Black death Quote by Catharine Arnold
““Accounts from Europe indicate that the danse macabre took another form, inspired by the Black Death, rather like our children's rhyme 'Ring o' Ring o' Roses', which refers to the Great Plague. In 1374, a fanatical sect of dancers appeared in the Rhine, convinced that they could put an end to the epidemic by dancing for days and allowing other people to trample on their bodies. It is not recorded whether they recovered but, incredibly, they began to raise money from bystanders. By the time they reached Cologne they were 500 strong, dancing like demons, half-naked with flowers in their hair. Regarded as a menace by the authorities, these dancers macabre were threatened with excommunication.””
About This Quote
Source Book: History of the Black Death by Catharine Arnold, 2000
During the plague, a group of dancers believed ritual dance could halt the disease, attracting crowds and raising money, but authorities saw them as dangerous.
In simple terms: Dancers tried to stop plague with ritual, becoming a public spectacle.
Key Takeaway
Beware of extreme solutions to crises.
Themes
history
plague
ritual
social panic
authority
public health
Mood
anxious
hopeful
critical
Type
historical
cautionary
When to use this quote
- public health crises
- social movements
- crowd fundraising
Key Concepts
medieval Europe
mass hysteria
faith healing
crowd dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives people to seek extreme remedies in crises?
- How should authorities balance fear and compassion?
A Different Perspective
Such actions can backfire, causing more panic.
![“[It] takes a jaundiced view of the much-vaunted glorious past of Africa. And I suppose since then I've been doing nothing but the danse macabre in this political jungle of ours.” quote by Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7cd/wole-soyinka-1587_politics_it-takes-a-jaundiced-view-of-the-much-va_384105.jpg)
![“[According to 1348 theorists, poisoning of Christian water by Jews was the cause of Black Death.] Even the poison used to contaminate the Christian water supply was described in meticulous detail. It was "about the size of an egg," except when it was the "size of a nut" or a "large nut," "a fist"…” quote by John Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/60b/john-kelly-70258_christianity_according-to-1348-theorists-poisoning-of_206584.jpg)
![“We are all bound thither; we are hastening to the same common goal. Black death calls all things under the sway of its laws. [Lat., Tendimus huc omnes; metam properamus ad unam. Omnia sub leges mors vocat atra suas.]” quote by Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/de9/ovid-276_ads_we-are-all-bound-thither-we-are-hastenin_207246.jpg)