Friday, July 31, 2009

Ursus et Alveare (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:

Ab Apiculīs irrītātus et leviter ictus, Ursus indignābundus in tōtum alveāre tōtis vīribus irruēbat. Ad quam violentam concussiōnem, Apēs omnēs, velut agmine factō, in faciem Ursī involābant. Quārum ācriter cruciātus aculeīs Ursus: “Quantō (inquit) satius mihi fuisset ūnīus Apiculae tulisse patienter aculeum, quam tam temere tōtum exāmen irrītāsse!”



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):

Ab Apículis irritátus et léviter ictus, Ursus indignabúndus in totum alveáre totis víribus irruébat. Ad quam violéntam concussiónem, Apes omnes, velut ágmine facto, in fáciem Ursi involábant. Quárum ácriter cruciátus acúleis Ursus: “Quanto (inquit) sátius mihi fuísset uníus Apículae tulísse patiénter acúleum, quam tam témere totum exámen irritásse!”



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:

Ab Apiculis irritatus et leviter ictus, Ursus indignabundus in totum alveare totis viribus irruebat. Ad quam violentam concussionem, Apes omnes, velut agmine facto, in faciem Ursi involabant. Quarum acriter cruciatus aculeis Ursus: “Quanto (inquit) satius mihi fuisset unius Apiculae tulisse patienter aculeum, quam tam temere totum examen irritasse!”



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