Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Leo et Ursus (Barlow)

SOURCE: Aesop’s Fables in Latin: Ancient Wit and Wisdom from the Animal Kingdom. For more information - including vocabulary lists and grammar comments - see the page for this fable at the Aesopus Ning.

READ OUT LOUD. Choose which marked text you prefer to practice with - macrons or accent marks - and read the text out loud until you feel comfortable and confident. Then, try reading the unmarked text at the bottom. It should be easy for you after practicing with the marked texts. :-)


MACRONS. Here is the text with macrons:

Leō et Ursus, simul māgnum adeptī hinnulum, dē eō concertābant. Graviter autem ā sē ipsīs affectī, ut ex multā pūgnā etiam vertīgine corriperentur, dēfatīgatī iacēbant. Vulpēs intereā, circumcircā eundō ubi prōstrātōs eōs vīdit et hinnulum in mediō iacentem, hunc, per utrōsque percurrendō, rapuit fugiēnsque abīvit. At illī vidēbant quidem fūrācem Vulpem sed, quia nōn potuērunt surgere, “Ēheu nōs miserōs,” dīcēbant, “quia Vulpī labōrāvimus.”


ACCENT MARKS. Here is the text with ecclesiastical accents, plus some color-coding for the words of three or more syllables (blue: penultimate stress; red: antepenultimate stress):

Leo et Ursus, simul magnum adépti hínnulum, de eo concertábant. Gráviter autem a se ipsis affécti, ut ex multa pugna etiam vertígine corriperéntur, defatigáti iacébant. Vulpes intérea, circumcírca eúndo ubi prostrátos eos vidit et hínnulum in médio iacéntem, hunc, per utrósque percurréndo, rápuit fugiénsque abívit. At illi vidébant quidem furácem Vulpem sed, quia non potuérunt súrgere, “Eheu nos míseros,” dicébant, “quia Vulpi laborávimus.”


UNMARKED TEXT. Here is the unmarked text - after practicing with the marked text that you prefer, you should not have any trouble with the unmarked text:

Leo et Ursus, simul magnum adepti hinnulum, de eo concertabant. Graviter autem a se ipsis affecti, ut ex multa pugna etiam vertigine corriperentur, defatigati iacebant. Vulpes interea, circumcirca eundo ubi prostratos eos vidit et hinnulum in medio iacentem, hunc, per utrosque percurrendo, rapuit fugiensque abivit. At illi videbant quidem furacem Vulpem sed, quia non potuerunt surgere, “Eheu nos miseros,” dicebant, “quia Vulpi laboravimus.”



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source).



Here is another illustration from the Medici Aesop, which is online at the New York Public Library website.