Accipitrem mīlvī pulsūrum bella columbae
Accipiunt rēgem; rēx magis hoste nocet.
Incipiunt dē rēge querī quod sānius esset
Milvī bella patī quam sine Mārte morī.
Sī quid agis, prūdenter agās et respice fīnem. 5
Ferre minōra volō, nē graviōra feram.
notes
This fable continues the theme of the previous fable. Here, the doves accept a hawk as their king, hoping that he will help them ward off the attacks of the kite. Ultimately the hawk does more damage to the flock than the kite, and the moral encourages bearing lesser burdens (the kite) in order to avoid greater pain (the hawk).
mīlvī pulsūrum bella: “in order that he ward off the attacks of the kite”; pulsūrum is a fut. part. agreeing with acipitrem and regem and expressing purpose.
regem: “they accept the hawk as a king”; acc. pred.
magis hoste: “more than the enemy”; hoste is an ablative of comparison after magis.
quod esset: “that it would be healthier”; impf. subj. in an indirect statement after queri.
Milvī bella: direct object, “the attacks of the kite.”
pati: epexegetical inf. after sanius.
quam: = magis quam, “rather than.”
sine Marte: lit., “without Mars,” but, “without war,” personification. The implication being that it would have been better for the doves to go to war with the kites than be killed by their leader, the hawk, in peace time.
quid: = aliquid after si.
agas: “may you do (it) wisely”; pres. jussive subj.
respice: note the switch from the present subjunctive to the imperative.
minōra: supply pericula.
ne feram: “in order that I do not bear greater ones”; pres. subj. in a negative purpose clause.
vocabulary
accipiter –tris m./f.: a hawk
milvus –i m.: a kite, bird of prey
columba –ae f.: a pigeon, dove
Mars Martis m.: Mars
minor –us: small, little
gravior –us: heavy, painful