Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Homo et Mercurius et Formicae (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 117 in Boissonade's edition; for other versions, see Perry 306.

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:

Nāve quondam ipsīs dēmersā cum vectōribus, spectātor quīdam deōs arguēbat aequōs nōn esse iūdicēs: ūnō sī quidem impiō ratem ingressō, innocentēs plūrimōs ūna cum illō interīrent. Quae dum loquerētur, simul, ut fert cāsus, multārum ad ipsum accessit agmen formīcārum, paleolās properantium rōdere trīticeās. Dē quibus ūna cum momordisset illum, plūrimās pede prōculcāvit. Tum adstāns Mercurius, et hominem virgula feriēns, Deinceps nōn patiēris, inquit, deōs esse vestrum iūdicēs, quālem tē praebēs formīcārum?


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):

Nave quondam ipsis demérsa cum vectóribus, spectátor quidam deos arguébat aequos non esse iúdices: uno si quidem ímpio ratem ingrésso, innocéntes plúrimos una cum illo interírent. Quae dum loquerétur, simul, ut fert casus, multárum ad ipsum accéssit agmen formicárum, paléolas properántium ródere tritíceas. De quibus una cum momordísset illum, plúrimas pede proculcávit. Tum adstans Mercúrius, et hóminem vírgula fériens, Deínceps non patiéris, inquit, deos esse vestrum iúdices, qualem te praebes formicárum?


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:

Nave quondam
ipsis demersa cum vectoribus,
spectator quidam
deos arguebat
aequos non esse iudices:
uno si quidem impio
ratem ingresso,
innocentes plurimos
una cum illo interirent.
Quae dum loqueretur,
simul, ut fert casus,
multarum
ad ipsum accessit agmen formicarum,
paleolas
properantium rodere triticeas.
De quibus
una cum momordisset illum,
plurimas pede proculcavit.
Tum adstans Mercurius,
et hominem virgula feriens,
Deinceps non patieris, inquit,
deos esse vestrum iudices,
qualem te praebes formicarum?



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing a wise-looking Hermes: