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Dear Dad, Send Money – Letters from Students in the Middle Ages

medievalists.net

41–46 of 46 posts

Re: Dear Dad, Send Money – Letters from Students in the Middle Ages

#41

"The city is expensive and makes many demands; I have to rent lodgings, buy necessaries, and provide for many other things which I cannot now specify ." The list of bars and parties a student has to attend before graduating grows too long to be put on a letter.

One letter was surprisingly honest about the need to drink wine. But I totally get why most students can't specify those expenses in detail.

Re: Dear Dad, Send Money – Letters from Students in the Middle Ages

#42

I like how the kid butters him up a bit before just admitting that he's asking for beer money. Refreshingly honest.

The first one is more subtle, but he's even more brazen.

"For you must know that without Ceres and Bacchus Apollo grows cold."

Ceres is the goddess of fertility. Bacchus the god of booze.

Re: Dear Dad, Send Money – Letters from Students in the Middle Ages

#43
post #2

It was easier for me - I just needed to ring my parents and collect cash at the post office. But I kept the tradition going - first telling mom and dad how I'm getting well along with studies! Great times

You had to call your parents and wait at the post office? How old fashioned! Today my parents can just look at my credit card bill online and decide if they want to pay for any expenses.

Your parents check your credit card bill? In my time, they just regularly transferred some money to my bank account.

Re: Dear Dad, Send Money – Letters from Students in the Middle Ages

#44
post #41

"The city is expensive and makes many demands; I have to rent lodgings, buy necessaries, and provide for many other things which I cannot now specify ." The list of bars and parties a student has to attend before graduating grows too long to be put on a letter.

One letter was surprisingly honest about the need to drink wine. But I totally get why most students can't specify those expenses in detail.

[deleted]

Re: Dear Dad, Send Money – Letters from Students in the Middle Ages

#45

I like how the kid butters him up a bit before just admitting that he's asking for beer money. Refreshingly honest.

You have to keep in mind that in the time period in question beer or weak wine was what you drank when you were thirsty a lot of the time. Safe drinking water was hard to come by.

Re: Dear Dad, Send Money – Letters from Students in the Middle Ages

#46
post #42

I like how the kid butters him up a bit before just admitting that he's asking for beer money. Refreshingly honest.

The first one is more subtle, but he's even more brazen. "For you must know that without Ceres and Bacchus Apollo grows cold." Ceres is the goddess of fertility. Bacchus the god of booze.

Yeah that's the one I was referencing. Ceres is also the goddess of agriculture and grains, so I figured he was asking for beer (Ceres) and wine (Bacchus).

Although your interpretation of Ceres would make this a much more interesting thing to write home to dad about.

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