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Week 8: Physiologus.

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Genesis 30: Mandrakes

Here is an excerpt from Genesis 30, in which the mandragora plays an important role. Jacob (later Israel) has two wives: Rachel, and Leah. Rachel and Leah are sisters, the daughters of Laban. Jacob loves Rachel more, but she is unable to have children. Leah has born several children to Jacob already, and Ruben is one of her sons. Ruben finds some mandrake roots in the field, and Rachel very much wants to have those mandrake roots for herself: after reading the story of the elephant, you can probably guess why!

[Gen 30:14] egressus autem Ruben tempore messis triticeae in agro repperit mandragoras quos matri Liae detulit dixitque Rahel da mihi partem de mandragoris filii tui

[Gen 30:15] illa respondit parumne tibi videtur quod praeripueris maritum mihi nisi etiam mandragoras filii mei tuleris ait Rahel dormiat tecum hac nocte pro mandragoris filii tui

[Gen 30:16] redeuntique ad vesperam de agro Iacob egressa est in occursum Lia et ad me inquit intrabis quia mercede conduxi te pro mandragoris filii mei dormivit cum ea nocte illa

[Gen 30:17] et exaudivit Deus preces eius concepitque et peperit filium quintum

 

[Gen 30:14] In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Give me, I pray, some of your son's mandrakes."

[Gen 30:15] But she said to her, "Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes also?" Rachel said, "Then he may lie with you tonight for your son's mandrakes."

[Gen 30:16] When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him, and said, "You must come in to me; for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." So he lay with her that night.

[Gen 30:17] And God hearkened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son.

 


Modern Languages 4970 / MRS 4903: Medieval Latin. Spring 2003 Online Course at the University of Oklahoma. Visit http://www.ou.edu/online/ for more info.
Laura Gibbs, University of Oklahoma - Information Technology © 2003.  laura-gibbs@ou.edu. Last updated: December 29, 2002 7:12 PM