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The Heroes
The Heroes

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of The Heroes is here in full — 51 sentences across 11 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Heroes
Context Illustration Reading 1/10 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
HOW THESEUS LIFTED THE STONE
Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.
She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.
And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.
And when Theseus was full fifteen years old she took him up with her to the temple, and into the thickets of the grove which grew in the temple-yard.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Heroes

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of The Heroes is here in full — 51 sentences across 11 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/10 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
HOW THESEUS LIFTED THE STONE
Line 2
Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.
Line 3
She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.
Line 4
And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.
Line 5
And when Theseus was full fifteen years old she took him up with her to the temple, and into the thickets of the grove which grew in the temple-yard.

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.

Forgotten adjective US /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/

Not remembered; lapsed from memory.

From this reading “She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.”

Princess noun US /ˈprɪn.ses/

The daughter of a monarch; a female member of a royal family.

From this reading “Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.”

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.

a

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

From this reading Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.

above

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

across

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

Aithra

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

From this reading Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.

all

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

and

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

at

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

Attic

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

away

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

bay

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

beyond

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

bravest

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

but

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

daughter

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

From this reading Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.

day

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

fair

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

far

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

fifteen

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

From this reading And when Theseus was full fifteen years old she took him up with her to the temple, and into the thickets of the grove which grew in the temple-yard.

for

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

forgottenadjectiveUS /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/

Not remembered; lapsed from memory.

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

full

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

From this reading And when Theseus was full fifteen years old she took him up with her to the temple, and into the thickets of the grove which grew in the temple-yard.

go

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

grew

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

From this reading And when Theseus was full fifteen years old she took him up with her to the temple, and into the thickets of the grove which grew in the temple-yard.

grove

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

From this reading And when Theseus was full fifteen years old she took him up with her to the temple, and into the thickets of the grove which grew in the temple-yard.

had

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

her

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

him

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

HOW

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

From this reading HOW THESEUS LIFTED THE STONE

husband

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

in

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

From this reading Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.

into

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

From this reading And when Theseus was full fifteen years old she took him up with her to the temple, and into the thickets of the grove which grew in the temple-yard.

king

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

From this reading Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.

lad

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

land

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

LIFTED

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

From this reading HOW THESEUS LIFTED THE STONE

lived

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

looked

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

looking

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

Methana

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

mountain

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

named

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

never

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

of

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

From this reading Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.

old

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

From this reading And when Theseus was full fifteen years old she took him up with her to the temple, and into the thickets of the grove which grew in the temple-yard.

Once

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

From this reading Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.

one

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

out

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

over

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

peaks

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

Pittheus

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

From this reading Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.

Poseidon

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

princessnounUS /ˈprɪn.ses/

The daughter of a monarch; a female member of a royal family.

From this reading Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.

purple

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

She

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

shore

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

sit

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

smiled

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

son

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

STONE

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

From this reading HOW THESEUS LIFTED THE STONE

temple

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

temple-yard

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

From this reading And when Theseus was full fifteen years old she took him up with her to the temple, and into the thickets of the grove which grew in the temple-yard.

THE

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

From this reading HOW THESEUS LIFTED THE STONE

there

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

From this reading Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.

THESEUS

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

From this reading HOW THESEUS LIFTED THE STONE

thickets

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

From this reading And when Theseus was full fifteen years old she took him up with her to the temple, and into the thickets of the grove which grew in the temple-yard.

time

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

From this reading Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.

to

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

took

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

From this reading And when Theseus was full fifteen years old she took him up with her to the temple, and into the thickets of the grove which grew in the temple-yard.

Troezene

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

Trœzene

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

From this reading Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.

up

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

upon

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

From this reading Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.

used

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

was

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

From this reading Once upon a time there was a princess in Trœzene, Aithra, the daughter of Pittheus the king.

when

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

From this reading She had one fair son, named Theseus, the bravest lad in all the land; and Aithra never smiled but when she looked at him, for her husband had forgotten her, and lived far away.

which

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

From this reading And when Theseus was full fifteen years old she took him up with her to the temple, and into the thickets of the grove which grew in the temple-yard.

with

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

From this reading And when Theseus was full fifteen years old she took him up with her to the temple, and into the thickets of the grove which grew in the temple-yard.

years

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

From this reading And when Theseus was full fifteen years old she took him up with her to the temple, and into the thickets of the grove which grew in the temple-yard.

Ægina

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

From this reading And she used to go up to the mountain above Troezene, to the temple of Poseidon and sit there all day looking out across the bay, over Methana, to the purple peaks of Ægina and the Attic shore beyond.

Chapter 15 of The Heroes by Charles Kingsley holds 51 sentences, grouped into 11 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 15 of The Heroes contain?

Chapter 15 holds 51 sentences of The Heroes, unabridged, divided into 11 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of The Heroes by Charles Kingsley exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 51 sentences, grouped into 11 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 15 of The Heroes?

Work through the 11 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 11 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 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 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 Heroes

Common questions about reading The Heroes by Charles Kingsley on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Heroes?

Yes. All 1826 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #677 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Heroes is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #677, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Heroes take to read?

About 152 minutes of reading across 366 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Heroes section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 18 chapters of The Heroes 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 Heroes

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

Perseus
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Heroes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Vowed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Heroes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Gorgon
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Heroes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Thiops
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Heroes; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.