Monday, August 17, 2009

Catta in Feminam Mutata (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:

Catta quaedam dēlicium erat formōsī cūiusdam Adolescentis Veneremque ōrāvit ut in fēminam mūtāret. Dea, miserta cupiditātis Adolescentulī, convertit Cattam in puellam. Quam, cum longē speciōsa esset, Amātor domum abduxit. Venus, experīrī cupiēns sī, mūtātā faciē, mūtāsset et mōrēs, in medium cōnstituit mūrem. Quem cum illa aspexit, oblīta formae, mūrem ut caperet persecūta est. Quā super rē indignāta, Venus dēnuō eam in priōrem Cattae formam mūtāvit.



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):

Catta quaedam delícium erat formósi cuiúsdam Adolescéntis Venerémque orávit ut in féminam mutáret. Dea, misérta cupiditátis Adolescéntuli, convértit Cattam in puéllam. Quam, cum longe speciósa esset, Amátor domum abdúxit. Venus, experíri cúpiens si, mutáta fácie, mutásset et mores, in médium constítuit murem. Quem cum illa aspéxit, oblíta formae, murem ut cáperet persecúta est. Qua super re indignáta, Venus dénuo eam in priórem Cattae formam mutávit.


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:

Catta quaedam delicium erat formosi cuiusdam Adolescentis Veneremque oravit ut in feminam mutaret. Dea, miserta cupiditatis Adolescentuli, convertit Cattam in puellam. Quam, cum longe speciosa esset, Amator domum abduxit. Venus, experiri cupiens si, mutata facie, mutasset et mores, in medium constituit murem. Quem cum illa aspexit, oblita formae, murem ut caperet persecuta est. Qua super re indignata, Venus denuo eam in priorem Cattae formam mutavit.



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