medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
When St. Martin (315? - 397?) divided his military cloak (cappa) and gave half to the
beggar at
the gate of Amiens, he wrapped the other half round his shoulders, thus making of
it a cape (capella). This cape, or its representative, was afterwards preserved as a
relic and accompanied the Frankish kings in their wars, and the tent which
sheltered it became known also as cappella or capella. In this tent Mass was
celebrated by the military chaplains (capellani)*. When at rest in the palace the
relic likewise gave its name to the oratory where it was kept, and subsequently
any oratory where Mass and Divine service were celebrated was called capella,
chapelle, chapel.The word is first found used in this sense by Marculfus (seventh
century), who gives the above etymology, an explanation which has been
generally accepted ever since, though Durandus ventures upon an alternative
derivation, to wit, capra, because the tent above mentioned was made of
goat-skins. Another, but improbable, derivation is cupella, a domical or
cup-shaped monument. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03574b.htm>
*A "capelan" is a chaplain in Provençal and a kind of fish
in French !
Better check etym. of : cloak, cloaca, cloaque | cape, capa, capo, capella, capello |
mantel, mantella, mantello, mantilla, manteau, etc., because according to the language
they're used in, they mean different types of clothes and even different things...
The Latin word "cappa" definitely means "capuche" or "capuchon" in French, "cappucino" in
Italian and "hood" in English. It definitely does not mean "cloak".
The Provençal word "capa" means "cape" in French (such as a musketeer's).
There seems to be a confusion between "capa" and "cappa".
Indeed Martin did cut his cloak in two and gave one half to the beggar because the other
half belonged to the Roman army (Martin was a Roman soldier, wasn't he ?), so he was
"fully" generous, so to speak. But this story understates "you may give only what you own"
which in a way can be considered a sideways comment on "give Cesar what belongs to
Cesar". Some people understand it as : "don't give away what belongs to Cesar", which may
mean "be respectful towards Cesar's goods" or "be generous as long as you respect your
Emperor", in other words : "Law and Order". A french saying that illustrates this kind of
"unfair" behavior (giving what you don't have, that is, being generous out of someone
else's goods) goes : " he ' ll undress Peter to dress up Paul ! ".
But what has Generosity got to do with Law and Order, one may ask ?
Fr@nk
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