Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Bos Cornua a Deo Petens (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 173 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:

Bōs aegrē ferēbat vīrēs inermēs sibi ā nātūra datās, quoniam armīs carēbat, quae vīribus potiōra putābat. Rogāvit ergō Iōvem, ut sibi cornua concēdere dignārētur. Quod cum impetrāsset, statim vōtī suī eum coepit paenitēre. Nam cum inermis līber esset, ā nēmineque capī posset, nātis cornibus laqueō comprehēnsus ad arandum dūcēbātur, et immēnsōs labōrēs subīre cōgēbātur. Fābula indicat nihil ā Deō petendum, nisi quod ille nōbīs prōfutūrum intelligit.


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):

Bos aegre ferébat vires inérmes sibi a natúra datas, quóniam armis carébat, quae víribus potióra putábat. Rogávit ergo Iovem, ut sibi córnua concédere dignarétur. Quod cum impetrásset, statim voti sui eum coepit paenitére. Nam cum inérmis liber esset, a neminéque capi posset, natis córnibus láqueo comprehénsus ad arándum ducebátur, et imménsos labóres subíre cogebátur. Fábula índicat nihil a Deo peténdum, nisi quod ille nobis profutúrum intélligit.


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:

Bos
aegre ferebat
vires inermes
sibi a natura datas,
quoniam armis carebat,
quae
viribus potiora
putabat.
Rogavit ergo Iovem,
ut sibi cornua concedere
dignaretur.
Quod cum impetrasset,
statim
voti sui
eum coepit paenitere.
Nam
cum inermis liber esset,
a nemineque capi posset,
natis cornibus
laqueo comprehensus
ad arandum ducebatur,
et immensos labores subire
cogebatur.
Fabula indicat
nihil a Deo petendum,
nisi quod
ille nobis profuturum intelligit.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing oxen hard at work, having horns but slaves to men: