2.17. De formica et musca
Caxton: Of the ante and of the flye
To make boost and auauntynge is but vayne glorye and folye / wherof Esope recyteth suche a fable / Of the ante of formyce and of the flye / whiche stryued to gyder / for to wete whiche was the most noble of them bothe / & the flye sayd to the formyce / Come hyder formyce / wylt thow compare thy self to me that dwelle in the kynges places and palays / and ete and drynke at theyr table / And also I kysse bothe kynge and qeune / and the most fayre maydens / And thow poure and myschaunt beest thow arte euer within the erthe / And thenne the formyce ansuerd to the flye / Now knowe I wel thy vanyte and folye / For thow auauntest the of that wherof thow sholdest disprayse the / For fro alle places where as thow goost or flyest / thow arte hated chaced and put oute / and lyuest in grete daunger / for assone as the wynter shalle come thow shalt deye / And I shal abyde on lyue alone within my chambre or hole / where as I drynke and ete at my playsyr / For the wynter shalle not forgyue to the thy mysdede / but he shalle slee the /
And thus he that wylle mocque or dispreyse somme other / he ought fyrst to loke and behold on hym self wel / For men sayn comynly / who that beholdeth in the glas / wel he seeth hym self / And who seeth hym self / wel he knoweth hym self / And who that knoweth hym self wel / lytel he preyseth hym self / And who that preyseth hym self lytyll / he is ful wyse and sage
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