medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Martin Howley wrote:
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> Also Saint Erasmus or Elmo, whose emblem is a windlass.
Well, it's a common attribute of this saint. But E. (in Italian:
Erasmo, Eramo, Ermo, Elmo), like St. Nicholas of Myra and Bari, was
initially revered as an early bishop and city-patron; only later,
through association with a famous port to which his remains had been
translated (Gaeta), did he become a patron of seamen. His most
frequent, though hardly distinguishing, attribute is thus a bishop's
mitre. In the second of the two late 11th-century Gaetan coins shown here:
http://www.gaetavola.org/SINISTRO/TavolaeStoria/S.Erasmo/approfondimentoSErasmo.htm
(watch the wrap?)
the mitre seems to be represented by the small triangular object over
the right-hand side of his forehead, whereas in the previous coin
perhaps his clearest attribute is his pectoral cross (I'm not sure what
the lines above his head are meant to represent).
Gaeta, by the way, is spelled "Caieta" in Classical Latin; the "i" there
has often been treated as a yod, thus giving rise to the spelling
"Cajetanus" in the adjective derived from it. As learned colleagues
must at times remind their students, it is be something of a faux pas to
sound as initially resembling English "cadge" either the name of the
famous theologian ("Cajetan[us]" indicating his point of origin) or that
of the founder of the Theatines ("Cajetanus" being a latinization of his
Italian given name, Gaetano).
The electrical
> discharges seen at the masthead of a ship during a storm were nicknamed
> 'St Elmo's fire'.
This may be only secondarily derived from the name of the saint. I have
read (but can no longer remember where) that the earliest instances of
the term refer to the frequent appearance of this phenomenon above the
fort (today's Castel Sant'Elmo) on the hill of this name (the crest of
the Vomero) overlooking Naples. Or, at least, are thought so to refer.
Further information on this score would be welcome.
Best,
John Dillon
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