medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Not medieval, I know, but Greek plasmatae are a good source for exotic Asiatic beasts. In his Aethiopica, Heliodorus (Mid-late C.4th) mentions the belief that Elephants gestate their young for ten years (!). H says that the reason their breath can cure the sick is because of the sweet spices they eat in India. I'll write more on the subject, if anyone is still interested when I am re-united with my books next week, including references.
Graham Mallaghan (lurker and occasional contributer).
>From: Angus Graham <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: [M-R] Attributes of elephants
>Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 16:35:48 +0400
>
>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
>Dear all
>
>I apologise that I find myself some few hundred miles away from standard
>bestiaries. Can anyone, I wonder, tell me of the attributes of
>heffalumps? Cassiodorus tells us that their breath is a cure for
>headaches (X.30?) -- quite understandably so too: were I close enough to
>have one breathe on me, I'd doubtless quickly forget about head pain.
>
>I find myself, of-a-sudden, corresponding with a Norwegian novelist who
>is writing his current novel about a Norwegian chap who owns a barn in
>which a Russian circus has stabled its elephants. The circus goes bust,
>and the only clues the barn-owner has as to elephant-maintenance are
>provided in a copy of the Variae left to him by his father. Needless to
>say, the novel will end sadly.
>
>What else, pray, do we know about heffalumps? I will assure all of you
>that any offers will in no way be claimed as mine. I am cheerfully
>ignorant of such things, and am happy to bow before the
>heffalump-experts this list is doubtless populated by.
>
>Bemusedly
>
>Angus, Oman
>
>**********************************************************************
>To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
>to: [log in to unmask]
>To send a message to the list, address it to:
>[log in to unmask]
>To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
>to: [log in to unmask]
>In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
>[log in to unmask]
>For further information, visit our web site:
>http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
Graham Mallaghan
Department of Classics and Archaeology
Darwin College
University of Kent at Canterbury
CT2 2NZ
Webmail: [log in to unmask]
Email: [log in to unmask]
Orangemail (wap): [log in to unmask]
Mobile: 0044 7890 736117
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
