He who brings help to the wicked, later regrets it.
A man picked up a snake frozen with cold and warmed it in his breast
mercifully, to his detriment, because the snake, when she recovered, immediately killed that man. Another snake asked her the reason for her evil deed, and she answered, "That no one may learn to do good to the wicked."
[Qui fert malis auxilium post tempus dolet.
Gelu rigentem quidam colubram sustulit
Sinuque fovit contra se ipse misericors;
Namque ut refecta est necuit hominem protinus.
Hanc alia cum rogaret causam facinoris,
Respondit: «Ne quis discat prodesse improbis».]
A man picked up a snake frozen with cold and warmed it in his breast
mercifully, to his detriment, because the snake, when she recovered, immediately killed that man. Another snake asked her the reason for her evil deed, and she answered, "That no one may learn to do good to the wicked."
[Qui fert malis auxilium post tempus dolet.
Gelu rigentem quidam colubram sustulit
Sinuque fovit contra se ipse misericors;
Namque ut refecta est necuit hominem protinus.
Hanc alia cum rogaret causam facinoris,
Respondit: «Ne quis discat prodesse improbis».]
