The Cheese and the Worms: The Cosmos of a Sixteenth-Century Miller, by Carlo

Ginzburg. Translation by John and Anne Tedeschi. Baltimore: John Hopkins University
Press, 1980. xxvi + 128 pp.
The Cheese and the Worms is a micro-history novel about the life of a sixteenth-
century Italian miller, who is commonly known as Menocchio. According to UCLAs
website, the author, Carlo Ginzburg, is a historian with an interest in Italian History. He has
over 10 published works as well as articles in Past and Present and Critical Inquiry. Being a
micro-history, the novel looks at Menocchios life, specifically regarding the Roman
Inquisition, and tries to use his life to make an argument, which is that Menocchio had a
special cosmology that was transmitted orally and a peasant culture in turn influenced
upper-class culture. The book is successful in providing insight into the world of Menocchio
and showing that he had special cosmology, which was not completely unique. However, it
fails to prove that Menocchios special cosmology was part of a peasant oral tradition, or that
there was significant, reciprocal influence between upper- and lower-class cultures at this
time.
The Cheese and the Worms tells the story of Menocchios beliefs and his experience
with the Inquisition. Menocchios beliefs, in short, are that there was a primordial cheese,
from which worms came, and these worms were angels, God was the chief angel, and that
Christ was a human, but not divine (54-5) This was completely heretical to the Churchs
doctrine that God always existed, created everything, and that Jesus was both His son and
Him. He also believes that everything, including God, is made of water, earth, air and fire
(71). Menocchio believes not only in tolerance of other religions, but also that they contain
truth and can lead one to paradise. Menocchio is clever, but is harshly convicted of heresy in
his first trial. He is released after two years, and he returns to talking about his beliefs
amongst the peasants, and is again tried, convicted, but this time, burnt at the stake (111).
The novel provides good insight into Menocchios world. We learn that Menocchio
had interactions with many people, and that he had a position in the Church as an
administrator (1). We see how an inquisition interrogation is conducted, and how
Menocchios was special, in that his was more in-depth. We learn of the different influences
that various books may have had on Menocchio, and the author uses a great deal of inductive
reasoning based on trial minutes and his knowledge of the period. He connects the books with
Menocchios ideas, and shows how Menocchio was a selective reader, (31) using what he
read to reinforce his beliefs. Ginzburg explains the setting very well, covering many things
from a millers social status, to the prevalence of literacy, to a Papal execution order (128).
Ginzburgs storytelling and historical background information are the highlights of the book.
Ginzburg argues that Menocchios special cosmology was transmitted orally and
indicative of an oral culture of peasants. However, he is unable to prove this, and offers only
conjecture. Ginzburg references an Indian myth relating to the creation of the earth where
there was nothing but the sea, but then [the world, thrashed by the waters] curdled like a
cheese, from which later great multitudes of worms were born, and these worms became
men, of whom the wisest and most powerful was God (58). While the similarities to
Menocchios cosmology are undeniable, this is not at all proof of a millenarian cosmological
tradition (58). As the author notes, both Menocchio and the shepherds of Altai would have
seen cheese being made and creatures arising in it. Ginzburg dismisses the possibility of mere
coincidence as simplistic, but given that they both would have been familiar with the
process and neither would have been unfamiliar with parables, the explanation is valid. There
is no evidence of this being more than a coincidence, and as such, this is only conjecture.
As well, for this to be a peasant culture explained in a micro-history, then there must
be evidence that Menocchio is relatively indicative of other peasants. Ginzburg provides
much evidence, but to the contrary! Menocchio could read, was a miller, and travelled as far
as Venice, bought books, and came into contact with Reformers, while, according to
Ginzburg, most peasants were illiterate; a miller was above a peasant in the social hierarchy;
and most peasants did not go far from their homes (31). Menocchio is not at all representative
of an average peasant, which would be required for the peasant culture theory to be proven.
Ginzburg argues that there was reciprocal cultural exchange between higher- and
lower-class cultures, but does not prove it. The tiny community of readers (30) included
some relatives of Menocchio, some priests, and possibly a mayor (31). While the books
themselves are evidence that this tiny group was influenced by the upper-class writers, there
is evidence neither to show reciprocal influence by Menocchio and his group back on their
social superiors, nor to show the groups influence on other lower-class people. Ginzburg
provides an example of another miller, Pighino, who may have come into contact with
Fileno, a humanist, who could have been with someone who may have seen Menocchio
(122). The author admits this is conjecture but states that we keep running into these delicate
threads that tie heretics of the humanistic background to the world of the peasants (123).This
is not evidence, and is written immediately after admitting the above is conjecture!
In providing insight into Menocchios world and his beliefs, Ginzburg is very
successful, but when attempting to prove his thesis about Menocchios cosmology as part of a
peasant oral tradition, and that there was significant, reciprocal exchange of culture between
the upper- and lower-classes, he is unconvincing. The book provides a profoundly interesting
story about a quite curious person, with a historically accurate backdrop, and Ginzburg does a
great job of working with only archives of Menocchios trial and his knowledge of books of
the period. Unfortunately, his lack of evidence ruins the book as a historical micro-history
with a thesis. The book is also somewhat difficult to read, with some structure issues, such as
time and subject jumps, and missing translations of book titles. That being said, it is still an
enjoyable read for one with a general interest in history.
Works Cited
Ginzburg, Carlo. The Cheese and the Worms. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press,
1980.