Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Asinus in Pelle Leonis (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 26 in Hervieux's edition, and you can find other versions of this fable listed as Perry 358.

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:

Asinī vīdērunt quod hominēs male et dūre tractāvērunt eōs, stimulandō, onera impōnendō. Vīdērunt etiam quod timuērunt Leōnēs. Condīxērunt ad invicem quod acciperent pellēs leōnīnās, et sīc hominēs timērent illōs. Fēcērunt sīc. Asinī igitur, indūtī pellibus leōnīnīs, saltābant, discurrēbant. Hominēs fūgērunt crēdentēs esse Leōnēs. Tandem Asinī incēpērunt recanāre. Hominēs dīligenter auscultāvērunt et dīxērunt: Vox ista vox Asinōrum est; accēdāmus prōprius. Accessērunt tandem; vīdērunt caudās illōrum et pedēs et dīxērunt: Certē istī sunt Asinī, nōn Leōnēs, et cēpērunt Asinōs et multum bene verberāvērunt.


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):

Ásini vidérunt quod hómines male et dure tractavérunt eos, stimulándo, ónera imponéndo. Vidérunt étiam quod timuérunt Leónes. Condixérunt ad ínvicem quod accíperent pelles leonínas, et sic hómines timérent illos. Fecérunt sic. Ásini ígitur, indúti péllibus leonínis, saltábant, discurrébant. Hómines fugérunt credéntes esse Leónes. Tandem Ásini incepérunt recanáre. Hómines diligénter auscultavérunt et dixérunt: Vox ista vox Asinórum est; accedámus próprius. Accessérunt tandem; vidérunt caudas illórum et pedes et dixérunt: Certe isti sunt Ásini, non Leónes, et cepérunt Ásinos et multum bene verberavérunt.


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:

Asini viderunt
quod homines
male et dure tractaverunt eos,
stimulando, onera imponendo.
Viderunt etiam
quod timuerunt Leones.
Condixerunt ad invicem
quod acciperent pelles leoninas,
et sic homines timerent illos.
Fecerunt sic.
Asini igitur,
induti pellibus leoninis,
saltabant, discurrebant.
Homines fugerunt
credentes esse Leones.
Tandem Asini
inceperunt recanare.
Homines
diligenter auscultaverunt
et dixerunt:
Vox ista vox Asinorum est;
accedamus proprius.
Accesserunt tandem;
viderunt caudas illorum et pedes
et dixerunt:
Certe isti sunt Asini, non Leones,
et ceperunt Asinos
et multum bene verberaverunt.



Here is an illustration from the Medici Aesop, which is online at the New York Public Library website.