Violence
A Kiss or a Kill
THE SCENE: After the Spanish General El Cid defeated the army of King Bucar of Morocco, he pursued the fleeing monarch to the sea. After cornering Bucar, El Cid offered him one chance at surrender: […]
Articles by Saxo
Supernatural
An Inhuman Display of Athleticism
“Then Thrand Strider made a running leap at the wall, jumping high enough to be able to hook his axe over the tops of the wall and then pull himself up by the axe-handle until he got on to the fortification.” […]
Britons and Celts
A Poison-Proof Isle
“They found toads brought in by chance in the bottom of the holds. They threw them out still living on to the land; but immediately they turned their bellies up, burst in the middle, and died, while everybody saw and wondered.” […]
Supernatural
The Taxonomy of Magic
“It is not surprising that barbarians yields to their weird hocus-pocus and were led into the rites of a debased religion, since even the intelligent Romans were reduced into worshiping similar mortals with divine honours.” […]
Supernatural
A Supernatural Secret
“Lady,” he said, “in God’s name, have mercy on me! If I tell you this, great harm will come to me. For as a result I shall lose your love and destroy myself.” […]
Britons and Celts
A Silver-Tongued Devil
“Upon the morne early, in came the DIVELL and lay doun with her and had carnall copulatioun with her, his nature being cold.” […]
Greek and Roman
Bedroom Subterfuge With the Kingdom at Stake
“When next he passes the night with thee, wait till thou art sure he is fast asleep, and then feel for his ears.” […]
Greek and Roman
One Family Humbles Two Empires
“The princes hesitated over what to do. Should they abandon a great and costly expedition without hope of recovering their losses? Or should they allow the lord pope, the City and the church be cast into slavery, or rather destroyed?” […]
Supernatural
Battle of the Were-Beasts
“King Harek came to his senses and suddenly turned into a wild boar. He seized Herraud with his tusks and tore off all his armor, and sunk his teeth in his breast and ripped off both his nipples to the bone.” […]
Eastern Europe
The Old Gods and the New
“Messengers thus came and said to the father, “Since the lot has fallen upon your son, the gods have claimed him as their own. Let us therefore make sacrifice to the gods.”” […]