Monday, May 10, 2010

Canis et fabri aerarii (Syntipas)

SOURCE: The following Latin translations of Syntipas's Greek fables are by Christian Frederick Matthaei and were published in 1781; the book is available at GoogleBooks. This is fable 16 in Syntipas. For other versions, see Perry 415.

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:

Fabrōrum aerāriōrum in domō dēgēbat canis, iīsque labōrantibus, dulcī indulgēbat somnō. Quī simulatque accumbentēs cēpērunt cibum, canis, repentē expergefactus, blandītus est dominīs. Tum illī interrogārunt eum, "Quī fit, strepitū malleōrum gravissimōrum ut nunquam excitēris, dentium vērō lēnissimō crepitū statim expergiscāris?"


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):

Fabrórum aerariórum in domo degébat canis, iísque laborántibus, dulci indulgébat somno. Qui simulátque accumbéntes cepérunt cibum, canis, repénte expergefáctus, blandítus est dóminis. Tum illi interrogárunt eum, "Qui fit, strépitu malleórum gravissimórum ut nunquam excitéris, déntium vero leníssimo crépitu statim expergiscáris?"


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:

Fabrorum aerariorum
in domo
degebat canis,
iisque laborantibus,
dulci indulgebat somno.
Qui
simulatque accumbentes
ceperunt cibum,
canis,
repente expergefactus,
blanditus est dominis.
Tum
illi interrogarunt eum,
"Qui fit,
strepitu
malleorum gravissimorum
ut nunquam exciteris,
dentium vero
lenissimo crepitu
statim expergiscaris?"



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) - here's the blacksmith with his hammer: