Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Rusticus, Draco et Aquila (Aphthonius)

SOURCE: This is a Latin version of Aphthonius's Greek fables; you can see them side-by-side with the Greek text in Nevelet's 1660 edition of Fabulae Variorum Auctorum at GoogleBooks. This is fable 28 in Aphthonius; for other versions, see Perry 395.

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:

Draco et Aquila convolūtī inter sē, pugnābant, et quidem Draco cum ligātam dētinēret aquilam, vidēns id rusticus, solūtā dracōnis spīrā, līberam dīmīsit aquilam. Quārē īrātus draco, venēnum immīsit in servantis pōtum. Haustūrō vērō, quod ignōrāret, rusticō advolāns aquila, ex manibus rusticī calicem dēcussit. Eōs quī bene alicui faciunt, manent grātiae.


ACCENT MARKS. Here is the text with accent marks, plus some color-coding for the words of three or more syllables (blue: penultimate stress; red: antepenultimate stress):

Draco et áquila convolúti inter se, pugnábant, et quidem Draco cum ligátam detinéret áquilam, videns id rústicus, solúta dracónis spira, líberam dimísit áquilam. Quare irátus draco, venénum immísit in servántis potum. Haustúro vero, quod ignoráret, rústico ádvolans áquila, ex mánibus rústici cálicem decússit. Eos qui bene álicui fáciunt, manent grátiae.


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:

Draco et Aquila
convoluti inter se,
pugnabant,
et quidem
Draco
cum ligatam detineret aquilam,
videns id rusticus,
soluta draconis spira,
liberam dimisit aquilam.
Quare iratus draco,
venenum immisit
in servantis potum.
Hausturo vero,
quod ignoraret, rustico
advolans aquila,
ex manibus rustici
calicem decussit.
Eos
qui bene alicui faciunt,
manent gratiae.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing the eagle and the snake from the flag of Mexico: