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:
Olitōrem quīdam cum vidēret irrigāre olera, rogāvit quōmodo accideret ut grāmina silvestria nec plantāta, nec culta mātūrescerent; quae vērō hominēs sēvissent, saepius ārescerent. "Silvestrēs," rēspondet olitor, "plantae sōla deī prōvidentia cūrantur; mansuētae autem hominum manibus coluntur."
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):
Olitórem quidam cum vidéret irrigáre ólera, rogávit quómodo accíderet ut grámina silvéstria nec plantáta, nec culta maturéscerent; quae vero hómines sevíssent, saépius aréscerent. "Silvéstres," respóndet ólitor, "plantae sola dei providéntia curántur; mansuétae autem hóminum mánibus colúntur."
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:
Olitorem quidam
cum videret
irrigare olera,
rogavit
quomodo accideret
ut gramina silvestria
nec plantata,
nec culta
maturescerent;
quae vero
homines sevissent,
saepius arescerent.
"Silvestres," respondet olitor,
"plantae
sola dei providentia curantur;
mansuetae autem
hominum manibus coluntur."
IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source); this anecdote about the interview with the gardener is sometimes told about Aesop himself, and here is an illustration to the fable featuring Aesop:
