Fūre vocante canem, praetēnsō mūnere pānis,
Sprētō pāne, movet tālia verba canis:
“Ut sileam tua dōna volunt fūrtīsque labōrant
Esse locum; pānem sī ferō, cūncta ferēs.
Fert mūnus mea damna tuum, latet hāmus in ēscā: 5
Mē prīvāre cibō cōgitat iste cibus.
Nōn amō nocturnum pānem plūs pāne diurnō,
Advena plūs nōtō nōn placet hostis herō.
Nōn rapiet nox ūna mihi bona mīlle diērum: 10
Nōlō semper egēns esse semelque satur.
Lātrātū tua fūrta loquar, nisi sponte recēdās.”
Hic silet, ille manet; hic tonat, ille fugit.
Sī tibi quid dētur, cūr dētur respice; sī dēs, 15
Cui dēs ipse nota; tēque, gulōsē, domā.
notes
In this fable it becomes clear that humans are just another type of animal, and they interact with the animal characters just as two animals would interact. Here, it is the animal that appears more virtuous and the human who is villainous. A thief tries to lure a dog with baited food, but the dog is wiser than the man, and bays loudly, chasing the man away.
fure vocante: ablative absolute.
praetenso munere: ablative absolute.
spreto pane: ablative absolute.
sileam: “I wish that I (could) be silent”; pres. subj. volative clause after volo.
furtis: “opportunity for thefts”; dat. after locum.
esse: “labor that there be an opportunity”; pres. inf. in a noun clause after laborant.
cibo: “deprived of food”; ablative of separation.
pane diurno: “more than daily bread”; ablative of comparison.
noto hero: “more than a known friend”; ablative of comparison.
advena hostis: “a foreign enemy,” two nouns instead of noun + adj., an example of
hendiadys.
latratu: “by barking”; abl. supine.
recedas: “unless you back off”; pres. subj. in a future less vivid apodosis.
sponte: “by (your) free will”; ablative of manner.
si ... detur: “if something is given to you”; pres. subj. in a present general condition.
cur detur: “consider why it is given”; pres. subj. in an indirect question.
si des: “if you give”; pres. subj, in a present general condition.
cui des: “you yourself take note (of) to whom you give”; pres. subj. in an indirect question with ipse nota.
vocabulary
fur furis m./f.: a thief, robber
praetendo –ere –di –tus: extend, offer
panis –is m.: bread
sperno –ere sprevi spretus: to scorn, despise
sileo –ere –ui –– : to be silent
furtum –i n.: theft, trick
locum –i n.: a place, opportunity
hamus –i m.: a hook
privo –are –avi –atus: to deprive, rob
nocturnus –a –um: nocturnal, of night
diurnus –a –um: by day, daily
advena –ae m./f.: a foreigner
herus –i m.: a master
egens –ntis (gen.): needy, poor
satur –a –um: well-fed, rich
latro –are –avi –atus: to bark, bark at
spons spontis f.: free will
tono –are –ui –– : to thunder
gulosus –a –um: gluttonous
domo –are –ui –itus: to master, conquer, subdue