Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Vulpes et Gallus Callidus (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 138 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:

Vulpes rusticī laqueīs, cuius plūrimās gallīnās occīderat, capta, rogāvit gallum, ā quō sōlō vīsa fuerat, ut aut cultellum, quō laqueum scinderet, sibi afferret, aut herō nihil dīceret, quoad dentibus laqueum abrūpisset. Gallus utrumque pollicitus, dominum properē adiēns, narrat vulpem casse dētinērī: quem clāvā armātum ad sē perdendum venientem vulpes cōnspicāta: Infēlix, inquit, et stulta egō, quae crēdidī gallum mihi fīdum fore, cuius tot uxōrēs occīderam.


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):

Vulpes rústici láqueis, cuius plúrimas gallínas occíderat, capta, rogávit gallum, a quo solo visa fúerat, ut aut cultéllum, quo láqueum scínderet, sibi afférret, aut hero nihil díceret, quoad déntibus láqueum abrupísset. Gallus utrúmque pollícitus, dóminum própere ádiens, narrat vulpem casse detinéri: quem clava armátum ad se perdéndum veniéntem vulpes conspicáta: Infélix, inquit, et stulta ego, quae crédidi gallum mihi fidum fore, cuius tot uxóres occíderam.


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:

Vulpes
rustici laqueis,
cuius plurimas gallinas occiderat,
capta,
rogavit gallum,
a quo solo visa fuerat,
ut aut cultellum,
quo laqueum scinderet,
sibi afferret,
aut hero nihil diceret,
quoad
dentibus laqueum abrupisset.
Gallus
utrumque pollicitus,
dominum propere adiens,
narrat
vulpem casse detineri:
quem
clava armatum
ad se perdendum venientem
vulpes conspicata:
Infelix, inquit,
et stulta ego,
quae credidi
gallum mihi fidum fore,
cuius tot uxores occideram.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing a fox negotiating with a rooster: