Classic
Das Damoklesschwert
James Baldwin (1841–1925)
In each language: The Sword of Damocles · Das Damoklesschwert · La espada de Damocles · L’épée de Damoclès · La spada di Damocle
Damocles envies the tyrant Dionysius his riches and pleasures, so the king lets him take his place for a single day, surrounded by servants, rich food, wine and music. Then Damocles raises his eyes toward the ceiling and sees what dangles just above his head.
In English, German, Spanish, French and Italian · about 500 words · 5 min to read.
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So fängt es an
Es gab einmal einen König namens Dionysius. Er war so ungerecht und grausam, dass er sich den Namen eines Tyrannen einhandelte. Er wusste, dass ihn fast jeder hasste, und so lebte er in ständiger Angst, dass ihm jemand nach dem Leben trachten könnte.
There was once a king whose name was Dionysius. He was so unjust and cruel that he won for himself the name of tyrant. He knew that almost everybody hated him, and so he was always in dread lest some one should take his life.
Doch er war sehr reich und lebte in einem prächtigen Palast, in dem es viele schöne und kostbare Dinge gab, und er wurde von einer Schar von Dienern bedient, die stets bereit waren, seinen Befehlen zu folgen.
But he was very rich, and he lived in a fine palace where there were many beautiful and costly things, and he was waited upon by a host of servants who were always ready to do his bidding.
Eines Tages sagte ein Freund von ihm namens Damokles zu ihm:
One day a friend of his, whose name was Damocles, said to him,—
Languages
- The Sword of Damocles · English (original)488 words · ~5 min
- Das Damoklesschwert · GermanB1 Intermediate · 468 words · ~5 min
- La espada de Damocles · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 438 words · ~5 min
- L’épée de Damoclès · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 477 words · ~5 min
- La spada di Damocle · ItalianB1 Intermediate · 434 words · ~5 min
Open in the reader: German with English · Spanish with English · French with English · Italian with English
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Reading it as a parallel text
A parallel text puts a story next to its translation, paragraph by paragraph. Read in the language you are working on and glance across only when a sentence stops you: the story keeps moving, and the words you look up stay in context. More in how to read with a parallel text.
Questions
- Which languages can I read The Sword of Damocles in?
- English, German, Spanish, French and Italian. Pick the language you want to read and the one to keep beside it: every paragraph sits next to its translation, so you can check a sentence without losing your place.
- What level is it?
- In translation, German, Spanish, French and Italian are B1 Intermediate. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from A1 (beginner) to C2.
- How long is it?
- About 488 words: around 5 min of reading, with the translation beside it. The time depends on the edition's level: an easier edition is read more slowly.
- Is it free?
- Yes. Read it online with no account. The e-reader files (EPUB, and AZW3 and MOBI for Kindle) need a free account; the PDF doesn't.
- Can I read it on a Kindle or Kobo?
- Yes. Download the EPUB for Kobo, Apple Books and most e-readers, or the AZW3 or MOBI for a Kindle, with each paragraph followed by its translation. There is also a side-by-side PDF to print, and each language on its own.