Once more harmonious strike the sounding string, The Epaean fabric, framed by Pallas, sing: How stern Ulysses, furious to destroy, With latent heroes sack'd imperial Troy.
— from The Odyssey by Homer

The result of the first two days was disastrous to the larger English division under Monk, which was then obliged to retreat toward Rupert; and probably the opportune return of the latter alone saved the English fleet from a very serious loss, or at the least from being shut up in their own ports.
— from The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783 by A. T. (Alfred Thayer) Mahan

But suppose a man takes up another as being a good man, who turns out, and is found by him, to be a scoundrel, is he bound still to entertain Friendship for him?
— from The Ethics of Aristotle by Aristotle

A man, too, if the same help were given him at the same moment, would show himself superior to everything; for fear never resides in the danger, but in ourselves.
— from On Love by Stendhal

She studied the envelope for five minutes as though an examination of the paper itself and the look of my handwriting could enlighten her as to the nature of the contents, or tell her to which article of her code she ought to refer the matter.
— from Swann's Way by Marcel Proust

Sumantra, urged to speed away, The townsmen's call must disobey, Forth as the long-armed hero went, [pg 143] The dust his chariot wheels up sent Was laid by streams that ever flowed From their sad eyes who filled the road.
— from The Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verse by Valmiki

It is pleasing to see the easy, friendly footing which the pupils are on with their master, perfectly respectful, yet with no reserve and nothing forced in their intercourse.
— from Tom Brown's School Days by Thomas Hughes

In course of time they manifested a rebellious spirit, often being the cause of conspiracies, riots, atrocities, and assassinations of rulers, statesmen, and high officials, and ultimately they grew to be more formidable to the Sultan than even foreign foes.
— from Little Folks (September 1884) A Magazine for the Young by Various

My subject this evening for forty or fifty minutes' talk is the death of this man, and how that death will really filter into America.
— from Complete Prose Works Specimen Days and Collect, November Boughs and Goodbye My Fancy by Walt Whitman

She was n't handsome when she cried, poor, dear Joanna; in fact, that was one of the personal traits I had made use of in the story that Elisha found fault with.
— from A Mortal Antipathy by Oliver Wendell Holmes

The chattering streams of life flowing through the main streets of the thronged city, the clatter of the tramcars, and the thousand noises that smote the ear fresh from the ancient peace of a remote village, all frightened the mind back to Hampton, the faces of his friends; and, oddly as it seemed to Henry, the face that looked oftenest into his was not one of his own home circle.
— from The Call of the Town: A Tale of Literary Life by Hammerton, John Alexander, Sir

He was a large handsome beast, of an ashy gray color, and measuring from seven to eight feet from the nose to the end of the tail.
— from Wild Sports in the Far West by Friedrich Gerstäcker

Gaze upon these grounds, and for a moment imagine that the enormous bullocks before you, with their fearful horns, are a gigantic herd of deer, and you have a sight that England, famous for her parks, shall in vain attempt to rival.
— from Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine — Volume 55, No. 340, February, 1844 by Various

I remember the curious winding, wandering air she had been singing (without any words, as usual) over her business, and how she touched each flower first with her lips, and then brushed it lightly across her bosom before she wove it in.
— from Lore of Proserpine by Maurice Hewlett

There are two kinds, so called from their respective notes—the one the trumpeter, and the other the hooper; the trumpeter is the largest, and when at full size will measure from five to six feet from the bill to the point of the toe, and from seven to eight feet from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other, when stretched and expanded.
— from American Scenery, Vol. 1 (of 2) or, Land, lake, and river illustrations of transatlantic nature by Nathaniel Parker Willis

Still, the enemy forbore, for a time, an attack, evidently waiting the arrival of his rear columns.
— from Great Events in the History of North and South America by Charles A. (Charles Augustus) Goodrich