| FABLE XXI. | FABLE XXI. |
| Phaedrus. | Phèdre. |
| THE AGED LION, THE WILD BOAR, THE BULL, AND THE ASS. | LE LION DEVENU VIEUX, LE SANGLIER, LE TAUREAU ET L’ÂNE. |
| Whoever has fallen from a previous high estate, is in his calamity the butt even of cowards. | Quiconque a perdu son ancienne puissance devient dans le malheur, le jouet même du lâche. |
| As a Lion, worn out with years, and deserted by his strength, lay drawing his last breath, | Abattu par les années, abandonné de ses forces, le Lion, gisant à terre, allait rendre le dernier soupir. |
| a Wild Boar came up to him, with flashing tusks, and with a blow revenged an old affront. | Le Sanglier fond brusquement sur lui, et, d’un coup de ses terribles défenses, venge une vieille injure : |
| Next, with hostile horns, a Bull pierced the body of his foe. | bientôt après, de ses cornes impitoyables, le Taureau perça le corps de son ennemi. |
| An Ass, on seeing the wild beast maltreated with impunity, tore up his forehead with his heels. | L’Âne, voyant l’impunité de ces outrages, lui brise la tête d’une ruade. |
| On this, expiring, he said: | Le Lion lui dit en expirant : |
| ‘I have borne, with indignation, the insults of the brave; | « J’ai supporté avec indignation les insultes des braves ; |
| but in being inevitably forced to bear with you, disgrace to nature! I seem to die a double death.’ | mais souffrir tes atteintes, opprobre de la nature, il me semble que c’est mourir deux fois. » |
