Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Anguis, Canis et Rusticus (Gildersleeve)

SOURCE: A Latin Reader by Basil Lanneau Gildersleeve. This is not a traditional Aesop's fable, but it is a famous folktale, commonly referred to as the tale of "Gellert," from the famous Welsh version. You can read more about it here at Dan Ashliman's Folktales website.

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:

Rūsticus in agrōs exiit ad opus suum. Fīliolum, quī in cūnīs iacēbat, relīquit canī fidēlī atque validō custōdiendum. Arrepsit anguis immānis, quī puerulum exstinctūrus erat. Sed custōs fidēlis corripit cum dentibus acūtīs et, dum eum necāre studet, cūnās simul evertit super exstinctum anguem. Paulō post ex arvō rediit agricola; cum cūnās ēversās cruentumque canis rictum vidēret, īrā accenditur. Temerē igitur custōdem fīliolī interficit ligōne, quem manibus tenēbat. Sed ubi cūnās restituit, super anguem occīsum reperit puerum vīvum et incolumem. Paenitentia facinoris temerē patrātī tum sēra fuit.


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):

Rústicus in agros éxiit ad opus suum. Filíolum, qui in cunis iacébat, relíquit cani fidéli atque válido custodiéndum. Arrépsit anguis immánis, qui puérulum exstinctúrus erat. Sed custos fidélis córripit cum déntibus acútis et, dum eum necáre studet, cunas simul evértit super exstínctum anguem. Paulo post ex arvo rédiit agrícola; cum cunas evérsas cruentúmque canis rictum vidéret, ira accénditur. Témere ígitur custódem filíoli intérficit ligóne, quem mánibus tenébat. Sed ubi cunas restítuit, super anguem occísum réperit púerum vivum et incólumem. Paeniténtia facínoris témere patráti tum sera fuit.


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:

Rusticus in agros exiit ad opus suum. Filiolum, qui in cunis iacebat, reliquit cani fideli atque valido custodiendum. Arrepsit anguis immanis, qui puerulum exstincturus erat. Sed custos fidelis corripit cum dentibus acutis et, dum eum necare studet, cunas simul evertit super exstinctum anguem. Paulo post ex arvo rediit agricola; cum cunas eversas cruentumque canis rictum videret, ira accenditur. Temere igitur custodem filioli interficit ligone, quem manibus tenebat. Sed ubi cunas restituit, super anguem occisum reperit puerum vivum et incolumem. Paenitentia facinoris temere patrati tum sera fuit.


IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) for the "Beth Gellert" version of the story told in Wales: