Swallow, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

The swallow is a remarkable bird, known for its ability to catch and eat food mid-flight rather than while resting. It flies close to the ground in a graceful manner and is highly skilled in building its nest and raising its young. The swallow is undeterred by predators and flies over the sea during the winter. Ingeniously, it builds its nest by collecting twigs with its beak and using mud to glue them together, even using water-dipped wings to gather dust and create a solid, gap-free home for its young. Swallows also exhibit a unique medicinal ability, restoring sight to their blind young. Symbolically, the swallow can represent Christ, the apostles, or the prophets, each building and nurturing faith within the nest of the Church. This bird's swift flight, distinctive black back, white chest and bifurcated tail make it as visually striking as it is symbolically profound.

Hirundo dicitur quod cibos non sumit residens;
sed in aere escas capiat et edat. Garrula avis. per
tortuosos orbes et flexuosos et iuxta terram circuitus;
volans. et in nidis construendis educandisque fetibus;
sollertissima. habens etiam quiddam prescium; quod
lapsura deserat nec appetat culmina. A diris quoque avi-
bus non inpeditur; nec umquam preda est. Maria trans-
volans; ibi hyeme commoratur. Parva corpora; sed
pio sublimis affectu. et arte ingeniosissima. Indi-
ga rerum omnium; pretiosiores auro; nidos instruit;
quia cum sapientia nidificat. Quid enim sapientius
quam ut volandi vaga libertate potiatur. et hominibus

The swallow is named after its habit of not ingesting food whilst resting; instead, it catches and eats its food in the air. It is a chattering bird, flying in winding and meandering paths close to the ground. It is very skilled in building nests and raising its nestlings, possessing something foreboding, like an instinctive knowledge that it will not waver or abandon the dove nor will it yearn for the peak. This bird is not harassed by fierce birds and is never preyed upon. It flies over the sea where it stays during the winter. Swallows have a small body, pious and sublime feelings and are highly ingenious. They build their nests, which are more precious than gold, with great intelligence. What could be wiser than to enjoy the freedom of flight and to entrust their nests and their young to men and to the houses of men where no enemy dares to attack?

et hominum domiciliis nidum et pullos commen-
det. ubi subolem nullus hostis inpetere audet.
et pullos suos humane conversationi assues-
cat. Preterea nidum sine ullo adiutore artificio-
sissime componit. Legit enim festucas ore. easque luto
linit; ut glutinare possit. Sed quia lutum pedibus
deferre non potest; summitates pennarum aqua infun-
dit. ut facile hiis pulvis adhereat. et fiat limus
quo paulatim festucas vel minutos surculos(changed from furculos);
sibi colligat. atque adherere faciat. et sic totum nidum
facit; ut solidus sit. nec rimultus. ne grigus ad
pullos iiitrare possit. Hoc quoque preclarum ha-
bet et medicamenti insigne. quod pullis cecitate per-
cussis; novit lumina reformare. Hec avis velocis-
sima est. et nigra super dorsum. alba sum ventre.
vermiculata; sub gutture. habens caudam bifur-
catam. Nomine hirundiiiis aliquando dicitur christus ni-
dum ecclesie sapienter edificans. aliquando apostoli. in nido ecclesie
filios fide generantes. aliquando prophete in nido sinagoge
vel veteris testamenti; populos edocentes.

The swallow also trains its young for human interaction. Moreover, it craftily builds its nest unaided. It collects twigs with its beak and coats them with mud to glue them together. However, since it cannot carry mud with its talons, it dips the tips of its wings in water so that dust sticks to them and turns into slime wherewith it gradually gathers twigs or small branches, making the entire nest solid and without gaps so that no damp can enter and harm the young. This bird also has a remarkable and medicinal quality: it can restore sight to its young if they become blind. The swallow is very swift, with a black back and a white chest and is vermiculated below the throat. It has a bifurcated tail. Sometimes, the swallow symbolises Christ, who wisely builds the nest of the Church; sometimes, it represents the apostles, who generate the children of faith in the nest of the Church; and other times, it symbolises the prophets in the nest of the synagogue or Old Testament, who teach people.

Further Reading

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Swallow, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast255.htm

Mynott, J, Birds in the Ancient World (New York: Oxford University Press 2018)

Josh Goldenberg (BA 2012) and Matt Shanahan (BA 2014), Logeion, November 2022, https://logeion.uchicago.edu/

Castiglioni, L. and Mariotti, S. (1996). Vocabolario della Lingua Latina: Latino-Italiano Italiano-Latino. Terza Edizione. Loescher Torino

Curley, M. J., Physiologus: A Medieval Book of Nature Lore (University of Chicago edition 2009)

Rackham, H., M.A., Pliny Natural History Volume III, Libri VIII-XI (London: William Heinemann Ltd, 1949)

Collins, A. H., M.A., Symbolism of Animals and Birds (New York: McBride, Nast & Company, 1913)

Henderson, C., The Book of Barely Imagined Beings (London: University of Chicago Press, 2013)

White, T. H., The Bestiary: A Book of Beasts (New York: G.P Putnam’s Sons, 1960)

Matthews, J. and Matthews C., The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A-Z of fantastic beings from myth and magic (London: HarperElement, 2005)

Barney, S. A., Lewis, W. J., Beach A., Berghof O., The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006)