Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Viatores et Pons (Gradatim)

SOURCE: A New Gradatim by Melville Clarence Smart (1901) at GoogleBooks. This is not a traditional Aesop's fable, but I thought it was a joke very much in the spirit of Aesop, especially with the foolish mistaking of the moon in the water as cheese, a mistake that Aesop's fox makes, too!

NoDictionaries.com: You can find the word list for this fable online, and use it interactively (here are some tips on how to make best use of the tool).

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:

Boeōtus viātor ōlim ūnā cum Corinthiō et Athēniēnsī noctū ambulābat. Mox comitēs ad rapidum flūmen veniunt. Forte altus pōns iungēbat flūmen. Viātōrēs āscendunt pontem, et in aquā sub pedibus imāginem lūnae vident. "Ecce," inquit Boeōtus, "pulcher cāseus in aquā iacet. Cūr nōs nōn praemium dēportāmus?" Sine morā Boeōtus manibus pontem tenet, et suspendit corpus super aquam. Deinde Corinthius prehendit crūra amīcī. Athēniēnsis habet tertium locum et pedibus praemium captat. Tum exclāmat Boeōtus, "Vōs tenēte fīrmiter mea crūra, nam manūs dūrum līgnum terit." Simul laxat manūs, et omnēs in aquam dēcidunt.



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):

Boeótus viátor olim una cum Corínthio et Atheniénsi noctu ambulábat. Mox cómites ad rápidum flumen véniunt. Forte altus pons iungébat flumen. Viatóres ascéndunt pontem, et in aqua sub pédibus imáginem lunae vident. "Ecce," inquit Boeótus, "pulcher cáseus in aqua iacet. Cur nos non praémium deportámus?" Sine mora Boeótus mánibus pontem tenet, et suspéndit corpus super aquam. Deinde Corínthius prehéndit crura amíci. Atheniénsis habet tértium locum et pédibus praémium captat. Tum exclámat Boeótus, "Vos tenéte fírmiter mea crura, nam manus durum lignum terit." Simul laxat manus, et omnes in aquam décidunt.



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:

Boeotus viator olim una cum Corinthio et Atheniensi noctu ambulabat. Mox comites ad rapidum flumen veniunt. Forte altus pons iungebat flumen. Viatores ascendunt pontem, et in aqua sub pedibus imaginem lunae vident. "Ecce," inquit Boeotus, "pulcher caseus in aqua iacet. Cur nos non praemium deportamus?" Sine mora Boeotus manibus pontem tenet, et suspendit corpus super aquam. Deinde Corinthius prehendit crura amici. Atheniensis habet tertium locum et pedibus praemium captat. Tum exclamat Boeotus, "Vos tenete firmiter mea crura, nam manus durum lignum terit." Simul laxat manus, et omnes in aquam decidunt.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing the moon reflected in the water.