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.” […]
Fool
Britons and Celts
Assassination by an Obvious Trap
“And running up she whispered in the king’s ear: ‘I shall reveal to you, my lord, the accomplices of my accursed son who are traitors to you and the manner of their treachery, if you come with me.'” […]
Britons and Celts
An Awkward Arrival
“Then one of his men ran forward and put his hand on a hut, and took a handful of the thatch, and turned to the duke, saying heartily, ‘Sire, come forward and receive this.'” […]
Britons and Celts
A Scholar and a Prankster
“Sir Thomas Moore’s discourse was extraordinarily facetious. Riding one night, upon the sudden, he crossed himself with a great cross, crying out, “Jesu Maria! Do you not see that prodigious dragon in the sky?”” […]
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.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Paradise of Fools
“The fools, of course, believing it to be Paradise, while they themselves were the chosen and happy possessors of the land, gave not another thought to the future. The consequence was that, one night, finding them asleep, the magician cut them off; and thus, through the instrumentality of a factitious Eden, perpetrated the foulest enormities.” […]
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.” […]
Britons and Celts
Royal Brothers Bicker
“Thus Harold and Gurth disputed, till their words grew angry, and Gurth would have struck his brother, had he not spurred his horse on, so that the blow missed, and struck the horse behind the saddle, glancing along Harold’s shield. ” […]
Human Affairs
Stubbornness of the Stable Boy
“When I was coming to you just now, the porter closed the gates in front of me. So I kicked the gate with my foot so that the iron broke to pieces, and the gate fell all to pieces.” […]
Humor
Any Price to Keep the Feast Going
“He went into the village and pawned Heym’s horse, armor, and sword, Nagelring, for 10 marks of gold. He drank and was drunk all the time it went on. Then he pawned Wideke’s horse, Skimling, his armour, and his sword, Mymming, for 20 marks of gold. He made his feast bigger.” […]