I.a narration, narrative, account, story; the subject of common talk.
I. In gen. (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose; “syn.: narratio, fasti, annales, res gestae, historia): additur fabulae, quo vulgo Sabini aureas armillas brachio laevo habuerint, pepigisse eam, etc.,” Liv. 1, 11, 8: “poëticae (opp. incorrupta rerum gestarum monumenta), id. praef. § 6: Ummidius, qui tam (non longa est fabula) dives, ut, etc.,” Hor. S. 1, 1, 95; id. Ep. 1, 2, 6: “mutato nomine de te fabula narratur,” id. S. 1, 1, 70: “asinaeque paternum Cognomen vertas in risum et fabula flas,” the common talk, town's talk, id. Ep. 1, 13, 9; cf.: “heu me, per urbem Fabula quanta fui!” id. Epod. 11, 8: “fabula (nec sentis) tota jactaris in urbe,” you are talked of all over the city, Ov. Am. 8, 1, 21; cf. Suet. Aug. 70; id. Dom. 15; Mart. 3, 14: “habes omnes fabulas urbis,” Plin. Ep. 8, 18, 11: “nova fabula,” the news, Juv. 1, 145: “semper formosis fabula poena fuit,” Prop. 2, 32, 26 (3, 30, 26 M.): “a diverticulo repetatur fabula,” let us return to our story, Juv. 15, 72.—
B. Transf., conversation (post-Aug.): “ut fabulas quoque eorum et disputationes et arcana semotae dictionis penitus exciperem,” conversations, Tac. Or. 2: “praeceptores cum auditoribus suis fabulas habent,” id. ib. 29; cf.: “cum inter fabulas privatas sermo esset ortus, quanti, etc.,” in private conversation, Lampr. Heliog. 25.—With a dependent clause: “ne id accidat, quod cuipiam Thraco venisse usu, fabula est,” is related, Gell. 19, 12, 6.—
2. In vulg. lang. (like the Germ. Geschichte), affair, concern, matter: “sed quid ego aspicio? quae haec fabula'st?” what sort of an affair is this? Plaut. Pers. 5, 2, 11; Ter. And. 4, 4, 8.
II. In partic. (freq. and class.), a fictitious narrative, a tale, story (syn.: apologus, narratio): narrationum tris accepimus species, fabulam, quae versatur in tragoediis atque carminibus non a veritate modo, sed etiam a forma veritatis remota, argumentum ... historiam, etc., Quint. 2, 4, 2: “haec res agetur nobis, vobis fabula,” Plaut. Capt. prol. 52: “peregrino narrare fabulas,” id. Men. 5, 1, 24: “num igitur me cogis etiam fabulis credere? quae delectationis habeant quantum voles ... auctoritatem quidem nullam debemus nec fidem commenticiis rebus adjungere, etc.,” Cic. Div. 2, 55, 113; cf.: “fictis fabulis,” id. Mil. 3, 8: “antiquitas recepit fabulas, fictas etiam nonnumquam incondite,” id. Rep. 2, 10; cf.: “a fabulis ad facta venire,” id. ib. 2, 2 fin.: “minor fabulis habetur fides,” id. ib. 2, 10: “saepe fabulis fidem firmare (consuerant),” Suet. Rhet. 1 med.; “Liv. praef. § 6: non fabula rumor Ille fuit,” Ov. M. 10, 561: “fabulam inceptat,” Ter. And. 5, 4, 22: “quid tamen ista velit sibi fabula, ede,” Hor. S. 2, 5, 61: “fabulae!” mere stories! stuff! nonsense! Ter. Heaut. 2, 3, 95; id. And. 1, 3, 19: “ne convivialium fabularum simplicitas in crimen duceretur,” Tac. A. 6, 11 fin.: “sufficiunt duae fabulae, an tertiam poscis?” Plin. Ep. 2, 20, 9.—In apposition: “jam te premet nox fabulaeque Manes (= fabulosi, inanes),” Hor. C. 1, 4, 16: “civis et manes et fabula fies,” Pers. 5, 152: “nos jam fabula sumus,” Ter. Hec. 4, 3, 14.—So of idle tales: “ineptas et aniles fabulas devita,” Vulg. 1 Tim. 4, 7 al.—
B. Of particular kinds of poetry.
1. Most freq., a dramatic poem, drama, play (syn.: “ludus, cantus, actio, etc.): in full, fabula scaenica,” Amm. 28, 1, 4; “or, theatralis,” id. 14, 6, 20: “fabula ad actum scenarum composita,” Quint. 5, 10, 9; cf. id. 11, 3, 73 sq.: “Livianae fabulae non satis dignae, quae iterum legantur. Atque hic Livius primus fabulam, C. Clodio Caeci filio et M. Tuditano Cos. docuit,” produced, Cic. Brut. 18, 72; v. doceo, II. init.; cf.: fabulam dare, under do, II. H.; so, “facere,” Varr. L. L. 5, 8: “neque histrioni ut placeat, peragenda fabula est,” Cic. de Sen. 19, 70: “securus, cadat an recto stet fabula talo,” Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 176: “neve minor neu sit quinto productior actu Fabula,” id. A. P. 190: “M. Pacuvii nova fabula,” Cic. Lael. 7, 24: “Terentii,” Hor. S. 1, 2, 21: “Attae,” id. Ep. 2, 1, 80 et saep.: “in fabulis stultissima persona,” Cic. Lael. 26, 100 et saep.— Transf.: “non solum unum actum, sed totam fabulam confecissem,” Cic. Phil. 2, 14, 34.—
2. A fable (cf. apologus): “fabularum cur sit inventum genus Brevi docebo, etc.,” Phaedr. 3, prol. 33: “quae (res) vel apologum, vel fabulam vel aliquam contineat irrisionem,” Cic. Inv. 1, 17, 25: “nota illa de membris humanis adversus ventrem discordantibus fabula,” Quint. 5, 11, 19 (shortly before, fabella) et saep.—Prov.: Lupus in fabula (like the Engl., talk of the devil, and he will appear), of a person who comes just as we are talking about him, Ter. Ad. 4, 1, 21; Cic. Att. 13, 33, 4; so, “lupus in sermone,” Plaut. Stich. 4, 1, 71.
