A Latin Reader

25. Selfishness brings its Own Punishment 

Asi­nus onus­tus sarcinīs ita equ­um adlocū­tus est: “Levā mē aliquā parte oner­is meī.” Sed ille asinī precēs repudiāvit. Paulō post asi­nus, labōre cōn­sūmp­tus, in viā cor­ruit et ani­mam efflāvit. Tum agitā­tor omnēs sarcinās, quās asi­nus portāver­at, atque īnsu­per eti­am pellem asinō dētrac­tam, in equ­um impo­suit. Ille priōrem super­biam ita dēplōrā­bat: “Ō mē miserum, nam parvu­lum onus in mē recipere nōlēbam, et nunc cōgor tan­tās sarcinās ferre, ūnā cum pelle comi­tis meī, cuius precēs tam super­bē con­temp­sī!”

onus­tus sarcinīs: laden with baggage.

aliquā parte: of some part, Abla­tive of Separation.

paulō post: a lit­tle later.

Per­fect par­tici­ple of cōn­sūmō.

Ō mē miserum: O wretched me or How wretched I ami The Accusative of Exclamation.

From con­tem­nō.