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King Solomon's Goat
King Solomon's Goat

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of King Solomon's Goat is here in full — 126 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for King Solomon's Goat
Context Illustration Reading 1/25 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Jesus Christ.
If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.
Each of the principal religions had twelve christs.
Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.
Christ is the same as Agni, the sun god of the Aryans, who was called the Son of God and the Son of Man.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

King Solomon's Goat

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of King Solomon's Goat is here in full — 126 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/25 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Jesus Christ.
/ˈdʒiːzəs kraɪst/
Line 2
If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.
Line 3
Each of the principal religions had twelve christs.
Line 4
Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.
/kraɪst wɑːz ˈnevər ˈkruːsəfaɪd bʌt ðə ˈhjuːmən reɪs wɑːz ˈkruːsəfaɪd baɪ rɪˈlɪdʒən frʌm ɪts ˈveri ˌɪnˈsepʃən ənd ðə ˈkrɪstʃən wɜːrld ˈwɑːloʊd ɪn ðə ɪˈdʒɪpʃən ˈdɑːrknəs ʌv ˈɪɡnərəns ənd ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃən tɪl ɪn ðə ˈmɪdəl ˈeɪdʒəz ðə ˈɡoʊldən eɪdʒ noʊ kɪŋ ɪn ˈjʊrəp kʊd red ənd raɪt/
Line 5
Christ is the same as Agni, the sun god of the Aryans, who was called the Son of God and the Son of Man.

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.

clergymen noun US /ˈklɜːrdʒimɪn/

plural of “clergyman” — a member of the clergy and a spiritual leader of the Christian Church

From this reading “If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.”

crucified verb US /ˈkruːsəfaɪd/

inflected form of “crucify” — kill by nailing onto a cross

From this reading “Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.”

Egyptian noun US /ɪˈdʒɪpʃən/

a native or inhabitant of Egypt

From this reading “Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.”

inception noun US /ˌɪnˈsepʃən/

an event that is a beginning; a first part or stage of subsequent events

From this reading “Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.”

politely adverb US /pəˈlaɪtli/

in a polite manner

From this reading “If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.”

religions noun US /riˈlɪdʒənz/

plural of “religion” — a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading “Each of the principal religions had twelve christs.”

superstition noun US /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃən/

an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear

From this reading “Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.”

wallowed verb US /ˈwɑːloʊd/

past form of “wallow” — devote oneself entirely to something; indulge in to an immoderate degree, usually with pleasure

From this reading “Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.”

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.

middle ages noun + noun counted as “middle age”

the time of life between youth and old age (e.g., between 40 and 60 years of age)

In this reading “Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.”

human race adjective + noun

all of the living human inhabitants of the earth

In this reading “Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.”

golden age adjective + noun

a time period when some activity or skill was at its peak

In this reading “Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.”

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

In this reading “Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.”

All words in this reading · 67

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.

agenounUS /eɪdʒ/

how long something has existed

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

agesnounUS /ˈeɪdʒəz/

plural of “age” — how long something has existed

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

Agninoun

(Sanskrit) Hindu god of fire in ancient and traditional India; one of the three chief deities of the Vedas

From this reading Christ is the same as Agni, the sun god of the Aryans, who was called the Son of God and the Son of Man.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

Aryans

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

From this reading Christ is the same as Agni, the sun god of the Aryans, who was called the Son of God and the Son of Man.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Christ is the same as Agni, the sun god of the Aryans, who was called the Son of God and the Son of Man.

Belial

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

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

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

From this reading Christ is the same as Agni, the sun god of the Aryans, who was called the Son of God and the Son of Man.

ChristnounUS /kraɪst/

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 Jesus Christ.

ChristianadjectiveUS /ˈkrɪstʃən/

relating to or characteristic of Christianity

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

christs

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

From this reading Each of the principal religions had twelve christs.

clergymennounUS /ˈklɜːrdʒimɪn/

plural of “clergyman” — a member of the clergy and a spiritual leader of the Christian Church

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

crucifiedverbUS /ˈkruːsəfaɪd/

inflected form of “crucify” — kill by nailing onto a cross

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

darknessnounUS /ˈdɑːrknəs/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

EachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading Each of the principal religions had twelve christs.

