ASPIS 1

CONTENTS AND EXTRACTS

1. Emperor Constantine rescues Constantinople a few days before the fall

2. Speech of Constantine Palaeologus XI

3.How a Varangos attempted to rape one woman

4. Little Vasileios is protected by an eagle

5. Vasileios kills a big wolf

6. The demons of Elos

7. A parrot in the palace of Vasileios I.

8. Evdokia Paleogogina: the Eros of Thessaloniki

9. Two strange creatures of Nile

10. Night of horror at Constantinople

11.The wives of March

12. The Moires (at Amfissa)

13.The Kallikantzaroi (at Amorgos)

 14. The Verveludes

15.The Mandrakoukos

Special Miniatures of Manuscrpits

1. Emperor Constantine rescues Constantinople a few days before the fall. 1453

«If Emperor Constantine did not come at this time, the city would be captured, this would be the last moment of a magnificent city.

When the Emperor arrived, he began to shout very loudly and imperiously to encourage his people, he roared like a lion and rushed to the Turks with their guards, lackeys and horsemen and struck them a strong blow, nothing could stop him and break his sword...."

2. Speech of Constantine Palaeologus XI. Monday May 28, 1453

« Dear rulers, mayors and generals, brilliant soldiers, honest and loyal citizens, you all know perfectly well that the time has come when the enemy of our faith decided to pressure us even more with all his military equipment and tricks which he has.

He wants to start a general offensive and war, ready to bite us like a ferocious serpent and devour us like a lion. That is why I ask you to act with courage, as you have done before, to go against the enemies of our faith.

I leave in your hands the fate of the glorified and brilliant our homeland, the majestic and noble king of all cities.

You know very well, that for four reasons we must choose death, not life. Firstly, for the sake of our faith and religion, secondly, for the sake of our homeland, thirdly, for the sake of the king and, fourthly, for the sake of our relatives and friends....."

3. How a Varangos attempted to rape one woman in 1034 under the reign of Michael IV Paflagones.

«At that time, there was another incident that is worth it to tell. One of the Varangoi (a military man from Nothern Europe, in the use of the emperor), who were sent to the Thrakesion Thema to spend the winter, met a local woman when she was alone and tried to steal her innocence.

But due to the fact that he did not succeed in persuading her, he began to use violence, she pulled the sword from his scabbard and struck the barbarian in the heart and immediately killed him...."

4. Little Vasileios is protected by an eagle.

At Macedonia during the reign of Leo V 813-820, The little boy is the later great emperor Vasileios I the Macedonian the Kefalas.

«It was the summer season and the parents went to their field to get the reapers to work. While the parents were working, the child was in a tent, which they built to protect him from the sun and that he would sleep peacefully without danger of overheating. Then they put him to bed in the tent  and went to work.

But when the sun came out and the rays hit the child, an eagle descended and spread its wings over it, protecting the child from the sun. Those who saw this began to scream, because they were afraid that the bird could harm the baby, and the mother immediately ran to her child...."

5. Vasileios kills a big wolf. At the time of Michael III, 870

«Once they went on a hunt near Filopatio, led their campaign by the Protostrator (the future emperor), having a royal bardukion (military item) on his belt. But suddenly they became excited when one wolf came out from the forest...."

FOR FULL ACCESS TO ALL TEXTS, FOR MINIATURES OF HISTORIES, SPECIAL MINIATURES AND PRIMARY SOURCES,

CLICK HERE AND BUY ASPIS 1 :https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07YCM28PF

only 2.99 EURO