1.1 Lector reader intende attend laetāberis you will be glad
1.2 Fābulam a story tibi to you hōc at this tempore time nōn not Graecānicam Greek sed but Āfricānam African narrābō I shall tell quam which ipse I myself Carthāgine at Carthage nōn not sōlum only audīvī heard sed but etiam also ēmī bought
1.3 Illō in that annō year cum when ōrātiōnem a speech dē about psittacō the parrot ave a bird Indicā Indian apud before populum the people habitūrus essem I was about to deliver fāma a rumour per through forum the forum vagābātur was wandering psittacum a parrot quendam certain in in tabernā a shop aviāriā of birds vēnīre to be on sale quī who ubi where aurum gold latēret lay hidden scīret knew
1.4 Dīcēbant were saying hominēs people avem the bird nōn not ut as cēterās the other avēs birds salūtātiōnēs greetings aut or maledicta insults crepāre to chatter sed but verba words quaedam certain Pūnica Punic prōnūntiāre to utter quibus by which mercātor a merchant dīves rich nūper lately mortuus dead locum the place thēsaurī of the treasure suī his own prōdidisse to have betrayed putārētur was thought
1.5 Aliī some rīdēbant were laughing aliī others iam already digitīs on their fingers pecūniam the money numerābant were counting quasi as if nōn not avis a bird sed but aurum gold ipsum itself in in forō the forum vēnīret were on sale
1.6 Ego I vērō however quī who dē about psittacīs parrots plūra more things quam than ūllus any Carthāginiēnsis Carthaginian lēgissem had read facere to do nōn not potuī I was able quīn but that tabernam the shop ipse myself vīserem I should visit
1.7 Sciō I know quid what dictūrus sīs you are going to say cūriōsitātem curiosity quae which Lūcium Lucius meum my in into asinum an ass vertisset had turned mē me quoque also in into aliquam some bēluam beast versūram esse to be going to turn
1.8 Fortasse perhaps sed but philosophō for a philosopher quī who dē about ave a bird dictūrus est is going to speak avem the bird ipsam itself īnspicere to examine licet it is permitted et and cūriōsitās curiosity quae which aliōs others perdit ruins mē me semper always aluit has nourished
1.9 Dēscendī I went down igitur therefore ad to forum the forum per by gradūs the steps quī which ā from Byrsā the Byrsa ad towards portum the harbour vergunt slope et and tabernam the shop quaesīvī I sought quam which iam by now omnēs all mōnstrāre to point out poterant were able
2.1 Taberna the shop erat was angusta narrow et and obscūra dark plēna full caveārum of cages plēna full clāmōrum of cries plēna full odōris of a smell quem which nōn not libenter gladly dēscrībam I would describe
2.2 Columbae doves gemēbant were moaning perdīcēs partridges strīdēbant were screeching coturnīcēs quails quae which ad for pugnam fighting aluntur are reared iam already inter among sē themselves rixābantur were brawling
2.3 Dominus the master tabernae of the shop Magō Mago vocābātur was called homō a man senex old et and calvus bald quī who Latīnē in Latin male badly Pūnicē in Punic optimē very well Graecē in Greek omnīnō at all nōn not loquēbātur spoke
2.4 Is he ubi when mē me agnōvit recognised nam for faciem face meam my statuae to the statue meae my simillimam most like esse to be affirmābat he declared statim at once caveam a cage ex out of intimā the inmost tabernā shop prōtulit brought out pannō with a cloth nigrō black tēctam covered
2.5 Pannum the cloth dētrāxit he drew off et and in in caveā the cage sedēbat was sitting psittacus a parrot avis a bird columbā than a dove paulō a little minor smaller sed but colōre in colour longē far dissimilis unlike
2.6 Tōtus wholly enim for viridis green erat it was et both plūmulīs in its little feathers intimīs innermost et and pinnīs in its feathers extimīs outermost nisi except quod that cervīcem its neck circulus a ring mineus vermilion velut like aurea a golden torquis collar cingēbat was encircling
