‘How pleasant it is to learn that a friend, a man who is bound to one by ties of mutual hospitality, is faring so well. Nevertheless, your outstanding good fortune is not a cause of unconfined joy to me – for I well know that the gods are given to envy. What I wish forContinue reading “RKS LITERATURE: Beware of Unbridled Success: Letter from Pharoah Amasis to Polycrates Tyrant of Samos (Herodotus)”
Tag Archives: RKS literature
RKS British Literature: Hatred of the Brabant and Flemish Mercenaries (Henry Gilbert)
The Englishmen hated these foreign invaders with a hatred too deadly for mercy, and as they shot them down they knew their arrows were loaded with vengeance for unutterable deeds of murder and cruelty committed upon defenceless women, little children, and unweaponed men, when these marauding wretches had spread like plague through the land underContinue reading “RKS British Literature: Hatred of the Brabant and Flemish Mercenaries (Henry Gilbert)”
RKS British Literature: The King’s Justice Worth No More Than a Roast Pippin (Henry Gilbert)
‘Softly, good marshal,’ replied Robin with a laugh. ‘Ye know who I am, and ye know that I reckon the king’s justice or his marshal at no more worth than a roast pippin. Thy justice!’. He laughed scornfully. ‘What is it? A thing ye sell to the rich lords and the evil-living prelates, while youContinue reading “RKS British Literature: The King’s Justice Worth No More Than a Roast Pippin (Henry Gilbert)”
RKS LITERATURE: “I Hate and I Love”: Bright White Teeth Cleaned by Urine
Because he has bright white teeth Egnatius whips out a tooth flash on all possible & impossible) occasions. You’re in court. Counsel for defence concludes a moving peroration (Grin.) At a funeral, on all sides heartbroken mothers weep for only sons. (Grin.) Where, when, whatever the place or time – grin. It could be aContinue reading “RKS LITERATURE: “I Hate and I Love”: Bright White Teeth Cleaned by Urine”
RKS British Literature: A Great Fear and Dread of the Forest (Henry Gilbert)
The forest he had heard was a place of dread, for the other villeins had told terrible tales. Of monsters who flew by night and hid in dark thickets by day to snap up unwary travellers; of hills from whose tops at night the glow of fire shone forth, and within which little dark elvesContinue reading “RKS British Literature: A Great Fear and Dread of the Forest (Henry Gilbert)”
RKS LITERATURE: “I Hate and I Love”: My Sweet Ipisthilla (Catullus)
Call me to you at siesta we’ll make love my gold & jewels my treasure trove my sweet Ipsithilla when you invite me lock no doors nor change your mind & step outside But stay at home & in your room Prepare yourself To come nine times Straight off together In fact, if you shouldContinue reading “RKS LITERATURE: “I Hate and I Love”: My Sweet Ipisthilla (Catullus)”
Circe and the Cyclops: Beware of Circe the Nymph with the Lovely Braids! (Homer)
She opened her gleaming doors at once and stepped forth, inviting them all in, and in they went, all innocence. Only Eurylochus stayed behind – he sensed a trap…. She ushered them in to sit on high backed chairs, then she mixed them a potion – cheese, barley and pale honey mulled in Pramnian wineContinue reading “Circe and the Cyclops: Beware of Circe the Nymph with the Lovely Braids! (Homer)”
RKS British Literature: Robin Cleans Up the Marauding Band of Outlaws (Henry Gilbert)
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)”
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)”
