Saturday, June 20, 2009

Amici et Asinus (Gildersleeve)

SOURCE: A Latin Reader by Basil Lanneau Gildersleeve. Although this story shows up in modern collections of Aesop's fables, it's not one that I recognize from the ancient fables. Does anybody have some information about the source of this story...?

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:

Duo viātōrēs asinum in sōlitūdine errantem conspicātī sunt. Accurrunt laetī et capiunt. Mox autem oritur contentiō, uter eum domum abdūceret. Uterque asinum sibi vindicāvit, quia eum prior conspexisset. Dum illī dē eā rē ācriter rixantur, asinus aufūgit ac neuter lucrum fēcit.



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):

Duo viatóres ásinum in solitúdine errántem conspicáti sunt. Accúrrunt laeti et cápiunt. Mox autem óritur conténtio, uter eum domum abdúceret. Utérque ásinum sibi vindicávit, quia eum prior conspexísset. Dum illi de ea re ácriter rixántur, ásinus aufúgit ac neuter lucrum fecit.


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:

Duo viatores
asinum in solitudine errantem
conspicati sunt.
Accurrunt laeti et capiunt.
Mox autem oritur contentio,
uter
eum domum abduceret.
Uterque
asinum sibi vindicavit,
quia eum prior conspexisset.
Dum illi
de ea re acriter rixantur,
asinus aufugit
ac neuter
lucrum fecit.



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