Aucassin and Nicolete

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Aucassin and Nicolete is here in full — 149 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Andrew [Translator] Lang • Curated US English Learning Edition

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There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete."

By a rare piece of good fortune the one manuscript of the Song-Story has escaped those waves of time, which have wrecked the bark of Menander, and left of Sappho but a few floating fragments.

The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

{1} We have fabliaux in verse, and prose Arthurian romances.

We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

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LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter I Reading 1/29

Aucassin and Nicolete Andrew [Translator] Lang

Chapter I

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Aucassin and Nicolete is here in full — 149 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete." By a rare piece of good fortune the one manuscript of the Song-Story has escaped those waves of time, which have wrecked the bark of Menander, and left of Sappho but a few floating fragments. The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_. {1} We have fabliaux in verse, and prose Arthurian romances. We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

Aucassin and Nicolete

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Aucassin and Nicolete is here in full — 149 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete."

Line 2

By a rare piece of good fortune the one manuscript of the Song-Story has escaped those waves of time, which have wrecked the bark of Menander, and left of Sappho but a few floating fragments.

Line 3

The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

Line 4

{1} We have fabliaux in verse, and prose Arthurian romances.

Line 5

We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

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.

akin adjective US /əˈkɪn/

similar in quality or character

From this reading “There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete."”

alternate adjective US /ˈɔːltərnət/

every second one of a series

From this reading “The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.”

Arthurian adjective US /ɑːrˈθʊriən/

of or relating to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

From this reading “{1} We have fabliaux in verse, and prose Arthurian romances.”

prose noun US /proʊz/

ordinary writing as distinguished from verse

From this reading “The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.”

romances noun US /roʊˈmænsɪz/

plural of “romance” — a relationship between two lovers

From this reading “{1} We have fabliaux in verse, and prose Arthurian romances.”

thirteenth adjective US /ˈθɜːr.tiːnθ/

Constituting number thirteen in a sequence.

From this reading “The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.”

twelfth adjective US /twelfθ/

coming next after the eleventh and just before the thirteenth in position

From this reading “The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.”

wrecked adjective US /rekt/

destroyed in an accident

From this reading “By a rare piece of good fortune the one manuscript of the Song-Story has escaped those waves of time, which have wrecked the bark of Menander, and left of Sappho but a few floating fragments.”

All words in this reading · 73

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

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

From this reading {1} We have fabliaux in verse, and prose Arthurian romances.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading By a rare piece of good fortune the one manuscript of the Song-Story has escaped those waves of time, which have wrecked the bark of Menander, and left of Sappho but a few floating fragments.

akinadjectiveUS /əˈkɪn/

similar in quality or character

From this reading There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete."

alternateadjectiveUS /ˈɔːltərnət/

every second one of a series

From this reading The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

alternations

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

From this reading We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete."

ArthurianadjectiveUS /ɑːrˈθʊriən/

of or relating to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

From this reading {1} We have fabliaux in verse, and prose Arthurian romances.

artisticadjectiveUS /ɑːrˈtɪstɪk/

relating to or characteristic of art or artists

From this reading There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete."

assonantadjective

having the same sound (especially the same vowel sound) occurring in successive stressed syllables

From this reading We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

Aucassin

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

From this reading There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete."

barknounUS /bɑːrk/

tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

cante-fable

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

From this reading The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

centurynounUS /ˈsentʃəri/

a period of 100 years

From this reading The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

Chansons

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

From this reading We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

denounUS /diː/

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

else

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

From this reading The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

escapedadjectiveUS /ɪˈskeɪpt/

having escaped, especially from confinement

fabliaux

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

From this reading {1} We have fabliaux in verse, and prose Arthurian romances.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

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

floatingadjectiveUS /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/

borne up by or suspended in a liquid

formnounUS /fɔːrm/

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

fortunenounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃən/

an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

fragmentsnounUS /ˈfræɡmənts/

plural of “fragment” — a piece broken off or cut off of something else

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

Geste

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

From this reading We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

heroicadjectiveUS /hɪˈroʊɪk/

very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale)

From this reading We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete."

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete."

laisses

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

From this reading We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

linesnounUS /laɪnz/

plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

manuscriptnounUS /ˈmæn.jə.skrɪpt/

A book, document, or piece of music written by hand rather than typed or printed.

Menandernoun

comic dramatist of ancient Greece (342-292 BC)

Nicolete

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

From this reading There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete."

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete."

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

peculiaradjectiveUS /pəˈkjuːljər/

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

piecenounUS /piːs/

a separate part of a whole

poemsnounUS /ˈpoʊəmz/

plural of “poem” — a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines

From this reading We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

poetrynounUS /ˈpoʊətri/

literature in metrical form

From this reading There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete."

prosenounUS /proʊz/

ordinary writing as distinguished from verse

From this reading The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete."

rareadjectiveUS /rer/

not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness

Roland

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

From this reading We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

romancesnounUS /roʊˈmænsɪz/

plural of “romance” — a relationship between two lovers

From this reading {1} We have fabliaux in verse, and prose Arthurian romances.

Sapphonoun

the Greek lyric poet of Lesbos; much admired although only fragments of her poetry have been preserved (6th century BC)

seven-syllabled

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

From this reading We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

Song-Story

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

talenounUS /teɪl/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete."

thirteenthadjectiveUS /ˈθɜːr.tiːnθ/

Constituting number thirteen in a sequence.

From this reading The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading There is nothing in artistic poetry quite akin to "Aucassin and Nicolete."

twelfthadjectiveUS /twelfθ/

coming next after the eleventh and just before the thirteenth in position

From this reading The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

unrhymedadjective

not having rhyme

From this reading We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

versenounUS /vɜːrs/

literature in metrical form

From this reading The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

wavesnounUS /weɪvz/

plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading The very form of the tale is peculiar; we have nothing else from the twelfth or thirteenth century in the alternate prose and verse of the _cante-fable_.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading We have _Chansons de Geste_, heroic poems like "Roland," unrhymed assonant _laisses_, but we have not the alternations of prose with _laisses_ in seven-syllabled lines.

wreckedadjectiveUS /rekt/

destroyed in an accident

Chapter 1 of Aucassin and Nicolete by Andrew [Translator] Lang holds 149 sentences, grouped into 30 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 1 of Aucassin and Nicolete contain?

Chapter 1 holds 149 sentences of Aucassin and Nicolete, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Aucassin and Nicolete by Andrew [Translator] Lang exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 149 sentences, grouped into 30 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 1 of Aucassin and Nicolete?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

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Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Aucassin and Nicolete

Common questions about reading Aucassin and Nicolete by Andrew [Translator] Lang on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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Yes. All 605 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1578 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #1578, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Aucassin and Nicolete take to read?

About 50 minutes of reading across 121 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Aucassin and Nicolete

Words and structures a reader meets early in Aucassin and Nicolete, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Nothing: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Aucassin and Nicolete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Artistic: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Aucassin and Nicolete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Poetry: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Aucassin and Nicolete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Quite: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Aucassin and Nicolete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter I · Chapter 1

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