Monday, July 13, 2009

Testudo et Aquila (Morris)

SOURCE: A Latin Reading-Book by Charles D'Urban Morris (1873) at GoogleBooks. For more information and other versions, see the links list for Perry 230.

NoDictionaries.com: You can find the word list for this fable online, and use it interactively (here are some tips on how to make best use of the tool).

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:

Testūdō aquilam māgnopere ōrābat, ut volāre sēsē docēret. "Rem petis," inquit aquila, "nātūrae tuae contrāriam: nam quōmodo poteris volāre, cum ālās nōn habeās?" Testūdō autem nihilōminus aquilam obsecrābat ut sē volucrem facere vellet. Itaque eam ungulīs arreptam aquila sustulit in sublīme, ibique dēmīsit, ut per āera ferrētur. Sed cum in rūpēs dēcidisset comminūta interiit.



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):

Testúdo áquilam magnópere orábat, ut voláre sese docéret. "Rem petis," inquit áquila, "natúrae tuae contráriam: nam quómodo póteris voláre, cum alas non hábeas?" Testúdo autem nihilóminus áquilam obsecrábat ut se vólucrem fácere vellet. Ítaque eam úngulis arréptam áquila sústulit in sublíme, ibíque demísit, ut per áera ferrétur. Sed cum in rupes decidísset comminúta intériit.



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:

Testudo
aquilam magnopere orabat,
ut volare sese doceret.
"Rem petis," inquit aquila,
"naturae tuae contrariam:
nam quomodo poteris volare,
cum alas non habeas?"
Testudo autem
nihilominus aquilam obsecrabat
ut se volucrem facere vellet.
Itaque
eam ungulis arreptam
aquila sustulit in sublime,
ibique demisit,
ut per aera ferretur.
Sed
cum in rupes decidisset
comminuta interiit.




IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source), from a children's book illustrated by A. G. Sreelal: