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:
Avēs cōnsultābant dē plūribus rēgibus ēligendīs cum aquila tantōs volūcrum gregēs sōla regere nōn posset fēcissentque vōtō satis nisi cornīcis monitū ā tālī cōnsiliō dēstituissent. Quae cum causa rogārētur cūr nōn plūrēs rēgēs dūceret eligendōs, quia difficilius, inquit, plūrēs quam ūnus saccus implentur. Haec fābula docet longē melius ab ūnō quam ā multīs principibus gubernārī.
ACCENT MARKS. Here is the text with stress accents, plus some color-coding for the words of three or more syllables (blue: penultimate stress; red: antepenultimate stress):
Aves consultábant de plúribus régibus eligéndis cum áquila tantos volúcrum greges sola régere non posset fecisséntque voto satis nisi cornícis mónitu a tali consílio destituíssent. Quae cum causa rogarétur cur non plures reges dúceret eligéndos, "quia difficílius (inquit) plures quam unus saccus impléntur." Haec fábula docet longe mélius ab uno quam a multis princípibus gubernári.
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 put in some line breaks to show the natural pauses in the story:
Aves consultabant
de pluribus regibus eligendis
cum aquila
tantos volucrum greges
sola regere non posset
fecissentque voto satis
nisi cornicis monitu
a tali consilio destituissent.
Quae cum causa rogaretur
cur non plures reges
duceret eligendos,
"quia difficilius (inquit)
plures
quam unus saccus
implentur."
Haec fabula docet
longe melius ab uno
quam a multis principibus
gubernari.
IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source), showing a very regal-looking eagle!
