Friday, February 19, 2010

Asinus et Cicadae (Dana)

SOURCE: Liber Primus, by Joseph Dana (1832) at GoogleBooks. For more information and other versions of this fable, see the links list for Perry 184.

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:

Asinus, cum cicādās canentēs audīvisset, et concentūs suāvitātem mīrātus esset, interrogābat eās quō victū ūterentur, ut vōcem adeō dulcem clāramque ēmitterent. Cumque illae rēspondērent sē rōre vescī, asinus, dum aberrat, expectāns rōrem quī noctibus fit, famē interiit.



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):

Ásinus, cum cicádas canéntes audivísset, et concéntus suavitátem mirátus esset, interrogábat eas quo victu uteréntur, ut vocem adeo dulcem clarámque emítterent. Cumque illae respondérent se rore vesci, ásinus, dum abérrat, expéctans rorem qui nóctibus fit, fame intériit.



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:

Asinus,
cum cicadas canentes audivisset,
et concentus suavitatem miratus esset,
interrogabat eas
quo victu uterentur,
ut vocem
adeo dulcem claramque
emitterent.
Cumque illae responderent
se rore vesci,
asinus, dum aberrat,
expectans rorem qui noctibus fit,
fame interiit.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing a donkey who looks just foolish enough to be in this fable!