Thursday, October 8, 2009

Delphinus et Pisciculus (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:

Persequēbātur Pisciculum Delphīnus. Hunc ut vītāret, Pisciculus ad rūpem confūgit. Quem ut captāret, Delphīnus tam violentō sequēbātur impetū, ut arēnīs illīderet et haerēns mortī succumberet. Quod cum vīdisset Pisciculus, sibi paululum cōnsōlātus est, moribundulus inquiēns, “Dulcior mihi profectō mea mors futūra est quod prius auctōrem meae mortis dēfunctum prae oculīs vīderim.”



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):

Persequebátur Piscículum Delphínus. Hunc ut vitáret, Piscículus ad rupem confúgit. Quem ut captáret, Delphínus tam violénto sequebátur ímpetu, ut arénis illíderet et haerens morti succúmberet. Quod cum vidísset Piscículus, sibi paúlulum consolátus est, moribúndulus ínquiens, “Dúlcior mihi profécto mea mors futúra est quod prius auctórem meae mortis defúnctum prae óculis víderim.”


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:

Persequebatur Pisciculum Delphinus. Hunc ut vitaret, Pisciculus ad rupem confugit. Quem ut captaret, Delphinus tam violento sequebatur impetu, ut arenis illideret et haerens morti succumberet. Quod cum vidisset Pisciculus, sibi paululum consolatus est, moribundulus inquiens, “Dulcior mihi profecto mea mors futura est quod prius auctorem meae mortis defunctum prae oculis viderim.”



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