Dear listmembers,
In my examination of literary depictions of the Virgin Mary lamenting the
death of her son, as seen in lives such as the 'Vita Rhythmica' (13th
Century) I have discovered a woman who is distraught with grief, even beside
herself, swooning over her son's dead body and even weeping tears of blood.
However, in the Gaelic translations of these accounts (made two centuries
later) an additional feature is included which reflects upon a Gaelic
literary motif associated with the 'bean chaointe' or 'lamenting woman' -
the Virgin bends down and begins to drink the blood from her dead son's body
(this practice has also been recorded historically on several occasions in
Irish history incidentally). I am aware of the symbolism attached to blood -
i.e containing the life force of the individual, etc etc, going back to the
ancient world; my query is, however, whether this motif (arising in laments
principally)is to be found elsewhere in Europe, and if so, are there any
incidences of it being applied to the Virgin's lament over Christ?
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