Book VIII: 19-21

Madeline McChesney /
  • Created on 2018-10-14 18:33:26
  • Modified on 2018-10-15 05:31:50
  • Aligned by Madeline McChesney
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Meanwhile an old man was watching us from the top of a neighboring hill , obviously a shepherd , for there were goats grazing around him . One of our men asked him whether he had any milk for sale , either fresh or in the form of new cheese . For a long time he merely shook his head . At last , " are you thing . " he asked , " of food or drink or any kind of refreshment now ? Haven ' t you any idea where you ' ve chosen to stop ? " And so saying he rounded up his flock , turned about , and left the scene . His words and disappearance greatly alarmed our herdsmen . Panic-stricken , they were anxiously asking each other what sort of place this was and finding nobody to tell them , when there appeared on the road another old man , this one tall but bowed down by age , leaning heavily on a staff and wearily dragging his feet , and weeping profusely . When he saw us he burst out crying , and supplicating each man in turn he uttered the following appeal : " I implore you by your Fortunes and your Guardian Spirits , if you hope to reach my age in health and happiness , come to the aid of an old man in his bereavement , rescue my little boy from death and restore him to his white_haired grandfather . My grandson , my darling traveling-companion , was trying to catch a bird that was singing in the hedgerow , and fell into a yawning pit in the bottom of the thicket . Now he is in peril of his life : I know he is alive , for I can hear him crying and calling " Grandfather " over and over again , but as you see I am too feeble in body to be able to rescue him . But you are young and strong , and it will be no trouble to you to help a poor old man and to restore me to this child , the last of my line and all the family I have left . " As he uttered this plea and tore his white hair , everybody pitied him . Then one of them , braver and younger and stronger than the rest , the only one who had come off unscathed from the recent battle , jumped up eagerly and asked where exactly the boy had fallen in . The old man pointed out a thicket not far away , and the volunteer went off briskly with him . After awhile , when we animals had grazed and the men had seen to themselves and felt restored , they all began to pack up and get ready to move off . First of all they called the volunteer by name , with loud and repeated shouts ; then alarmed by the prolonged delay they sent a messenger to find him and warn him that it was time to leave , and bring him back . Almost immediately the messenger reappeared , deathly pale and terrified , with dreadful news of his fellow servant . He had found him lying half-eaten , with a monstrous serpent crouched over him and devouring him , and of the poor old man not a sign anywhere . Hearing this and recollecting what the old shepherd had said , they realized that this indeed was the fierce denizen of the region that he had been threatening them with , and at once quitted the pestilential place and fled precipitately , urging us animals on with continual
Interea quidam senex de summo colle prospectat , quem circum capellae pascentes opilionem esse profecto clamabant . Eum rogavit unus e nostris haberetne venui lactem vel adhuc liquidum vel in caseum recentem inchoatum . At ille diu capite quassanti ‘Vos autem inquit ‘De cibo vel poculo ) vel omnino ulla refectione nunc cogitatis ? An nulli scitis quo loco comederitis ? Et cum dicto conductis oviculis conversus longe recessit . Quae vox eius et fuga pastoribus nostris non mediocrem pavorem incussit : ac dum perterriti de loci qualitate sciscitari gestiunt nec est qui doceat , senex alius , magnus ille quidem , gravatus annis , totus in baculum pronus et lassum trahens vestigium , ubertim lacrimans per viam proximat , visisque nobis cum fletu maximo singulorum iuvenum genua contingens sic adorabat : Per fortunas vestrosque genios , sic ad meae senectutis spatia validi laetique veniatis , decepto seni subsistite meumque parvulum ab inferis ereptum canis meis reddite . Nepos namque meus et itineris huius suavis comes dum forte passerem incantantem saepiculae consectatur arripere , delapsus in proxumam foveam , quae fruticibus imis subpatet , in extremo iam vitae consistit periculo , quippe cum de fletu ac voce [ p . 