Samuel Peterson’s Reviews > A Day in a Medieval City > Status Update

"'Countess of Civillari is a very great lady, for there are few homes in the world in which she does not have some jurisdiction whenever she is in the vicinity, she makes her presence smelled, even though she usually stays aloof; but it was not long ago that she passed by your door one night on her way to the Arno to wash her feet and to take a breath of fresh air; but her usual residence is in the town of Laterina."

"He let's himself be convinced that he is beloved of, and awaited by, the 'countess of Civillari, who was the most beautiful thing to be found in the entire culattario [the whole range of rumps or bottoms] of the human race.'" LMAO! I will remember that word, and I will certainly look up this source of where these jokes come from!

"'And just how these lady weavers work their treadles and pull your loom reeds for you nice and tight right up to themselves to produce fine close fabric I leave to your imagination.'" OMG! I can't even! Lol!

"The two painters make Simone believe that they belong to a group that 'goes on expeditions' at night, meaning that through magic arts its members enjoy splendid banquets and the company of the most beautiful women, whose chambers, with their marvelous beds, Bruno describes as 'like Paradise, and they are as fragrant as the spice cars in your shop when you're pounding your cumin.'" LMAO! What a phrase!

I love that the concept of mice fighting cats from castles and both armed with weapons like swords, bows, and shields have been around since the 1100s.

Well, at least they got the wearing of gloves and long robes correct while being a doctor.

Deep analysis of the human body was not common knowledge among "doctors" or physicians in the Medieval Era. So, ailments and illnesses were diagnosed with the usage of old language that is more metaphorical and flowery than anything holding truth, or rather, what we know to be true. Ancient knowledge of how to prevent illnesses and create remedies was largely forgotten.

I'm seeing a lot of references to "serpent-tailed gowns" that women wear. Was this a new fashion trend or something?

We like to see that the paintings of Hell from the Medieval Era was just an over-active imagination, but the painters were actually depicting reality for the most part. It's absolutely insane how tormentous and violent this era was. Back then it was public viewing to watch torture happen on a criminal. Nowadays, we still do it, but it is kept out of the public eye. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Although, in this version of the smith's story, the devil came to the smith in disguise as a maiden to torment him. The smith eventually had enough and used burning hot tongs to clamp on her nose to drive the devil away. Eh, I prefer the Norwegian version. The smith uses cleverness to get the better of the devil.