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…
DetailsThe 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…
DetailsThe 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…
DetailsThe 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…
DetailsThe 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…
DetailsThe 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…
DetailsThe 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…
DetailsThe 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…
DetailsThe 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.…
DetailsThe 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”…
DetailsThe 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…
DetailsThe 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…
DetailsThe 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.…
DetailsThe 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/…
DetailsThe 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”…
DetailsThe 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…
DetailsThe 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,…
DetailsThe Chamois. Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f. 14 v.
Fire Stones /lapides igniferi, terebolem, turrobolen, terroboli/ medallion 6.3 cm in diameter “Physiologus” and the bestiaries ascribe to the fire stones such qualities which the antique writers did not see in “lapides piroboli” /pyritis/ /Pliny, XXXVI.21.39/. The bestiary distinguishes male and female stones and says that their contiguity produces an all-consuming flame. The bestiary tries…
DetailsThe Fire Stones Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill, N 1, f. 44
Ostrich /assida, struthiocamelon, struthio/ medallion 10.3×6 cm In the Latin versions the story of the ostrich which was among the latest additions to Greek “Physiologus” underwent considerable changes. The ostrich does not fly though she has wings. She has feet like those of a camel. That is why the Greek call it Struthiocamelon. She lays…
DetailsThe Ostrich Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill, N 1, f. 18
The Ostrich Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill, N 131 f20
Tiger /tigris/ 9.7X8.3 cm The story of a tiger is one of the most moving and poetical tales of the bestiary. It proceeds from Isidor /XII.II.7/ and St. Ambrose /VI.4.21/ who derived information from Solinus /37.5/ and Pliny /VIII.18.25/. The tiger gets his name for his speedy pace, for the Persians and the Medes used…
DetailsThe Tiger Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f. 6 v.
Pard and Leopard /pardus et leopardus/ 10.4X7 cm The story of the part and leopard follows Isidor /XII.II.10—11/ who proceeds from Pliny /VIII. 16.17/. The bestiary says that the pard is predatory by nature and that leopards are born of a lioness and a pard. In the miniature the pard is featured in the tradition…
DetailsThe Pard Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f. 9 v.
Lynx /lynx/ 10.2X3.9 cm The text originates from Isidore /XII.II.20/ who proceeds from Pliny /XXVIII.8.32/. The lynx is a spotted beast, a kind of wolf. They say that his urine hardens into a precious stone called ligurius /”lynx-urins” is lynx’ urine/. For fear that the stone should get into the hands of man, the lynx…
DetailsGriffon /gryphus/ 9.6×6.3 cm The tale of the griffon repeats the story told by Isidor /XII.II.17/ whose version takes rise from Pliny /VII.12: X.49.70/. Of the antique sources Herodotus is known to be the first to mention it /III.116/. The impressive miniature of the Saint Petersburg bestiary shows the griffon clutching a wild boar. Of…
DetailsThe Griffon Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f. 11 v.
Boar /aper/ 9.3X4.3 cm The text repeats the story by Isidor /XII.I.27/; who derived the word “aper” from “feritas”, meaning the beast’s ferocity. In the Saint Petersburg and New York manuscripts the chapter on the boar is detached from the section “De pecoribus en jumentis” by Isidor and is placed among chapters on fabulous beasts.…
DetailsThe Boar Miniature. Bestiary, of the Bodleian Library in Oxford. N 764, f. 38 v
Bonnacon /bonacon, bonasus/ 10.5X6.5 cm The story of the bonnacon is one of the latest insertions into the treatise, derived from Solinus /40.10/ and Pliny /VIII.15.16/. Isidor does not mention it. Pseudo-Hugh /III.5/ and Albert the Great /XXII.1.12/ give the description of the bonnacon. The bonaccon lives in Asia, he has a bullish head and…
DetailsThe Bonnacon Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f. 16
Bear /ursus/ 9.6X6.9 cm Proceeding from the text by Isidor /XII.II.22/ who derived information from Piiny /VIII.36.54/, the bestiary as well as Pseudo-Hugh /III.6/, emphasises the fact that the mother-bear gives premature birth to her cubs who appear as shapeless lumps. By licking them the mother gives them a proper shape. Bears often stand urpight…
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