Britons and Celts
Gawain’s Fury
“Then Sir Gawain on his gray steed
Gripped a great spear and speedily spiked him;
Through the guts and gore his weapon glided
Till the sharpened steel sliced into his heart.” […]
Year: 2022
Human Affairs
Wearing the Horns of the Bull
“I declared that I should rejoice to see her go in and out of our patron’s house whenever she liked, as I was convinced of her honesty. So we all three continued to have a good understanding as to this, and have never heard more about it.” […]
Supernatural
Follower of a Fickle God
“But since Odin now does not wish to grant me victory; then may he let me fall in the battle with all my host, if he will it not that the Danes have the victory as before. And all the slain that fall on this field, I give to Odin.” […]
Greek and Roman
Origins of Spartan Civilization
“The Lacedaemonians, by observing the laws of Lycurgus, from a lowly people grew to be the most powerful among the Greeks and maintained the leadership among the Greek states for over four hundred years, but after that time, as they little by little began to relax each one of the institutions and to turn to luxury and indifference, and as they grew so corrupted as to use coined money and to amass wealth, they lost the leadership.” […]
Britons and Celts
The Violent Youth of a Violent Hero
“His dagger with the other hand drew out,
In spite of all his men so throng about,
And boldly without either fear or dread,
Upon the spot he stick’d young Selbie dead.” […]
Viking
Blood on the Battlefield
“Hrolf struck at Orn, but as he tried to ward off the blow with his shield, the sword sliced through, and the point ripped open the whole of his belly so that his guts poured out.” […]
Britons and Celts
Shakespeare’s Dramatic Youth
“When he was a boy he exercised his father’s trade, but when he killed a calf he would do it in a high style, and make a speech.” […]
History
The Form of a Legendary King
“His neck seemed short and thick and his stomach seemed to project, but the symmetry of the other parts hid these flaws. His pace was firm and the whole bearing of his body powerful. Indeed his voice was clear but, given his size, not as strong as might have been expected.” […]
Supernatural
Sometimes They Come Back…
“Next morning Olaf went to the place where Hrapp had been buried, and had him dug up. Hrapp’s corpse was still undecayed, and Olaf found his spear-head there. After that he had a pyre built, and Hrapp was burned on it and his ashes were carried out to sea. From that time on no one ever suffered any harm from Hrapp’s hauntings.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Stink of Commerce
““Who ever saw a Roman emperor or his spouse indulging in commerce?” With these words, he gave orders that at that very hour, merely allowing time for the crew to disembark, the ship was to be given to the flames.” […]