Friday, March 19, 2010

Tortuca et Aquila (Odo)

SOURCE: Odo of Cheriton's' Latin fables are available in Hervieux's edition at GoogleBooks, and there is a delightful English translation by John Jacobs: The Fables of Odo of Cheriton.

This is fable 5 in Hervieux's edition. For more information and other versions of this particular fable, see the links list for Perry 230.

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:

Tortūca, manēns in locīs ūmidīs et profundīs, rogāvit Aquilam, quod portāret eam in altum. Dēsīderāvit enim vidēre campōs, collēs et montēs et nemora. Aquila adquiēvit, Tortūcam in altum portāvit, et dīxit Tortūcae: Vidēs iam quae nunquam vīdistī, montēs et vallēs et nemora. Dīxit Tortūca: Bene videō; mallem tamen esse in forāmine meō. Et ait Aquila: Sufficit haec omnia tibi vidisse. Dīmīsit eam cadere, et tōta confracta est. Sīc est quī stultus scandit pernīcibus ālīs; incidit ā scālīs in loca plēna malīs.


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):

Tortúca, manens in locis úmidis et profúndis, rogávit Áquilam, quod portáret eam in altum. Desiderávit enim vidére campos, colles et montes et némora. Áquila adquiévit, Tortúcam in altum portávit, et dixit Tortúcae: Vides iam quae nunquam vidísti, montes et valles et némora. Dixit Tortúca: Bene vídeo; mallem tamen esse in forámine meo. Et ait Áquila: Súfficit haec ómnia tibi vidísse. Dimísit eam cádere, et tota confrácta est. Sic est qui stultus scandit pernícibus alis; íncidit a scalis in loca plena malis.


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:

Tortuca,
manens in locis umidis et profundis,
rogavit Aquilam,
quod portaret eam in altum.
Desideravit enim
videre campos,
colles et montes et nemora.
Aquila adquievit,
Tortucam in altum portavit,
et dixit Tortucae:
Vides iam
quae nunquam vidisti,
montes et valles et nemora.
Dixit Tortuca:
Bene video;
mallem tamen
esse in foramine meo.
Et ait Aquila:
Sufficit
haec omnia tibi vidisse.
Dimisit eam cadere,
et tota confracta est.
Sic est
qui stultus
scandit pernicibus alis;
incidit a scalis
in loca plena malis.



IMAGE. Here's an illustration for the fable (image source) by Stephanie Smith - and be sure to visit her website and blog for more great illustrations. She does fabulous work - wow!