Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Columbae et Accipiter (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:

Columbae ōlim cum Mīlvō haud incruentum gerēbant bellum et, ut Mīlvum penitus expūgnārent, dēlegērunt sibi rēgem Accipitrem. Quī rex factus, hostem agit, nōn rēgem. Nam, nōn sēgnius ac Mīlvus, Columbās rapit laniatque. Paenitēbat igitur Columbās inceptī, satius fuisse putantēs bella patī Mīlvī quam Accipitris subīre tyrannidem.



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):

Colúmbae olim cum Milvo haud incruéntum gerébant bellum et, ut Milvum pénitus expugnárent, delegérunt sibi regem Accípitrem. Qui rex factus, hostem agit, non regem. Nam, non ségnius ac Milvus, Colúmbas rapit laniátque. Paenitébat ígitur Colúmbas incépti, sátius fuísse putántes bella pati Milvi quam Accípitris subíre tyránnidem.



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:

Columbae olim cum Milvo haud incruentum gerebant bellum et, ut Milvum penitus expugnarent, delegerunt sibi regem Accipitrem. Qui rex factus, hostem agit, non regem. Nam, non segnius ac Milvus, Columbas rapit laniatque. Paenitebat igitur Columbas incepti, satius fuisse putantes bella pati Milvi quam Accipitris subire tyrannidem.



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