Robin had had a very short way with these marauding bands of robbers, who made no distinction between rich and poor, but would soon rob a poor serf of his last piece of salted pork or bag of meal as a rich priest of his purse of gold. Whenever Robin learned of the hiding placeContinue reading “RKS British Literature: Robin Cleans Up the Marauding Band of Outlaws (Henry Gilbert)”
Category Archives: literature
Circe and the Cyclops: The Cyclops Attacks Odysseus’ Men in His Cave (Homer)
Not a word in reply to that, the ruthless brute. Lurching up. He lunged with his hands towards my men and snatching two at once, rapping them up on the ground he knocked them dead like pups – their brains gushed out all over, soaked the floor – and ripping them limb to limb toContinue reading “Circe and the Cyclops: The Cyclops Attacks Odysseus’ Men in His Cave (Homer)”
Circe and the Cyclops: The Land of the High and Mighty Cyclops (Homer)
From there we sailed on, our spirits at low ebb, And reached the land of the high and mighty Cyclops, lawless brutes, who trust so to the everlasting gods they never plant with their own hands or plow the soil. Unsown, unplowed, the earth teems with all they need, wheat, barley and vines swelled byContinue reading “Circe and the Cyclops: The Land of the High and Mighty Cyclops (Homer)”
RKS British Literature: Little John Joins Robin and His Merry Men (Henry Gilbert)
‘Hark ye, seven footer,’ said Robin. ‘We are outlaws, brave lads who have run from evil lords. There are twenty-two of us. If thou wilt join us, thou shalt share and share with us, both in hard knocks, good cheer, and the best we can reive from the rich snuffling priests, proud prelates, evil lordsContinue reading “RKS British Literature: Little John Joins Robin and His Merry Men (Henry Gilbert)”
Circe and the Cyclops: In the Land of the Lotus-Eaters (Homer)
I was borne along by rough deadly winds On the fish infested sea. Then on the tenth Our squadron reached the land of the Lotus-eaters, People who eat the lotus, mellow fruit and flower. We disembarked on the coast, drew water there And crewman snatched a meal by the swift ships. Once we had ourContinue reading “Circe and the Cyclops: In the Land of the Lotus-Eaters (Homer)”
RKS French Literature: Louis XI and His Manipulative Physician (Victor Hugo)
While feeling the king’s pulse Coictier assumed a look of greater and greater alarm. Louis XI watched him some anxiety. Coictier grew visibly more gloomy. The king’s bad health was the worthy man’s only farm. He made the most of it. Victor Hugo, “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame”
RKS British Literature: Who Shall Robin Hood and His Merry Men Beat, Bind and Set Free? (Henry Gilbert)
First, I will have you hurt no woman, nor any company in which a woman is found. I remember the sweet Virgin, and will ever pray for her favour and protection, and I will, therefore, that you shield all women. Look to it, also, that ye do not any harm to any honest peasant whoContinue reading “RKS British Literature: Who Shall Robin Hood and His Merry Men Beat, Bind and Set Free? (Henry Gilbert)”
RKS French Literature: The Hellish Passion of the Archdeacon for Esmeralda (Victor Hugo)
And, as he thus sifted his soul to the bottom, when he perceived how large a space Nature had prepared there for the passions, he sneered more bitterly still. He stirred up in the depths of his heart all his hatred, all his malevolence, and he discovered with the cool eye of physician examining aContinue reading “RKS French Literature: The Hellish Passion of the Archdeacon for Esmeralda (Victor Hugo)”
RKS French Literature: Parisians Accustomed to Public Torture and Hangings (Victor Hugo)
There was then no Gazette des Tribunaux; and as hardly a week passed in which there was not some counterfeiter to boil, some witch to hang, or some heretic to burn, at some of the numberless justices of Paris. People were so much accustomed to see at every crossway the ancient feudal Themis, bare armed,Continue reading “RKS French Literature: Parisians Accustomed to Public Torture and Hangings (Victor Hugo)”
RKS French Literature: Hanging Justice (Victor Hugo)
Justice in those days cared little about clearness and precision in the proceedings against a criminal. Provided only that the accused was hung, that was all that was necessary. Victor Hugo, “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame”
