A METRICAL TRANSLATION OF PHÆDRUS,

By CHRISTOPHER SMART, A.M.

LONDON: GEORGE BELL & SONS, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1887.

PREFACE.

In the Translation of Phædrus, the Critical Edition by Orellius, 1831, has been used, and in the Æsopian Fables, the text of the Parisian Edition of Gail, 1826. The Notes will, it is believed, be found to embody the little that is known of the contemporary history of the Author.

H. T. R.

The Table of Contents refers primarily to the Riley text. Fables I.xxix, III.iii, and several Fables in Book IV are missing in Smart; Riley’s Fable IV.i, “The Ass and the Priests of Cybele”, is Smart’s III.xix. Where Smart’s numbers are different, they are shown with popups.

In the text, Book III, Fable xi is “The Eunuch to the Abusive Man”; all following fables in Riley are numbered one higher than in the Table of Contents. This fable is missing from Smart but the number X is skipped, as was number I.xviii.

CONTENTS.

THE FABLES OF PHÆDRUS.

Book I.

Prose. Verse.

Prologue 365 473

Fable I. The Wolf and the Lamb 365 473

II. The Frogs asking for a King 366 474

III. The vain Jackdaw and the Peacock 367 475

IV. The Dog carrying some Meat across a River 368 476

V. The Cow, the She-Goat, the Sheep, and the Lion 368 476

VI. The Frogs’ complaint against the Sun 369 476

VII. The Fox and the Tragic Mask 369 477

VIII. The Wolf and the Crane 370 477

IX. The Sparrow and the Hare 370 478

X. The Wolf, the Fox, and the Ape 371 478

XI. The Ass and the Lion hunting 371 478

XII. The Stag at the Stream 372 479

XIII. The Fox and the Raven 372 480

XIV. The Cobbler turned Physician 373 480

XV. The Ass and the Old Shepherd 373 481

XVI. The Stag, the Sheep, and the Wolf 374 481

XVII. The Sheep, the Dog, and the Wolf 374 482

XVIII. The Woman in Labour 375 —

XIX. The Bitch and her Whelps 375 482

XX. The hungry Dogs 376 483

XXI. The aged Lion, the Wild Boar, the Bull, and the Ass 376 483

XXII. The Man and the Weasel 376 483

XXIII. The Faithful Dog 377 484

XXIV. The Frog and the Ox 378 484

XXV. The Dog and the Crocodile 377 485

XXVI. The Fox and the Stork 378 485

XXVII. The Dog, the Treasure, and the Vulture 379 486

XXVIII. The Fox and the Eagle 380 486

XXIX. The Ass deriding the Boar 380 —

XXX. The Frogs frightened at the Battle of the Bulls 380 487

XXXI. The Kite and the Pigeons 381 487

Book II.

Prologue 382 488

Fable I. The Lion, the Robber, and the Traveller 383 488

II. Two Women of different Ages beloved by the Middle-aged Man 383 489

III. The Man and the Dog 384 489

IV. The Eagle, the Cat, and the Sow 384 490

V. Cæsar to the Chamberlain 385 491

VI. The Eagle, the Crow, and the Tortoise 386 492

VII. The Mules and Robbers 387 492

VIII. The Stag and the Oxen 387 493

Epilogue 388 494

Book III.

Prologue, to Eutychus 390 497

Fable I. The Old Woman and the Cask 393 498

II. The Panther and Shepherd 394 498

III. Esop and the Farmer 395 —

IV. The Butcher and the Ape 395 499

V. Esop and the Insolent Man 395 499

VI. The Fly and the Mule 396 499

VII. The Dog and the Wolf 397 500

VIII. The Brother and Sister 398 501

IX. Socrates to his Friends 398 502

X. The Poet on Believing and not Believing 399 502

XI. The Eunuch to the Abusive Man 401 —

XI. The Cock and the Pearl 401 504

XII. The Bees and the Drones, the Wasp sitting as judge 402 505

XIII. Esop at play 402 505

XIV. The Dog to the Lamb 403 506

XV. The Grasshopper and the Owl 404 507

XVI. The Trees under the Protection of the Gods 405 508

XVII. The Peacock to Juno 405 509

XVIII. Esop’s Answer to the Inquisitive Man 406 509

Epilogue 407 —

Book IV.

