Gaudet equus phalerīs, frēnō sellāque superbit;

ista quidem vestit aureus arma nitor.

Obstat asellus equō; vīcus premit artus asellum,

vexat onus, tardat nātus eundō labor.

Quod sibi claudit iter, sonipēs inclāmat asellō: 5

“occurris dominō, vīlis aselle, tuō.

Vix tibi dō veniam dē tantī crīmine fastūs;

cui via danda fuit lībera, dignus eram.”

Supplicat ille minīs nūtatque timōre silendō

tūtior et surdā praeterit aure minās. 10

Summus equī dēclīnat honor: dum vincere certat,

vincitur et cursum vīscera rupta negant.

Prīvātur phalerīs, frēnō prīvātur honestō;

hunc premit assiduō raeda cruenta iugō,

Huic tergum maciēs acuit, labor ulcerat armōs. 15

Hunc videt inque iocōs audet asellus iners:

“Dīc, sōdēs, ubi sella nītēns, ubi nōbile frēnum?

Cūr est haec maciēs, cūr fugit ille nitor?

Cūr manet hic gemitus, cūr illa superbia fugit?

Vindicat ēlātōs iūsta ruīna gradūs: 20

Stāre diū nec vīs nec honor nec fōrma nec aetās

sufficit in mundō. Plūs tamen ista placent.

Vīvē diū, sed vīvē miser, sociōsque minōrēs

disce patī; rīsum det tua vīta mihi.”

Pennātīs nē crēde bonīs; tē nūlla potestās 25

in miserōs armet: nam miser esse potes.

    Now it is the character of the horse that is repeated for a number of fables; here, just as in the previous pairing, the horse turns from a wise, discerning character, to an overly proud animal. The horse in this fable is particularly proud of the nice bridle and saddle that his owner has given him, and brags about these trappings to an ass who carries a heavy load. As the horse becomes less useful, his master replaces him, and he is stripped of his noble bridle and saddle, and is hooked to a work cart instead. The ass sees this, and asks the horse what has become of his noble appearance. The moral notes that everything is fleeting, and he who is rich can easily become poor.

     

    Perry 565

     

    frēnō sellāque: abl. of cause with superbit.

    ista arma: acc. pl., “decorates those implements,” i.e., the items mentioned in the previous line.

    vīcus artus: “a narrow street.” DMLBS vicus II. The implication is that it’s tricky for the donkey to get through the narrow street while pulling a wagon, and the horse is in his way.  

    nātus eundō labor: “the work produced by going.” Eundō is a gerund governed by nātus.

    phalerīs: “the breastcollar” of a horse. Always plural. Ablative with gaudet. 

    asello: “cries out to the ass”; dat. with inclāmat.

    Sonipēs: subject of both claudit and inclāmat. Substantive, “the noisy-hoofed one,” i.e. horse.

    dominō tuō: dative with occurris.

    dē tantī crīmine fastūs: “for the crime of such haughtiness”; fastūs, gen. with crimine.

    via danda fuit lībera: “a free way ought to have been given”; danda, gerundive in a passive periphrastic.

    minīs: abl. of means with supplicat. 

    timore: “and nods with fear”; ablative of manner with nūtatque.

    silendo: “safer by being silent”; gerund, ablative of comparison with tūtior.

    surda aure: “with a deaf ear”; ablative of manner.

    phalerīs: ablative of separation with prīvātur.

    frēnō honestō: ablative of separation with prīvātur.

    assiduō iugō: abl. of means with premit. 

    raeda cruenta: nom. subject.

    tergum acuit: “sharpens his back.” i.e., makes his bones protrude.

    ulcerat armōs: “makes his shoulders sore.” 

    sodes: (= si audes): parenthetical, “if you please.”

    sella nītēns: “shining saddle.” 

    ille nitor: “that sheen,” i.e. his formerly glossy coat. 

    gradūs: “stride.” Modified by ēlātōs. The implication is that the horse’s stride has changed as he’s aged.  

    nec vīs nec honor nec fōrma nec aetās: subjects of sufficit. Polysyndeton.  

    rīsum det tua vīta mihi: “let your life give laughter to me”; pres. jussive subj.

    Pennātīs nē crēde bonīs: “do not trust in winged goods,” i.e., in fleeting goods; dat. after crede.

    tē nūlla potestās in miserōs armet: “let no power rouse you against wretched people”; pres. jussive subj.

    asinusi m.: an ass, donkey

    falerae –arum f.: an ornament

    frenus –i m.: a bridle, harness

    sellaae f.: a wagon seat, saddle

    superbio –ire –– –– : to be proud of (+ abl.)

    vestio –ire –ivi –itus: to clothe, decorate

    armumi n.: implements

    nitor –oris m.: brightness, splendor

    obsto –are –stiti –statum : to oppose, comes before (+ dat.)

    asellusi m.: a donkey

    vicusi m.: a street

    artusaum: close, dense

    vexo –are –avi –atus: to shake, jolt

    tardo : to slows down

    sonipes –pedis m.: a horse, steed

    inclamo –are –avi –atus: to cry out (+ dat.)

    vilis –e: worthless

    veniaae f.: pardon

    fastus –us m.: destain, haughtiness

    supplico –are –avi –atus: to humbles oneself before (+ dat.)

    minaae f.: threats, menaces

    nuto –are –avi –atus: to nod

    sileo –ere –ui –– : to be silent

    surdusaum: deaf, muted

    praetereo –ire –ii –itus: pass by

    declino –are –avi –atus: to diminishes

    viscus –eris n.: innards

    privo –are –avi –atus: to deprive, rob, free

    falerae –arum f.: an ornament

    frenus –i: a bridle, harness

    assiduusaum: unremitting

    raedaae: wagon

    cruentusaum: bloody

    macies –i f.: leanness, poverty

    acuo –ere –ui –utus: to sharpen

    ulcero –are –avi –atus: to cause to fester

    armusi m.: a side, flank

    iocusm.: a joke, jest

    iners –ertis (gen.): helpless, weak

    sodes: if you do not mind, please

    niteo –ere –ui: to shine

    gemitus –us m.: a groan, sigh

    superbiaae f.: arrogance, pride

    vindico –are –avi –atus: to claim, vindicate

    elatosaum: lofty

    ruinaae f.: fall, catastrophe

    sufficio –ere –feci –fectus: to be sufficient, be able to (+ inf.)

    vivusaum: alive

    minorus: smaller

    risus –us m.: laughter

    pennatusaum: winged

    armo –are –avi –atus: to rouse

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