(Metamorphoses of the Golden Ass), and who lived in the 2nd century,
under the Antonines, having married a rich widow, was accused by her
father Æmilian, before Claudius Maximus, pro-Consul of Asia, of having
employed sorcery and charms in order to gain her affections (a parallel
case with that of Shakspear's Othello). The love-potions alleged to have
been administered were asserted to be chiefly composed of shell-fish,
lobsters, sea hedge-hogs, spiced oysters, and cuttle-fish, the last of
which was particularly famed for its stimulating qualities. Appuleius
fulley exonerated himself in his admirable _Apologia ceu oratio de
Magica_, so esteemed for the purity of its style as to have been
pronounced by Saint Augustine (De Civitate Dei, lib. xviii. c. 20) as
_copiosissima et disertissima oratio_. The reason adduced by Æmilian for
believing that Appuleius had chiefly used fish for the purpose was, that
they must necessarily have great efficacy in exciting women to venery,
inasmuch as Venus herself was born of the sea.
Venette[118] supports this view when he says:
"Nous avons l'expérience en France que ceux qui ne vivent
presque que de coquillages et de poissons qui ne sont que de
l'eau rassemblée, sont plus ardents à l'amour que les
autres, en effet, nous nous y sentons bien plus y portés _en
Caresme qu'en tout autre saison parce-qu'en ce temps là nous
ne nous nourrissons que de poissons et d'herbes qui sont
des aliments composés de beaucoup d'eau._"
Should this be true, the Infallible (?) Church must have committed an
astounding blunder in thinking to mortify, for six weeks, the sinful
lusts and affections of its dupes, by confining them, for the above
period, to the exclusive use of such articles of food.
There are also some aliments which, although not included in the class
of analeptics, are, nevertheless, reported to possess specific
aphrodisiacal qualities; such are fish, truffles, and chocolate.
The following anecdote relative to this property in fish is related by
Hecquet:[119]
"Sultan Saladin, wishing to ascertain the extent of the
continence of the dervishes, took two of them into his
palace, and, during a certain space of time, had them fed
upon the most succulent food. In a short time all traces of
their self-inflicted severities were effaced, and their
_embonpoint_ began to re-appear.
"In this state he gave them two Odalisques[120] of
surpassing beauty, but all whose blandishments and
allurements proved ineffectual, for the two holy men came
forth from the ordeal as pure as the diamond of
Bejapore.[121]
"The Sultan still kept them in his palace, and, to celebrate
their triumph, caused them to live upon a diet equally
_recherché_, but consisting entirely of fish. A few days
afterwards they were again subjected to the united powers of
youth and beauty, but this time nature was too strong, and
the too happy cenobites forgot, in the arms of
voluptuousness, their vows of continence and chastity."
This peculiar property in fish has been attributed to the presence of
phosphorus, which is known to exist somewhat plentifully in their
substance, and has also been discovered in their roes in a simple state
of combination. Now, phosphorus is one of the most powerful stimulants:
it acts upon the generative organism in a manner to cause the most
violent priapisms; but this principle does not act alone, and there must
also be taken into account the different seasonings and condiments which
form the basis of most culinary preparations to which fish are
subjected, and which are all taken from the class of irritants.
The prolific virtues of fish have, no doubt, been greatly exaggerated,
and it is certain that too much importance has been given to the
observation made (rather upon slight grounds) by travellers as to the
abundant population of ichthyophagic nations; nor would it be difficult
to adduce facts to prove to the incredulous that the continuous use of
fish excites lasciviousness in such persons only as are constitutionally
inclined thereto.
The following instances sufficiently establish the aphrodisiacal
qualities of phosphorus. A drake belonging to a chemist having drunk
water out of a copper vessel which had contained phosphorus, ceased not
gallanting his females till he died. An old man to whom a few drops only
of phosphoric ether had been administered, experienced repeated and
imperious venereal wants which he was compelled to satisfy. Leroy and
Battatz, two celebrated French physicians of the last century, tried the
effects of phosphorus upon themselves, with similar results. Sensations
of the same kind are said to be experienced by persons whose occupation
requires the frequent handling of this drug. It may thus be considered
as satisfactorily proved that the above substance is essentially an
energetic stimulant of the genital organs; but, should still further
evidence be required, it may be found in the fact that the
administration of it, even in small doses, has been productive of the
most horrible and fatal results, instances of which are recorded in many
medical works both foreign and English, but more particularly in those
of Brera, Magendie, and others.
The erotic properties of truffles and mushrooms are considered by most
writers as better established than those of fish. The ancient Romans
were well acquainted with truffles, and obtained them from Greece and
Africa, especially from the province of Libya, the fungi found there
being particularly esteemed for their delicacy and flavour. In modern
times, also, the truffle is regarded as the _diamond_ of the kitchen,
being highly valued for its capability of exciting the genesiac sense,
it being a positive aphrodisiac which disposes men to be exacting and
women complying.[122]
The following instance of its effects is given by Brillat Savarin,[123]
to whom the circumstances were communicated, in confidence, by the lady
who was the subject of them:
"Je soupai," says she, "un jour chez moi en trio avec mon
mari et un de ses amis dont le nom était V----. C'était un
beau garçon et ne manquant pas d'esprit et venait souvent
chez moi, mais il ne m'avait jamais rien dit qui put le
faire regarder comme mon amant, et s'il me fesait la cour,
c'était d'une manière si enveloppée qu'il n'y avait qu'une
sotte qui eut pû s'en fâcher. Il paraissait, ce jour là,
destiné á me tenir compagnie pendant le reste de la soirée,
car mon mari avait un rendezvous et devait nous quitter
bientôt. Notre souper avait pour base une petite volaill
truffée. Les truffes étaient délicieuses, et quoique je les
aime beaucoup, je me contins, nonobstant; je ne bus aussi
qu'un seul verre de Champagne, ayant quelque pressentiment
que la soirée ne se passerait pas sans évènement. Bientôt
mon mari partit et me laissa seule avec V---- qu'il
regardait comme tout à fait sans consequence. La
conversation roula d'abord sur des sujets indifférents, mais
elle ne tarda pas à prendre une tournure plus sérieuse et
plus intéressante. V---- fut successivement flatteur,
expansif, affectueux, caressant, et voyant que je ne faisais
que plaisanter de tant de belles choses, il devint si
pressant que je ne pus plus me tromper de ses prétensions.
Alors, je me reveillai comme d'une songe et me défendis avec
autant plus de franchise que mon cœur ne me disait rien
pour lui. Il persistait avec une action que pouvait devenir
tout à fait offensante; j'eus beaucoup de peine de la
remener, et j'avone, à ma honte, que toute espérance ne lui
serait pas interdite. Enfin, il me quitta, j'allai me
coucher et dormis tout d'un somme. Mais le lendemain fut le
jour du jugement; j'examinai ma conduite de la veille, et je
la trouvai repréhensible. J'aurais du arreter V---- dès les
premières phrases, et ne pas me prêter à une conversation
qui ne présageait rien de bon. Ma fierté aurait dû sonner,
crier, me fâcher, faire, enfin, tout ce que je ne fis pas.
Que vous dirai je, Monsieur, je mis tout cela sur le compte
des truffes, et je suis réelement persuadée qu'elles
m'avaient donne une prédisposition dangereuse, et si je n'y
renonce pas (ce qui eut été trop rigoureux) du moins je n'en
mange jamais sans que le plaisir qu'elles me causent ne soit
mêlé d'un peu de defiance."
The mushroom was also equally well known as the truffle to the ancient
Romans for its aphrodisiacal qualities. Thus, Martial says:
"Quum sit anus conjux et sint tibi mortua membra,
Nil aliud _bulbis_ quam sater esse potes."[124]
"If envious age relax the nuptial knot,
Thy food be mushrooms, and thy feast shalot."
This bulb was believed by the ancients to be so decided a stimulant,
that it was always served up, together with pepper and pine-nuts, at the
wedding dinner.
An immoderate use of chocolate was, in the 17th century, considered so
powerful an aphrodisiac that Jean Franco Raucher strenuously enforced
the necessity of forbidding the monks to drink it, adding that if such
an interdiction had been laid upon it at an earlier period, the scandal
with which that sacred order had been assailed would have been
prevented. It is a singular fact that, fearful of losing their
character, or, what, perhaps, was dearer to them, their chocolate, the
worthy cenobites were so diligent in suppressing Raucher's work that
four copies only of it are said to be in existence.
