Eastern Europe

Honor Thy Daughter-in-Law

“The Derevlians, on the other hand, existed in bestial fashion, and lived like cattle. They killed one another, ate every impure thing, and there was no marriage among them, but instead they seized upon maidens by capture.” […]

Britons and Celts

A Beast in Battle

“The youthful captain of the Scot in ire,
Us’d to the wars, exerts his glorious fire,
Runs through the crowd, mows them down like grass,
Whilst he invulnerable stands like brass.” […]

Viking

A Winning Sea Strategy

“For the soldiers of Hother performed the bidding of their king, and kept off the attack of the spears by a penthouse of interlocked shields; while not a few of the spears smote lightly on the bosses and fell into the waves.” […]

Britons and Celts

Vengeance Strange & Divine

“Lest all should perish with him, or on account of him, he was put into a small boat with his wife and ill-acquired, wealth, and the ship immediately regained her power of moving, and proceeded as usual; but the skiff sunk with the weight of the sinner, and was buried in the deep.” […]

History

Prester John and the Golden King

“It happened one day that the Golden King went out for his sport with only a handful of followers, and among them were these seven traitors. When they had crossed a river about a mile distant from the place, and left their companions on the farther bank, the seven henchmen, seeing that the kind had no one to protect him, resolved to carry out the purpose for which they had come.” […]

Greek and Roman

Greeks in the Land of Dreams

“The dreams themselves differed widely in character and appearance. Some were well-grown, smooth-skinned, shapely, handsome fellows, others rough, short, and ugly; some apparently made of gold, others of common cheap stuff. Among them some were found with wings, and other strange variations; others again were like the mummers in a pageant, tricked out as kings or Gods or what not.” […]

Human Affairs

The Manners of a Viking

“You two must be incredibly unlike,” they said, “as hideous as you are. We have never seen a maiden so beautiful, and we don’t think that she looks anything like you, because you are the greatest monstrosity.” […]