which William has a very learned dialogue with
Severino herbalist
Tracing the nave and walked out of the portal, which we had entered. I still had the words of Ubertino, all that buzzing in my head.
"And 'a man ... strange, "I made bold to say to William.
'E', or was, in many ways a great man. But this is strange. They are only petty men who seem normal. Ubertino could have become one of the heretics he helped burn, or a cardinal of the holy Roman church. It 'came very close to both perversions. When I talk to Ubertino I have the impression that hell is heaven looked the other way. "
I did not understand what he meant:" Which way? "I asked.
"Yeah," admitted William "The question is whether there are parties and if there is a whole. But do not listen to me. And stop looking at that doorway, "he said, striking lightly on the neck while I was turning, attracted by the sculptures that I saw the entrance. "For today you are scared enough. All. "
As I turned toward the exit, I saw before me another Monaco. He might have been the same age as William. He smiled and greeted us cordially. Severino said he was from Sant'Emmerano, herbalist and was the father, who had care of bathing, hospital, and the gardens, and that was put in our service if we wanted to better orient the enclosure of the abbey.
William thanked him and said he had already noticed on entering the beautiful garden, which seemed to contain not only edible, medicinal plants but also, as you could see through the snow.
"In summer or spring, with its variety of herbs, each adorned with its flowers, this garden sings the praises of the Creator better," said Severino at mo 'apology. "But even in this season's eye sees through the dead wood plants that will and can tell you that this is richer than it ever was a herbarium, and more colorful, beautiful as thumbnails that. And even in winter herbs grow best, and I preserve others gathered and ready in the pots in my laboratory. So with the roots dell'acetosella you cure catarrh, and decoction of the roots of Althea make poultices for skin diseases, with the lappa you heal eczema, chopping and grinding the rhizome of historia they treat the diarrhea and some of the evils women, Lippi is a good digestive, the coltsfoot is good for coughs, and we have to digest the good gentian, and Glycyrrhiza, and juniper to make a good tea, elder tree with the bark as to make a decoction for liver The soap roots are macerated in cold water for catarrh, and valerian, which you surely know. "
" You have good and different herbs for different climates. How come? "
" On the one hand I owe to the mercy Lord's, which put our plateau astride a chain saw to the south, the sea, and receives the warm winds, and the highest mountain in the north of which receives the wild balsams. And, I owe it to one side of the art, which I shamefully acquired by the will of my masters. Some plants grow in harsh climates if you take care of the surrounding soil, and nourishment, and growth. "
" But you also have good plants just to eat? "I asked.
"My young foal is hungry, there are good plants for food that are not even care, if taken in proper proportions. Only excess makes them cause disease. Get the pumpkin. It 'kind of cold, wet and alleviates thirst, but failed to eat it gives you diarrhea and you have to restrict your insides with a mixture of brine and mustard. And onions? Hot and humid, few enhance sexual intercourse, of course, for those who have not delivered our votes, you too dan van heaviness of the head and fought with milk and vinegar. Good reason, "he added slyly," because a young monaco and eat more sparingly. Eat garlic instead. Warm and dry, is good against poison. But do not overdo it, sent off too many moods from the brain. The beans instead of producing urine and fat, two very good things. But give bad dreams. Much less, however, certain other herbs, because there are some that cause poor vision. "
" What? " I asked.
"Eh, eh, our novice wants to know too. These are things you need to know only the herbalist, otherwise any thoughtless could go about distributing visions, or to lie with the herbs. "
" But a bit of nettle, "William said then," or roybra or olieribus, and is protected against the visions. I hope you have some of this good grass. "
Severino looked sideways at the teacher:" Are you interested in herbal medicine? "
" Very little, "William said modestly," I was once in the hands of the Theatrum Sanitatis Ububchasym de Baldach. .. "
" to Muchtar ibn Abul Asan Botlan. "
"O Ellucasim Elimittar as you want. I wonder if he can find a copy here. "
" And the most beautiful, with lots of pictures of precious workmanship. "
" Praise be to heaven. And De herbarum virtues of Platearius? "
" Even that, and the De PLANTIS and De vegetalibus of Aristotle translated by Alfred Sareshel. "
" I heard that it is not really of Aristotle, "William said," not as Aristotle was, it turned out, the De causis. "
" In any case it is a great book, "said Severino, my teacher and I agreed with much fervor without checking if the herbalist speaking of De vegetalibus or the De causis, two works that do not know but concluded that the conversation be both very large.
"I am happy," Severino concluded, "to have some honest conversation with you about herbs."
