1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:04,160 Speaker 1: Welcome to steph you missed in History Class from hot 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: works dot com. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. I'm 3 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: Holly Fry and I'm Tracy V. Wilson, and hey Tracy. 4 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: We have not done a historical manuscript episode in a while. 5 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: I know we haven't, uh. And the Voyage Manuscript episode 6 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,159 Speaker 1: that we did was very, very popular, but part of 7 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: that is because it is mysterious and people are constantly 8 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: trying to decode and crack it. The one that we're 9 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: talking about today comes with a little bit of mystery, 10 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: but I would say less than the Voyage Manuscript. But 11 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:40,199 Speaker 1: unlike the Voyage Manuscript, we do know what this one says. Uh. 12 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 1: And this episode is actually one that I started a 13 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: while back, and then I just got derailed and wanted 14 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: to work on something else for the podcast instead, and 15 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:49,880 Speaker 1: so I put it in a file that's like things 16 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:52,559 Speaker 1: that I have started but not finished, and then recently 17 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: our listener Chatelaine wrote in to suggest it, so I 18 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: felt like it was time to dig it out of 19 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: cold storage and give it another look. So we're going 20 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: to talk about uh, what's called the Codex Gigas, and 21 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,399 Speaker 1: you'll hear different pronunciations Tracy and I kind of combed 22 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:08,680 Speaker 1: the the internet looking for various pronunciations to find the 23 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: right one, and we got so many different ones that 24 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:14,040 Speaker 1: it actually became downright comical, as we would sit here 25 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: and go, no, look, this dude says it this way. 26 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:18,559 Speaker 1: So we're just gonna go with gigas. We'll leave it there. 27 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 1: So the name, uh codex g Gas gives do him 28 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:24,679 Speaker 1: about one of the notable features of this book. It 29 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: means giant book, because this thing is truly enormous. Yeah, 30 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: it is eighty nine by forty nine centimeters. Uh so 31 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 1: for an alternate measurement, that's about thirty five by nineteen inches, 32 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:41,320 Speaker 1: so about a yard long. It contains three parchment leaves 33 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: which may be calf skin, plus two paper and leaves. Uh. 34 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 1: It's sent to weigh about as much as an average human. 35 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: I've seen numbers like one eight so somewhere in there. 36 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: The pages are arranged in two columns. There are a 37 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 1: hundred and six lines in each column. There are numbers 38 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: on the page, but the probably were added later. On 39 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: the same hand that wrote out the foliation also included 40 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: the date of fifteen sixty one, which is way after 41 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: the book was written, and the codex is bound in 42 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:18,519 Speaker 1: leather covered wood. The manuscript was rebound in eight nineteen, 43 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:21,079 Speaker 1: and we'll talk about that a little bit later, but 44 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:23,239 Speaker 1: based on the notes at the time, the current wooden 45 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: boards that are used in its binding are the originals. 46 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: Notations around that rebinding suggests that the cover board had 47 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: a split down the center which had to be repaired, 48 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 1: and that may have been the impetus to have it 49 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: rebound at that point. There are also metal pieces at 50 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: the corners of the cover and some of these appear 51 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:43,519 Speaker 1: to be replacements of earlier adornments. And there are several 52 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 1: long sections of text in the Codex Gigus. The first 53 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 1: is the Old Testament, The next is the Antiquities, written 54 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,640 Speaker 1: by Flavius Josephus of the first century. The third text, 55 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:57,519 Speaker 1: which is also by Flavius Josephus, is the Jewish War. 56 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 1: Next is an Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages, which was 57 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: written by Saint Isidore of Sevilla of Spain in the 58 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: sixth century, and after the encyclopedia is a section on 59 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: medical information, and then there is the New Testament. The 60 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 1: texts of the Old and New Testaments are what's known 61 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: as the Vulgate version, with two notable exceptions. The acts 62 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: of the apostles in the Book of Revelation are both 63 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:26,639 Speaker 1: from an earlier biblical translation, the Vetis Latina. And the 64 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 1: last long section of the book is the Chronicle of Bohemia, 65 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: which is the first history of Bohemia that we have 66 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: on record, and this was written by Cosmas of Prague, 67 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: who lived from ten forty five to eleven twenty five approximately. 