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The Roadmender
The Roadmender

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of The Roadmender is here in full — 44 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Roadmender
Context Illustration Reading 1/8 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.
In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.
The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.
Necessity can set me helpless on my back, but she cannot keep me there; nor can four walls limit my vision.
I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.
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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 Roadmender

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of The Roadmender is here in full — 44 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/8 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.
Line 2
In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.
Line 3
The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.
Line 4
Necessity can set me helpless on my back, but she cannot keep me there; nor can four walls limit my vision.
Line 5
I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

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.

exceeding adjective US /ɪkˈsiːdɪŋ/

far beyond what is usual in magnitude or degree

From this reading “I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.”

itch verb US /ɪtʃ/

scrape or rub as if to relieve itching

From this reading ““ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.”

limit noun US /ˈlɪmət/

the greatest possible degree of something

From this reading “Necessity can set me helpless on my back, but she cannot keep me there; nor can four walls limit my vision.”

lone adjective US /loʊn/

lacking companions or companionship

From this reading “The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.”

severally adverb US /ˈsevrəli/

apart from others

From this reading “In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.”

Socrates noun US /ˈsɑːkrətiːz/

ancient Athenian philosopher; teacher of Plato and Xenophon (470-399 BC)

From this reading ““ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.”

ultimate adjective US /ˈʌltəmət/

furthest or highest in degree or order; utmost or extreme

From this reading “I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.”

weaver noun US /ˈwiːvər/

a craftsman who weaves cloth

From this reading ““ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.”

All words in this reading · 104

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 I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

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 “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

ANYTUS

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

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

askverbUS /æsk/

make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

authoritynounUS /əˈθɔːrəti/

the power or right to give orders or make decisions

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Necessity can set me helpless on my back, but she cannot keep me there; nor can four walls limit my vision.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

beatitudenoun

a state of supreme happiness

From this reading I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

cannot

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

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

drinkverbUS /drɪŋk/

take in liquids

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

ErnounUS /ər/

a trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; occurs with yttrium

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

exceedingadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsiːdɪŋ/

far beyond what is usual in magnitude or degree

From this reading I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

forgetfulnessnoun

tendency to forget

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/

at or to or toward the front

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

fournounUS /fɔːr/

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading Necessity can set me helpless on my back, but she cannot keep me there; nor can four walls limit my vision.

freeverbUS /friː/

grant freedom to; free from confinement

From this reading I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

gardennounUS /ˈɡɑːrdən/

a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

godsnounUS /ɡɑːdz/

plural of “god” — the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

GovernornounUS /ˈɡʌvərnər/

the head of a state government

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

heavenwardadjective

directed toward heaven or the sky

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

helplessadjectiveUS /ˈhelpləs/

lacking in or deprived of strength or power

From this reading Necessity can set me helpless on my back, but she cannot keep me there; nor can four walls limit my vision.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

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

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

hillsnounUS /hɪlz/

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

hurtverbUS /hɜːrt/

be the source of pain

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

itchverbUS /ɪtʃ/

scrape or rub as if to relieve itching

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

keepverbUS /kiːp/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading Necessity can set me helpless on my back, but she cannot keep me there; nor can four walls limit my vision.

killverbUS /kɪl/

cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

lances

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

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

Lethenoun

(Greek mythology) a river in Hades; the souls of the dead had to drink from it, which made them forget all they had done and suffered when they were alive

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

limitnounUS /ˈlɪmət/

the greatest possible degree of something

From this reading Necessity can set me helpless on my back, but she cannot keep me there; nor can four walls limit my vision.

loneadjectiveUS /loʊn/

lacking companions or companionship

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

longeradverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɡər/

for more time

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

Meletus

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

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Necessity can set me helpless on my back, but she cannot keep me there; nor can four walls limit my vision.

necessitynounUS /nəˈsesəti/

the condition of being essential or indispensable

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

newly-acquired

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

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Necessity can set me helpless on my back, but she cannot keep me there; nor can four walls limit my vision.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Necessity can set me helpless on my back, but she cannot keep me there; nor can four walls limit my vision.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

passverbUS /pæs/

go across or through

From this reading I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

plainadjectiveUS /pleɪn/

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

plainsnounUS /pleɪnz/

plural of “plain” — extensive tract of level open land

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

prisonnounUS /ˈprɪzən/

a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

remembrancenounUS /riˈmembrəns/

the ability to recall past occurrences

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

riseverbUS /raɪz/

move upward

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

rivernounUS /ˈrɪvər/

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

Sancho

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

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

setverbUS /set/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Necessity can set me helpless on my back, but she cannot keep me there; nor can four walls limit my vision.

severallyadverbUS /ˈsevrəli/

apart from others

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

shamenounUS /ʃeɪm/

a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt

From this reading I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Necessity can set me helpless on my back, but she cannot keep me there; nor can four walls limit my vision.

sleepnounUS /sliːp/

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

SocratesnounUS /ˈsɑːkrətiːz/

ancient Athenian philosopher; teacher of Plato and Xenophon (470-399 BC)

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

soulsnounUS /soʊlz/

plural of “soul” — the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

steel-heads

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

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

straightadjectiveUS /streɪt/

successive (without a break)

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Necessity can set me helpless on my back, but she cannot keep me there; nor can four walls limit my vision.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

thronenounUS /θroʊn/

the chair of state for a monarch, bishop, etc.

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

ultimateadjectiveUS /ˈʌltəmət/

furthest or highest in degree or order; utmost or extreme

From this reading I pass out from under her throne into the garden of God a free man, to my ultimate beatitude or my exceeding shame.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

unmindfulnessnoun

the trait of forgetting or ignoring your responsibilities

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

vesselnounUS /ˈvesəl/

a tube in which a body fluid circulates

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

VisionnounUS /ˈvɪʒən/

a vivid mental image

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

wallsnounUS /wɔːlz/

plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading Necessity can set me helpless on my back, but she cannot keep me there; nor can four walls limit my vision.

watersnounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/

United States actress and singer (1896-1977)

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

weavernounUS /ˈwiːvər/

a craftsman who weaves cloth

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading In the Vision of Er the souls passed straight forward under the throne of necessity, and out into the plains of forgetfulness, where they must severally drink of the river of unmindfulness whose waters cannot be held in any vessel.

wiseadjectiveUS /waɪz/

having or prompted by wisdom or discernment

From this reading The throne, the plain, and the river are still here, but in the distance rise the great lone heavenward hills, and the wise among us no longer ask of the gods Lethe, but rather remembrance.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

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

From this reading “ANYTUS and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot hurt me,” said Socrates; and Governor Sancho, with all the itch of newly-acquired authority, could not make the young weaver of steel-heads for lances sleep in prison.

Chapter 12 of The Roadmender by Michael Fairless holds 44 sentences, grouped into 9 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 12 of The Roadmender contain?

Chapter 12 holds 44 sentences of The Roadmender, unabridged, divided into 9 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of The Roadmender by Michael Fairless exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 44 sentences, grouped into 9 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 12 of The Roadmender?

Work through the 9 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 9 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Roadmender

Common questions about reading The Roadmender by Michael Fairless on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Roadmender?

Yes. All 859 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #705 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Roadmender is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #705, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Roadmender take to read?

About 71 minutes of reading across 172 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Roadmender section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 16 chapters of The Roadmender 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 Roadmender

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

Attained
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Roadmender; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Ideal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Roadmender; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Roadmender
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Roadmender; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Stonebreaker
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Roadmender; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.