Ficus gives its name to other anatomical body parts. In italian "fica"
venetian "figa". And they do not refer to hemmeroids. Seems the Latins
saw the figs in many forms!
Robert
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Darryl Ogier [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, September 01, 1998 5:21 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: FEAST 1 September
>
> (i) Martin Howley wrote:
> >
> > Carol,
> >
> > On St Fiacre as saint invoked by hemorrhoid sufferers, I gather that
> this
> > association derives from a play on words, the first syllable of his
> name
> > being pronounced similarly to a slang word in French for the
> fundament,
> > viz, 'phy'!
>
> (ii) Bill East wrote:
>
> >Today, 1 September, is the feast of ...
> >
> >* Aegidius or Giles, abbot (date unknown)
> > Once again I offer a limerick about St Giles - alas, far too obscene
> to put
> > on the list - to anyone who cares to ask for it on the private line.
>
> Could, by any chance, St Fiacre and the subject of the Supple Doctor's
> limerick be related? A rhyme with "St Giles" seems to demand it.
>
> Slightly more seriously, and developing Martin Howley's point, might
> not
> the first syllable accounting for St Fiacre being a saint invoked by
> haemorrhoid sufferers as likely be the 'fi-' from 'ficus', the fig,
> which I understand gave its name to the Latin for haemorrhoids? I
> think
> we should be told ...
>
> Darryl
>
>
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