Monday, May 3, 2010

Vir et Pisciciuli Interrogati (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 118 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:

Vir quīdam doctus ad convīvium cuiusdam principis accītus, et in ultimō locō discumbere iussus, tum cēterīs convīvīs magnī piscēs, sibi autem minūtulī appōnerentur, nullum edēbat: sed singulōs ōrī prius deinde auribus admovēns, tanquam aliquid ab eīs sciscitātūrus, in patinīs integrōs et illaesōs repōnēbat: interrogātus ā magistrō convīviī, cūr hoc faceret: meus, inquit, pater ante hoc biennium hīs regiōnibus naufragiō periit, nec quid dē eius cadāvere factum sit, posteā scīre potuī. Sciscitābat ergō ab hīs pisciculīs, an aliquid dē eō scīrent. Vērum hī eō tempore nondum sē nātōs fuisse rēspondent. Quārē māiōrēs interrogandī essent. Princeps audītō tam lepidō dictō, ipsī quoque māiōrēs iussit exhibērī, semperque eum posteā inter praecipuōs convīvās habuit.


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):

Vir quidam doctus ad convívium cuiúsdam príncipis accítus, et in último loco discúmbere iussus, tum céteris convívis magni pisces, sibi autem minútuli apponeréntur, nullum edébat: sed síngulos ori prius deínde aúribus ádmovens, tanquam áliquid ab eis sciscitatúrus, in pátinis íntegros et illaésos reponébat: interrogátus a magístro convívii, cur hoc fáceret: meus, inquit, pater ante hoc biénnium his regiónibus naufrágio périit, nec quid de eius cadávere factum sit, póstea scire pótui. Sciscitábat ergo ab his piscículis, an áliquid de eo scirent. Verum hi eo témpore nondum se natos fuísse respóndent. Quare maióres interrogándi essent. Princeps audíto tam lépido dicto, ipsi quoque maióres iussit exhibéri, sempérque eum póstea inter praecípuos convívas hábuit.


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:

Vir quidam doctus
ad convivium cuiusdam principis
accitus,
et in ultimo loco
discumbere iussus,
tum ceteris convivis
magni pisces,
sibi autem minutuli
apponerentur,
nullum edebat:
sed singulos
ori prius
deinde auribus admovens,
tanquam
aliquid ab eis sciscitaturus,
in patinis
integros et illaesos reponebat:
interrogatus a magistro convivii,
cur hoc faceret:
meus, inquit, pater
ante hoc biennium
his regionibus naufragio periit,
nec quid
de eius cadavere factum sit,
postea scire potui.
Sciscitabat ergo
ab his pisciculis,
an aliquid de eo scirent.
Verum hi
eo tempore
nondum se natos fuisse
respondent.
Quare
maiores interrogandi essent.
Princeps
audito tam lepido dicto,
ipsi quoque maiores
iussit exhiberi,
semperque eum postea
inter praecipuos convivas habuit.



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