Human Affairs
King-class Fashion
“You must have neither hat nor cap nor other covering on your head; for one must appear before lords with uncovered head and ungloved hands, with a blithe face and with limbs and body thoroughly bathed.” […]
Clean
Britons and Celts
Passive Aggressive Class Warfare
“After this they hit on a plan which was really very hard on me. They would go into the streets and lanes and say I had sent them to compel travelers to come in. ” […]
Uncategorized
The Author as a Liar
“And, as I have no truth to put on record, having lived a very humdrum life, I fall back on falsehood — but falsehood of a more consistent variety; for I now make the only true statement you are to expect — that I am a liar.” […]
Greek and Roman
Origins of Human Civilization
“The sounds they made were at first unintelligible and indistinct, yet gradually they came to give articulation to their speech, and by agreeing with one another upon symbols for each thing which presented itself to them, came to know among themselves the meaning attached to each term. ” […]
Orient
Fates Worse Than Death
“The rebellious nobles who had revolted against me and whose skins I had stripped off, I made into a trophy: some in the middle of the pile I left to decay; some on the top of the pile on stakes I impaled.” […]
Britons and Celts
A Ghostly Reminder of Dark Deeds
“Then, sword in hand, with daring front erect,
Mov’d to the gate, where, to his odd surprise,
The frightful Faudon stood before his eyes,
Holding his bloody head in his right hand.” […]
Britons and Celts
A Noble and Ignoble Outlaw
“It is asserted by the credible relation of many persons, the walls of the church which he had seized and of the adjoining cloister exuded real blood, by which, as it afterwards appeared, was signified, as well the heinousness of his crime as its impending punishment.” […]
Medieval Mentality
The Heavenly Lights Dance
“It also looks as if sharp points were shot from this flame up into the sky; these are of uneven height and in constant motion, now one, now another darting highest; and the light appears to blaze like a living flame.” […]
Humor
Fantastical Fibs aka Fiction
” It was while we were thus engaged that our scouts announced the approach of the Cloud-centaurs, whom the sun king had expected in time for the battle. They were indeed close upon us, and a strange sight, being compounded of winged horses and men.” […]
Orient
Legacy of a Goddess
“It is for these reasons, in fact, that it was ordained that the queen should have greater power and honour than the king and that among private persons the wife should enjoy authority over her husband, the husbands agreeing in the marriage contract that they will be obedient in all things to their wives.” […]