Monday, May 3, 2010

Arbor Malus et Poma Ingentia (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 181 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:

Mālus arbor oleam irrīdēbat, quod exiguās prōcreāsset baccās, cum ipsa et ingentia et quae vix suī rāmī ferrent, māla prōdūxisset. Sed vehementī extortō ventō, cum pōmōrum onere, tum vī turbinis et pōma ferē cuncta cecidērunt, et ramī confractī sunt: Olea autem illaesa permānsit. Tunc sēcum mālus: quantō, inquit, melius mihi fuisset, minōrēs fētūs ēdidisse. Fābula indicat, nōs dēbēre modicīs rēbus esse contentōs, cum amplae opēs et nimiae dīvitiae sine ingentī perīculō nequeant possidērī.


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):

Malus arbor óleam irridébat, quod exíguas procreásset baccas, cum ipsa et ingéntia et quae vix sui rami ferrent, mala produxísset. Sed veheménti extórto vento, cum pomórum ónere, tum vi túrbinis et poma fere cuncta cecidérunt, et rami confrácti sunt: Ólea autem illaésa permánsit. Tunc secum malus: quanto, inquit, mélius mihi fuísset, minóres fetus edidísse. Fábula índicat, nos debére módicis rebus esse conténtos, cum amplae opes et nímiae divítiae sine ingénti perículo néqueant possidéri.


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:

Malus arbor
oleam irridebat,
quod
exiguas procreasset baccas,
cum ipsa
et ingentia
et quae vix sui rami ferrent,
mala produxisset.
Sed
vehementi extorto vento,
cum pomorum onere,
tum vi turbinis
et poma fere cuncta ceciderunt,
et rami confracti sunt:
Olea autem illaesa permansit.
Tunc secum malus:
quanto, inquit,
melius mihi fuisset,
minores fetus edidisse.
Fabula indicat,
nos debere
modicis rebus esse contentos,
cum amplae opes
et nimiae divitiae
sine ingenti periculo
nequeant possideri.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing a very big apple!