Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Equus et Mola (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 29 in Boissonade's edition; for other versions, see Perry 318.

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:

Equus senior fuit quondam molendae farīnae vēnumdatus. Molae iugātus vesperam misellus tōtam, atque ideo suspīrāns: Cursibus, inquit, ex quālibus quālēs in gȳrōs propter farīnulās compellor. Nē superbiās nimium prae iuvenīlis vigōris ferōciā; multīs senectus inter labōrēs consumpta fuit.


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):

Equus sénior fuit quondam moléndae farínae venúmdatus. Molae iugátus vésperam miséllus totam, atque ídeo suspírans: Cúrsibus, inquit, ex quálibus quales in gyros propter farínulas compéllor. Ne supérbias nímium prae iuvenílis vigóris ferócia; multis senéctus inter labóres consúmpta fuit.


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:

Equus senior
fuit quondam
molendae farinae venumdatus.
Molae iugatus
vesperam misellus totam,
atque ideo suspirans:
Cursibus, inquit, ex qualibus
quales in gyros
propter farinulas compellor.
Ne superbias nimium
prae iuvenilis vigoris ferocia;
multis
senectus
inter labores consumpta fuit.



IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing a horse turning a mill, round and round!