Middle Ages 11: The Pulsating Body -- The Medieval World View
Historiansplaining: A historian tells you why everything you know is wrong
The Fable of the Belly and the Hands and Feet
Fable by marie de france is based loosely on some ancient classical sources, but put into the kind of language and ideas of the middle ages. The hands and feet can't be strong and healthy unless they're getting food into the belly. And this is a metaphor also now, for the relationship between the social classes. No one can have honour who brings shame to his lord, nor can his lord have it either if he wishes to shame his people. If either one fails, the other, evil befalls them both. So there's a lot very pithily packed into this little fable that i'll read you today.
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