EgyptiannounUS /ɪˈdʒɪpʃən/

a native or inhabitant of Egypt

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

EuropenounUS /ˈjʊrəp/

the 2nd smallest continent (actually a vast peninsula of Eurasia); the British use “Europe” to refer to all of the continent except the British Isles

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

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 Christ is the same as Agni, the sun god of the Aryans, who was called the Son of God and the Son of Man.

goldenadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊldən/

having the deep slightly brownish color of gold

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Each of the principal religions had twelve christs.

humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

ignorancenounUS /ˈɪɡnərəns/

the lack of knowledge or education

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

inceptionnounUS /ˌɪnˈsepʃən/

an event that is a beginning; a first part or stage of subsequent events

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

JesusnounUS /ˈdʒiːzəs/

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 Jesus Christ.

kingnounUS /kɪŋ/

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

MannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Christ is the same as Agni, the sun god of the Aryans, who was called the Son of God and the Son of Man.

middlenounUS /ˈmɪdəl/

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

politelyadverbUS /pəˈlaɪtli/

in a polite manner

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

principalnounUS /ˈprɪnsəpəl/

the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated

From this reading Each of the principal religions had twelve christs.

racenounUS /reɪs/

any competition

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

readverbUS /red/

interpret something that is written or printed

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

religionnounUS /rɪˈlɪdʒən/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

religionsnounUS /riˈlɪdʒənz/

plural of “religion” — a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading Each of the principal religions had twelve christs.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading Christ is the same as Agni, the sun god of the Aryans, who was called the Son of God and the Son of Man.

sealverbUS /siːl/

make tight; secure against leakage

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

SonnounUS /sʌn/

a male human offspring

From this reading Christ is the same as Agni, the sun god of the Aryans, who was called the Son of God and the Son of Man.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading Christ is the same as Agni, the sun god of the Aryans, who was called the Son of God and the Son of Man.

superstitionnounUS /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃən/

an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

twelvenounUS /twelv/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading Each of the principal religions had twelve christs.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

wallowedverbUS /ˈwɑːloʊd/

past form of “wallow” — devote oneself entirely to something; indulge in to an immoderate degree, usually with pleasure

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Christ is the same as Agni, the sun god of the Aryans, who was called the Son of God and the Son of Man.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

writeverbUS /raɪt/

produce a literary work

From this reading Christ was never crucified, but the human race was crucified by religion from its very inception, and the Christian world wallowed in the Egyptian darkness of ignorance and superstition till in the middle ages, the golden age, no king in Europe could read and write.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading If the clergymen tell you that there is only one christ, politely present them with the seal of Belial.

Chapter 8 of King Solomon's Goat by George Willard Bartlett holds 126 sentences, grouped into 26 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 8 of King Solomon's Goat contain?

Chapter 8 holds 126 sentences of King Solomon's Goat, unabridged, divided into 26 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of King Solomon's Goat by George Willard Bartlett exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 126 sentences, grouped into 26 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 8 of King Solomon's Goat?

Work through the 26 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 26 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 King Solomon's Goat

Common questions about reading King Solomon's Goat by George Willard Bartlett on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of King Solomon's Goat?

Yes. All 1794 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #50368 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of King Solomon's Goat is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #50368, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does King Solomon's Goat take to read?

About 149 minutes of reading across 359 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read King Solomon's Goat section by section

How to work through King Solomon's Goat section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 20 chapters of King Solomon's Goat 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 King Solomon's Goat

Words and structures a reader meets early in King Solomon's Goat, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Divine
A word that appears in the opening chapter of King Solomon's Goat; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Moloch
A word that appears in the opening chapter of King Solomon's Goat; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Genial
A word that appears in the opening chapter of King Solomon's Goat; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Gentleman
A word that appears in the opening chapter of King Solomon's Goat; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.