Ancient Greek - Δελφικά Παραγγέλματα - Σωσιάδου των Επτά Σοφών Υποθήκαι (Delphic Maxims) prose, maxims, philosophy

Ancient Greek - Δελφικά Παραγγέλματα - Σωσιάδου των Επτά Σοφών Υποθήκαι (Delphic Maxims) prose, maxims, philosophy

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas 2 The Antechamber Free Adventure Teen Book.
this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org this recording is by mark smith of simpsonville south carolina the three musketeers by alexander dumas chapter two the antechamber of messieurda trivial

messier de troisville as his family was still called in gascony or masuda trivial as he has ended by styling himself in paris had really commenced life as d'artagnan now did that is to say without a sue in his pocket but with a fund of audacity shrewdness and intelligence which makes the poorest gascon gentleman often derive more in his hope from the paternal inheritance than the richest paraguardian or barrican gentleman derives in reality from his his insolent bravery his still more insolent success at a time when blows poured down like hail had borne him to the top of that difficult ladder called court favor which he climbed four steps at a time he was the friend of the king who honored highly as everyone knows the memory of his father henry the fourth the father of mesut treville had served him so faithfully in his wars against the league that in default of money a thing to which the baroness was accustomed all his life and who constantly paid his debts with that of which he never stood in need of borrowing that is to say with ready wit in default of money we repeat he authorized him after the reduction of paris to assume for his arms a golden lion passant upon ghouls with the motto fidelis at fortis this was a great matter in the way of honor but very little in the way of wealth so that when the illustrious companion of the great henry died the only inheritance he was able to leave his son was his sword and his motto thanks to this double gift and the spotless name that accompanied it messier trivial was admitted into the household of the young prince where he made such good use of his sword and was so faithful to his motto that louis xiii one of the good blades of his kingdom was accustomed to say that if he had a friend who was about to fight he would advise him to choose as a second himself first and trivial next or even perhaps before himself thus louis xiii had a real liking for trivial a royal liking a self-interested liking it is true but still a liking at that unhappy period it was an important consideration to be surrounded by such men as trivial many might take for their device the epithet strong which formed the second part of his motto but very few gentlemen could lay claim to the faithful which constituted the first trivial was one of these latter his was one of those rare organizations endowed with an obedient intelligence like that of the dog with a blind valor a quick eye and a prompt hand to whom sight appeared only to be given to see if the king was dissatisfied with anyone and the hand to strike this displeasing personage whether a besme a moravere a potiottamer or a v tree in short up to this period nothing had been wanting to travel but opportunity but he was ever on the watch for it and he faithfully promised himself that he would not fail to seize it by its three hairs whenever it came within reach of his hand at last louis xiii made chaville the captain of his musketeers who worked louis xiii in devotedness or rather in fanaticism what his ordinaries had been to henry iii and his scotch guard to louis the eleventh on his part the cardinal was not behind the king in this respect when he saw the formidable and chosen body with which louis xiii had surrounded himself this second or rather this first king of france became desirous that he too should have his guard he had his musketeers therefore as louis xiii had his and these two powerful rivals vied with each other in procuring not only from all the provinces of france but even from all foreign states the most celebrated swordsmen it was not uncommon for...

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas 2 The Antechamber Free Adventure Teen Book.
this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org this recording is by mark smith of simpsonville south carolina the three musketeers by alexander dumas chapter two the antechamber of messieurda trivial

