Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Gallus et Feles (Babrius-prose)

SOURCE: This is a Latin prose version of Babrius's Greek verse fables, as published by Jean François Boissonade in 1844; the book is available at GoogleBooks. This is fable 17 in Boissonade's edition; for other versions, see Perry 79.

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:

Fēles domesticīs īnsidiātus avibus, saccō similis ē clāvīs dēpendēbat. Quem quī vīderat prūdēns pandirōstrus gallināceus, tālia iēcit acūta vōce dictēria: Saccōs nōvī quī sint, cum iam multōs vīderim; at nullus habuit fēlis vīvī dentēs."


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):

Feles domésticis insidiátus ávibus, sacco símilis e clavis dependébat. Quem qui víderat prudens pandiróstrus gallináceus, tália iecit acúta voce dictéria: Saccos novi qui sint, cum iam multos víderim; at nullus hábuit felis vivi dentes."


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:

Feles
domesticis insidiatus avibus,
sacco similis
e clavis dependebat.
Quem
qui viderat
prudens pandirostrus gallinaceus,
talia iecit acuta voce dicteria:
Saccos novi qui sint,
cum iam multos viderim;
at nullus
habuit felis vivi dentes."



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing the cat-sack: