Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.
Photo by RKO Radio Pictures, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
Howard gave his life to saving the ‘great gifts and strange inconsistencies’ of Britain’s unique democracy.
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In a Christmas broadcast in 1940, actor Leslie Howard explained why British sovereignty was worth fighting for.
© tangopaso, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0.
Thetis snubs Eris, goddess of Discord, and sets off a series of events leading to the Trojan War.
© Allie Caulfield, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.
Florence used her logical mind and society connections to save thousands of lives in the Crimean War.
Vatopedi Monastery, Mount Athos, Greece.
The Virgin Mary and her son team up to get the best out of some careless monks.
© Wernervc, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
A British victory at tragic cost, in which both sides had to learn a new way of fighting.