Monday, June 7, 2010

Lupus et Hircus Superbus (Camerarius)


Hircus ēvāserat lupum īnsequentem in rūpem, in quam pervenīre ille nōn posset. Ubī aliquantisper lupus cum obsēdisset eum, tandem famē dēpulsus, sitientī tum hircō ad fluvium vīcīnum dēscendendī facultātem dedit. In fluviō autem cornua prōcēra et crūra levia contemplātus hircus, placēre sibi et sē incūsāre, quī lupum fūgisset. Lupus stultum immorantem in fluviō, et aspectantem imāginem suam clanculum adortus comprehendit, et iam frustrā dēplōrantem suam vānitātem asportat atque dēvorat.


SOURCE: This comes from the Latin translation that accompanies Camerarius's edition of the Aesopic corpus; the 1571 edition of Camerarius's Aesop is available at GoogleBooks. This is fable 239 in Camerarius; for other versions, see Perry 695.

READ OUT LOUD. Choose which marked text you prefer to practice with - macrons (above) or accent marks (below) - and read the text out loud until you feel comfortable and confident. Then, try reading the unmarked text at the very bottom. It should be easy for you after practicing with the marked texts. :-)


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):

Hircus eváserat lupum insequéntem in rupem, in quam perveníre ille non posset. Ubi aliquantísper lupus cum obsedísset eum, tandem fame depúlsus, sitiénti tum hirco ad flúvium vicínum descendéndi facultátem dedit. In flúvio autem córnua procéra et crura lévia contemplátus hircus, placére sibi et se incusáre, qui lupum fugísset. Lupus stultum immorántem in flúvio, et aspectántem imáginem suam clánculum adórtus comprehéndit, et iam frustra deplorántem suam vanitátem aspórtat atque dévorat.


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:

Hircus
evaserat lupum insequentem
in rupem,
in quam pervenire
ille non posset.
Ubi aliquantisper
lupus
cum obsedisset eum,
tandem fame depulsus,
sitienti tum hirco
ad fluvium vicinum
descendendi facultatem dedit.
In fluvio autem
cornua procera
et crura levia contemplatus
hircus,
placere sibi
et se incusare,
qui lupum fugisset.
Lupus
stultum immorantem in fluvio,
et aspectantem imaginem suam
clanculum adortus
comprehendit,
et iam frustra
deplorantem suam vanitatem
asportat atque devorat.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing a goat drinking: