aut pueris latura metus aut taedia mensis aut crimen famulis aut procedentibus omen, 125 et nihil exhausto caperent in stipite lucri: (sternere quippe toros vel caedere ligna culinae membra negant; aurum, vestes, arcana tueri mens infida vetat; quis enim committere vellet lenoni thalamum?): tandem ceu funus acerbum 130 infaustamque suis trusere penatibus umbram. contemptu iam liber erat: sic pastor obesum lacte canem ferroque ligat pascitque revinctum, dum validus servare gregem vigilique rapaces latratu terrere lupos; cum tardior idem 135 iam scabie laceras deiecit sordidus aures, solvit et exuto lucratur vincula collo. Est ubi despectus nimius iuvat. undique pulso per cunctas licuit fraudes impune vagari et fatis aperire viam. pro quisquis Olympi 140 summa tenes, tanto libuit mortalia risu vertere? qui servi non est admissus in usum, suscipitur regnis, et quem privata ministrum dedignata domus, moderantem sustinet aula. ut primum vetulam texere palatia vulpem, 145 quis non ingemuit? quis non inrepere sacris obsequiis doluit totiens venale cadaver? ipsi quin etiam tali consorte fremebant regales famuli, quibus est inlustrior ordo servitii, sociumque diu sprevere superbi. 150 * * * * * Page 149 in contact with him, scaring children, disgusting those that sat at meat, disgracing his fellow-slaves, or terrifying as with an evil omen those that met him; when his masters ceased to derive any advantage from that withered trunk (for his wasted limbs refused even to make the beds or cut wood for the kitchen fire, while his faithless nature forbade their entrusting him with the charge of gold or vesture or the secrets of the house--who could bring him to entrust his marriage-chamber to a pander?), then at last they thrust him from their houses like a troublesome corpse or an ill-omened ghost. He was now free--for everyone despised him. So a shepherd chains up a dog and fattens him with milk while yet his strength avails to guard the flock and, ever watchful, to scare away wolves with his barking. But when later this same dog grows old and dirty and droops his mangy ears he looses him, and, taking off his collar, at least saves that.