"I more than you," William said, "but not violate the rule of silence, which I think rules are in force in your order?"
"The rule," Severino said, "has adapted over the centuries to the needs of different communities. The rule provided for the lectio divina but not study, and yet you know that our order has developed research on divine and human things. Still, the rule is a common dormitory, but sometimes it is just as We, the monks have opportunities for reflection during the night, and so each has his own cell. The rule is very strict about the silence, and with us, not only the Monaco who performs manual labor but also those who write or read must not converse with his brothers. But the abbey is first and foremost a community of scholars and it is often useful for monks to exchange the accumulated treasures of their learning. Any conversation regarding our studies is considered legitimate and profitable, provided that no place in the refectory or during the hours of the holy offices. "
" Have you had occasion to talk with Adelmo Otranto, "he asked abruptly William.
Severino did not seem surprised "I see that the abbot has already spoken to you," he said. "No. With him I do not entertain often. He spent his time illuminating. I've heard sometimes talking with other monks, Venanzio Salvemec, or Jorge of Burgos, the nature of his work. And then I do not spend the day in the scriptorium, but in my laboratory, "and he pointed to the building of the hospital.
"I understand," William said. "So you do not know whether Adelmo had visions."
"Visions?"
"Like those that bring your herbs, for example." Severino
stiffened: "I said that I keep carefully herbs dangerous."
" I say this, " William hastened to clarify. "I was speaking of visions in general."
"I do not understand," insisted Severino.
"I thought that Monaco, which is around at night to the building, where admission to the Abbot things can happen ... terrible to those who enter in forbidden hours, well, I said, thinking he might have had diabolical visions that drove him to the precipice. "
" I said I do not go to the scriptorium, except when I need some book, but I usually have I keep my herbals in the hospital. I said, Adelmo was very familiar with Jorge Venancio of e. .. of course, Berengar. "
I felt myself a slight hesitation in the voice of Severino. Neither escaped to my teacher: "Berengar? Why of course? "
" Berengar of Arundel, the assistant librarian. They were contemporaries, were novices together, it was normal to have things to talk about. That is what I say. "
" This, then, did you mean, "said William. And to my surprise he did not pursue that point. In fact, immediately changed the subject. "But perhaps it is time that we enter the building. Will you be driving? "
" With pleasure, "Severino said with relief all too evident. He led us along the garden and brought us in front of the building's western facade.
"On the side of the garden there is a portal that gives rise the kitchen, "he said," but the kitchen occupies only the western half of the first floor in the second half there is the refectory. And the south entrance, which can be reached from behind the choir of the church, there are two other doors that go to the kitchen and the refectory. But we can go in here, because we can then go from the kitchen to the refectory. "
As I entered the vast kitchen, I noticed that the building generates internally, and to his full height, an octagonal court, including how after it was a sort of large pit, without access, which opened up a large windows on each floor, like the ones on the outside. The kitchen was a huge hall filled with smoke, where it already many servants were busy preparing the food for supper. On a large table, two of them were making a mess of vegetables, barley, oats and rye, chopping turnips, watercress, radishes and carrots. Nearby, another cook had just finished cooking some fish in a mixture of wine and water, and was covering them with a sauce of sage, parsley, thyme, garlic, pepper and salt.
In the west tower opened a huge bread oven already flashing with reddish flames. In the south tower, a huge fireplace, where pots were boiling and spits were turning. From behind the door that opened onto the church at that time entered the swineherds carrying the meat of slaughtered pigs. We went out through the door and found ourselves in the in the eastern end of the plateau, near the walls where there were many buildings. Severino explained that the first was the series of folds, then stood the stables, then those of cattle, and chicken coops, and the covered yard of the sheep. In front of the pens in a large jar swineherds stirred the blood of freshly slaughtered pigs, to keep it from coagulating. If it was stirred well and then immediately had resisted the coming days, thanks to the harsh climate, and then they would make blood sausage.
enter the building and threw a glance at the dining hall as soon as we crossed it, heading toward the east tower. Of the two towers, which widened the refectory, the northern one housed a fireplace, the other a ladder-shaped spiral that led to the scriptorium, the second floor. From there, the monks went to work each day, or two steps, the less comfortable but well heated, which rose in spirals around the fireplace and the kitchen oven.
William asked if we would find someone in the scriptorium even though it was Sunday. Severino smiled and said that the work for the Monaco Benedictine, is prayer. Sundays the office lasted longer, but the monks involved the books went up there too few hours, usually used in fruit trade in scholarly comments, tips, reflections on scripture.
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