Saturday, December 5, 2009

Vulpes et Caper (Gradatim)

SOURCE: A New Gradatim by Melville Clarence Smart (1901) at GoogleBooks. For more information and other versions, see the resources for this fable at the Aesopus Ning.

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:

Vulpēs sitiēns, quae dēsiluerat in puteum haud ita altum sed lateribus praeruptīs, postquam omnem ratiōnem fugae frūstrā tentāverat, ab omnī spē reditūs interclūsa est. Mox tamen caper, quī aquam petēbat, quod fervidī sōlis radiī agrōs ūrēbant, ad eundem puteum advēnit. "Salvē," inquit, "dulcissima, nōnne aqua ista frīgida est et iūcunda?" "At numquam iūcundiōrem bibī," respondit vulpēs, "dēsilī igitur quam celerrimē, ego enim iam diū parcō aquae, quod tē exspectō." Hōc ubi audīvit stultum animal, in puteum dēsiluit. At vulpēs callida in cornua amīcī prōsiluit, quōrum operā sē ad terram sublevāvit. Inde miserī amīcī immemor domum discessit.



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):

Vulpes sítiens, quae desilúerat in púteum haud ita altum sed latéribus praerúptis, postquam omnem ratiónem fugae frustra tentáverat, ab omni spe réditus interclúsa est. Mox tamen caper, qui aquam petébat, quod férvidi solis rádii agros urébant, ad eúndem púteum advénit. "Salve," inquit, "dulcíssima, nonne aqua ista frígida est et iucúnda?" "At numquam iucundiórem bibi," respóndit vulpes, "désili ígitur quam celérrime, ego enim iam diu parco aquae, quod te exspécto." Hoc ubi audívit stultum ánimal, in púteum desíluit. At vulpes cállida in córnua amíci prosíluit, quorum ópera se ad terram sublevávit. Inde míseri amíci immemor domum discéssit.



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:

Vulpes sitiens, quae desiluerat in puteum haud ita altum sed lateribus praeruptis, postquam omnem rationem fugae frustra tentaverat, ab omni spe reditus interclusa est. Mox tamen caper, qui aquam petebat, quod fervidi solis radii agros urebant, ad eundem puteum advenit. "Salve," inquit, "dulcissima, nonne aqua ista frigida est et iucunda?" "At numquam iucundiorem bibi," respondit vulpes, "desili igitur quam celerrime, ego enim iam diu parco aquae, quod te exspecto." Hoc ubi audivit stultum animal, in puteum desiluit. At vulpes callida in cornua amici prosiluit, quorum opera se ad terram sublevavit. Inde miseri amici immemor domum discessit.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration from the Medici Aesop, which is online at the New York Public Library website.