Close reading & oral delivery guide for a 13-year-old — Saint Augustine (The City of God) complex sentence — ACARA v9 English/Drama

Original sentence (Saint Augustine, translated by Marcus Dods)

"As I see that I have still to discuss the fit destinies of the two cities, the earthly and the heavenly, I must first explain, so far as the limits of this work allow me, the reasonings by which men have attempted to make for themselves a happiness in this unhappy life, in order that it may be evident, not only from divine authority, but also from such reasons as can be adduced to unbelievers, how the empty dreams of the philosophers differ from the hope which God gives to us, and from the substantial fulfillment of it which He will give us as our blessedness."

Legend — color coding & emojis (quick key)

🔵 Nouns / noun phrases   🔴 Verbs   🟢 Connectives / small words (and, in order that, as)   🟠 Adjectives / descriptors   🟣 Relative / clause markers (which, by which)

Annotated, color-coded sentence (short chunks for reading aloud)

🟢 As 🔴 I see 🟢 that 🔴 I have 🔵 still 🔴 to discuss 🔵 the fit destinies 🔵 of the two cities 🟠 the earthly and the heavenly,
🔴 I must 🟠 first 🔴 explain, 🟣 so far as 🔵 the limits 🟢 of 🔵 this work 🔴 allow 🔵 me,
🔵 the reasonings 🟣 by which 🔵 men 🔴 have attempted 🟢 to 🔴 make 🟢 for 🔵 themselves 🟢 a 🔵 happiness 🟢 in 🟠 this unhappy 🔵 life,
🟢 in order that 🟢 it 🔴 may be 🔵 evident, 🟢 not only 🟢 from 🔵 divine authority, 🟢 but also 🟢 from 🔵 such reasons 🟣 as 🔴 can be adduced 🟢 to 🔵 unbelievers,
🟢 how 🔵 the empty dreams 🟢 of 🔵 the philosophers 🔴 differ 🟢 from 🔵 the hope 🟣 which 🔵 God 🔴 gives 🟢 to 🔵 us, 🟢 and 🟢 from 🔵 the substantial fulfillment 🟣 of it 🟣 which 🔵 He 🔴 will give 🟢 us 🟢 as 🔵 our blessedness.

Short, clear paraphrase (for understanding)

Augustine says: Since I still need to talk about the destinies of two cities — the earthly and the heavenly — I must first explain, as much as this book lets me, the reasons people have used to try to find happiness in this sad life. He will do this so that it is clear, not only by religious authority but also by reasons that non-believers can accept, how the philosophers' empty hopes are different from the hope God gives us and from the real completion of that hope that God will give us as our blessedness.

Sentence parsing — clause-by-clause (step-by-step)

1. Subordinate/time/reason clause (opening): "As I see that I have still to discuss the fit destinies of the two cities, the earthly and the heavenly," — explains why the writer is speaking.
2. Main clause (what the speaker must do): "I must first explain," — the central action: explain.
3. Limiting phrase (how much): "so far as the limits of this work allow me," — says: only to the degree this book permits.
4. Direct object (what to explain): "the reasonings by which men have attempted to make for themselves a happiness in this unhappy life," — a noun phrase; a relative clause (by which men have attempted...) modifies "reasonings."
5. Purpose clause (why explain): "in order that it may be evident," — purpose: so it becomes clear.
6. Sources clause (from where it will be clear): "not only from divine authority, but also from such reasons as can be adduced to unbelievers," — shows two kinds of evidence: religious and reason-based.
7. Content clause (what will be shown): "how the empty dreams of the philosophers differ from the hope which God gives to us, and from the substantial fulfillment of it which He will give us as our blessedness." — explains exactly what will be shown: the difference between fake hopes and God's hope/its fulfillment.

List of important parts of speech (simple labels)

Subjects: I, men, it, the empty dreams, hope, He

Key verbs (with tense): see (present), have to discuss (modal idea/complement), must explain (modal/obligation), allow (present), have attempted (present perfect), make (infinitive), may be (modal + be), can be adduced (passive modal), differ (present), gives (present), will give (future).

Rhetorical and syntax reflections (what to notice)

• Periodic sentence: The main point "I must first explain" comes after a long introduction. Augustine delays the main verb, which builds formality and weight.
• Contrast/antithesis: The two cities — "earthly" vs "heavenly" — sets up a sharp contrast. He also contrasts "empty dreams" with "hope...which God gives" and with its "substantial fulfillment."
• Authority vs reason: He wants to show the truth by divine authority and by reasons that can convince unbelievers — that makes his argument intended for many listeners/readers.
• Complex relative clauses: Phrases like "by which men have attempted" and "which He will give us" add detail and make the sentence dense. Each relative clause points back to a noun it describes.

Oral delivery — breathing, pauses and cadence (Ally McBeal-style tips)

Because the sentence is long, plan your breaths and where you want the listener to feel the ideas change. Use short breaths at commas and a longer breath at big breaks. Here is a version with suggested breath marks:

As I see that I have still to discuss the fit destinies of the two cities, the earthly and the heavenly, / I must first explain, // so far as the limits of this work allow me, / the reasonings by which men have attempted to make for themselves a happiness in this unhappy life, / in order that it may be evident, // not only from divine authority, / but also from such reasons as can be adduced to unbelievers, / how the empty dreams of the philosophers differ from the hope which God gives to us, / and from the substantial fulfillment of it which He will give us as our blessedness. //

Breath rules to follow:

• Take a quick breath at each single slash (/) and a deeper, slightly longer breath at a double slash (//).
• Lower your pitch slightly before each double slash, then pause and lift or soften the voice for the new clause.
• Slow down slightly at words you want to emphasize: fit destinies, earthly, heavenly, explain, reasonings, happiness, empty dreams, hope, substantial fulfillment, blessedness.

Ally McBeal cadence idea (light, conversational but thoughtful)

Imagine speaking like you are explaining something important but friendly — sometimes a gentle sing-song rise on short phrases (like Ally McBeal’s conversational rhythm), then a clear fall on the main point. Example pattern:

• Start a little soft and curious for the opening: "As I see that I have still to discuss..." (slight rise on "discuss").
• Make the main action stronger and steady: "I must first explain," (firm, full sound, slight fall at the end of "explain").
• For lists and contrasts ("not only... but also..."), keep a steady tempo but add emphasis to the contrasts: "not only from divine authority, but also from such reasons..." — emphasize "not only" and "but also."
• Finish with warmth and certainty for the ending: "...which He will give us as our blessedness." (slow, gentle, full stop).

Short practice steps (do these aloud)

1. Read just the first clause as a question: "As I see that I have still to discuss the fit destinies of the two cities...?" This helps you find the rise/fall.
2. Say the main clause by itself: "I must first explain." Make it decisive.
3. Practice the middle noun phrase slowly: "the reasonings by which men have attempted to make for themselves a happiness in this unhappy life." Notice the rhythm of that list of ideas.
4. Read the final comparison slowly twice, first to understand it, second to perform it: "how the empty dreams... differ from the hope which God gives to us... and from the substantial fulfillment... which He will give us as our blessedness."
5. Put it all together using the breath marks above. Record yourself and listen for places to slow down or breathe more clearly.

If you want, I can: (1) give a line-by-line practice script you can print, (2) create a version with bigger pause marks for performance, or (3) make a simpler 30-word summary for a spoken intro. Which would you like next?