Greek and Roman
The Law of Return
“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.” […]
Genre
Britons and Celts
A Song of Slaughter
“Graham sought the haughty chief. And now on high,
His sword that flam’d and lighten’d in the sky,
With whirlwind sound descends, and cleaves his head:
No force of motion could the stroke impede.
The yawning chasm well’d out a purple flood;
Forth rush’d the soul effus’d with with gushing blood.” […]
Greek and Roman
A Fanciful Emperor & Good Companion
“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.” […]
Viking
An Infamous Betrayal
“They directly opened up the cache of arms from which each quietly fitted himself with fighting-gear. Then they made for the palace, broke into the inner chambers and drew their swords on the sleepers.” […]
Violence
An Unholy War
Nor was God’s anger withheld from the punishment of these proud and corrupted people; for frequently, as it is said, torrents of unseasonable rain from on high destroyed more of our troops than the sword of the enemy had devoured.” […]
History
The Medieval Postmen of Mongolia
“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. ” […]
Human Affairs
A Medieval Heartbreaker
“They all had such great merit that she was unable to choose the best, yet she did not wish to lose all three in order to retain just one.” […]
Human Affairs
A Hostile Chat Amongst Hostile Folks
“Snaeulfur grabbed a spear and threw it at him. Hafgrimur raised his shield in defense and the spear pierced it deeply, but he was not wounded. The two men parted company as matters stood, and Hafgrimmur sailed home to South Island, very dissatisfied with the meeting.” […]
Britons and Celts
The Language of Cats
“For one Cat which was a mighty big one, gray haired, bristle-bearded, and having broad eyes which shone and sparkled like two stars, sat in the midst, and on either side of her sat another, and before her stood three more, whereof one mewed continually, save when the great cat groaned, & ever when the great cat had finished groaned, this mewing cat began again, first stretching out her neck & as it were making courtesies to them which sat.” […]
Violence
Death Before Minor Shame
“Almighty God forbid, and all His angels, that France should lose her fame because of me! I’d much prefer to die than come to shame; for fighting well, the emperor will love us.” […]