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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
Smart, Christopher (1722-1771)

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THE FABLES of PHÆDRUS, Freed Man of AUGUSTUS, After the Manner of ESOP. In FIVE BOOKS.
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THE FIRST BOOK OF THE FABLES of PHÆDRUS.
  
Prologue.
 I. 
FABLE I. The Wolf and the Lamb.
 II. 
FABLE II. The Frogs desiring a King.
 III. 
FABLE III. The vain Jackdaw.
 IV. 
FABLE IV. The Dog in the River.
 V. 
FABLE V. The Heifer, Goat, Sheep, and Lion.
 VI. 
FABLE VI. The Frogs and Sun.
 VII. 
FABLE VII. The Fox and Tragic Mask.
 VIII. 
FABLE VIII. The Wolf and Crane.
 IX. 
FABLE IX. The Hare and the Sparrow.
 X. 
FABLE X. The Wolf and Fox, with the Ape for their Judge.
 XI. 
FABLE XI. The Ass and Lion hunting.
 XII. 
FABLE XII. The Stag at the Fountain.
 XIII. 
FABLE XIII. The Fox and the Crow.
 XIV. 
FABLE XIV. The Cobler turn'd Doctor.
 XV. 
FABLE XV. The sapient Ass.
 XVI. 
FABLE XVI. The Sheep, the Stag, and the Wolf.
 XVII. 
FABLE XVII. The Sheep, the Dog, and the Wolf.
 XVIII. 
FABLE XVIII. The Woman in Labour.
 XIX. 
FABLE XIX. The Bitch and her Puppies.
 XX. 
FABLE XX. The hungry Dogs.
 XXI. 
FABLE XXI. The Old Lion.
 XXII. 
FABLE XXII. The Man and the Weasel.
 XXIII. 
FABLE XXIII. The faithful House-Dog.
 XXIV. 
FABLE XXIV. The proud Frog.
 XXV. 
FABLE XXV. The Dog and the Crocodile.
 XXVI. 
FABLE XXVI. The Fox and the Stork.
 XXVII. 
FABLE XXVII. The Dog, Treasure, and Vulture.
 XXVIII. 
FABLE XXVIII. The Fox and Eagle.
 XXIX. 
FABLE XXIX. The Frogs and Bulls.
 XXX. 
FABLE XXX. The Kite and the Doves.
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THE SECOND BOOK OF THE FABLES of PHÆDRUS.
  
Prologue.
 I. 
FABLE I. The judicious Lion.
 II. 
FABLE II. The Bald-pate Dupe.
 III. 
FABLE III. The Man and the Dog.
 IV. 
FABLE IV. The Eagle, the Cat, and the Sow.
 V. 
FABLE V. Cæsar and his Slave.
 VI. 
FABLE VI. The Eagle, Carrion Crow, and the Tortoise.
 VII. 
FABLE VII. The Mules and Robbers.
 VIII. 
FABLE VIII. The Stag and the Oxen.
  
Epilogue.
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THE THIRD BOOK OF THE FABLES of PHÆDRUS.
  
Prologue to Eutychus.
 I. 
FABLE I. The Old Woman and Empty Cask.
 II. 
FABLE II. The Panther and Shepherds.
 III. 
FABLE III. The Ape's Head.
 IV. 
FABLE IV. Æsop and the insolent Fellow.
 V. 
FABLE V. The Fly and the Mule.
 VI. 
FABLE VI. The Dog and the Wolf.
 VII. 
FABLE VII. The Brother and Sister.
 VIII. 
FABLE VIII. A Saying of Socrates.
 IX. 
FABLE IX. Of Doubt and Credulity.
 X. 
FABLE X. The Eunuch and Wicked Fellow.
 XI. 
FABLE XI. The Cock and the Pearl.
 XII. 
FABLE XII. The Bees and the Drones.
 XIII. 
FABLE XIII. Esop playing.
 XIV. 
FABLE XIV. The Dog and the Lamb.
 XV. 
FABLE XV. The Owl and the Grashopper.
 XVI. 
FABLE XVI. The Trees protected.
 XVII. 
FABLE XVII. Juno and the Peacock.
 XVIII. 
FABLE XVIII. Esop and the importunate Fellow.
 XIX. 
FABLE XIX. The Ass and Priests of Cybele.
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THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE FABLES of PHÆDRUS.
  
