Awesome / Sienkiewicz Trilogy

• Wołodyjowski is made of this trope. A notable example is his duel with Kmicic near the start of "The Deluge". It starts with Kmicic taunting him about his height. Wołodyjowski proceeds to pwn him not once but twice, all the while making it clear that for him it's effortless - he puts one hand behind his back and even keeps up a running commentary criticizing Kmicic's technique for the benefit of their audience. This doesn't end until Kmicic, giving in, begs him to just finish it and spare him the humiliation - at which point Wołodyjowski strikes him down instantaneously at a single blow.
• In With Fire and Sword, Skrzetuski goes out of Zbaraż to Bring Help Back. Though a swamp filled with corpses. After the last person who attempted it has been made into a human pincushion and hung upside down from a siege engine. That, ladies and gentlemen, takes guts.
  • Speaking of the poor bastard who got turned into a pincushion and hung from the siege engine, that was Longinus Podbipięta, best friend (despite all appearances) of Zagłoba. Upon seeing what befell his friend Zagłoba completely flips out and charges into the Cossack ranks without so much as a looking over his shoulder to see if anyone's coming with him. Granted, Wołodyjowski and other soldiers are not far behind, but Zagłoba is still at the forefront and fighting like a demon. The Power of Friendship, folks!
• Also awesome is Basia trekking on foot through the frozen steppe in Pan Wołodyjowski. Badass husband, badass wife.
• In "The Deluge" Zagloba and co. are in a fortress city which is about to be besieged by Swedish army. Ruler of the city, a proud nobleman Zamoyski, nicknamed "self-lord", receives a delegation from Swedish king which offers him a large swath of land (which the Swedes cannot control without his city) as an independent hereditary princedom, a very tempting offer indeed. Zagloba quietly suggests offering the Swedish king in exchange - The Netherlands. While funny, it is actually brilliant move on part of Zagloba. He is worried that Zamoyski may accept. However, his pride means that he cannot stop himself from sticking it to Swedish king, thus breaking the negotiations.