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Homo Sum — Complete
Homo Sum — Complete

Chapter XVIII · Chapter 18

Chapter 18 of Homo Sum — Complete is here in full — 106 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.
Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.
When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.
And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.
"God sees the will and not the deed," he muttered to himself.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Homo Sum — Complete

Chapter XVIII · Chapter 18

Chapter 18 of Homo Sum — Complete is here in full — 106 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.
/ˈkɑːmən ˈneɪtʃərz kæn ˈoʊnli biː ˈlaɪtli tʌtʃt baɪ ðə ˌɪˈmeʒəræbəl depθ ʌv ˈæŋɡwɪʃ ðæt ɪz ɪkˈspɪriənst baɪ ə soʊl ðæt dɪˈsperz ʌv ˌɪtˈself bʌt ðə mɔːr ˈhevəli ðə bloʊ ʌv sʌtʃ ˈsʌfərɪŋ fɔːlz ðə mɔːr ˈʃʊrli dʌz ɪt wɜːrk wɪð ˈpjʊrəfaɪɪŋ ˈpaʊər ɑːn hɪm huː hæz tuː teɪst ʌv ðæt kʌp/
Line 2
Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.
Line 3
When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.
Line 4
And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.
Line 5
"God sees the will and not the deed," he muttered to himself.
/ɡɑːd siːz ðə wɪl ənd nɑːt ðə diːd hiː ˈmʌtərd tuː hɪmˈself/

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.

acute adjective US /əˈkjuːt/

having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course

From this reading “Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.”

despairs noun US /dɪˈsperz/

plural of “despair” — a state in which all hope is lost or absent

From this reading “Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.”

goal noun US /ɡoʊl/

the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it

From this reading “And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.”

immeasurable adjective US /ˌɪˈmeʒəræbəl/

impossible to measure

From this reading “Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.”

purifying adjective US /ˈpjʊrəfaɪɪŋ/

serving to purge or rid of sin

From this reading “Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.”

striven verb US /ˈstrɪvən/

inflected form of “strive” — attempt by employing effort

From this reading “Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.”

stumbles noun US /ˈstʌmbəlz/

plural of “stumble” — an unsteady uneven gait

From this reading “And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.”

treading verb US /ˈtredɪŋ/

-ing form of “tread” — put down or press the foot, place the foot

From this reading “When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.”

All words in this reading · 96

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 Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

acuteadjectiveUS /əˈkjuːt/

having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.

anguishnounUS /ˈæŋɡwɪʃ/

extreme mental distress

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

blowverbUS /bloʊ/

exhale hard

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

CommonadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmən/

belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

cupnounUS /kʌp/

a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

deednounUS /diːd/

a legal document signed and sealed and delivered to effect a transfer of property and to show the legal right to possess it

From this reading "God sees the will and not the deed," he muttered to himself.

depthnounUS /depθ/

the extent downward or backward or inward

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

despairsnounUS /dɪˈsperz/

plural of “despair” — a state in which all hope is lost or absent

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

disgraceverbUS /dɪsˈɡreɪs/

bring shame or dishonor upon

From this reading When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

experiencedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspɪriənst/

having experience; having knowledge or skill from observation or participation

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

fairadjectiveUS /fer/

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

fallsnounUS /fɔːlz/

the petals or sepals of a flower that bend downward (especially the outer perianth of an iris)

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

feelingnounUS /ˈfiːlɪŋ/

the experiencing of affective and emotional states

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

footstepsnounUS /ˈfʊtsteps/

plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking

From this reading When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

goalnounUS /ɡoʊl/

the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading "God sees the will and not the deed," he muttered to himself.

grovels

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

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

heavilyadverbUS /ˈhevəli/

to a considerable degree

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

Hermas

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

From this reading When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.

immeasurableadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmeʒəræbəl/

impossible to measure

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

lightlyadverbUS /ˈlaɪtli/

without good reason

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

mutteredverbUS /ˈmʌtərd/

past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice

From this reading "God sees the will and not the deed," he muttered to himself.

naturesnounUS /ˈneɪtʃərz/

plural of “nature” — the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "God sees the will and not the deed," he muttered to himself.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

Paulus

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

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

prizenounUS /praɪz/

something given for victory or superiority in a contest or competition or for winning a lottery

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

punishmentnounUS /ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/

the act of punishing

From this reading When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.

purifyingadjectiveUS /ˈpjʊrəfaɪɪŋ/

serving to purge or rid of sin

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

remorsenounUS /rɪˈmɔːrs/

a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed)

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

runningadjectiveUS /ˈrʌnɪŋ/

(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

sandnounUS /sænd/

a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

Saviournoun

a teacher and prophet born in Bethlehem and active in Nazareth; his life and sermons form the basis for Christianity (circa 4 BC - AD 29)

From this reading When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.

seesnounUS /siːz/

plural of “see” — the seat within a bishop's diocese where his cathedral is located

From this reading "God sees the will and not the deed," he muttered to himself.

sinnounUS /sɪn/

estrangement from god

From this reading When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.

sleepingnounUS /ˈsliːpɪŋ/

the state of being asleep

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

soulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

stonenounUS /stoʊn/

a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

stonesnounUS /stoʊnz/

plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

strivenverbUS /ˈstrɪvən/

inflected form of “strive” — attempt by employing effort

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

stumblesnounUS /ˈstʌmbəlz/

plural of “stumble” — an unsteady uneven gait

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

sufferingnounUS /ˈsʌfərɪŋ/

a state of acute pain

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

surelyadverbUS /ˈʃʊrli/

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.

tasteverbUS /teɪst/

To perceive flavor through the mouth.

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

torturedadjectiveUS /ˈtɔːrtʃərd/

experiencing intense pain especially mental pain

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

touchedadjectiveUS /tʌtʃt/

having come into contact

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

treadingverbUS /ˈtredɪŋ/

-ing form of “tread” — put down or press the foot, place the foot

From this reading When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.

vainadjectiveUS /veɪn/

characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When he had taken Hermas' sin and punishment and disgrace upon himself, it had seemed to him that he was treading in the very footsteps of the Saviour.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading And now?--He felt like one who, while running for a prize, stumbles over a stone and grovels in the sand when he is already close to the goal.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading "God sees the will and not the deed," he muttered to himself.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Paulus thought no more of the fair, sleeping woman; tortured by acute remorse he lay on the hard stones, feeling that he had striven in vain.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading Common natures can only be lightly touched by the immeasurable depth of anguish that is experienced by a soul that despairs of itself; but the more heavily the blow of such suffering falls, the more surely does it work with purifying power on him who has to taste of that cup.

Chapter 18 of Homo Sum — Complete by Georg Ebers holds 106 sentences, grouped into 22 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 18 of Homo Sum — Complete contain?

Chapter 18 holds 106 sentences of Homo Sum — Complete, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 18 of Homo Sum — Complete by Georg Ebers exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 106 sentences, grouped into 22 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 18 of Homo Sum — Complete?

Work through the 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 22 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 18 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 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 Homo Sum — Complete

Common questions about reading Homo Sum — Complete by Georg Ebers on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Homo Sum — Complete?

Yes. All 3258 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5499 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Homo Sum — Complete is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #5499, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Homo Sum — Complete take to read?

About 271 minutes of reading across 652 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Homo Sum — Complete section by section

How to work through Homo Sum — Complete section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

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

Vocabulary met early in Homo Sum — Complete

Words and structures a reader meets early in Homo Sum — Complete, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Rocks-naked
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Homo Sum — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Red-brown
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Homo Sum — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rocks
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Homo Sum — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Round
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Homo Sum — Complete; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.