デイモンとピシアス
In ancient Greece, Damon and Pythias stake their lives on friendship.
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Sample: three-line reading
Each word has its meaning in this sentence underneath, and each sentence has a full translation. Read the original and glance down only when you need to.
About the book
This passage tells how Dionysius in the ancient Greek city of Syracuse rose to power and grew suspicious and cruel as he took control alone. The opening unfolds the historical setting and his ascent in a calm, unhurried way, like listening to an old tale.
Cultural notes (selection)
Background a translation can’t carry: social roles, history and allusions. While reading, tap “Note” at the end of a sentence to see them all.
This is Dionysius I, tyrant of Syracuse (c. 432–367 BC). He rose as a military commander, seized power by force, and ruled Syracuse for life.
These are Harmodius and Aristogeiton. In 514 BC they assassinated Hipparchus, son of the Athenian tyrant Pisistratus. The Athenians later honoured them as heroes of resistance to tyranny and erected bronze statues of them in the Agora.
This is Damocles, the figure behind the story of the 'Sword of Damocles'. He envied the tyrant's splendour, so Dionysius let him attend a banquet with a sharp sword suspended above his head by a single horsehair, showing that those in power live in constant fear.
About the author
Miekichi Suzuki (September 29, 1882 – June 27, 1936) was a Japanese novelist and author of children's stories from Hiroshima. He wrote both fiction for adults and stories for children.
How the glosses are made
Word glosses and sentence translations are generated in context by AI models (DeepSeek and Zhipu GLM), and every word is checked to have a gloss. AI can make mistakes; you can report problems from the book page.
FAQ
Is this the original text?
Yes. The library holds the opening section of the public-domain original, taken from 青空文库.
Do I need to pay or sign up?
Library books are free to read without an account. Other gloss languages and importing your own texts need an account and credits.
What level is it?
This one is marked “Beginner”. Every word is glossed, so you can keep reading even with a small vocabulary.
Can I use another gloss language?
English and Chinese glosses are prepared in advance; signed-in readers can generate other languages.