Pliny Dolphin (complete)

Delphinus occurrit

The dolphin approached him

et nunc praecedere puerum

And now swam in front of the boy

nunc sequi,

now followed him,

Nunc circumire,

Now went around him,

postremo subire,

Finally it took him on its back

deponere

Then put him down

iterum subire

And then took him on its back again

trepidantemque perferre

and carried the frightened boy

primum in altum,

First of all right into the deep

Mox flecit

Soon turned around

ad litus

Back to shore

Redditque terrae.

And returned him to land.

Serpit per coloniam fama:

rumours about this crept through the community

concurrere omnes,

they all flocked together

Ipsum puerum

Looked at the boy himself

Tamquam miraculum

As if he were some marvel

interrogare, audire, narrare

Asked questions, listened and passed on the story to others.

postero die

the following day

Obsident litus

They mobbed the shore

prospectant mare

They looked out at the sea

Et si quid mari simile

and anything that was like the sea.

natant pueri

the boys swam out

Inter hos ille

Among them the same boy

Sed cautius

But more cautiously

Delphinus rursus

The dolphin came back

Ad temptus

at the same time

rursus ad puerum venit.

and to the same boy

fugit ille cum ceteris.

He ran away with the rest

Quasi invitet et revocet

As if inviting and calling him back

exsilit

(the dolphin) leapt out of the water

mergitur

And dived back in

Vario orbes implicat expeditque

And perfomed all sorts of somersaults

Hoc altero die

this happened again on the next day

Hoc tertio

And on the third day

Hoc pluribus

And on several others

donec

until

homines innutritos mari

the people brought up by the sea

Subiret timendi pudor

Began to be ashamed of being afraid

Accedunt et adludunt

They approached it, played with it

et appellant

and called to it

tangunt etiam pertrectantque praebentem

they even touched and handled it as it offered itself

crescit audacia experimento

Their courage grew with experience

Maxime puer

Especially the boy

Qui primus expertus est

Who was first to experience it

Adnatat natanti

Swam towards the swimming (dolphin)

insilit tergo

leapt on its back

fertur referturque

and is carried to and fro

Putat agnosci se, amari putat

He thinks he is recognised and loved

Amat ipse

And he returned the affection

Neuter timet

Neither was afraid

Neuter timetur

neither caused fear in the other

Huius fiducia

The confidence of the one

mansuetudo illius

and the tameness of the other

augetur.

grew

Nec non alii pueri

Other boys also

Simul eunt

went with him

dextra laevaque

on right and left

Hortantes monentesque.

encouraging and advising him

Ibat una delphinus alius

Another dolphin went along with it

(id quoque mirum)

and this is also amazing

tantum spectator et comes.

But only to watch and accompany the other.