[Footnote III.44: _It is your province_)--Ver. 24. He is supposed to allude to some judicial position held by Eutychus, which he would have to vacate at the end of a year, and be succeeded by others, probably not so favourably disposed to himself.] [Footnote III.45: _To murmur in public_)--Ver. 33. “Palam mutire plebeio piaculum est.” These words are quoted from the Telephus of Ennius.] BOOK IV. PROLOGUE. TO PARTICULO. When I had determined to put an end to my labours, with the view that there might be material enough {left} for others, in my mind I silently condemned {my} resolve. For even if there is any one desirous of the like fame, how will he guess what it is I have omitted,[1] so as to wish to hand down that same to posterity; since each man has a turn of thinking of his own, and a tone peculiar to himself. It was not, therefore, {any} fickleness, but assured grounds, that set me upon writing {again}. Wherefore, Particulo,[2] as you are amused by Fables (which I will style “Æsopian,” not “those of Æsop;” for whereas he published but few, I have brought out a great many, employing the old style, but with modern subjects), now at your leisure you shall peruse a Fourth Book. If envy shall choose to carp at it, so long as it cannot imitate,[3] why let it carp. I have gained glory {enough}, in that you, and {others} like to you, have quoted my words in your writings, and have thought me worthy of being long remembered. Why should I stand in need of the applause of the illiterate? [Footnote IV.1: _I have omitted_)--Ver. 5. “Divinabit” seems preferable here to “damnabit,” or “demonstrabit,” the other readings; and Burmann is probably right in supposing that he means to say that many of the Æsopian fables had not yet been used by him, and though others may make use of them as bearing a general moral, they will not be able so well as himself to point their moral in reference to individuals or classes, in consequence of his advantage in having already adapted many of them to the censure of particular vices.] [Footnote IV.2: _Particulo_)--Ver. 10. Of Particulo nothing whatever is known, except that he was a freedman.] [Footnote IV.3: _Cannot imitate_)--Ver. 16. Gronovius thinks that he alludes to the Greek proverb “Μωμεῖσθαι ῥάδιον ἢ μιμεῖσθαι.” “’Tis easier to blame than to imitate.”] FABLE I. THE ASS AND THE PRIESTS OF CYBELE. He who has been born to ill luck, not only passes an unhappy life, but even after death the cruel rigour of destiny pursues him.