Chapter 4 of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 is here in full — 385 sentences across 77 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 is here in full — 385 sentences across 77 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
_Finis Actus Tertii_. _Actus Quartus. Enter Nero, Poppaea, Nimphidius, Tigellinus, Neophilus, and Epaphroditus_. _Nero_. This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
Chapter 4 of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 is here in full — 385 sentences across 77 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/77 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
to come or go into
From this reading “Enter Nero, Poppaea, Nimphidius, Tigellinus, Neophilus, and Epaphroditus_.”
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading “This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.”
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading “This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.”
a person of German nationality
Roman Emperor notorious for his monstrous vice and fantastic luxury (was said to have started a fire that destroyed much of Rome in 64) but the Roman Empire remained prosperous during his rule (37-68)
From this reading “Enter Nero, Poppaea, Nimphidius, Tigellinus, Neophilus, and Epaphroditus_.”
win a victory over
From this reading “This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.”
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading “This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.”
plural of “victory” — a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading “This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Finis Actus Tertii_.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Enter Nero, Poppaea, Nimphidius, Tigellinus, Neophilus, and Epaphroditus_.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
to come or go into
From this reading Enter Nero, Poppaea, Nimphidius, Tigellinus, Neophilus, and Epaphroditus_.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Enter Nero, Poppaea, Nimphidius, Tigellinus, Neophilus, and Epaphroditus_.
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
the temporal end; the concluding time
From this reading _Finis Actus Tertii_.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
a person of German nationality
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Enter Nero, Poppaea, Nimphidius, Tigellinus, Neophilus, and Epaphroditus_.
Roman Emperor notorious for his monstrous vice and fantastic luxury (was said to have started a fire that destroyed much of Rome in 64) but the Roman Empire remained prosperous during his rule (37-68)
From this reading Enter Nero, Poppaea, Nimphidius, Tigellinus, Neophilus, and Epaphroditus_.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Enter Nero, Poppaea, Nimphidius, Tigellinus, Neophilus, and Epaphroditus_.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
win a victory over
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Enter Nero, Poppaea, Nimphidius, Tigellinus, Neophilus, and Epaphroditus_.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Actus Quartus.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Finis Actus Tertii_.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Enter Nero, Poppaea, Nimphidius, Tigellinus, Neophilus, and Epaphroditus_.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
plural of “victory” — a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading This kisse, sweete love Ile force from thee, and this; And of such spoiles and victories be prowder Than if I had the fierce _Pannonian_ Or gray-eyed _German_ ten times overcome.
Chapter 4 of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 by A. H. (Arthur Henry) [Editor] Bullen holds 385 sentences, grouped into 77 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 4 holds 385 sentences of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1, unabridged, divided into 77 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 by A. H. (Arthur Henry) [Editor] Bullen exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 385 sentences, grouped into 77 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 77 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 77 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 by A. H. (Arthur Henry) [Editor] Bullen on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 7531 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #10388 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #10388, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1507 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 20 chapters of A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
