A Latin Reader

21. What the Weaker Owe the Stronger

Vulpēs, asi­nus, leō vēnā­tum īver­ant. Praedam asinum partīrī leō ius­sit. Asi­nus sin­gulīs sin­gulās partēs pōnē­bat aequālēs, sed leō eum dīlaniāvit. Tum vulpēcu­lae negotium par­tiendī ded­it. Haec, sapi­en- tior quam asi­nus, partem max­i­mam leōnī appo­suit, et sibi vix min­i­mam par­tic­u­lam reservāvit. Leō sub­rīdē­bat et eius pru­den­ti­am laudā­bat. Tan­dem rogāvit: “Unde didi­cistī tālem prū­den­ti­am?” Respon­dit vulpēs: “Calamitās asinī mē docuit quid minōrēs poten­tiōribus dēbeant.”

Supine of vēnor, to hunt.

Gerund, from par­tior.

vix min­i­mam particu1am: bare­ly the least lit­tle bit.

From dis­cō, learn.

minōrēs poten­tiōribus: com­par­a­tives used as nouns; the weak­er, the more pow­er fid.

Sub­junc­tive in an indi­rect question.