On Mon, 11 Dec 2000 12:21:52 -0000, M. Paul Bryant-Quinn <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
>Good morning everyone.
>
>I am editing a text by an early 15th century Welsh poet, Siôn Cent. He has
>one poem which describes *yr wyth dial* (roughly, the Eight Restributions
>(or Punishments)). Does anyone have a parallel for this?
>
>With thanks in advance,
>
>Paul
>
>M.P. Bryant-Quinn
>Canolfan Uwchefrydiau Cymreig a Cheltaidd
>Aberystwyth
Dear Paul,
It could be that these are the eight punishments in hell, a catalogue very
popular in medieval visions, sermons and encyclopaedic descriptions of the
Other World (e.g., Honorius). These eight punishments are usually
enumerated briefly, without explanations or great elaboration. I don't
remember all of them (also there are variants), but fire, ice, stench and
snakes are some of them. If you think that this might help, I could try to
dig up some old notes about this topos.
Best,
Otfried
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