'An mola sine viri congressu concipi possit?' The Uterine Mole in Medical and Philosophical Texts between the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period

• Alessandra Foscati ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidade de Lisboa

     Universidade de Lisboa

     Socorro, Portugal

     
• Localización: Ágora: estudos clássicos em debate, ISSN 0874-5498, Nº. 23, 1, 2021, págs. 117-137
• Idioma: inglés
• Títulos paralelos:
  • 'An mola sine viri congressu concipi possit?' A mola uterina nos textos médicos e filosóficos entre a Idade Média e o início da Época Moderna
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  • https://doi.org/10.34624/agora.v0i23.1.25033 Ágora.

    Estudos Clássicos em Debate 23.1 (2021) 117 ‐ 137 — ISSN:

    0874 ‐ 5498 “An mola sine viri congressu concipi possit?” The Uterine Mole in Medical and Philosophical Texts between the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period “An mola sine viri congressu concipi possit?” A mola uterina nos textos médicos e filosóficos entre a Idade Média e o início da Época Moderna A LESSANDRA F OSCATI 1 (University of Lisbon — Portugal) Abstract:

    The uterine mole was the subject of various interpretations regarding its aetio ‐ logy.

    In the Middle Ages it was considered produced by women through nocturnal emission of their ‘seed’.

    The idea of the mola as a product of a blend of male and female seed became dominant in 16 th century thanks to the re ‐ discovered of a Galenic text.

    This contribution aims to highlight the different ways of interpreting the mola in the period between the Middle Ages and the 16th century, showing how the different interpretations were significant for judging women in ethical terms.