Greek and Roman
The Ugly Birth of All Things
Heaven rejoiced in his evil doing. But vast Earth groaned within, being straitened, and she made the element of grey flint and shaped a great sickle, and told her plan to her dear sons. […]
Regions
Britons and Celts
An Elizabethan Bully
“One time at a tavern Sir Walter Raleigh beat him and sealed up his mouth (i.e. his upper and nether beard) with hard wax.” […]
Human Affairs
In the Belly of the Metaphorical Whale
“At this time an old woman came in and dressed my wound. Then the neighbours began to take off the bandages. They rejoiced when they saw that I had recovered my senses and began to laugh over my misfortunes while I, as the sinner, mourned over them.” […]
Greek and Roman
A Retreat Becomes a Rout
“Thus our troops were able, without any risk, to kill as many of them as there was time to kill.” […]
Britons and Celts
The Crystal Tower
“A pillar in the sea appeared to them that seemed to be not far distant. Still it took them three days to come up to it. It was higher than the sky. THE TEXT: One day when they had celebrated their Masses, a pillar in the sea appeared to them that seemed to be not far distant. Still it took them three days to come up to it. When the man of God approached it, he tried to see the top of it – but he could not, it was so high. It was higher than the sky. Moreover a wide-meshed net was wrapped around it. The mesh was so wide that the boat could pass through its opening. They could not decide of what substance the net was made. It had the colour of silver, but they thought that that it seemed harder than marble. The pillar was of bright crystal.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Prettiest Barbarian
“They bestowed the kingdom of the Visigoths on Athavulf his kinsman, a man of imposing beauty and great spirit; for though not tall of stature, he was distinguished for beauty of face and form.” […]
Humor
The Knight Who Wouldn’t Shut Up
“My helmet is all gilded. My armour is also laid with gold. There have never been more hold and precious stones on a shield than there are on mine.” […]
Supernatural
The Ghosts of Iceland
“These spectres make those who are ignorant of their death receive them as though they were alive and offer their right hands; nor is the mistake detected before the shades have vanished.” […]
Britons and Celts
A Dog’s Reward
“In appreciation of what had happened and as a mark of favour to the dog, which had almost died of starvation, the English, who nevertheless hated the Welsh, had the corpse buried with all due ceremony.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Clothes Make the Man
“The King ordained that his dress, for the time to come, should he of a different texture and colour; one side to be composed of the most ordinary materials, and the other of the most valuable : so that when he looked upon the baser portion, his pride might be abated, and the vicious propensities, in which he had indulged, relinquished; on the other hand, when he surveyed the more gorgeous part, his hopes might be raised, and his spirit animated to goodness.” […]