68 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: Because this is the first Bohemian history, it's a really 69 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: significant work. In addition to all of that other stuff, 70 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: there are several short pieces in the book as well. 71 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: One is written on penitence, one on exercising demons, and 72 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 1: there's a calendar that lists saints and famed Bohemians commemorated 73 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: on various Saints days. There was also at some point 74 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: a guide to monastic life in this big tone, called 75 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: the Rule of St. Benedict, but this portion has been removed. 76 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: The leaves have actually been cut out of the codex. 77 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:17,360 Speaker 1: It's normal for medieval manuscripts to have illustrations all through, 78 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 1: and this is also two of the codex. One is 79 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 1: a simple portrait of the writer Josephus. There are also 80 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: pictures of Heaven and Earth contained within circular frames. At 81 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:30,840 Speaker 1: the beginning of the Book of Genesis. There are fifty 82 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: seven initial letters in the text of the Codex that 83 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: are colorful and feature these vines spindling off of them, 84 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 1: and they appear at the beginning of each book of 85 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: the Bible, and also at the start of the Chronicle 86 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: of Bohemia, which was written, as we said, by Cosmos. 87 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:47,720 Speaker 1: And this is important to note because it indicates the 88 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 1: pride and importance placed on this history of Bohemia. The 89 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:56,239 Speaker 1: vines that are stylistically consistent throughout the illustrated letters appear 90 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: to be a canthus, and they are depicted as growing 91 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:02,359 Speaker 1: in spirals round and in and out from the letters themselves. 92 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:05,160 Speaker 1: On some of the letters, there are tiny animals, such 93 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 1: as birds that can be seen tucked in around the vines. 94 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: They're pretty these are pretty charming. The eye that opens 95 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 1: the Book of Esther features a squirrel on top of 96 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:19,040 Speaker 1: it and it's eating a nut. It's so cute. I 97 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 1: almost feel slightly guilty referring to this, you know, important 98 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 1: medieval tome by going it's so cute. But the squirrels 99 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:28,280 Speaker 1: very cute. The animals are darling. Yeah, there are a 100 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 1: lot of like medieval illuminations that that lend to themselves 101 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: to either cute or comical interpretations. There's some great blog 102 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 1: posts and tumblers and things floating around about various little charming, cute, 103 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: adorable segments of greater medieval illuminations. Yeah, all of these 104 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: little details are just they're super charming. Uh. One of 105 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 1: only two full page pictures in the book is a 106 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:01,679 Speaker 1: depiction of Heavenly Jerusalem, and this features two tall towers 107 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 1: on either side of the page and a foundation wall 108 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: at their bases which appears to be made of stone, 109 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: And there are multiple smaller structures that are stacked in 110 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 1: this stylistic way to represent a dense city. And opposite 111 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: this illustration is what's perhaps become the most famous attribute 112 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 1: of the Codex Gigus, other than its massive size, which 113 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 1: is an illustration of the Devil. The portrait of the 114 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: devil is framed in exactly the same manner as the 115 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: image of Heavenly Jerusalem. Similar towers to the ones in 116 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: the Jerusalem painting are featured on either side of this 117 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 1: full body painting of the Devil. The devil is depicted 118 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 1: in what looks like a jumping position with his bent 119 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:42,719 Speaker 1: legs tucked up partially underneath him. He has a greenish 120 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: blue face and spectacular red and yellow talents coming out 121 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 1: from his fingers and toes. And this image of the 122 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: devil is so eye catching that it has actually earned 123 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 1: the book the nickname the Devil's Bible. And as you 124 00:06:57,040 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 1: may suspect that this moniker has led to some sensation 125 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: analism around it. Yeah, when we were when we were 126 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 1: doing our looking into how to say the name, I 127 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 1: saw possibly the most sensationalized historical TV special I've ever seen, 128 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: and I'm not even gonna say what network it was from. 129 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: There have been a few, so it's not there's not 130 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: one one guilty party on that one. The vast majority 131 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 1: of the codex was written in a medieval script called 132 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: the Carolingian minuscule. The style came into being in the 133 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 1: ninth century, and it was popular through the twelfth century. 