Thursday, July 16, 2009

Vitula et Bos (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:

Mollis et lascīva Vitula, cum Bovem agricolae aculeō agitātum et arantem cerneret, contempsit. Sed, cum immolātiōnis diēs affuit, Bōs, ā iugō līberātus, per pascua vagābātur. Vitula vērō, ut immolārētur, retenta est. Quod cum Bōs cōnspicātur, subrīdēns ait, “Heus Vitula, ideō nōn labōrābās: ut immolārēris!”



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):

Mollis et lascíva Vítula, cum Bovem agrícolae acúleo agitátum et arántem cérneret, contémpsit. Sed, cum immolatiónis dies áffuit, Bos, a iugo liberátus, per páscua vagabátur. Vítula vero, ut immolarétur, reténta est. Quod cum Bos conspicátur, subrídens ait, “Heus Vítula, ídeo non laborábas: ut immolaréris!”



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:

Mollis et lasciva Vitula, cum Bovem agricolae aculeo agitatum et arantem cerneret, contempsit. Sed, cum immolationis dies affuit, Bos, a iugo liberatus, per pascua vagabatur. Vitula vero, ut immolaretur, retenta est. Quod cum Bos conspicatur, subridens ait, “Heus Vitula, ideo non laborabas: ut immolareris!”



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