Arta lupum cruciat via gutturis osse retentō;
mendīcat medicam, multa datūrus, opem.
Grūs prōmissa petit, dē faucibus osse revulsō,
cui lupus: “An vīvis mūnere tūta meō?
Nōnne tuum potuī morsū praecīdere collum? 5
Ergō tibī mūnus sit tua vīta meum.”
Nīl prōdest prōdesse malīs: mēns prāva malōrum
immemor acceptī nōn timet esse bonī.
notes
The Wolf and the Crane
A crane reaches down a wolf's throat to dislodge a stuck bone, but does not receive the promised reward.
Other versions: Perry 156.
1 Arta ... via: “the narrow passage,” subject of cruciat.
1 osse retentō: "with a bone having been stuck (there),” > retineō, abl. absolute, or else abl. of means with cruciat.
2 medicam ... opem: direct object of mendīcat, “(the wolf) begs for medical help.”
2 datūrus: fut. act. part., "about to give," i.e., "promising."
3 Grūs prōmissa petit, dē faucibus osse revulsō: order: osse revulsō dē faucibus, grūs petit prōmissa.
3 promissa: neut. pl. acc., “the things promised,” his reward or pay.
3 osse revulsō: ablative absolute, “with the bone having been removed.”
4 cui lupus: supply ait, “to whom the wolf (says).”
4 vīvis ... tūta: "you live (and are) safe."
4 munere meō: "by my gift," i.e., "thanks to my generosity."
5 morsū: "with a (single) bite," abl. of means after praecīdere.
6 tibi mūnus sit tua vīta meum: sit is jussive subj.: “let your life be my gift to you” in exchange for medical services rendered.
7 Nīl prōdest: “it is in no way beneficial,” "it's no good," > prosum.
7 prōdesse malīs: "to have helped the wicked," subject of prōdest. Dative after this verb is normal.
7 malōrum: substantive, "of bad people."
8 immemor acceptī nōn timet esse bonī: order: nōn timet esse immemor bonī acceptī.
8 immemor: “forgetful of” + genitive.
8 acceptī bonī: “of a good (deed) received” > accipio. The expression has a commercial flavor, see LS accipio II.E.
vocabulary
artus –a –um: narrow
lupus –ī m.: a wolf
cruciō –āre –āvī –ātus: to torment, torture
guttur –is n.: a throat, neck
retineō –tinēre –tinuī –tentus: to retain; (pass.) to be stuck
mendicō –āre –āvī –ātus: to beg for
medicus –a –um: medical
grūs gruīs m./f.: a crane
faux faucis f.: throat
revellō –ere –vellī –vulsus (–volsus): to remove, pluck out
morsus –ūs m.: a bite
praecīdō –ere –cīdī –cīsus: to sever, cut off
collus –ī m.: neck, head and neck
prāvus –a –um: crooked, corrupt, depraved
immemor –ōris: forgetful of (+ gen.)
acceptus –a –um: received