He was born in heathenesse, and his
original name was Vojk: he was the first kiraly, or king of the
Magyars. Their former leaders had been called fejedelmek, or
dukes. The Magyar language has properly no term either for king or
house. Kiraly is a word derived from the Sclaves; haz, or house,
from the Germans, who first taught them to build houses, their
original dwellings having been tilted waggons.
Myself. Many thanks for your account of the great men of your
country.
Hungarian. The great men of my country! I have only told you of
the-- Well, I acknowledge that Almus and Arpad were great men, but
Hungary has produced many greater; I will not trouble you by
recapitulating all, but there is one name I cannot forbear
mentioning--but you have heard of it--even at Horncastle, the name
of Hunyadi must be familiar.
Myself. It may be so, though I rather doubt it; but, however that
may be, I confess my ignorance. I have never, until this moment,
heard the name of Hunyadi.
Hungarian. Not of Hunyadi Janos, not of Hunyadi John--for the
genius of our language compels us to put a man's Christian name
after his other; perhaps you have heard of the name of Corvinus?
Myself. Yes, I have heard the name of Corvinus.
Hungarian. By my God, I am glad of it; I thought our hammer of
destruction, our thunderbolt, whom the Greeks called Achilles, must
be known to the people of Horncastle.
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