The history of the middle ages abounds with complaints of the lubricity,
gluttony, and drunkenness of the monks, vices which are described as
being their ruin, in the fallowing pithy distich:
"Sunt tria nigrorum quæ vestant res monachorum,
Renes et venter et pocula sumpta frequenter."[125]
"Three things to ruin monks combine--
Venery, gluttony, and wine."
A monk who was a great enemy to adultery, was one day preaching against
it, and grew so warm in his argument, and took so much pains to convince
his congregation of his own abhorrence of it, that at last he broke out
in the following solemn declaration:
"Yea, my brethren, I had rather, for the good of my soul,
have to do with ten maids every month, than, in ten years,
to touch one married woman!"
The celebrity they acquired in the field of Venus may readily be
imagined from a quatrain that was affixed in a conspicuous part of the
Church of St. Hyacinthe, and which runs thus:
"Femmes qui désirez de devenir enceinte
Addressez cy vos vœux au grand Saint Hyacinthe,
Et tout ce que pour vous le Saint ne pourra faire
_Les moines de céans pourront y satisfaire_.[126]
"You ladies who for pregnancy do wish
To great St. Hyacinthe your prayers apply,
And what his Saintship cannot accomplish
_The monks within will surely satisfy_."
It would have been well had these holy men been contented with these,
comparatively, venial indulgences. The following macaronic epigram,
however, shows that they were but too much addicted to the _Amour
Socratique_:
"Let a friar of some order tecum pernoctare
Either thy wife or thy daughter hic vult violare,
Or thy son he will prefer, sicut fortem fortis,
God give such a friar pain in Inferni portis."[127]
But the open violation of their monastic vows, especially that of
chastity, sometimes subjected monks to very severe punishment, a
singular instance of which is recorded by Thevet,[128] who, on account
of the inimitable quaintness of his language and style, must be allowed
to tell his own story:
"Phillippus Bourgoin, grād prieur de l'Abbaye de Cluny,
voyant l'insolence, riblerïes et putasseries que menoient
certains religieux de l'abbaye de Cluny les fist appeller
particulièrement, leur demonstra le tort qu'ilz se faisoient
et à la saincteté de leur ordre, et appercevant qu'ilz
continuoient leur train, en pleine voute ou assemblée,
qu'ils font en leur chapitre, leur denonça, pu'estāt en
son oratoire Sainct Hugues s'estoit apparu à luy, le
chargeant de leur fair entendre qu'ilz amendassent leur vie,
ou autremēt, qu'ilz tomberoient en son indignation,
les ayant en telle verdeure envoya querir des maistres
opérateurs sécretment en son logis et māda querir une
nuict tous les plus mauvais garçons de Moynes, les uns après
les autres, qui n'estaient plutôt entrez au logis du Prieur
qu'ō leur bādoit les yeux, et après _les maistres
leurs nettòiét bragardement_ leurs _petites boursettes_ de
ce qui les faisoit hennir après leurs voluptéz et après les
renvoiet en leurs chambres, _plus legiers de deux grains
qu'ilz n'etoiét auparavant, les ayant chappônez_. Après
telle exécution le bruict courut qu'ō avoit veu Sainct
Hugues se pourmêant près de l'enfermerie de l'abbaye, qui
fist croire aux pauvres Moynes hongres, que par adresse
autre qu'humaine, ils avoiêt _ainsi esté estropiez_ de leur
virilité."
To these poor monks may, however, be applied the sly remark of Hume,
upon a similar act of cruelty perpetuated, though for a far more
innocent cause, by Geoffry, the father of Henry II., upon the prior and
chapter of Seez in Normandy, viz., that "of the pain and danger they
might justly complain, yet, since they had vowed chastity, he deprived
them of a superfluous treasure."[129]
If the properties of ambergris be less potent than those of phosphorus,
they are certainly less fatal. According to Boswell,[130] three grains
of the former suffice to produce a marked acceleration of the pulse, a
considerable development of muscular strength, a greater activity in the
intellectual faculties, and a disposition to cheerfulness and venereal
desires. The same author also says that it is a medicine which can, for
a short time, restore an effete old man to juvenility.[131] The ancients
reposed great confidence in the virtues of this drug, employing it as a
renovator of the vital powers and of the organs, whose energy had been
exhausted by age or by excess; and throughout the East this perfume
still maintains a reputation for life-preserving qualities.
