Saturday, May 1, 2010

Capra et Canis (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 164 in Abstemius. Perry only includes a few sporadic fables from Abstemius in his index, and there is no Perry number for this fable - although it has a lot in common with the story of the "dog in the manger," of course!

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:

Capra ēsuriēns hortum quendam ubī virentia vīderat olera, intrāre cupiēbat: sed canis molossus quem olitor custōdem apposuerat, nōn permittēbat, minitāns eī mortem, sī pedem intrōferre tentāret. Cui capra: Quid, inquit, mē ēsse prohibēs, quae tibi nullī sunt ūsuī: Nullā, rēspondit canis, ratiōne hoc faciō, sed quia ita mihi īnsitum est ā nātūrā. Fābula exprimit nātūram avārōrum, quī multīs rēbus abundant, quibus neque ipsī fruuntur, neque aliōs fruī patiuntur.


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):

Capra esúriens hortum quendam ubi viréntia víderat ólera, intráre cupiébat: sed canis molóssus quem ólitor custódem apposúerat, non permittébat, mínitans ei mortem, si pedem introférre tentáret. Cui capra: Quid, inquit, me esse próhibes, quae tibi nulli sunt úsui: Nulla, respóndit canis, ratióne hoc fácio, sed quia ita mihi ínsitum est a natúra. Fábula éxprimit natúram avarórum, qui multis rebus abúndant, quibus neque ipsi fruúntur, neque álios frui patiúntur.


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:

Capra esuriens
hortum quendam
ubi virentia viderat olera,
intrare cupiebat:
sed canis molossus
quem olitor custodem apposuerat,
non permittebat,
minitans ei mortem,
si pedem introferre tentaret.
Cui capra:
Quid, inquit,
me esse prohibes,
quae
tibi nulli sunt usui:
Nulla, respondit canis, ratione
hoc facio,
sed quia
ita mihi insitum est
a natura.
Fabula exprimit
naturam avarorum,
qui multis rebus abundant,
quibus neque ipsi fruuntur,
neque alios frui patiuntur.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source), showing a threatening dog: