Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus
Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus

Chapter V · This book opens with a discussion of the existence of evil, and

Chapter V of Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus, “This book opens with a discussion of the existence of evil, and,” is here in full — 29 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Geoffrey Chaucer • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus
Context Illustration Reading 1/5 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
the system of rewards and punishments (pr.
1).
Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.
1).
The good are strong, but the wicked are powerless, having no real existence (pr.
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.

Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus

Chapter V · This book opens with a discussion of the existence of evil, and

Chapter V of Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus, “This book opens with a discussion of the existence of evil, and,” is here in full — 29 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
the system of rewards and punishments (pr.
/ðə ˈsɪstəm ʌv rɪˈwɔːrdz ənd ˈpʌnɪʃmənts ˈpiːˈɑːr/
Line 2
1).
Line 3
Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.
Line 4
1).
Line 5
The good are strong, but the wicked are powerless, having no real existence (pr.
/ðə ɡʊd ɑːr strɔːŋ bʌt ðə ˈwɪkəd ɑːr ˈpaʊərləs ˈhævɪŋ noʊ riːl eɡˈzɪstəns ˈpiːˈɑːr/

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.

describes verb US /dɪˈskraɪbz/

third-person singular of “describe” — give a description of

From this reading “Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
planetary adjective US /ˈplænəteri/

of or relating to or resembling the physical or orbital characteristics of a planet or the planets

From this reading “Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
powerless adjective US /ˈpaʊərləs/

lacking power

From this reading “The good are strong, but the wicked are powerless, having no real existence (pr.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
punishments noun US /ˈpʌnɪʃmənts/

plural of “punishment” — the act of punishing

From this reading “the system of rewards and punishments (pr.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reaches noun US /ˈriːtʃəz/

plural of “reach” — the limits within which something can be effective

From this reading “Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rewards noun US /rɪˈwɔːrdz/

plural of “reward” — a recompense for worthy acts or retribution for wrongdoing

From this reading “the system of rewards and punishments (pr.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
spheres noun US /sfɪrz/

plural of “sphere” — a particular environment or walk of life

From this reading “Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
system noun US /ˈsɪstəm/

instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity

From this reading “the system of rewards and punishments (pr.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

real existence adjective + noun

In this reading “The good are strong, but the wicked are powerless, having no real existence (pr.”

260 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 31

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.

1

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

From this reading 1).

Pending verification
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading the system of rewards and punishments (pr.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The good are strong, but the wicked are powerless, having no real existence (pr.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Boethiusnoun

a Roman who was an early Christian philosopher and statesman who was executed for treason; Boethius had a decisive influence on medieval logic (circa 480-524)

From this reading Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The good are strong, but the wicked are powerless, having no real existence (pr.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
describesverbUS /dɪˈskraɪbz/

third-person singular of “describe” — give a description of

From this reading Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
existencenounUS /eɡˈzɪstəns/

the state or fact of existing

From this reading The good are strong, but the wicked are powerless, having no real existence (pr.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
flightnounUS /flaɪt/

a formation of aircraft in flight

From this reading Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading The good are strong, but the wicked are powerless, having no real existence (pr.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading The good are strong, but the wicked are powerless, having no real existence (pr.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
heavennounUS /ˈhevən/

any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

From this reading Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ImaginationnounUS /ˌɪmædʒəˈneɪʃən/

the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses

From this reading Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
metverbUS /met/

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading The good are strong, but the wicked are powerless, having no real existence (pr.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading the system of rewards and punishments (pr.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
planetaryadjectiveUS /ˈplænəteri/

of or relating to or resembling the physical or orbital characteristics of a planet or the planets

From this reading Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
powerlessadjectiveUS /ˈpaʊərləs/

lacking power

From this reading The good are strong, but the wicked are powerless, having no real existence (pr.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
prnounUS /ˈpiːˈɑːr/

a soft yellowish-white trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; can be recovered from bastnasite or monazite by an ion-exchange process

From this reading the system of rewards and punishments (pr.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
punishmentsnounUS /ˈpʌnɪʃmənts/

plural of “punishment” — the act of punishing

From this reading the system of rewards and punishments (pr.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reachesnounUS /ˈriːtʃəz/

plural of “reach” — the limits within which something can be effective

From this reading Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
realadjectiveUS /riːl/

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading The good are strong, but the wicked are powerless, having no real existence (pr.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
rewardsnounUS /rɪˈwɔːrdz/

plural of “reward” — a recompense for worthy acts or retribution for wrongdoing

From this reading the system of rewards and punishments (pr.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
spheresnounUS /sfɪrz/

plural of “sphere” — a particular environment or walk of life

From this reading Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading The good are strong, but the wicked are powerless, having no real existence (pr.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
systemnounUS /ˈsɪstəm/

instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity

From this reading the system of rewards and punishments (pr.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading the system of rewards and punishments (pr.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Boethius describes the flight of Imagination through the planetary spheres till it reaches heaven itself (met.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wickedadjectiveUS /ˈwɪkəd/

morally bad in principle or practice

From this reading The good are strong, but the wicked are powerless, having no real existence (pr.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 5 of Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus by Geoffrey Chaucer holds 29 sentences, grouped into 6 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 5 of Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus contain?

Chapter 5 holds 29 sentences of Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus, unabridged, divided into 6 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus by Geoffrey Chaucer exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 29 sentences, grouped into 6 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 5 of Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus?

Work through the 6 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 6 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus

Common questions about reading Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus by Geoffrey Chaucer on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus?

Yes. All 25970 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #44833 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #44833, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 5194 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus section by section

How to work through Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 25 chapters of Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus 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 Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus

Words and structures a reader meets early in Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Notes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Boethius
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Troilus
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Introduction
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Volume 2, Boethius and Troilus; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.