Cheese and Worms. The Worldview of a Miller Who Lived in the 16th Century

In 1583, a lengthy inquisitorial process began, stretching over several years. On the dock was Domenico Scandella, nicknamed Menocchio — an Italian miller brought to trial for his bold statements about God and faith, which did not fit into the usual worldview of the time. Undoubtedly, Menocchio was an outstanding figure and was perceived by most of his contemporaries as a free thinker. The breadth of his outlook, his unique reading and interpretation of religious and humanistic texts, as well as the boldness of his ideas, continue to amaze even today. Rome, closely monitoring the unfolding trial against the self-taught philosopher, suppressed any humane attempts by the inquisitorial tribunal regarding the accused. Unable to fully renounce his views, he appeared before the ecclesiastical court for the second — and already final — time.

In the autumn of 1599, Domenico Scandella was sentenced by the inquisitorial court to be burned at the stake.
How did an ordinary miller from a small village in Friuli attract such serious attention from the fighters against heresies? How did his own understanding of fundamental questions of the universe lead a man to his demise? And who is Domenico Scandella — a heretic or a true genius of his time?

Based on the materials of the inquisitorial court, the outstanding Italian historian Carlo Ginzburg vividly reconstructs Menocchio's spiritual world, recreating the image of the era and giving voice to the silent majority — the common people. «Cheese and Worms» clearly shows how the materials of inquisitorial archives help researchers capture the quiet voices of people who are hardly mentioned in historical documents and shed light on relevant issues of modernity — from the challenge posed by the common people to the authorities, to the intertwining of oral and written culture.