messier de troisville as his family was still called in gascony or masuda trivial as he has ended by styling himself in paris had really commenced life as d'artagnan now did that is to say without a sue in his pocket but with a fund of audacity shrewdness and intelligence which makes the poorest gascon gentleman often derive more in his hope from the paternal inheritance than the richest paraguardian or barrican gentleman derives in reality from his his insolent bravery his still more insolent success at a time when blows poured down like hail had borne him to the top of that difficult ladder called court favor which he climbed four steps at a time he was the friend of the king who honored highly as everyone knows the memory of his father henry the fourth the father of mesut treville had served him so faithfully in his wars against the league that in default of money a thing to which the baroness was accustomed all his life and who constantly paid his debts with that of which he never stood in need of borrowing that is to say with ready wit in default of money we repeat he authorized him after the reduction of paris to assume for his arms a golden lion passant upon ghouls with the motto fidelis at fortis this was a great matter in the way of honor but very little in the way of wealth so that when the illustrious companion of the great henry died the only inheritance he was able to leave his son was his sword and his motto thanks to this double gift and the spotless name that accompanied it messier trivial was admitted into the household of the young prince where he made such good use of his sword and was so faithful to his motto that louis xiii one of the good blades of his kingdom was accustomed to say that if he had a friend who was about to fight he would advise him to choose as a second himself first and trivial next or even perhaps before himself thus louis xiii had a real liking for trivial a royal liking a self-interested liking it is true but still a liking at that unhappy period it was an important consideration to be surrounded by such men as trivial many might take for their device the epithet strong which formed the second part of his motto but very few gentlemen could lay claim to the faithful which constituted the first trivial was one of these latter his was one of those rare organizations endowed with an obedient intelligence like that of the dog with a blind valor a quick eye and a prompt hand to whom sight appeared only to be given to see if the king was dissatisfied with anyone and the hand to strike this displeasing personage whether a besme a moravere a potiottamer or a v tree in short up to this period nothing had been wanting to travel but opportunity but he was ever on the watch for it and he faithfully promised himself that he would not fail to seize it by its three hairs whenever it came within reach of his hand at last louis xiii made chaville the captain of his musketeers who worked louis xiii in devotedness or rather in fanaticism what his ordinaries had been to henry iii and his scotch guard to louis the eleventh on his part the cardinal was not behind the king in this respect when he saw the formidable and chosen body with which louis xiii had surrounded himself this second or rather this first king of france became desirous that he too should have his guard he had his musketeers therefore as louis xiii had his and these two powerful rivals vied with each other in procuring not only from all the provinces of france but even from all foreign states the most celebrated swordsmen it was not uncommon for...

The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf 4 Glimminge Free Children's Book.

section 4 of the wonderful adventure thumbnails

this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org

reading by lars rolander

the wonderful adventures of nils by selma largelove translated by velma swanston howard glieminger castle black rats and gray rats in southeastern's corner not far from the sea there is an old castle called glimming it is a big and substantial stone house and can be seen over the plain for miles around it is no more than four stories high but it is so ponderous that an ordinary farmhouse which stands on the same estate looks like a little children's playhouse in comparison the big stone house has such thick ceilings and partitions that there is scarcely room in its interior for anything but the thick walls the stairs are narrow the entrance is small and the rooms view that the walls might retain their strength there are only the fewest number of windows in the upper stories and none at all are found in the lower ones in the old war times the people were just as glad that they could shut themselves up in a strong and massive house like this as one is nowadays to be able to creep into first in a snapping cold winter but when the time of peace came they did not care to live in the dark and cold stone halls of the old castle any longer they have long since deserted the big limia castle and moved into dwelling places where the light and air can penetrate at the time when in solgerson wandered around with the wild geese there were no human beings in gleaming a castle but for all that it was not without inhabitants every summer there lived a store couple in a large nest on the roof in a nest in the attic lived a pair of grey owls in the secret passages hang bats in the kitchen oven lived an old cat and down in the cellar there were hundreds of old black rats rats are not held in very high steam by other animals but the black rats at claiming a castle were an exception they were always mentioned with respect because they had shown great valor in battle with their enemies and much endurance under the great misfortunes which had befallen their kind they nominally belonged to a rat fork who at one time had been very numerous and powerful but who were now dying out during a long period of time the black rats owned scorner and the whole country they were found in every cellar in every attic in larders and cow houses and barns in breweries and floor mills in churches and castles in every man man-constructed building but now they were banished from all this and were almost exterminated only in one and another old and secluded place could one run across a few of them and nowhere were they to be found in such large numbers as in gleaming a castle when an animal fork die out it is generally the human kind who are the cause of it but that was not the case in this instance the people had certainly struggled with the black rats but they had not been able to do them any harm worth mentioning those who had conquered them were an animal fork of their own kind who were called grey rats these grey rats had not lived in the land since time immemorial like the black rats but descended from a couple of poor immigrants who landed in malmo from a libyan sloop about a hundred years ago they were homeless starved outstretches or stuck close to the harbour swam among the piles under the bridges and ate refuse that was thrown in the water they never ventured into the city which was owned by the black rats but gradually as the grey rats increased in number they grew bolder at first they moved over to some waste places and condemned old houses which the black rats had abandoned they hunted their food in gutters and dirtied and made the most of all the rubbish that the black rats did not deign to take care of they were...