Prologue.
 I. 
FABLE I. The Weasel and Mice.
 II. 
FABLE II. The Fox and the Grapes.
 III. 
FABLE III. The Horse and Boar.
 IV. 
FABLE IV. Esop and the Will.
 V. 
FABLE V. The Battle of the Mice and Weasels.
 VI. 
FABLE VI. Phædrus to the Cavillers.
 VII. 
FABLE VII. The Viper and the File.
 VIII. 
FABLE VIII. The Fox and the Goat.
 IX. 
FABLE IX. The Two Bags.
 X. 
FABLE X. The sacrilegious Thief.
 XI. 
FABLE XI. Hercules and Plutus.
 XII. 
FABLE XII. The He-Goats and She-Goats.
 XIII. 
FABLE XIII. The Pilot and Sailors.
 XIV. 
FABLE XIV. The Man and the Adder.
 XV. 
FABLE XV. The Fox and the Dragon.
 XVI. 
FABLE XVI. Phædrus of his Fables.
 XVII. 
FABLE XVII. The Shipwreck of Simonides.
 XVIII. 
FABLE XVIII. The Mountain in Labour.
 XIX. 
FABLE XIX. The Ant and the Fly.
 XX. 
FABLE XX. The Escape of Simonides.
  
Epilogue to Eutychus.
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THE FIFTH BOOK OF THE FABLES of PHÆDRUS.
  
Prologue to Particulo.
 I. 
FABLE I. Demetrius and Menander.
 II. 
FABLE II. The Thief and the Travellers.
 III. 
FABLE III. The Bald Man and the Fly.
 IV. 
FABLE IV. The Man and the Ass.
 V. 
FABLE V. The Buffoon and Country-Fellow.
  
To Particulo.
 VI. 
FABLE VI. The Two Bald Men.
 VII. 
FABLE VII. Prince the Piper.
 VIII. 
FABLE VIII. Opportunity.
 IX. 
FAB. IX. The Bull and the Calf.
 X. 
FABLE X. The old Dog and the Huntsman.
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THE APPENDIX OF GUDIUS.
 I. 
FABLE I. The Sick Kite.
 II. 
FABLE II. The Hares weary of Life.
 III. 
FABLE III. Jupiter and the Fox.
 IV. 
FABLE IV. The Lion and the Mouse.
 V. 
FABLE V. The Man and the Trees .

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71

FABLE VIII. The Stag and the Oxen.

A Stag unharbour'd by the hounds,
Forth from his woodland covert bounds,
And blind with terror, at th'alarm
Of death, makes to a neighb'ring farm;
There snug conceals him in some straw,
Which in an Ox's stall he saw.
“Wretch that thou art! (a bullock cry'd)
“That com'st within this place to hide,
“By trusting man you are undone,
“And into sure destruction run.”
But he with suppliant voice replies,
“Do you but wink with both your eyes,
“I soon shall my occasions shape,
“To make from hence a fair escape.”
The day is spent, the night succeeds,
The herdsman comes, the cattle feeds,
But nothing sees—then to and fro
Time after time the servants go;
Yet not a soul perceives the case.
The steward passes by the place,
Himself no wiser than the rest—
The joyful Stag his thanks addrest
To all the Oxen, that he there
Had found a refuge in despair.
73

“We wish you well (an Ox return'd)
“But for your life are still concern'd,
“For if old Argus comes, no doubt,
“His hundred eyes will find you out.”
Scarce had the speaker made an end,
When from the supper of a friend
The master enters at the door,
And (seeing that the steers were poor
Of late) advances to the rack.
“Why were the fellows hands so slack—
“Here's hardly any straw at all,
“Brush down those cobwebs from the wall.
“Pray how much labour would it ask?”—
While thus he undertakes the task,
To dust, and rummage by degrees,
The Stag's exalted horns he sees.—
Then calling all his folks around,
He lays him breathless on the ground.
The master (as the tale declares)
Looks sharpest to his own affairs.
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