The Plague of Lust, Vol. 1 (of 2): Being a History of Venereal Disease in Classical AntiquityRosenbaum, Julius
History
The Plague of Lust, Vol. 1 (of 2): Being a History of Venereal Disease in Classical Antiquity
Rosenbaum, Julius
Sexually transmitted diseases -- History
[107] Yet this would appear to have been no serious loss, for the
disease was quite able indeed to weaken the power of the Jews, but
not to actually destroy it. So Balaam says in _Josephus_ (loco
cit. § 6.): Hebraeorum quidem genus nunquam funditus peribit, nec
bello, nec _peste_, nec inopia terrae fructuum, nec alio casu
inopinato delebitur.—In mala autem nonnulla et calamitates ad breve
tempus incident; a quibus licet deprimi humique affligi videantur,
postea tamen reflorescent, cum eos timere coeperint qui damna illis
intulerant. (The nation of the Hebrews in fact will never utterly
perish, and can be destroyed neither by war, nor _plague_, nor famine
of the fruits of the earth, nor any other unlooked for disaster.—They
will fall however for a brief space into sundry ills and calamities;
whereby they may well seem to be broken down and brought to the earth.
But they will flourish again, when once they have learned to fear the
enemies that brought the disasters upon them). It was in order to bring
about this consummation that Balaam gave his advice just cited.
[108] In fact Moses gives direct permission to captives to wed.
_Deuteronomy_ 21. vv. 11-13., “... and seest among the captives a
beautiful woman, and thou hast a desire unto her, and wouldest take
her to thee to wife; then thou shalt bring her home to thine house,
... after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and
she shall be thy wife.” Comp. besides _Ruth_, Ch. 1. v. 4., Ch. 4. v.
13.—1 _Chronicles_, Ch. 2. v. 17.—1 _Kings_, Ch. 3. v. 1., Ch. 14. v.
21. Only after the exile was matrimonial connection with foreigners
forbidden. _Ezra_, Ch. 9. v. 2., Ch. 10. v. 3. _Nehemiah_, Ch. 13. v.
23. _Josephus_, Antiq. Jud., XI. 8. 2., XII. 4. 6., XVIII. 9. 5.
[109] Vita Mosis, (Life of Moses), Bk. I., Works Vol. II. p. 130.
[110] Ch. 5. v. 5., “... but all the people that were born in the
wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, they had not
circumcised.”.
[111] _J. Laurentius_, “De adulteriis et meretricibus
Tractatus,” (Treatise on Adultery and Courtesans), in _Gronovius’_
Thesaurus Antiq. Graecor. Vol. VIII. pp. 1403-16.—_G. Franck de
Franckenau_, “Disp. qua lupanaria sub verbo Hurenhäuser ex principiis
quoque medicis improbantur,” (Disputation wherein Brothels (under
the name “Hurenhäuser”—brothels) are condemned on medical as well
as other grounds), Heidelberg 1674. 4to., in the author’s Satirae
Medicae, (Medical Satires), pp. 528-549.—_J. A. Freudenberg_ (C. G.
Flittner) “Ueber Staats- und Privatbordelle, Kuppelei und Concubinat,
in moralisch-politischer Hinsicht, nebst einem Anhange über die
Organisirung der Bordelle der alten und neuen Zeiten,” (On Public and
Private Brothels, Procuration and Concubinage, in their moral and
political Aspects; together with an Appendix on the Organization of
Brothels in Ancient and Modern Times), Berlin 1796. 8vo. We have not
been in a position to make use of this book.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account