134 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: Then it kind of fell out of favor until it 135 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 1: was revived in the fifteenth century. And one of the 136 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: more fascinating aspects of this book is that researchers who 137 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 1: have studied it for many, many years have come to 138 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 1: the conclusion that one single scribe wrote an embellished the 139 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: entire book. And it appears that the person who wrote 140 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: out this text was very well trained, but had developed 141 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: a pretty unique style that makes the work distinctive. Uh. 142 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: And some of the pieces that I read, they've said, like, 143 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: we would know if we saw this work, this person's 144 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: work anywhere else. However, this is the only manuscript that's 145 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: known to have been the work of this person. This 146 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: this is pretty mysterious. Really, we have no evidence at 147 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 1: all of the works on which this scribe would have trained. 148 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: It's estimated that a medieval scribe would average roughly a 149 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 1: hundred lines a day, and so, factoring in the careful 150 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 1: ruling on each text page and the text itself, the 151 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: decoration pieces, all of that, it's um it's estimated that 152 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 1: this work would have taken between ten and twenty years 153 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: to complete. At an absolute minimum. Longer estimates suggests that 154 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:39,079 Speaker 1: it could have been the work of a lifetime. Yeah, 155 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: you'll see different sort of breakdowns of how people estimate 156 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 1: how this would go. And they'll say, like you'll see 157 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: five years sometimes, but usually that is qualified as just 158 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 1: to write the text out. That doesn't include the marking 159 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:56,079 Speaker 1: the pages with the ruling first and doing all the 160 00:08:56,200 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 1: other things and kind of designing it and pre planning 161 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 1: how it was all going to be laid out, because 162 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 1: this isn't haphazard at all. It really is a very 163 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: well designed and laid out book. Uh. The five years 164 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 1: is usually just for the writing, and then they add 165 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: in all the illustrations, and that's how they usually get. 166 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 1: Somewhere between ten and twenty years is the minimum amount. 167 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:19,559 Speaker 1: Because of this single scribe fact and the nickname of 168 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:21,559 Speaker 1: the Devil's Bible. As I said, there have been some 169 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: interesting theories around the codex and its creation, and there 170 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 1: have been some variations. One of the most popular involves 171 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:30,599 Speaker 1: the idea that a monk sold his soul to the 172 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 1: devil to gain the time needed to complete the work. 173 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: But that's kind of a newer variation. Uh. One version 174 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: of that theme hints at a disgraced monk that's locked 175 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:43,679 Speaker 1: away to do the work as a sort of penance. 176 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:45,679 Speaker 1: Like he says he will do it in one night, 177 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: and according to this legend, he did so in a 178 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:50,960 Speaker 1: single night, but he required the assistance of the devil 179 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 1: himself to do it. Uh, And so he kind of 180 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:55,199 Speaker 1: made a deal with the devil that way. So that 181 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 1: he could achieve this ridiculously lofty goal he had set 182 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 1: and claimed he would achieve. That version actually traces all 183 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 1: the way back to medieval times. That's not a modern 184 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 1: invention around this book. That story has been going on 185 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:10,560 Speaker 1: for hundreds of years, so very early in the book's life, 186 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 1: it had some crazy, uh drama attached to it. Yeah. Well, 187 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 1: it's it's a little odd to me that there is 188 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 1: this this drama because there were like some really ourd 189 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:27,079 Speaker 1: expressions of religious piety in the in the medieval period, 190 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: like this is when there would be people who literally 191 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:32,599 Speaker 1: walled themselves up into a tiny, tiny cloister in the 192 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:36,839 Speaker 1: walls of a church. And so spending ten to twenty 193 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 1: years minimum of your life in a pious writing of 194 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 1: of a text does not strike me as that odd 195 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: in that context. So it's funny to me that there 196 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 1: are so many descriptions of what might have what might 197 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 1: have happened. Yeah, And I think a lot of that 198 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 1: kind of just comes from the the portrait of the 199 00:10:57,040 