Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Golden Asse
The Golden Asse

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of The Golden Asse is here in full — 90 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Golden Asse
Context Illustration Reading 1/18 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.
Then they began to lament and weep, and passed over many dayes in great sorrow.
But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.
All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.
And when the solemnity was ended, they went to bring the sorrowful spowse, not to her marriage, but to her final end and burial.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Golden Asse

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of The Golden Asse is here in full — 90 sentences across 18 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/18 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.
Line 2
Then they began to lament and weep, and passed over many dayes in great sorrow.
Line 3
But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.
Line 4
All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.
Line 5
And when the solemnity was ended, they went to bring the sorrowful spowse, not to her marriage, but to her final end and burial.

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.

Apollo noun US /əˈpɑːloʊ/

(Greek mythology) Greek god of light; god of prophecy and poetry and music and healing; son of Zeus and Leto; twin brother of Artemis

From this reading “The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.”

burial noun US /ˈberiəl/

the ritual placing of a corpse in a grave

From this reading “And when the solemnity was ended, they went to bring the sorrowful spowse, not to her marriage, but to her final end and burial.”

lament verb US /ləˈment/

express grief verbally

From this reading “Then they began to lament and weep, and passed over many dayes in great sorrow.”

ordained adjective US /ɔːrˈdeɪnd/

fixed or established especially by order or command

From this reading “All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.”

Psyches noun US /ˈsaɪkiz/

plural of “psyche” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason

From this reading “But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.”

solemnity noun US /səˈlemnəti/

a trait of dignified seriousness

From this reading “And when the solemnity was ended, they went to bring the sorrowful spowse, not to her marriage, but to her final end and burial.”

torches noun US /ˈtɔːrtʃɪz/

plural of “torch” — a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance

From this reading “But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.”

wipe verb US /waɪp/

rub with a circular motion

From this reading “But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.”

All words in this reading · 98

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 All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

accordingadjectiveUS /əˈkɔːrdɪŋ/

(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

AlladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

ApollonounUS /əˈpɑːloʊ/

(Greek mythology) Greek god of light; god of prophecy and poetry and music and healing; son of Zeus and Leto; twin brother of Artemis

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

appointedadjectiveUS /əˈpɔɪntɪd/

subject to appointment

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

appointmentnounUS /əˈpɔɪntmənt/

the act of putting a person into a non-elective position

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

approachedverbUS /əˈproʊtʃt/

past form of “approach” — move towards

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/

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

From this reading Then they began to lament and weep, and passed over many dayes in great sorrow.

blacke

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

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

bringverbUS /brɪŋ/

take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading And when the solemnity was ended, they went to bring the sorrowful spowse, not to her marriage, but to her final end and burial.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

burialnounUS /ˈberiəl/

the ritual placing of a corpse in a grave

From this reading And when the solemnity was ended, they went to bring the sorrowful spowse, not to her marriage, but to her final end and burial.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

citynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

compelledverbUS /kəmˈpeld/

inflected form of “compel” — force somebody to do something

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

criesnounUS /kraɪz/

plural of “cry” — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

daughternounUS /ˈdɔːtər/

a female human offspring

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

dayes

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

From this reading Then they began to lament and weep, and passed over many dayes in great sorrow.

deadlyadjectiveUS /ˈdedli/

causing or capable of causing death

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

declaredadjectiveUS /dɪˈklerd/

made known or openly avowed

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

divineadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaɪn/

emanating from God

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading And when the solemnity was ended, they went to bring the sorrowful spowse, not to her marriage, but to her final end and burial.

endedadjectiveUS /ˈendəd/

having come or been brought to a conclusion

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

fatenounUS /feɪt/

an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

finaladjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəl/

occurring at or forming an end or termination

From this reading And when the solemnity was ended, they went to bring the sorrowful spowse, not to her marriage, but to her final end and burial.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Then they began to lament and weep, and passed over many dayes in great sorrow.

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

howlingnounUS /ˈhaʊlɪŋ/

a long loud emotional utterance

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

Hymeneus

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

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Then they began to lament and weep, and passed over many dayes in great sorrow.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

KingnounUS /kɪŋ/

a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

lamentverbUS /ləˈment/

express grief verbally

From this reading Then they began to lament and weep, and passed over many dayes in great sorrow.

lamentationnoun

a cry of sorrow and grief

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

lightedadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪtəd/

set afire or burning

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

likewiseadverbUS /ˈlaɪkwaɪz/

in like or similar manner

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

maidnounUS /meɪd/

a female domestic

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Then they began to lament and weep, and passed over many dayes in great sorrow.

marriagenounUS /ˈmerɪdʒ/

the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

marriedadjectiveUS /ˈmerid/

joined in matrimony

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

melodynounUS /ˈmelədi/

a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

miserableadjectiveUS /ˈmɪzərəbəl/

very unhappy; full of misery

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

necessitynounUS /nəˈsesəti/

the condition of being essential or indispensable

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading And when the solemnity was ended, they went to bring the sorrowful spowse, not to her marriage, but to her final end and burial.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

ordainedadjectiveUS /ɔːrˈdeɪnd/

fixed or established especially by order or command

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Then they began to lament and weep, and passed over many dayes in great sorrow.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading Then they began to lament and weep, and passed over many dayes in great sorrow.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

pittifull

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

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

pleasantadjectiveUS /ˈplezənt/

affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

preparationnounUS /ˌprepərˈeɪʃən/

the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

prophesie

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

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

PsychesnounUS /ˈsaɪkiz/

plural of “psyche” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

remisse

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

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

sadadjectiveUS /sæd/

experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

solemnitynounUS /səˈlemnəti/

a trait of dignified seriousness

From this reading And when the solemnity was ended, they went to bring the sorrowful spowse, not to her marriage, but to her final end and burial.

sometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

songsnounUS /sɔːŋz/

plural of “song” — a short musical composition with words

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

sorrownounUS /ˈsɑːroʊ/

an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement

From this reading Then they began to lament and weep, and passed over many dayes in great sorrow.

sorrowfuladjectiveUS /ˈsɑːroʊfəl/

experiencing or marked by or expressing sorrow especially that associated with irreparable loss

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

spowse

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

From this reading And when the solemnity was ended, they went to bring the sorrowful spowse, not to her marriage, but to her final end and burial.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then they began to lament and weep, and passed over many dayes in great sorrow.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Then they began to lament and weep, and passed over many dayes in great sorrow.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

torchesnounUS /ˈtɔːrtʃɪz/

plural of “torch” — a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/

moved around an axis or center

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

unhappyadjectiveUS /ənˈhæpi/

experiencing or marked by or causing sadness or sorrow or discontent

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

vaile

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

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

weepverbUS /wiːp/

shed tears because of sadness, rage, or pain

From this reading Then they began to lament and weep, and passed over many dayes in great sorrow.

weeped

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

From this reading All the family and people of the city weeped likewise, and with great lamentation was ordained a remisse time for that day, but necessity compelled that Psyches should be brought to her appointed place, according to the divine appointment.

wentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading And when the solemnity was ended, they went to bring the sorrowful spowse, not to her marriage, but to her final end and burial.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

wifenounUS /waɪf/

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading The King, sometimes happy when he heard the prophesie of Apollo, returned home sad and sorrowful, and declared to his wife the miserable and unhappy fate of his daughter.

wipeverbUS /waɪp/

rub with a circular motion

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading But now the time approached of Psyches marriage, preparation was made, blacke torches were lighted, the pleasant songs were turned into pittifull cries, the melody of Hymeneus was ended with deadly howling, the maid that should be married did wipe her eyes with her vaile.

Chapter 9 of The Golden Asse by Apuleius holds 90 sentences, grouped into 18 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 9 of The Golden Asse contain?

Chapter 9 holds 90 sentences of The Golden Asse, unabridged, divided into 18 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of The Golden Asse by Apuleius exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 90 sentences, grouped into 18 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 9 of The Golden Asse?

Work through the 18 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 18 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 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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 Golden Asse

Common questions about reading The Golden Asse by Apuleius on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Golden Asse?

Yes. All 1541 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1666 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Golden Asse is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1666, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Golden Asse take to read?

About 128 minutes of reading across 309 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Golden Asse section by section

How to work through The Golden Asse section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 19 chapters of The Golden Asse 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 Golden Asse

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Golden Asse, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Seventh
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Golden Asse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Booke
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Golden Asse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Twenty-fourth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Golden Asse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chapter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Golden Asse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.