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Attila and His Conquerors
Attila and His Conquerors

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Attila and His Conquerors is here in full — 105 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
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THE HOUSE ON THE AVENTINE.
That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.
They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.
The mother was reclining on a couch cushioned and draped with Oriental silks.
At her feet, her head resting against her mother’s hand, sat the young daughter Lucia.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Attila and His Conquerors

Chapter II

Chapter 2 of Attila and His Conquerors is here in full — 105 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE HOUSE ON THE AVENTINE.
Line 2
That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.
Line 3
They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.
/ðeɪ wɜːr ɪn æn ˈoʊ.pən ˌkɑːləˈneɪd ˈlʊkɪŋ ɑːn ðə ˈɡɑːrdən ðə pərˈfjuːm ʌv ˈvaɪələts ənd ˈroʊzɪz ˈbriːðɪŋ ərˈaʊnd ðem/
Line 4
The mother was reclining on a couch cushioned and draped with Oriental silks.
/ðə ˈmʌðər wɑːz rɪˈklaɪnɪŋ ɑːn ə kaʊtʃ ˈkʊʃənd ənd dreɪpt wɪð ˌɔːriˈentəl sɪlks/
Line 5
At her feet, her head resting against her mother’s hand, sat the young daughter Lucia.

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.

chieftain noun US /ˈtʃiːftən/

the leader of a group of people

From this reading “That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.”

colonnade noun US /ˌkɑːləˈneɪd/

structure consisting of a row of evenly spaced columns

From this reading “They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.”

cushioned adjective US /ˈkʊʃənd/

softened by the addition of cushions or padding

From this reading “The mother was reclining on a couch cushioned and draped with Oriental silks.”

draped adjective US /dreɪpt/

covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak

From this reading “The mother was reclining on a couch cushioned and draped with Oriental silks.”

dreamt verb US /drɛmt/

Experienced dreams during sleep.

From this reading “That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.”

lustre noun US /ˈlʌstər/

a surface coating for ceramics or porcelain

From this reading “That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.”

reclining noun US /rɪˈklaɪnɪŋ/

the act of assuming or maintaining a reclining position

From this reading “The mother was reclining on a couch cushioned and draped with Oriental silks.”

silks noun US /sɪlks/

the brightly colored garments of a jockey; emblematic of the stable

From this reading “The mother was reclining on a couch cushioned and draped with Oriental silks.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

on a couch preposition + article + noun counted as “on … couch”

In this reading “The mother was reclining on a couch cushioned and draped with Oriental silks.”

great city adjective + noun

In this reading “That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.”

great banquet adjective + noun

In this reading “That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.”

looked down verb + adjective counted as “look down”

In this reading “That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.”

young daughter adjective + noun

In this reading “At her feet, her head resting against her mother’s hand, sat the young daughter Lucia.”

shone on verb + particle counted as “shine on”

In this reading “That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.”

same night adjective + noun

In this reading “That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.”

All words in this reading · 88

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 That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading At her feet, her head resting against her mother’s hand, sat the young daughter Lucia.

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 That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At her feet, her head resting against her mother’s hand, sat the young daughter Lucia.

AVENTINE

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

From this reading THE HOUSE ON THE AVENTINE.

Baithene

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

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

banquetnounUS /ˈbæŋkwət/

a ceremonial dinner party for many people

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

breathingnounUS /ˈbriːðɪŋ/

the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation

From this reading They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.

brothernounUS /ˈbrʌðər/

a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

captureverbUS /ˈkæptʃər/

succeed in representing or expressing something intangible

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

chieftainnounUS /ˈtʃiːftən/

the leader of a group of people

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

citynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

colonnadenounUS /ˌkɑːləˈneɪd/

structure consisting of a row of evenly spaced columns

From this reading They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.

couchnounUS /kaʊtʃ/

an upholstered seat for more than one person

From this reading The mother was reclining on a couch cushioned and draped with Oriental silks.

cushionedadjectiveUS /ˈkʊʃənd/

softened by the addition of cushions or padding

From this reading The mother was reclining on a couch cushioned and draped with Oriental silks.

daughternounUS /ˈdɔːtər/

a female human offspring

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

drapedadjectiveUS /dreɪpt/

covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak

From this reading The mother was reclining on a couch cushioned and draped with Oriental silks.

dreamtverbUS /drɛmt/

Experienced dreams during sleep.

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

fathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

feetnounUS /fiːt/

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading At her feet, her head resting against her mother’s hand, sat the young daughter Lucia.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

gardennounUS /ˈɡɑːrdən/

a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading At her feet, her head resting against her mother’s hand, sat the young daughter Lucia.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading At her feet, her head resting against her mother’s hand, sat the young daughter Lucia.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

HOUSEnounUS /haʊs/

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

From this reading THE HOUSE ON THE AVENTINE.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

IrishnounUS /ˈaɪrɪʃ/

people of Ireland or of Irish extraction

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

irresistibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbəl/

impossible to resist; overpowering

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

lightedadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪtəd/

set afire or burning

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.

Lucia

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

From this reading At her feet, her head resting against her mother’s hand, sat the young daughter Lucia.

lustrenounUS /ˈlʌstər/

a surface coating for ceramics or porcelain

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

moonnounUS /muːn/

the natural satellite of the Earth

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/

possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading At her feet, her head resting against her mother’s hand, sat the young daughter Lucia.

nightnounUS /naɪt/

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

ONprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE HOUSE ON THE AVENTINE.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.

OrientaladjectiveUS /ˌɔːriˈentəl/

denoting or characteristic of countries of the Far East

From this reading The mother was reclining on a couch cushioned and draped with Oriental silks.

palacesnounUS /ˈpæləsəz/

plural of “palace” — a large and stately mansion

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

perfumenounUS /pərˈfjuːm/

a distinctive odor that is pleasant

From this reading They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.

piratesnounUS /ˈpaɪrəts/

plural of “pirate” — someone who uses another person's words or ideas as if they were his own

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

recliningnounUS /rɪˈklaɪnɪŋ/

the act of assuming or maintaining a reclining position

From this reading The mother was reclining on a couch cushioned and draped with Oriental silks.

restingverbUS /ˈrestɪŋ/

-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position

From this reading At her feet, her head resting against her mother’s hand, sat the young daughter Lucia.

returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

RomenounUS /roʊm/

capital and largest city of Italy; on the Tiber; seat of the Roman Catholic Church; formerly the capital of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

rosesnounUS /ˈroʊzɪz/

plural of “rose” — any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

satnounUS /sæt/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading At her feet, her head resting against her mother’s hand, sat the young daughter Lucia.

shoneverbUS /ʃoʊn/

inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

shorenounUS /ʃɔːr/

the land along the edge of a body of water

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

silksnounUS /sɪlks/

the brightly colored garments of a jockey; emblematic of the stable

From this reading The mother was reclining on a couch cushioned and draped with Oriental silks.

sisternounUS /ˈsɪstər/

a female person who has the same parents as another person

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

sonnounUS /sʌn/

a male human offspring

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

southernadjectiveUS /ˈsʌðərn/

in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

swayedverbUS /sweɪd/

past form of “sway” — move back and forth or sideways

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

sweptadjectiveUS /swept/

possessing sweep

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE HOUSE ON THE AVENTINE.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.

thitherward

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

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

tidenounUS /taɪd/

the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

violetsnounUS /ˈvaɪələts/

plural of “violet” — any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers

From this reading They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

watchingnounUS /ˈwɑːtʃɪŋ/

the act of observing; taking a patient look

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading They were in an open colonnade looking on the garden, the perfume of violets and roses breathing around them.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The mother was reclining on a couch cushioned and draped with Oriental silks.

wondersnounUS /ˈwʌndərz/

plural of “wonder” — the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading That same night in Rome, the great city of wonders of which Baithene, the young Irish chieftain, had dreamt, and to which he was being swept in the irresistible tide which still swayed the world thitherward, the same moon which had shone on the brother and sister on the Irish shore and lighted the pirates to their capture, looked down in all her southern lustre on a mother and daughter watching in one of the palaces on the Aventine for the return of the father and son from a great banquet.

Chapter 2 of Attila and His Conquerors by Elizabeth Rundle Charles holds 105 sentences, grouped into 21 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 2 of Attila and His Conquerors contain?

Chapter 2 holds 105 sentences of Attila and His Conquerors, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Attila and His Conquerors by Elizabeth Rundle Charles exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 105 sentences, grouped into 21 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 2 of Attila and His Conquerors?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Attila and His Conquerors

Common questions about reading Attila and His Conquerors by Elizabeth Rundle Charles on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Attila and His Conquerors?

Yes. All 3297 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #61247 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Attila and His Conquerors is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #61247, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Attila and His Conquerors take to read?

About 274 minutes of reading across 660 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Attila and His Conquerors section by section

How to work through Attila and His Conquerors section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 29 chapters of Attila and His Conquerors to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Attila and His Conquerors

Words and structures a reader meets early in Attila and His Conquerors, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Attila
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Attila and His Conquerors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Conquerors
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Attila and His Conquerors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Story
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Attila and His Conquerors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Patrick
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Attila and His Conquerors; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.