Adam gives the names to animals 9.3×13.5 cm The miniature is followed by the text about the denomination of animals and then by their classification derived from “Etimologiae” of Isidor de Seville /XII.I. 1 — 8; XII.VII. 1 — 9/. The text ends with a sermon “Quocienscumque peccator…”. In the scence of animals’ denomination the…
DetailsLion /leo/ 9.7X5.5 cm Initial »B« with the figure of the Creator 3.6X4 cm Put at the beginning of the treatise on animals, the only initial of the manuscript in which capital letters are generaley simple and in no way rivaling the colourful miniatures, is adorned with the figure of the Creator as if announcing…
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The Lion Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. ms.Ashmole 1511, f. 10
The Lion Aquamanil. Lower Saxony. XIII century. Hamburg Museum
The Lion Column base. Portal of the Church in Guilletre XII century
Antalop /antalops/ 9.4 х 6 cm The text on the antalop provides no clue for identifying it with the antelope we know. The text reproduces the narrative of “Physiologus” and is also given various intepretations in the writings by Pseudo-Hugh /II.2/, Pierre of Beau-vais /11.116/, Brunetto Latini /I.V.177/ and in the versed bestiaries of Philippe…
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The Antalop Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL (The Saint Petersburg Public Library). Lat.Q.V.III, N 1, f. 48 v.
The Antalop Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford, ms. Ashmole 1511, f. 14
Onocentaur /onocentaurus/10X5.5 cm The onocentaur of the antique mythology was included in “Physiologus” due to the Greek translation of The Book of Isaiah, in which the prophet announced the destruction and fall of Babylon, on the ruins of which “wild beasts will lie down” /Isaiah 13:21 — 22/. Among them the Greek translation gives ovoxevTaupog…
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The Onocentaur Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill N 1, f. 39
The Onocentaur Marble relief. Church Saint-Sernin. Toulouse. XIII century
Hedgehog /herinacius, ericius, echinus/ 9.3X3 cm According to Isaiah’s prophesy of the end of Babylon, the hedgehog is among the “unclean” animals /Isaiah 13:22, 34:1/. In “Physiologus” he is placed after the centaur. The text of the Saint Petersburg bestiary follows version “B” about the hedgehog “armed with spines” on which he sticks a bunch…
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The Hedgehog Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V.III, N 1, f. 53
The Fox /vulpes/ Traditionally the fox is a symbol of cunning and guile. The text of the bestiary combines the description by Isidor /XII.2.29/ with the tale of “Physiologus”. The origin of the word “fox” /vulpis/ from “volubilis pedibus” /walking in circles”/ is borrowed from Isidor. The implication is that a fox makes those circuitous…
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The Fox. Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL. Lat. Q.V.III. N 1. f. 51
Unicorn /unicornis, monoceros, rinoceros/ 9.8X6.6 cm “Unicorn is the best of all animals” says an old Russian song about the Dove’s Book. Indeed, the unicorn is most popular in the fantastic animal world; he has undergone all sorts of transformations during his legendary history. It is the most poetical image in the bestiary perceived by…
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The Unicorn Miniature. Bestiary of the British Museum Harley ms, f. 6 v.
The Unicorn Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Q.V.III, N 1, f. 38 v.
Beaver /castor, fiber/ 10×5.7 cm The story of the unfortunate beaver and his symbolic interpretation is in itself clear evidence of profound inner links between the naturalistic, the symbolic and the etymological elements in an animal as depicted in the bestiary. The story about the beaver is a combination of the text by Isidor with…
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The Beaver Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V.III, N 1, f. 52
The Beaver Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill, N 1, f. 52
Hyena /hyaena, hyena/ 10.5X7 cm In the Middle Ages the hyena feeding on carrion was believed to be the most repulsive creature of all. The Old Testament refers hyena to unclean animals /Lev.II, Deuteronomy, 14/. The image of the hyena hovers above the ruins of Babylon /Isaiah, 13:22, 24/, though there is no mention of…
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The Hyena. Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V.HI, N 1, f. 40
The Hyena. Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford, N 764, f. 15
Hydra /hydrus, hydra/ 10X6.8 cm The bestiaries of the twelfth century and the text by Pseudo-Hugh (II.7) follow the story by Isidor /XII.IV.22, 23/ who continued the story in “Physiologus” about the unceasing hostility between the hydra and the crocodile living in the Nile. When the hydra saw the crocodile sleeping on the bank with…
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The Hydra. Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V.III, N 1, f. 39 v.
Hydra /hydrus, hydra/ 10×4.6 cm The second chapter about the hydra reproduces the text about the hydra of Lerne by Isidor and repeats the story about the hydra’s fight with the crocodile. Such repetitions are not infrequent in medieval compilation since the latter derived material from several different sources. The inclusion of the second chapter…
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The Hydra Capital. Church in Saint-Aignan. XII century.
The Hydra Relief. XII century. Archaeological Museum. Nevers.
Sirens /sirenes/ 10.1×7 cm “The sweet singing… of perilous sirens”, the fairy charms of which the ingenious Odysseys was lucky to escape, are viewed by the medieval mind as the incarnation of a worldly boon which is ruining human soul. In the course of their long, ages-old existence the treacherous and alluring sirens of the…
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The Sirens. Miniature. Manuscript of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f. 74 v.
