medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Well, I don't know about boiling oil, but the West Midlands rule for
anchoresses, _Ancrene Wisse_ (probably late 1220s) mentions the use of
boiling water to defend castle or city walls in a similitude:
"Hwen me asaileth burhes other castel, theo withinnen healdeth scaldinde
weater ut, ant werieth swa the walles. Ant ye don alswa as ofte as the
feond asaileth ower castel ant te sawle burh: with inwarde bonen warpeth
ut upon him scaldinde teares' (bk. 4, lines 940-3; Cambridge, Corpus
Christi College, MS 402, f. 66r). [ 'When fortified towns or castles are
attacked, those inside pour out boiling water, and so defend the walls.
You too should do the same as often as the devil attacks your castle and
the fortification of the soul; with heartfelt prayers pour out on to him
scalding tears'].
It also (bk. 7, lines 257ff.) includes an elaborate comparison of God's
love to Greek fire, which the author says is made of 'a red man's blood'
(probably the sulphur mentioned below), and is also thrown on to one's
enemies ('Me warpeth Grickisch fur upon his famen').
best wishes
Bella
Dr Bella Millett
English, School of Humanities
Avenue Campus (room 2033)
University of Southampton
Highfield
Southampton
SO17 1BF
t: 023 80593704
e: [log in to unmask]
www: http://www.soton.ac.uk/english/profiles/millett.html
-----Original Message-----
From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious
culture [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Michael
Anthony
Sent: 01 December 2007 14:32
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [M-R] Oil
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
culture
Good point. I had forgotten about this use of oil. This stuff is, I
think, normally referred to as Greek Fire and it was a sort of medieval
Napalm.
It's usage was pretty much confined to the Middle East and Byzantium,
off-hand I can't think of any western European sieges where its use is
recorded.
In my defence I was thinking about boiling oil being used in the context
of the original question, i.e. being poured down machicolations onto
attackers.
Good reference though, I'll be using that one.
Thanks
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bonnie Blackburn" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2007 11:36 AM
Subject: Re: [M-R] Oil
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
culture
>
> Well, here is a reference to oil, as part of a mixture of sulphur,
oil,
> pitch, and tow, set on fire and hurled onto a siege tower:
>
> Nec mora, minime diem expectantes, sed rapidum ignem sulfure, oleo,
pice
> et stuppis suscitantes, machine regis subito iniecerunt, ut uiros ab
ea
> absterrerent sagittas assidue desuper intorquentes et urbem ualide
> impugnantes.
>
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