378 ] ipsius avum sibi saepicule clamitantis vivere illum quidem sentiam , sed per corporis , ut videtis , mei defectam valitudinem opitulari nequeam . At vobis aetatis et roboris beneficio facile est suppetiari miserrimo seni puerumque illum novissimum successionis meae atque unicam stirpem sospitem mihi facere . Sic deprecantis suamque canitiem distrahentis totos quidem miseruit ; sed unus prae ceteris et animo fortior et aetate iuvenior et corpore validior , quique solus praeter alios incolumis proelium superius evaserat , exsurgit alacer et percontatus quonam loci puer , ille decidisset , monstrantem digito non longe frutices horridos senem illum impigre comitatur . Ac dum pabulo nostro suaque cura refecti sarcinulis quisque sumptis suis viam capessunt , clamore primum nominatim cientes illum iuvenem frequenter inclamant ; mox mora diutina commoti mittunt e suis arcessitorem unum , qui requisitum comitem tempestivae viae commonefactum reduceret . At ille modicum commoratus refert sese buxanti pallore trepidus miraque 1super conservo suo renuntiat : conspicatum se quippe supinato illi et iam ex maxima parte consumpto immanem draconem mandentem insistere nec ullum usquam miserrimum senem comparere illum . Qua re cognita et cum pastoris sermone collata , qui saevum prorsus hunc illum nec alium locorum inquilinum praeminabatur , pestilenti deserta regione velociori se fuga proripiunt . nosque pellunt
19 While they were thus engaged , each in attending to his health , an old man spied them from the top of a hill . The goats that fed about him showed him to be a herdsman . One of our party asked him if he had any milk for sale , either fresh or newly pressed into a cheese . He shook his head repeatedly . Then ' How ' , he asked , ' can you think of food or drink or any other refreshment ? Do none of you realize where you are sitting ? ' With these words he turned and retired to a distance , driving his sheep with him . His words and his hasty departure struck no small terror into the hearts of our herdsmen . And while in their fear they strove to discover what was the matter with the place and found none to tell them , another old man , of great stature but bowed with years , approached along the road , leaning heavily upon a staff and weeping floods of tears , as he dragged his weary feet . When he saw us he broke into loud lamentation , embraced the knees of our young masters one after the other , and thus entreated them : 20 ' By the fates and guardian spirits that watch over your ways , I implore you , help a feeble old man , save my little grandson from the jaws of death , and restore him to be the joy of my gray hairs . So may ye come to such ripe years as mine , griefless and full of strength . My grandson , my sweet companion on this journey , as he strove to catch a sparrow that was singing in the hedge , fell into a pit hard by , that gapes beneath the roots of yonder bushes and is now in extreme peril of his life . I can hear him weeping even now and calling his grandsire again and again to come to his help , so that I know he still lives . But I cannot help him , as you see , by reason of my body ' s feebleness . But you are young and strong , and it will be easy for you to help a poor old man and save the boy , my only child and the last that is left me of all my heirs . ' Thus he besought them , tearing his gray hairs , and 2 1 moved them all to pity . Then one , the boldest and youngest and sturdiest of them all , the only one moreover who had come out of our recent conflict without a wound , rose nimbly and asked where the boy had fallen . The old man pointed with his finger to some rough brambles not far off , and the youth followed him without delay . When at last the whole party was refreshed , ourselves with grazing and our masters with tendance of their wounds , every one took up his load and proceeded on the march . At first they summoned the youth by repeated calling of his name , but soon , disturbed by his long tarrying , they sent one of their number to fetch their comrade , tell him that it was time to go , and bring him back to them . After a short interval the messenger returned with trembling limbs and face pale as boxwood . It was a strange tale he had to tell of his fellowservant . He had
seen him lying on the ground while a large dragon stood over him and gnawed his body , the greater part of which was already consumed . The wretched old man was nowhere to be seen . On hearing this tale and comparing it with the words of the shepherd , they perceived that it was against this monster and no other inhabitant of the place that he had uttered his sinister warning . Wherefore they left this ghastly spot and hastened forward in flight yet more swiftly than before , driving us on with many a blow from their cudgels .

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