Note 1 — BOOK I.

When Athens)—Ver. 1. This probably alludes to the government of Solon, when Archon of Athens.

2. Pisistratus the Tyrant)—Ver. 5. From Suidas and Eusebius we learn that Æsop died in the fifty-fourth Olympiad, while Pisistratus did not seize the supreme power at Athens till the first year of the fifty-fifth. These dates, however, have been disputed by many, and partly on the strength of the present passage.

3. A Water-Snake)—Ver. 24. Pliny tells us that the “hydrus” lives in the water, and is exceedingly venomous. Some Commentators think that Phædrus, like Æsop, intends to conceal a political meaning under this Fable, and that by the Water-Snake he means Caligula, and by the Log, Tiberius. Others, perhaps with more probability, think that the cruelty of Tiberius alone is alluded to in the mention of the snake. Indeed, it is doubtful whether Phædrus survived to the time of Caligula: and it is more generally believed that the First and Second Books were written in the time of Augustus and Tiberius.

4. A Jackdaw, swelling)—Ver. 4. Scheffer thinks that Sejanus is alluded to under this image.

5. As a Dog swimming)—Ver. 9. Lessing finds some fault with the way in which this Fable is related, and with fair reason. The Dog swimming would be likely to disturb the water to such a degree, that it would be impossible for him to see with any distinctness the reflection of the meat. The version which represents him as crossing a bridge is certainly more consistent with nature.

6. And a Sheep)—Ver. 3. Lessing also censures this Fable on the ground of the partnership being contrary to nature; neither the cow, the goat, nor the sheep feed on flesh.

7. I am the strongest)—Ver. 9. Some critics profess to see no difference between “sum fortis” in the eighth line, and “plus valeo” here; but the former expression appears to refer to his courage, and the latter to his strength. However, the second and third reasons are nothing but reiterations of the first one, under another form. Davidson remarks on this passage: “I am not certain that the Poet meant any distinction; nay, there is, perhaps, a propriety in supposing that he industriously makes the Lion plead twice upon the same title, to represent more strongly by what unjust claims men in power often invade the property of another.”

8. Taking a wife)—Ver. 3. It has been suggested by Brotier and Desbillons, that in this Fable Phædrus covertly alludes to the marriage which was contemplated by Livia, or Livilla, the daughter of the elder Drusus and Antonia, and the wife of her first-cousin, the younger Drusus, with the infamous Sejanus, the minister and favourite of Tiberius, after having, with his assistance, removed her husband by poison. In such case, the Frogs will represent the Roman people, the Sun Sejanus, who had greatly oppressed them, and by Jupiter, Tiberius will be meant.

9. Has no brains)—Ver. 2. To make the sense of this remark of the Fox the more intelligible, we must bear in mind that the ancient masks covered the whole head, and sometimes extended down to the shoulders; consequently, their resemblance to the human head was much more striking than in the masks of the present day.

10. To be heedless)—Ver. 1. “Cavere” is a word of legal signification, meaning to give advice to a person by way of assistance or precaution, as a patron to his client.

11. Devoid of courage)—Ver. 1. Burmann suggests, with great probability, that Phædrus had here in mind those braggart warriors, who have been so well described by Plautus and Terence, under the characters of Pyrgopolynices and Thraso.

12. This new cause of astonishment)—Ver. 8. Never having heard the voice of an ass in the forests before.

13. From a window)—Ver. 3. Burmann suggests that the window of a house in which articles of food were exposed for sale, is probably meant.

14. By this story)—Ver. 13. Heinsius thinks this line and the next to be spurious; because, though Phædrus sometimes at the beginning mentions the design of his Fable, he seldom does so at the end. In this conjecture he is followed by Bentley, Sanadon, and many others of the learned.

15. Selling his antidote)—Ver. 3. “Antidotum” probably means a universal remedy, capable of curing all natural diseases, as well as neutralizing the effects of poison.

16. Trust your lives)—Ver. 15. He seems to pun upon the word “capita,” as meaning not only “the life,” but “the head,” in contradistinction to “the feet,” mentioned in the next line. As in l. 2 we find that he came to a place where he was not known, we must suppose that the Cobbler confessed to the King his former calling.

17. For a measure)—Ver. 3. Properly “modius;” the principal dry measure of the Romans. It was equal to one-third of the amphora, and therefore to nearly two gallons English.

18. Day comes)—Ver. 6. “Quum dies adveniat,” a law term, signifying “when the day of payment comes.”

19. Liars generally)—Ver. 1. It is supposed by some that this Fable is levelled against the informers who infested Rome in the days of Tiberius.

20. Her months completed)—Ver. 2. Plutarch relates this, not as a Fable, but as a true narrative.

21. Ready to whelp)—Ver. 3. Justin, B. I., c. 3, mentions this Fable with some little variation, as being related by a Ligurian to Comanus, the son of King Nannus, who had granted (about B.C. 540) some land to the Phocæans for the foundation of the city of Massilia; signifying thereby that the natives would be quickly dispossessed by the newcomers.

22. With flashing tusks)—Ver. 5. “Fulmineus,” “lightning-like,” is an epithet given by Ovid and Statius also, to the tusks of the wild boar; probably by reason of their sharpness and the impetuosity of the blow inflicted thereby. Scheffer suggests that they were so called from their white appearance among the black hair of the boar’s head.

23. Which was the bigger)—Ver. 8. “Quis major esset. Illi dixerunt Bovem.” Bentley censures this line, and thinks it spurious. In good Latin, he says “uter” would occupy the place of “quis,” and “bovem” would be replaced by “bos.”

24. It has been related)—Ver. 3. Pliny, in his Natural History, B. viii. c. 40, and Ælian, in his Various and Natural Histories, relate the same fact as to the dogs drinking of the Nile. “To treat a thing, as the dogs do the Nile,” was a common proverb with the ancients, signifying to do it superficially; corresponding with our homely saying, “To give it a lick and a promise.” Macrobius, in the Saturnalia, B. i. c. 2, mentions a story, that after the defeat at Mutina, when enquiry was made as to what had become of Antony, one of his servants made answer: “He has done what the dogs do in Egypt, he drank and ran away.”

25. Of minced meat)—Ver. 7. “Intritus cibus,” is thought here to signify a peculiar dish, consisting of bread soaked in milk, cheese, garlic, and other herbs.

26. Narrow-mouthed jar)—Ver. 8. The “lagena,” or “lagona,” was a long-necked bottle or flagon, made of earth, and much used for keeping wine or fruit.

27. The foreign bird)—Ver. 11. Alluding probably to the migratory habits of the stork, or the fact of her being especially a native of Egypt.

28. Human bones)—Ver. 3. This plainly refers to the custom which prevailed among the ancients, of burying golden ornaments, and even money, with the dead; which at length was practised to such an excess, that at Rome the custom was forbidden by law. It was probably practised to a great extent by the people of Etruria; if we may judge from the discoveries of golden ornaments frequently made in their tombs.

29. Gods the Manes)—Ver. 4. Perhaps by “Deos Manes” are meant the good and bad Genii of the deceased.

30. The ass, with legs)—Ver. 7. This line is somewhat modified in the translation.

31. When the powerful)—Ver. 1. This is similar to the line of Horace, “Quicquid delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi.”