The Sirens Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford, ms. Ashmol 1511, f. 65 v.
Wild Goat /capra/ 10.2×6 cm Built according to the heraldic symmetry, the miniature illustrates the story of a wild goat who lives in the high mountains and sometimes comes down to the valley. She is known to be very sharp-sighted. The text of the bestiary originates from the description and interpretations of Greek “Physiologus”, in…
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The Wild Goal Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford, ms. Ashmole 1511, f. 20 v.
The Wild Goal Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f.
Onager /onager/ 10X6 см The text of the bestiary about the onager combines two narratives of Greek “Physiologus”, the one about the onager castrating his young offsprings “for them not to multiply”, and the other about the onager and the monkey registering time. “Physiologus” compares the onager castrating his young ones with the Apostles preaching…
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The Onager Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill, N 1, f. 40 v.
Apes /simia/ 10.2×6.2 cm In the Latin versions of “Physiologus” and in bestiaries the text about the ape follows the story of the onager. The story presented in the bestiary is in fact a combination of passages from Isidor with the symbolic interpretation of “Physiologus”, though it does not associate the features of the monkey…
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The Ape Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V.III, N 1, f. 40 v.
The Ape Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f. 17 v.
Satyr and Callitrix / satyr us et callitrix/ medallion 6.6 cm in diameter The text is taken from Isidore /XII.II.33/. Satyr is a monkey with a face showing unending change of expression. Callitrix is a bearded monkey with a thick tail, the one which, possibly, is shown in the miniature of the Saint Petersburg bestiary.…
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The Satyr and Callitrix Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764,f. 17 v.
Panther /panthera, pantera/ 10X6 cm Panther is the loveliest of all animals in the medieval bestiary. She is gentle and beautiful. “Physiologus” spares no colours describing its bright coat, which he compares to the many-coloured robes of Joseph and the queen in gold of Ophir /Psalms, 44:10/. In the bestiary the story taken from “Physiologus”…
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The Panther Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f. 7 v.
Elephant /elephas/ 10×6.8 cm In the bestiary the story of the elephant begins with the story by Isidor, who derived the meaning of the name from the Greek /mountain/. Isidor spoke about the great size of the animal, its great intellegence and good memory, its usefulness in battle and also about the enmity between the…
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The Elephant Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f. 12
The Elephant Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill, N 1, f. 41
Wolf /lupus/ 10X5.5 cm The chapter about the wolf, missing in original “Physiologus”, is based on the information derived from Isidore /XII.II.23—24/, Pliny /VIII. 22.34/ and Solinus /2.36/ who described the wolf as a rapacious and greedy animal. The wolf has a big chest and strong jaws. He steals up to the sheepfold and catches…
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The Wolf Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill, N 1, f. 42
Dogs /canis/ 10.2 X 6 cm; 10.2×2.5 cm; 10..2 X 6.5 cm In original “Physiologus” the chapter on dogs was omitted. In the bestiary the antique tales about the dogs collected by Pliny and Solinus are being revised and newly interpreted. The text of the bestiary includes passages originating from Isidor /XII.II.25—27/ and from St.…
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The Dogs Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V.III, N 1, f. 43 v.
Dogs /canis/ 10.2X6 cm; 10.2; 2.5 cm; 10.2X6.5 cm In the Middle Ages the dog was likened to a shepherd guarding his flock. In contrast to the tradition of the Old Testament and even to the text of the Gospel /Mark, VII:27/ the medieval man looked upon the dog as a symbol of fidelity, loyalty…
DetailsStag /cervus/ 10.2X6.1 cm То the text derived from Isidor /XII.1.18—19/ the bestiary adds the narrative from “Physiologus” about the stag which drove a snake away from its hole and thus came to be associated with Christ defeating the dragon. The idea that the stag and the snake are enemies comes from Oppian /Cinegetica, II/…
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The Stag Capital. Church in Brajac. XII century
The Stag Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill, N 1, f. 50
Weasel /mustela/ 10.3X2.4 cm Empedocles and Anaxagoras shared the antique notion that the weasel conceives by mouth and gives birth by ear, the notion which Aristotle called “a naive and rash utterance” /On the Origin of Animals, III.756 b 15/. Neither Albert the Great /XXII.I.79/ nor Brunetto Latini /I.V. 181/ mention it and still “Physiologus”…
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The Weasel Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. N 1, f. 53
Ant /formica/ 9X5.5 cm The Saint Petersburg Bestiary similarly to the early versions of “Physiologus” begins the story of the ant with a quotation from the Proverbs of Solomon: “Go to the ant, О sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise”. /Proverbs 6:6/. “Physiologus” treats the ant in strict adherence to the moral of the…
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The Ant Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill, N 1, f. 52 v.
Chamois /ibex/ medallion 5.7 cm in diameter The chapter on the ibex or a stone ram is not included in the original “Physiologus”. It takes rise from Isidor /XII.1.16/ who derived his information from Pliny /VIII.53.79/, and from the symbolic interpretations of Gregory the Great to be found in his “Moralia in Job” /XXX. 10.36,…
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