Friday, May 7, 2010

Ficedula et Turdus (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 131 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:

Fīcēdula per locum quendam dēsertum iter faciēns, reperit turdum lābruscae ūvīs et silvestrium arborum baccīs victitantem apud quem hospitāta, hortāta est eum, ut relictō tam sterilī et dēsertō locō, sēcum pergeret, sē enim ductūram eum in regiōnem, suāvissimīs ūvīs, fīcis et omnī pōmōrum amoenitāte refertam. Cum autem turdus illīus cōnsiliīs obsecūtus, in locum ā fīcēdulā praedictum pervenisset, reperit cibōs adhuc suāviōrēs, quam illa prōmīserat. Sed cum vidēret nonnullās avēs viscō implicitās, aliās laqueīs captās, complūrēs rētibus irrētītās, et mille īnsidiās ac dolōs avibus tēnsōs, valē fīcēdulae dīcēns, antequam in pātriam rediit, ubī usque ad dēcrepitam aetātem, absque ullō īnsidiantium metū, vītam tranquillē prōtraxit.


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):

Ficédula per locum quendam desértum iter fáciens, réperit turdum labrúscae uvis et silvéstrium árborum baccis victitántem apud quem hospitáta, hortáta est eum, ut relícto tam stérili et desérto loco, secum pérgeret, se enim ductúram eum in regiónem, suavíssimis uvis, ficis et omni pomórum amoenitáte refértam. Cum autem turdus illíus consíliis obsecútus, in locum a ficédula praedíctum pervenísset, réperit cibos adhuc suavióres, quam illa promíserat. Sed cum vidéret nonnúllas aves visco implícitas, álias láqueis captas, complúres rétibus irretítas, et mille insídias ac dolos ávibus tensos, vale ficédulae dicens, ántequam in pátriam rédiit, ubi usque ad decrépitam aetátem, absque ullo insidiántium metu, vitam tranquílle protráxit.


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:

Ficedula
per locum quendam desertum
iter faciens,
reperit turdum
labruscae uvis
et silvestrium arborum baccis
victitantem
apud quem hospitata,
hortata est eum,
ut
relicto tam sterili et deserto loco,
secum pergeret,
se enim
ducturam eum in regionem,
suavissimis uvis, ficis
et omni pomorum amoenitate
refertam.
Cum autem turdus
illius consiliis obsecutus,
in locum a ficedula praedictum
pervenisset,
reperit cibos
adhuc suaviores,
quam illa promiserat.
Sed cum videret
nonnullas aves visco implicitas,
alias laqueis captas,
complures retibus irretitas,
et mille insidias
ac dolos avibus tensos,
vale ficedulae dicens,
antequam in patriam rediit,
ubi
usque ad decrepitam aetatem,
absque ullo insidiantium metu,
vitam tranquille protraxit.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing a ficedula, a fly-catcher: