Sunday, June 6, 2010

Onager et Asinus (DeFuria)


Onager Asinum vidēns grave portantem onus, eīque servitūtem exprōbrāns, ita est allocūtus: Fēlix egō, quī lībertāte fruor, ōtiō indulgeō, et alimenta in montibus ultrō sine labōre inveniō. Tū contrā ab aliō exspectās alimenta, continuīsque servitiīs et verberibus lacerāris. Dum sē sīc iactat, confestim appāret leo. Asinum, quod agāso aderat, leo relinquit intactum; in Onagrum autem, quī sōlus erat, vehementem facit impetum, eumque epulātur.


SOURCE: This comes from the Latin translation that accompanies De Furia's edition of the Greek Aesopic corpus, published in 1810 and available at GoogleBooks. This is fable 340 in De Furia; for other versions, see Perry 411.

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):

Ónager Ásinum videns grave portántem onus, eíque servitútem expróbrans, ita est allocútus: Felix ego, qui libertáte fruor, ótio indúlgeo, et aliménta in móntibus ultro sine labóre invénio. Tu contra ab álio exspéctas aliménta, continuísque servítiis et verbéribus laceráris. Dum se sic iactat, conféstim appáret leo. Ásinum, quod agáso áderat, leo relínquit intáctum; in Ónagrum autem, qui solus erat, veheméntem facit ímpetum, eúmque epulátur.


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:

Onager
Asinum videns
grave portantem onus,
eique servitutem exprobrans,
ita est allocutus:
Felix ego,
qui libertate fruor,
otio indulgeo,
et alimenta in montibus ultro
sine labore invenio.
Tu contra
ab alio exspectas alimenta,
continuisque servitiis
et verberibus laceraris.
Dum se sic iactat,
confestim apparet leo.
Asinum,
quod agaso aderat,
leo
relinquit intactum;
in Onagrum autem,
qui solus erat,
vehementem facit impetum,
eumque epulatur.



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