Said the far darter to the gods on high,
"Not one can farther shoot or throw than I."
In sport great Jove Apollo's challenge took,
And quick the lots in Mars' cap Hermes shook.
Luck was with Phoebus. Soon the golden bow
And string he circles, lets the arrow go,
And shoots within the gardens of the West.
Said Jove, when the same range his feet had prest,
"Space fails me, boy. To what point can I shoot?"
Thus without shaft he won the arrow's fruit.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 68.
Showing posts with label Davies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Davies. Show all posts
Monday, November 21, 2011
Davies: The Wild Ass and the Lion
Chase partners were the lion and wild ass:
That did in prowess, this in speed surpass:
A booty of fat beasts their hunt supplied,
Which into three the lion would divide.
"This first," said he, "as foremost, I shall take
In right of kinghood. That my equal stake
Marks as my part. And, for the hindmost lot,
'Twill cause you hurt, unless you flee, I wot."
Measure your strength, nor, with a man more strong,
To company or partnership belong.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius.
That did in prowess, this in speed surpass:
A booty of fat beasts their hunt supplied,
Which into three the lion would divide.
"This first," said he, "as foremost, I shall take
In right of kinghood. That my equal stake
Marks as my part. And, for the hindmost lot,
'Twill cause you hurt, unless you flee, I wot."
Measure your strength, nor, with a man more strong,
To company or partnership belong.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius.
Davies: The Man with Two Wallets
Prometheus was a god, an elder god:
Man, the brutes' lord, he fashion'd of the sod,
'Tis said, and round his neck two wallets hung,
Full of all ills that rise mankind among:
One holding others' faults in front was thrown;
The larger, slung behind him, held his own.
Hence others' falls, methinks, men clearly see,
But when one should look homeward, blind are we!
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 66.
Man, the brutes' lord, he fashion'd of the sod,
'Tis said, and round his neck two wallets hung,
Full of all ills that rise mankind among:
One holding others' faults in front was thrown;
The larger, slung behind him, held his own.
Hence others' falls, methinks, men clearly see,
But when one should look homeward, blind are we!
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 66.
Davies: The Crane and the Peacock
To a bright-plumaged peacock smart and vain
This sharp retort fell from an ashen crane:
"Through these dull wings, whose colour you decry,
I scream aloft, in starry heights I fly.
You, cock-like, flap your wings. The tail you spread
With all its gold, is never seen o'erhead."
Rather would I in threadbare coat aspire
Than live inglorious, tho' in rich attire.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 65.
This sharp retort fell from an ashen crane:
"Through these dull wings, whose colour you decry,
I scream aloft, in starry heights I fly.
You, cock-like, flap your wings. The tail you spread
With all its gold, is never seen o'erhead."
Rather would I in threadbare coat aspire
Than live inglorious, tho' in rich attire.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 65.
Davies: The Fir-Tree and the Bramble
A fir tree and a bramble disagreed,
For the fir alway paid to self the meed
Of praise, "I'm fine, well-grown in point of size:
And my straight top is neighbour to the skies;
'Tis I am roof of mansions, keel of ships:
So much my comeliness all trees outstrips."
To whom the bramble said, "Keep well in view
The axe, whose business is thy trunk to hew,
And saws that cut thee: haply thou'lt prefer
To be the bramble rather than the fir."
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 64.
Click here for a SLIDESHOW of all the Rackham images. I like the subtle way that Rackham turns the plants into something like people!
For the fir alway paid to self the meed
Of praise, "I'm fine, well-grown in point of size:
And my straight top is neighbour to the skies;
'Tis I am roof of mansions, keel of ships:
So much my comeliness all trees outstrips."
To whom the bramble said, "Keep well in view
The axe, whose business is thy trunk to hew,
And saws that cut thee: haply thou'lt prefer
To be the bramble rather than the fir."
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 64.
Click here for a SLIDESHOW of all the Rackham images. I like the subtle way that Rackham turns the plants into something like people!
M0722 Perry304
Davies: The Mule
A mule in lazy manger fed on hay
And, fresh with corn, began to leap and say,
Kicking his heels, "A racer is my dam,
And I for her a match in fleetness am!"
Yet with sad visage soon his course he check'd,
Constrain'd his sire the ass to recollect.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 62.
And, fresh with corn, began to leap and say,
Kicking his heels, "A racer is my dam,
And I for her a match in fleetness am!"
Yet with sad visage soon his course he check'd,
Constrain'd his sire the ass to recollect.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 62.
Davies: The Mouse that Fell into the Pot
A mouse into a lid-less broth pot fell;
Choked with the grease and bidding life farewell,
He said, "My fill of meat and drink have I,
And all good things; 'tis time that I should die."
Thou art that dainty mouse among mankind,
If hurtful sweets are not by thee declined.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 60.