2.7 Rōstrum a beak habēbat it had dūrum hard et and aduncum hooked oculōs eyes parvōs small et and lūcidōs bright quibus with which mē me nōn not sine without contemptū contempt ut as mihi to me vidēbātur it seemed intuēbātur it was gazing at
2.8 Pedēs the feet eius of it īnspexī I examined ut as doctus a learned man solet is accustomed et and digitōs toes quīnōs five on each numerāvī I counted quod which signum sign avis of a bird ad for sermōnem speech hūmānum human aptissimae most apt esse to be scrīpseram I had written
2.9 Tum then Magō Mago narrāvit related avem the bird fuisse to have been Himilcōnis Himilco's nāviculāriī a shipowner dīvitis rich quī who mēnse in the month superiōre previous subitō suddenly mortuus esset had died testāmentō a will nūllō no factō having been made
2.10 Hērēdēs the heirs frātris of his brother fīlium the son Bomilcarem Bomilcar et and uxōrem his wife Saturnīnam Saturnina domum the house tōtam whole perscrūtātōs esse to have searched arcās chests effrēgisse to have broken open parietēs walls pulsāvisse to have knocked neque and not tamen however nummum a coin ūllum any repperisse to have found
2.11 Fāmam the report enim for fuisse to have been Himilcōnem Himilco trīgintā thirty talenta talents possidēre to possess inventa esse to have been found vix scarcely duo two mīlia thousands sēstertium of sesterces
2.12 Cum when autem however hērēdēs the heirs supellectilem the furniture vīliōrem cheaper sub under hastā the spear vēnderent were selling sē himself psittacum the parrot parvō for a small pretiō price ēmisse to have bought quod because nēmo no one avem a bird senem old et and rāvam hoarse emere to buy vellet wished
2.13 In in domō the house enim for Himilcōnis of Himilco caveam the cage pannō with a cloth semper always tēctam covered fuisse to have been et and avem the bird in in tenebrīs darkness plērumque for the most part tacuisse to have been silent
2.14 Sed but ubi when prīmum first in in tabernā the shop pannum the cloth dētrāxisset he had drawn off avem the bird haec these verba words Pūnica Punic clāmāre to cry coepisse to have begun quae which Magō Mago mihi for me statim at once Latīnē in Latin reddidit rendered
2.15 Sub under tertiō the third lapide stone Hannō Hanno sub under tertiō the third lapide stone
2.16 Addidit added Magō Mago Hannōnem Hanno vocārī to be called avem the bird ipsam itself id that enim for nōmen name Himilcōnem Himilco eī on it imposuisse to have imposed
2.17 Itaque and so tōtum the whole forum forum crēdere to believe avem the bird quod what ā from dominō its master moriente dying audīvisset it had heard id that nunc now nōmine with the name suō its own admixtō mixed in reddere to give back
2.18 Vix scarcely haec these things Magō Mago dīxerat had said cum when avis the bird quasi as if fābulam story suam its own narrārī to be told intellegeret it understood rōstrum its beak aperuit opened et and eadem the same verba words effūdit poured out nōn not suā in its own vōce voice sed but rāvā in the hoarse et and tremulā trembling vōce voice hominis of a man senis old
2.19 Fateor I confess mē myself inhorruisse to have shuddered vidēbar I seemed enim for mihi to myself mortuum a dead man quendam certain ē out of caveā the cage loquentem speaking audīre to hear
2.20 Senexne an old man erat was Himilcō Himilco interrogāvī I asked
2.21 Minimē by no means respondit replied Magō Mago vix scarcely quīnquāgintā fifty annōs years nātus born erat he was et and vōce a voice ūtēbātur he used gravī deep ac and rotundā round quālem such as nautae sailors amant love
3.1 Dum while haec these things mīror I marvel at ecce behold in into tabernam the shop inrumpunt burst duo two quōs whom hērēdēs heirs esse to be statim at once intellēxī I understood tam so ācriter fiercely enim for inter among sē themselves rixābantur they were quarrelling
3.2 Prior first intrāvit entered Bomilcar Bomilcar iuvenis a young man unguentīs with perfumes madidus dripping togā in a toga nimis too candidā white quī who sē himself Pūnicē in Punic loquī to speak nescīre not to know glōriābātur was boasting quasi as if linguam the tongue patrum of his fathers ignōrāre to be ignorant of Rōmānum a Roman facere to make posset could
3.3 Post after eum him Saturnīna Saturnina mulier a woman gravis dignified et and pullā in dark veste clothing quae who oculōs eyes dēmissōs lowered tenēbat was keeping linguam tongue nōn not item likewise
3.4 Bomilcar Bomilcar statim immediately Magōnem Mago adortus having assailed dēcem ten mīlia thousands sēstertium of sesterces prō for ave the bird obtulit offered
3.5 Saturnīna Saturnina duodecim twelve obtulit offered Bomilcar Bomilcar vīgintī twenty Magō Mago autem however quī who avem the bird quadringentīs for four hundred nummīs coins ēmerat had bought rīdēre laughed et and manūs his hands fricāre rubbed et and deōs the gods omnēs all Pūnicē in Punic invocāre invoked
3.6 Tum then ego I quī who hominum of the men īnsāniam the madness diūtius longer ferre to bear nōn not possem was able interrogāvī asked num whether tertium the third lapidem stone iam already quaesīvissent they had sought
3.7 Quaesīvimus we have sought inquit said Bomilcar Bomilcar et and quidem indeed nōn not ūnum one
3.8 Tertium the third lapidem stone līminis of the threshold ēvellimus we tore up tertium the third focī of the hearth tertium the third ātriī of the atrium tertium the third graduum of the steps quī which ad to horreum the warehouse dūcunt lead sub under omnibus all terra earth vermēs worms nihil nothing praetereā besides
3.9 Fortasse perhaps inquit said Saturnīna Saturnina nōn not ā from līmine the threshold numerandum est it must be counted sed but ā from pariete the wall
3.10 Fortasse perhaps avis the bird plūra more things scit knows quam than dīcit it says respondit answered Bomilcar Bomilcar
3.11 Ego I eam it emam shall buy et and clāviculā with a little rod ferreā iron caput the head eius of it tundam I shall beat dōnec until cētera the rest ēloquātur it speaks out
3.12 Hīc here ego I rīsum laughter tenēre to hold nōn not potuī I could
3.13 Docuī I informed eum him ex out of ōrātiōne speech meā my quam which iam already memoriā in memory tenēbam I was holding clāviculam the little rod illam that ferream iron pullīs to chicks tantum only prōdesse to be of use dum while ōs the mouth molle soft et and lingua the tongue tenera tender esset was
3.14 Psittacum a parrot autem however senem old et both indocilem unteachable esse to be et and oblīviōsum forgetful neque and not quicquam anything novī of new discere to learn sed but ea those things sōla only quae which pullus as a chick didicisset it had learned ad to fīnem the end vītae of life eādem with the same cantilēnā refrain repetere to repeat
3.15 Tum then linguam the tongue eī from it excīdam I shall cut out clāmāvit shouted Bomilcar Bomilcar
3.16 Etiam also hoc this scrīpsī I wrote inquam I say linguam the tongue excīdendam esse must be cut out ab by eō him quī who convīcia abuse audīre to hear nōlit does not wish tū you autem however verba words quaeris are seeking nōn not fugis are fleeing
3.17 Saturnīna Saturnina tum then prīmum for the first time oculōs her eyes sustulit raised et and mē me dīligentius more carefully aspexit looked at
4.1 Ego I autem however quem whom cūriōsitās curiosity iam now tōtum wholly possidēbat was possessing rem the matter nōn not ut as hērēs an heir sed but ut as philosophus a philosopher cōnsīderāre to consider coepī I began
4.2 Prīmum first mēcum with myself reputābam I was reckoning avem the bird senem old nihil nothing novī of new discere to learn
4.3 Igitur therefore verba the words illa those nōn not ā from Himilcōne Himilco moriente dying sed but multīs many ante before annīs by years cum when avis the bird adhūc still pullus a chick esset was ab from aliquō someone audīta esse to have been heard
