Friday, May 7, 2010

Canis et Vulpes Quasi Mortua (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 146 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 simulāns sē dēfunctam, ut avēs ad sē tanquam ad cadāver accēdentēs, interciperet, lutō oblita in quōdam agrō resupīna iacēbat, exspectāns cornīcēs, corvōs et huiusmodī rapācēs volūcrēs, quās dēvorāret, cum superveniēns canis, eam mordicus captam coepit dentibus lacerāre. Quod ille animadvertēns: digna, inquit, patior: nam dum fraudibus avēs capere studeō, ab aliō capta sum. Fābula indicat, quī aliīs īnsidiās mōliuntur, molestē ferre nōn dēbēre, quod ipsī quoque capiuntur.


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 símulans se defúnctam, ut aves ad se tanquam ad cadáver accedéntes, intercíperet, luto óblita in quodam agro resupína iacébat, exspéctans corníces, corvos et huiúsmodi rapáces volúcres, quas devoráret, cum supervéniens canis, eam mórdicus captam coepit déntibus laceráre. Quod ille animadvértens: digna, inquit, pátior: nam dum fraúdibus aves cápere stúdeo, ab álio capta sum. Fábula índicat, qui áliis insídias moliúntur, moléste ferre non debére, quod ipsi quoque capiúntur.


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
simulans se defunctam,
ut aves
ad se tanquam ad cadaver
accedentes,
interciperet,
luto oblita
in quodam agro resupina iacebat,
exspectans cornices,
corvos
et huiusmodi rapaces volucres,
quas devoraret,
cum superveniens canis,
eam mordicus captam
coepit dentibus lacerare.
Quod ille animadvertens:
digna, inquit, patior:
nam dum fraudibus
aves capere studeo,
ab alio capta sum.
Fabula indicat,
qui aliis insidias moliuntur,
moleste ferre non debere,
quod ipsi quoque capiuntur.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source), showing the fox's strategy of playing dead: