Thursday, August 6, 2009

Anus et Ancillae (Barlow)

SOURCE: Aesop’s Fables in Latin: Ancient Wit and Wisdom from the Animal Kingdom. For more information - including vocabulary lists and grammar comments - see the page for this fable at the Aesopus Ning.

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:

Anus quaedam domī habēbat complūrēs Ancillās, quās quotīdiē, antequam lūcesceret, ad Gallī gallināceī, quem domī alēbat, cantum excitābat ad opus. Ancillae tandem, quotīdiānī negōtiī commōtae taediō, Gallum obtruncant, spērantēs iam, necātō illō, sēsē in mediōs dormītūrās diēs. Sed haec spēs miserās frustrāta est. Hera enim, ut interemptum Gallum rescīvit, Ancillās intempestā nocte surgere deinceps iubet.



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):

Anus quaedam domi habébat complúres Ancíllas, quas quotídie, ántequam lucésceret, ad Galli gallinácei, quem domi alébat, cantum excitábat ad opus. Ancíllae tandem, quotidiáni negótii commótae taédio, Gallum obtrúncant, sperántes iam, necáto illo, sese in médios dormitúras dies. Sed haec spes míseras frustráta est. Hera enim, ut interémptum Gallum rescívit, Ancíllas intempésta nocte súrgere deínceps iubet.


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:

Anus quaedam domi habebat complures Ancillas, quas quotidie, antequam lucesceret, ad Galli gallinacei, quem domi alebat, cantum excitabat ad opus. Ancillae tandem, quotidiani negotii commotae taedio, Gallum obtruncant, sperantes iam, necato illo, sese in medios dormituras dies. Sed haec spes miseras frustrata est. Hera enim, ut interemptum Gallum rescivit, Ancillas intempesta nocte surgere deinceps iubet.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source).