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The Columbiad: A Poem
The Columbiad: A Poem

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Columbiad: A Poem is here in full — 311 sentences across 63 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Columbiad: A Poem
Context Illustration Reading 1/62 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A Poem.
By Joel Barlow.
Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' mille occhi e mille penne.
Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.
Gierus, Lib.
0:00 / 0:00
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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.

The Columbiad: A Poem

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Columbiad: A Poem is here in full — 311 sentences across 63 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/62 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A Poem.
/ə ˈpoʊəm/
Line 2
By Joel Barlow.
Line 3
Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' mille occhi e mille penne.
Line 4
Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.
Line 5
Gierus, Lib.

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.

Colombo noun US /kəˈlʌmboʊ/

the capital and largest city of Sri Lanka; has one of the largest harbors in the world; is located on the western coast of the island of Ceylon

From this reading “Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.”

con noun US /kɑːn/

an argument opposed to a proposal

From this reading “Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.”

fortunate adjective US /ˈfɔːrtʃənət/

having unexpected good fortune

From this reading “Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.”

Joel noun US /ˈdʒoʊəl/

a Hebrew minor prophet

From this reading “By Joel Barlow.”

Poem noun US /ˈpoʊəm/

a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines

From this reading “A Poem.”

polo noun US /ˈpoʊloʊ/

Venetian traveler who explored Asia in the 13th century and served Kublai Khan (1254-1324)

From this reading “Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.”

solo noun US /ˈsoʊloʊ/

any activity that is performed alone without assistance

From this reading “Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.”

All words in this reading · 55

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 A Poem.

accenne

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

Alcide

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

alquanto

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

antenne

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

Bacco

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

Barlow

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

From this reading By Joel Barlow.

Basti

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading By Joel Barlow.

Canti

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

ch

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

Ch'a

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

Chè

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

ColombonounUS /kəˈlʌmboʊ/

the capital and largest city of Sri Lanka; has one of the largest harbors in the world; is located on the western coast of the island of Ceylon

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

connounUS /kɑːn/

an argument opposed to a proposal

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

d'istoria

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

darà

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

degnissima

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

di

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

enounUS /iː/

a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for normal reproduction; an important antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

ella

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

Fama

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

fortunateadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrtʃənət/

having unexpected good fortune

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

Gierus

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

From this reading Gierus, Lib.

gli

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

ipronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

ilnounUS /ɪl/

a midwestern state in north-central United States

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

JoelnounUS /ˈdʒoʊəl/

a Hebrew minor prophet

From this reading By Joel Barlow.

LanounUS /lɑː/

a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

lenounUS /lə/

a chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints)

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

Lib

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

From this reading Gierus, Lib.

Lontane

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

lunga

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

memoria

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

mille

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

novo

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

occhi

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

pena

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

pennenoun

pasta in short tubes with diagonally cut ends

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

poco

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

PoemnounUS /ˈpoʊəm/

a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines

From this reading A Poem.

poema

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

polonounUS /ˈpoʊloʊ/

Venetian traveler who explored Asia in the 13th century and served Kublai Khan (1254-1324)

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

posteri

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

quel

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

seguirà

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

solonounUS /ˈsoʊloʊ/

any activity that is performed alone without assistance

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

spiegherai

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

tenounUS /tiː/

a brittle silver-white metalloid element that is related to selenium and sulfur; it is used in alloys and as a semiconductor; occurs mainly as tellurides in ores of copper and nickel and silver and gold

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

Tu

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

tuoi

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

From this reading Canti ella Alcide, e Bacco; e di te solo Basti a i posteri tuoi, ch' alquanto accenne: Chè quel poco darà lunga memoria Di poema degnissima, e d'istoria.

unnounUS /ʌn/

an organization of independent states formed in 1945 to promote international peace and security

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

volo

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

From this reading Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un novo polo Lontane sì le fortunate antenne, Ch'a pena seguirà con gli occhi il volo La Fama, ch' hà mille occhi e mille penne.

Chapter 1 of The Columbiad: A Poem by Joel Barlow holds 311 sentences, grouped into 63 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 1 of The Columbiad: A Poem contain?

Chapter 1 holds 311 sentences of The Columbiad: A Poem, unabridged, divided into 63 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Columbiad: A Poem by Joel Barlow exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 311 sentences, grouped into 63 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 1 of The Columbiad: A Poem?

Work through the 63 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 63 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 The Columbiad: A Poem

Common questions about reading The Columbiad: A Poem by Joel Barlow on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Columbiad: A Poem?

Yes. All 2993 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8683 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Columbiad: A Poem is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #8683, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Columbiad: A Poem take to read?

About 249 minutes of reading across 599 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Columbiad: A Poem section by section

How to work through The Columbiad: A Poem 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 The Columbiad: A Poem

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Columbiad: A Poem, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Barlow
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Columbiad: A Poem; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Spiegherai
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Columbiad: A Poem; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Colombo
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Columbiad: A Poem; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lontane
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Columbiad: A Poem; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.