In any case, strong central direction was needed in the areas of largest settlement: the Danelaw of eastern Britain, the realm of the Ostmen in eastern Ireland, the ‘Normandy’ of France, the Khāqānate of Russian Khazaria, and so on. But autocratic kingship is not easily accommodated to the égalitarian èthos of barbarian warbands or ship companies, which are associations of comrades; and Abortive Scandinavian Civilization’s greatest political achievement, Iceland, was founded by people who were actively trying to escape it.

‘I mean, it is not simply adolescent acne caused by the over-excretion of sebum.’

You could take my horse and herd a couple for me, if we have to— Huh-uh, said South Boy in decisive negation. That'd be worse than herding weanlings.

It was General du Pont's 'forty-five' which bellowed and thundered and echoed through Fifth avenue, scaring horses and shell shocking pedestrians.