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:
Vir quīdam pauper, cui praeter vīnī dōlium et asinum nihil erat, fīliam ūnicam cuidam spoponderat adolescentī, paulum nesciō quid pollicitus dōtis, quam ex vīnī et asinī pretiō (cōnstituerat enim haec vēnumdare ) contrahere posse arbitrābātur. Sed sequentī, quā spōnsālia facta sunt, nocte asinus obiit, et inter moriendum, fractō calcibus dōliō, vīnum effūdit. Fābula indicat, nullam in rēbus cadūcīs spem habendam.
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):
Vir quidam pauper, cui praeter vini dólium et ásinum nihil erat, fíliam únicam cuidam spopónderat adolescénti, paulum néscio quid pollícitus dotis, quam ex vini et ásini prétio (constitúerat enim haec venúmdare ) contráhere posse arbitrabátur. Sed sequénti, qua sponsália facta sunt, nocte ásinus óbiit, et inter moriéndum, fracto cálcibus dólio, vinum effúdit. Fábula índicat, nullam in rebus cadúcis spem habéndam.
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:
Vir quidam pauper,
cui
praeter vini dolium et asinum
nihil erat,
filiam unicam
cuidam spoponderat adolescenti,
paulum nescio quid pollicitus dotis,
quam
ex vini et asini pretio
(constituerat enim
haec venumdare)
contrahere posse arbitrabatur.
Sed sequenti,
qua sponsalia facta sunt,
nocte
asinus obiit,
et inter moriendum,
fracto calcibus dolio,
vinum effudit.
Fabula indicat,
nullam in rebus caducis spem
habendam.
IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing some ancient wine jars that probably would not hold up to the kick of a donkey's hooves!
