FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229   230   231  
232   233   234   235   236   237   238   239   >>  
im of. Also, there was never any of that thing we call "conjugal honor" among the Greeks; that idea was far too refined; it was a matter too complex ever to have entered the heads of these semi-barbarous people. This is exemplified in the fact that, after the taking of Troy, Helen, who had, of her own free will, belonged successively to Paris, and to Deiphobus, afterwards returned to Menelaus, who never offered her any reproach. That conduct of Menelaus was so natural that Telemachus, who, in his trip to Sparta found Helen again with Menelaus, just as she was before her abduction, did not show the least astonishment. The books which bear the most remarkable resemblance to each other are the Bible and Homer, because the people they describe and the men about whom they speak are forerunners of civilization in pretty much the same degree. Sarah was twice snatched from the bosom of Abraham and he was never displeased with his wife and continued to live on good terms with her. David, a newcomer on the throne, hastened to have Michol brought to him although she had already married another man. The best proof that, during the time of the Romans the women preferred soldiers to other men is in the claims to successful enterprises by the bragging soldier of Plautus. Pyrgopolinices thought it was only necessary to pose as a great warrior, to have all the women chasing after him; therefore, his parasite and his slave spoke of nothing but the passions be inspired in women. Tradition has it that among the Samnites, the bravest men had the choice of the fairest women, and to this custom is attributed one of the reasons these people were so warlike. In the times of chivalry the greatest exploits were achieved for the pleasure of one's Lady-Love, and there were even such valiant knights, as Don Quixote, who went about the world proving by force of arms that their ladies had no peer. The poverty-stricken troubadours singing harmoniously about their beautiful women found them flying away in the arms of knights who had broken lances at tournaments, or had performed the greatest feats of arms. In fine, all the peoples of the world have said with Dryden: "None but the brave deserves the fair." II. Ses camarades se saisissent de moi et de Quartilla. His comrades seized hold of Quartilla and me. The profession of Quartilla corresponded to that which is followed by our ladies of t
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229   230   231  
232   233   234   235   236   237   238   239   >>  



Top keywords:
people
 

Menelaus

 
Quartilla
 

ladies

 
greatest
 

knights

 

exploits

 
pleasure
 

achieved

 

Plautus


chivalry
 

choice

 

thought

 

passions

 

parasite

 
warrior
 

chasing

 
Pyrgopolinices
 
fairest
 

custom


attributed

 

reasons

 

bravest

 

inspired

 

Tradition

 

Samnites

 

warlike

 

stricken

 

camarades

 

deserves


peoples
 

Dryden

 

saisissent

 
corresponded
 

profession

 

comrades

 

seized

 

poverty

 
soldier
 
troubadours

proving

 

valiant

 
Quixote
 

singing

 

harmoniously

 

tournaments

 

performed

 

lances

 

broken

 

beautiful