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The Gorgon's Head
The Gorgon's Head

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Gorgon's Head is here in full — 481 sentences across 97 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/96 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.
In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.
A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.
They remain essentially the same, after changes that would affect the identity of almost anything else.
He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Gorgon's Head

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Gorgon's Head is here in full — 481 sentences across 97 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/96 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.
/ðə ˈɔːθər hæz lɔːŋ bɪn ʌv əˈpɪnjən ðæt ˈmeni ʌv ðə ˈklæsɪkəl mɪθs wɜːr ˈkeɪpəbəl ʌv ˈbiːɪŋ ˈrendərd ˈɪntuː ˈveri ˈkæpətəl ˈriːdɪŋ fɔːr ˈtʃɪldrən/
Line 2
In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.
/ɪn ðə ˈlɪtəl ˈvɑːljuːm hiːr ˈɔːfərd tuː ðə ˈpʌblɪk hiː hæz wɜːrkt ʌp hæf ə ˈdʌzən ʌv ðem wɪð ðɪs end ɪn vjuː/
Line 3
A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.
Line 4
They remain essentially the same, after changes that would affect the identity of almost anything else.
Line 5
He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.
/hiː dʌz nɑːt ˈðerfɔːr pliːd ˈɡɪlti tuː ə ˈsækrələdʒ ɪn ˈhævɪŋ səmˈtaɪmz ʃeɪpt əˈnuː æz hɪz ˈfænsi dɪkˈteɪtɪd ðə fɔːrmz ðæt hæv bɪn ˈhæloʊd baɪ æn ænˈtɪkwəti ʌv tuː ɔːr θriː ˈθaʊzənd jɪrz/

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.

classical adjective US /ˈklæsɪkəl/

of or relating to the first significant period of a civilization, culture, area of study, etc.

From this reading “The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.”

dictated adjective US /dɪkˈteɪtɪd/

determined or decided upon as by an authority

From this reading “He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.”

hallowed adjective US /ˈhæloʊd/

worthy of religious veneration

From this reading “He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.”

legends noun US /ˈledʒəndz/

plural of “legend” — a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events

From this reading “A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.”

malleable adjective US /ˈmæliəbəl/

easily influenced

From this reading “A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.”

modes noun US /moʊdz/

plural of “mode” — how something is done or how it happens

From this reading “A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.”

myths noun US /mɪθs/

plural of “myth” — a traditional story accepted as history; serves to explain the world view of a people

From this reading “The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.”

sacrilege noun US /ˈsækrələdʒ/

blasphemous behavior; the act of depriving something of its sacred character

From this reading “He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.”

All words in this reading · 105

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 In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

affectverbUS /əˈfekt/

have an effect upon

From this reading They remain essentially the same, after changes that would affect the identity of almost anything else.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading They remain essentially the same, after changes that would affect the identity of almost anything else.

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 A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading They remain essentially the same, after changes that would affect the identity of almost anything else.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

anewadverbUS /əˈnuː/

again but in a new or different way

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

antiquitynounUS /ænˈtɪkwəti/

the historic period preceding the Middle Ages in Europe

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading They remain essentially the same, after changes that would affect the identity of almost anything else.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

attemptsnounUS /əˈtempts/

plural of “attempt” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

authornounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

capableadjectiveUS /ˈkeɪpəbəl/

(usually followed by “of”) having capacity or ability

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

capitalnounUS /ˈkæpətəl/

assets available for use in the production of further assets

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

changesnounUS /ˈtʃeɪndʒəz/

plural of “change” — an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another

From this reading They remain essentially the same, after changes that would affect the identity of almost anything else.

childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

circumstancesnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəmstænsəz/

your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

classicaladjectiveUS /ˈklæsɪkəl/

of or relating to the first significant period of a civilization, culture, area of study, etc.

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

dictatedadjectiveUS /dɪkˈteɪtɪd/

determined or decided upon as by an authority

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

dozennounUS /ˈdʌzən/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

else

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

From this reading They remain essentially the same, after changes that would affect the identity of almost anything else.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

essentiallyadverbUS /eˈsenʃəli/

in essence; at bottom or by one's (or its) very nature

From this reading They remain essentially the same, after changes that would affect the identity of almost anything else.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

fancynounUS /ˈfænsi/

something many people believe that is false

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

formsnounUS /fɔːrmz/

plural of “form” — the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

freedomnounUS /ˈfriːdəm/

the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

furnacenounUS /ˈfɜːrnəs/

an enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to heat buildings, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc.

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

guiltyadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪlti/

responsible for or chargeable with a reprehensible act

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

hallowedadjectiveUS /ˈhæloʊd/

worthy of religious veneration

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

identitynounUS /aɪˈdentɪtiː/

the distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity

From this reading They remain essentially the same, after changes that would affect the identity of almost anything else.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

independentadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈpendənt/

free from external control and constraint

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

intellectualadjectiveUS /ˌɪntəˈlektʃuːəl/

of or associated with or requiring the use of the mind

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

legendsnounUS /ˈledʒəndz/

plural of “legend” — a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

malleableadjectiveUS /ˈmæliəbəl/

easily influenced

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

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 The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

marvellouslyadverb

(used as an intensifier) extremely well

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

modesnounUS /moʊdz/

plural of “mode” — how something is done or how it happens

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

mythsnounUS /mɪθs/

plural of “myth” — a traditional story accepted as history; serves to explain the world view of a people

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

necessaryadjectiveUS /ˈnesəseri/

absolutely essential

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

observedadjectiveUS /əbˈzɜːrvd/

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

offeredverbUS /ˈɔːfərd/

past form of “offer” — make available or accessible, provide or furnish

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

opinionnounUS /əˈpɪnjən/

a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

planverbUS /plæn/

have the will and intention to carry out some action

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

pleadverbUS /pliːd/

appeal or request earnestly

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

publicnounUS /ˈpʌblɪk/

people in general considered as a whole

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

readingnounUS /ˈriːdɪŋ/

the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

remainverbUS /rɪˈmeɪn/

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading They remain essentially the same, after changes that would affect the identity of almost anything else.

renderverbUS /ˈrendər/

cause to become

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

renderedverbUS /ˈrendərd/

past form of “render” — cause to become

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

sacrilegenounUS /ˈsækrələdʒ/

blasphemous behavior; the act of depriving something of its sacred character

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading They remain essentially the same, after changes that would affect the identity of almost anything else.

shapedadjectiveUS /ʃeɪpt/

shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

sometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

temporaryadjectiveUS /ˈtempəreri/

not permanent; not lasting

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

thousandnounUS /ˈθaʊzənd/

the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

treatmentnounUS /ˈtriːtmənt/

care provided to improve a situation (especially medical procedures or applications that are intended to relieve illness or injury)

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

viewnounUS /vjuː/

a way of regarding situations or topics etc.

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

volumenounUS /ˈvɑːljuːm/

the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The author has long been of opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading A great freedom of treatment was necessary to his plan; but it will be observed by every one who attempts to render these legends malleable in his intellectual furnace, that they are marvellously independent of all temporary modes and circumstances.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

workedverbUS /wɜːrkt/

past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading In the little volume here offered to the public, he has worked up half a dozen of them, with this end in view.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading They remain essentially the same, after changes that would affect the identity of almost anything else.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading He does not, therefore, plead guilty to a sacrilege, in having sometimes shaped anew, as his fancy dictated, the forms that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years.

Chapter 1 of The Gorgon's Head by Nathaniel Hawthorne holds 481 sentences, grouped into 97 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 Gorgon's Head contain?

Chapter 1 holds 481 sentences of The Gorgon's Head, unabridged, divided into 97 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Gorgon's Head by Nathaniel Hawthorne exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 481 sentences, grouped into 97 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 Gorgon's Head?

Work through the 97 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 97 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 Gorgon's Head

Common questions about reading The Gorgon's Head by Nathaniel Hawthorne on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Gorgon's Head?

Yes. All 481 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9255 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Gorgon's Head is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #9255, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Gorgon's Head take to read?

About 40 minutes of reading across 97 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Gorgon's Head section by section

How to work through The Gorgon's Head section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of The Gorgon's Head 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 Gorgon's Head

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Gorgon's Head, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gorgon's Head; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Opinion
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gorgon's Head; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Classical
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gorgon's Head; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Myths
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gorgon's Head; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.