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Tacitus in the Germania says: "It stands on record that armies already wavering and on the point of collapse have been rallied by the women, pleading heroically with their men, thrusting forward their bared bosoms, and making them realize the immient prospect of enslavement--a fate which the Germans fear more desperately for their women than for themselves." (trans. H. Mattingly) Phyllis >Dear reader, >My name is Salvador Ryan and I presently working on a Ph.D. thesis dealing >with the topic of 'Popular religion in Gaelic Ireland 1450-1640' at >Maynooth, Ireland. One of my principal sources is Gaelic bardic religious >poetry. In my examination of the role of Mary I have come across a very >interesting image of the Virgin exposing her breast to her Son on the Day of >Judgement in an effort to convince him to have mercy upon humanity. This act >of Christ's mother works and his anger abates. This image was known on the >continent as Arnold Of Bonneval was one of the first to use it in the >twelfth century. Interestingly, however, it has a Pagan origin, being found >in the'Iliad' where Hecuba displays her breast to her son, Hector in an >effort to persuade him not to fight Achilles. It also appears in a similar >fashion in the hero tales of Gaelic Ireland. I am wondering whether you can >provide me with any more information as to its appearance in the art and/or >literature of medieval Europe. Thanking you, Salvador Ryan. >________________________________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com Phyllis G. Jestice [log in to unmask] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%