Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Opilio et Canis (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 113 in Boissonade's edition; for other versions, see Perry 365.

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:

Intus saepta quīdam vesperī congregāns ovēs, fulvum ūna lupum erat inclūsūrus. Quō cōnspectō canis pastōrī: quōmodo festīnās, dixit, ovēs servāre, quī istum ad nōs intrōmittis?


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):

Intus saepta quidam vésperi cóngregans oves, fulvum una lupum erat inclusúrus. Quo conspécto canis pastóri: quómodo festínas, dixit, oves serváre, qui istum ad nos intromíttis?


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:

Intus saepta
quidam
vesperi congregans oves,
fulvum una lupum
erat inclusurus.
Quo conspecto
canis pastori:
quomodo festinas, dixit,
oves servare,
qui
istum ad nos intromittis?



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing the sheep safe in their sheepfold: