The Maniculum Podcast

How many versions of one tale can we tell? In this episode, we’re diving back into Eric & Enide, and Mac has found two more versions of this classic chivalric romance. We discuss how various cultural differences affect the manner in which these adaptations are written, and explore how we can use cultural difference in worldbuilding.

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Citations & References:

Check out our blog post with the names listed out here .

Blaisdell, Foster W., and Marianne E. Kalinke, translators. Erex Saga and Ívens Saga. U Nebraska Press, 1977. 

Chrétien de Troyes. “Erec and Enide.” The Complete Romances of Chrétien de Troyes, translated by David Staines, Indiana UP, 1993, pp. 1-86.

Davies, Sioned, translator. The Mabinogion. Oxford UP, 2007. Oxford World’s Classics. 

Gantz, Jeffrey, translator. The Mabinogion. Dorset Press, 1976.

Guest, Charlotte, translator. The Mabinogion. 1877. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1906. Everyman’s Library. 

Hartmann von Aue. Erec. Translated by Michael Resler, U Pennsylvania Press, 2004.

Hartmann von Aue. Erec. Translated by Thomas L. Keller, Garland Publishing, 1987. Garland Library of Medieval Literature (Series B) 12.  

Thomson, Robert L., editor. Ystorya Gereint uab Erbin. Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, School of Celtic Studies / Dundalgan Press, 1997. Medieval and Modern Welsh Series 10.

Terminology & Spelling for Reference:

abatis

brunet

Hartmann von Aue

umbo

vespereide

In this episode, Mac and Zoe discuss how medieval peasantry worked, the complexities of the system, unexpected laws, rights, and privileges, and how world builders, writers, and game masters can both accurately represent and adapt the village system in their medieval fantasy worlds and TTRPGs.

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Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system he¡re!

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Citations & References:

Gies, Frances & Joseph. Life in a Medieval Village. Harper & Row, 1990. 

“Medieval Settlements.” Historic England. A great PDF introduction. Link .

Ellis, Penny. “Medieval Thoralby.” Thoralby Through Time. Link .

Hilton, Rodney. Bond Men Made Free. The Viking Press, 1973.

Ray, T.J. “Manorial Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric. Link .

Ray, T.J. “Feudal Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric. Link .

The Middle English Compendium. (Note: this site often goes down.) Link .

Terminology:

cottager

cotter

demesne

Dunbar’s Number

famuli

franklin

freeman

hamsoke

hayward

huckster

merchet

peasant

pheasant

reeve

serf

smallholder

sokeman

tenant farmer

villein

virgate

week work

In this episode, Mac & Zoe debunk medieval love advice and discuss common misconceptions around medieval love and marriage. Reading the philosophical dialogue of Sidrak and Bokkus as an advice column, can we really say whether attitudes toward romance have changed that much, centuries later? 

Content Warning: discussions of medieval and modern misogyny and sexual explicitness

Join our discord community!

Support us on patreon! 

Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system he¡re!

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Citations & References:

Clapp, James E., et al. Lawtalk: The Unknown Stories Behind Familiar Legal Expressions. Yale UP, 2011.

Gibson, Marian. Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials. Scribner, 2024.

Kelly, Henry Ansgar. “‘Rule of Thumb’ and the Folklaw of the Husband’s Stick.” Journal of Legal Education, vol. 44, no. 3, 1994, pp. 341–65.

Mason, Rebecca. “Violence Against Wives in Medieval and Early Modern Scotland.” 10 April 2022. Link .

O’Conner, Patricia, and Stewart Kellerman. Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language. Random House, 2009.

In this episode, Mac & Zoe host Sandra Hindman and Jacky Yao from Les Enluminures to discuss the craft and trade of manuscript illumination and creation in the Middle Ages, as well as the influence and popularity of the courtly romance Roman de la Rose.

Point of correction: Sandra is not currently serving as chair of art history at Northwestern, but was previously.

Join our discord community!Support us on patreon! 

Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here!

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Citations & References:

Les Enluminures

website

Jacky Yao, Embodied Encounters with Roman de la Rose Manuscripts lecture (

Youtube

)

Read the Roman de la Rose

here

or

here

Les Enluminures, Video on the Sidrak and Bokkus manuscript (

Dropbox

)

Terminology & Spelling for Reference:

autograph

biocodicology

ekphrasis

Ge’ez

Guillaume de Lorris

Jean de Meun

Jeanne Montbaston

missal

Ormulum

palimpsest

This episode, Zoe and Mac begin a new series diving into life in medieval villages. This guide for world builders, writers, and game masters will introduce you to how life in medieval villages operated, from terminology to geography, laws and customs, and daily life -- and how to build one for your TTRPG or story.

Join our discord community!

Support us on patreon!

Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system he¡re!

Socials: 

Tumblr

Website

Bluesky

Instagram

Facebook

Citations & References:

Gies, Frances & Joseph. Life in a Medieval Village. Harper & Row, 1990. 

“Medieval Settlements.” Historic England. A great PDF introduction.

Link

.

Ellis, Penny. “Medieval Thoralby.” Thoralby Through Time.

Link

. 

Ray, T.J. “Manorial Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric.

Link

. 

Ray, T.J. “Feudal Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric.

Link

. 

The Middle English Compendium. (Note: this site often goes down.)

Link

.

Terminology:

abada

æðeling

champion country

cottage

croft

dovecote

furlong

green

longhouse

meadow

pinfold / punfold

sheepfold

solar

toft

villein

virgate

wattle & daub