This fascinating anthology is in essence the Middle Ages speaking for itself. Just a glance at the table of contents will prove that, for it contains excerpts from medieval literature on 138 different subjects, such as A Warning Against Wine , A Portent of Death , A Miraculous Icon , A Byzantine Emperor Abroad , Rape , Dangerous Games , Calculating the Date of Easter , and so much more. All this is made even more important by the copious color illustrations, all of which have been reproduced from medieval manuscripts. It is a gorgeous sampling of medieval art and life.