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A Thorny Path — Complete
A Thorny Path — Complete

Chapter XXXIV · Chapter 34

Chapter 34 of A Thorny Path — Complete is here in full — 459 sentences across 92 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/91 · 5 lines
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Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.
The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.
Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.
This delighted the half-drunken monarch.
To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Thorny Path — Complete

Chapter XXXIV · Chapter 34

Chapter 34 of A Thorny Path — Complete is here in full — 459 sentences across 92 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/91 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.
Line 2
The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.
Line 3
Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.
/ˈevriθɪŋ wɪtʃ ˈledʒənd ɔːr ˈhɪstəri hæd rəˈkɔːrdɪd ʌv ˈsɪmələr diːdz wɑːz kəmˈperd wɪð ðɪs deɪz wɜːrk ənd ɪt wɑːz əˈɡriːd ðæt ɪt trænˈsendɪd ðem ɔːl/
Line 4
This delighted the half-drunken monarch.
Line 5
To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

Learner Dictionary

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.

degenerate noun US /dɪˈdʒenərət/

a person whose behavior deviates from what is acceptable especially in sexual behavior

From this reading “To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.”

executioner noun US /ˌeksəˈkjuːʃənər/

an official who inflicts capital punishment in pursuit of a warrant

From this reading “To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.”

favorites noun US /ˈfeɪvərɪts/

plural of “favorite” — something regarded with special favor or liking

From this reading “The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.”

kidney noun US /ˈkɪdni/

either of two bean-shaped excretory organs that filter wastes (especially urea) from the blood and excrete them and water in urine

From this reading “The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.”

prefect noun US /ˈpriːfekt/

a chief officer or chief magistrate

From this reading “The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.”

recorded adjective US /rəˈkɔːrdɪd/

set down or registered in a permanent form especially on film or tape for reproduction

From this reading “Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.”

suite noun US /swiːt/

a musical composition of several movements only loosely connected

From this reading “The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.”

transcended verb US /trænˈsendɪd/

past form of “transcend” — be greater in scope or size than some standard

From this reading “Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.”

All words in this reading · 97

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

accursedadjectiveUS /ˌæˈkɜːrst/

under a curse

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

agreedadjectiveUS /əˈɡriːd/

united by being of the same opinion

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

AlexandernounUS /ˌæləɡˈzændər/

European herb somewhat resembling celery widely naturalized in Britain coastal regions and often cultivated as a potherb

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

Antigonusnoun

a general of Alexander the Great and king of Macedonia; lost one eye; killed in a battle at Ipsus (382-301 BC)

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

Caracalla's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

Cassiusnoun

prime mover in the conspiracy against Julius Caesar (died in 42 BC)

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

comparedverbUS /kəmˈperd/

past form of “compare” — examine and note the similarities or differences of

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

crowdedadjectiveUS /ˈkraʊdəd/

overfilled or compacted or concentrated

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

daredverbUS /derd/

past form of “dare” — take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

day'snounUS /deɪz/

possessive form of “day” — time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

declaredadjectiveUS /dɪˈklerd/

made known or openly avowed

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

deedsnounUS /diːdz/

performance of moral or religious acts

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

degeneratenounUS /dɪˈdʒenərət/

a person whose behavior deviates from what is acceptable especially in sexual behavior

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

delightedadjectiveUS /dɪˈlaɪtəd/

greatly pleased

From this reading This delighted the half-drunken monarch.

Dio

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

drunkadjectiveUS /drʌŋk/

stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

endedadjectiveUS /ˈendəd/

having come or been brought to a conclusion

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

entirelyadverbUS /ɪnˈtaɪərli/

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

EverythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

executionernounUS /ˌeksəˈkjuːʃənər/

an official who inflicts capital punishment in pursuit of a warrant

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

FatenounUS /feɪt/

an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

favoritesnounUS /ˈfeɪvərɪts/

plural of “favorite” — something regarded with special favor or liking

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

flashingnounUS /ˈflæʃɪŋ/

a short vivid experience

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

friendsnounUS /frendz/

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

gloomyadjectiveUS /ˈɡluːmi/

depressingly dark

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

gloriousadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɔːriəs/

having or deserving or conferring glory

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

half-drunken

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading This delighted the half-drunken monarch.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

healthnounUS /helθ/

a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

high-priest

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

historynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/

the aggregate of past events

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

joynounUS /dʒɔɪ/

the emotion of great happiness

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

judgeverbUS /dʒʌdʒ/

determine the result of (a competition)

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

kidneynounUS /ˈkɪdni/

either of two bean-shaped excretory organs that filter wastes (especially urea) from the blood and excrete them and water in urine

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

legendnounUS /ˈledʒənd/

a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

Macrinus

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

madadjectiveUS /mæd/

roused to anger

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

mealnounUS /miːl/

the food served and eaten at one time

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

monarchnounUS /ˈmɑːnɑːrk/

a nation's ruler or head of state usually by hereditary right

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

moodnounUS /muːd/

a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

others

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

Pandionnoun

type genus of the Pandionidae

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

pastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

prefectnounUS /ˈpriːfekt/

a chief officer or chief magistrate

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

priestnounUS /priːst/

a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

racenounUS /reɪs/

any competition

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

recordedadjectiveUS /rəˈkɔːrdɪd/

set down or registered in a permanent form especially on film or tape for reproduction

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

revengenounUS /riˈvendʒ/

action taken in return for an injury or offense

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

roundnounUS /raʊnd/

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

senatornounUS /ˈsenətər/

a member of a senate

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

Serapis

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

similaradjectiveUS /ˈsɪmələr/

marked by correspondence or resemblance

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

suitenounUS /swiːt/

a musical composition of several movements only loosely connected

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

Theocritus

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

To-day

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

transcendedverbUS /trænˈsendɪd/

past form of “transcend” — be greater in scope or size than some standard

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading To-day, he declared with flashing eyes, and not till to-day, he had dared to be entirely what Fate had called him to be--at once the judge and the executioner of an accursed and degenerate race.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

wishedverbUS /wɪʃt/

past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The high-priest of Serapis, with Dio Cassius the senator, and a few others of his suite, had not indeed appeared at table; but the priest of Alexander, the prefect Macrinus, his favorites Theocritus, Pandion, Antigonus, and others of their kidney, had crowded round him, had drunk to his health, and wished him joy of his glorious revenge.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading Everything which legend or history had recorded of similar deeds was compared with this day's work, and it was agreed that it transcended them all.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading Caracalla's evening meal was ended, and for years past his friends had never seen the gloomy monarch in so mad a mood.

Chapter 34 of A Thorny Path — Complete by Georg Ebers holds 459 sentences, grouped into 92 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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.

What does chapter 34 of A Thorny Path — Complete contain?

Chapter 34 holds 459 sentences of A Thorny Path — Complete, unabridged, divided into 92 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 34 of A Thorny Path — Complete by Georg Ebers exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 459 sentences, grouped into 92 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.

How do I study chapter 34 of A Thorny Path — Complete?

Work through the 92 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 92 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.

Can chapter 34 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 34 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.

Questions about reading A Thorny Path — Complete

Common questions about reading A Thorny Path — Complete by Georg Ebers on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Thorny Path — Complete?

Yes. All 9195 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5542 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Thorny Path — Complete is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #5542, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Thorny Path — Complete take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1839 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Thorny Path — Complete section by section

How to work through A Thorny Path — Complete section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in A Thorny Path — Complete

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Thorny Path — Complete, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Green
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Thorny Path — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Screen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Thorny Path — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Slowly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Thorny Path — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Covering
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Thorny Path — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.