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:
Mūrēs aliquando consultābant, quōmodo sē ā fēle tuērī possent. Multa prōpōnēbantur ā singulīs mūribus, sed nihil placēbat. Postremō ūnus dixit: Tintinnābulum fēli annectendum est; tum statim audiēmus, cum veniet, facileque effugiēmus. Omnēs mūrēs laetī praedicant prūdentem consiliī auctōrem. Iam tū, inquiunt, annecte tintinnābulum. Ego vērō, respondet ille, consilium dedī, alius operam sūmat. Irritum consilium fuit, quoniam quī fēlī annecteret tintinnābulum, nōn reperiēbātur.
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):
Mures aliquándo consultábant, quómodo se a fele tuéri possent. Multa proponebántur a síngulis múribus, sed nihil placébat. Póstremo unus dixit: Tintinnábulum feli annecténdum est; tum statim audiémus, cum véniet, faciléque effugiémus. Omnes mures laeti praédicant prudéntem consílii auctórem. Iam tu, ínquiunt, annécte tintinnábulum. Ego vero, respóndet ille, consílium dedi, álius óperam sumat. Írritum consílium fuit, quoniam qui feli annécteret tintinnábulum, non reperiebátur.
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:
Mures aliquando consultabant, quomodo se a fele tueri possent. Multa proponebantur a singulis muribus, sed nihil placebat. Postremo unus dixit: Tintinnabulum feli annectendum est; tum statim audiemus, cum veniet, facileque effugiemus. Omnes mures laeti praedicant prudentem consilii auctorem. Iam tu, inquiunt, annecte tintinnabulum. Ego vero, respondet ille, consilium dedi, alius operam sumat. Irritum consilium fuit, quoniam qui feli annecteret tintinnabulum, non reperiebatur.
IMAGE. For an image to accompany the story, here is Barlow's depiction of the cat, and the mice, and - if you look closely enough - the bell! (It's there where the mice are scurrying about.)
