---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Romans introduced the practice of gelding…"
description: "\"“Romans introduced the practice of gelding to England, changing chickens into tender, plump capons. In The Castle of Health, William Elyot wrote, “The ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/francine-segan-18202_quote_romans-introduced-the-practice-of-geldin_525019.jpg"
---

#  Romans introduced the practice of gelding to England…

![“Romans introduced the practice of gelding to England, changing chickens into tender, plump capons. In The Castle of Health, William Elyot wrote, “The capon is above all other fowles praised for as much as it is easily digested.” The carving term for a capon was to “sauce” it, a much prettier term…” quote by Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/francine-segan-18202_quote_romans-introduced-the-practice-of-geldin_525019.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/francine-segan-18202_quote_romans-introduced-the-practice-of-geldin_525019.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/francine-segan-18202_quote_romans-introduced-the-practice-of-geldin_525019.jpg)

> ““Romans introduced the practice of gelding to England, changing chickens into tender, plump capons. In The Castle of Health, William Elyot wrote, “The capon is above all other fowles praised for as much as it is easily digested.” The carving term for a capon was to “sauce” it, a much prettier term than some of the others for cutting fowl, such as “disfigure that peacock,” “spoil that hen,” “dismember the heron,” “unbrace the mallard,” and “thigh that pigeon.” Chicken with Wine, Apples, and Dried Fruit””

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Historical language for slaughter reflects cultural attitudes toward animals, using euphemisms to soften the reality of killing.

**In simple terms:** People use nicer words to make killing animals seem less harsh.

Key Takeaway

Be aware of language that masks violence.

Themes

animal rights language culture ethics history

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

analytical ethical

When to use this quote

- culinary arts
- animal welfare activism
- education on food sourcing

Key Concepts

euphemism cognitive dissonance moral distancing

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do we continue to use gentle terms for violent acts?
- How can language change our treatment of animals?

A Different Perspective

The quote glosses over modern ethical concerns about animal cruelty.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Capon Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capon-fowles-4423183/) [Capons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capons-4423185/) [Cutting Fowl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting-fowl-4423187/) [Plump Capons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plump-capons-4423186/) [Term Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term-capon-4423184/)

## Related quotes

> [Cutting up fowl to predict the future is, if done honestly and with as little interpretation as possible, a kind of randomization. But chicken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/cutting-up-fowl-to-predict-the-future-is-if-done-honestly-and-with-as/)

[Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/)

## More by Francine Segan

> [“White potatoes, although introduced into England during Shakespeare’s lifetime, were not commonly eaten until late in the eighteenth century. White potatoes originated from South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/white-potatoes-although-introduced-into-england-during-shakespeare-s/)

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

> [“Children and fried food; the more you make, the better they come out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/children-and-fried-food-the-more-you-make-the-better-they-come-out/)

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

> [“Elizabethan cookbooks included not only carving instructions, but the proper terminology for each type of meat such as “breake that deer, leach that brawn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/elizabethan-cookbooks-included-not-only-carving-instructions-but-the/)

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

> [“Renaissance Rice Balls SERVES 10 (APPROXIMATELY 36 RICE BALLS) RICE BALLS like these, today known as “arancine,” or little oranges, are still made in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/renaissance-rice-balls-serves-10-approximately-36-rice-balls-rice/)

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

> [“PEASE PORRIDGE in the pot, nine days old” fairly well summarizes the technique of stew preparation in Shakespeare’s day. A thick soup would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/pease-porridge-in-the-pot-nine-days-old-fairly-well-summarizes-the/)

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

> [“The Elizabethans used many more herbs than we do today, including those rarely seen in modern kitchens, such as hyssop, pennyroyal, tansy, and rue.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/the-elizabethans-used-many-more-herbs-than-we-do-today-including/)

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

> [“Here on this grass-plot, in this very place, To come and sport: her peacocks fly amain … THE TEMPEST, 4.1 Peacock, long a symbol of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/here-on-this-grass-plot-in-this-very-place-to-come-and-sport-her/)

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

> [“Cauliflower Chowder SERVES 4 TO 6 VERJUICE, THE JUICE of unripe grapes now available in most gourmet grocers, adds a lovely touch to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/cauliflower-chowder-serves-4-to-6-verjuice-the-juice-of-unripe-grapes/)

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

> [“ORIGINAL RECIPE: To make pursses or Cremitaries Take a little mary, small raysons, and Dates, let the stones bee taken away, these being beaten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/original-recipe-to-make-pursses-or-cremitaries-take-a-little-mary/)

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

> [“Oddly, recipes came with warnings that to eat reheated cabbage was fatal. “Twice cooked cabbage is death,” an ancient adage popular in the Renaissance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/oddly-recipes-came-with-warnings-that-to-eat-reheated-cabbage-was/)

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

> [“...fundamental Italian cookery rule that less is more!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/fundamental-italian-cookery-rule-that-less-is-more/)

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

> [“Damson plums were a favorite Elizabethan fruit and “eaten before dyner, be good to provoke a mans appetyde.” They were also popular dried into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/damson-plums-were-a-favorite-elizabethan-fruit-and-eaten-before-dyner/)

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

> [“Salmon with Violets SERVES 4 I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows … A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/salmon-with-violets-serves-4-i-know-a-bank-where-the-wild-thyme-blows/)

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

> [“must have saffron to colour the warden pies; mace; dates?— none, that’s out of my note; nutmegs, seven; a race or two of ginger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/must-have-saffron-to-colour-the-warden-pies-mace-dates-none-that-s/)

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

> [“Orange-Scented Rice SERVES 4 … Rice,—what will this sister of mine do with rice? But my father hath made her mistress of the feast, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/orange-scented-rice-serves-4-rice-what-will-this-sister-of-mine-do/)

[Francine Segan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

[Explore all 35 Francine Segan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Romans introduced the practice of gelding to England, changing chickens into tender, plump capons. In The Castle of Health, William Elyot wrote, “The capon is above all other fowles praised for as much as it is easily digested.” The carving term for a capon was to “sauce” it, a much prettier term than some of the others for cutting fowl, such as “disfigure that peacock,” “spoil that hen,” “dismember the heron,” “unbrace the mallard,” and “thigh that pigeon.” Chicken with Wine, Apples, and Dried Fruit”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Francine Segan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/romans-introduced-the-practice-of-gelding-to-england-changing/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Capon Fowles"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/romans-introduced-the-practice-of-gelding-to-england-changing/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/francine-segan-18202_quote_romans-introduced-the-practice-of-geldin_525019.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/francine-segan-18202_quote_romans-introduced-the-practice-of-geldin_525019.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/francine-segan-18202_quote_romans-introduced-the-practice-of-geldin_525019.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Romans introduced the practice of gelding to England, changing chickens into tender, plump capons. In The…” — Francine Segan",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Francine Segan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-segan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Romans introduced the practice of gelding...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/romans-introduced-the-practice-of-gelding-to-england-changing/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-segan/romans-introduced-the-practice-of-gelding-to-england-changing/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
