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The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5)
The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5)

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5) is here in full — 398 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5)
Context Illustration Reading 1/79 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.
What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?
Why should I disdaine to make proofe of her skill?
Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.
Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5)

Chapter VIII

Chapter 8 of The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5) is here in full — 398 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/79 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.
Line 2
What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?
/wʌt noʊ aɪ ˈweðər ðɪs ˈvɜːrdʒɪn ɪz sent tuː miː baɪ ðə dərˈekʃən ʌv ˈhevən ɔːr noʊ/
Line 3
Why should I disdaine to make proofe of her skill?
Line 4
Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.
Line 5
Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?

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.

admire verb US /ædˈmaɪr/

feel admiration for

From this reading “At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.”

affliction noun US /əˈflɪkʃən/

a state of great suffering and distress due to adversity

From this reading “Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.”

cure verb US /kjʊr/

provide a cure for, make healthy again

From this reading “Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.”

curing noun US /ˈkjʊrɪŋ/

the process of becoming hard or solid by cooling or drying or crystallization

From this reading “Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?”

determination noun US /dɪˌtɜːrməˈneɪʃən/

the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation

From this reading “Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?”

paine noun US /peɪn/

American Revolutionary leader and signer of the Declaration of Independence (1731-1814)

From this reading “Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.”

thereon adverb US /ðeˈrɔːn/

on that

From this reading “Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.”

virgin noun US /ˈvɜːrdʒɪn/

a person who has never had sex

From this reading “What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?”

All words in this reading · 79

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 Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

admireverbUS /ædˈmaɪr/

feel admiration for

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

afflictionnounUS /əˈflɪkʃən/

a state of great suffering and distress due to adversity

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

againe

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

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

breake

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

From this reading Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?

carriagenounUS /ˈkærɪdʒ/

a railcar where passengers ride

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

causenounUS /kɑːz/

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

compasse

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

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

cunningadjectiveUS /ˈkʌnɪŋ/

attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

cureverbUS /kjʊr/

provide a cure for, make healthy again

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

curingnounUS /ˈkjʊrɪŋ/

the process of becoming hard or solid by cooling or drying or crystallization

From this reading Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?

determinationnounUS /dɪˌtɜːrməˈneɪʃən/

the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation

From this reading Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?

directionnounUS /dərˈekʃən/

a line leading to a place or point

From this reading What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?

disdaine

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

From this reading Why should I disdaine to make proofe of her skill?

expectverbUS /ɪkˈspekt/

regard something as probable or likely

From this reading Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?

faile

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

From this reading Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?

Faire

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

From this reading Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?

farre

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

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

followverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊ/

to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?

graciousadjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪʃəs/

characterized by charm, good taste, and generosity of spirit

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

hearingnounUS /ˈhiːrɪŋ/

(law) a proceeding (usually by a court) where evidence is taken for the purpose of determining an issue of fact and reaching a decision based on that evidence

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

heavennounUS /ˈhevən/

any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

From this reading What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

himselfe

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

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?

KingnounUS /kɪŋ/

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?

labournounUS /ˈleɪbər/

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

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

losse

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

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading Why should I disdaine to make proofe of her skill?

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?

mee

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

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?

painenounUS /peɪn/

American Revolutionary leader and signer of the Declaration of Independence (1731-1814)

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

promiseverbUS /ˈprɑːməs/

make a promise or commitment

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

proofe

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

From this reading Why should I disdaine to make proofe of her skill?

resolvedadjectiveUS /riˈzɑːlvd/

determined

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

returne

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

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

saide

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

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

sentnounUS /sent/

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?

setled

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

From this reading Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Why should I disdaine to make proofe of her skill?

skillnounUS /skɪl/

an ability that has been acquired by training

From this reading Why should I disdaine to make proofe of her skill?

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

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

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

somewhatadverbUS /ˈsʌmˈwʌt/

to a small degree or extent

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

thereonadverbUS /ðeˈrɔːn/

on that

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

tryverbUS /traɪ/

make an effort or attempt

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

virginnounUS /ˈvɜːrdʒɪn/

a person who has never had sex

From this reading What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading What know I, whether this virgin is sent to me by the direction of heaven, or no?

WhynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading Why should I disdaine to make proofe of her skill?

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Her promise is, to cure mee in a small times compasse, and without any paine or affliction to me: she shall not come so farre, to returne againe with the losse of her labour, I am resolved to try her cunning, and thereon saide.

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading At the hearing of these words, the King began somewhat to admire at her gracious carriage, and saide within himselfe.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Faire Virgin, if you cause me to breake my setled determination, and faile of curing mee, what can you expect to follow thereon?

Chapter 8 of The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5) by Giovanni Boccaccio holds 398 sentences, grouped into 80 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 The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5) contain?

Chapter 8 holds 398 sentences of The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5), unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5) by Giovanni Boccaccio exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 398 sentences, grouped into 80 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 The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5)?

Work through the 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 80 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 The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5)

Common questions about reading The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5) by Giovanni Boccaccio on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5)?

Yes. All 4721 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #52617 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5) is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #52617, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5) take to read?

About 393 minutes of reading across 945 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5) section by section

How to work through The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5) section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 12 chapters of The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5) 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 The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5)

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5), each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Containing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hundred
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pleasant
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Novels
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Decameron (Day 1 to Day 5); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.