Seduction by Hashish June 14, 2015
Author: Beach Combing | in : Medieval , trackback
Modern proponents of the legalization of marijuana point out that other societies, particularly Arab society, never had any problems with cannabis and its derivatives. Beach, rather innocently believed the same thing, until he read recently about the fear of hashish in the medieval Arab world in a fine chapter by Franz Rosenthal in his Man versus Society. FZ sets out the general disapproval of the drug, reminiscent in some ways of alcohol in (just) pre-prohibition America. Apparently one of the fears was that hashish would be used to seduce the innocent. Beach grew up not smoking marijuana but listening to Cheech and Chong and the potential for seduction seemed to be slight: he observed a similar lack of sexual connection at smoking parties in his late teens. However, hashish is by all accounts a stronger experience. Anyway here is a medieval Arab seduction poem: something really rather sinister about it. A predator and a young male victim who had been plied with hashish. Note that the gazelle is typically a young and beautiful woman in Arab poetry.
Many a slender one, seemingly standoffish, have I observed
Whom I was never able to meet, except him frowning.
One night I encountered him laughing,
Good tempered, docile, at a party,
His eyes seeking out a chaste lover.
Drunkeness is kind to lovers, not unkind.
I accomplished what I wanted from him and thanked him
As he had become, after mutual avoidance, my good friend.
He gave me his reply: Do not think my natural disposition
Rather, thank your intercessor, the wine of the bankrupt.
For the herb of good cheer intercedes with us
In behalf of lovers by gladdening the soul.
When the capture of a standoffish gazelle is on your mind,
See to it that he grazes on cannabis hashish,
And thank Haydar’s band for having shown
To those of lewd inclinations the method of the fivefold one. [the leaf?]
Leave the killjoys and let me be
Among those who hide from the good opinion of the people.
Readers will be glad to know that the band of Haydar refers to a group ‘whose bizarre practices included adorning themselves with iron necklaces and bracelets and wearing a ring attached to a lead bar piercing their sexual organs in order to eliminate any chance of sexual intercourse.’ Drugs and sex. Wonder what Google will make of this? Any other bizarre hashish history: drbeachcombing AT yahoo DOT com
