Viking
Hamlet’s Viking Funeral
“O valiant Amleth, and worthy of immortal fame, who being shrewdly armed with a feint of folly, covered a wisdom too high for human wit under a marvellous disguise of silliness!” […]
Celebrity
Greek and Roman
The Governance of Bees
“The general bee population shows a remarkable obedience to her. When she sets out, the whole swarm goes too, and the groups round her, encircling and protecting her, and not allowing anyone to see her. At other times, when the bees are at work, she goes round all the works inside, like someone offering encouragement, while she alone is free from any duties.” […]
Britons and Celts
The Beauty of a Giant
“Sir Walter Raleigh ordered him to carry up the first dish at dinner, where the queen beheld him with admiration, as if a beautiful young giant had stalked in with the service.” […]
Britons and Celts
A Dream Mistress of Great Power
‘Then she handed me a sword with a highly polished hilt.
“Wield this weapon of mine,” said the woman,
“Much blood has been spilt at the bite of its blade,
And as you slash and swish it will serve you unswaveringly.”’ […]
Britons and Celts
The Punishment of Judas
“When I am sitting here I feel as if I were in a paradise of delights in contrast with my fear of the torments that lie before me this evening. For I burn, like a lump of molten lead in a pot, day and night. But here I have a place of refreshment every Sunday from evening to evening, at Christmas until the Epiphany, at Easter until Pentecost, and on the feasts of the purification and assumption of the mother of God. After and before these feasts I am tortured in the depths of Hell.” […]
Britons and Celts
The Son Strikes Back
“I, this morning, not having the fear of God before my eyes but by the instigation of the devil, went to a whore.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Mercy of Caesar
“t. But the enemy clearly had a preconcerted plan. They equipped themselves with arms that they had hidden, or with shields made of bark or wickerwork, and soon after midnight their whole force suddenly made a sortie at the point where our fortifications appeared easiest to scale.” […]
Greek and Roman
Caesar and the Ghost
“When Caesar had concluded the campaign he turned towards Rome, marching with his forces across a river, distinguished by the name of Rubicon. Here a phantom of immense stature, standing in the middle of the water, opposed his passage.” […]
Greek and Roman
Theseus and the Labyrinth
“When he reached Crete on his voyage, most historians and poets tells us that he got from Ariadne, who had fallen in love with him, the famous thread, and that having been instructed by her how to make his way through the intricacies of the Labyrinth, he slew the Minotaur and sailed off with Ariadne and the youths.” […]
Britons and Celts
A Blessing for a Canary Artist
“The king was mighty inquisitive to know who this Raeph was. Ben told him ‘twas the artist at the Swan tavern, by Charing Cross, who drew him a good canary.” […]