Sunday, September 6, 2009

Rusticus et Coluber (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:

Rūsticus repertum in altiōrī nive Colubrum, frīgore prope ēnectum, domum tulit et ad focum adiēcit. Coluber ab ignī vīres vīrusque recipiēns et nōn amplius flammam ferēns, tōtum tugurium sībilando infēcit. Accurrit Rūsticus et, correptā sude, verbīs verberibusque cum eō iniūriam expostulat: “Num haec est quam retulit grātia, ēripiendō vītam illī cui vītam dēbuit?”



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):

Rústicus repértum in altióri nive Colúbrum, frígore prope enéctum, domum tulit et ad focum adiécit. Cóluber ab igni vires virúsque recípiens et non ámplius flammam ferens, totum tugúrium sibilándo infécit. Accúrrit Rústicus et, corrépta sude, verbis verberibúsque cum eo iniúriam expóstulat: “Num haec est quam rétulit grátia, eripiéndo vitam illi cui vitam débuit?”



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:

Rusticus repertum in altiori nive Colubrum, frigore prope enectum, domum tulit et ad focum adiecit. Coluber ab igni vires virusque recipiens et non amplius flammam ferens, totum tugurium sibilando infecit. Accurrit Rusticus et, correpta sude, verbis verberibusque cum eo iniuriam expostulat: “Num haec est quam retulit gratia, eripiendo vitam illi cui vitam debuit?”



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