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 1: devil and sort of the largeness. I think it was 200 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:03,199 Speaker 1: just sort of a really unique book from the get go, 201 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: and so people naturally kind of built up stories around it. Yeah, 202 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: One of these weird stories is that the manuscript is 203 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 1: written on the hide of a hundred and sixty donkeys, 204 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:15,319 Speaker 1: and that they're Satanic images throughout. But this, similar to 205 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 1: the one about selling yourself to the devil, also pretty sensationalized. Yeah, 206 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: there are Again I didn't use it as one of 207 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:29,559 Speaker 1: my sources. I watched a little bit of another kind 208 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: of very sensational documentary where they were saying, never in 209 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 1: any other Bible have there been images of demons and 210 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:40,079 Speaker 1: talk of this sort of exorcism. And I'm like, it's 211 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:43,719 Speaker 1: all one big religious Texas sort of you know, the 212 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 1: sort of exorcism stuff does not seem out of place 213 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:50,959 Speaker 1: when you considered what this was, So it's kind of 214 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: you know, again, those are sensationalized. But before we get 215 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: to our next section, which is going to talk about 216 00:11:56,960 --> 00:11:58,959 Speaker 1: sort of the journey that this codex has been on 217 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 1: throughout its eight hundred year or so life, Uh, do 218 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: you want to pause for a word from a sponsor. 219 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 1: Let's do that alrighty. 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If you 257 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:56,319 Speaker 1: like what you see, you like what you get. It 258 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 1: costs as a little as eight dollars a month and 259 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:00,959 Speaker 1: it includes a freedomain name if you sign up for 260 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 1: a whole year. So also, if you use offer code history, 261 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:07,959 Speaker 1: you will get ten percent off your first purchase. It 262 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 1: is all of that awesome stuff at square space dot 263 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 1: com slash history. So uh to talk about sort of 264 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 1: the history of where this book has been and where 265 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 1: this manuscript has traveled. Uh. The Codex Gigus has been 266 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: dated as likely being written between twelve o four and 267 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 1: twelve thirty, And this dating range is based on a 268 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 1: couple of pieces of information. So, first is the appearance 269 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 1: of the Bohemian st Procopius, and Procopius appears on the 270 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 1: calendar segment of the text, and he wasn't canonized until 271 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 1: twelve oh four, so we know that's the earliest possible 272 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 1: date that this could have been started. On the other 273 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: end of the timeline is the death of Bishop Andreas 274 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:53,080 Speaker 1: of Prague, and that's mentioned in the codex as well, 275 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: and UH he died in twelve three. The death of 276 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: Bohemian king Ottakar the first is not listed. He died 277 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:05,040 Speaker 1: in twelve thirty. So it's believed that the manuscript was 278 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 1: finished sometime between those two notable deaths, and the Codex 279 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 1: was written in Bohemia, as evidenced by the fact that 280 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: the Chronicle of Bohemian and the History of It uh 281 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: and the calendar's listing of notable check figures. So those 282 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: are the clues that that was the origin point. We've 283 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:27,160 Speaker 1: had some episodes about books that were really notable, but 284 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 1: they sat kind of in an unknown, unappreciated corner for 285 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 1: a long time until someone happened upon them. Not the 286 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 1: case with this one. Almost from the beginning of its life, 287 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:40,920 Speaker 1: the Codex Gigas was recognized as a marvel and it 288 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 1: represented the knowledge of the Benedictine order in Bohemia. There 289 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: is a note in the codex which indicates that the 290 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 1: book was first kept in the Bohemian Benedictine monastery at Polos, 291 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: which I am probably butchering and I apologize. Uh. This 292 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 1: has led us some conclusions that the book must have 293 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 1: been written there, but if it was, would have been 294 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 1: even more of a marvel, really, because there is no 295 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 1: evidence that that monastery ever produced another medieval manuscript, so 296 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:08,880 Speaker 1: it would have been this random outlier that kind of 297 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 1: appeared out of nowhere. One monk who's often named as 298 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: the likely scribe for this book is the is Herman, 299 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 1: the Recluse. Another is Soba Slause, which is written in 300 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 1: one of the book's margins as part of a prayer 301 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: to the Virgin Mary. But the writing of that note 302 