The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf 4 Glimminge Free Children's Book.

section 4 of the wonderful adventure thumbnails

this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org

reading by lars rolander

the wonderful adventures of nils by selma largelove translated by velma swanston howard glieminger castle black rats and gray rats in southeastern's corner not far from the sea there is an old castle called glimming it is a big and substantial stone house and can be seen over the plain for miles around it is no more than four stories high but it is so ponderous that an ordinary farmhouse which stands on the same estate looks like a little children's playhouse in comparison the big stone house has such thick ceilings and partitions that there is scarcely room in its interior for anything but the thick walls the stairs are narrow the entrance is small and the rooms view that the walls might retain their strength there are only the fewest number of windows in the upper stories and none at all are found in the lower ones in the old war times the people were just as glad that they could shut themselves up in a strong and massive house like this as one is nowadays to be able to creep into first in a snapping cold winter but when the time of peace came they did not care to live in the dark and cold stone halls of the old castle any longer they have long since deserted the big limia castle and moved into dwelling places where the light and air can penetrate at the time when in solgerson wandered around with the wild geese there were no human beings in gleaming a castle but for all that it was not without inhabitants every summer there lived a store couple in a large nest on the roof in a nest in the attic lived a pair of grey owls in the secret passages hang bats in the kitchen oven lived an old cat and down in the cellar there were hundreds of old black rats rats are not held in very high steam by other animals but the black rats at claiming a castle were an exception they were always mentioned with respect because they had shown great valor in battle with their enemies and much endurance under the great misfortunes which had befallen their kind they nominally belonged to a rat fork who at one time had been very numerous and powerful but who were now dying out during a long period of time the black rats owned scorner and the whole country they were found in every cellar in every attic in larders and cow houses and barns in breweries and floor mills in churches and castles in every man man-constructed building but now they were banished from all this and were almost exterminated only in one and another old and secluded place could one run across a few of them and nowhere were they to be found in such large numbers as in gleaming a castle when an animal fork die out it is generally the human kind who are the cause of it but that was not the case in this instance the people had certainly struggled with the black rats but they had not been able to do them any harm worth mentioning those who had conquered them were an animal fork of their own kind who were called grey rats these grey rats had not lived in the land since time immemorial like the black rats but descended from a couple of poor immigrants who landed in malmo from a libyan sloop about a hundred years ago they were homeless starved outstretches or stuck close to the harbour swam among the piles under the bridges and ate refuse that was thrown in the water they never ventured into the city which was owned by the black rats but gradually as the grey rats increased in number they grew bolder at first they moved over to some waste places and condemned old houses which the black rats had abandoned they hunted their food in gutters and dirtied and made the most of all the rubbish that the black rats did not deign to take care of they were...

The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf 3 Wonderful Journey Free Children's Book.
section 3 of the wonderful adventures of nils this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org reading by lars rollander the wonderful adventures of nils by selma laguelo translated from the swedish by velma swanston howard the wonderful journey of nils just at that time a thing happened in schoner which created a good deal of discussion and even got into the newspapers but which many believed to be a fable because they had not been able to explain it it was about like this a lady squirrel had been captured in the hazel brush that grew on the shores of bomb lake and was carried to a farmhouse close by all the forks on the farm both young and old were delighted with the pretty creature with a bushy tail the wise inquisitive eyes and the natty little feet they intended to amuse themselves all summer by watching its nimble movements its ingenious way of shelling nuts and its drawl play they immediately put in order an old squirrel cage with a little green house and the wire cylinder wheel the little house which had both doors and windows the lady squirrel was to use as a dining room and bedroom for this reason they placed there in a bed of leaves a bowl of milk and some nuts the cylinder wheel on the other hand she was to use as a playhouse where she could run and climb and swing round the people believed that they had arranged things very comfortably for the lady squirrel and they were astonished because she didn't seem to be contented but instead she sat there downcast and moody in a corner of her room every now and again she would let out a shrill agonized cry she did not touch the food and not once did she swing round on the wheel it's probably because she is frightened said the farmer fork tomorrow when she feels more at home she will both eat and play meanwhile the women fork on the farm were making preparations for a feast and just on that day when the lady squirrel had been captured they were busy with an elaborate bake they had had bad luck with something either the dough wouldn't rise or else they had been dilatory for they were obliged to work long after dark naturally there was a great deal of excitement and bustle in the kitchen and probably no one there took time to think about the squirrel or to wonder how she was getting on but there was an old grandma in the house who was too aged to take a hand in the baking this she herself understood but just the same she did not relish the idea of being left out of the game she felt rather down-hearted and for this reason she did not go to bed but seated herself by the sitting room window and looked out they had opened the kitchen door on account of the heat and through it a clear ray of light streamed out on the yard and it became so well lighted out there that the old woman could see all the cracks and holes in the plastering on the wall opposite she also saw the squirrel cage which hung just where the light fell clearest and she noticed how the squirrel ran from her room to the wheel and from the wheel to her room all night long without stopping an instant she thought it was a strange sort of unrest that had come over the animal but she believed of course that the strong light kept her awake between the cow house and the stable there was a broad handsome carriage gate these two came within the light rages as the night were on the old grandma saw a tiny creature no bigger than a hand's breath cautiously steal his way through the gate he was dressed in leather breeches and wooden shoes like any other working man the old grandma knew at once that it was the elf and she was not the least bit frightened she had always heard that the elf kept himself somewhere about the place although she had never seen him before and an elf to be sure brought good luck wherever he appeared as soon as the...

