Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Vulpes et Leo, Venantes (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 20 in Aphthonius; for other versions, see Perry 394.

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:

Vulpēcula appāritōris īnstar operam suam locābat leōnī: ita ut haec praedam indicāret, ille aggressus caperet. Quārē et utrīque prō dignitāte quā erat, pars obtingēbat. Sed vulpes cum leōnī partem invidēret maximam, vēnārī potius ipsa voluit, quam indicāre. Et aliquid ē grege ovium cōnāta rapere, prīmum ipsa facta praeda est vēnantibus. Servīre tūtō melius est, quam cum perīculo dominārī.


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):

Vulpécula apparitóris instar óperam suam locábat leóni: ita ut haec praedam indicáret, ille aggréssus cáperet. Quare et utríque pro dignitáte qua erat, pars obtingébat. Sed vulpes cum leóni partem invidéret máximam, venári pótius ipsa vóluit, quam indicáre. Et áliquid e grege óvium conáta rápere, primum ipsa facta praeda est venántibus. Servíre tuto mélius est, quam cum perículo dominári.


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:

Vulpecula
apparitoris instar
operam suam
locabat leoni:
ita ut haec
praedam indicaret,
ille aggressus
caperet.
Quare et utrique
pro dignitate qua erat,
pars obtingebat.
Sed vulpes
cum leoni
partem invideret maximam,
venari potius ipsa voluit,
quam indicare.
Et aliquid
e grege ovium
conata rapere,
primum ipsa
facta praeda est venantibus.
Servire
tuto melius est,
quam cum periculo dominari.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing the lion having a discussion with the fox: