Friday, July 3, 2009

Puer Oves Pascens (Trinity)

Source: This poem was composed by the anonymous "Trinity Master" who published a lovely little book in 1852 setting Latin fables in prose side-by-side with his verse compositions; read the book at Google Books.

Other Versions: For more versions, see Perry 210.

27. PUER OVES PASCENS

Tu verum colito: qui saepe fefellerit, isti
Postmodo non poterit, || quae prius, esse fides.
Mons fuit; inque iugis armentaque bucera servat
Forte Puer quidam || lanigerumque pecus.
Improbus, ut mos est pueris, "Succurrite," clamat
Saepius, "Agrestes: || en! lupus acer adest."
Nec mora: cultores subeunt operasque relinquunt.
Nempe ferus nusquam, || qui caperetur, erat.
Cum iuvenis demens ita saepe fefellit agrestes,
Ecce! Lupum tandem || prospicit inter oves.
Aethera tunc complet veris clamoribus, "Almi,
Auxilium, cives, || ferte repente mihi."
Decepti toties nolunt adiisse coloni;
Pastoremque simul || perdit et hostis oves.


Prose paraphrase:

Tu
verum colito:
qui saepe fefellerit,
postmodo
isti
non esse poterit
fides, quae prius.
Mons fuit;
et forte
Puer quidam
in iugis servat
et armenta bucera
et lanigerum pecus.
Improbus
saepius clamat,
ut mos est pueris,
"Succurrite, agrestes: en!
Lupus acer adest."
Nec mora:
cultores subeunt
et operas relinquunt.
Nempe
ferus nusquam erat,
qui caperetur.
Cum Iuvenis demens
ita saepe agrestes fefellit,
ecce!
tandem
inter oves
Lupum prospicit.
Tunc
clamoribus veris
aethera complet ,
"Cives almi,
repente
mihi auxilium ferte."
Coloni,
decepti toties,
adiisse nolunt;
et hostis
simul perdit
pastorem et oves.

Image. Here's an illustration for the fable (image source) by Milo Winter:



Word list thanks to NoDictionaries.com:


Tu verum colito: qui saepe fefellerit, isti
tu you
verus true, real, genuine, actual; properly named; well founded; right, fair, proper
colo live in, inhabit; till, cultivate, promote growth; foster, maintain
qui who, which
saepe often, oft, oftimes, many times, frequently
fallo deceive; slip by; disappoint; be mistaken, beguile, drive away; fail; cheat
iste that, that of yours, that which you refer to; such

Postmodo non poterit, || quae prius, esse fides.
postmodo afterwards, presently, later
non not, by no means, no
possum be able, can
qui who, which
prius earlier, before, previously, first
sum be; exist
fides faith, loyalty; honesty; credit; confidence, trust, belief; good faith

Mons fuit; inque iugis armentaque bucera servat
mons mountain; huge rock; towering heap
sum be; exist
in in, on, at; in accordance with/regard to/the case of; within
jugum yoke; team, pair; ridge, summit, chain
armentum herd; a head of cattle, individual bull/horse; cattle/horses
bucerus ox-horned; horned
servo watch over; protect, store, keep, guard, preserve, save

Forte Puer quidam || lanigerumque pecus.
fors chance; luck, fortune; accident
puer boy, lad, young man; servant; child
quidam a certain thing
laniger wool-bearing, fleecy; woolly
pecus cattle, herd, flock

Improbus, ut mos est pueris, "Succurrite," clamat
improbus wicked/flagrant; morally unsound; greedy/rude; immoderate; disloyal; shameless
ut to, in order that/to; how, as, when, while; even if
mos custom, habit; mood, manner, fashion; character, behavior, morals
sum be; exist
puer boy, lad, young man; servant; child
succurro run to the aid of, help
clamo proclaim, declare; cry/shout out; shout/call name of; accompany with shouts

Saepius, "Agrestes: || en! lupus acer adest."
saepe often, oft, oftimes, many times, frequently
agrestis rustic, inhabiting countryside; rude, wild, savage; of/passing through fields
en behold! see! lo! here! hey! look at this!
lupus wolf; grappling iron
acer sharp, bitter, pointed, piercing, shrill; sagacious, keen; severe, vigorous
assum be near, be present, be in attendance, arrive, appear; aid

Nec mora: cultores subeunt operasque relinquunt.
nec nor, and..not; not..either, not even
mora delay, hindrance, obstacle; pause
cultor inhabitant; husbandman/planter/grower; supporter; worshiper; who has interest
subeo go/move/pass/sink/extend underneath/into; climb/come/go up, ascend; steal in on
opera work, care; aid; service, effort/trouble
relinquo leave behind, abandon; be left, remain; bequeath

Nempe ferus nusquam, || qui caperetur, erat.
nempe truly, certainly, of course
ferusw ild, savage; uncivilized; untamed; fierce
nusquam nowhere; on no occasion
qui who, which
capio take hold, seize; grasp; take bribe; arrest/capture; put on; occupy; captivate
sum be; exist

Cum iuvenis demens ita saepe fefellit agrestes,
cum when, at the time/on each occasion/in the situation that; after; since/although
juvenis youth, young man/woman
demens out of one's mind/senses; demented, mad, wild, raving; reckless, foolish
ita thus, so; therefore
saepe often, oft, oftimes, many times, frequently
fallo deceive; slip by; disappoint; be mistaken, beguile, drive away; fail; cheat
agrestis rustic, inhabiting countryside; rude, wild, savage; of/passing through fields

Ecce! Lupum tandem || prospicit inter oves.
ecce behold! see! look! there! here!
lupus wolf; grappling iron
tandem finally; at last, in the end; after some time, eventually; at length
prospicio foresee; see far off; watch for, provide for, look out for
inter between, among; during
ovis sheep

Aethera tunc complet veris clamoribus, "Almi,
aether upper air; ether; heaven, sky; sky; space surrounding a deity
tunc then, thereupon, at that time
compleo fill; be big enough to fill; occupy space, crowd; furnish/supply/man
verus true, real, genuine, actual; properly named; well founded; right, fair, proper
clamor shout, outcry/protest; loud shouting, applause; clamor/noise/din
almus nourishing, kind, propitious; of a nurse/breast, providing nurture, fostering

Auxilium, cives, || ferte repente mihi."
auxilium help, assistance; remedy/antidote; supporting resource/force; auxiliaries
civis fellow citizen; countryman/woman; citizen, free person; a Roman citizen
fero bring, bear; tell/speak of; consider; carry off, win, receive, produce; get
repente suddenly, unexpectedly
ego I

Decepti toties nolunt adiisse coloni;
decipio cheat/deceive/mislead/dupe/trap; elude/escape notice; disappoint/frustrate/foil
toties as/so often, so many times, such a great number of times; that number of times
nolo be unwilling; wish not to; refuse to
adeo approach; attack; visit, address; undertake; take possession
colonus farmer, cultivator, tiller; tenant-farmer; settler, colonist; inhabitant

Pastoremque simul || perdit et hostis oves.
pastor shepherd, herdsman
simul at same time; likewise; also; simultaneously; at once
perdo ruin, destroy; lose; waste
et and, and even; also, even
hostis enemy; stranger, foreigner; the enemy
ovis sheep



Aesop's Fables in Latin now available at Amazon.com.

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