Monday, May 17, 2010

Lepus et vulpes (Syntipas)

SOURCE: The following Latin translations of Syntipas's Greek fables are by Christian Frederick Matthaei and were published in 1781; the book is available at GoogleBooks. This is fable 10 in Syntipas. For other versions, see Perry 408.

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:

Lepus sitim ut aquā extingueret in puteum dēscenderat largīsque haustibus sē satiāverat. Inde cum vult revertī occlusā viā, inops cōnsiliī, vehementer sē cruciat. Quod animadvertēns vulpes, quae forte illum ibi offenderat, "Maximō (inquit) mehercule versāris in perīculō. Sed prius tē oportuit dēlīberāre, quā viā ex puteō possēs ascendere ac deinde dēmum dēscendere."


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):

Lepus sitim ut aqua extíngueret in púteum descénderat largísque haústibus se satiáverat. Inde cum vult revérti occlúsa via, inops consílii, veheménter se crúciat. Quod animadvértens vulpes, quae forte illum ibi offénderat, "Máximo (inquit) mehércule versáris in perículo. Sed prius te opórtuit deliberáre, qua via ex púteo posses ascéndere ac deínde demum descéndere."


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:

Lepus
sitim ut aqua extingueret
in puteum descenderat
largisque haustibus
se satiaverat.
Inde cum vult reverti
occlusa via,
inops consilii,
vehementer se cruciat.
Quod animadvertens
vulpes,
quae forte
illum ibi offenderat,
"Maximo (inquit) mehercule
versaris in periculo.
Sed prius
te oportuit deliberare,
qua via
ex puteo posses ascendere
ac deinde demum descendere."



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source), showing an inquisitive red fox: