Aquila et Testudo (Barlow)

SOURCE: Aesop's Fables in Latin. For more information and reading help for this fable, see 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:

Certāmen inīre voluit Testūdō reptilis cum Aquilā vēlōcissimā. Locus dēsignātus est et, quī spatio trium diērum ad prōpositum locum prius vēnerat, victor salūtārētur. Aquila tardigradam contempsit Testūdinem, autumāns sē ālārum impetū posse brevissimē ad locum āvolāre. Negligēns igitur sēcessit, aliīs intenta, sed Testūdō indēfatīgābilī labōre et sollertiā infrā tempus et ante Aquilam arrēpsit ad locum et omnium calculīs victor ēvāsit.

---

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):

Certámen iníre vóluit Testúdo réptilis cum Áquila velocíssima. Locus designátus est et, qui spátio trium diérum ad propósitum locum prius vénerat, victor salutarétur. Áquila tardígradam contémpsit Testúdinem, aútumans se alárum ímpetu posse brevíssime ad locum avoláre. Négligens ígitur secéssit, áliis inténta, sed Testúdo indefatigábili labóre et sollértia infra tempus et ante Áquilam arrépsit ad locum et ómnium cálculis victor evásit.

---

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:

Certamen inire voluit Testudo reptilis cum Aquila velocissima. Locus designatus est et, qui spatio trium dierum ad propositum locum prius venerat, victor salutaretur. Aquila tardigradam contempsit Testudinem, autumans se alarum impetu posse brevissime ad locum avolare. Negligens igitur secessit, aliis intenta, sed Testudo indefatigabili labore et sollertia infra tempus et ante Aquilam arrepsit ad locum et omnium calculis victor evasit.

---