---
title: It was a wish he had much at heart, and when the proposal was volunt… — Three hundred Aesop’s fables · tree and pragmatics
description: It was a wish he had much at heart, and when the proposal was voluntarily made to him by the present Publishers, to undertake the task of a new translation of an enlarged number of Æsop’s Fables, he saw no reason for refusing the offer because of his prior discharge of a totally different design; an
---

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# Three hundred Aesop’s fables, Literally Translated From the Greek, sentence 141

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It was a wish he had much at heart, and when the proposal was voluntarily made to him by the present Publishers, to undertake the task of a new translation of an enlarged number of Æsop’s Fables, he saw no reason for refusing the offer because of his prior discharge of a totally different design; and he resolved to comply with the request submitted to him, and to do his best towards the attainment of so desirable an object as a purer translation and more literal rendering of fables so justly celebrated.

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**Who acts:** necessity, editor, present Publishers, reason, enlarged number · **What happens:** be, have, make, undertake, enlarge, see · **To what, where:** wish, heart, proposal, editor, task, reason

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This is a sentence of «Three hundred Aesop’s fables» by Aesop, Literally Translated From the Greek. The page gives its syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause: who acts (necessity, editor, present Publishers, reason), what happens, when and where, as Mova's frames read it from the tree.

<!-- .note-en -->
**Parsed by Mova, not checked by a teacher.** This tree is Mova's own parse (the `en` model, on the CPU, when the site is built); it may be wrong.

## The tree {#tree}

```conllu
# sent_id = book:pg21:1:141
# text = It was a wish he had much at heart, and when the proposal was voluntarily made to him by the present Publishers, to undertake the task of a new translation of an enlarged number of Æsop’s Fables, he saw no reason for refusing the offer because of his prior discharge of a totally different design; and he resolved to comply with the request submitted to him, and to do his best towards the attainment of so desirable an object as a purer translation and more literal rendering of fables so justly celebrated.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	wish	wish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
7	much	much	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	heart	heart	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
12	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	17	mark	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	proposal	proposal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj:pass	_	_
15	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	17	aux:pass	_	_
16	voluntarily	voluntarily	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
17	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	parataxis	_	_
18	to	to	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	obl	_	_
20	by	by	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
22	present	present	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	amod	_	_
23	Publishers	publisher	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
25	to	to	PART	TO	_	26	mark	_	_
26	undertake	undertake	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	17	parataxis	_	_
27	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	28	det	_	_
28	task	task	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	obj	_	_
29	of	of	ADP	IN	_	32	case	_	_
30	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	32	det	_	_
31	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	32	amod	_	_
32	translation	translation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	28	nmod	_	_
33	of	of	ADP	IN	_	36	case	_	_
34	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	36	det	_	_
35	enlarged	enlarge	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	36	amod	_	_
36	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	32	nmod	_	_
37	of	of	ADP	IN	_	40	case	_	_
38	Æsop	Æsop	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	40	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
39	’s	's	PART	POS	_	38	case	_	_
40	Fables	fable	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	36	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
41	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	43	punct	_	_
42	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	43	nsubj	_	_
43	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	26	parataxis	_	_
44	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	45	det	_	_
45	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	43	obj	_	_
46	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	47	mark	_	_
47	refusing	refuse	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	45	acl	_	_
48	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	49	det	_	_
49	offer	offer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	47	obj	_	_
50	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	54	case	_	_
51	of	of	ADP	IN	_	50	fixed	_	_
52	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	54	nmod:poss	_	_
53	prior	prior	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	54	amod	_	_
54	discharge	discharge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	47	obl	_	_
55	of	of	ADP	IN	_	59	case	_	_
56	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	59	det	_	_
57	totally	totally	ADV	RB	_	58	advmod	_	_
58	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	59	amod	_	_
59	design	design	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	54	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
60	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	63	punct	_	_
61	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	63	cc	_	_
62	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	63	nsubj	_	_
63	resolved	resolve	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	43	conj	_	_
64	to	to	PART	TO	_	65	mark	_	_
65	comply	comply	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	63	xcomp	_	_
66	with	with	ADP	IN	_	68	case	_	_
67	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	68	det	_	_
68	request	request	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	65	obl	_	_
69	submitted	submit	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	68	acl	_	_
70	to	to	ADP	IN	_	71	case	_	_
71	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	69	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
72	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	75	punct	_	_
73	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	75	cc	_	_
74	to	to	PART	TO	_	75	mark	_	_
75	do	do	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	26	conj	_	_
76	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	77	nmod:poss	_	_
77	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	75	obj	_	_
78	towards	towards	ADP	IN	_	80	case	_	_
79	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	80	det	_	_
80	attainment	attainment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	75	obl	_	_
81	of	of	ADP	IN	_	85	case	_	_
82	so	so	ADV	RB	_	83	advmod	_	_
83	desirable	desirable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	85	amod	_	_
84	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	85	det	_	_
85	object	object	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	80	nmod	_	_
86	as	as	ADP	IN	_	89	case	_	_
87	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	89	det	_	_
88	purer	pure	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	89	amod	_	_
89	translation	translation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	75	obl	_	_
90	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	93	cc	_	_
91	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	93	amod	_	_
92	literal	literal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	93	amod	_	_
93	rendering	rendering	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	89	conj	_	_
94	of	of	ADP	IN	_	95	case	_	_
95	fables	fable	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	93	nmod	_	_
96	so	so	ADV	RB	_	98	advmod	_	_
97	justly	justly	ADV	RB	_	98	advmod	_	_
98	celebrated	celebrate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	75	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
99	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

## Pragmatics {#pragmatics}

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | necessity | a wish |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | past | editor | heart |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent heart=Patient |
| 3 | **make** | past · passive | the present Publishers | the proposal | editor |  |  | voluntarily *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset subject=Product |
| 4 | **undertake** | to-infinitive |  | the task of a new translation of a enlarged number of Æsop's Fables |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent task=Eventuality |
| 5 | **enlarge** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 6 | **see** | past | editor | no reason |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer reason=Stimulus |
| 7 | **refuse** | gerund | no reason *not said here* | the offer |  |  |  | because editor's prior discharge of a different design | vn reject-77.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent offer=Theme |
| 8 | **resolve** | past | editor |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 9 | **comply** | to-infinitive | editor *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with the request | tree rules |
| 10 | **submit** | participle |  | the request *not said here* | editor |  |  |  | vn acquiesce-95.1-1-1 «NP V PP.pivot»: agent=Agent to he=Pivot |
| 11 | **do** | to-infinitive |  | editor's best |  |  |  | towards the attainment of a desirable object; as a purer translation and more literal rendering of fables | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent good=Eventuality |
| 12 | **celebrate** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | justly *property* | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 13 | **task** |  |  | a new translation of a enlarged number of Æsop's Fables |  |  |  |  | nom task «act transitive»: of=patient |
| 14 | **translate** |  | a enlarged number of Æsop's Fables |  |  |  |  |  | nom translation «communication intransitive»: of=agent |
| 15 | **discharge** |  | editor | a different design |  |  |  |  | nom discharge «event transitive»: poss=agent of=patient |
| 16 | **attain** |  |  | a desirable object |  |  |  |  | nom attainment «act transitive»: of=patient |
| 17 | **render** |  |  | fables |  |  |  |  | nom rendering «communication transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

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**Text:** «Three hundred Aesop’s fables» by Aesop, Project Gutenberg book 21 (public domain in the USA). **Tree:** Mova's own parse, Elamur Cosmic License. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), the chapter read in order.

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