Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Dives illiteratus et Inops doctus (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 145 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:

Vir quīdam dīves sed illitterātus, virum doctum, sed inopem, dērīdēbat, quod ipse suā industriā multās dīvitiās congregāsset, cum ille, quī tantā doctrīnā pollēbat, maximā inopiā premerētur. Cui ille: nīl mīrum, cum tū opibus coacervandīs, egō vērō doctrīnae comparandae, quae longē dīvitiīs praestat, incubuerim. Hic inter dīvitem et litterātum orta contentio, utrum doctrīna, an gāzā praestantior esset: compōnī nōn poterat, cum uterque multōs fautōrēs habēret, sed plūrēs dīves. Tandem hoc pactō compertum est doctrinam gaza praestantiōrem esse: Discordiīs cīvīlibus ambō solum mūtāre compulsī, cum nihil sēcum ē suīs fortūnae bonīs ferre potuissent in aliam urbem sē contulērunt: ubī vir litterātus, magnā ad docendum mercēde conductus, in magnō pretiō et honōre habēbātur. Quī vērō dīves fuerat, pānem ostiātim petere coactus inopiā, confessus est, sē suā opīnione dēceptum.


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):

Vir quidam dives sed illitterátus, virum doctum, sed ínopem, deridébat, quod ipse sua indústria multas divítias congregásset, cum ille, qui tanta doctrína pollébat, máxima inópia premerétur. Cui ille: nil mirum, cum tu ópibus coacervándis, ego vero doctrínae comparándae, quae longe divítiis praestat, incubúerim. Hic inter dívitem et litterátum orta conténtio, utrum doctrína, an gaza praestántior esset: compóni non póterat, cum utérque multos fautóres habéret, sed plures dives. Tandem hoc pacto compértum est doctrínam gaza praestantiórem esse: Discórdiis civílibus ambo solum mutáre compúlsi, cum nihil secum e suis fortúnae bonis ferre potuíssent in áliam urbem se contulérunt: ubi vir litterátus, magna ad docéndum mercéde condúctus, in magno prétio et honóre habebátur. Qui vero dives fúerat, panem ostiátim pétere coáctus inópia, conféssus est, se sua opinióne decéptum.


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:

Vir quidam
dives sed illitteratus,
virum doctum, sed inopem,
deridebat,
quod ipse
sua industria
multas divitias congregasset,
cum ille,
qui tanta doctrina pollebat,
maxima inopia premeretur.
Cui ille:
nil mirum,
cum tu
opibus coacervandis,
ego vero
doctrinae comparandae,
quae longe divitiis praestat,
incubuerim.
Hic
inter divitem et litteratum
orta contentio,
utrum doctrina,
an gaza
praestantior esset:
componi non poterat,
cum uterque
multos fautores haberet,
sed plures dives.
Tandem hoc pacto
compertum est
doctrinam
gaza praestantiorem esse:
Discordiis civilibus
ambo
solum mutare compulsi,
cum nihil secum
e suis fortunae bonis
ferre potuissent
in aliam urbem
se contulerunt:
ubi vir litteratus,
magna ad docendum mercede
conductus,
in magno pretio et honore
habebatur.
Qui vero dives fuerat,
panem ostiatim petere
coactus inopia,
confessus est,
se
sua opinione deceptum.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source), showing a learned teacher as depicted on a Greek vase: