Sunday, May 30, 2010

Leo, Lupus et Umbra Eius (DeFuria)


Lupus in dēserta loca pererrāns, dum iam sōl in occāsum vergeret, cum suī umbram valdē longam animadvertisset, Leōnem, inquit, egō timeō, cum tantus sim, ut iūgerum aequem? Nonne prorsus in cēterās ferās omnēs imperium exercēbō? Dum haec Lupus superbē sēcum cōgitat, Leo supervēnit, eumque dictō citius dēvorāvit. Quapropter Lupus paenitentiā, sed frustrā tactus, exclāmābat: Ō stulta opīnio, quae meae necis causa es!

SOURCE: This comes from the Latin translation that accompanies De Furia's edition of the Greek Aesopic corpus, published in 1810 and available at GoogleBooks. This is fable 359 in De Furia; for other versions, see Perry 260.

READ OUT LOUD. Choose which marked text you prefer to practice with - macrons (above) or accent marks (below) - and read the text out loud until you feel comfortable and confident. Then, try reading the unmarked text at the very bottom. It should be easy for you after practicing with the marked texts. :-)


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):

Lupus in desérta loca perérrans, dum iam sol in occásum vérgeret, cum sui umbram valde longam animadvertísset, Leónem, inquit, ego tímeo, cum tantus sim, ut iúgerum aequem? Nonne prorsus in céteras feras omnes impérium exercébo? Dum haec Lupus supérbe secum cógitat, Leo supervénit, eúmque dicto cítius devorávit. Quaprópter Lupus paeniténtia, sed frustra tactus, exclamábat: o stulta opínio, quae meae necis causa es!


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:

Lupus
in deserta loca pererrans,
dum iam sol
in occasum vergeret,
cum sui umbram
valde longam animadvertisset,
Leonem, inquit,
ego timeo,
cum tantus sim,
ut iugerum aequem?
Nonne prorsus
in ceteras feras omnes
imperium exercebo?
Dum haec
Lupus
superbe secum cogitat,
Leo supervenit,
eumque
dicto citius devoravit.
Quapropter Lupus
paenitentia, sed frustra tactus,
exclamabat:
O stulta opinio,
quae
meae necis causa es!



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing a wolf at dusk: