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:
Cassīta dum escam appetit, irrētīta laqueō, dēplōrāns fortūnam suam, "Mē (inquit) miseram et infēlīcem volūcrem: nōn egō aliīs aurum subdūxī; nōn argentum rapuī; nihil invāsī reī ullīus pretiōsae: parvulum vērō trīticī grānum mortem mihi attulit."
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):
Cassíta dum escam áppetit, irretíta láqueo, deplórans fortúnam suam, "Me (inquit) míseram et infelícem volúcrem: non ego áliis aurum subdúxi; non argéntum rápui; nihil invási rei ullíus pretiósae: párvulum vero trítici granum mortem mihi áttulit."
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:
Cassita
dum escam appetit,
irretita laqueo,
deplorans fortunam suam,
"Me (inquit)
miseram et infelicem volucrem:
non ego
aliis aurum subduxi;
non argentum rapui;
nihil invasi rei ullius pretiosae:
parvulum vero tritici granum
mortem mihi attulit."
Here is an illustration from the Medici Aesop, which is online at the New York Public Library website.
