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FABELLAE SIMPLICES L EV E L

L AT I N R EADE R

Joseph and Lia Roberts

Introduction and Instructions Fabellae Simplices (“Simple Stories”) is a series of twelve Latin stories—specifically designed for beginning Latin students that have just completed Picta Dicta Latin Primer (vol. 1). Since these stories introduce no new grammatical forms and very few new vocabulary words, they provide a fun and easy way to strengthen concepts and vocabulary the students have just learned before going on to new material. This reader is also perfect for any Latin students who have learned the following grammar concepts: ■ 1st Declension Nouns ■ 2nd Declension Masculine Nouns ■ 2nd Declension Neuter Nouns ■ Nominative Case ■ Genitive Case ■ Dative Case ■ Accusative Case ■ Ablative Case ■ 3rd-Person Singular and Plural Verbs

Directions (for classroom) Review: First, we recommend reviewing vocabulary before reading each story. The Fabellae Simplices course on the Picta Dicta online platform projected in the classroom provides an easy way to remind students of old words as well as introduce any new words in the story. Alternatively, a teacher may simply use the complete vocabulary at the end of this book to quiz the students aloud on the words for the story. It is usually better to call out the English word or an English hint and have the students reply with the proper Latin word. Or if a teacher has more time, it is a good exercise to have students write out the review words in Latin on personal whiteboards.

Read Aloud: Second, we recommend that the teacher read the story aloud with expression while students follow along in their own books. If a teacher is reading and the students are clearly understanding, there

is no need to pause—keep going to the end of the story. But if the students seem generally confused or get stuck, pause at the end of a page (or a sentence) and go back. Repeat each sentence slowly and use gestures until you see comprehension in their faces. If they continue to not understand, ask them which sentence or word is giving them trouble. Lead them to the answer with questions, prompts, and hints as necessary, and then keep moving on.

Questions: Once the students have read a story and appear to have understood it, a teacher can use the comprehension questions at the end to have the students practice writing Latin and engage with the story. Have the students write on personal whiteboards rather than paper. When a student makes a mistake on an ending—which will be often, try to help them find the proper form themselves. For example, say, “I think you wanted the accusative plural ending—not the singular there. You want to fix that for me?” If students need to consult their charts during this exercise, allow them. If they try to answer the questions in different ways using different words and grammatical constructions, this can be very good—as long as they are only using vocabulary words and grammatical constructions that they have already learned. If students find this exercise difficult, it can be helpful to have them work in groups of two or three. Discourage students in general from trying to use words or constructions they have not yet learned. Once the students have completed their answers, write all the successful answers on the board and point out the different grammatical constructions used to the class.

Analysis: Another good exercise is to have students identify the cases of the nouns in a sentence and write them above each noun in their books. This is a very good exercise for helping students pay attention to endings, but it can take some time. In most situations we would recommend only choosing a few sentences out of each story to analyze. Once students have marked the cases, a teacher should lead the class in discussing why each case was used. Students should be led into giving answers such as, “It is the direct object”, “It is the subject”, “That word comes after cum”, etc.

Rewrite: For very adept students, it can be very profitable to have them rewrite (and illustrate) the story in Latin in a notebook. Naturally, they will not include all the details of the original (and may add some additional ones), but the goal is to have them practice recalling the story in Latin and using the proper endings. Do not require students to compose Latin with macrons—this can make the exercise too onerous. Do not use this exercise with weaker or very young students—it can be overwhelming for them to consider the use of every case in a longer narrative individually. Instead, have them work in groups or guide them through the rewrite as a class on the white board.

Translation or English Summary: It can also be profitable to have students translate each sentence in their book—especially if students are not paying attention to details. As they do so, teach them to translate sentence by sentence—not word by word. Teach them to translate the subject first, then the verb, then the direct object (if there is one), and then any indirect objects or prepositional phrases. If they have labeled these grammatically first, it will help them to think grammatically about each sentence. After a class has translated, it is a good practice to find different possible translations students have come up with and discuss them with the class. Keep in mind, however, that translation can be quite time-consuming, so it is important to assign it strategically.

Directions (for homeschoolers) Review: We recommend reviewing vocabulary before each story. A child may use the Fabellae Simplices course on the Picta Dicta online platform to review the old words as well as learn new words in the story. Alternatively, a parent may use the vocabulary lists at the end of the book to quiz the child on both review and new words that will show up in each story. It is usually better to call out the English word or an English hint and have the students reply with the proper Latin word.

Read and Translate Aloud: Second, we recommend that a child read the story aloud in Latin in front of the parent sentence by sentence and explain what each sentence means in English. If the child gets stuck on a word or sentence, the child or parent may consult the complete vocabulary for each story at the end of the book. Encourage the child to translate naturally with proper English word order—not just word by word.

Analysis: Another good exercise is to have your child identify the cases of the nouns in a sentence and write them above each noun in their book. This is a very good exercise for helping a child pay attention to endings, but it can take some time. In most situations we would recommend only choosing a few sentences out of each story to analyze. Once the child has marked the cases, a parent should ask the child to explain why each case was used. The child should be led into giving answers such as, “It is the direct object”, “It is the subject”, “That word comes after cum”, etc.

