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Cleopatra
Cleopatra

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Cleopatra is here in full — 123 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.
For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.
And at his bidding the eunuch lifted up the head by the hair for him to look on.
Then he laughed and smote it on the cheek with his sandal, bidding one of the girls crown Pharaoh with flowers.
And he bowed the knee, and mocked the head of the innocent child.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Cleopatra

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of Cleopatra is here in full — 123 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.
Line 2
For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.
Line 3
And at his bidding the eunuch lifted up the head by the hair for him to look on.
/ənd æt hɪz ˈbɪdɪŋ ðə ˈjuːnək ˈlɪftəd ʌp ðə hed baɪ ðə her fɔːr hɪm tuː lʊk ɑːn/
Line 4
Then he laughed and smote it on the cheek with his sandal, bidding one of the girls crown Pharaoh with flowers.
Line 5
And he bowed the knee, and mocked the head of the innocent child.
/ənd hiː baʊd ðə niː ənd mɑːkt ðə hed ʌv ðə ˈɪnəsənt tʃaɪld/

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.

Cyprian noun US /ˈsɪpriən/

a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money

From this reading “For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.”

disobedience noun US /ˌdɪsəˈbiːdiəns/

the failure to obey

From this reading “OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.”

eunuch noun US /ˈjuːnək/

a man who has been castrated and is incapable of reproduction

From this reading “For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.”

Piper noun US /ˈpaɪpər/

someone who plays the bagpipe

From this reading “OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.”

prophesied verb US /ˈprɑːfəsaɪd/

inflected form of “prophesy” — predict or reveal through, or as if through, divine inspiration

From this reading “OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.”

Ptolemy noun US /ˈtɑːləmi/

Alexandrian astronomer (of the 2nd century) who proposed a geocentric system of astronomy that was undisputed until the late Renaissance

From this reading “OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.”

sandal noun US /ˈsændəl/

a shoe consisting of a sole fastened by straps to the foot

From this reading “Then he laughed and smote it on the cheek with his sandal, bidding one of the girls crown Pharaoh with flowers.”

slaying noun US /ˈsleɪɪŋ/

unlawful premeditated killing of a human being by a human being

From this reading “OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.”

All words in this reading · 81

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.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

AlexandrianounUS /ˌæləɡˈzændriə/

a town in Louisiana on the Red River

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

ATOUA

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

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

biddingnounUS /ˈbɪdɪŋ/

an authoritative direction or instruction to do something

From this reading And at his bidding the eunuch lifted up the head by the hair for him to look on.

bowedadjectiveUS /baʊd/

of a stringed instrument; sounded by stroking with a bow

From this reading And he bowed the knee, and mocked the head of the innocent child.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

cheeknounUS /tʃiːk/

either side of the face below the eyes

From this reading Then he laughed and smote it on the cheek with his sandal, bidding one of the girls crown Pharaoh with flowers.

childnounUS /tʃaɪld/

a young person of either sex

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

crownnounUS /kraʊn/

the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy

From this reading Then he laughed and smote it on the cheek with his sandal, bidding one of the girls crown Pharaoh with flowers.

CypriannounUS /ˈsɪpriən/

a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

DISOBEDIENCEnounUS /ˌdɪsəˈbiːdiəns/

the failure to obey

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

eunuchnounUS /ˈjuːnək/

a man who has been castrated and is incapable of reproduction

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

flowersnounUS /ˈflaʊərz/

plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms

From this reading Then he laughed and smote it on the cheek with his sandal, bidding one of the girls crown Pharaoh with flowers.

flushedadjectiveUS /flʌʃt/

having the pinkish flush of health

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

flutenounUS /fluːt/

a high-pitched woodwind instrument; a slender tube closed at one end with finger holes on one end and an opening near the closed end across which the breath is blown

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

foster-brothernoun

your foster brother is a male who is not a son of your parents but who is raised by your parents

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

girlsnounUS /ɡɜːrlz/

plural of “girl” — a young female

From this reading Then he laughed and smote it on the cheek with his sandal, bidding one of the girls crown Pharaoh with flowers.

hairnounUS /her/

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading And at his bidding the eunuch lifted up the head by the hair for him to look on.

HARMACHIS

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

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

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 For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

innocentadjectiveUS /ˈɪnəsənt/

free from evil or guilt

From this reading And he bowed the knee, and mocked the head of the innocent child.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

kneenounUS /niː/

hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading And he bowed the knee, and mocked the head of the innocent child.

laughedverbUS /læft/

past form of “laugh” — produce laughter

From this reading Then he laughed and smote it on the cheek with his sandal, bidding one of the girls crown Pharaoh with flowers.

liftedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪftəd/

held up in the air

From this reading And at his bidding the eunuch lifted up the head by the hair for him to look on.

LIONnounUS /ˈlaɪən/

large gregarious predatory feline of Africa and India having a tawny coat with a shaggy mane in the male

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading And at his bidding the eunuch lifted up the head by the hair for him to look on.

marblenounUS /ˈmɑːrbəl/

a hard crystalline metamorphic rock that takes a high polish; used for sculpture and as building material

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

mockedverbUS /mɑːkt/

past form of “mock” — treat with contempt

From this reading And he bowed the knee, and mocked the head of the innocent child.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

OLDadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading And at his bidding the eunuch lifted up the head by the hair for him to look on.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Then he laughed and smote it on the cheek with his sandal, bidding one of the girls crown Pharaoh with flowers.

palacenounUS /ˈpæləs/

a large and stately mansion

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

PharaohnounUS /ˈferoʊ/

the title of the ancient Egyptian kings

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

PipernounUS /ˈpaɪpər/

someone who plays the bagpipe

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

playedadjectiveUS /pleɪd/

(of games) engaged in

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

prophesiedverbUS /ˈprɑːfəsaɪd/

inflected form of “prophesy” — predict or reveal through, or as if through, divine inspiration

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

PtolemynounUS /ˈtɑːləmi/

Alexandrian astronomer (of the 2nd century) who proposed a geocentric system of astronomy that was undisputed until the late Renaissance

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

sandalnounUS /ˈsændəl/

a shoe consisting of a sole fastened by straps to the foot

From this reading Then he laughed and smote it on the cheek with his sandal, bidding one of the girls crown Pharaoh with flowers.

satnounUS /sæt/

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

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

seekverbUS /siːk/

try to get or reach

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

sendverbUS /send/

cause to go somewhere

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

SLAYINGnounUS /ˈsleɪɪŋ/

unlawful premeditated killing of a human being by a human being

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

smote

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

From this reading Then he laughed and smote it on the cheek with his sandal, bidding one of the girls crown Pharaoh with flowers.

soldiersnounUS /ˈsoʊldʒərz/

plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

SPEECHnounUS /spiːtʃ/

the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then he laughed and smote it on the cheek with his sandal, bidding one of the girls crown Pharaoh with flowers.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

troubledadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌbəld/

characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading And at his bidding the eunuch lifted up the head by the hair for him to look on.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

WIFEnounUS /waɪf/

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF HARMACHIS; OF THE SLAYING OF THE LION; AND OF THE SPEECH OF THE OLD WIFE, ATOUA And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more, nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh.

winenounUS /waɪn/

fermented juice (of grapes especially)

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/

plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading For the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria, flushed with Cyprian wine, and played upon the flute before his women.

Chapter 2 of Cleopatra by H. Rider (Henry Rider) Haggard holds 123 sentences, grouped into 25 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 2 of Cleopatra contain?

Chapter 2 holds 123 sentences of Cleopatra, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of Cleopatra by H. Rider (Henry Rider) Haggard exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 123 sentences, grouped into 25 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 Cleopatra?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 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 Cleopatra

Common questions about reading Cleopatra by H. Rider (Henry Rider) Haggard on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Cleopatra?

Yes. All 4941 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2769 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Cleopatra is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2769, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Cleopatra take to read?

About 411 minutes of reading across 989 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Cleopatra section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 33 chapters of Cleopatra 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 Cleopatra

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

Osiris
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Cleopatra; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sleeps
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Cleopatra; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Abouthis
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Cleopatra; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Write
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Cleopatra; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.