Tirant lo Blanch

"Sometimes things can happen in one hour that will not recur in a thousand years."

"To love is human, for Aristotle says everything is attracted by its like, and if loves yoke oppresses you, know that none may escape it."

"It was a most cruel combat, for Thomas was so mighty and smote such terrible blows that every time he swung, Tirant was forced to duck. Just when everyone thought Tirant was getting the worst of it, he began to defend himself. The knight struck his helmet and knocked him to one knee, but while he was kneeling, Tirant wounded his opponent in the groin, for Thomas had no chain mail beneath his armor. Tirant quickly rose, and the battle waxed very fierce. Feeling himself bleeding, the knight sought to end it quickly and hit Tirants visor with such force that his ax stuck in the beaver. The blade touched Tirants neck and, wounded though he was, Thomas dragged him across the field and pinned his body against the stands...[I]n French battles if your arm, hand, or foot goes outside the boundaries and the judge is asked to cut it off, in all fairness he must do so, and at that point I would have given little for Tirants life. As long as they stayed as they were, the knight could not knock him to the ground, so Thomas shifted the ax to his left hand and lifted Tirants visor, keeping him pinned with his left hand and body. Then he slapped Tirants face with his right gauntlet, crying: "Confess your treachery, rascal!" Hearing no reply, Thomas tossed aside his gauntlet and reached into Tirants helmet. He gripped the Bretons neck and dropped his ax and other gauntlet. When Tirant saw his hands free, though he still could not move his body, he raised his ax and struck the knights hand twice. Finding himself with neither ax nor gauntlets, Thomas drew his sword, but it availed him little against Tirants mighty buffets...Seeing the knights weakened state, Tirant raised his ax and brought it crashing down on Thomass helmet just above the ear. While his head was still spinning, Tirant struck him again and felled him with a blow made all the mightier by the heavy axes they bore."

"Order me to attack the Genoese whenever you think fit, but with Your Majestys leave and pardon, I shall now offer some advice: in war three things are necessary, and those who lack even one will fail.""I would be happy," replied the emperor, "to hear what these three things are.""Sire," said Tirant, "I shall tell you: troops, money, and provisions. If any of these is absent, your army will be defeated. Since the pagan hordes are supplied by Genoese, who bring them food, arms, horses, and soldiers, we must do our utmost to give them cruel and harsh battle."