The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf 3 Wonderful Journey Free Children's Book.
section 3 of the wonderful adventures of nils this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org reading by lars rollander the wonderful adventures of nils by selma laguelo translated from the swedish by velma swanston howard the wonderful journey of nils just at that time a thing happened in schoner which created a good deal of discussion and even got into the newspapers but which many believed to be a fable because they had not been able to explain it it was about like this a lady squirrel had been captured in the hazel brush that grew on the shores of bomb lake and was carried to a farmhouse close by all the forks on the farm both young and old were delighted with the pretty creature with a bushy tail the wise inquisitive eyes and the natty little feet they intended to amuse themselves all summer by watching its nimble movements its ingenious way of shelling nuts and its drawl play they immediately put in order an old squirrel cage with a little green house and the wire cylinder wheel the little house which had both doors and windows the lady squirrel was to use as a dining room and bedroom for this reason they placed there in a bed of leaves a bowl of milk and some nuts the cylinder wheel on the other hand she was to use as a playhouse where she could run and climb and swing round the people believed that they had arranged things very comfortably for the lady squirrel and they were astonished because she didn't seem to be contented but instead she sat there downcast and moody in a corner of her room every now and again she would let out a shrill agonized cry she did not touch the food and not once did she swing round on the wheel it's probably because she is frightened said the farmer fork tomorrow when she feels more at home she will both eat and play meanwhile the women fork on the farm were making preparations for a feast and just on that day when the lady squirrel had been captured they were busy with an elaborate bake they had had bad luck with something either the dough wouldn't rise or else they had been dilatory for they were obliged to work long after dark naturally there was a great deal of excitement and bustle in the kitchen and probably no one there took time to think about the squirrel or to wonder how she was getting on but there was an old grandma in the house who was too aged to take a hand in the baking this she herself understood but just the same she did not relish the idea of being left out of the game she felt rather down-hearted and for this reason she did not go to bed but seated herself by the sitting room window and looked out they had opened the kitchen door on account of the heat and through it a clear ray of light streamed out on the yard and it became so well lighted out there that the old woman could see all the cracks and holes in the plastering on the wall opposite she also saw the squirrel cage which hung just where the light fell clearest and she noticed how the squirrel ran from her room to the wheel and from the wheel to her room all night long without stopping an instant she thought it was a strange sort of unrest that had come over the animal but she believed of course that the strong light kept her awake between the cow house and the stable there was a broad handsome carriage gate these two came within the light rages as the night were on the old grandma saw a tiny creature no bigger than a hand's breath cautiously steal his way through the gate he was dressed in leather breeches and wooden shoes like any other working man the old grandma knew at once that it was the elf and she was not the least bit frightened she had always heard that the elf kept himself somewhere about the place although she had never seen him before and an elf to be sure brought good luck wherever he appeared as soon as the...

The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf 2 Akka from Kabnekaise Free Children's Book.
section 2 of the wonderful adventures of nils this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org

reading by large rolander the wonderful adventures of nils by selma laguelov translated by velma swanston howard akka from kebner kaiser evening the big team goosekander that had followed them up in the air felt very proud of being permitted to travel back and forth over the south country with the wild geese and crack jokes with the tame birds but in spite of his keen delight he began to tire as the afternoon wore on he tried to take deeper breath and quicker wing strokes but even so he remained several gooth lengths behind the others when the wild geese who flew last noticed that the tame one couldn't keep up with them they began to call to the goose who rode in the center of the angle and led the procession

what do you want on me ask the leader the white one will be left behind the white one will be left behind tell him it is easier to fly fast than slow called the leader and raced on as before the goose agander certainly tried to follow the advice and increased his speed but then he became so exhausted that he sank away down to the drooping willows that bordered the fields and meadows

