Friday, April 30, 2010

Canis et Filius Domini Occisus (Abstemius)

SOURCE: You can find both the first and second "hecatomythia" of Abstemius in Nevelet's monumental Aesop published in 1610, available at GoogleBooks. You can find out more about Abstemius at the Aesopus wiki. This is fable 162 in Abstemius. Perry only includes a few sporadic fables from Abstemius in his index, and there is no Perry number for this fable.

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 dīves vēnandī studiō mīrificē deditus, complūrēs canēs alēbat, quōrum ūnus fīlium dominī morsū interfēcit. Dominus īrā percitus, nōn sōlum homicīdam, vērum etiam omnēs aliōs iussit occīdī. Tunc ait ūnus ex eīs: ūnus peccāvit, et cunctī plectimur. Fābula indicat, ūnīus malignitātem saepe multīs obesse.


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 dives venándi stúdio mirífice déditus, complúres canes alébat, quorum unus fílium dómini morsu interfécit. Dóminus ira pércitus, non solum homicídam, verum étiam omnes álios iussit occídi. Tunc ait unus ex eis: unus peccávit, et cuncti pléctimur. Fábula índicat, uníus malignitátem saepe multis obésse.


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 dives
venandi studio
mirifice deditus,
complures canes alebat,
quorum unus
filium domini
morsu interfecit.
Dominus ira percitus,
non solum homicidam,
verum etiam omnes alios
iussit occidi.
Tunc ait unus ex eis:
unus peccavit,
et cuncti plectimur.
Fabula indicat,
unius malignitatem
saepe multis obesse.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) - they are innocent-looking dogs, I think, about to be blamed for a crime they didn't commit: