Friday, April 30, 2010

Vulpes et Gallina Incubans (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 151 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:

Vulpes rusticī cuiusdam domum ingressa, reperit in nīdō gallīnam ōvīs incubantem, quae eam rogābat, dīcēns: Nē mē obsecrō in praesentiā occīdās macilentam. Expecta paululum, dum pullī mihi nascantur, quōs ut tenellōs absque dentium dolōre ēsse poteris. Tunc Vulpes: Non essem, inquit, inter vulpēs numeranda, sī nunc ēsuriēns, spē pullōrum, quī nondum nātī sunt, parātum omittere cibum. Dentēs validōs gerō, quī quamlibet dūrissimam carnem molere cōnsuēvērunt: Haec dīcēns, gallīnam dēvorāvit. Fābula indicat, eum amentem esse, quī incertā spē māiōrum rērum, praesentēs omittit.


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):

Vulpes rústici cuiúsdam domum ingréssa, réperit in nido gallínam ovis incubántem, quae eam rogábat, dicens: Ne me óbsecro in praeséntia occídas maciléntam. Expécta paúlulum, dum pulli mihi nascántur, quos ut tenéllos absque déntium dolóre esse póteris. Tunc Vulpes: Non essem, inquit, inter vulpes numeránda, si nunc esúriens, spe pullórum, qui nondum nati sunt, parátum omíttere cibum. Dentes válidos gero, qui quámlibet duríssimam carnem mólere consuevérunt: Haec dicens, gallínam devorávit. Fábula índicat, eum améntem esse, qui incérta spe maiórum rerum, praeséntes omíttit.


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:

Vulpes
rustici cuiusdam domum ingressa,
reperit in nido gallinam
ovis incubantem,
quae eam rogabat, dicens:
Ne me obsecro in praesentia occidas
macilentam.
Expecta paululum,
dum pulli mihi nascantur,
quos ut tenellos
absque dentium dolore
esse poteris.
Tunc Vulpes:
Non essem, inquit,
inter vulpes numeranda,
si nunc esuriens,
spe pullorum, qui nondum nati sunt,
paratum omittere cibum.
Dentes validos gero,
qui
quamlibet durissimam carnem molere
consueverunt:
Haec dicens,
gallinam devoravit.
Fabula indicat,
eum amentem esse,
qui
incerta spe maiorum rerum,
praesentes omittit.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing a fox pondering the options: