, also known as , is a
natural philosophical text from the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century frequently attributed to
Albertus Magnus
Albertus Magnus (c. 1200 – 15 November 1280), also known as Saint Albert the Great or Albert of Cologne, was a German Dominican friar, philosopher, scientist, and bishop. Later canonised as a Catholic saint, he was known during his li ...
, although it is more likely written by one of his followers.
Originally written in Latin, the title translates as The ''Secrets of Women'' or ''Of the Secrets of Women''. Drawing on
Hippocratic
Hippocrates of Kos (; grc-gre, Ἱπποκράτης ὁ Κῷος, Hippokrátēs ho Kôios; ), also known as Hippocrates II, was a Greek physician of the classical period who is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of ...
,
Galen
Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus ( el, Κλαύδιος Γαληνός; September 129 – c. AD 216), often Anglicized as Galen () or Galen of Pergamon, was a Greek physician, surgeon and philosopher in the Roman Empire. Considered to be one ...
ic, and Aristotelian theories, this text discusses sexuality and reproduction from both a medical and philosophical perspective. Over eighty manuscript copies of the treatise have been identified, and it has been translated into multiple different languages over several centuries.
This suggests that the ideas expressed in this work were hugely popular and influential.
Contents
Owing to both the medical and philosophical nature of the text, a variety of topics are discussed by pseudo-Albert. While some of the thirteen chapters are strictly medical, such as those on the signs of conception, the period of gestation, and the nature of the menses, others are largely theoretical. For example, the author discusses at length how the planets and constellations can affect a developing fetus. It can come as no surprise that the author's philosophical discussions are more in-depth and developed considering natural philosophy was more significant than medicine in the sources, such as
Aristotle
Aristotle (; grc-gre, Ἀριστοτέλης ''Aristotélēs'', ; 384–322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. Taught by Plato, he was the founder of the Peripatetic school of ph ...
, from which the author drew his information. Therefore, the nature of ''Secreta Mulierum'' is more accurately categorized as cosmological or philosophical in focus and not medical. In fact, the author demonstrates a lack of basic medical knowledge, even for the time period. For example, the author states in his discussion of menses that
urine
Urine is a liquid by-product of metabolism in humans and in many other animals. Urine flows from the kidneys through the ureters to the urinary bladder. Urination results in urine being excreted from the body through the urethra.
Cellular ...
and
menstrual blood
Menstruation (also known as a period, among other colloquial terms) is the regular discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the inner lining of the uterus through the vagina. The menstrual cycle is characterized by the rise and fall of ho ...
are expelled from the body through the same opening.
Scholars have concluded the writing may have been designed to be used as an instructional text on human reproduction for the religious community due to its nature, rather than for medical training.
Chapters
# On the Generation of the Embryo
# On the Formation of the Fetus
# Concerning the Influence of the Planets
# On the Generation of Imperfect Animals
# On the Exit of the Fetus From the Uterus
# Concerning Monsters in Nature
# On the Signs of Conception
# On the Signs of Whether a Male or Female Is In the Uterus
# On the Signs of Corruption of Virginity
# On the Signs of Chastity
# Concerning a Defect of the Womb
# Concerning Impediments to Conception
# On the Generation of the Sperm
Views of menstruation
Like many philosophers of this time, the author reasons that human embryos are made from the seed of the father and the menses of the mother.
It was believed that menstrual blood was surplus food that had not been used by the woman's body. The author states that the menses comes once a month due to the cold and humid nature of women and is the color of blood except in corrupt women. It was thought that women who had been corrupted by bad or viscous
humors
Humorism, the humoral theory, or humoralism, was a system of medicine detailing a supposed makeup and workings of the human body, adopted by Ancient Greek and Roman physicians and philosophers.
Humorism began to fall out of favor in the 1850s ...
would have menses the color of lead.
When conception occurs, the womb "closes up like a purse on all sides" and therefore menstruation stops.
However, the author suggests that the woman is still taking in excess food during her pregnancy that is not being purged and therefore claims
pregnant women have a greater desire for sexual intercourse.
The author suggests that
women keep themselves away from men during their monthly flow. The author believes that menstrual flow is poisonous and can even harm the eyes of children if they are looked upon by the woman.
When menstruation stops at menopause, the retention of menses builds up and results in an excess of evil humors, which can escape through the eyes and infect the air, polluting the world.
[{{Cite journal, last=Hindson, first=Bethan, date=Fall 2009, title=Attitudes Towards Menstruation and Menstrual Blood in Elizabethan England, journal=Journal of Social History, volume=43, pages=89–114, doi=10.1353/jsh.0.0246, s2cid=143371954]
Astrology
The formation of the fetus is a key topic in the text, and the influence of celestial bodies on the fetus is important to the author, as they endow the fetus with certain abilities.
Saturn: gives the fetus the ability to reason and discern, as well as consolidates the seed that makes the child, giving it the power of growth and motion in the first month.
Jove
Jupiter ( la, Iūpiter or , from Proto-Italic "day, sky" + "father", thus " sky father" Greek: Δίας or Ζεύς), also known as Jove ( gen. ''Iovis'' ), is the god of the sky and thunder, and king of the gods in ancient Roman religio ...
(Jupiter): grants generosity and passion in the second month
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Roman god of war. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin at ...
: brings animosity, anger, and desire to the fetus; forms the head of the fetus and divides the arms from the torso during the third month
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...
: bestows the power of knowing and remembering, as well as creates the heart
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never f ...
: causes separation of hands and feet, and it creates exterior features, such as the mouth, nose, and outer sexual organs
Mercury: the sixth month is characterized by development of the voice, eyes, and hair; Joy is also created by Mercury
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
: brings formation of the fetus to an end by completing the skin
The author also attributes certain body parts to the twelve signs of the
Zodiac
The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north or south (as measured in celestial latitude) of the ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. The pat ...
. For example, the formation of the feet and sole is attributed to
Pisces
Pisces may refer to:
* Pisces, an obsolete (because of land vertebrates) taxonomic superclass including all fish
* Pisces (astrology), an astrological sign
* Pisces (constellation), a constellation
**Pisces Overdensity, an overdensity of stars in ...
.
Thus, it can be seen that astrological influence on reproduction was a popular idea to this author and others in this time.
Edition and Translation
Lemay, Helen Rodnite. ''Women's Secrets: A Translation of Pseudo-Albertus Magnus's'' De secretis mulierum ''with Commentaries.'' SUNY Series in Medieval Studies. Albany: SUNY Press, 1992.
References
13th-century manuscripts
14th-century manuscripts
Latin manuscripts
Women and sexuality
History of human sexuality
Books about the philosophy of sexuality
Natural philosophy
Western astrology