Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Grammaticus et Asinus (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 133 in Abstemius. Perry only includes a few sporadic fables from Abstemius in his index, and Perry lists it as Perry 722, citing Poggio's version, rather than Abstemius.

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:

Grammaticus quīdam glōriābātur adeō in arte suā sē excellentem esse, ut sī digna darētur merces, nōn modo puerōs, vērum etiam asinum docēre profitērētur. Princeps audiēns hominis temeritātem, interrogābat eum, an sī quinquāginta eī daret aureōs, intrā decennium docēre asinum confīderet. Rēspondit vir impudēns, nōn recūsāre sē ab eō interimī, sī hōc spatiō temporis asinus ille legere et scrībere nescīret. Amīcī hoc audientēs admīrābantur, increpābantque hominem, quī nōn modo rem arduam, atque difficilem, vērum etiam impossibilem facere prōmīsisset, timēbantque nē exactō hōc tempore ā principe occīderētur, quibus ille rēspondēbat: Antequam hoc tempus ēlābātur, aut asinus moriētur, aut princeps, aut egō. Fābula indicat, in perīculō cōnstitūtīs moram saepe auxiliō esse solēre.


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):

Grammáticus quidam gloriabátur adeo in arte sua se excelléntem esse, ut si digna darétur merces, non modo púeros, verum étiam ásinum docére profiterétur. Princeps aúdiens hóminis temeritátem, interrogábat eum, an si quinquagínta ei daret aúreos, intra decénnium docére ásinum confíderet. Respóndit vir ímpudens, non recusáre se ab eo intérimi, si hoc spátio témporis ásinus ille légere et scríbere nescíret. Amíci hoc audiéntes admirabántur, increpabántque hóminem, qui non modo rem árduam, atque diffícilem, verum étiam impossíbilem fácere promisísset, timebántque ne exácto hoc témpore a príncipe occiderétur, quibus ille respondébat: Ántequam hoc tempus elabátur, aut ásinus moriétur, aut princeps, aut ego. Fábula índicat, in perículo constitútis moram saepe auxílio esse solére.


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:

Grammaticus quidam
gloriabatur adeo in arte sua
se excellentem esse,
ut si digna daretur merces,
non modo pueros,
verum etiam asinum
docere profiteretur.
Princeps
audiens hominis temeritatem,
interrogabat eum,
an si quinquaginta ei daret aureos,
intra decennium
docere asinum confideret.
Respondit vir impudens,
non recusare
se ab eo interimi,
si hoc spatio temporis
asinus ille
legere et scribere nesciret.
Amici
hoc audientes
admirabantur,
increpabantque hominem,
qui non modo rem arduam,
atque difficilem,
verum etiam impossibilem
facere promisisset,
timebantque
ne exacto hoc tempore
a principe occideretur,
quibus ille respondebat:
Antequam hoc tempus elabatur,
aut asinus morietur,
aut princeps, aut ego.
Fabula indicat,
in periculo constitutis
moram
saepe auxilio esse solere.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source), showing a donkey who hasn't quite yet learned the art of reading: