medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Cate, et al.:
Drunkenness, not just the hangover, is accociated with the head.
I cannot resist sharing a wonderful comment Andrew of Saint Victor makes in his
commentary on 1 Sam. 1: 14, when the priest Heli suspects Anna of drunkenness
and tells her to sleep it off:
" Imperat ut dormitum eat quatinus naturali calore intrinsecus incluso
animalibus sopitis uirtutibus uini cruditas superabundantia cuius illam madidam
et superfusam estimabat facilius exquoqueretur et illa ab ebrietate
liberaretur. Cum enim nimii copia uini stomacus repletur, crudi poculi fumus de
stomacho ad caput ascendens cerebrum perturbat, membroque principali perturbato
cetera omnia turbantur. " (CCCM 53A, p. 10, l. 178-185.)
In other words: if you are drunk and go to sleep, the drunkenness is somehow
"cooked out". When there's too much drink in your belly, the alcoholic fumes of
the drink ascend to your head, and mess up your brain. And once the central
control center is out of order, the rest won't work either ... The best remedy
is to lie down (so the fumes don't get to your head) and sleep it off. It would
be tempting to ask if anyone else knows of medieval theories of drunkenness,
but that would straty too far from the topic of medieval religion. I don't want
to incur the wrath of George. I guess this one is OK because it's a Bible
commentary ... You can send it privately!
Frans van Liere
Department of History, Calvin College
1845 Knollcrest Circle SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://www.calvin.edu/academic/history/faculty/vanlieref/
>>> Catherine Gunn <[log in to unmask]> 02/27/07 12:04 PM >>>
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Dear colleagues
In a sermon to beguines by Nicholas de Gorran (from the collection of
sermons preached at the Paris beguinage in 1272-73 edited by Nicole Beriou)
Nicholas warns his listeners that they should not go to the tavern where
they will spend in an evening all they have earned in a week, drink too much
and 'occides caput tuum' - I'm guessing this means get a hangover?
(I'm not sure of the relevance of this advice to the beguines: the point of
the story is always to be aware of the consequences of your actions).
If anyone can help with the translation of this phrase, I would be grateful,
Cate
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