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Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth
Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth is here in full — 29 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Mary E. (Mary Elizabeth) Burt • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth
Context Illustration Reading 1/5 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.
It is formed from a large spring at the foot of a hill.
In this lake there lived a water-snake called the Hydra.
It was a snake of uncommon size, with nine heads.
Eight of the heads were mortal, but the one in the middle was immortal.
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.

Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth 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 SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.
Line 2
It is formed from a large spring at the foot of a hill.
/ɪt ɪz fɔːrmd frʌm ə lɑːrdʒ sprɪŋ æt ðə fʊt ʌv ə hɪl/
Line 3
In this lake there lived a water-snake called the Hydra.
Line 4
It was a snake of uncommon size, with nine heads.
/ɪt wɑːz ə sneɪk ʌv ənˈkɑːmən saɪz wɪð naɪn hedz/
Line 5
Eight of the heads were mortal, but the one in the middle was immortal.
/eɪt ʌv ðə hedz wɜːr ˈmɔːrtəl bʌt ðə wʌn ɪn ðə ˈmɪdəl wɑːz ɪˈmɔːr.t̬əl/

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.

Hydra noun US /ˈhaɪdrə/

(Greek mythology) monster with nine heads; when struck off each head was replaced by two new ones

From this reading “In this lake there lived a water-snake called the Hydra.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
immortal adj US /ɪˈmɔːr.t̬əl/

Living forever; never dying or decaying. (Bất tử, trường tồn vĩnh cửu.)

From this reading “Eight of the heads were mortal, but the one in the middle was immortal.”

Velmora curated lexicon
kills noun US /kɪlz/

plural of “kill” — the act of terminating a life

From this reading “THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
labor noun US /ˈleɪbər/

a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages

From this reading “THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mortal adjective US /ˈmɔːrtəl/

subject to death

From this reading “Eight of the heads were mortal, but the one in the middle was immortal.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
size noun US /saɪz/

the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)

From this reading “It was a snake of uncommon size, with nine heads.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
snake noun US /sneɪk/

limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous

From this reading “THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
uncommon adjective US /ənˈkɑːmən/

not common or ordinarily encountered; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind

From this reading “It was a snake of uncommon size, with nine heads.”

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.

in the middle preposition + article + noun counted as “in … middle”

In this reading “Eight of the heads were mortal, but the one in the middle was immortal.”

40,811 times in 426,211 chapters
small lake adjective + noun

In this reading “THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.”

674 times in 426,211 chapters
at the foot preposition + article + noun counted as “at … foot”

In this reading “It is formed from a large spring at the foot of a hill.”

24,925 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 43

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 THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It is formed from a large spring at the foot of a hill.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Eight of the heads were mortal, but the one in the middle was immortal.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EightadjectiveUS /eɪt/

being one more than seven

From this reading Eight of the heads were mortal, but the one in the middle was immortal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
footnounUS /fʊt/

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading It is formed from a large spring at the foot of a hill.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
formedadjectiveUS /fɔːrmd/

having or given a form or shape

From this reading It is formed from a large spring at the foot of a hill.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
headsnounUS /hedz/

plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading It was a snake of uncommon size, with nine heads.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HERAKLESnoun

(classical mythology) a hero noted for his strength; performed 12 immense labors to gain immortality

From this reading THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hillnounUS /hɪl/

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading It is formed from a large spring at the foot of a hill.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HydranounUS /ˈhaɪdrə/

(Greek mythology) monster with nine heads; when struck off each head was replaced by two new ones

From this reading In this lake there lived a water-snake called the Hydra.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
immortaladjUS /ɪˈmɔːr.t̬əl/

Living forever; never dying or decaying. (Bất tử, trường tồn vĩnh cửu.)

From this reading Eight of the heads were mortal, but the one in the middle was immortal.

Velmora curated lexicon
InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In this lake there lived a water-snake called the Hydra.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is formed from a large spring at the foot of a hill.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
KILLSnounUS /kɪlz/

plural of “kill” — the act of terminating a life

From this reading THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LABORnounUS /ˈleɪbər/

a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages

From this reading THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LAKEnounUS /leɪk/

a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land

From this reading THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading It is formed from a large spring at the foot of a hill.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LERNA

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

From this reading THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

Pending verification
livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading In this lake there lived a water-snake called the Hydra.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
middlenounUS /ˈmɪdəl/

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading Eight of the heads were mortal, but the one in the middle was immortal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mortaladjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrtəl/

subject to death

From this reading Eight of the heads were mortal, but the one in the middle was immortal.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Mykenæ

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

From this reading THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

Pending verification
ninenounUS /naɪn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one

From this reading It was a snake of uncommon size, with nine heads.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NotadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Eight of the heads were mortal, but the one in the middle was immortal.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
SECONDnounUS /ˈsekənd/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sizenounUS /saɪz/

the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)

From this reading It was a snake of uncommon size, with nine heads.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
snakenounUS /sneɪk/

limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous

From this reading It was a snake of uncommon size, with nine heads.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading It is formed from a large spring at the foot of a hill.

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 SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading In this lake there lived a water-snake called the Hydra.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading In this lake there lived a water-snake called the Hydra.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
uncommonadjectiveUS /ənˈkɑːmən/

not common or ordinarily encountered; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind

From this reading It was a snake of uncommon size, with nine heads.

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

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

From this reading It was a snake of uncommon size, with nine heads.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WATER-SNAKE

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

From this reading THE SECOND LABOR--HERAKLES KILLS THE WATER-SNAKE OF LAKE LERNA Not far from Mykenæ is a small lake called Lerna.

Pending verification
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Eight of the heads were mortal, but the one in the middle was immortal.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It was a snake of uncommon size, with nine heads.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 5 of Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth by Mary E. (Mary Elizabeth) Burt 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 Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth contain?

Chapter 5 holds 29 sentences of Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth, unabridged, divided into 6 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth by Mary E. (Mary Elizabeth) Burt 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 Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth?

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 Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth

Common questions about reading Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth by Mary E. (Mary Elizabeth) Burt on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth?

Yes. All 1697 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #50569 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #50569, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth take to read?

About 141 minutes of reading across 340 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth section by section

How to work through Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth

Words and structures a reader meets early in Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Pronunciation
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Guide
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Includes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Characters
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Herakles, the Hero of Thebes, and Other Heroes of the Myth; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.