Passages that give a glimpse of every day life during another era.
“And then the king must not consider it a crime of mine when I will not eat with them, nor drink water with them, nor even rise before your Messenger, not inquire of him about Your Majesty’s health, when they come here.” […]
THE SCENE: On topics as diverse as “what’s the right age to get married?” to “should I shit in a river?”, the 8th Century BC writer Hesiod has an answer to all your ancient etiquette […]
“Then he leapt up on to the bull’s neck and clasped his arms below his throat, lying there on the bull’s head between his horns, in the hope of tiring him out. But the bull raced back and forward across the field with him on top.” […]
“You must have neither hat nor cap nor other covering on your head; for one must appear before lords with uncovered head and ungloved hands, with a blithe face and with limbs and body thoroughly bathed.” […]
“. If a Russ commits assault with a sword, spear, or any other weapon, he who has committed this crime shall pay five pounds of silver according to the Russian law, but if he is poor, all his available property shall be sold, even to the garments he walks in, and those too shall be taken from him.” […]
“For he says that Albinus, when hungry, ate give hundred dried figs, a hundred Campanian peaches, ten Ostian melons, twenty pounds of Labican grapes, a hundred fig-peckers and four hundred oysters.” […]
“So Thorgerd married Herjolf and went with him to his home, and they came to love one another dearly. Thorgerd quickly proved what an exceptionally capable woman she was, and Herjolf was considered to have enhanced his prestige and standing greatly by winning such a wife as Thorgerd.” […]
” At once she summoned a great assembly and had herself raised to kingship over the third of Sweden which King Eirek had agreed to let her rule in stewardship. She also gave herself the name Thorberg. No man was so bold as to call her a maiden or a woman – whoever did that would have to suffer harsh punishment.” […]
“There is a department of state whose sole function it is to impose severe penalties on those who are found guilty of such ingratitude.” […]
“Thereupon she rose to her feet and said that she was now retiring to her bed-chamber; she urged them all to enjoy themselves in whatever way each thought best, and ordered ale to be served to the whole company. It is said that Unn was tall and stoutly-built. She walked briskly down the length of the hall, and those present remarked on how stately she still was.” […]
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