For help in reading the story, try pasting the unmarked text into NoDictionaries.com (see more tips here).
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:
Mulier vidua, quae texendō vītam sustentābat, solēbat ancillās suās dē nocte excitāre ad opus, cum prīmum gallī cantum audīvisset. At illae, diūturnō labōre fatīgātae, statuērunt gallum interficere. Quō factō, dēteriōre conditiōne quam prius esse coepērunt. Nam domina, dē hōrā noctis incerta, nunc famulās saepe iam primā nocte excitābat.
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):
Múlier vídua, quae texéndo vitam sustentábat, solébat ancíllas suas de nocte excitáre ad opus, cum primum galli cantum audivísset. At illae, diutúrno labóre fatigátae, statuérunt gallum interfícere. Quo facto, deterióre conditióne quam prius esse coepérunt. Nam dómina, de hora noctis incérta, nunc fámulas saepe iam prima nocte excitábat.
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:
Mulier vidua,
quae
texendo vitam sustentabat,
solebat
ancillas suas
de nocte excitare ad opus,
cum
primum galli cantum audivisset.
At illae,
diuturno labore fatigatae,
statuerunt
gallum interficere.
Quo facto,
deteriore conditione
quam prius
esse coeperunt.
Nam domina,
de hora noctis incerta,
nunc
famulas
saepe iam prima nocte
excitabat.
IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) by Walter Crane:
Here is an illustration from the Medici Aesop, which is online at the New York Public Library website.
