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Couverte. Agricultural term= 'ensemencée,' 'sown, and the seed ploughed in,' after which husbandmen are at leisure for sport.

41 Reginglette. Old word for 'trap.' 'Reginguer,' vulgar form of regimber,' 'to kick or spring back.' 'Gigue' 'jambe.'

Réseau.

Diminutive of Lat. 'rete.'

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44 Au logis='à la maison.' 'Logement' is 'lodging,' but 'logis' is 'home.'

45 Canard. Masculine of 'cane,' which in O. Fr. ='boat,' Ger. 'kahn,' whence 'canot.' The bird floating on the water suggested the idea of a 'boat ;' hence the name.

Grue. Lat. 'grus': 'crane.' All three words also used figuratively for machines to hoist weights.

Bécasse. Derivative of 'bec''the bird with the long beak.' Cf. diminutive 'bécassine,' 'snipe.'

All three birds of passage.

48 Other continents,' such as Africa.

49 Cf. common phrase, 'prendre son parti,' 'to choose one's

course.

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52 Faser (Provençal 'gasar') 'to chatter' 'babiller,' causer.' In Italian the magpie is called 'gazza.'

53 Cassandra. Proverbial for uttering unheeded warnings. 55 Il en prit à='il arriva' (impersonal phrase), 'the same fate befel both.' Cf. 'mal lui en prit,' 'bien lui en prit,' 'it proved fatal' or 'lucky for him.' Cf. also II. xvi. 24.

FABLE IX.

This Fable is tersely rendered by Horace, Sat. II. vi. 80. Cf. Æsop, 296, 297.

4 Reliefs. Cf. v. 27.

Ortolan. A kind of 'thrush,' considered a great dainty. The word comes through Provençal and Italian, from Lat. 'hortulanus,' 'the bird that frequents gardens.' The common word for thrush' is 'grive.'

5 Ortolans and Turkey carpets give a vivid picture of Sybarite surroundings.

9 Régal. Originally adjective; sc. 'repas régal'='festin de roi,' in line 24. Cf. Lat. 'regia;' sc. domus.' Hence any 'banquet' or 'treat.'

9 Honnête here implies aristocratic,' 'sumptuous.' Cf. 'homme honnête,' 'honnêteté' = 'politeness.'

12 Ils étaient en train; sc. 'de se régaler,' 'were engaged in feasting.'

15 Détaler. Converse of 'étaler,' which means to set up a stall ('étal'), and set out wares for sale; therefore, 'détaler 'to pack up and be off,'

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18 Elliptical for 'se mettent en campagne,' a military phrase. 19 Citadin implies residence only, not political rights like 'citoyen;' now only used in a jocular sense. Eng. 'a worthy cit.' De dire. Historic infinitive, as in Latin.

21 Rustique. Now only used as adjective.

26 Tout. Adverb, as in 'tout à mon aise.'

27 Fi de 'out upon, fie upon,' contemptuous rejection.

FABLE X.

PHÆDR. I. I. Lupus et Agnus. Cf. ÆSOP, 274, 275.

I La Fontaine here adopts the vulgar proverb "might is right" in irony, only to illustrate its hollowness.

3 Désaltérer. Converse of 'altérer,' in sense of 'to make thirsty.' Cf. tragic phrase, 'altéré de sang''blood-thirsty.' But 'altérer' is used more often for to 'change for the worse; deriv. of Lat. 'alter.'

4 Onde, as in Lat. 'unda,' for 'water.'

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5 A jeun. Adverbial phrase (Lat. 'jejunus'); so substantive 'jeûne,' verb, ‘jeûner.' To be kept distinct from ‘jeune,' Lat. 'juvenis.'

6 Ces lieux-'these parts,' 'the spot,' 'here'-plural suggesting vagueness; based on the familiar Lat. phrase, 'in his locis,' so common in Cæsar.

7 Qui. Personal 'who?' Used for the neuter 'qu'est-ce qui,' 'what?'

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Si hardi de. The full phrase would be, 'si hardi que de.' Another way of expressing the same would be, 'assez hardi pour.'

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Breuvage boisson, 1. 17, expressing both the act of drinking and the beverage drunk. Cf. abreuver,' 'to water horses; 'abreuvoir,' O. Fr. 'beuvrage;' from late Lat. 'biberaticum,' 'biberare;' frequent. of 'bibere' (boire). For the transposition of r, cf. 'pour,' Lat. pro;' 'troubler,' Lat. 'turbulare;' 'brebis,' Lat. 'vervecem.' Note that the suffix age, as based on a Lat. neuter form aticum, invariably makes a subst. masculine. 8 Rage (rabies), page (pagina), 'cage' (cavea), are roots retaining the Latin gender, and no exceptions to the rule just given. 9 Châtier. Lat. 'castigare ;' hence 'châtiment."

13 Vas. Old form of first person present for 'vais.' For the order, cf. vii. 14: "I drink by the way, as I go." 17 Boisson, from late Lat. 'bibitionem.'

20 What tense is this of naître ?

Cf. 1. 7.

21 Verb 'teter,' from substantive 'tette,' Eng. 'teat.'

23 Des tiens-Lat. 'tuorum.'

29 Legal phrase, 'without further form of trial;' i.e. 'with. out further ceremony,' 'without more ado,'

FABLE XI.

François, duc de la Rochefoucauld, contemporary and patron of La Fontaine, but his junior by some 15 years, author of the famous Livre des Maximes (Moral Axioms), which is here spoken of as holding the mirror up to life, and teaching self-knowledge. I Such love aroused no jealousy! Cf. Horace, Ars Poëtica, 444: 'Quin sine rivali teque et tua solus amares.

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10 Ceinture. Lat. 'cinctura.' Cf. 'ceindre,' Lat. 'cingere.' No exaggerated picture of the times. Some time before, even the canons of St. Martin of Tours wore mirrors on their shoes, and that in church!

II What was the story of Narcissus, that the hero of this Fable should receive the name?

19 Mais quoi? i.e. Mais que peut-il faire ?'

21 Où je veux venir; i.e. my drift,' 'my point.'

28 Canal. Here generic, any 'watercourse.'

29 This book had gone through two editions in the three years before La Fontaine published his first volume (1668).

FABLE XII.

Orientals ascribe this Fable to Gengis Khan, who applied it to the Great Mogul, dependent on so many potent vassals.

I Le grand seigneur; sc. the Sultan, whose establishment in Eastern Europe was at that time a standing threat of invasion to the West, a turning of the tables after the Crusades.

2 L'empereur; sc. of Germany, or more correctly_of_the Holy Roman Empire, the power most exposed to Turkish invasion, and therefore most bound to stem it. But for military purposes the Turk was strong in his autocracy (as was the first Napoleon), the German Empire weakened by the many independent princes composing it.

6 De leur chef (Lat. 'caput'); i.e. 'independently,' ' of their own resources. Cf. 'agir de son chef,' 'to act on one's own responsibility.'

7 Soudoyer. 'Subsidize.' Cf. 'solde,' 'soldier's pay.'

8 Chiaoux. Corruption of Turkish word, 'tchaouch'-'envoyé,' 'messager d'Etat.'

IO Seven sovereign-princes (later nine, and even ten) elected the new Emperor, and this was their highest title and privilege, whatever other rank or power they had.

16 Men are scared by less.'
17 i.e. I got off for the fright.'

first dreaded, I only had,' &c.

En expresses of all that I

21 Chef'caput.' You would now use 'tête.'

22 Plus de proves that une is numeral, not merely article.

23 Derechef='de nouveau.' 'All over again from the be

ginning.'

Cf. II. v. 21.

27 Such is the case with.'

FABLE XIII.

ESOP, 247. Leo et Ursus.

3 Fisticuffs were flying.' Poing, Lat. 'pugnus.'

5 In prose it would be il arrive when the subject follows the verb, as in Eng. 'there comes up a thief.'

Larron.

Lat. latronem.'

6 Aliboron. Burlesque term for 'donkey.' Rabelais uses it for 'un ignorant qui fait le savant.' Term invented for a barris

ter whose one idea was to prove an alibi!

'Such wares are

9 Le Transilvain. Such as the ambitious Bethlen Gabor. II Il est assez de, for 'il y a assez de.' plentiful;' i.e. such thievish characters.'

