Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Sus, Capra, et Ovis (Aphthonius)

SOURCE: This is a Latin version of Aphthonius's Greek fables; you can see them side-by-side with the Greek text in Nevelet's 1660 edition of Fabulae Variorum Auctorum at GoogleBooks. This is fable 30 in Aphthonius; for other versions, see Perry 85.

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:

Ex agrō quīdam reportābat suem, capram et ovem, ūnō vērō omnēs trēs vehēbantur asinō ad urbem. Et reliqua quidem duo animālia silēbant: sōla vērō sūs ingentī clāmōre vectōrī suō obstrepēbat. cui ille, Quid igitur, inquit, non tacitam praetermittis hanc vectūram, quemadmodum cētera? quoniam lactis quidem causā capra, lānae vērō grātiā ovis abdūcitur, egō autem, rēspondit sūs, ut macter.


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):

Ex agro quidam reportábat suem, capram et ovem, uno vero omnes tres vehebántur ásino ad urbem. Et réliqua quidem duo animália silébant: sola vero sus ingénti clamóre vectóri suo obstrepébat. Cui ille, Quid ígitur, inquit, non tácitam praetermíttis hanc vectúram, quemádmodum cétera? quóniam lactis quidem causa capra, lanae vero grátia ovis abdúcitur, ego autem, respóndit sus, ut macter.


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:

Ex agro
quidam reportabat
suem, capram et ovem,
uno vero
omnes tres vehebantur asino
ad urbem.
Et reliqua quidem
duo animalia
silebant:
sola vero sus
ingenti clamore
vectori suo obstrepebat.
Cui ille,
Quid igitur, inquit,
non tacitam praetermittis
hanc vecturam,
quemadmodum cetera?
quoniam lactis quidem causa
capra,
lanae vero gratia
ovis abducitur,
ego autem, respondit sus,
ut macter.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing an angry pig: