Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Asinus et Senex (Evans)

SOURCE: Evans's First Lessons in Latin at GoogleBooks. For more information and other versions of this fable, see the links list for Perry 476.

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:

Senex suum asinum in prātō pascēbat; sed hostium clāmōre subitō territus, suādēbat asinō fugere, nē possent capī: Ille lentō prōrēpēns gradū, inquit: Heus, here, putāsne victōrem bīnās clītellās tergō impositūrum? Senex negāvit. Quid ergō rēfert meā, cui serviam, dum clītellās portem meās?


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):

Senex suum ásinum in prato pascébat; sed hóstium clamóre súbito térritus, suadébat ásino fúgere, ne possent capi: Ille lento prorépens gradu, inquit: Heus, here, putásne victórem binas clitéllas tergo impositúrum? Senex negávit. Quid ergo refert mea, cui sérviam, dum clitéllas portem meas?


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:

Senex
suum asinum in prato pascebat;
sed hostium clamore subito territus,
suadebat asino fugere,
ne possent capi:
Ille
lento prorepens gradu,
inquit: Heus, here,
putasne
victorem
binas clitellas tergo impositurum?
Senex negavit.
Quid ergo refert mea,
cui serviam,
dum clitellas portem meas?



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source):