The Imperial Orgy

Perhaps a man's courage is in proportion to his humanity. Probably if the latter diminishes so does the former. It may be that psychological variations alter the lines of the face. As a lad, Nero was charming. The epileptically obscene changed him into a cringing beast. That and other influences affected Ivan. Bestial and remorseless at home, to foreign insults he bowed. He did worse, if worse can be.

There was Kasan. He offered to return it. There was Livonia. He gave it back. Livonia was the gate to Europe. Muscovy had fought for it with the Poles, with the Swedes, with the Livonians themselves. Muscovy had won it. Ivan owned it. It was his, with an insult for crown.

He had asked the Polish king for his sister in marriage. The answer he received was a white mare tricked out like a woman. The envoi was the king's expression of his supreme contempt. Ivan swallowed it. Subsequently, with a relatively innumerable army, with a relatively inexhaustible treasure, he surrendered Liv