HKB
7 passages · search this phrase →
Often appears with: sin, guilt, and repentance · fate, destiny, and necessity · wedding feast · vettius trial · twin gates of heaven and hell · the fear of death · spiritual despair · sound symbolism · serpent and lion · rumor and information · romantic love · religious persecution and toleration
Usually: narrative (7) · wonder (4) · crisis of belief (2) · curiosity (2) · coming of age (1) · confronting death (1) · temptation (1) · the stranger's arrival (1) · detachment (1) · exhortation (1)
“Then pray’d him Scipio, to tell him all The way to come into that Heaven’s bliss;” Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems · observation
“Through me men go into the blissful place Of hearte’s heal and deadly woundes’ cure; Through me men go unto the well of grace; Where green and lusty May shall ever dure;” Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems · vivid
“why do you tarry, Caius? There is no escape; one life and one death is appointed for us both, to spend the one and to meet the other, in the service of the people.” Plutarch, Plutarch: Lives of the noble Grecians and Romans · insight
“For in those days there were but few folks that believed in God perfectly. For in those days the son spared not the father no more than a stranger.” Jean Froissart, Chronicle and Romance: Froissart, Malory, Holinshed · insight
“He awoke ... and joyfully did he thank our Lord and the holy Saint Olaf, who had pitied and helped him; for he had come there speechless, and had gone to the holy shrine, and went away cured.” Snorri Sturluson, Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norw · insight
Caius Gracchus stays at home at first, then pursues eloquence; he defends a friend Vettius, is watched by senators, becomes quaestor for Orestes in Sardinia, and is pulled into public service.
fears on the other hand began to be felt by the powerful citizens; and it was generally spoken of amongst them that they must hinder Caius from being made tribune. But soon after, it happened that he was elected quaestor, and obliged to attend Orestes, the consul, into Sardinia. This, as it pleased his enemies, so it was not ungrateful to him, being naturally of a warlike character, and as well trained in the art o…
In a dream, Christian is pictured leaving “this world” burdened, reading Scripture with tears and terror, asking “What shall I do?”, then discussing his fear with his wife and children and seeking answers.
therein; and, as he read, he wept, and trembled; and, not being able longer to contain, he brake out with a lamentable cry, saying, "What shall I do?" [Acts 2:37] {11} In this plight, therefore, he went home and refrained himself as long as he could, that his wife and children should not perceive his distress; but he could not be silent long, because that his trouble increased. Wherefore at length he brake his mind …
A Danish-speaking prisoner healed by King Olaf later reaches Nidaros, where he sleeps at Christ Church during the second mass and dreams Olaf restoring his tongue, after which he thanks God and Olaf.
cook had given him, and which the cook had not ventured to serve up to her. The man had long gone about speechless. So says Einar Skulason in Olaf's ballad:-- "The proud rich dame, for little cause, Had the lad's tongue cut from his jaws: The helpless man, of speech deprived, His dreadful sore wound scarce survived. A few weeks since at Hild was seen, As well as ever he had been, The sa…
In a dream, the narrator is guided by Scipio and Africane to a pair of twin gates: one for the bliss of lovers and inner healing, and the other for lawbreakers’ endless pain.
That ev’ry star should come into his place, Where it was first; and all should *out of mind,* *perish from memory* That in this world is done of all mankind. Then pray’d him Scipio, to tell him all The way to come into that Heaven’s bliss; And he said: “First know thyself immortal, And look aye busily that thou work and wiss* *guide affairs To common profit, and thou shalt not miss To come swiftly unto …
In a dream-vision, the narrator is led into the moving “House of Fame,” a labyrinth-like structure under a castle, whose shifting sounds and open doors carry news at all times.
thou desirest for to lear.” Come forth, and stand no longer here. And I will thee, withoute dread,* *doubt Into another place lead, Where thou shalt hear many a one.” Then gan I forth with him to go’n Out of the castle, sooth to say. Then saw I stand in a vally, Under the castle faste by, A house, that domus Daedali, That Labyrinthus <81> called is, N’as* made so wondrously, y-wis, *wa…
A dream-vision culminates in a wedding feast on the Isle of Pleasure, an embassy that brings back the poet’s mistress, and then waking to discover only tapestry images of the very bliss he sought.
as the knight, Unto perfect joy and heal, That *floating they were in such weal* *swimming in such As folk that woulden in no wise happiness* Desire more perfect paradise. On the morrow a general assembly was convoked, and it was resolved that the wedding feast should be celebrated within the island. Messengers were sent to strange realms, to invite kings, queens, duchesses, and princesses; and a special embassy was…
At the wild sea-side mountain, Percivale battles a serpent and lion scenario, witnesses a lion’s loyalty and companionship, receives a dream of two ladies and a coming duel with the world’s strongest champion, and prays to endure temptation.
OF THE GREAT DANGER THAT SIR PERCIVALE WAS IN BY HIS HORSE, AND HOW HE SAW A SERPENT AND A LION FIGHT And when Sir Percivale came nigh the brim, and saw the water so boistous, he doubted to overpass it. And then he made a sign of the cross on his forehead. When the fiend felt him so charged he shook off Sir Percivale, and he went into the water crying and roaring, making great sorrow, and it seemed unto him that the…