I'm currently taking an interest in honour codes and chivalry:
European Knights:
"The Knights Code of Chivalry and the vows of Knighthood
The Knights Code of Chivalry described in the Song of Roland and an excellent representation of the Knights Codes of Chivalry are as follows:
To fear God and maintain His Church
To serve the liege lord in valour and faith
To protect the weak and defenceless
To give succour to widows and orphans
To refrain from the wanton giving of offence
To live by honour and for glory
To despise pecuniary reward
To fight for the welfare of all
To obey those placed in authority
To guard the honour of fellow knights
To eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit
To keep faith
At all times to speak the truth
To persevere to the end in any enterprise begun
To respect the honour of women
Never to refuse a challenge from an equal
Never to turn the back upon a foe
Of the seventeen entries in the Knights Codes of Chivalry, according to the Song of Roland, at least 12 relate to acts of chivalry as opposed to combat."
Eastern Samauri:
Contempt for death, honouring superiors, politeness, the proper use of words and meanings, silence and self-reflective pose.
Eastern Assasin/Ninja:
To honour only and achieve a goal or mission once determined, trouble not about ends but means, vows of silence associated with mission or goal, eschewing conversation and social interaction.
Some of these ae culturally relative I think, arising in a particular context but is there anything perrenial about honour codes?
An interesting thing about the never refusing a challenge from an equal is that should a challenge be made and refused it may not imply cowardice or unwillingness to meet the challenge on the part of the other but that the other considers the challenge to be made by an inferior, either in standing or sills. I never knew that (I'm interested in duelling too).
European Knights:
"The Knights Code of Chivalry and the vows of Knighthood
The Knights Code of Chivalry described in the Song of Roland and an excellent representation of the Knights Codes of Chivalry are as follows:
To fear God and maintain His Church
To serve the liege lord in valour and faith
To protect the weak and defenceless
To give succour to widows and orphans
To refrain from the wanton giving of offence
To live by honour and for glory
To despise pecuniary reward
To fight for the welfare of all
To obey those placed in authority
To guard the honour of fellow knights
To eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit
To keep faith
At all times to speak the truth
To persevere to the end in any enterprise begun
To respect the honour of women
Never to refuse a challenge from an equal
Never to turn the back upon a foe
Of the seventeen entries in the Knights Codes of Chivalry, according to the Song of Roland, at least 12 relate to acts of chivalry as opposed to combat."
Eastern Samauri:
Contempt for death, honouring superiors, politeness, the proper use of words and meanings, silence and self-reflective pose.
Eastern Assasin/Ninja:
To honour only and achieve a goal or mission once determined, trouble not about ends but means, vows of silence associated with mission or goal, eschewing conversation and social interaction.
Some of these ae culturally relative I think, arising in a particular context but is there anything perrenial about honour codes?
An interesting thing about the never refusing a challenge from an equal is that should a challenge be made and refused it may not imply cowardice or unwillingness to meet the challenge on the part of the other but that the other considers the challenge to be made by an inferior, either in standing or sills. I never knew that (I'm interested in duelling too).
