Putorius, ut dicit Liber rerum, bestia est a putore dicta, quia nimium fetet, et hoc maxime cum irascitur. Ipsa similiter ut daxus crura brevia habet in sinistro latere et dextro latere longiora. Domorum ardua et penetralia inhabitat. Gallinarum et earum pullorum cupidissima est, quippe que solum carnibus et huiusmodi vivit. Gallinam autem vel pullum cum capit, caput eius in initio petit, ut hoc devicto non sit illi difficile in membris aliis laborare vel ne possit clamare, dum capitur.
- Translation
- Vocabulary
- Notes
Concerning the putorius. The putorius, as the Book of Things says, is a beast having been called by its stench, because it stinks excessively, and especially by this when it is angry. The beast itself, similarly like a badger, has short legs on the left side and longer on the right side. It occupies the inner and higher place of its homes. He is very desirous of hens and her young chicks, who naturally lives on only this meat and of this kind. Moreover, when he seizes a hen or a young chick, he seeks its head at the beginning so that it may not be difficult for that one to work on the other limbs with this head having been subdued, or so that it may not be able to shout, while it is captured.
arduum, i n. high place
crus, cruris n. leg; shin
cupidissimus, a, um adj./superl. eager; (+ gen) desirous of
daxus see notes
devinco, devincere, devici, devictum 3 conquer entirely; subdue
gallina, ae f. hen
penetrale, is n. inner place
putor, putoris m. bad smell; stench
pullus, i m. chick
Putorius: comes from verb puteo, putere: stink; or from putor, putoris m: bad smell
Liber: refers to a specific book and therefore should be capitalized when translated
Ut + indicative: translated as “as”
a: ablative absolute and translated as “by its”
Similiter ut: “similarly like”
Daxus: There is no clear translation for this word, but contextually we believe it to mean “badger”
Longiora: comparative – longer
Cupidissima: superlative, describes Putorius
Est: Putorius is subject
Ut… : purpose clause, should be translated as “so that”
Hoc devicto: ablative absolute, refers to the limb that has already been subdued, the head. Translate this piece at the end of the ut clause, before vel
Non: negates sit
Illi: refers to the Putorius
Capitur: present passive indicative of capio