History

Passages whose primary purpose is to describe major moments in the story of humankind, whether these moments are historical, legendary, or mythical.

History

The Charity of the Great Khan

August 1, 2021 Saxo

“When he learns that some family of honest and respectable people have been impoverished by some misfortune or disabled from working by illness, so that they have no means of earning their daily bread, he sees to it that such families (which may consist of six to ten persons or more) are given enough to cover their expenses for the whole year.” […]

Greek and Roman

The Death of Remus

July 18, 2021 Saxo

A second time Remus cast insults at the labourers, and said they were making the ditch too narrow. “Why, enemies will get over it with no trouble; see, I can do it myself, easily.” And with these words he leaped over it. A certain Celer, one of the labourers, answered him, “I will exact vengeance of the man who jumps over the ditch, even as the king commanded.” […]

History

Justice of a Feared Emperor

July 13, 2021 Saxo

“The right, that is my desire. To the man who is a follower of the lie I am no friend. I am not hot-tempered. What things develop in my anger, I hold firmly under control by my thinking power.” […]

Greek and Roman

The Law of Return

July 10, 2021 Saxo

“If any Russ be taken prisoner by the Greeks, he shall likewise be sent back to his native land, and his purchase price shall be repaid, as has been stipulated, according to his value.” […]

Greek and Roman

A Fanciful Emperor & Good Companion

July 7, 2021 Saxo

“He made a habit of propounding problems to grammarians, asking them to say what sounds different animals make, for example: lambs bleat, pigs grunt, doves coo, bears growl, lions roar, leopards snarl, elephants trumpet, frogs croak, horses neigh, bulls bellow – and he would confirm these from old writers.” […]

History

The Medieval Postmen of Mongolia

July 1, 2021 Saxo

“For it takes these runners no more than a day and a night to cover a ten day’s journey, or two days and two nights for a twenty days’ journey. So in ten days they can transmit news over a journey of a hundred days. ” […]

History

Cleanliness Goes Before A Fall

June 20, 2021 Saxo

“For while he was reading, a spider came down from the ceiling by a thread, hooked itself on to the deacon’s head, and then ran up again. The most observant Charles saw this happen a second and a third time, but pretended not to notice it.” […]

Britons and Celts

A Cunning King

June 3, 2021 Saxo

“Dunvallo found himself still as far as ever from victory. He summoned six hundred of his boldest young men and ordered them to strip the arms from those of their enemies who lay dead around them and then to put those same arms on.” […]

Greek and Roman

The Grasping Goes Too Far

May 22, 2021 Saxo

“When the accused saw her, he was thunderstruck and stood there, speechless, for some time. Then he just managed to regain enough of his composure to embrace the emperor’s feet in tears and become a humble petitioner.” […]