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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 | A Poetical Translation Of The Fables of Phaedrus |  |
FABLE V. The Fly and the Mule.
A Fly, that set upon the beam
Rated the Mule—“Why sure you dream?
“Pray get on faster with the cart
“Or I shall sting you till you smart!”—
She answers, “All this talk I hear
“With small attention, but must fear
“Him who upon the box sustains
“The pliant whip, and holds the reins.
“Cease then your pertness—for I know
“When to give back, and when to go.”
Rated the Mule—“Why sure you dream?
“Pray get on faster with the cart
“Or I shall sting you till you smart!”—
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“With small attention, but must fear
“Him who upon the box sustains
“The pliant whip, and holds the reins.
“Cease then your pertness—for I know
“When to give back, and when to go.”
This tale derides the talking crew,
Whose empty threats are all they do.
Whose empty threats are all they do.
| A Poetical Translation Of The Fables of Phaedrus | |