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The Sun King
The Sun King

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Sun King is here in full — 136 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Sun King
Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin.
But then the virgin Too-che gave birth to a male child....
Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.
There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.
Now, at the juncture of the borders of the three greatest countries, lay a mighty city, named Oas.
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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 Sun King

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Sun King is here in full — 136 sentences across 28 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin.
Line 2
But then the virgin Too-che gave birth to a male child....
Line 3
Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.
Line 4
There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.
Line 5
Now, at the juncture of the borders of the three greatest countries, lay a mighty city, named Oas.
/naʊ æt ðə ˈdʒʌŋktʃər ʌv ðə ˈbɔːrdərz ʌv ðə θriː ˈɡreɪtəst ˈkʌntriz leɪ ə ˈmaɪti ˈsɪti neɪmd ˈoʊˈeɪˈes/

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.

borders noun US /ˈbɔːrdərz/

plural of “border” — a line that indicates a boundary

From this reading “Now, at the juncture of the borders of the three greatest countries, lay a mighty city, named Oas.”

Egypt's noun US /ˈiːdʒəpts/

possessive form of “egypt” — a republic in northeastern Africa known as the United Arab Republic until 1971; site of an ancient civilization that flourished from 2600 to 30 BC

From this reading “Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.”

greatness noun US /ˈɡreɪtnəs/

the property possessed by something or someone of outstanding importance or eminence

From this reading “Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.”

juncture noun US /ˈdʒʌŋktʃər/

an event that occurs at a critical time

From this reading “Now, at the juncture of the borders of the three greatest countries, lay a mighty city, named Oas.”

Oas noun US /ˈoʊˈeɪˈes/

an association including most countries in the western hemisphere; created in 1948 to promote military and economic and social and cultural cooperation

From this reading “Now, at the juncture of the borders of the three greatest countries, lay a mighty city, named Oas.”

populated adjective US /ˈpɑːpjəleɪtɪd/

furnished with inhabitants

From this reading “There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.”

virgin noun US /ˈvɜːrdʒɪn/

a person who has never had sex

From this reading “But then the virgin Too-che gave birth to a male child....”

worshipped adjective US /ˈwɜːrʃəpt/

regarded with deep or rapturous love (especially as if for a god)

From this reading “The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin.”

All words in this reading · 65

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 But then the virgin Too-che gave birth to a male child....

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin.

Arabin'ya

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

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Now, at the juncture of the borders of the three greatest countries, lay a mighty city, named Oas.

BeforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

birthnounUS /bɜːrθ/

the time when something begins (especially life)

From this reading But then the virgin Too-che gave birth to a male child....

bordersnounUS /ˈbɔːrdərz/

plural of “border” — a line that indicates a boundary

From this reading Now, at the juncture of the borders of the three greatest countries, lay a mighty city, named Oas.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But then the virgin Too-che gave birth to a male child....

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

childnounUS /tʃaɪld/

a young person of either sex

From this reading But then the virgin Too-che gave birth to a male child....

citynounUS /ˈsɪti/

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

From this reading Now, at the juncture of the borders of the three greatest countries, lay a mighty city, named Oas.

countriesnounUS /ˈkʌntriz/

plural of “country” — a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

dividedadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaɪdɪd/

separated into parts or pieces

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

Egypt'snounUS /ˈiːdʒəpts/

possessive form of “egypt” — a republic in northeastern Africa known as the United Arab Republic until 1971; site of an ancient civilization that flourished from 2600 to 30 BC

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

floodnounUS /flʌd/

the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

forgotverbUS /fərˈɡɑːt/

inflected form of “forget” — dismiss from the mind; stop remembering

From this reading The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading But then the virgin Too-che gave birth to a male child....

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 The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

greatestadjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtəst/

highest in quality

From this reading Now, at the juncture of the borders of the three greatest countries, lay a mighty city, named Oas.

greatnessnounUS /ˈɡreɪtnəs/

the property possessed by something or someone of outstanding importance or eminence

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

Guatama

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

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

Heleste

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

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

Jaffeth

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

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

juncturenounUS /ˈdʒʌŋktʃər/

an event that occurs at a critical time

From this reading Now, at the juncture of the borders of the three greatest countries, lay a mighty city, named Oas.

landsnounUS /lændz/

plural of “land” — the land on which real estate is located

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Now, at the juncture of the borders of the three greatest countries, lay a mighty city, named Oas.

lessadverbUS /les/

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

mainadjectiveUS /meɪn/

most important element

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

malenounUS /meɪl/

an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes

From this reading But then the virgin Too-che gave birth to a male child....

mightyadjectiveUS /ˈmaɪti/

having or showing great strength or force or intensity

From this reading Now, at the juncture of the borders of the three greatest countries, lay a mighty city, named Oas.

murderverbUS /ˈmɜːrdər/

kill intentionally and with premeditation

From this reading The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin.

namedverbUS /neɪmd/

past form of “name” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

northnounUS /nɔːrθ/

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

NowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading Now, at the juncture of the borders of the three greatest countries, lay a mighty city, named Oas.

OasnounUS /ˈoʊˈeɪˈes/

an association including most countries in the western hemisphere; created in 1948 to promote military and economic and social and cultural cooperation

From this reading Now, at the juncture of the borders of the three greatest countries, lay a mighty city, named Oas.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

Par'si'ya

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

From this reading The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

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

From this reading The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin.

placesnounUS /ˈpleɪsəz/

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

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

populatedadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːpjəleɪtɪd/

furnished with inhabitants

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

Shemnoun

(Old Testament) eldest son of Noah

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

sinnounUS /sɪn/

estrangement from god

From this reading The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin.

SouthnounUS /saʊθ/

the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading But then the virgin Too-che gave birth to a male child....

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

threenounUS /θriː/

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

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading But then the virgin Too-che gave birth to a male child....

Too-che

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

From this reading But then the virgin Too-che gave birth to a male child....

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

Uropa

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

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

virginnounUS /ˈvɜːrdʒɪn/

a person who has never had sex

From this reading But then the virgin Too-che gave birth to a male child....

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

westnounUS /west/

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading There were other less populated lands and places; Uropa in the west, Heleste in the north, and the two great lands of the far west, called North and South Guatama.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading Before the flood, even before Egypt's greatness, the world was divided into three main countries, named Jaffeth, Shem and Arabin'ya.

worshippedadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrʃəpt/

regarded with deep or rapturous love (especially as if for a god)

From this reading The people of Par'si'ya forgot their God, and worshipped only murder, and sin.

Chapter 1 of The Sun King by Gaston Derreaux holds 136 sentences, grouped into 28 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 Sun King contain?

Chapter 1 holds 136 sentences of The Sun King, unabridged, divided into 28 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Sun King by Gaston Derreaux exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 136 sentences, grouped into 28 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 Sun King?

Work through the 28 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 28 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 Sun King

Common questions about reading The Sun King by Gaston Derreaux on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Sun King?

Yes. All 136 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24973 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Sun King is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #24973, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Sun King take to read?

About 11 minutes of reading across 28 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Sun King section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of The Sun King 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 Sun King

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

People
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sun King; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Par'si'ya
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sun King; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Forgot
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sun King; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Worshipped
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Sun King; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.