SOURCE: The text is taken from the Latin textbook Porta Latina: Fables of La Fontaine by Frank Gardner Moore, available at GoogleBooks. You can consult the textbook for vocabulary and also for notes on each fable. For more information and other versions of this fable, see Perry 314. In LaFontaine, the fable is 6.12, Le Soleil et les Grenouilles.
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:
Rēx qondam cum uxōrem dūceret, tōtus populus vīnum bibēbat cūrārum oblītus. Sōlus Aesōpus ille stultissimōs esse cīvēs exīstimābat, quī tantam laetitiam prae sē ferrent. Nam sōl quoque, ut nārrābat ille, nūptiās ōlim meditābātur. Quō audītō omnia quae palūdēs habitābant animālia ūnā vōce sortem suam dēplōrābant. Tum Parcīs "Quid nōbīs" inquiunt "fīet, sī puerīs auctus erit? Ūnus sōl vix ferrī potest; sex vel septem sōlēs facient ut exārēscat mare pereatque quodcumque ibi habitat. Valēte, vōs, iuncī ac palūdēs! Periit gēns nostra, cui mox nihil restābit aqua nisi Styx!" Haud sānē stultē, ut animālia, dsputābant rānae.
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):
Rex qondam cum uxórem dúceret, totus pópulus vinum bibébat curárum oblítus. Solus Aesópus ille stultíssimos esse cives existimábat, qui tantam laetítiam prae se ferrent. Nam sol quoque, ut narrábat ille, núptias olim meditabátur. Quo audíto ómnia quae palúdes habitábant animália una voce sortem suam deplorábant. Tum Parcis "Quid nobis" ínquiunt "fiet, si púeris auctus erit? Unus sol vix ferri potest; sex vel septem soles fácient ut exaréscat mare pereátque quodcúmque ibi hábitat. Valéte, vos, iunci ac palúdes! Périit gens nostra, cui mox nihil restábit aqua nisi Styx!" Haud sane stulte, ut animália, dsputábant ranae.
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; I've inserted spaces between the segments to make it easier to follow:
Rex qondam
cum uxorem duceret,
totus populus vinum bibebat,
curarum oblitus.
Solus Aesopus ille
stultissimos esse cives
existimabat,
qui
tantam laetitiam
prae se ferrent.
Nam sol quoque,
ut narrabat ille,
nuptias olim meditabatur.
Quo audito
omnia quae paludes habitabant animalia
una voce
sortem suam deplorabant.
Tum Parcis
"Quid nobis" inquiunt "fiet,
si pueris auctus erit?
Unus sol
vix ferri potest;
sex vel septem soles facient
ut exarescat mare
pereatque
quodcumque ibi habitat.
Valete, vos, iunci ac paludes!
Periit gens nostra,
cui mox
nihil restabit aqua
nisi Styx!"
Haud sane stulte,
ut animalia,
dsputabant ranae.
IMAGE. Here is the illustration of the fable by Aractingy: