History

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

Britons and Celts

A Patriot’s Vision of his Homeland

October 5, 2023 Saxo

“Numberless springs also well up, and burst forth from the hills and the sloping ridges of the mountains, and, trickling down with sweetest sound, in crystal rivulets between flowery banks, flow together through the level vales, and give birth to many streams; and these again to large rivers, in which Scotia marvelously abounds, beyond any other country.” […]

Eastern Europe

Following a Deer to Civilization

October 3, 2023 Saxo

“After many generations, since, while living there, they were completely ignorant of any other part of the world, it happened one time that in their pursuit of a deer, they forced their way across the Meotic marshes that had hitherto proved impassable to all men.” […]

History

Olympus Has Fallen

September 24, 2023 Saxo

“When he tried to go off, and his horse had begun its course, a knight came pricking, and hit him, striking him with such violence as to stretch him out at full length. And he soon fared still worse than even that; for as he recovered himself, and would have mounted his horse, and had laid his hand on the saddle bow, the throng increased around, and bore him from the saddle, throwing him down; and the horses trod him underfoot, so that they left him there for dead.” […]

History

Death of a Viking Legend

June 20, 2023 Saxo

“In the thick of the fighting, Bui and Sigmundur closed on one another in single combat. Bui was the stronger man, but Sigmundur was the quicker and better with a sword. Sigmundur switched his weapon to his other hand, as he could fight equally well with either hand – something which few or no men can do – and in a blinding slash, he cut off one of Bui’s hands at the wrist.” […]

Greek and Roman

The Pharaoh’s Losses

June 15, 2023 Saxo

“One thousand and five hundred years, and seventy, less one,
Before the birth, as I have found, of God’s incarnate Son,
Was Pharaoh, following the Jews, in the Red Sea Undone” […]

Britons and Celts

Wife-Swapping Brits

June 10, 2023 Saxo

“Wives are shared between groups of ten or twelve men, especially between brothers and between fathers and sons, but the offspring of these unions are counted as the children of the man with whom a particular woman cohabited.” […]

History

The Honesty of a Goldsmith

May 27, 2023 Saxo

“The goldsmith on hearing this remained silent as if it were no great moment. But when the job was finished and delivered, he asked for and obtained a few days off. He met the duke, and standing in his path as he was going to the affair, he related to him what he had heard.” […]