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A Victor of Salamis
A Victor of Salamis

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of A Victor of Salamis is here in full — 315 sentences across 63 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By William Stearns Davis • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for A Victor of Salamis
Context Illustration Reading 1/63 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.
He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.
Themistocles advanced hastily.
“What’s this?
Your hands seem a-quiver.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Victor of Salamis

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of A Victor of Salamis is here in full — 315 sentences across 63 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/63 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.
Line 2
He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.
Line 3
Themistocles advanced hastily.
Line 4
“What’s this?
Line 5
Your hands seem a-quiver.

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.

Athens noun US /ˈæθənz/

the capital and largest city of Greece; named after Athena (its patron goddess)

From this reading “A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Barbarians noun US /bɑːrˈberiənz/

plural of “barbarian” — a member of an uncivilized people

From this reading “A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bowmen noun US /ˈboʊmən/

plural of “bowman” — a person who is expert in the use of a bow and arrow

From this reading “A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
constabulary noun US /kənˈstæbjəleri/

the force of policemen and officers

From this reading “A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
grinning noun US /ˈɡrɪnɪŋ/

a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

From this reading “A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reining verb US /ˈreɪnɪŋ/

-ing form of “rein” — control and direct with or as if by reins

From this reading “A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
riders noun US /ˈraɪdərz/

plural of “rider” — a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)

From this reading “A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Scythian noun US /ˈsɪθiən/

a member of the ancient nomadic people inhabiting Scythia

From this reading “A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

All words in this reading · 50

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 A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
a-quiver

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

From this reading Your hands seem a-quiver.

Pending verification
advancedadjectiveUS /ədˈvænst/

farther along in physical or mental development

From this reading Themistocles advanced hastily.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AthensnounUS /ˈæθənz/

the capital and largest city of Greece; named after Athena (its patron goddess)

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BarbariansnounUS /bɑːrˈberiənz/

plural of “barbarian” — a member of an uncivilized people

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BeforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
boundadjectiveUS /baʊnd/

confined by bonds

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
bowmennounUS /ˈboʊmən/

plural of “bowman” — a person who is expert in the use of a bow and arrow

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
constabularynounUS /kənˈstæbjəleri/

the force of policemen and officers

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Democrates

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

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

Pending verification
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
dismounted

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

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

Pending verification
excitementnounUS /ɪkˈsaɪtmənt/

the feeling of lively and cheerful joy

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fivenounUS /faɪv/

the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
friendsnounUS /frendz/

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

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
grinningnounUS /ˈɡrɪnɪŋ/

a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading Your hands seem a-quiver.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hastilyadverbUS /ˈheɪstəli/

in a hurried or hasty manner

From this reading Themistocles advanced hastily.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
HELLAS

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

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

Pending verification
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
muteadjectiveUS /mjuːt/

expressed without speech

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
pent-upadjective

characterized by or showing the suppression of impulses or emotions

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reiningverbUS /ˈreɪnɪŋ/

-ing form of “rein” — control and direct with or as if by reins

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ridersnounUS /ˈraɪdərz/

plural of “rider” — a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ScythiannounUS /ˈsɪθiən/

a member of the ancient nomadic people inhabiting Scythia

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Your hands seem a-quiver.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sixnounUS /sɪks/

the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sixthadjectiveUS /sɪksθ/

coming next after the fifth and just before the seventh in position

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Themistoclesnoun

Athenian statesman who persuaded Athens to build a navy and then led it to victory over the Persians (527-460 BC)

From this reading Themistocles advanced hastily.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading “What’s this?

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
TOparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tow-headed

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

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

Pending verification
TRAITORnounUS /ˈtreɪtər/

someone who betrays his country by committing treason

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading A TRAITOR TO HELLAS Before the house six riders were reining,—five Scythian “bowmen” of the constabulary of Athens, tow-headed Barbarians, grinning but mute; the sixth was Democrates.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
What's

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

From this reading “What’s this?

Pending verification
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He dismounted with a bound, and as he did so the friends saw that his face was red as with pent-up excitement.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
YourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Your hands seem a-quiver.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 12 of A Victor of Salamis by William Stearns Davis holds 315 sentences, grouped into 63 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.

What does chapter 12 of A Victor of Salamis contain?

Chapter 12 holds 315 sentences of A Victor of Salamis, unabridged, divided into 63 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of A Victor of Salamis by William Stearns Davis exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 315 sentences, grouped into 63 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 12 of A Victor of Salamis?

Work through the 63 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 63 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Victor of Salamis

Common questions about reading A Victor of Salamis by William Stearns Davis on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Victor of Salamis?

Yes. All 9333 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #27587 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Victor of Salamis is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #27587, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Victor of Salamis take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1867 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Victor of Salamis section by section

How to work through A Victor of Salamis section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

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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 Victor of Salamis

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Victor of Salamis, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Victor of Salamis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Friend
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Victor of Salamis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wills
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Victor of Salamis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Belshazzar
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Victor of Salamis; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.