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:
Cum dē fōrtūnīs quīdam quererētur suīs,
Aesōpus finxit cōnsōlandī hoc grātiā.
"Vēxāta saevīs nāvis tempestātibus
inter vēctōrum lacrimās et mortis metum,
faciem ad serēnam ut subitō mūtātur diēs,
ferrī secundīs tūta coepit flātibus
nimiāque nautās hilaritāte extollere.
Factus perīclīs sīc gubernātor sophus:
"Parcē gaudēre oportet et sēnsim querī,
tōtam aequē vītam miscet dolor et gaudium."
PROSE MACRONS. Here is the same text with macrons written out in prose word order:
Cum quīdam dē fōrtūnīs suīs quererētur, Aesōpus hoc finxit, cōnsōlandī grātiā. "Nāvis, tempestātibus saevīs vēxāta, inter vēctōrum lacrimās et mortis metum, ut subitō diēs ad faciem serēnam mūtātur, tūta coepit flātibus secundīs ferrī et nimiā hilaritāte nautās extollere. Gubernātor, perīclīs sophus factus, sīc inquit: "Parcē gaudēre et sēnsim querī oportet; vītam tōtam dolor et gaudium aequē miscet."
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):
Cum quidam de fortúnis suis quererétur, Aesópus hoc finxit, consolándi grátia. "Navis, tempestátibus saevis vexáta, inter vectórum lácrimas et mortis metum, ut súbito dies ad fáciem serénam mutátur, tuta coepit flátibus secúndis ferri et nímia hilaritáte nautas extóllere. Gubernátor, períclis sophus factus, sic inquit: "Parce gaudére et sensim queri opórtet; vitam totam dolor et gaúdium aeque miscet."
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.
Cum dē· fōrtū·nīs quī·dam quere·rētur· suīs,
Aesō·pus fin·xit cōn·sōlan·d~ hoc grā·tiā.
"Vēxā·ta sae·vīs nā·vis tem·pestā·tibus
inter· vēctō·rum lacri·mās et· mortis· metum,
faci~ ad· serē·n~ ut subi·tō mū·tātur· diēs,
ferrī· secun·dīs tū·ta coe·pit flā·tibus
nimiā·que nau·tās hila·ritā·t~ extol·lere.
Factus· perī·clīs sīc· guber·nātor· sophus:
"Parcē· gaudē·r~ opor·tet et· sēnsim· querī,
tōt~ ae·quē vī·tam mis·cet dolor· et gau·dium."
IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source).
What follows is an unmarked version of the prose rendering to faciliate word searches:
Cum quidam de fortunis suis quereretur, Aesopus hoc finxit, consolandi gratia. "Navis, tempestatibus saevis vexata, inter vectorum lacrimas et mortis metum, ut subito dies ad faciem serenam mutatur, tuta coepit flatibus secundis ferri et nimia hilaritate nautas extollere. Gubernator, periclis sophus factus, sic inquit: "Parce gaudere et sensim queri oportet; vitam totam dolor et gaudium aeque miscet."
