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:
Gēns Avium, cum līberē vagārētur, optābat sibi darī rēgem. Pāvo sē imprīmis dignum quī ēligerētur putābat, quia esset formōsissimus. Hōc in rēgem acceptō, Pica, Ō rex, inquit, sī tē imperante Aquila nōs perstrēnuē, ut solet, īnsequī coeperit, quō illum modo abigēs? Quō nōs pactō servābis?
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):
Gens Ávium, cum líbere vagarétur, optábat sibi dari regem. Pavo se imprímis dignum qui eligerétur putábat, quia esset formosíssimus. Hōc in regem accépto, Pica, O rex, inquit, si te imperánte Áquila nos perstrénue, ut solet, ínsequi coéperit, quo illum modo ábiges? Quo nos pacto servábis?
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:
Gens Avium,
cum libere vagaretur,
optabat
sibi dari regem.
Pavo
se imprimis
dignum qui eligeretur
putabat,
quia esset formosissimus.
Hoc in regem accepto,
Pica, O rex, inquit,
si te imperante
Aquila
nos perstrenue, ut solet,
insequi coeperit,
quo illum modo abiges?
Quo nos pacto servabis?
IMAGE. Here is Francis Barlow's illustration for the story:
