Britons and Celts

The Language of Birds & Banalities

“For being on a time sitting at dinner in a house among his friends : he harkened diligently to a Sparrow that came flying and chirping to others that were about the house, & smiled to himself to hear her. When one of the company desired to know why he smiled : he told him the sparrow’s tale.” […]

Humor

A Fate Worse Than Death

“He turned him over to a hundred comrades, the best and worst together, from the kitchen. These men plucked out his beard and moustache, and each one hit him four times with his fist.” […]

Greek and Roman

The Grasping Goes Too Far

“When the accused saw her, he was thunderstruck and stood there, speechless, for some time. Then he just managed to regain enough of his composure to embrace the emperor’s feet in tears and become a humble petitioner.” […]

Humor

The Bell of Justice

“And behold the iron fell out of the middle, right on the head of the cheating brass founder, killed him on the spot and passed straight through his carcass and crashed to the ground, carrying his bowels and genitals with it.” […]

Human Affairs

Noble Thieves; Just Deserts

“When Hading came home from his Swedish campaigns he found that the treasury in which he usually stowed the proceeds of his warfare and plundering had been broken into and riffled. He immediately hanged his guard, Glumer, and devised a cunning scheme. ” […]

Supernatural

A Preview of Damnation

“For Hell is an insatiate Pit and Gullet which ever gapeth after the souls which shall not be damned, desiring that they, too, might be seduced and damned. This is what thou must understand, good Doctor.” […]

Britons and Celts

Mysteries Without Answers

“There was found a beautiful double stone, that is, a stone composed of two stones, joined with some very adhesive matter. Being shown, by the wondering workmen, to the bishop, who was at hand, it was ordered to be split, that its mystery (if any) might be developed. In the cavity, a little reptile, called a toad, having a small golden chain around its neck, was discovered.” […]

Viking

A Climactic Battle on the Ice

“Steinthor ran up too and brought his shield down over Thord when Thorleif tried to strike him, and with his other hand he struck at Thorleif Kimbi and cut away his leg below the knee. At that Freystein Bofi lunged at Steinthor, aiming at his stomach, but seeing this Steinthor leapt up into the air and the spear passed between his legs. Steinthor performed these three things at once, just as described.” […]