![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Jul. 29th, 2005 01:24 pmYesterday I was reading the Life of William Marshall. It was commissioned by William's son in the thirteenth century. What I found very curious was that the narrator couldn't make up his mind whether William Marshall was an almost-saint or whether William Marshall was an epic warrior, or whether William Marshall's tale was an excuse to show that he had learned rhetoric at university.
My favourite line was a throw-away one, "And this was the first time anyone had used a pack horse to carry armour."
No, I take that back. My favourite line was said by William when he was a young child. He was being held hostage by Stephen and should have been killed because bad behaviour was happening on the enemy side. He said imperiously "Give me that spear" and Stephen fell in love with him and would not kill him. I keep thinking that Stephen (being a softie) probably turned to William and said "And what is the magic word?"
Note to self: do not use fiction to show off rhetoric unless you really, really know your stuff. Even then, don't. It looks pretentious.
My favourite line was a throw-away one, "And this was the first time anyone had used a pack horse to carry armour."
No, I take that back. My favourite line was said by William when he was a young child. He was being held hostage by Stephen and should have been killed because bad behaviour was happening on the enemy side. He said imperiously "Give me that spear" and Stephen fell in love with him and would not kill him. I keep thinking that Stephen (being a softie) probably turned to William and said "And what is the magic word?"
Note to self: do not use fiction to show off rhetoric unless you really, really know your stuff. Even then, don't. It looks pretentious.