Madame Du Barry,[132] the infamous mistress of Louis XV., is reported to
have availed herself of its aphrodisiacal qualities in order to
stimulate the jaded appetites of her royal paramour. "L'attachement du
roi pour Madame Du Barry[133] lui est venu des efforts prodigieux
qu'elle lui fit faire au moyen d'un baptême (lavement) ambré dont elle
se parfuma intérieurement tous les jours. On ajoute qu'elle joignit à
cela un secret dont on ne se sert pas encore en bonne société."
Piquant as is this anecdote, the key to it is equally so. "Les mouches
cantarides, i diabolini l'essence de giroflée, les baptêmes ambrés,
etc., sont des inventions de notre siecle dont la débilité eut été
incurable sans ces secours, l'auteur ne peut rendre le _secret de la
mauvaise société_, dont se sert la Comtesse, sans blesser la bonne, tout
ce qu'il peut dire décemment est que ce secret est un diminutif des
erreurs philosophiques."[134]
The old pharmacopœia are amply furnished with formula of which
amber constitutes the base. These recipes are generally designated by
names which, to a certain extent, indicate the particular use to which
they are destined by their makers; thus, France formerly boasted her
"_Tablettes de Magnanimité_," or "_Electuaire Satyrion_," and "_Un
poudre de joie_." Troches, or odoriferous lozenges, to which the
ancients gave the pretty name of "_Avunculæ Cypriæ_," were, and perhaps
are still, sold in Paris under that of "_Seraglio Pastilles_." Ambergris
forms the basis of these, as it also does of the Indian pastilles called
"Cachunde," and which were equally in repute. Zactus Lusitanus[135]
states that they were composed of bole Tuccinum, musk, ambergris,
aloes-wood, red and yellow sanders (pterocarpus santalinus) mastic,
sweet-flag (calamus aromaticus) galanga, cinnamon, rhubarb, Indian
myrobalon, absynth, and of some pounded precious stones, which, however,
impart no additional quality to the composition. Speaking of this
composition, the Encyclopœdia Perthensis describes it as "a medicine
highly celebrated among the Chinese and Indians; it is composed of
ambergris and several other aromatic ingredients, perfumes, medicinal
earths, and precious stones. It imparts a sweetness to the breath, is a
valuable medicine in all nervous complaints, and is esteemed as a
prolonger of life and _an exciter to venery_."[136]
Rivière[137] gives us the following formula for a potion whose virtue is
indisputable. "Take of amber, half a drachm; musk, two scruples; aloes,
one drachm and a half; pound them all together, pour upon the mass a
sufficient quantity of spirits of wine so that the liquor may cover it
to the height of about five fingers' breadth; expose it to sand heat,
filter and distil it, close it hermetically, and administer it in broth
in the dose of three or five drops. This liquor is also advantageous
when mixed with syrup, prepared as follows:--Take of cinnamon water,
four ounces; orange and rose water, each six ounces, and sugar candy
q.s.
Musk taken internally is said by many physicians to be almost equal to
ambergris for its aphrodisiacal qualities. Externally applied, this
substance produces very singular phenomena. Borelli details the case of
a man "qui s'étant frotté le penis avec du musc avant de se livrer à
l'exercise des fonctions genitales, resta uni avec sa femme sans pouvoir
s'en séparer. Il fallait, dans cette position lui donner une quantité
de lavements afin de ramoller les parties qui s'étaient
extraordinairement tumifiées."[138] Diermerbreek and Schurigius gave
similar instances. The effects of musk are, therefore, almost equal to
those produced by certain plants, as recorded by Theophrastus: "Esse
herbas quæ vel ad _sexagesimum coitum_ vim præstant sed at demum
secernitur sanguis."[139] Weickard says that by means of this drug he
resuscitated the genital power in a man who had nearly completed his
eightieth year.