4.4 Deinde next vōcem the voice illam that rāvam hoarse et and tremulam trembling nōn not Himilcōnis Himilco's esse to be quī who vōce a voice gravī deep et and nauticā sailor's ūterētur used sed but senis of an old man alicuius some
4.5 Postrēmō finally nōmen the name ipsum itself
4.6 Avis a bird enim for nōmen name suum its own nōn not nōvit knows neque and not sēcum with itself loquitur speaks quī whoever Hannō Hanno dīcit says Hannōnem a Hanno aliquem some appellat addresses
4.7 Itaque and so Magōnem Mago interrogāvī I asked num whether scīret he knew quandō when aut or unde from where Himilcō Himilco avem the bird accēpisset had received
4.8 Ille he caput his head calvum bald diū long fricuit rubbed deinde then sē himself ipsum himself avem the bird Himilcōnī to Himilco vēndidisse to have sold respondit he replied abhinc ago annōs years vīgintī twenty quīnque five iam already tum then senem old
4.9 Ēmisse to have bought sē himself eam it Uticae at Utica cum when bona the goods mercātōris of a merchant cuiusdam certain naufragiō in a shipwreck perditī lost vēnīrent were being sold
4.10 Nōmen the name mercātōris of the merchant sē himself nōn not meminisse to remember Himilcōnem Himilco autem however tum then iuvenem a young man pauperem poor avem the bird tantō with such studiō eagerness expetīvisse to have sought ut that pretium the price ā from sociīs comrades mūtuum as a loan sūmeret he took
4.11 Tum then Saturnīna Saturnina quae who diū long tacuerat had been silent pallēscere grew pale et and manum her hand ad to ōs her mouth admovēre moved
5.1 Hannō Hanno inquit she said Hannō Hanno Uticēnsis of Utica
5.2 Patrōnus the patron erat he was Himilcōnis of Himilco meī my
5.3 Tum then omnibus all tacentibus being silent narrāvit she related Himilcōnem Himilco puerum as a boy servum a slave fuisse to have been in in domō the house Hannōnis of Hanno senis an old man dīvitis rich et and sordidī mean quī who nocte by night sōlus alone in in cubiculō his bedroom nummōs coins numerāre to count et and sēcum with himself susurrāre to whisper solēret was accustomed
5.4 Puerum the boy ante before cubiculī of the bedroom forēs the doors dormīre to sleep iussum esse to have been ordered et and psittacī of the parrot pullī young cūram the care habēre to have caveam the cage enim for in in cubiculō the bedroom dominī of the master pendēre to hang
5.5 Hannōnem Hanno testāmentō by will Himilcōnī to Himilco lībertātem freedom dedisse to have given nihil nothing praetereā besides deinde then ad to Sardiniam Sardinia nāvigantem sailing naufragiō by shipwreck periisse to have perished
5.6 Bona the goods eius of him ad to propinquōs his relatives pervēnisse to have come quī who tamen however in in tōtā the whole domō house aurum gold nūllum no invēnissent had found et and īrātī angry omnia everything sub under hastā the spear vēndidissent had sold psittacum the parrot quoque also
5.7 Paucīs a few post afterwards mēnsibus by months Himilcōnem Himilco lībertum a freedman pauperrimum very poor nāvem a ship ēmisse to have bought deinde then alteram a second deinde then tertiam a third et and omnēs all dīxisse to have said Fortūnam Fortune eī on him arrīsisse to have smiled
5.8 Arrīsit smiled quidem indeed inquit said Saturnīna Saturnina sed but nōn not Fortūna Fortune
5.9 Avis the bird eī on him arrīsit smiled
5.10 Intellēxī I understood tum then tōtam the whole rem affair
5.11 Hannōnem Hanno senem old noctū by night locum the place aurī of the gold sēcum with himself susurrāre to whisper solitum esse to have been accustomed Sub under tertiō the third lapide stone Hannō Hanno sub under tertiō the third lapide stone haec these verba words pullum the chick audīvisse to have heard et and quod what puer the boy per through forēs the doors vix scarcely exaudīvisset had caught id that avem the bird eī to him per through multās many noctēs nights clārē clearly repetīvisse to have repeated
