Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Ovis, Canis et Lupus (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 176 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:

Ovis comprehēnsa ā cane gregis custōde, maximōs ēdēbat ēiulātūs, capta autem ā lupō nullam ēmittēbat vōcem. Interrogāta ā pastōre, cūr ita faceret: molestius, inquit, mihi est ā cane, quī mihi custōs et amīcus esse dēbet, laedī, quam ā lupō, quem nātūra perpetuum mihi genuit inimīcum. Fābula indicat graviōrēs nōbīs domesticōrum quam externōrum esse iniūriās.


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):

Ovis comprehénsa a cane gregis custóde, máximos edébat eiulátus, capta autem a lupo nullam emittébat vocem. Interrogáta a pastóre, cur ita fáceret: moléstius, inquit, mihi est a cane, qui mihi custos et amícus esse debet, laedi, quam a lupo, quem natúra perpétuum mihi génuit inimícum. Fábula índicat gravióres nobis domesticórum quam externórum esse iniúrias.


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:

Ovis
comprehensa a cane
gregis custode,
maximos edebat eiulatus,
capta autem a lupo
nullam emittebat vocem.
Interrogata a pastore,
cur ita faceret:
molestius, inquit,
mihi est a cane,
qui
mihi custos et amicus
esse debet,
laedi,
quam a lupo,
quem natura
perpetuum mihi genuit inimicum.
Fabula indicat
graviores nobis domesticorum
quam externorum
esse iniurias.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing a sheep: