Clay Lane

The Copy Book

A Library of History and Literature in English

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355

The Wild Ride of King Herla

Walter Map was so tired of being on the road in the entourage of King Henry II, that he began to wonder if the whole court was under a spell.

356

Jupiter and the Bee

A bee asks a blessing of the king of the gods, but what she gets from him is not quite what she had in mind.

357

The Black Hole of Calcutta

In 1756, the Nawab of Bengal allowed his frustration with British merchants in Calcutta to get the better of him.

358

The Battle of Plassey

Before Siraj ud-Daulah became Nawab of Bengal in 1756, his grandfather begged him to keep the English sweet, and put no trust in Jafar Ali Khan. If he had only listened...

359

A Conqueror Has No Friends

When Alexander the Great threatened the people of Scythia, their ambassadors reminded him that a conqueror has many more burdens to carry than an ally has.

360

Caesar Crosses the Rubicon

When Julius Caesar defied the Senate’s explicit order to resign his military command, he knew there could be no turning back.