Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Rusticus et Iuvencus (Avianus-prose)

SOURCE: This is a prose version of Avianus's poetry, as found in a standard Renaissance edition of Aesop's fables published (and frequently republished) under the title Aesopi Phrygis et Aliorum Fabulae; various editions are available at GoogleBooks. This is fable 28 in Avianus. For other versions, see Perry 582.

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:

Erat rusticō iuvencus vinculī, iugīque impatiēns. Homo astūtus bestiae resecat cornua: cornibus enim petēbat. Tum iungit non curruī, sed arātrō: nē ut solet, herum pulsāret calcibus, stīvam ipse tenet, gaudēns industriā effēcisse, ut iam foret tūtus, et a cornibus, et ab ungulīs. Sed quid ēvēnit? Taurus, subinde resistēns, spargendo pedibus ōs, oculōs, caputque rusticī opplet arēnā.


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):

Erat rústico iuvéncus vínculi, iugíque impátiens. Homo astútus béstiae résecat córnua: córnibus enim petébat. Tum iungit non cúrrui, sed arátro: ne ut solet, herum pulsáret cálcibus, stivam ipse tenet, gaudens indústria effecísse, ut iam foret tutus, et a córnibus, et ab úngulis. Sed quid evénit? Taurus, subínde resístens, spargéndo pédibus os, óculos, capútque rústici opplet aréna.


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:

Erat rustico
iuvencus
vinculi, iugique impatiens.
Homo astutus
bestiae resecat cornua:
cornibus enim petebat.
Tum iungit
non currui, sed aratro:
ne
ut solet
herum pulsaret calcibus,
stivam
ipse tenet,
gaudens industria effecisse,
ut iam foret tutus,
et a cornibus,
et ab ungulis.
Sed quid evenit?
Taurus,
subinde resistens,
spargendo pedibus
os, oculos, caputque rustici
opplet arena.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) from a 16th-century edition of Aesop: