READ OUT LOUD. Choose which marked text you prefer to practice with - macrons in verse form, or macrons in prose order, or accent marks in prose order, or focusing on the iambic meter. You will find materials for all of these options below. :-)
VERSE MACRONS. Here is the verse text with macrons:
Quī nātus est īnfēlix, nōn vītam modo
trīstem dēcurrit, vērum post obitum quoque
persequitur illum dūra fātī miseria.
Gallī Cybēbēs circum in questūs dūcere
asinum solēbant, bāiulantem sarcinās.
Is cum labōre et plāgis esset mortuus,
dētractā pelle sibi fēcērunt tympana.
Rogātī mox ā quōdam, dēliciō suō
quidnam fēcissent, hōc locūtī sunt modō:
"Putābat sē post mortem sēcūrum fore:
ecce aliae plāgae congeruntur mortuō!"
PROSE MACRONS. Here is the same text with macrons written out in prose word order:
Quī nātus est īnfēlix, nōn modo vītam trīstem dēcurrit, vērum post obitum quoque dūra fātī miseria illum persequitur. Gallī Cybēbēs solēbant asinum, sarcinās bāiulantem, in questūs circum dūcere. Is, cum esset mortuus labōre et plāgis, pelle dētractā tympana sibi fēcērunt. Mox ā quōdam rogātī, quidnam dēliciō suō fēcissent, hōc modō locūtī sunt: "Putābat sē sēcūrum fore post mortem; ecce: mortuō, aliae plāgae congeruntur!"
STRESS (ACCENT) MARKS. Here is the prose text with accents, plus some color-coding for the words of three or more syllables (blue: penultimate stress; red: antepenultimate stress):
Qui natus est infélix, non modo vitam tristem decúrrit, verum post óbitum quoque dura fati miséria illum perséquitur. Galli Cybébes solébant ásinum, sárcinas baiulántem, in questus circum dúcere. Is, cum esset mórtuus labóre et plagis, pelle detrácta týmpana sibi fecérunt. Mox a quodam rogáti, quidnam delício suo fecíssent, hoc modo locúti sunt: "Putábat se secúrum fore post mortem; ecce: mórtuo, áliae plagae congerúntur!"
IAMBIC METER. Here is the verse text with some color coding to assist in the iambic meter. The disyllabic elements (iambs/spondees) are not marked, but the trisyllabic elements are color-coded: dactyls are red, anapests are purple, and tribrachs are green (as is any proceleusmaticus, although that is a rare creature); for more information, here are some Notes on Iambic Meter.
Quī nā·tus es·t īnfē·lix, nōn· vītam· modo
trīstem· dēcur·rit, vē·rum post· obitum· quoque
persequi·tur il·lum dū·ra fā·tī mise·ria.
Gallī· Cybē·bēs cir·c~ in ques·tūs dū·cere
asinum· solē·bant, bā·iulan·tem sar·cinās.
Is cum· labō·r~ et plā·gis es·set mor·tuus,
dētrac·tā pel·le sibi· fēcē·runt tym·pana.
Rogā·tī mox· ā quō·dam, dē·liciō· suō
quidnam· fēcis·sent, hōc· locū·tī sunt· modō:
"Putā·bat sē· post mor·tem sē·cūrum· fore:
ecc~ ali·ae plā·gae con·gerun·tur mor·tuō!"
IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source).
What follows is an unmarked version of the prose rendering to faciliate word searches:
Qui natus est infelix, non modo vitam tristem decurrit, verum post obitum quoque dura fati miseria illum persequitur. Galli Cybebes solebant asinum, sarcinas baiulantem, in questus circum ducere. Is, cum esset mortuus labore et plagis, pelle detracta tympana sibi fecerunt. Mox a quodam rogati, quidnam delicio suo fecissent, hoc modo locuti sunt: "Putabat se securum fore post mortem; ecce: mortuo, aliae plagae congeruntur!"
