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:
Dīves quīdam duās fīliās habēns, alterā eārum dēfunctā, Praeficās mercēde condūxit. Tum vērō altera sīc mātrem alloquitur: Heu nōs miserās, quae flēre nescīmus, cum nōbīs tāle infortūnium contigerit; hae vērō, licet nullā nōbīs necessitāte coniunctae, sīc vehementer pectora tundunt, ac lūgent! Cui māter, nē mīrēris, fīlia, rēspondit, sī tam flēbiliter istae lāmentantur; id enim nummōrum causā tantummodo faciunt.
ACCENT MARKS. Here is the text with accent marks, plus some color-coding for the words of three or more syllables (blue: penultimate stress; red: antepenultimate stress):
Dives quidam duas fílias habens, áltera eárum defúncta, Praéficas mercéde condúxit. Tum vero áltera sic matrem allóquitur: Heu nos míseras, quae flere néscimus, cum nobis tale infortúnium contígerit; hae vero, licet nulla nobis necessitáte coniúnctae, sic veheménter péctora tundunt, ac lugent! Cui mater, ne miréris, fília, respóndit, si tam flebíliter istae lamentántur; id enim nummórum causa tantúmmodo fáciunt.
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:
Dives quidam
duas filias habens,
altera earum defuncta,
Praeficas mercede conduxit.
Tum vero
altera
sic matrem alloquitur:
Heu nos miseras,
quae
flere nescimus,
cum nobis
tale infortunium contigerit;
hae vero,
licet
nulla nobis necessitate
coniunctae,
sic vehementer
pectora tundunt,
ac lugent!
Cui mater,
ne mireris, filia, respondit,
si tam flebiliter
istae lamentantur;
id enim
nummorum causa
tantummodo faciunt.
Here is an illustration from the Medici Aesop, which is online at the New York Public Library website.
