Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Auceps et Cicada (Aphthonius)

SOURCE: This is a Latin version of Aphthonius's Greek fables; you can see them side-by-side with the Greek text in Nevelet's 1660 edition of Fabulae Variorum Auctorum at GoogleBooks. This is fable 4 in Aphthonius; for other versions, see Perry 397.

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:

Auceps audītā cicādā, magnam aliquam praedam captūrum sē spērāvit: quam, cum forte praeterīret, aestimābat ex cantū. Sed cum arte adhibitā cēpisset, nihil quidem praeter cicādae cantum reportāvit. Tunc itaque opīniōnem incūsāvit quod mendax multīs in rēbus ferret iūdicium. Sic malī videntur esse potius, quam rēvērā sint.


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

Auceps audíta cicáda, magnam áliquam praedam captúrum se sperávit: quam, cum forte praeteríret, aestimábat ex cantu. Sed cum arte adhíbita cepísset, nihil quidem praeter cicádae cantum reportávit. Tunc ítaque opiniónem incusávit quod mendax multis in rebus ferret iudícium. Sic mali vidéntur esse pótius, quam revéra sint.


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:

Auceps
audita cicada,
magnam aliquam praedam
capturum
se speravit:
quam,
cum forte praeteriret,
aestimabat ex cantu.
Sed
cum arte adhibita cepisset,
nihil quidem
praeter cicadae cantum
reportavit.
Tunc itaque
opinionem incusavit
quod mendax
multis in rebus
ferret iudicium.
Sic mali
videntur esse potius,
quam revera sint.



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