12 Par would now be used for de, to give the agent.

13 Quart (Lat. 'quartus'). Old ordinal numeral for 'quatrième ;' now only used as substantive, except in the medical phrase, 'fièvre quarte.' Cf. 'tiers,' Lat. 'tertius.'

Accorder net. 'To reconcile completely.' 'Net,' literally 'clean,' 'clear.' Cf. Eng. phrase, 'to do a thing clean off.'

FABLE XIV.

PHÆDR. IV. 25.

Simonides a diis servatus.

3 Malherbe. Born at Caen, 1555. His Ode on the death of Henri IV. is said to have first awakened La Fontaine's poetic taste. His authority in matters of style and language was so great that he was commonly called "Le tyran des mots et des syllabes." Cf. Introduction, p. 5.

5 Chatouille. So we speak of tickling' the fancy.

IO 'Of the baldest details.' 'Nu' (Lat. 'nudus'), opposite

to 'ornate.'

13 Paltry materials, and unsuggestive.'

16 Se jeter à côté==' to digress.'

'Gets on the subject of.' For 'propos,' cf. v. II.

18 Lutteur. Cf. verb 'lutter,' Lat. 'luctari.'

20 Davantage='plus que d'ordinaire ;' i.e. 'le plus.'

22 Tiers. Here substantive, old ordinal numeral; feminine, 'tierce' ('tertiam'). Cf. I. xiii. 13.

24 Galant. Participle of O. Fr. verb 'galer' (='se réjouir'), from Anglo-Saxon 'gâl,' Fr. 'gai.' Cf. xv. II. In fable 'le galant''the wag,' or 'the rogue,' implying humour, gratified at others' cost.

25 Dire. With subjunctive depending, implies an order; with indicative, a statement.

26 His original words were, "Que Castor et Pollux acquittent" (imperative) = 'They must pay the rest.' In line 27 the speech changes from indirect to direct oration.

29 Bonne vie; i.e. bonne chère.'

30 Convier. From late Lat. 'convitare,' 'to invite a company; therefore 'conviés''those invited,' 'guests'— 'convives,' Lat. 'convivæ.'

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34 Gré. Lat. gratum;' used as substantive, 'pleasure,' 'good will.' Cf. bon gré mal gré,' 'will he nill he;' and 'savoir bon gré à’=Gr. xápiv ẻidévai Tiví.

35 Festiner.

Unusual faire festin.'

37 Avertir = Lat. ‘advertere (not 'avertere') animum;' therefore means 'to call attention,' 'give warning' or 'notice.'

39 Cohorte‘société.' Cf. cour,' contraction of Lat. 'cohortem.'

40 i.e. eat none the less voraciously.'

41 Gémeaux. Lat. 'gemellos,' diminutive of 'geminos.' 'Jumeaux' is the form commonly used.

43 An order is implied; therefore 'déloge' is subjunctive. 44 À l'envers. Literally 'inversely;' i.e. 'topsy turvy' ( 'top side the other way'); in French, 'sens dessus dessous.' The total overthrow of buildings is generally expressed by 'de fond en comble' Lat. 'funditus.'

45 La prédiction en. Construe This prediction.'

46 Manque. Not 'is wanting,' as usual, but 'fails,' 'gives way.'

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Plafond; i.q. fond plat.'

47 Etayer=to stay,' 'support.' Cf. substantive ‘étai.' 49 i.e. serves the cup-bearers the same.'

52 Poutre. Late Lat. 'pulletram' ('pullus'); originally= 'brood-mare.' Then any wooden framework or support. Cf. 'chevalet,' and English towel-horse.'

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58 There was no son of decent parentage.'

59 The phrase 'qui mieux mieux,' itself elliptical, implying 'He who could do better, should do better,' depends on the preposition à, which gives the terms or conditions of a compact or wager. Cf. II. iv. I. Then the whole phrase 'à qui mieux mieux' comes to be used adverbially, much like 'à l'envi' = Lat. 'certatim.' Here 'paying for them, each higher than the other.' 60 Fit. Subjunctive required, because depending on negative statement.

64 There is nothing derogatory in a poet's making money by his poetry.

67 Jadis. Cf. vi. 3. The patronage of the great does more honour to themselves than to the men of letters patronized.

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