But the Northern people knew how to die to escape shame.

There is an awful story in Roman history about the wives and daughters of the conquered German tribes, thousands in number, asking to be promised that their virtue should be respected, and all killing themselves when the Roman general refused the request.

No Southern people of Europe in that time would have shown such heroism upon such a matter.

Leaving honour aside, however, the old book tells us that a man should never despair.
Fire, the sight of the sun, good health, and a blameless life these are the goodliest things in this world.
Yet a man is not utterly wretched, though he have bad health, or be maimed.
The halt may ride a horse; the handless may drive a herd; the deaf can fight and do well; better be blind than buried.

A corpse is good for naught.
On the subject of women there is not very much in the book beyond the usual caution in regard to wicked women; but there is this little observation: Never blame a woman for what is all man's weakness.