But, of all aphrodisiacs, the most certain and terrible in its effects
are cantharides, commonly known as Spanish flies. That they exercise a
powerful and energetic action upon the organization and stimulate, to
the utmost, the venereal desire, is but too true. The effects, however,
which these insects, when applied as a blister upon the skin, are known
to produce, are insignificant when compared with their intense action
upon the stomach when taken internally; nor is it the stomach only which
is affected by them: the bladder experiences an irritation exceeding
even that caused by the severest strangury. To these succeed perforation
of the stomach, ulcers throughout the entire length of the intestinal
canal, dysentery, and, lastly, death in the midst of intolerable
agonies. Medical works abound with observations concerning the fatal
effects of cantharides when unduly administered, whether from ignorance
or for exciting the venereal appetite. The two following cases are
recorded by Pabrol in his "Observations Anatomiques":
"En 1752 nous fumes visiter un pauvre homme d'Organ en
Provence atteint du plus horrible satyriasis qu'on saurait
voir et penser. Le fait est tel. Il avait les quartes, pour
en guérir prend conseil d'une sorcière, laquelle lui fait
une potion d'une once de semences d'orties, de deux drachmes
de cantharides, d'une drachme et demi de caboule et autres,
ce qui le rendit si furieux à l'acte vénérien que sa femme
nous jura son Dieu, _qu'il l'avait chevauchée, dans deux
mois, quatre vingt sept fois, sans y comprendre plus de dix
fois qu'il s'était_ corrompu lui-même. Dans le temps que
nous consultions, le pauvre homme spermatisa trois fois à
notre présence, embrassa le pied du lit, et agitant contre
lui comme si c'eust été sa femme. Ce spectacle nous étonn et
nous hâtâ à lui faire des remèdes pour abattre cette
furieusse chaleur, mais quel remède qu'on lui eust faire, se
passa-t-il le pas."
"Un médecin à Orange, nommé Chauvel avait été appellé en
1758 à Caderousse, petite ville proche de sa résidence, pour
voir un homme atteint d'une maladie du même genre. A
l'entrée de la maison il trouve la femme du dit malade,
laquelle se plaignit à lui de la furieuse lubricité de son
mari, _qui l'avait chevauchée quarante fois pour une nuit_,
et avait toutes les parties gonflées, étant contrainte les
lui montrer afin qu'il lui ordonnast les remèdes pour
abattre l'inflammation. Le mal du mari étant venu d'un
breuvage semblable à l'autre que lui fut donné par une femme
qui gardait l'hôpital, pour guérir la fièvre tierce qui
l'affligeoit, de laquelle il tomba dans une telle fureur
qu'il fallait l'attacher comme s'il eust été possédé du
diable. Le vicaire du lieu fut présent, pour l'exhorter à la
présence même du Sieur Chauvel, lesquels il priait le
laisser mourir avec le plaisir, les femmes le plièrent dans
un linsseuil mouillé en eau et en vinaigre, où il fut lassé
jusqu'au le lendemain qu'elles allaient le visiter, mais sa
furieuse chaleur fut bien abattue et eteinte, car elles le
trouvèrent roid mort, la bouche béante, montrant les dents,
et son membre gangréne."
Paré also relates that a courtezan, having sprinkled the meat given by
her to one of her lovers, with pounded cantharides, the wretched youth
was seized with a violent priapism and loss of blood at the anus, of
which he died.
Ferdinand the Catholic, of Castile, owed his death to the effects of a
philter administered to him by his queen, Germaine de Foix, in the hope
of enabling him to beget an heir to the crowns of Aragon, Navarre, and
Naples. "Plusieurs dames," says Mignot,[140] "attachées à la Reine, lui
indiquèrent un breuvage qu'il fallait, disoit on donner à Ferdinand pour
ranimer ses forces. Cette princese fit composer ce reméde, sous ses
yeux, et le présenta au roi qui désirait, plus qu'elle, d'avoir un fils.
Depuis ce jour, la santé de Ferdinand s'affaiblit, au point qu'il ne la
recouvra jamais."
The life of the celebrated Wallenstein, one of the heroes of the "Thirty
Years' war," was far a long time endangered from the effects of a potion
administered to him by his countess. "De retour dans sa patrie, il
(Wallenstein) sut inspirer une vive passion à une riche veuve de la
famille de Wiezkova, et eut l'adresse de se faire préféré à des rivaux
d'un rang plus élevé; mais cette union fut troublée par l'extrême
jalousie de sa femme; ou prétend même qu'elle fit usage de philtres que
pensèrent compromettre le santé de son mari."[141]