Choked with the grease and bidding life farewell,
He said, "My fill of meat and drink have I,
And all good things; 'tis time that I should die."
Thou art that dainty mouse among mankind,
If hurtful sweets are not by thee declined.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 60.
Davies: Jove's Cask
Jove in a cask all blessings pack'd and hid,
A charge for man: but first secured the lid.
Unbridled man, agog to scan the gift
And its contents, essay'd the top to lift.
Releas'd, each blessing mounted to the sky
And would not bide below, when free to fly.
Hope only tarried. Her the lid secured
When closed at last. And thus hath Hope endured
In human homes. In her sole form we see
Earnest of all the goods that then did flee.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 58.
A charge for man: but first secured the lid.
Unbridled man, agog to scan the gift
And its contents, essay'd the top to lift.
Releas'd, each blessing mounted to the sky
And would not bide below, when free to fly.
Hope only tarried. Her the lid secured
When closed at last. And thus hath Hope endured
In human homes. In her sole form we see
Earnest of all the goods that then did flee.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 58.
Davies: Jupiter and the Monkey
A baby show with prizes Jove decreed
For all the beasts and gave the choice due heed.
A monkey mother came among the rest,
A naked, snub-nosed pug upon her breast
She bore, in mother's fashion. At the sight
Assembled gods were moved to laugh outright.
Said she, "Jove knoweth where his prize will fall;
I know my child's the beauty of them all!"
This Fable will a general law attest:
That each one deems that what's his own is best.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius.
For all the beasts and gave the choice due heed.
A monkey mother came among the rest,
A naked, snub-nosed pug upon her breast
She bore, in mother's fashion. At the sight
Assembled gods were moved to laugh outright.
Said she, "Jove knoweth where his prize will fall;
I know my child's the beauty of them all!"
This Fable will a general law attest:
That each one deems that what's his own is best.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius.
Davies: The Ox and the Ass
With a she-ass, best shift his means allow'd
A tiller yoked his only ox, and plough'd.
When these he was preparing to unyoke,
Their work being over, thus the ass bespoke
The ox: "Who carries home the old man's gear?"
"The beast whose wont it is," said he, "'tis clear."
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 55.
A tiller yoked his only ox, and plough'd.
When these he was preparing to unyoke,
Their work being over, thus the ass bespoke
The ox: "Who carries home the old man's gear?"
"The beast whose wont it is," said he, "'tis clear."
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 55.
Davies: The Wolf and the Fox
A hapless fox fell in a wild wolf's way
And pray'd him her old life to spare, not slay.
"I will, by Pan, I will," the wolf replied,
"If in thy next three words thou hast not lied."
"Well: first then," said she, "would we had not met!"
Next that a blind wolf had my path beset!
And third, and last," she added, "go for ever:
I trust from this day forth to meet thee never!"
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 53.
And pray'd him her old life to spare, not slay.
"I will, by Pan, I will," the wolf replied,
"If in thy next three words thou hast not lied."
"Well: first then," said she, "would we had not met!"
Next that a blind wolf had my path beset!
And third, and last," she added, "go for ever:
I trust from this day forth to meet thee never!"
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 53.
Davies: The Driver and the Waggon
Strong bulls to town upon their shoulders drew
A four wheel'd wain. Its creakings were not few.
Then was the driver wroth and drawing near
He spoke so plain it could not choose but hear,
"Thou worst of goods, will not thy groaning cease,
Though they, whose shoulders draw thee, hold their peace?"
It is a base man's way to raise a moan
As if the toil of others were his own.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 52.
A four wheel'd wain. Its creakings were not few.
Then was the driver wroth and drawing near
He spoke so plain it could not choose but hear,
"Thou worst of goods, will not thy groaning cease,
Though they, whose shoulders draw thee, hold their peace?"
It is a base man's way to raise a moan
As if the toil of others were his own.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 52.
Davies: The Widow and the Sheep
A widow kept at home a single sheep
Out of whose fleece a larger gain to reap
She clipp'd it rudely, press'd the shears too near
Its flesh, and kept them not from wounding clear.
The smarting sheep cried, "Do not torture me!
My blood in weight will small addition be.
Nay, mistress, nay! My flesh if you require,
To kill me quick, a practis'd butcher hire,
But if 'tis fleece and wool, not flesh, you need, Shearers will shear me, yet not make me bleed."
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 51.
Out of whose fleece a larger gain to reap
She clipp'd it rudely, press'd the shears too near
Its flesh, and kept them not from wounding clear.
The smarting sheep cried, "Do not torture me!
My blood in weight will small addition be.
Nay, mistress, nay! My flesh if you require,
To kill me quick, a practis'd butcher hire,
But if 'tis fleece and wool, not flesh, you need, Shearers will shear me, yet not make me bleed."
