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:
Canis et Gallus rūs obambulābant. Nocte appropinquante, Gallus altam ascendēbat arborem, Canis autem ad pedem arboris sēcūrus dormiēbat. Intempesta nocte, Gallus canōram vōcem ēdidit. Vulpēs praeteriēns audit accurritque et inter salūtandum prōmīsit quod optimam docēret novamque ōdēn, sī ab arbore dēscenderet. “Dēscendam subitō,” respondēbat Gallus. “Saltem ā tē petō ut Comitem expergiscāris meum, quī infrā in utramque aurem dormit.” Vulpēs, novae praedae avida, Canem expergiscitur. Canis subitō in eam irruēns apprehendit laniatque.
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):
Canis et Gallus rus obambulábant. Nocte appropinquánte, Gallus altam ascendébat árborem, Canis autem ad pedem árboris secúrus dormiébat. Intempésta nocte, Gallus canóram vocem édidit. Vulpes praetériens audit accurrítque et inter salutándum promísit quod óptimam docéret novámque oden, si ab árbore descénderet. “Descéndam súbito,” respondébat Gallus. “Saltem a te peto ut Cómitem expergiscáris meum, qui infra in utrámque aurem dormit.” Vulpes, novae praedae ávida, Canem expergíscitur. Canis súbito in eam írruens apprehéndit laniátque.
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:
Canis et Gallus rus obambulabant. Nocte appropinquante, Gallus altam ascendebat arborem, Canis autem ad pedem arboris securus dormiebat. Intempesta nocte, Gallus canoram vocem edidit. Vulpes praeteriens audit accurritque et inter salutandum promisit quod optimam doceret novamque oden, si ab arbore descenderet. “Descendam subito,” respondebat Gallus. “Saltem a te peto ut Comitem expergiscaris meum, qui infra in utramque aurem dormit.” Vulpes, novae praedae avida, Canem expergiscitur. Canis subito in eam irruens apprehendit laniatque.
IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source).
Here is another illustration from the Medici Aesop, which is online at the New York Public Library website.
