Пьют давно и аутентично
Sep. 25th, 2014 02:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
curiouslНеясно насколько русским и украинцам интересны исторические корни широкого распространения пьянства, но судя по изложению мемуаров знатного венецианского путешественника Ambrogio Contarini о его миссии в Персию в 1474 - 1477 годах, пили народы, населяющие Московию и Киев много и пьянели знатно.
Маршрут путешествия проходил через Германские земли, Литовский Тракай, Люблин, Киев, Крым, Кавказ, и на обратном пути из Персии, по Волге через Москву и Смоленск.
Венецианец был неоднократно поражен количеством выпиваемой медовухи и последующими драками.
Собственно цитаты из английского перевода, в изложении литовского автора.
Crossing the border into "lower Russia" or present-day Ukraine, which Contarini noted was subject to king Casimir, the Italian party traveled for five days through deep forests before reaching a small settlement protected by a "wooden castle." Here the Venetians rested for sometime ". . . yet not without danger, as the inhabitants were quite mad with drunkenness on account of celebrating certain marriages. This country produces no wine, but the natives prepare a liquor from honey, which is stronger and more intoxicating even than wine." Apparently the tradition of boisterous, even violent, merry-making at weddings in eastern Europe is at least as old as the 15th century. The sober Venetian was obviously puzzled, even frightened, by the social customs of inhabitants fueled with that potent brew of fermented honey and spices which was to trouble Contarini more than once during his travels.
As usual, Contarini paused to take stock of his new surroundings, noting that the countryside about Kiev abounded in grain and cattle. Then, always sensitive to excessive drinking, the Venetian caustically observed that "The inhabitants of this place occupy the whole day in their affairs till three o'clock, employing the rest, till night, in drinking and quarrels, the natural consequence of drunkenness."
Despite the friendliness of his reception by the Muscovites, including the grand duke, Contarini observed with considerable disdain that ". . . the natives are addicted to drunkenness, and he who excels in drinking is much esteemed among them." By this time, however, he had become partial to mead which he admitted finding "very pleasant." Apparently the rigors of his long and arduous journey had mellowed his perceptions at least so far as mead was concerned. It was in Moscow too that he attempted to empty a silver goblet of mead but was graciously excused from doing so by the grand duke. Still, disgust with excessive drinking remained a strong personal obsession, not to be forgotten easily. Discovering that a Muscovite must obtain a license from the grand duke to make mead, Contarini observed with contempt that ". . . if every person had liberty to make mead, they would drink it like so many beasts and would kill one another."
Пишут, что The Contarinis were a distinguished Venetian family, numbering among them eight Doges and high dignitaries of the Church.
Источник: http://www.lituanus.org/1984_3/84_3_03.htm
Маршрут путешествия проходил через Германские земли, Литовский Тракай, Люблин, Киев, Крым, Кавказ, и на обратном пути из Персии, по Волге через Москву и Смоленск.
Венецианец был неоднократно поражен количеством выпиваемой медовухи и последующими драками.
Собственно цитаты из английского перевода, в изложении литовского автора.
Crossing the border into "lower Russia" or present-day Ukraine, which Contarini noted was subject to king Casimir, the Italian party traveled for five days through deep forests before reaching a small settlement protected by a "wooden castle." Here the Venetians rested for sometime ". . . yet not without danger, as the inhabitants were quite mad with drunkenness on account of celebrating certain marriages. This country produces no wine, but the natives prepare a liquor from honey, which is stronger and more intoxicating even than wine." Apparently the tradition of boisterous, even violent, merry-making at weddings in eastern Europe is at least as old as the 15th century. The sober Venetian was obviously puzzled, even frightened, by the social customs of inhabitants fueled with that potent brew of fermented honey and spices which was to trouble Contarini more than once during his travels.
As usual, Contarini paused to take stock of his new surroundings, noting that the countryside about Kiev abounded in grain and cattle. Then, always sensitive to excessive drinking, the Venetian caustically observed that "The inhabitants of this place occupy the whole day in their affairs till three o'clock, employing the rest, till night, in drinking and quarrels, the natural consequence of drunkenness."
Despite the friendliness of his reception by the Muscovites, including the grand duke, Contarini observed with considerable disdain that ". . . the natives are addicted to drunkenness, and he who excels in drinking is much esteemed among them." By this time, however, he had become partial to mead which he admitted finding "very pleasant." Apparently the rigors of his long and arduous journey had mellowed his perceptions at least so far as mead was concerned. It was in Moscow too that he attempted to empty a silver goblet of mead but was graciously excused from doing so by the grand duke. Still, disgust with excessive drinking remained a strong personal obsession, not to be forgotten easily. Discovering that a Muscovite must obtain a license from the grand duke to make mead, Contarini observed with contempt that ". . . if every person had liberty to make mead, they would drink it like so many beasts and would kill one another."
Пишут, что The Contarinis were a distinguished Venetian family, numbering among them eight Doges and high dignitaries of the Church.
Источник: http://www.lituanus.org/1984_3/84_3_03.htm