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 1: differs a lot. It's pretty significant from the rest of 303 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 1: the manuscript, so probably someone added that later, regardless of 304 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: who wrote it and whether or not it originated at 305 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 1: that particular monastery, in need of funds that Benedicting monastery 306 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 1: pond it to the Cistercian monastery at Setlitz in twelve nine, 307 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: another Benedicting monastery at Brevnov to possession of the codex 308 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:54,920 Speaker 1: via the work of an app An abbot named Beavor 309 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: working on behalf of Bishop Gregory of Prague. There's actually 310 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 1: some confus usual on this point, because Gregory did not 311 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:06,159 Speaker 1: become Bishop of Prague until the following year, but was 312 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:11,640 Speaker 1: clearly named in that position with the twelve ninety date. Yeah, 313 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: there have been theories about why that could have been 314 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:16,200 Speaker 1: the case, and some just chalk it up to, oh, 315 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:18,360 Speaker 1: I'm sure whoever wrote that note just got the year wrong, 316 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 1: but we don't really know. What we do know is 317 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 1: a while later, in fourteen twenty, the monks at Brevnov 318 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 1: had to evacuate their monastery when the Hussite War began 319 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:30,399 Speaker 1: and they went to Brumov, and apparently they took the 320 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 1: book with them, And our evidence that we know that 321 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 1: the book traveled there with them, uh comes in the 322 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:39,440 Speaker 1: form of a letter written by a Mr. Johannes Froneberg, 323 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 1: who saw the book while he was visiting Brumov in 324 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:45,639 Speaker 1: fourteen seventy seven. And described it in a letter to 325 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:47,399 Speaker 1: someone else, so we know it was there. At that 326 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:51,360 Speaker 1: point in the fifteen hundreds, that became customary for visitors 327 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:54,560 Speaker 1: to the Brumov Monastery to enter their names into the codex, 328 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:56,720 Speaker 1: so it turned into kind of a guest book and 329 00:17:56,840 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 1: historical record. For example, we know that Ferdinand the first 330 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:04,560 Speaker 1: King of Bohemia stayed at the monastery when traveling to 331 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 1: Prague because his visit was recorded in the codex. And 332 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:13,879 Speaker 1: Rudolph the second Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia, 333 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 1: who we did an entire episode on a while back, 334 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:19,639 Speaker 1: took a great interest in the codex. He was so 335 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:22,400 Speaker 1: fascinated by the book that he actually wanted to take 336 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 1: it with him to Prague, and eventually a deal was 337 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:28,920 Speaker 1: struck with Abbott Martin of the Brevnov Monks and with 338 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:32,680 Speaker 1: the prior of Brumov Monastery overseeing things. The book was 339 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:36,560 Speaker 1: handed over to Rudolph the Second as a loan. The 340 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 1: massive volume headed the Prague on March fourth, and it 341 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:46,120 Speaker 1: reached the Royal royal household there sometimes shortly after March six. 342 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:49,880 Speaker 1: Along the way, starts and stops were noted and people 343 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 1: signed it as it passed through their towns. Rudolph the 344 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:58,880 Speaker 1: Second secretary and other acquaintances studied the manuscript with great interest. 345 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:01,680 Speaker 1: You may recall from our episode on Rudolph the Second 346 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 1: that he was into the occult, so anything with even 347 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 1: a minor whiff of supernatural intrigue was hugely exciting to him. 348 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:14,199 Speaker 1: In the end, Rudolph the Second was a little bit 349 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:16,400 Speaker 1: of a weasel in this lone deal. He never returned 350 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 1: the book to the monks. Instead, he had it cataloged 351 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:22,879 Speaker 1: as one of his many treasures, and the entry that 352 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 1: details it as part of Rudolph the Seconds collection includes 353 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 1: this mention of the devil having worked on it, so 354 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 1: that sort of further this rumor about its origin points 355 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 1: uh and before we get to sort of where it 356 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 1: ends up and stays for quite some time. Do you 357 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:39,879 Speaker 1: want to have another word from a sponsor? Yes? I do. 