Ethical and poetical pharmacologies from medieval Spain

Eleazar Gutwirth*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

The departure point is a section in Shlomoh ben Reuven Bonafed's literary cycle of the fifteenth century. It is a case of Hebrew satire against the apothecary Benjamin and his "simples". It may be better understood if seen within the traditions and contexts in which it was constructed. This leads us to examine the relations between poetry, pharmacology, ethics and history. As he is referring to a real Saragossan fifteenth century pharmacist, he raises the historical question of Hispano-Jewish engagement in this profession in medieval Spain. His social critique recalls the medieval connection between ethics and pharmacology. Bonafed's search for pharmacological terms, the analysis of herb names and the awareness of affinities amongst signifiers precede, naturally, that poetic "end-result", the decorous attack in the name of ethics.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)477-502
Number of pages26
JournalRevue des Etudes Juives
Volume170
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2011

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