Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Bubulcus et Taurus Amissus (Babrius-prose)

SOURCE: This is a Latin prose version of Babrius's Greek verse fables, as published by Jean François Boissonade in 1844; the book is available at GoogleBooks. This is fable 23 in Boissonade's edition; for other versions, see Perry 49.

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:

Bubulcus homo cornigerum taurum vastam per silvam inquīrēbat āmissum, vōtaque faciēbat monticolīs nymphīs, Mercuriō, Pānī pastōrālī, accolīs nūminibus, agnum pollicitus sē lībātūrum, lātrōnem sī capiet. Pulchrum autem taurum, cōnscēnsō colle, factum videt leōnī pābulum. Tum misellus precābundus vovet bovēs quoque ārīs sē datūrum, sī possit saltem effugere lātrōnem.


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):

Bubúlcus homo cornígerum taurum vastam per silvam inquirébat amíssum, vótaque faciébat montícolis nymphis, Mercúrio, Pani pastoráli, áccolis numínibus, agnum pollícitus se libatúrum, latrónem si cápiet. Pulchrum autem taurum, conscénso colle, factum videt leóni pábulum. Tum miséllus precabúndus vovet boves quoque aris se datúrum, si possit saltem effúgere latrónem.


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:

Bubulcus homo
cornigerum taurum
vastam per silvam
inquirebat amissum,
votaque faciebat
monticolis nymphis,
Mercurio, Pani pastorali,
accolis numinibus,
agnum pollicitus se libaturum,
latronem si capiet.
Pulchrum autem taurum,
conscenso colle,
factum videt leoni pabulum.
Tum misellus precabundus
vovet boves quoque
aris se daturum,
si possit saltem effugere latronem.



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


Here is another illustration from the Medici Aesop, which is online at the New York Public Library website.