MORALE.

Intellige per gemmam, artem et sapientiam; per gallum, hominem stolidum et voluptarium; nec stulti amant liberales artes, cum nesciant usum earum; nec voluptarius, quippe voluptas sola placeat ei.

FABULA II.

DE CANE ET UMBRA.

CANIS tranans fluvium, vehebat carnem* rictu; sole splendente, umbra carnis* lucebat in aquis; quam ille videns, et avidè captans, perdidit quod erat in faucibus:t itaque, perculsust jacturâ et rei et spei, primum stupuit; deinde recipiens animum sic elatravit: miser! modus deerats tuæ cupiditati; erat satis superque, ni desipuisses.¶ Jam, per tuam stultitiam, est minus nihilo tibi.

MORALE.

Sit modus tuæ cupiditati, nè amittas certa pro incertis.

FABULA III.

DE LUPO ET GRUE.

Dum lupus vorat ovem, forte ossa hæsêre*: ** in gulâ; ambit, orat opem, nemo opi

MORAL.

Understand by the jewel, art and wisdom; by the cock, a man foolish and voluptuous; neither do fools love liberal arts, since they know not the use of them; nor a voluptuous man, because pleasure alone pleases him.

FABLE II.

OF THE DOG AND THE SHADOW.

A DOG Swimming over a river, carried flesh in his chops; the sun shining, the shadow of the flesh shone in the waters; which he seeing, and greedily catching at, lost what was in his jaws: therefore, struck with the loss both of the thing and his hope, at first he was amazed; afterwards taking courage thus he barked out: wretch! moderation was wanting to thy desire; there was enough, and too much, unless thou hadst been mad. Now, thro' thy folly, there is less than nothing for thee.

MORAL.

Let there be moderation to thy desire, lest thou lose certain things for uncertain.

FABLE III.

OF THE WOLF AND THE CRANE.

Whilst a wolf devoureth a sheep, by chance the bones

§ Desum. ¶ Desipio.

stuck in his throat; he goes about, asks help, nobody assists; all say, that he had gotten the reward of his greediness: At length, with many flatteries and more promises, he prevails upon the crane, that, her very long neck being thrust into his throat, she would pull out the bone fixed in. But he played upon her asking a reward, saying, fool, go away, hast thou not enough, that thou livest? Thou owest thy life to me; if I would, I was able to bite off thy neck.

MORAL.

What thou doest for the ungrateful, perisheth.

FABLE IV.

OF THE COUNTRYMAN AND THE SNAKE.

A countryman brought home a snake found in the snow, almost dead with the cold; he lays him to the fire; the snake recovering strength and poison, then not bearing the flame, filled all the cottage with hissing. The countryman snatching a stake runs up, and expostulates the injury with him in words and blows; whether he would return these thanks? whether he would take life from him, who had given life to him?

† Eneco.

FABULA VII.

DE CORVO ET VULPECULA.

Corvus nactus prædam, strepitat in ramis: vulpecula videt eum gestientem, accurrit: Vulpes, inquit, impertit corvum plurimâ salute. Sæpenumero audiveram, famam esse mendacem, jam experior re ipsa: Nam, ut fortè prætereo hàc, suspiciens te in arbore, advolo, culpans famam: Nam fama est, te esse nigriorem pice,t et video te candidiorem nive. Sanè in meo judicio vincis cygnos, et es formosior albâ hederâ. Quod si, ut excellas in plumis, ita et voce, equi

* Præstolor.

her to fly up, and from on high to throw down the cockle upon the stones; for that so it would be, that the cockle would be broken. The jackdaw stays on the ground, that she may watch the fall: The eagle throws it down; the shell is broken; the fish is snatched away by the jackdaw; the deluded eagle grieves.

MORAL.

Be not willing to have faith in all men, and do you look into the counsel, which you have received from others; for many being consulted do not counsel for their consultors, but for themselves.

FABLE VII.

OF THE CROW AND THE FOX.

A crow having gotten a prey, makes a noise in the branches: the fox sees him rejoicing, runs up: The fox, says he, compliments the crow with very much health. Very often had I heard, that fame was a liar, now I find it in the fact itself: For, as by chance I pass by this way, seeing you in the tree, I fly to you, blaming fame: For the report is, that you are blacker than pitch, and I see you whiter than snow. Truly in my judgment you surpass the swans, and are fairer than

† Pix.