Prologue 409 510

Fable I. The Ass and the Priests of Cybele 410 509

II. The Weasel and the Mice 411 510

III. The Fox and the Grapes 411 511

IV. The Horse and the Wild Boar 411 511

V. Esop interpreting a Will 412 512

VI. The Battle of the Mice and the Weasels 413 514

VII. The Poet’s Defence against the Censurers of his Fables 414 514

VIII. The Viper and the File 415 515

IX. The Fox and the Goat 415 516

X. Of the Vices of Men 416 516

XI. A Thief pillaging the Altar of Jupiter 416 517

XII. Hercules and Plutus 417 517

XIII. The Lion reigning 417 —

XIV. Prometheus 418 —

XV. The She-Goats and their Beards 418 518

XVI. The Pilot and the Mariners 419 518

XVII. The Embassy of the Dogs to Jupiter 419 —

XVIII. The Man and the Snake 420 519

XIX. The Fox and the Dragon 421 519

XX. Phædrus 422 520

XXI. The Shipwreck of Simonides 422 520

XXII. The Mountain in Labour 423 522

XXIII. The Ant and the Fly 424 522

XXIV. Simonides preserved by the Gods 425 523

Epilogue 426 524

Book V.

Prologue 427 526

Fable I. Demetrius and Menander 427 527

II. The Travellers and the Robber 428 528

III. The Bald Man and the Fly 429 529

IV. The Man and the Ass 429 529

V. The Buffoon and Countryman 429 530

VI. The Two Bald Men 431 532

VII. Princeps the Flute Player 431 532

VIII. The Emblem of Opportunity 433 534

IX. The Bull and the Calf 433 534

X. The Huntsman and the Dog 433 535

The New Fables—attributed to Phædrus.

Fable I. The Ape and the Fox 435

II. The Author 436

III. Mercury and the two Women 436

IV. Prometheus and Cunning 437

V. The Author 438

VI. The signification of the Punishments of Tartarus 438

VII. The Author 439

VIII. Æsop and the Author 439

IX. Pompeius Magnus and his Soldier 440

X. Juno, Venus, and the Hen 441

XI. The Father of a Family and Æsop 442

XII. The Philosopher and the Victor in the Gymnastic Games 442

XIII. The Ass and the Lyre 443

XIV. The Widow and the Soldier 443

XV. The Rich Suitor and the Poor One 444

XVI. Æsop and his Mistress 445

XVII. A Cock carried in a Litter by Cats 446

XVIII. The Sow bringing forth and the Wolf 446

XIX. The Runaway Slave and Æsop 447

XX. The Chariot Horse sold for the Mill 447

XXI. The Hungry Bear 448

XXII. The Traveller and the Raven 449

XXIII. The Shepherd and the She-Goat 449

XXIV. The Serpent and the Lizard 449

XXV. The Crow and the Sheep 450

XXVI. The Servant and the Master 450

XXVII. The Hare and the Herdsman 450

XXVIII. The Young Man and the Courtesan 451

XXIX. The Beaver 451

XXX. The Butterfly and the Wasp 452

XXXI. The Ground-Swallow and the Fox 453

Epilogue 453

Æsopian Fables—the authors of which are not known.

Fable I. The Sick Kite 454

II. The Hares tired of Life 454

III. Jupiter and the Fox 455

IV. The Lion and the Mouse 455

V. The Man and the Trees 456

VI. The Mouse and the Frog 456

VII. The Two Cocks and the Hawk 456

VIII. The Snail and the Ape 457

IX. The City Mouse and the Country Mouse 457

X. The Ass fawning upon his Master 458

XI. The Crane, the Crow, and the Countryman 459

XII. The Birds and the Swallow 459

XIII. The Partridge and the Fox 460

XIV. The Ass, the Ox, and the Birds 461

XV. The Lion and the Shepherd 461

XVI. The Goat and the Bull 462

XVII. The Horse and the Ass 462

XVIII. The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat 463

XIX. The Nightingale, the Hawk, and the Fowler 463

XX. The Wolf, the Fox, and the Shepherd 464

XXI. The Sheep and the Wolves 464

XXII. The Ape and the Fox 465

XXIII. The Wolf, the Huntsman, and the Shepherd 465

XXIV. The Truthful Man, the Liar, and the Apes 466

XXV. The Man and the Lion 467

XXVI. The Stork, the Goose, and the Hawk 467

XXVII. The Sheep and the Crow 468

XXVIII. The Ant and the Grasshopper 468

XXIX. The Horse and the Ass 469

XXX. The Old Lion and the Fox 469

XXXI. The Camel and the Flea 469

XXXII. The Kid and the Wolf 470

XXXIII. The Poor Man and the Serpent 470

XXXIV. The Eagle and the Kite 471