Friday, May 14, 2010

Agricola et Mare (Babrius-prose)

SOURCE: This is a Latin prose version of Babrius's Greek verse fables, as published by Jean François Boissonade in 1844; the book is available at GoogleBooks. This is fable 71 in Boissonade's edition; for other versions, see Perry 168.

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:

Cernēns agricola nāvem refertam nautīs, iam sē prīmum incurvīs tinguentem fluctibus, Ō pelagus, inquit, utinam fuissēs nunquam secātum rate, immisericors elementum, inimīcumque mortālibus! Audīvit mare, vōceque sumptā muliebrī, nē mē calumniēris, inquit. Equidem malōrum omnīno vōbīs nōn sum illōrum causa; sed auctōrēs ventī, quōrum egō iaceō media. Quibus absentibus, sī mē spectēs, ac nāvigēs, mē tua mānsuētiōrem terra praedicābis. Rēs plūrimās, quae sunt bonae, prava ingenia in pēius vertunt, ita ut videantur malae.


ACCENT MARKS. Here is the text with accent marks, plus some color-coding for the words of three or more syllables (blue: penultimate stress; red: antepenultimate stress):

Cernens ágricola navem refértam nautis, iam se primum incúrvis tinguéntem flúctibus, O pélagus, inquit, útinam fuísses nunquam secátum rate, immiséricors eleméntum, inimicúmque mortálibus! Audívit mare, vóceque sumpta mulíebri, ne me calumniéris, inquit. Équidem malórum omníno vobis non sum illórum causa; sed auctóres venti, quorum ego iáceo média. Quibus abséntibus, si me spectes, ac náviges, me tua mansuetiórem terra praedicábis. Res plúrimas, quae sunt bonae, prava ingénia in peius vertunt, ita ut videántur malae.


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:

Cernens agricola
navem refertam nautis,
iam se primum
incurvis tinguentem fluctibus,
O pelagus, inquit,
utinam
fuisses nunquam secatum rate,
immisericors elementum,
inimicumque mortalibus!
Audivit mare,
voceque sumpta muliebri,
ne me calumnieris, inquit.
Equidem malorum omnino vobis
non sum illorum causa;
sed auctores venti,
quorum ego iaceo media.
Quibus absentibus,
si me spectes, ac naviges,
me tua mansuetiorem terra
praedicabis.
Res plurimas,
quae sunt bonae,
prava ingenia
in peius vertunt,
ita ut videantur malae.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing a vision of the sea rising up as a woman: