Orient
Rage of a Hero
“You are ugly and evil, and your name will be struck from the list warriors. Your fate is decided now; the woman who bore you will weep for you.” […]
Weapons
Viking
Duel of Swords and Words
“Gisli, who was out in the woods, heard this and answered, “Find some better employment for your farmhands. Here is a man who dares to fight you.” […]
Greek and Roman
The Downtrodden Show Their Might
“These valiant men gained the chance they had longed for–to be free to die in battle rather than to perish of hunger–and immediately took arms to kill the generals Lupicinus and Maximus.” […]
History
Olympus Has Fallen
“When he tried to go off, and his horse had begun its course, a knight came pricking, and hit him, striking him with such violence as to stretch him out at full length. And he soon fared still worse than even that; for as he recovered himself, and would have mounted his horse, and had laid his hand on the saddle bow, the throng increased around, and bore him from the saddle, throwing him down; and the horses trod him underfoot, so that they left him there for dead.” […]
History
To Defy a Khan
“Never in our time were so many men engaged on one battlefield, especially so many horsemen. So many died on either side that it was a marvel to behold.” […]
Medieval Mentality
To Stare in the Face of Death
“One dies from a sword blow in the midst of battle; vultures and ravening lions devour his body, spears and swords slash his head. Another dies in his bed, but it is certain that we must all die.” […]
Supernatural
The Man in the Jaws of the Dragon
“Then they struck the dragon until it died. Sintram’s sword bit into it like the sharpest shaving knife bites into a beard.” […]
Human Affairs
Conversion by the Sword
“Now I’m going to present you with two extremely unequal options. The better one is that you convert to the true faith and be baptized. If you are unwilling to do this, then the other option is that we’ll kill you right here and now.” […]
Violence
Passion Cuts Both Ways
“She looked gently at Detsleff, and he liked that. So he squeezed her fingers when he was taking hold of a bowl. When she came with another bowl he trod on her foot. And so they fell in love.” […]
Eastern Europe
The Skin-skirt of the Fish-Woman
“God had created for her in the middle of her body a kind of white skin like a thick, strong cloth, which went from her waist to her knees, covering her private parts and it was like a veil attached to her waist to hide her nakedness.” […]