Questions: Once a child has read a story and has worked through the details, a parent can use the comprehension questions at the end to have the students practice writing Latin and engage with the story. This is an advanced exercise, so it may be too difficult for some families—this is okay. If they are too difficult, skip them. Have the child write on a personal whiteboard rather than paper and help them fix any mistakes (as much as possible). When a student makes a mistake on an ending—which will be often, try to help them find the proper form themselves. For example, say, “I think you wanted the accusative plural ending—not the singular there. You want to fix that for me?” If the child has learned Latin more or less independently, a parent is unlikely to be able to help a child much with this exercise. If a child needs to consult his charts during this exercise, allow him. If he tries to answer the questions in different ways using different words and grammatical constructions, this can be very good—as long as he is only using vocabulary words and grammatical constructions that he has already learned.

Fabella 1

Fabius est dominus in villā. Fabius stilum sūmit et epistulam scrībit. Fabius stilum in mēnsā pōnit. Fabius ānulum in digitō habet. Fabius signum in epistulā pōnit. Ecce epistula cum signō dominī! Cūr Fabius epistulam scrībit? Fabius epistulam scrībit quia Fabius fēminam amat. Fabius est marītus fēminae. Fabius villam in Ītaliā habet, sed Fabius in Graeciā est!

Ecce, vir in viā stat! Vir gladium habet. Nūntius cōgitat: Cūr vir in viā stat et gladium habet? Quia vir nummōs nūntiī vult! Iam nūntius virum timet. Vir cum gladiō ad nūntium currit. Nūntius equum iubet et equus currit, sed saccus cum epistulā ab nūntiō cadit! Vir cum gladiō rīdet et saccum sūmit.

Quaestiones Quis est vir? Quid est in agrō? Quid colōnus in saccō pōnit? Cūr aquila rīdet? Cūr colōnus rāmum sūmit? Amantne pullī caepās? Cūr colōnus porcum petit? Quid agit porcus in agrō?

Fabella 5

Vir in viā ambulat. Vir dominus est. Quō it dominus? Dominus ad campum ambulat. Dominus in campō stat. Dominus rosās videt. Dominus cōgitat. Dominus fēminam habet. Dominus marītus est. Dominus dominam amat. Dominus: “Quid domina amat? Domina rosās amat!” Dominus rosās carpit. Dominus ex hortō ambulat.

Tabernārius: “Quid? Gladium?” Sed puer nummōs habet et puer gladium emit. Puer ad rāmum currit cum gladiō. Puer gladium ad rāmum iacit! Rāmus cum mālō cadit. Iam puer mālum habet! Sed dominus puerum videt. Dominus: “Puer!” Dominus puerum petit, et puer currit. Iam mālum in terrā est. Porcus mālum videt et capit!

Fabella 12

Rēgīna super mūrum stat. Rēgīna aurum in vestīmentō habet. Corōnam quoque in capillō habet. Rēgīna villās in campīs videt. Ecce, mōnstrum in viā est! Rēgīna mōnstrum videt et timet. Quid agit mōnstrum? Mōnstrum ad villam ambulat et duo porcōs sūmit. Mōnstrum porcōs ad cavum fert.

Colōnī mōnstrum timent. Nūllus colōnus mōnstrum petit—colōnī mōnstra timent. Colōnī plōrant quia colōnī porcōs amant... in cēnīs. “Ō porcī! Uhuhū-hū-hū-hū.” Rēgīna videt et quoque plōrat. Fīlius rēgīnae lacrimās videt. Fīlius: “Ō rēgīna, cūr sunt lacrimae in oculīs?” Rēgīna: “Ecce, mōnstrum porcōs colōnōrum sūmit. Nūllus mōnstrum petit quia colōnī timent!” Fīlius rēgīnae nōn mōnstra timet. Fīlius gladium et saccum sūmit, equum ascendit, et mōnstrum petit.

VOCABULARY The numbers in parentheses indicate in which lesson of Picta Dicta Latin Primer (vol. 1) words were first introduced. Entirely new words are marked with an asterisk. FABELLA 1 ad (AHD) — to (5) amat (AH-maht) — loves (20) ante (AHN-tey) — in front of (5) ānulus (AH-noo-loos) — ring (3) ascendit (ah-SKEHN-dit) — climbs up (29) cadit (KAH-dit) — falls (29) cōgitat (KOH-ghee-taht) — thinks (4) cūr? (KOOR) — why? (16) currit (KOOR-rit) — runs (20) dat (DAHT) — gives (8) dēscendit (dey-SKEHN-dit) — goes down (29) digitus (DI-ghi-toos) — finger (1) discipulus (di-SKI-poo-loos) — student (10) duo (DOO-oh) — two (9) ecce (EHK-keh) — look (11) epistula (eh-PIS-too-lah) — letter (21) equus (EH-kwoos) — horse (3) est (EHST) — is (1) et (EHT) — and (3) ex (EHKS) — out of, off of (3) fēmina (FEY-mi-nah) — woman (18) fenestra (feh-NEHS-trah) — window (22) fluvius (FLOO-vee-oos) — river (1) gladius (GLAH-dee-oos) — sword (2) *Graecia (GRAYE-ki-ah) — Greece habet (HAH-beht) — has (7) 62