5.12 Mortuō dead Hannōne Hanno being Himilcōnem Himilco prīmum first avem the bird quae which sōla alone sēcrētum the secret dominī of the master scīret knew pecūniā with money mūtuā borrowed ēmisse to have bought nē lest quis anyone alius other eadem the same verba words audīret should hear et and intellegeret understand
5.13 Deinde then furtim secretly in into cubiculum the bedroom dominī of the master ingressum having entered tertium the third lapidem stone pavīmentī of the floor ēvellisse to have torn up et and quod what propinquī the relatives frūstrā in vain quaesīvissent had sought invēnisse to have found caveam the cage autem however ex from eō that tempore time per for vīgintī twenty quīnque five annōs years pannō with a cloth nigrō black tēxisse to have covered
6.1 Bomilcar Bomilcar autem however cui to whom nōn not fūrtum the theft patruī of his uncle sed but aurum the gold cūrae for a concern erat was Quid what ad to mē me clāmāvit shouted
6.2 Hannō Hanno iam now diū long mortuus est is dead et and propinquī the relatives eius of him quoque also
6.3 Ubi where est is aurum the gold Himilcōnis of Himilco
6.4 Trīgintā thirty talenta talents nōn not ēvānēscunt vanish
6.5 Saturnīna Saturnina nōn not statim at once respondit replied sed but psittacum the parrot diū for a long time intuita est gazed at quasi as if ab from eō it veniam pardon peteret she were asking
6.6 Deinde then fassa est she confessed sē herself quoque too aliquid something tacuisse to have kept silent
6.7 Himilcōnem Himilco quotannīs every year mēnse in the month quō in which Hannō Hanno periisset had perished Uticam to Utica nāvigāre to sail solitum esse to have been accustomed cum with crumēnā a purse gravī heavy et and cum with levī a light one redīre to return
6.8 Sē herself diū long crēdidisse to have believed marītum her husband amīcam a mistress ibi there habēre to have et and tandem at last annō in the year superiōre previous eum him clam secretly secūtam esse to have followed
6.9 Vīdisse to have seen sē herself Himilcōnem Himilco Uticae at Utica domum a house humilem humble prope near portum the harbour intrāre to enter ubi where anus an old woman caeca blind cum with nepōtibus grandchildren habitāret lived
6.10 Eam her fīliam the daughter esse to be Hannōnis of Hanno quam whom propinquī the relatives patris of her father post after naufragium the shipwreck nūdam stripped ēiēcissent had thrown out
6.11 Himilcōnem Himilco crumēnam the purse in into gremium the lap eius of her dēposuisse to have laid nec and not verbum a word ūllum any dīxisse to have said anum the old woman autem however manum the hand eius of him tetigisse to have touched et and dīxisse to have said Iterum again vēnistī you have come quisquis whoever es you are
6.12 Hīc here mihi to me rem the matter tōtam whole perpendentī weighing appāruit it became clear aurum the gold illud that bis twice ē out of tenebrīs darkness exiisse to have come out semel once cum when fūr a thief id it ē from terrā the earth ēruisset had dug out iterum a second time cum when fīliae to the daughter paulātim little by little redderētur it was being given back
6.13 Duo two things simul at once vēra true sunt are et both fūr a thief fuit was Himilcō Himilco et and reddidit he gave back
6.14 Nec nor quisquam anyone nostrum of us dīcere to say poterat was able utrum whether fūrtum the theft an or restitūtiō the restitution maior greater fuisset had been
7.1 Bomilcar Bomilcar haec these things audiēns hearing prīmum first rubēre reddened deinde then spūmāre foamed postrēmō finally Hannōnem Hanno Himilcōnem Himilco anum the old woman avem the bird omnēs all Latīnē in Latin et and quod which mīrārēris you would marvel at etiam even Pūnicē in Punic exsecrārī cursed
7.2 Tum then togam his toga collēgit he gathered et and ē out of tabernā the shop sē himself prōripuit rushed vīgintī twenty mīlia thousands sua his own sēcum with himself auferēns carrying off
7.3 Saturnīna Saturnina autem however manēbat was remaining
7.4 Rogāvī I asked eam her num whether avem the bird adhūc still emere to buy vellet she wished
7.5 Illa she respondit replied sē herself vōcem the voice illam that quae which marītum husband suum her et both dītāvisset had enriched et and cruciāvisset had tormented in in domō house suā her own ferre to bear nōn not posse to be able
7.6 Itaque and so ego I quī who ad to forum the forum dēscenderam had gone down ut in order that avem a bird īnspicerem I might examine eam it ēmī bought et and quidem indeed eō at that pretiō price quō at which Magō Mago ipse himself ēmerat had bought quadringentīs for four hundred nummīs coins
7.7 Magō Mago quidem indeed flēbat was weeping sed but avem a bird quae which nihil nothing iam any longer prōmitteret promised nēmo no one alius else plūris for more emere to buy volēbat was willing
7.8 Saturnīna Saturnina discēdēns departing mihi to me pannum the cloth nigrum black dedit gave quō with which Himilcō Himilco tot so many annōs years caveam the cage tēxerat had covered
7.9 Hōc this ūtere use inquit she said sī if quandō ever dormīre to sleep volēs you will wish
8.1 Psittacum the parrot domum home tulī I carried et and in in ātriō the atrium suspendī I hung up ubi where sōl the sun et and aura the breeze marīna of the sea eum it recreārent might refresh
8.2 Prīmīs in the first diēbus days nihil nothing aliud else dīxit it said quam than verba the words illa those Hannōnis of Hanno et and servī slaves meī my sub under omnibus all domūs of the house lapidibus stones tertiīs third fodere to dig coepērunt began dōnec until eōs them vetuī I forbade
8.3 Docēre to teach eum it cōnātus sum I tried ea those verba words quibus with which posteā afterwards prooemium the prologue Metamorphōseōn of the Metamorphoses meārum my clausī I closed Lector reader intende attend laetāberis you will be glad
8.4 Frūstrā in vain
8.5 Avis the bird enim for senex old erat was et and quod what in in ōrātiōne speech meā my dē about psittacīs parrots scrīpseram I had written id that in in mē me ipsō myself expertus sum I experienced avem the bird indocilem unteachable esse to be et and oblīviōsam forgetful omnium of all things praeter except ūnum one
8.6 Saepe often dē about hāc this ave bird noctū by night cōgitāvī I have thought
8.7 Ego I linguam the tongue Latīnam Latin nūllō no magistrō teacher praeeunte going before didicī learned et and quae what didicī I learned intellēxī I understood ille it magistrum a master habuit had et and nihil nothing intellēxit understood
8.8 Ille it tamen yet id that quod which audīverat it had heard fidēliter faithfully reddidit gave back nihil nothing addidit added nihil nothing mentītus est lied
8.9 Nōs we hominēs humans quī who intellegimus understand addidimus added trīgintā thirty talenta talents thēsaurum a treasure testāmentum a will et and nōmen a name avī to a bird quae which nōmen a name nūllum no habēbat had
8.10 Diū for a long time in in ātriō the atrium meō my pependit it hung et and quotiēns as often as sōl the sun occidēbat was setting vōce in the voice senis of the old man Uticēnsis of Utica dē about tertiō the third lapide stone susurrābat was whispering pannum the cloth autem however nigrum black numquam never adhibuī I applied
8.11 Ut as enim for Lūciō from Lucius meō my cauda the tail postrēma last dēcidit fell off ita so hominibus for men vōx the voice cōnscientiae of conscience postrēma last tacet falls silent
8.12 Hanc this fābulam story tibi to you lector reader Mīlēsiō in the Milesian mōre manner narrāvī I have told ut so that mīrārēris you might marvel sed but ipse I myself sī if vērum the truth fatērī to confess volō I wish quadringentīs for four hundred nummīs coins nōn not tam so much avem a bird ēmī I bought quam as fābulam a story
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