Curiosities of Olden TimesBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Curiosities of Olden Times
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Curiosities and wonders
This observation did not fall to the ground; it was repeated by Gratian de
Drusac in his _Controversies des Sexes Masculin et Féminin_, 1538. The
learned in medieval times did not spare women. Jean Nevisan, professor of
law at Turin, who died in 1540, is harder still on them in his _Sylva
Nuptialis_. Therein he audaciously asserts that woman was formed by the
Author of Good till the head had to be made, and _that_ was a production
of the great enemy of mankind. “Permisit Deus illud facere dæmonio.”
But the Rabbis are equally unsparing. They assert that when Eve had to be
drawn from the side of Adam she was not extracted by the head, lest she
should be vain; nor by the eyes, lest they should be wanton; nor by the
mouth, lest she should be given to tittle-tattle; nor by the ears, lest
she should be inquisitive; nor by the hands, lest she should be
meddlesome; nor by the feet, lest she should be a gadabout; nor by the
heart, lest she should be jealous; but she was drawn forth by the side;
yet, notwithstanding these precautions, she has every fault specially
guarded against, because, being extracted sideways, she was perverse.
Another Rabbinical gloss on the text of Moses asserts that Adam was
created double; that he and Eve were made back to back, united at the
shoulders, and that they were severed with a hatchet. Eugubinus says that
their bodies were united at the side.
Antoinette Bourignon, that extraordinary mystic of the seventeenth
century, had some strange visions of the primeval man and the birth of
Eve. The body of Adam, she says, was more pure, translucent, and
transparent than crystal, light and buoyant as air. In it were vessels and
streams of light, which entered and exuded through the pores. The vessels
were charged with liquors of various colours of intense brilliancy and
transparency; some of these fluids were water, milk, wine, fire, etc.
Every motion of Adam’s body produced ineffable harmonies. Every creature
obeyed him; nothing could resist or injure him. He was taller than men of
this time; his hair was short, curled, and approaching to black. He had a
little down on his lower lip. In his stomach was a clear fluid, like water
in a crystal bowl, in which tiny eggs developed themselves, like bubbles
in wine, as he glowed with the ardour of Divine charity; and when he
strongly desired that others should unite with him in the work of praise,
he deposited one of these eggs, which hatched, and from it emerged his
consort, Eve.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account