from cried those who flew last and saw what a hard time he was having what do you want now ask the leader and she sounded awfully angry the white one sings to the earth the white one sings to the earth tell him it is easier to fly high than low shouted the leader and she didn't slow up the least little bit but raced on as before the goose uganda tried also to follow this advice but when he waited to raise himself he became so winded that he almost burst his breast akka akka again cried those who flew last can't you let me fly in peace ask the leader and she sounded even madder than before the white one is ready to collapse tell him that he who has not the strength to fly with the flock can go back home cried the leader she certainly had no idea of decreasing her speed but raced on as before oh is that the way the wind blows thought the gaucho gander he understood at once that the wild geese had never intended to take him along up to lapland they had only lured him away from home in sports he felt thoroughly exasperated to think that his strength should fail him now so he wouldn't be able to show these tramps that even a tame goose was good for something but the most provoking thing of all was that he had fallen in with akka from kebnekaise tame goose that he was he had heard about a leader goose named akka who was more than a hundred years old she had such a big name that the best wild geese in the world followed her but no one had such a contempt for tame geese as akka and her flock and gladly would he have shown them that he was their equal he flew slowly behind the rest while he deliberated whether he should turn back or continue finally the little creature that he carried on his back said dear morton goes uganda you know well enough that it is simply impossible for you who have never flown to go with the wild geese all the way up to lapland won't you turn back before you kill yourself but the farmer's lad was about the worst thing the goose again knew anything about and as soon as it dawned on him that this puny creature actually believed that he couldn't make the trip he decided to stick it out if you say another word about this i'll drop you into the first ditch we ride over said he and at the same time his fury gave him so much strength that he began to fly almost as well as any of the others it isn't likely that he could have kept his pace up very long neither was it necessary for just then the sun sang quickly and at sunset the geese flew down and before the boy and the goose again they knew what had happened they...

The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf 2 Akka from Kabnekaise Free Children's Book.
section 2 of the wonderful adventures of nils this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org

reading by large rolander the wonderful adventures of nils by selma laguelov translated by velma swanston howard akka from kebner kaiser evening the big team goosekander that had followed them up in the air felt very proud of being permitted to travel back and forth over the south country with the wild geese and crack jokes with the tame birds but in spite of his keen delight he began to tire as the afternoon wore on he tried to take deeper breath and quicker wing strokes but even so he remained several gooth lengths behind the others when the wild geese who flew last noticed that the tame one couldn't keep up with them they began to call to the goose who rode in the center of the angle and led the procession

what do you want on me ask the leader the white one will be left behind the white one will be left behind tell him it is easier to fly fast than slow called the leader and raced on as before the goose agander certainly tried to follow the advice and increased his speed but then he became so exhausted that he sank away down to the drooping willows that bordered the fields and meadows

from cried those who flew last and saw what a hard time he was having what do you want now ask the leader and she sounded awfully angry the white one sings to the earth the white one sings to the earth tell him it is easier to fly high than low shouted the leader and she didn't slow up the least little bit but raced on as before the goose uganda tried also to follow this advice but when he waited to raise himself he became so winded that he almost burst his breast akka akka again cried those who flew last can't you let me fly in peace ask the leader and she sounded even madder than before the white one is ready to collapse tell him that he who has not the strength to fly with the flock can go back home cried the leader she certainly had no idea of decreasing her speed but raced on as before oh is that the way the wind blows thought the gaucho gander he understood at once that the wild geese had never intended to take him along up to lapland they had only lured him away from home in sports he felt thoroughly exasperated to think that his strength should fail him now so he wouldn't be able to show these tramps that even a tame goose was good for something but the most provoking thing of all was that he had fallen in with akka from kebnekaise tame goose that he was he had heard about a leader goose named akka who was more than a hundred years old she had such a big name that the best wild geese in the world followed her but no one had such a contempt for tame geese as akka and her flock and gladly would he have shown them that he was their equal he flew slowly behind the rest while he deliberated whether he should turn back or continue finally the little creature that he carried on his back said dear morton goes uganda you know well enough that it is simply impossible for you who have never flown to go with the wild geese all the way up to lapland won't you turn back before you kill yourself but the farmer's lad was about the worst thing the goose again knew anything about and as soon as it dawned on him that this puny creature actually believed that he couldn't make the trip he decided to stick it out if you say another word about this i'll drop you into the first ditch we ride over said he and at the same time his fury gave him so much strength that he began to fly almost as well as any of the others it isn't likely that he could have kept his pace up very long neither was it necessary for just then the sun sang quickly and at sunset the geese flew down and before the boy and the goose again they knew what had happened they...