"You are all afire with longing, and, seduced by the nobility of its fine head,do not realise that you are seeking the Chimaera; you refuse to recognise that three-formed monster is graced with the face of a noble lion, is sullied by the belly of a stinking goat, and is armed with the tail of a poisonous serpent; therefore I am forbidden to speak." - Walter Map (C.1180)

I simply can't understand how people can write like this and expect to be understood. This paragraph is from a super long letter titled "The letter of Valerius to Ruffinus, Against Marriage". There are like 36 numbered paragraphs and the author is actually Walter Map but due to some thing about 'to fulfil all the good turns of friendship', he sends out as Valerius and that person, John , became Ruffinus (because he's a red-head and in latin it is rufus). I reckon they like being pen pals with strange nicknames.

People from those days simply have too much time on their hands.