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So what you get with 377 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 1: that is a digital scale that's going to calculate your 378 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:36,920 Speaker 1: exact postage for letters and packages and up to fifty 379 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 1: five dollars worth of free postage, which is not an 380 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:42,639 Speaker 1: insignificant amount of postage. Nope, So don't wait. Go to 381 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 1: stamps dot com and before you do anything else, click 382 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 1: on the microphone at the top of the homepage and 383 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 1: type in stuff that's stamps dot com and enter stuff. So, uh, 384 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:55,399 Speaker 1: where we left off, Roodolf the second had kind of 385 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 1: decided that the Codex Gigus was his and he had 386 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 1: it entered into his election catalog. And near the end 387 00:21:03,119 --> 00:21:05,040 Speaker 1: of the Thirty Years War, which took place between the 388 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,680 Speaker 1: Protestants and the Catholics. We talked about that in some 389 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 1: other episodes as well. Prague was invaded by Swedish forces 390 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: on July sixteenth, sixteen forty eight, and the treasures of 391 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:18,920 Speaker 1: Prague were looted, and that included the Codex Gigas. Rudolph 392 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 1: the Second was no longer in power at that point, 393 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 1: but his huge collection was still part of, you know, 394 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:29,119 Speaker 1: sort of Prague's treasures. Swedish forces moved really quickly to 395 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:31,560 Speaker 1: inventory and pack up all the items they had taken, 396 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:34,199 Speaker 1: because anything that hadn't been carted away by the end 397 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:35,960 Speaker 1: of the war was going to have to be returned 398 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 1: to its rightful home so quick. Christina of Sweden, who 399 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 1: we've had a previous episode on, had her men ship 400 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:45,440 Speaker 1: all the goods they could to the Baltic coast. Yes, 401 00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 1: she just wanted them to get everything out of Prague 402 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:49,560 Speaker 1: as quickly as possible because she wanted to keep all 403 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:53,439 Speaker 1: those spoils. Uh and the Codex, along with many other items, 404 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:56,680 Speaker 1: spent the winter of sixteen sixteen forty nine in the 405 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 1: fortress at Domits after the war ended in October of sixteen, 406 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 1: and this, along with the rest of the booty, finally 407 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 1: reached Stockholm in May of sixteen forty nine. When Christina's 408 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:12,640 Speaker 1: librarian cataloged the many books taken from Prague, the Kodex 409 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 1: ky Gas was the first item on the list. But surprisingly, 410 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:19,920 Speaker 1: when Christina abdicated took many of her books with her, 411 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:24,920 Speaker 1: the codex was left behind and remained at the castle. Yeah, 412 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 1: we don't know why if it was just because it 413 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 1: was large and unweeldy, although she would have had a 414 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:33,119 Speaker 1: huge you know, uh, presumably considering all of the other 415 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:34,640 Speaker 1: things she took with her, she would have had things 416 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:36,720 Speaker 1: that could carry something that size. But we don't know 417 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:38,720 Speaker 1: why she left it behind. She took a lot of 418 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:44,399 Speaker 1: art with her, so yes, uh. In six seven, the 419 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 1: castle in Stockholm had a fire, which could have been 420 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 1: disastrous and it could have wiped out the record of 421 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:53,840 Speaker 1: the Codex forever, except it was saved because somebody hucked 422 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: it out a window to get it away from the fire. 423 00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 1: The manuscript and in some versions of the tale that 424 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:03,400 Speaker 1: are not substained jadd A person below. Uh, we're damaged 425 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 1: by this desperate rescue effort. And after the fire, the 426 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: manuscript was recataloged again and kept in the Royal Library, 427 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:13,840 Speaker 1: and the custom of visitors signing it continued. In seventeen, 428 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 1: Joseph Debruski of Prague's Royal Society of Sciences visited Stockholm 429 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:22,639 Speaker 1: and he saw the codex. While researching possible items of 430 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 1: check significance in Sweden, he published the first really detailed 431 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:30,440 Speaker 1: report on the manuscript. A comprehensive Swedish account of the 432 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:34,160 Speaker 1: manuscript was written in eighteen eleven by Lorenzo Hammers Gold. 433 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:39,879 Speaker 1: Throughout the years since these two works, many historians and 434 00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 1: theologians have studied and written about the manuscript at length. Yeah, 435 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:47,960 Speaker 1: those are usually the two instances where it stops being 436 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:50,600 Speaker 1: about this may have been about the devil. This is 437 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:52,399 Speaker 1: you know, it's it's not so much any of the 438 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:54,200 Speaker 1: legends around it. And they really kind of just do 439 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:58,200 Speaker 1: a detailed analysis. They write out how the script was written, 440 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 1: They write out, you know, details about sizing and the 441 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:04,440 Speaker 1: ruling and possible meanings of things. But those are really 442 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 1: the big two that they uh that are often referenced 443 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 1: as like when it really became something that was significantly 444 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:15,120 Speaker 1: documented and recorded. And we mentioned earlier in the podcast 445 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:17,359 Speaker 1: that the book was rebound and repaired in the early 446 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 1: eighteen hundreds, and the man who did that work was 447 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:23,440 Speaker 1: named Samuel Sloman, and he was paid a total of 448 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: seventy eight weeks dollar for the job. A copy of 449 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 1: his invoice is kept in the Royal Library of Sweden. 450 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:32,520 Speaker 1: And there's a sort of charming comparison in the notes 451 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:35,280 Speaker 1: on the National Library of Sweden's site about this book 452 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: about the money that Salmon was paid for his work 453 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 1: on the Codex, and it states, quote, this is difficult 454 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:46,359 Speaker 1: to relate to modern currency, but in eighteen twenty a 455 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:49,480 Speaker 1: cow could cost forty five reeks dollar, and this gives 456 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:53,960 Speaker 1: some idea of the value of Sonoman's work. I love 457 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:58,159 Speaker 1: that it's measured in how much cows would cost. Because 458 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:01,240 Speaker 1: of the enormous sighe at the Codex, it would seem 459 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:04,320 Speaker 1: like an unwieldy thing to actually study or read. But 460 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: there's evidence that the so called Devil's Bible did see 461 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:09,679 Speaker 1: some practical use. We know that it would have been 462 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 1: normal for both the Old and New Testaments, who have 463 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 1: been read daily in a monastery, and it stands to 464 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:17,080 Speaker 1: reason that the missing pages of the Rule of Saint 465 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 1: Benedict would have had practical application as well, and it 466 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:25,360 Speaker 1: was also common for Benedictine monks to care for the sick. 467 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: There are actually several Benedictine monasteries throughout Europe that have 468 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 1: been recognized for their medical knowledge and their teaching throughout 469 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 1: the centuries, so the medical text and the Codex may 470 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:38,159 Speaker 1: have had very practical uses in those endeavors. There are 471 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 1: also some actual indications of use, so we don't have 472 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:44,200 Speaker 1: to depend on the presumption of the book's importance in 473 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:47,960 Speaker 1: the context of normal monastic pursuits. And the margins of 474 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,639 Speaker 1: the manuscript at various points of interest. Is the Latin 475 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:53,680 Speaker 1: word nota in a different script than the scribe used 476 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:57,520 Speaker 1: several thirteenth century prayers are also written in the margins, 477 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 1: and there are also musical notations and notes about songs 478 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 1: that would normally accompany a mass that have been kind 479 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 1: of jotted at the bottoms of various pages of the calendar, 480 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:12,000 Speaker 1: so we know people were actually using this and touching 481 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:14,439 Speaker 1: it and making notes in it like they would almost 482 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:18,000 Speaker 1: any other book. While the Kodax Gigas has been on 483 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 1: display in both New York and Berlin. In two thousand seven, 484 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 1: it went home to Prague for a little while. The 485 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:28,159 Speaker 1: largest medieval manuscript we know of was loaned to the 486 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:31,679 Speaker 1: Czech Republic by Sweden to be displayed from September twenty, 487 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:36,159 Speaker 1: two thousand seven until January six, two thousand eight, and 488 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:40,159 Speaker 1: it drew pretty huge crowds, uh, despite the fact that 489 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 1: it was kind of limited in how you could see it. 490 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,639 Speaker 1: Only sixty people per hour could be admitted to the 491 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:49,160 Speaker 1: room where the book was displayed, and visitors were only 492 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,040 Speaker 1: allowed to stay for ten minutes each to catch a 493 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 1: glimpse of the book, which was in its specially designed case, 494 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 1: so obviously people could not interact with it. But what's 495 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:01,680 Speaker 1: very sort of telling is the book was opened to 496 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:04,800 Speaker 1: one particular page for display, and of course that was 497 00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 1: where on the one side is the illustration on the 498 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:11,960 Speaker 1: left of Heavenly Jerusalem, and on the other is the Devil. 499 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: Of course, so that is the Codex Gigus. Do you 500 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:20,320 Speaker 1: also have listener mail, I suppose so absolutely do. This 501 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:23,520 Speaker 1: is from our listener Miles, and it is about our 502 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:25,920 Speaker 1: narcolepsy episode and he wrote this one only the first 503 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,159 Speaker 1: one had aired and he says thank you for producing 504 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:32,239 Speaker 1: an episode dedicated to narcolepsy. I'm a twenty eight year 505 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:34,960 Speaker 1: old male in Melbourne, Australia who was diagnosed with the 506 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:39,240 Speaker 1: condition plus cataplexy four years ago. My symptoms started with 507 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:41,680 Speaker 1: my face feeling funny in a faintness coming over me 508 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 1: whilst laughing. I spent a week in hospital after collapsing 509 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:47,800 Speaker 1: in the bush after an attack. After many tests, I 510 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,960 Speaker 1: was sent home and told I was depressed. I recall 511 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:53,440 Speaker 1: one doctor being annoyed at me for constantly falling asleep 512 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:55,959 Speaker 1: whilst they were trying to monitor my brain for epilepsy. 513 00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:59,320 Speaker 1: Refusing to accept that diagnosis, I turned to Google and 514 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 1: I correctly diagnosed myself. I have an excellent specialist who 515 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:04,639 Speaker 1: I keep in touch with, and I manage the condition 516 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:07,960 Speaker 1: as best I can. Finally, I became a podcast history 517 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: stuff addict as a result of this condition, as I 518 00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 1: find that listening to something interesting keeps my brain alert 519 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 1: while I work on my computer all day. Before being diagnosed, 520 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:20,400 Speaker 1: I was going totally crazy. I was like a drunk 521 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:22,359 Speaker 1: lunatic with a temper all the time, and it's a 522 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:25,240 Speaker 1: miracle that my partner Jane stayed with me while I 523 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:27,239 Speaker 1: get by with our ecalepsy is a real drag. It's 524 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:29,879 Speaker 1: impossible to convey to people the feeling of a sleep attack, 525 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:32,720 Speaker 1: and I find the hardest thing about being ourcaleptic is 526 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:35,680 Speaker 1: that very few people understand the severity of the condition 527 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 1: and how consistent it is. Not an hour passes without 528 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 1: me having to think about what I'm eating, and while 529 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 1: when I'll be sleeping, being up beat, thinking ahead and 530 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,200 Speaker 1: getting to work are the hardest things. Looking forward to 531 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:49,520 Speaker 1: part two. Thank you so much, Miles, because I feel 532 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:51,360 Speaker 1: like this is an insight into it that like we 533 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:53,280 Speaker 1: can never provide, we can do all the research we 534 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 1: can uh and even throughout Tracy and I recording today, 535 00:28:56,760 --> 00:28:58,080 Speaker 1: I have my computer in front of me and I 536 00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: have seen a couple of other email is popping up 537 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 1: with the notifications in the corner about the narcolepsy episode, 538 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 1: and one I opened during a break and it was 539 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 1: another person kind of discussing how hard it is to 540 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:10,560 Speaker 1: live with So I'm very thankful that we have kind 541 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 1: of some some additional insight to inform that those podcast 542 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:16,960 Speaker 1: episodes and kind of what it's really like. So thank 543 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:19,000 Speaker 1: you so much, Miles. I really do appreciate you sharing 544 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:21,600 Speaker 1: your story with us. If you would like to write 545 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 1: to us, you can do so at history podcast at 546 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 1: how stuff works dot com. You know so hook up 547 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:29,200 Speaker 1: with us on Twitter at Miston History and on Facebook 548 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:32,000 Speaker 1: dot com slash misst in History. We're on Tumblr at 549 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:35,000 Speaker 1: mist in history dot CoML dot com and on Pinterest 550 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:38,000 Speaker 1: at pinterest dot com slash mist in History. This codex 551 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:41,560 Speaker 1: episode is another one that I look forward to. Pinning, pinning, pinning. Uh. 552 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 1: You can also visit us at miss in history dot 553 00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:46,400 Speaker 1: spreadshirt dot com if you would like some cool missed 554 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:50,000 Speaker 1: in History merchandise like t shirts and bags, et cetera. 555 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:53,160 Speaker 1: If you would like to research a little bit more 556 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 1: about what we talked about today, you could go to 557 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:57,880 Speaker 1: our parents site, how stuff Works. Type in the word 558 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:00,080 Speaker 1: codex into the search term, and you will get an 559 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 1: article called top ten rare books, which we'll talk about 560 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:05,600 Speaker 1: some other codexes. I don't know if that's the correct 561 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:07,800 Speaker 1: way to pluralize that, but you should go visit it 562 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 1: and read that article. You can also visit us at 563 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:11,840 Speaker 1: our home on the web, which is missed in History 564 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:15,560 Speaker 1: dot com, where you will find our entire back catalog 565 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:18,720 Speaker 1: of episodes. There are show notes for any of the episodes. 566 00:30:18,760 --> 00:30:20,840 Speaker 1: In the last couple of years, we also have the 567 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:23,200 Speaker 1: occasional blog post, so come and visit us there at 568 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:25,440 Speaker 1: missed in History dot com and visit our parent company, 569 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:31,560 Speaker 1: how stuff Works dot com for more on this and 570 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:34,400 Speaker 1: thousands of other topics. Is it how staff works dot com.