STEWART COPELAND

In my seminar this evening, we will be discussing Baldessare Castiglione's The Book of the Courtier (1528), among other things. While playing a parlor game to determine the topic of conversation, one of the speakers says the following:

"For, even as they say that in Apulia many musical instruments are used for those who are bitten by the tarantula, and various tunes are tried until the humor which is causing the malady is (through a certain affinity which it has with some of those tunes) suddenly stirred by the sound of it and so agitates the sick man that he is restored to health by that agitation." (Book I s.8)

Well, there you go! That explains it!

Dang! you have a cool job Gina.

I'll bow to the superior knowledge of the parlour game participant re. the efficacy of the music in dealing with 16th century spider bites. In my experience the current version is a very effective cure for 21st century stress.

Out-f'in-standing!!