Friday, May 7, 2010

Psittacus et Turtur (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 106 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:

Psittacus ex oriente in occidentem dēlātus, ubī huiusmodī avēs nascī nōn cōnsuēvērunt, admīrābātur sēsē in māiōrī pretiō et honōre habērī, quam in nātālī cōnsuēvisset solō, nam caveam eburneam, argenteīs contextam virgīs, incolēbat, suāvissimīsque alēbātur cibīs, quod cēterīs avibus occidentālibus, quae neque in formā, neque exprimendīs hūmānīs vōcibus erant inferiōrēs, nōn contingēbat. Tunc turtur in eādem caveā conclūsus, hoc, inquit, nullā est admīrātiōne dignum. Nullī enim in patriā meritus honor exhibērī solet.


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):

Psíttacus ex oriénte in occidéntem delátus, ubi huiúsmodi aves nasci non consuevérunt, admirabátur sese in maióri prétio et honóre habéri, quam in natáli consuevísset solo, nam cáveam ebúrneam, argénteis contéxtam virgis, incolébat, suavissimísque alebátur cibis, quod céteris ávibus occidentálibus, quae neque in forma, neque expriméndis humánis vócibus erant inferióres, non contingébat. Tunc turtur in eádem cávea conclúsus, hoc, inquit, nulla est admiratióne dignum. Nulli enim in pátria méritus honor exhibéri solet.


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:

Psittacus
ex oriente
in occidentem delatus,
ubi huiusmodi aves
nasci non consueverunt,
admirabatur
sese
in maiori pretio et honore haberi,
quam in natali consuevisset solo,
nam caveam eburneam,
argenteis contextam virgis,
incolebat,
suavissimisque alebatur cibis,
quod
ceteris avibus occidentalibus,
quae neque in forma,
neque exprimendis humanis vocibus
erant inferiores,
non contingebat.
Tunc turtur
in eadem cavea conclusus,
hoc, inquit,
nulla est admiratione dignum.
Nulli enim
in patria
meritus honor exhiberi solet.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source), showing an inquiring parrot: