In Notker’s Rachel sequence, Rachel weeps for her loss of Joseph / the massacre of innocents – boys / Jesus, in part with concern for the stupid brothers. … Read the post holy mother Rachel weeping for the massacre of innocents: boys
Hrabanus’s In honorem sanctae crucis depicts in carmen figuratum Hebrew scripture’s seminal blessing: men can make children as numerous as stars of heaven. … Read the post men’s blessing of seminal creativity as numerous as stars of Heaven
Cena Cypriani is an ancient comic biblical work that circulated widely in medieval Europe. Regarding Lot’s daughters raping him, it’s now relevant again! … Read the post did Lot support daughters who raped him? Cena Cypriani rewritten
Medieval men’s prayers acknowledge that their concubines rule over them, yet both Cicero & Ecclesiastes urged men not to be subservient to wives / women. … Read the post Cicero & Ecclesiastes against concubines dominating men
A woman caught in adultery goes free; a monk, castrated. This penal gender bias pervasive throughout history echoes in a medieval biblical cento. … Read the post medieval monk castrated for adultery; husband doesn’t punish wife
Risus paschalis is for Easter & Christmas. Abraham laughed before God; Sarah concealed laughter. They begot Isaac, figure of Jesus, who lived comic love. … Read the post risus paschalis for Christmas: laughing with Sarah, begetter of Isaac
Dante put troubadour / bishop Folquet de Marseille (Folco) in paradise’s third sphere of Venus & lovers. Rahab the prostitute was the brightest star there. … Read the post Dante’s Folquet de Marseille praised Rahab in paradise
Jephthah’s daughter sought to be more honored than Isaac, son of Abraham. She thus urged her father to kill her, telling him to be a man and help women. … Read the post Jephthah’s daughter sought bigger name than Abraham’s son Isaac
In the Satyricon, Proselenos & Oenothea sought to cure Encolpius’s impotence. They mocked Jesus without his selfless love and healing success. … Read the post curing Encolpius’s impotence: Proselenos & Oenothea unlike Jesus
The prophet Isaiah’s story of Ahaz and Luke’s story of the persistent widow are great biblical literature for celebrating every Christmas. … Read the post listening to God & persistent asking: don’t under-interpret the Bible