Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Lupus quasi Monachus (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 134 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:

Lupus in senium dēductus, cum nōn amplius vēnārī posset, sēsē religiōnī addīxit, sumptōque monachī habitū, cibum ostiātim mendicābat. Reprehēnsus ab aliō lupō, quid vīs, inquit, faciam? Dentēs dēcidērunt, currere nōn valeō, quārē aliter vīvere posse diffīdō. Fābula dēclārat multōs hominēs religiōnī sēsē addīcere quia aliter vītam dēgere nequeunt.


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):

Lupus in sénium dedúctus, cum non ámplius venári posset, sese religióni addíxit, sumptóque mónachi hábitu, cibum ostiátim mendicábat. Reprehénsus ab álio lupo, quid vis, inquit, fáciam? Dentes decidérunt, cúrrere non váleo, quare áliter vívere posse diffído. Fábula declárat multos hómines religióni sese addícere quia áliter vitam dégere néqueunt.


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:

Lupus
in senium deductus,
cum non amplius venari posset,
sese religioni addixit,
sumptoque monachi habitu,
cibum ostiatim mendicabat.
Reprehensus ab alio lupo,
quid vis, inquit, faciam?
Dentes deciderunt,
currere non valeo,
quare aliter vivere posse diffido.
Fabula declarat
multos homines
religioni sese addicere
quia aliter vitam degere nequeunt.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) show the wolf as a would-be monk: