Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Pharaoh and the Priest
The Pharaoh and the Priest

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Pharaoh and the Priest is here in full — 80 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Pharaoh and the Priest
Context Illustration Reading 1/16 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.
Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.
All vehicles and litters of staff-officers were to move in the rear.
When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"
"Why not?" answered the young priest.
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 Pharaoh and the Priest

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Pharaoh and the Priest is here in full — 80 sentences across 16 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/16 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.
Line 2
Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.
/ðen hiː kəˈmændɪd ðæt ðə ˈmɪləteri ˈendʒənz fɔːr ˈhɜːrlɪŋ ɡreɪt stoʊnz liːv ðə roʊd ənd ðæt ðə ɡriːk ˈsoʊldʒərz fəˈsɪləteɪt ˈpæsədʒ fɔːr ðoʊz ˈendʒənz ɪn ˈdɪfəkəlt ˈpleɪsəz/
Line 3
All vehicles and litters of staff-officers were to move in the rear.
Line 4
When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"
Line 5
"Why not?" answered the young priest.
/waɪ nɑːt ˈænsərd ðə jʌŋ priːst/

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.

adjutant noun US /ˈædʒətənt/

an officer who acts as military assistant to a more senior officer

From this reading “Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.”

facilitate verb US /fəˈsɪləteɪt/

make easier

From this reading “Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.”

hurling noun US /ˈhɜːrlɪŋ/

a traditional Irish game resembling hockey; played by two teams of 15 players each

From this reading “Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.”

litters noun US /ˈlɪtərz/

plural of “litter” — the offspring at one birth of a multiparous mammal

From this reading “All vehicles and litters of staff-officers were to move in the rear.”

mace noun US /meɪs/

(trademark) a liquid that temporarily disables a person; prepared as an aerosol and sprayed in the face, it irritates the eyes and causes dizziness and immobilization

From this reading “Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.”

vanguard noun US /ˈvænɡɑːrd/

the leading units moving at the head of an army

From this reading “Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.”

vehicles noun US /ˈviːhɪkəlz/

plural of “vehicle” — a conveyance that transports people or objects

From this reading “All vehicles and litters of staff-officers were to move in the rear.”

worthiness noun US /ˈwɜːrðinɪs/

the quality or state of having merit or value

From this reading “Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.”

All words in this reading · 67

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.

adjutantnounUS /ˈædʒətənt/

an officer who acts as military assistant to a more senior officer

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

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 vehicles and litters of staff-officers were to move in the rear.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/

past form of “answer” — react verbally

From this reading "Why not?" answered the young priest.

approachedverbUS /əˈproʊtʃt/

past form of “approach” — move towards

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

askedverbUS /æskt/

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

bearingnounUS /ˈberɪŋ/

relevant relation or interconnection

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

carriedverbUS /ˈkærid/

inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

chargeverbUS /tʃɑːrdʒ/

to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

commandedverbUS /kəˈmændɪd/

past form of “command” — be in command of

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

commandsnounUS /kəˈmændz/

plural of “command” — an authoritative direction or instruction to do something

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

difficultadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfəkəlt/

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

directedadjectiveUS /dərˈektəd/

(often used in combination) having a specified direction

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

enginesnounUS /ˈendʒənz/

plural of “engine” — motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

Eunana

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

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

facilitateverbUS /fəˈsɪləteɪt/

make easier

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

fanverbUS /fæn/

strike out (a batter), (of a pitcher)

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

GreeknounUS /ɡriːk/

the Hellenic branch of the Indo-European family of languages

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

Herhor

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

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

highwaynounUS /ˈhaɪweɪ/

a major road for any form of motor transport

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

hurlingnounUS /ˈhɜːrlɪŋ/

a traditional Irish game resembling hockey; played by two teams of 15 players each

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

issuedverbUS /ˈɪʃuːd/

past form of “issue” — prepare and issue for public distribution or sale

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

leaveverbUS /liːv/

go away from a place

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

littersnounUS /ˈlɪtərz/

plural of “litter” — the offspring at one birth of a multiparous mammal

From this reading All vehicles and litters of staff-officers were to move in the rear.

macenounUS /meɪs/

(trademark) a liquid that temporarily disables a person; prepared as an aerosol and sprayed in the face, it irritates the eyes and causes dizziness and immobilization

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

militaryadjectiveUS /ˈmɪləteri/

of or relating to the study of the principles of warfare

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

moveverbUS /muːv/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading All vehicles and litters of staff-officers were to move in the rear.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "Why not?" answered the young priest.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

passagenounUS /ˈpæsədʒ/

the act of passing from one state or place to the next

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

Pentuer

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

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

placesnounUS /ˈpleɪsəz/

plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/

capable of happening or existing

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

priestnounUS /priːst/

a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders

From this reading "Why not?" answered the young priest.

rearnounUS /rɪr/

the back of a military formation or procession

From this reading All vehicles and litters of staff-officers were to move in the rear.

roadnounUS /roʊd/

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

soldiersnounUS /ˈsoʊldʒərz/

plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

staff-officers

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

From this reading All vehicles and litters of staff-officers were to move in the rear.

stonesnounUS /stoʊnz/

plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

Straightwayadverb

at once

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Then he commanded that the military engines for hurling great stones leave the road, and that the Greek soldiers facilitate passage for those engines in difficult places.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

vanguardnounUS /ˈvænɡɑːrd/

the leading units moving at the head of an army

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

vehiclesnounUS /ˈviːhɪkəlz/

plural of “vehicle” — a conveyance that transports people or objects

From this reading All vehicles and litters of staff-officers were to move in the rear.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading All vehicles and litters of staff-officers were to move in the rear.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

WhynounUS /waɪ/

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

From this reading "Why not?" answered the young priest.

Willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading When Herhor issued commands, the adjutant bearing the fan approached Pentuer and asked, "Will it be possible to go by this highway again?"

worthinessnounUS /ˈwɜːrðinɪs/

the quality or state of having merit or value

From this reading Straightway his worthiness Herhor directed his adjutant who carried the mace to take charge of the vanguard in place of Eunana.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading "Why not?" answered the young priest.

Chapter 2 of The Pharaoh and the Priest by Bolesław Prus holds 80 sentences, grouped into 16 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 2 of The Pharaoh and the Priest contain?

Chapter 2 holds 80 sentences of The Pharaoh and the Priest, unabridged, divided into 16 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The Pharaoh and the Priest by Bolesław Prus exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 80 sentences, grouped into 16 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 2 of The Pharaoh and the Priest?

Work through the 16 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 16 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Pharaoh and the Priest

Common questions about reading The Pharaoh and the Priest by Bolesław Prus on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Pharaoh and the Priest?

Yes. All 14826 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #23646 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Pharaoh and the Priest is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #23646, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Pharaoh and the Priest take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2966 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Pharaoh and the Priest section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Pharaoh and the Priest 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 Pharaoh and the Priest

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

Translator
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pharaoh and the Priest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sword
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pharaoh and the Priest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Deluge
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pharaoh and the Priest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Vadis
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pharaoh and the Priest; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.