medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
"V. Kerry Inman" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Good point. I think sometimes we make too much out of words chosen for poetic
>value rather than semantic value. As you point out the expression is similar
>to others which were used as titles and titles after all are often chosen for
>their "ring" rather than their meaning. Let's not make too much out of seven
>lamps of wisdom."
A data point probably not directly relevant (due to about three and a half centuries elapsing): the 1582 _Monvment of Matrones_, a compilation of English Protestant devotional readings and prayers intended specifically for women (sort of an attempt at a Protestant "primer" or Book of Hours) is divided into seven sections called "Lampes," and the introductory section explains (at length) the metaphor, which in this case _is_ the Wise Virgins.
In this case, each "Lampe" has a different kind of contents -- I don't have it in front of me, but one is stories of Biblical women, one is quotes from famous women (including Lady Jane Grey, Queen Katharine Parr, etc.), one is prayers for various circumstances (morning, evening, thunderstorms, drought, etc.), one is prayers for women in all states of life (maidens, mothers, wives etc.), and so forth. The last Lampe, which is (IIRC) exemplary stories about _bad_ women receiving their just deserts, usually prompts people to ask me for "copies of THAT one"!
I find the prayer collections amusing at times -- the "states of life" Lampe has a whole section of prayers specifically for women who have lost their maidenly virtue before marriage, for instance, and the other prayer section has a whole series of prayers for arising in the morning, carefully labeled. It starts with a prayer to be said upon first awakening, another for getting out of bed, another for putting on one's "inmost garment," and so forth. On Sundays there are prayers to be said upon setting out for church, while walking to church, at the church door, and (my favorite) a prayer to be said "before praying."
I am still trying to figure out how one does that :)
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0 Chris Laning
| <[log in to unmask]>
+ Davis, California
http://paternoster-row.org - http://paternosters.blogspot.com
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