Friday, June 12, 2009

Vulpes Sine Cauda (Barlow)

SOURCE: Aesop’s Fables in Latin: Ancient Wit and Wisdom from the Animal Kingdom. For more information - including vocabulary lists and grammar comments - see the page for this fable at the Aesopus Ning.

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:

In foveam incidit Vulpēcula inde, caudā dētruncātā, occurrit multīs Vulpēculīs. Quās cum indīgnābundē cōnspexerat, inquit, “Frāterculī, quō vāditis?” “Ad leōnis basilicam eundum est nōbīs ,” respondēbant. “Ad leōnis basilicam?” inquit Vulpēs. “Profectō ego ab eā nuperrimē rediī et mōs iamiam novellus est, ut omnēs ferae dētruncent caudās.” Quibus audītīs, illicō dētruncabānt illae suās caudās. Quās cum vīdit Vulpēs, irrīsit et cōnsōlābātur sē sociōs, sī nōn perīculī, saltem pudōris, creāvisse.


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):

In fóveam íncidit Vulpécula; inde, cauda detruncáta, occúrrit multis Vulpéculis. Quas cum indignabúnde conspéxerat, inquit, “Fratérculi, quo váditis?” “Ad leónis basílicam eúndum est nobis,” respondébant. “Ad leónis basílicam?” inquit Vulpes. “Profécto ego ab ea nupérrime rédii et mos iamiam novéllus est, ut omnes ferae detrúncent caudas.” Quibus audítis, íllico detruncábant illae suas caudas. Quas cum vidit Vulpes, irrísit et consolabátur se sócios, si non perículi, saltem pudóris, creavísse.



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:

In foveam incidit Vulpecula; inde, cauda detruncata, occurrit multis Vulpeculis. Quas cum indignabunde conspexerat, inquit, “Fraterculi, quo vaditis?” “Ad leonis basilicam eundum est nobis,” respondebant. “Ad leonis basilicam?” inquit Vulpes. “Profecto ego ab ea nuperrime redii et mos iamiam novellus est, ut omnes ferae detruncent caudas.” Quibus auditis, illico detruncabant illae suas caudas. Quas cum vidit Vulpes, irrisit et consolabatur se socios, si non periculi, saltem pudoris, creavisse.



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



Here is an another illustration from the Medici Aesop, which is online at the New York Public Library website.