Thursday, April 22, 2010

Vipera et Lima (Barlow)

SOURCE: You can find Francis Barlow's illustrated edition of Aesop's fables (1687 edition) available online at Michigan State University. I've also transcribed the fables at the Aesopus wiki, with page images at Aesopica.net. This is fable 45 in Barlow. For parallel versions, see Perry 93.

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:

Vīpera in officīna fabrariā inveniēns Līmam, coepit rōdere. Subrīdēns autem Līma, Quid, inquit, inepta? Quid agis? Tū tuōs contrīveris dentēs, antequam mē atterās, quae dūritiem ferrī praemordēre soleō. Innuit haec fābula monetque, nē cum superiōribus contendāmus.


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):

Vípera in officína fabrária invéniens Limam, coepit ródere. Subrídens autem Lima, Quid, inquit, inépta? Quid agis? Tu tuos contríveris dentes, ántequam me átteras, quae durítiem ferri praemordére sóleo. Ínnuit haec fábula monétque, ne cum superióribus contendámus.


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:

Vipera
in officina fabraria
inveniens Limam,
coepit rodere.
Subridens autem Lima,
Quid, inquit, inepta? Quid agis?
Tu tuos contriveris dentes,
antequam me atteras,
quae
duritiem ferri praemordere soleo.
Innuit haec fabula monetque,
ne cum superioribus contendamus.



IMAGE. Here is Francis Barlow's illustration for the story - that's quite a viper!