medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Dear Marjorie!
Sorry for being on this list quite rarely (too much business) and sorry
for producing rather unrespectful comments about famous abbots. As
regards A’s and B’s health habits, both men were too busy,
self-forgetting and austere for enjoying Brenda’s marvellous five
o’clock tea (biscuits incl.). One can find many hints for these
attitudes in their writings (A: HC, letters, B: letters and vitae).
William of St Thierry wrote (in the vita prima) that Bernard was rather
dyspeptic because he preferred to drink water and oil and to eat
uncooked bacon rind, and B wrote in his last letter to Arnold of
Bonneval wrote that he was vomiting all day and night (I suppose, from
stomach ulcer or cancer). That would have never happened to a
passionate tea drinker. But, as Christopher has pointed it out, in the
case of B, secret consumption of too much coffee (I add: and/or
whiskey) would be thinkable ;-)).
PV on his part was very anxious about his health: He had his private
doctor (Bartholomew, a capacity of Salerno), he avoided epidemics of
typhus in Cluny by choosing temporarily an eremitic life, he abhorred
any journey to the Holy See in summer, after having been infected by
malaria there etc etc. On visiting Brenda 5 o’clock tea, he would have
asked for hot herb tea (peppermint or so), because he also suffered
from severe COPD and he would have enjoyed the inhalation. I have
written some longer articles, containing informations about B’s, A’s
and PV’s health problems (in German), but I think this is a little out
of common interest and I can send it off-list, if you like it.
Greetings
Werner
PS: Welcome
to the new list member, Prof. Haseldine, whose
edition of the letters of Peter of Celle (I suppose, a former student
of Abelard) has
provided many precious informations for Abelardian resp. Heloisian
research (as
a sarcastic reply of PoC to a perditum of the abbess of the Paraclete,
both hitherto
unnoticed). Many thanks!
[log in to unmask]"
type="cite">
I am shocked, shocked that my two staunchest fellow Abelardophiles would say such things: ;-))
Werner, Just out of curiosity, where did you find info on Abelard's and Bernard's health habits?
MG
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