Thursday, April 22, 2010

Lupus, Vulpes et Asinus Confitentes (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 81 in Hervieux's edition. This is not in the classical Aesopic corpus, but Perry does list in his medieval appendix as Perry 628.

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:

Semel Lupus audīvit animālium confessiōnem, et cum multa ex eīs fuissent sibi magna peccāta confessa, tandem Vulpes dīxit, quod multās gallīnās rapuit et comēdit nōn benedīcendō, et sīc dē aliīs. Postrēmo vēnit Asinus, quī confessus est et dīxit: Egō subtraxī ūnam parvam garbam faenī, quod ceciderat cuīdam dē currū, et hoc fēcī propter famem, quam patiēbar. Dīxit Lupus ad Vulpem: Tū nōn peccāstī, quia est tibi innātum et nātūrāle, ut rapiās gallīnās; sed maledictus sit Asinus, quī aliēnum subtraxit! Et sīc mandāvit Asinum percutere et sententiāvit eum fore suspendiō dignum; sed Vulpem dīmīsit illaesam.


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):

Semel Lupus audívit animálium confessiónem, et cum multa ex eis fuíssent sibi magna peccáta conféssa, tandem Vulpes dixit, quod multas gallínas rápuit et comédit non benedicéndo, et sic de áliis. Postrémo venit Ásinus, qui conféssus est et dixit: Ego subtráxi unam parvam garbam faeni, quod cecíderat cuídam de curru, et hoc feci propter famem, quam patiébar. Dixit Lupus ad Vulpem: Tu non peccásti, quia est tibi innátum et naturále, ut rápias gallínas; sed maledíctus sit Ásinus, qui aliénum subtráxit! Et sic mandávit Ásinum percútere et sententiávit eum fore suspéndio dignum; sed Vulpem dimísit illaésam.


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:

Semel Lupus
audivit animalium confessionem,
et cum multa ex eis
fuissent sibi magna peccata confessa,
tandem Vulpes dixit,
quod multas gallinas rapuit
et comedit non benedicendo,
et sic de aliis.
Postremo venit Asinus,
qui confessus est et dixit:
Ego subtraxi
unam parvam garbam faeni,
quod ceciderat cuidam de curru,
et hoc feci propter famem,
quam patiebar.
Dixit Lupus ad Vulpem:
Tu non peccasti,
quia est tibi innatum et naturale,
ut rapias gallinas;
sed maledictus sit Asinus,
qui alienum subtraxit!
Et sic mandavit
Asinum percutere
et sententiavit
eum fore suspendio dignum;
sed Vulpem dimisit illaesam.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing a medieval depiction of a donkey: