Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Lucerna Superba (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 114 in Boissonade's edition; for other versions, see Perry 349.

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:

Lucerna affatim plēna oleō vesperī glōriābātur cōram adstantibus, sē lūciferō fulgentiōrem esse, cunctīs quae mitteret lūcem splendidissimam. Sed ventus sībilāvit, subitōque exstincta, flābellō flātūs ventilāta. Quam rursus accendēns aliquis: Dēbilis, ait, lucernae spīritus erat. Astrōrum vērō lux nōn ēmoritur."


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):

Lucérna áffatim plena óleo vésperi gloriabátur coram adstántibus, se lucífero fulgentiórem esse, cunctis quae mítteret lucem splendidíssimam. Sed ventus sibilávit, subitóque exstíncta, flabéllo flatus ventiláta. Quam rursus accéndens áliquis: Débilis, ait, lucérnae spíritus erat. Astrórum vero lux non emóritur."


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:

Lucerna
affatim plena oleo
vesperi gloriabatur
coram adstantibus,
se
lucifero fulgentiorem esse,
cunctis
quae
mitteret lucem splendidissimam.
Sed ventus sibilavit,
subitoque exstincta,
flabello flatus ventilata.
Quam rursus accendens aliquis:
Debilis, ait,
lucernae spiritus erat.
Astrorum vero lux
non emoritur."



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