The following fable is actually not a fable at all, as it is about
human beings. It is a joke: a woman about to give birth is lying in pains on
the ground. Her husband admonishes her to lie on bed, but she refuses to go
back to the place where the trouble started in the first place. Ha-ha! Well, I
have some pregnant friends and this fable might be of use.
Phaedrus XVIII. Mulier Parturiens
Nemo libenter recolit qui laesit locum.
Instante partu mulier actis mensibus
humi iacebat, flebilis gemitus ciens.
Vir est hortatus, corpus lecto reciperet,
onus naturae melius quo deponeret.
'Minime' inquit 'illo posse confido loco
malum finiri quo conceptum est initio'.
parturio: to be about to give birth
Nemo libenter recolit qui
laesit locum = nemo
libenter recolit locum qui laesit
recolo recolui recultum: to recall to mind
laedo laesi laesum: to hurt
Instante partu and actis mensibus are
abl. abs.
Humi: on the ground (one of the few examples of the locative case)
gemitus –us (m): a sigh, lament
cieo civi citum: to stir, utter
Vir est hortatus, corpus
lecto reciperet, onus naturae melius quo deponeret.
= Vir est hortatus, ut mulier corpus
(acc) eius in lecto reciperet, quo onus naturae melius deponeret.
recipio recepi receptum: to bring back
onus naturae: the burden of nature (= the baby)
quo conceptum est initio = quo malum conceptum est in initio
Translation:
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