Balderdash for the Medieval Gay #7

(a compendium of queer words for the modern fag with a passion for the Middle Ages added hebdomadally on the Sabbath day)

7.) Ambergris
-noun singular

a.) A waxy grayish substance formed in the intestines of sperm whales and found floating at sea or washed ashore. It is added to perfumes to slow down the rate of evaporation.*

[Origin: Middle English, from Old French ambre gris : ambre, amber; see amber + gris, gray; see grisaille.]

Ambergris has been mostly known for its use in creating perfume and fragrance much like musk. The ancient Chinese called the substance dragon’s spittle fragrance. Also, ancient Egyptians used burned ambergis as incense. During the period of The Black Death in Europe, people believed that carrying a ball of ambergris could help prevent them from getting the plague. This was because the fragrance covered the smell of the air which was believed to be the cause of plague.
This substance has also been used historically as a flavoring for food. As such, the favourite dish of King Charles II of England is said to have been eggs and ambergris. Middle Easterners have also used it as a spice for food and drinks. Ambergris has also been considered to contain medicinal properties. Middle Easterners have used it to increase strength and virility and to treat heart and brain disease. It was also considered an aphrodisiac. In the medieval period Europeans often used ambergris as a medication for headaches, colds, epilepsy, and other ailments.

*Surely this shit is gay. Anything once used as an aphrodisiac whose definition mentions sperm, perfume, and intestines in the same sentence has got to be of interest to our tribe somehow, right?

Balderdash for the Medieval Gay #6

(a compendium of queer words for the modern fag with a passion for the Middle Ages added hebdomadally on the Sabbath day)

6.) Catamite
-noun singular

a.) The younger partner in pederastic relationships between two males which were popular arrangements in the ancient world, especially ancient Rome.

b.) A boy who has a sexual relationship with a man.

[Origin: Latin catamītus, from Catamītus, Ganymede, borrowed from the Etruscan Catmite, a corruption of the Greek Ganumēdēs.*]

*Ganymedes was the famous youth who was seduced by Zeus in the form of an eagle and became his beloved and cup-bearer in Greek mythology. Robert Graves in his work The Greek Myths offers the etymological hybrid ganyesthai + medea (meaning “rejoicing in virility”) as a possible origin. One of the moons of the planet Jupiter is named after him. A fine example of one of our clan who has gained celestial immortality.

Balderdash for the Medieval Gay #5

(a compendium of queer words for the modern fag with a passion for the Middle Ages added hebdomadally on the Sabbath day)

5.) Discalced
-adjective

a.) Barefoot or wearing sandals. Used of certain religious orders.*

[Origin: From Latin discalcetus : dis-, dis- + calcetus, shod (from calceus, shoe, from calx, calc-, heel).]

This term applied to those religious congregations of men and women, the members of which go entirely unshod or wear sandals, with or without other covering for the feet. These congregations are often distinguished of this account from other branches of the same order. The custom of going unshod was introduced into the West by Saint Francis of Assissi for men and Saint Clare for women. After the various modifications of theRule of Saint Francis, the Observantines adhered to the primitative custom of going unshod, and in this they were followed by the Minims and Capuchins. The Discalced Franciscans or Alcantarines, who prior to 1897 formed a distinct branch of the Franciscan Order went without footwear of any kind. The followers of Saint Clare at first went barefoot, but later came to wear sandals. The Colettines and Capuchin Sisters also returned to the use of sandals. In addition, sandals were eventually adopted by the Camaldolese monks of the Congregation of Monte Corona (1522), the Maronite Catholic monks, the Poor Hermits of Saint Jerome of the Congregation of Blessed Peter of Pisa, theAugustinians of Thomas of Jesus (1532), the Barefooted Servites (1593), the Discalced Carmelites (1568), the Feuillants (Cistercians, 1575), Trinitarians (1594), Mercedarians (1604), and the Passionists.

An interesting article entitled Dark Night of the Soul interpreting a famous homoerotic poem by the discalced Saint John of the Cross was written by Toby Johnson for the May 2000 issue of Genre magazine.

*Working in the contemporary dance community engenders my own sort of queer discalced order which, not unlike the orders of old, spends a good deal of time unshod and generally maintaining the tenet of voluntarily embracing a life of poverty in which love of the spiritual practice trumps the life of wealth and worldly possessions. Let me see those feet, ladies!

Balderdash for the Medieval Gay #4

(a compendium of queer words for the modern fag with a passion for the Middle Ages added hebdomadally on the Sabbath day)

4.) Elflock
-noun singular

a.) A lock of hair matted, twisted, or tangled as if by elves.*

[Origin: AS. ælf, ylf; akin to German alp nightmare, incubus, Icelandic ālfr elf, Sw. alf, elfva; cf. Sanskrit ṛbhu skillful, artful, rabh to grasp. Cf., combined with AS. locc; akin to Danish lok, German locke, Icelandic lokkr, and perhaps to Greek � to bend, twist.]

Of additional interest are elf-arrows (triangular flint arrowheads or Belemnites which are found in many countries, but most notably in the British Isles) also known as elf bolts, elf darts, and elf shots (so called by the English rural folk who often find these objects of prehistoric make in their fields and formerly attributed them to fairies). It was believed that these stones were arrows shot by the elves, which proved fatal to cattle, the cure being to touch them with the arrow with which they have been hit, and give them to drink of water in which the arrow has been dipped. It is even on record that an Irish bishop was thus shot at by an evil spirit; and it is said that they are manufactured by the Devil with the help of attendant imps who roughhew them, while the Archfiend finishes the work. Cases are on record where they have been known to be made and used by the witches of Scotland within historic times. Similar super­stitions regarding these remnants of the stone age prevail in Italy, Africa, and Turkey.

*Elflocks (most often discovered upon waking in the morning) are obviously the archaic source of what we call “a bad hair day” in contemporary jargon.

Balderdash for the Medieval Gay #3

(a compendium of queer words for the modern fag with a passion for the Middle Ages added hebdomadally on the Sabbath day)

3.) Kerasine
-adjective

a.) Resembling horn; corneous; horny.*

[Origin: Greek ke'ras; horn]

*In the name of Pan, Cernunnos, Herne, Actaeon, and all the rowdy satyrs and centaurs, aren’t we all?