: He believed the universe began as a chaotic mass (like milk), and as it "curdled," the first beings—angels and even God—emerged from it like worms appearing in cheese.
His life is famously detailed in the book The Cheese and the Worms by historian Carlo Ginzburg. The Miller’s Philosophy Menocchio the Heretic
: Accused of heresy, Menocchio was initially friendly but stubborn in his defense. He claimed his ideas were merely skepticism, not denial. He was imprisoned for nearly two years and eventually forced to abjure (renounce) his views. : He believed the universe began as a