Apropos of the Hell Mouth:
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the wonderful book by Jerome Baschet,
*Les justices de l'au-dela: Les representations de l'enfer en France et en
Italie (XIIe -XVe Siecle).* Ecole Francaise de Rome, 1993. The text is
quite wonderful, with exhaustive discussion of all kinds of Hell imagery,
including devouring images. For those who don't read French, the plates in
the back supply many examples of Hell Mouths that may be useful aside from
the text.
--Nancy Caciola
History, UC-San Diego
At 12:58 PM 1/8/01 +0000, you wrote:
>Images of a bridge of swords turn up fairly frequently
>in mythic imagery. I can't immediately find the book,
>but a commentary on the text did suggest that the
>'brig of dread' was such a structure. When I find the
>book (I suspect I know who I lent it to) I'll post a
>full reference.
>Incidentally, since posting the original text I've
>come across a dating of 18th century! That does seem a
>little late to me. Does anyone else have any comments
>on this one?
>
>Rob
>
>--- "M. Paul Bryant-Quinn" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >
>Dear Rob -
> >
> > It's good to see the text of the Lyke-Wake Dirge!
> >
> > *Brig* is certainly `bridge' in some northern
> > dialects (see OED s.v.) - my
> > father, now in his late seventies, pronounces the
> > word that way still. But
> > *dread* as an allusion to `swords' is unknown to me.
> >
> > Best wishes,
> >
> > Paul
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
> > culture
> > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf
> > Of Rob Durk
> > Sent: 05 January 2001 13:58
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: The "Hell Mouth" in medieval art &
> > architecture.
> >
> >
> > If I may contribute a little something...
> > I've never seen a date for this lyric from
> > Yorkshire,
> > but it provides an interesting set of images of a
> > journey through the afterlife helped or hindered by
> > how your days were lived out.
> > The 'brig of dread' I have seen interpreted as an
> > allusion to a bridge of swords. Anyone else?
> >
> > A Lyke-Wake Dirge
> >
> > This ae nighte, this ae nighte,
> > -- Every nighte and alle,
> > Fire and fleet and candle-lighte,
> > And Christe receive thy saule.
> >
> > When thou from hence away art past,
> > -- Every nighte and alle,
> > To Whinny-Muir thou com'st at last;
> > And Christe receive thy saule.
> >
> > If ever thou gavest hosen and shoon,
> > -- Every nighte and alle,
> > Sit thee down and put them on;
> > And Christe receive thy saule.
> >
> > If hosen and shoon thou ne'er gav'st nane
> > -- Every nighte and alle,
> > The whinnes sall prick thee to the bare bane;
> > And Christe receive thy saule.
> >
> > From Whinny-muir when thou mayst pass,
> > -- Every nighte and alle,
> > To Brig o' Dread thou com'st at last;
> > And Christe receive thy saule.
> >
> > From Brig o' Dread when thou mayst pass,
> > -- Every nighte and alle,
> > To Purgatory fire thou com'st at last;
> > And Christe receive thy saule.
> >
> > If ever thou gavest meat or drink,
> > -- Every nighte and alle,
> > The fire sall never make thee shrink;
> > And Christe receive thy saule.
> >
> > If meat or drink thou ne'er gav'st nane,
> > -- Every nighte and alle,
> > The fire will burn thee to the bare bane;
> > And Christe receive thy saule.
> >
> > This ae nighte, this ae nighte,
> > -- Every nighte and alle,
> > Fire and fleet and candle-lighte,
> > And Christe receive thy saule.
> >
> >
> >
>____________________________________________________________
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at
> > http://mail.yahoo.co.uk
> > or your free @yahoo.ie address at
>http://mail.yahoo.ie
>
>
>____________________________________________________________
>Do You Yahoo!?
>Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk
>or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie
|