  laetum ... favōrem: "joyous approval," like the good wishes extended to the newlyweds by their neighbors.

8  quī: the antecedent must be supplied: “(to those) who.”

8  parant: "are planning," like the thief and his new wife.