Saturday, June 6, 2009

Piscator et Pisciculus (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:

Smaridem Pisciculum captābat Piscātor, quem, ut sē tunc dēmitteret dōnec grandesceret unde luculentius et lautius hospitum faucēs explēret, importūnīs precibus fatīgāvit. Cui Piscātor; “Mē sānē īnsulsum crēderes, sī tam fūtilibus et lūbricīs prōmissīs fidem adhibērem et certum commodum prō spē incertā commūtārem.”



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):

Smáridem Piscículum captábat Piscátor, quem, ut se tunc demítteret donec grandésceret unde luculéntius et láutius hóspitum fauces expléret, importúnis précibus fatigávit. Cui Piscátor: “Me sane insúlsum créderes, si tam futílibus et lúbricis promíssis fidem adhibérem et certum cómmodum pro spe incérta commutárem.”



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:

Smaridem Pisciculum captabat Piscator, quem, ut se tunc demitteret donec grandesceret unde luculentius et lautius hospitum fauces expleret, importunis precibus fatigavit. Cui Piscator: “Me sane insulsum crederes, si tam futilibus et lubricis promissis fidem adhiberem et certum commodum pro spe incerta commutarem.”



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