History
Rally Round the Rich
“. They had a force of six thousand cavalry, each of whom had selected from the whole army, for his personal protection, one infantryman of outstanding courage and speed of foot.” […]
Western Europe
Medieval Mentality
The Opposite of a Pope
“The romans therefore captured him, held him in prison and, dressing him in a cloak of undressed goatskins reeking with blood, placed this devious antipope, nay antichrist, across the back of that devious animal, the camel.” […]
Human Affairs
Soothsayer, Sooth Thyself!
“Poor diviner indeed must he be about me, who could predict nought about himself. If the things to come were known to him, he might well have foreseen his own death.” […]
Humor
Beware the Sausage’s Return
“My master got up and took me by the head. Presently he began to smell me, and forcing my mouth open, he put his nose in. It was a long pointed nose.” […]
Violence
A Just Castration
“Caught taking part in this terrible ploy, he was mercifully condemned to losing his eyes and genitals when he deserved to be choked to death by a noose.” […]
Supernatural
God Speaks in Mysterious Ways
“While king Cunincpert was taking counsel in what way he might deprive Aldo and Grauso of life, suddenly in the window near which they were standing sat a fly of the largest kind which when Cunincpert attempted to strike with his knife to kill it, he only cut off its foot.” […]
History
The Peasants Push Back
“Suddenly the king’s men cast off their cloaks and unsheathed their swords, but the villagers, seeing what was coming, surged forward vehemently with their weapons.” […]
Medieval Mentality
Champion Level Pettiness
“Since he had offended king Cunincpert while they were conversing at a banquet, the king commanded to be prepared for him when he was returning to his inn a fierce and untamed horse who was accustomed to dash to the earth with a great snorting those who sat upon him.” […]
History
Honor Before Loyalty, Victory, and Good Sense
“May God so will that you and I, duke Ferdulf, may not depart from this life until others know which of us is the greater coward.” […]
Supernatural
A Mermaid and Her Son
“He came back to his ship, got a wind, and sailed out to sea. When he was far from land, the same mermaid came up. She took hold of the bow of his ship, and she held onto the ship so that it went nowhere.” […]