Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Leo et Vulpes (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:

Leōnem aegrōtantem vīsēbant animālia. Vulpēs sōlummodo distulit officium. Ad hanc Leō lēgātum mittit, indicāns grātissimam rem aegrōtō fore eius ūnīus praesentiam. Respondet Vulpēs optāre sē ut Leō convalescat ; cēterum sē minimē vīsūram, terrēri enim vestīgiīs quae indicābant multum quidem animālium introisse, sed exiisse nullum.



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):

Leónem aegrotántem visébant animália. Vulpes solúmmodo dístulit offícium. Ad hanc Leo legátum mittit, índicans gratíssimam rem aegróto fore eius uníus praeséntiam. Respóndet Vulpes optáre se ut Leo convaléscat; céterum se mínime visúram, terréri enim vestígiis quae indicábant multum quidem animálium introísse, sed exiísse nullum.



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:

Leonem aegrotantem visebant animalia. Vulpes solummodo distulit officium. Ad hanc Leo legatum mittit, indicans gratissimam rem aegroto fore eius unius praesentiam. Respondet Vulpes optare se ut Leo convalescat; ceterum se minime visuram, terreri enim vestigiis quae indicabant multum quidem animalium introisse, sed exiisse nullum.



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