Monday, July 20, 2009

Vulpes et Uva (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:

Racēmum dēpendentem frustrā cōnāta est Vulpēcula iteratīs saltibus attingere. Sed tandem cōnātibus cassīs omnīnō dēfatīgāta, indīgnābunda recessit, inquiēns, “Apage acerbās et immātūrās istās ūvās, quae sānē tam sordidae sunt ut nē quidem humī iacentēs attollerem, sī mihi grātīs offerrentur.”



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):

Racémum dependéntem frustra conáta est Vulpécula iterátis sáltibus attíngere. Sed tandem conátibus cassis omníno defatigáta, indignabúnda recéssit, ínquiens, “Ápage acérbas et immatúras istas uvas, quae sane tam sórdidae sunt ut ne quidem humi iacéntes attóllerem, si mihi gratis offerréntur.”



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:

Racemum dependentem frustra conata est Vulpecula iteratis saltibus attingere. Sed tandem conatibus cassis omnino defatigata, indignabunda recessit, inquiens, “Apage acerbas et immaturas istas uvas, quae sane tam sordidae sunt ut ne quidem humi iacentes attollerem, si mihi gratis offerrentur.”



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