History
Portrait of a Great King
“In hunting he was most keen, and on one occasion he caught forty or more wild animals; and although at the banquet he was jovial enough, he never diminished anything of his regal demeanor.” […]
Genre
Britons and Celts
Opening Arthur’s Tomb
“Beneath it there was a stone slab, with a leaden cross attached to its underside. I have seen this cross myself and I have traced the lettering which read as follows: HERE IN THE ISLE OF AVALON LIES BURIED THE RENOWNED KING ARTHUR, WITH GUINERERE, HIS SECOND WIFE.” […]
Humor
Death by Celebration
“For whilst, in great jubilation of spirit, he was honouring the funeral rites of Rolf with a feast, he drank too greedily.” […]
Orient
Effortless Dragonslaying
“. Its spittle burned vultures’ wings, its venom scorched the earth; it snatched monsters from the sea and eagles from the air; the earth was emptied of people and flocks, every living thing retreated before it. When I saw that no one dared oppose it, I emptied my heart of fear and bound on my sword in God’s name.” […]
Britons and Celts
The Last King of the Angles
“Gurth saw the English falling around, and that there was no remedy. He saw his race hastening to ruin, and despaired of any aid; he would have fled, but could not, for the throng continually increased.” […]
Eastern Europe
A Focus on Torture
“And thus he had the people scream miserably until they were boiled to death.” […]
Greek and Roman
Homer’s Poetry of Battle
“Paris sprang from the Trojan forward ranks, a challenger, lithe, magnificent as a god, the skin of a leopard slung across his shoulders, a reflex bow at his back and battle-sword at his and brandishing two sharp spears tipped in bronze he strode forth, challenging all the Argive best to fight him face-to-face in mortal combat.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Kingdom of the Body
“The head is an empire, the stomach a kingdom, the belly a hovel, but the bladder is a hired hand.” […]
Greek and Roman
A Satiated Tyrant
“For by driving away the flies now saturated with my blood, I should afford an opportunity to those that were empty and hungry to supply their place. ” […]
History
Humble Servants of the King
“Some prefer being at court to living in the country (though in the king’s service their labor is as burdensome, or more so) because, though they are of excellent kinship, they have little wealth and cannot engage in trade on account of their poverty.” […]