The Origins of the Unicorn
According to historians, the legend of the unicorn first emerged in 398 BC courtesy of the Greek physician Ctesias. Ctesias wrote an account of India, titled Indica. In it, he attests that all recorded within his account are things that he has witnessed himself or that he has had related to him by credible witnesses. This account of India, though largely lost, has been preserved in a fragmentary abstract made in the 9th century by Photios I of Constantinople. In the twenty-fifth fragment, Ctesias writes of the unicorn, stating:[…]Continue Reading
The Legend of Lady Godiva: Depictions in Art, Literature, and History
The scandalous tale of Lady Godiva’s ride has been in circulation for nearly ten centuries. In that time, it has provided inspiration for innumerable poets, painters, and sculptors. Inevitably, Lady Godiva is depicted as naked on horseback, covered only by her long hair, as she rides through the town of Coventry. But did such a ride ever take place? […]Continue Reading