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 51.
Davies: The Workman and Fortune
Close to a well a workman slept one night,
Unwittingly. But Fortune met his sight.
He seem d to hear, "What ho there, sirrah, wake!
Lest of thy tumble I the blame should take
Among mankind and earn an uglier name:
For each man's trips and haps I bear the blame,
Howe'er his own the fault, 'tis just the same."
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 49.
Unwittingly. But Fortune met his sight.
He seem d to hear, "What ho there, sirrah, wake!
Lest of thy tumble I the blame should take
Among mankind and earn an uglier name:
For each man's trips and haps I bear the blame,
Howe'er his own the fault, 'tis just the same."
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 49.
Davies: The Sick Stag
A stag whose lissome joints grew stiff had made
A grassy couch outside a woodland shade,
Hence ample fodder to his need he found.
Till soon, to see their neighbour, gathered round
Whole tribes of beasts (a right good neighbour he!) Each came, and each with his supplies made free
By thoughtless nibbling, ere it sought the wood.
Thus sank, not by disease, but want of food,
A stag that scarce had yet two crow-lives told:
Had he lack'd friends, he haply had died old!"
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 46.
A grassy couch outside a woodland shade,
Hence ample fodder to his need he found.
Till soon, to see their neighbour, gathered round
Whole tribes of beasts (a right good neighbour he!) Each came, and each with his supplies made free
By thoughtless nibbling, ere it sought the wood.
Thus sank, not by disease, but want of food,
A stag that scarce had yet two crow-lives told:
Had he lack'd friends, he haply had died old!"
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 46.
Davies: The Bulls and the Lion
Three bulls together in one pasture grazed.
Of seizing these a lion's hopes were raised;
He thought their union all his aims would foil,
So with deep festering slanders to embroil
The friends he bent his mind. Asunder they
Became in turns the lion's easy prey.
If thou wouldst live securely to the end,
Distrust a foe but hold thou fast a friend.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 44.
Of seizing these a lion's hopes were raised;
He thought their union all his aims would foil,
So with deep festering slanders to embroil
The friends he bent his mind. Asunder they
Became in turns the lion's easy prey.
If thou wouldst live securely to the end,
Distrust a foe but hold thou fast a friend.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 44.
Davies: The Dog and the Cook
High feast a cit was holding at the end
Of sacrifice. His house dog ask'd a friend
Whom he had met to come and share his meal.
He came. The cook upraised him by the heel
And toss'd him o'er the wall into the street,
Whom when each dog did with the question greet, "What cheer?" he said, "What more could be desired, When I scarce know by what way I retired?"
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 42.
Click here for a SLIDESHOW of all the Tenniel-Wolf images. What a great illustration: you can see the friendly dog of the house who issued the invitation up there in the window with the cook!
Of sacrifice. His house dog ask'd a friend
Whom he had met to come and share his meal.
He came. The cook upraised him by the heel
And toss'd him o'er the wall into the street,
Whom when each dog did with the question greet, "What cheer?" he said, "What more could be desired, When I scarce know by what way I retired?"
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 42.
Click here for a SLIDESHOW of all the Tenniel-Wolf images. What a great illustration: you can see the friendly dog of the house who issued the invitation up there in the window with the cook!
M0381 Perry328
Davies: The Lizard
'Tis said a lizard burst its back in twain
In vain attempts a dragon's size t'attain.
Hurt to thyself will be thy certain fate,
If men far higher thou shouldst imitate.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 41.
In vain attempts a dragon's size t'attain.
Hurt to thyself will be thy certain fate,
If men far higher thou shouldst imitate.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 41.
Davies: The Dolphins and the Crab
'Twixt whales and dolphins there was difference great:
And to them came a crab to mediate.
Just as in states, if one of small renown
Should act peacemaker for each rival crown.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 39.
And to them came a crab to mediate.
Just as in states, if one of small renown
Should act peacemaker for each rival crown.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 39.
Davies: The Pine
Some woodmen bent a forest pine to split
Into each fissure sundry wedges fit
To keep the void and render work more light.
Out groan d the pine, "Why should I vent my spite
Against the axe which never touch'd my root,
So much as these curst wedges, mine own fruit,
Which rend me through inserted here and there!"
A fable this, intended to declare,
That not so dreadful is a stranger's blow
As wrongs which men receive from those they know.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 38.
Into each fissure sundry wedges fit
To keep the void and render work more light.
Out groan d the pine, "Why should I vent my spite
Against the axe which never touch'd my root,
So much as these curst wedges, mine own fruit,
Which rend me through inserted here and there!"
A fable this, intended to declare,
That not so dreadful is a stranger's blow
As wrongs which men receive from those they know.
Source: Davies: Fables of Babrius = Babrius 38.
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