Friday, May 28, 2010

Asinus et Canis (DeFuria)


Asinus et Canis idem iter faciēbant; et cum forte obsignātam epīstolam humī iacentem invēnissent, Asinus eam colligit, signum dēmit, explicat, et Canī ita, ut intelligere posset, legere incipit. Sermo dē pascuīs in eā forte fiēbat, nempe dē faenō, dē hordeō, et paleā. Stomachārī itaque Canis, et aegrē ferre, Asinō haec legente: quapropter eī dīxit, Amīce suāvissime, paullisper progredere, ut sciam, an aliquid etiam dē carnibus et ossibus hāc in epīstolā scriptum sit. Tunc Asinus, tōtā perlectā, cum nihil dē iīs, quae Canis quaerat, invēnisset, Abiice prōtinus, Canis ait; adulterīna enim, amīce, haec epīstola omnīno est.

SOURCE: This comes from the Latin translation that accompanies De Furia's edition of the Greek Aesopic corpus, published in 1810 and available at GoogleBooks. This is fable 370 in De Furia; for other versions, see Perry 264.

READ OUT LOUD. Choose which marked text you prefer to practice with - macrons (above) or accent marks (below) - and read the text out loud until you feel comfortable and confident. Then, try reading the unmarked text at the very bottom. It should be easy for you after practicing with the marked texts. :-)


ACCENT MARKS. Here is the text with accent marks, plus some color-coding for the words of three or more syllables (blue: penultimate stress; red: antepenultimate stress):

Ásinus et Canis idem iter faciébant; et cum forte obsignátam epístolam humi iacéntem inveníssent, Ásinus eam cólligit, signum demit, éxplicat, et Cani ita, ut intellígere posset, légere íncipit. Sermo de páscuis in ea forte fiébat, nempe de faeno, de hórdeo, et pálea. Stomachári ítaque Canis, et aegre ferre, Ásino haec legénte: quaprópter ei dixit, Amíce suavíssime, paullísper progrédere, ut sciam, an áliquid étiam de cárnibus et óssibus hac in epístola scriptum sit. Tunc Ásinus, tota perlécta, cum nihil de iis, quae Canis quaerat, invenísset, Ábiice prótinus, Canis ait; adulterína enim, amíce, haec epístola omníno est.


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:

Asinus et Canis
idem iter faciebant;
et cum forte
obsignatam epistolam
humi iacentem invenissent,
Asinus eam colligit,
signum demit, explicat,
et Cani ita,
ut intelligere posset,
legere incipit.
Sermo de pascuis
in ea forte fiebat,
nempe de faeno,
de hordeo, et palea.
Stomachari itaque Canis,
et aegre ferre,
Asino haec legente:
quapropter ei dixit,
Amice suavissime,
paullisper progredere,
ut sciam,
an aliquid etiam
de carnibus et ossibus
hac in epistola scriptum sit.
Tunc Asinus,
tota perlecta,
cum nihil de iis,
quae Canis quaerat,
invenisset,
Abiice protinus, Canis ait;
adulterina enim, amice,
haec epistola omnino est.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing a donkey and dog as companions: