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:
Cicāda quaedam, quae per tōtam aestātem cantāverat, cum iam saevīret Aquilō, nihil cibī, nē muscae quidem vel vermiculī particulam, invenīre poterat. Itaque, ut famem quererētur, ac frūmentī aliquantulum peteret, quō ad vēr proximum vīveret, ad vīcīnam iit formīcam. "Ante messem," inquit, "omne reddam ūnā cum faenore, ita mē, miserum animal, dī servent!" Formīca autem, quae rārō mūtuum dat, huic scīlicet vitiō minimē dēdita, "Quid," inquit, "aestāte fēcistī?" "Diē ac nocte semper canēbam." "Canēbāsne? Bene est! Ergō nunc saltā!"
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):
Cicáda quaedam, quae per totam aestátem cantáverat, cum iam saevíret Áquilo, nihil cibi, ne muscae quidem vel vermículi partículam, inveníre póterat. Ítaque, ut famem quererétur, ac fruménti aliquántulum péteret, quo ad ver próximum víveret, ad vicínam iit formícam. "Ante messem," inquit, "omne reddam una cum fáenore, ita me, míserum ánimal, di servent!" Formíca autem, quae raro mútuum dat, huic scílicet vítio mínime dédita, "Quid," inquit, "aestáte fecísti?" "Die ac nocte semper canébam." "Canebásne? Bene est! Ergo nunc salta!"
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; I've inserted spaces between the segments to make it easier to follow:
Cicada quaedam,
quae per totam aestatem cantaverat,
cum iam saeviret Aquilo,
nihil cibi,
ne muscae quidem vel vermiculi particulam,
invenire poterat.
Itaque, ut famem quereretur,
ac frumenti aliquantulum peteret,
quo ad ver proximum viveret,
ad vicinam iit formicam.
"Ante messem," inquit,
"omne reddam
una cum faenore,
ita me, miserum animal, di servent!"
Formica autem,
quae raro mutuum dat,
huic scilicet vitio minime dedita,
"Quid," inquit, "aestate fecisti?"
"Die ac nocte semper canebam."
"Canebasne? Bene est!
Ergo nunc salta!"
IMAGE. Here is the illustration of the fable by Aractingy:
