Download or read book Magic and Impotence in the Middle Ages written by Catherine Rider and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2006-01-26 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Magic and Impotence in the Middle Ages investigates the widely held medieval belief that magic could cause sexual dysfunction. It focuses mainly on the period 1150-1450, and compares sources from four genres: confessors' manuals, medical compendia, canon law commentaries, and commentaries on the Sentences of Peter Lombard. This comparison shows that ideas about the definition and legitimacy of magic were surprisingly varied, and also reveals much new informationabout popular magical practices.