Laurel · Phaedrus

The Fables of Phaedrus

Phaedrus · 1765

Mostly iambic tetrameter · 2,345 lines in 93 sections

Christopher Smart's verse fables in five books: "The Wolf and the Lamb", "The Frogs Desiring a King", "The Vain Jackdaw", "The Dog in the River".

Measured across the book

Across its 2,345 lines, 97% of stressed syllables fall on the beat (95% interval 96% to 97%). Alliteration runs at 1.01 times what shuffling the words would give (0.22 observed against 0.21 expected). 7% of the lines have a feminine ending.

Baselines and intervals are described in the methods.

Contents

The Fables of Phaedrus: Book I: Prologueiambic tetrameter · AABB · 10 lines Fable I. the Wolf and the Lambiambic tetrameter · AABB · 22 lines The Frogs Desiring a Kingiambic tetrameter · AABB · 44 lines The Vain Jackdawiambic tetrameter · AABB · 20 lines The Dog in the Riveriambic tetrameter · AABB · 10 lines The Heifer, Goat, Sheep, and Lioniambic tetrameter · AABB · 18 lines The Frogs and Suniambic tetrameter · AABB · 16 lines The Fox and the Tragic Maskiambic tetrameter · AABB · 4 lines The Wolf and Craneiambic tetrameter · AABB · 20 lines The Hare and the Sparrowiambic tetrameter · AABB · 16 lines The Wolf and Fox, with the Ape for Judgeiambic tetrameter · AABB · 14 lines The Ass and the Lion Huntingiambic tetrameter · AABB · 24 lines The Stag at the Fountainiambic tetrameter · AABB · 18 lines The Fox and the Crowiambic tetrameter · AABB · 20 lines The Cobbler Turned Doctoriambic tetrameter · AABB · 28 lines The Sapient Assiambic tetrameter · AABB · 16 lines The Sheep, the Stag, and the Wolfiambic tetrameter · AABB · 12 lines The Sheep, the Dog, and the Wolfiambic tetrameter · AABB · 14 lines The Bitch and Her Puppiesiambic tetrameter · AABB · 16 lines The Hungry Dogsiambic tetrameter · AABB · 10 lines The Old Lioniambic tetrameter · AABB · 20 lines The Man and the Weaseliambic tetrameter · AABB · 18 lines The Faithful House-Dogiambic tetrameter · AABB · 12 lines The Proud Frogiambic tetrameter · AABB · 14 lines The Dog and the Crocodileiambic tetrameter · AABB · 16 lines The Fox and the Storkiambic tetrameter · AABB · 20 lines The Dog, Treasure, and Vultureiambic tetrameter · AABB · 16 lines The Fox and Eagleiambic tetrameter · AABB · 18 lines The Frogs and Bullsiambic tetrameter · AABB · 14 lines The Kite and the Dovesiambic tetrameter · AABB · 16 lines Book IIiambic tetrameter · AABB · 24 lines Fable I. the Judicious Lioniambic tetrameter · AABB · 20 lines The Bald-Pate Dupeiambic tetrameter · AABB · 16 lines The Man and the Dogiambic tetrameter · AABB · 10 lines The Eagle, the Cat, and the Sowiambic tetrameter · AABB · 36 lines V. Cæsar and His Slaveiambic tetrameter · AABB · 40 lines The Eagle, Carrion Crow, and Tortoiseiambic tetrameter · AABB · 22 lines The Mules and Robbersiambic tetrameter · AABB · 20 lines The Stag and the Oxeniambic tetrameter · AABB · 44 lines Epilogueiambic tetrameter · AABB · 34 lines Book III: Prologue, to Eutychusiambic tetrameter · AABB · 100 lines Fable I. the Old Woman and Empty Caskiambic tetrameter · AABB · 12 lines The Panther and Shepherdsiambic tetrameter · AABB · 26 lines The Ape's Headiambic tetrameter · AABB · 12 lines Esop and the Insolent Fellowiambic tetrameter · AABB · 16 lines The Fly and the Muleiambic tetrameter · AABB · 12 lines The Dog and the Wolfiambic tetrameter · AABB · 40 lines The Brother and Sisteriambic tetrameter · AABB · 24 lines VIII. A Saying of Socratesiambic tetrameter · AABB · 14 lines Of Doubt and Credulityiambic tetrameter · AABB · 94 lines The Cock and the Pearliambic tetrameter · AABB · 12 lines The Bees and the Dronesiambic tetrameter · AABB · 22 lines Esop Playingiambic tetrameter · AABB · 24 lines The Dog and the Lambiambic tetrameter · AABB · 28 lines The Owl and the Grasshopperiambic tetrameter · AABB · 32 lines The Trees Protectediambic tetrameter · AABB · 22 lines Juno and the Peacockiambic tetrameter · AABB · 26 lines Esop and the Importunate Fellowiambic tetrameter · AABB · 18 lines The Ass and Priests of Cybeleiambic tetrameter · AABB · 16 lines Book IViambic tetrameter · AABB · 16 lines Fable I. the Weazel and Miceiambic tetrameter · AABB · 16 lines The Fox and the Grapesiambic tetrameter · AABB · 10 lines The Horse and Boariambic tetrameter · AABB · 22 lines Esop and the Williambic tetrameter · AABB · 78 lines The Battle of the Mice and Weaselsiambic tetrameter · AABB · 18 lines Phædrus to the Cavillersiambic tetrameter · AABB · 42 lines The Viper and the Fileiambic tetrameter · AABB · 12 lines The Fox and the Goatiambic tetrameter · AABB · 18 lines The Two Bagsiambic tetrameter · AABB · 10 lines The Sacrilegious Thiefiambic tetrameter · AABB · 32 lines Hercules and Plutusiambic tetrameter · AABB · 14 lines The He-Goats and She-Goatsiambic tetrameter · AABB · 12 lines The Pilot and Sailorsiambic tetrameter · AABB · 16 lines The Man and the Adderiambic tetrameter · AABB · 12 lines The Fox and the Dragoniambic tetrameter · AABB · 40 lines Phædrus, on His Fablesiambic tetrameter · AABB · 14 lines The Shipwreck of Simonidesiambic tetrameter · AABB · 44 lines The Mountain in Laboriambic tetrameter · AABB · 8 lines The Ant and the Flyiambic tetrameter · AABB · 38 lines The Escape of Simonidesiambic tetrameter · AABB · 52 lines Epilogue to Eutychusiambic tetrameter · AABB · 56 lines Book V: Prologue, to Particuloiambic tetrameter · AABB · 32 lines Demetrius and Menanderiambic tetrameter · AABB · 46 lines The Thief and the Travellersiambic tetrameter · AABB · 30 lines The Bald Man and the Flyiambic tetrameter · AABB · 20 lines The Man and the Assiambic tetrameter · AABB · 22 lines The Buffoon and Country-Fellowiambic tetrameter · AABB · 64 lines To Particuloiambic tetrameter · AABB · 16 lines The Two Bald Meniambic tetrameter · AABB · 12 lines Prince the Piperiambic tetrameter · AABB · 64 lines Opportunityiambic tetrameter · AABB · 14 lines The Bull and the Calfiambic tetrameter · AABB · 10 lines The Old Dog and the Huntsmaniambic tetrameter · 103 lines

About this text

Public domain. Text from The Fables of Phædrus Literally translated into English prose with notes, Project Gutenberg ebook #25512. Free to read, print, copy and reuse.

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