A Poetical Translation Of The Fables of Phaedrus With The Appendix of Gudius, And an accurate Edition of the Original on the opposite Page. To which is added, A Parsing Index For the Use of Learners. By Christopher Smart |
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VIII. |
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XI. |
XII. |
XIII. |
XIV. |
XV. | FABLE XV. The sapient Ass. |
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XVIII. |
XIX. |
XX. |
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XXII. |
XXIII. |
XXIV. |
XXV. |
XXVI. |
XXVII. |
XXVIII. |
XXIX. |
XXX. |
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A Poetical Translation Of The Fables of Phaedrus | ||
FABLE XV. The sapient Ass.
In all the changes of a state,
The poor are the most fortunate,
Who, save the name of him they call
Their king, can find no odds at all.
The poor are the most fortunate,
Who, save the name of him they call
Their king, can find no odds at all.
The truth of this you now may read—
A fearful old man in a mead,
While leading of his Ass about,
Was startled at the sudden shout
Of enemies approaching nigh—
He then advis'd the Ass to fly,
Lest we be taken in the place;
But loth at all to mend his pace,
“Pray will the conqueror,” quoth Jack,
“With double panniers load my back?”
“No,” says the man—“If that's the thing,”
Cries he, “I care not who is king.”
A fearful old man in a mead,
While leading of his Ass about,
Was startled at the sudden shout
Of enemies approaching nigh—
He then advis'd the Ass to fly,
Lest we be taken in the place;
But loth at all to mend his pace,
“Pray will the conqueror,” quoth Jack,
“With double panniers load my back?”
“No,” says the man—“If that's the thing,”
Cries he, “I care not who is king.”
A Poetical Translation Of The Fables of Phaedrus | ||