Sunday, January 3, 2010

Vulpes et Ciconia (Porta Latina)

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 426. In LaFontaine, the fable is 1.18, Le Renard et la Cigogne.

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 ōlim ad cēnam cicōniam invitāvit. Appōnitur autem nihil nisi iūs tenue in patellā, unde illa nē minimum quidem exhaurīre possit. Contrā ipsa patellam mox lambēbat. Quod ut ulciscātur, vulpem mox invītat cicōnia. "Libentissimē," inquit illa, "aderō; nam amīcīs numquam difficilis sum." Itaque ad hōram dictam cicōniae domum magnō cursū petit, hūmānitātem eius laudat, cēnam optimē coctam esse ait. Famem sānē, ut vulpēs, addūxerat, et carnis odōre guadēbat, quam, in parva frūsta sectam, suāvissimam fore putābat. Sed quō difficilius edat, appōnitur vās quoddam longī collī ōrisque angusti, ut illīus rōstrum facile intret, huius autem ōs nihil agere possit. Iēiūna igitur vulpēcula, velut sī gallīna ultrō ipsam cēpisset, subductā caudā auribusque dēmissis domum rediit.



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 olim ad cenam cicóniam invitávit. Appónitur autem nihil nisi ius ténue in patélla, unde illa ne mínimum quidem exhauríre possit. Contra ipsa patéllam mox lambébat. Quod ut ulciscátur, vulpem mox invítat cicónia. "Libentíssime," inquit illa, "ádero; nam amícis numquam dífficilis sum." Ítaque ad horam dictam cicóniae domum magno cursu petit, humanitátem eius laudat, cenam óptime coctam esse ait. Famem sane, ut vulpes, addúxerat, et carnis odóre guadébat, quam, in parva frusta sectam, suavíssimam fore putábat. Sed quo difficílius edat, appónitur vas quoddam longi colli orísque angústi, ut illíus rostrum fácile intret, huius autem os nihil ágere possit. Ieiúna ígitur vulpécula, velut si gallína ultro ipsam cepísset, subdúcta cauda auribúsque demíssis domum rédiit.



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:

Vulpes olim
ad cenam ciconiam invitavit.
Apponitur autem nihil
nisi ius tenue in patella,
unde illa
ne minimum quidem exhaurire possit.
Contra
ipsa patellam mox lambebat.
Quod ut ulciscatur,
vulpem mox invitat ciconia.
"Libentissime," inquit illa, "adero;
nam amicis
numquam difficilis sum."
Itaque ad horam dictam
ciconiae domum
magno cursu petit,
humanitatem eius laudat,
cenam optime coctam esse ait.
Famem sane, ut vulpes, adduxerat,
et carnis odore guadebat,
quam, in parva frusta sectam,
suavissimam fore putabat.
Sed quo difficilius edat,
apponitur vas quoddam
longi colli orisque angusti,
ut illius rostrum facile intret,
huius autem os nihil agere possit.
Ieiuna igitur vulpecula,
velut si gallina ultro ipsam cepisset,
subducta cauda auribusque demissis
domum rediit.



IMAGE. Here is the illustration of the fable by Aractingy: