Hi Roger,
I take from the below two things:
1. The idea of manna turned to plagues, which might provide a simple
answer to your query on the Gomorrah fashion (victuallers are supposed to
bring food; instead these victuallers bring sickness).
2. The 'convenient' history, here, of the ungratefulness of the Arabians
-- that is, their resistance to the idea that God had provided the
Christians with water, which thus didn't need to be paid for. This is
something slightly different from a lack of hospitality, it seems to me --
more like a failure of hospitality implicitly attributed, here, to their
ignorance of grace. This seems to emphasise, if you like, the idea (which
I have found, poking about in the last 24h, to be pretty common) that
Sodom and Gommorah were punished for 'abusing gifts' -- that is, for not
understanding the *idea* of gift, because they were too focused on
payment, greed, interest, hoarding. The association of such greed and
hoardiness with 'unclean lusts' seems to me pretty conventional -- isn't
it? In any case, Sidney seems to me to reach for 'Gomorrah fashion' here
because of the connection between self-interest and greed, on the one
hand, and on the other the idea of manna/victual turned to
sickness/plague.
andrew
The history of trauayle in the VVest and East Indies, and other countreys
lying eyther way, towardes the fruitfull and ryche Moluccaes (trans.
Richard Eden, 1577)
Of the cities of Sodoma and Gomorrha. Cap. 10.
Passyng the iourney of twelue dayes, we came to the playne or valley of
Sodoma and Gomorrha, where we founde it to be true that is written in holy
scripture: for there yet remayne the ruynes of the destroyed citie, as
witnesse of Gods wrath. We may affyrme that there are three cities, and
eche of them situate on the declining of three hylles: and the ruines doe
appeare about the heyght of three or foure cubites. There is yet seene, I
wotte neare what, lyke blood, or rather lyke redde waxe myxte with earth.
It is easie to beleeue that those men were infected with most horrible
vices, as testifieth the baren, drye, filthie, and vnholsome region,
vtterly without water. [Note in marg: Manna, turned in bitter plagues.]
Those people were once fedde with Manna: but when they abused the gyft of
God, they were sore plagued. Departyng twentie myles from these cities,
about thirtie of our company peryshed for lacke of water, [Note in marg:
Lacke of water.] and dyuers other were ouerwhelmed with sande. Goyng
somewhat further forewarde, we founde a little mountayne, at the foote
whereof we founde water, and therefore made our abode there. The day
folowyng early in the mornyng, came vnto vs xxiiii· thousande Arabians,
Note in marg: Water deerely bought. So did Abraham with the Philistians.
askyng money for the water which we had taken. We answered that we would
paye nothyng, bycause it was gyuen vs by the goodnesse of God. Immediatly
we came to hand strokes. We geatheryng our selues togeather on the sayde
mountayne, as in the safest place, vsed our Camelles in the steede of a
bulwarke, and placed the merchauntes in the myddest of the army (that is)
in the myddest of the Camelles, whyle we fought manfully on euery syde.
[Note in marg: So doeth the Turke his army.] The battayle continued so
long, that water fayled both vs and our enemies in the space of two dayes.
The Arabians compassed about the mountayne, crying and threatenyng that
they would breake in among the Camelles: at the length to make an ende of
the conflicte, our Captayne assemblyng the merchauntes, commaunded a
thousande and two hundred peeces of golde to be giuen to the Arabians: who
when they had receyued the money, sayde that the summe of ten thousande
peeces of golde should not satisfie them for the water which we had
drawen. Whereby we perceyued that they began further to quarell with vs,
and to demaunde some other thing then money. Wherevppon incontinent our
Captayne gaue commaundement, that whosoeuer in all our companie were able
to beare armes, should not mount vppon the Camelles, but should with all
expedition prepare them selues to fyght. The day folowyng in the mornyng,
sendyng the Camelles before, and inclosyng our army, beyng about three
hundred in number, we met with the enemies, and gaue the onset. In this
conflicte, we lost only a man and a woman, and had none other domage: we
slue of the Arabians a thousande and fyue hundred. Whereof you neede not
marueyle, if you consyder that they are vnarmed, and weare only a thynne
loose vesture, and are besyde almost naked: theyr horses also beyng as
euyll furnished, and without saddles, or other furniture.
Andrew Zurcher
Queens' College
Cambridge CB3 9ET
United Kingdom
+44 1223 335 572
hast hast post hast for lyfe
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