Britons and Celts
Doubter of Legends
“Indeed, he makes the little finger of his Arthur more powerful than the loins of Alexander the Great.” […]
Legend
Britons and Celts
Opening Arthur’s Tomb
“Beneath it there was a stone slab, with a leaden cross attached to its underside. I have seen this cross myself and I have traced the lettering which read as follows: HERE IN THE ISLE OF AVALON LIES BURIED THE RENOWNED KING ARTHUR, WITH GUINERERE, HIS SECOND WIFE.” […]
Britons and Celts
The Last King of the Angles
“Gurth saw the English falling around, and that there was no remedy. He saw his race hastening to ruin, and despaired of any aid; he would have fled, but could not, for the throng continually increased.” […]
Medieval Mentality
Lucifer Makes His Move
“”Inasmuch as I am now an invisible spirit, I cannot visibly come to have speech with physical man, unless I adorn my ugly countenance with a certain corporeal beauty. I shall therefore enter this serpent which God has created with the face of a maiden and which most resembles man in beauty; and I shall speak with his tongue to Eve.” […]
Eastern Europe
Devoured by a Sea of Mice
“Deserted by everybody because of the deadly stench emanating from the multitudes of slaughtered mice, he died a most shameful death, devoured by those monsters.” […]
Britons and Celts
The Eternal Rider of the Wild Hunt
“Sir, I can hardly understand your speech, for you are a Briton and I a Saxon; but the name of that Queen I have never heard, save that they say that long ago there was a Queen of that name over the very ancient Britons, who was the wife of King Herla; and he, the old story says, disappeared in company with a pigmy at this very cliff, and was never seen on earth again, and it is now two hundred years since the Saxons took possession of this kingdom, and drove out the old inhabitants.” […]
Greek and Roman
History of Heracles
“. Likewise, both the club and the lion’s skin are appropriate to their ancient Heracles, because in those days arms had not yet been invented, and men defended themselves against their enemies with clubs of wood and used the hides of animals for defensive armour.” […]
Britons and Celts
Origin of Stonehenge
THE SCENE: Whether it is true or not, this 12th century description of how Merlin founded Stonehenge (with African rocks stolen from the Irish) provides us with a lively portrayal of him as a character […]
Orient
Gates to the Unknown
“One of them climbs a ladder, which is leaning against the door, and when he reaches the tops step, he strikes the bolt with his hammer. Then, if one applies one’s ear to the door, one hears a muted sound like a nest of wasps. Then everything falls silent again.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Death of Remus
A second time Remus cast insults at the labourers, and said they were making the ditch too narrow. “Why, enemies will get over it with no trouble; see, I can do it myself, easily.” And with these words he leaped over it. A certain Celer, one of the labourers, answered him, “I will exact vengeance of the man who jumps over the ditch, even as the king commanded.” […]