Dear Mr. Diffley,
Onions were sometimes thought to be abortifacients in antiquity,
according to John M. Riddle, _Contraception and Abortion from the Ancient
World to the Renaissance_ (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1992).
Whether this idea was still current in Boccaccio's time I do not know.
JAB
At 05:12 PM 1/21/97 +0000, [log in to unmask] wrote:
>Here is a plea for our help from Paul Diffley, from the depths of
>Devon. Who can give him a hand? I shall forward replies to him.
>George
>
>* * * * * * * * * * *
>Dear colleagues,
>
>I have been advised to try the following query on the Medieval-
>Religion list. It was first sent to the italian-studies list, as you
>will see. Any help from you would be much appreciated. Best wishes,
>Paul Diffley
>
>Forwarded Message:
>From: Paul Diffley <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 22:54:37 GMT
>Subject: ONIONS
>To: [log in to unmask]
>
>Dear Colleagues,
>
>Does anyone have any information on the significance (symbolic or
>medicinal or religious or herbal, or otherwise) of onions (cipolle)
>in the time up to and of Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-75)? I am working
>on the Fra Cipolla story from Decameron and would much appreciate
>absolutely any hints or clues from the growing number of
>medievalists on our list.
>
>I'll keep you informed of my progress, and acknowledge any helpful
>in the proper way. Thanks in advance.
>
>Paul Diffley (e-mail [log in to unmask])
>Professor of Italian, Exeter University, UK.
>* * * * * * * * * * *
>
>George Ferzoco // [log in to unmask]
>
James A. Brundage
History & Law
University of Kansas
[log in to unmask]
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