Rochester Bestiary KAS Rochester Bestiary KAS

Torpedo/Electric Ray, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

Rochester Bestiary, f107r. British Library MS. Transcription by Dr Patricia Steward. Translation and commentary by Gabriele Macelletti.

The torpedo, or electric ray, is a fascinating sea creature with the power to make anything it touches go numb. Its electric shock is so powerful that even if someone prods it with a spear, it will still render the body of that person numb. Remarkably, its electric charge is so strong that it can even affect its own limbs. This mysterious power makes the torpedo both a marvel and a cautionary tale of nature’s electrical wonders.

Torpedo; corpus tangentis torpescere facit. Si
hasta quoque tangatur; corpus tangentis tor-
pescere facit. ita ut pedes tangentis illigari pu-
tentur. Tantaque vis eius est; ut etiam auro corpo-
ris sui afficiat membra.
The torpedo[1] causes the body that it touches to go numb. If anyone touches it with a spear, it makes the body that touches it go numb as well to the extent that even the feet of the person holding the spear might become numb. Its power is so great that it can even affect the limbs of its own body with its electric charge.

Further Reading

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Torpedo, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast285.htm

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

Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., Wikipedia: The Elephant, 28 November 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant

Matthews, J. and Matthews C., (2010), The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures, HarperCollins UK, London

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)

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

Endnotes

This fish is also called electric ray. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_torpedo
Read More
Rochester Bestiary KAS Rochester Bestiary KAS

Porpoise/Sea Pig and Swordfish, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

Rochester Bestiary, f106r. British Library MS. Transcription by Dr Patricia Steward. Translation and commentary by Gabriele Macelletti.

The Rochester Bestiary describes the porpoise as a sea pig. Similarly to their terrestrial counterparts, sea pigs feed by using their snouts to dig up food in the underwater sand.

Porci marini qui vulgo vocantur suilli; qui-
dam dum escam querunt; ore suo sub aquis
terram fodiunt. Circa guttur enim habent oris
officium. et nisi rostrum arenis inmergant;
pastum non colligunt.
[space left for illustration] Gladius est piscis. qui mucusnato rostro(added above) naves perforat;
Sea pigs[1], which are commonly called sŭilli: when searching for food, they dig into the ground underwater with their mouths. They have their mouth located near the throat and unless they immerse their snout in the sand, they do not pick up their food.
[space left for illustration]
The swordfish is a fish that pierces ships with its sharp snout.

Further Reading

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Sea-pig, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast417.htm

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

Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., Wikipedia: The Elephant, 28 November 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant

Matthews, J. and Matthews C., (2010), The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures, HarperCollins UK, London

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)

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

Endnotes

[1] The Sea Swine/Pig was the name given to a variety of sea-dwelling or mythological creatures throughout history. The earliest mention of a sea swine/pig can be traced to ancient Greece. In this context, the name has been interpreted to mean 'porpoise', as a porpoise and pig have similar round body shapes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Swine

Read More
Rochester Bestiary Jacob Scott Rochester Bestiary Jacob Scott

Cetus, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

The Cetus[1], or ketos, is a legendary sea monster, possibly the same that swallowed Jonah, so immense that it can be imagined as hell itself. Jonah’s words, "The Lord heard me from the belly of hell," reflect this monstrous comparison. In the vast ocean, the Cetus rises above the waves, covers its enormous back with the ocean’s sand, creating a pseudo-island where shrubs and bushes take root. Mistaking it for a real island, sailors land, anchor their ships and make fires to cook their meals. When the beast feels the heat, it dives suddenly, dragging the ships down with it. This creature symbolises the devil, who similarly ensnares those who place their trust in him, pulling them into the abyss.

The Cetus also has a deceptive nature: when hungry, it opens its mouth, releasing a sweet fragrance. Small fish, lured by the scent, swim into its mouth and when it is full, the Cetus snaps its jaws shut, devouring them all. Larger fish, recognising the danger, swim away. This mirrors the devil, who entices those of weak faith with temptations and flattery, swallowing them up, whereas the faithful saints, wise to his tricks, flee. Just as fools are captivated by sweet scents and perfumes, so too are souls ensnared by the devil’s deceptions, leading to their downfall.

Cetus sive cethe est belua in mari. quasi fuit
illa que excepit ionam. tante magnitudinis
ut putari posset infernus dicente ipso iona. Exau-
divit me dominus de ventre inferi. Hec in medio
pelagi elevat dorsum suum super undas maris. et
tante est magnitudines. ut de sabulo maris per
ventum agitato; fiat planicies super dorsum eius
et quasi certa terra. et arbusta et virgulta ibi
crescunt. Unde navigantes hanc inmobiliter
stare videntes; putant insulam magnam esse.
et applicant naves et palos figunt quibus naves
alligant. et focos faciunt ut cibos coquant. Que
The Cetus or ketos is a sea monster, perhaps the one that swallowed Jonah, of such great size that it could be thought of as hell itself, as Jonah says: 'The Lord heard me from the belly of hell.'[2] This creature, in the midst of the sea, raises its back above the waves and covers it with the sand of the sea and then, a kind of plain takes shape on its back where shrubs and bushes grow. Sailors, seeing it motionless, think it is a large island. They land with their ships, cast anchor and make fires to cook their food.
sentiens ardorem ignis; subito se in aquam mergit et
navem secum trahit. Hec belua figuram diaboli gerit.
qui eos qui spem ponunt in eo et se suis operibus illi obli-
gant. secum in baratrum trahit. Secunda autem natura
huius belue est. quod quando esurit; aperit os suum. et odo-
rem quendam bene olentem exalat de ore eius. cuius
dulcedinem ut sentiunt minores pisces; congregant se in
ore eius. Cum vero senserit os suum repletum; subi-
to claudit os suum et transglutit eos. Magni autem
pisces; fugiunt eam. Sic paciuntur omnes qui sunt modi-
ce fidei. voluptatibus ac lenociniis quasi quibusdam
odoribus diabolicis adescati. subito absorbentur ab
eo. sicut pisciculi minuti. Magne vero fidei sancti in-
telligunt astucias diaboli et fugiunt eas. Unguen-
tis enim et variis odoribus delectantur stulti; ut dicit
scriptura. et sic confringitur anima a ruinis.
When the beast feels the heat of the fire, it suddenly dives into the water, dragging the ship along. This beast symbolises the devil, who drags along down into the abyss those who pin their hopes on him and bind themselves to him through their deeds. The second nature of this beast is that when it is hungry, it opens its mouth and exhales a pleasant fragrance. When the smaller fish sense the sweetness of this scent, they flock into its mouth. When the cetus feels that its mouth is full, it suddenly closes it and swallows them all. On the contrary, the larger fish flee from this beast. Similarly, those of little faith are ensnared by the devil’s temptations and flattery, enticed by his devilish odours and suddenly swallowed by him, just like the small fish. On the contrary, those of great faith, the saints, recognise the devil’s tricks and flee. Fools are delighted by perfumes and various scents, as the scripture says, and thus the soul is shattered.

Further Reading

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

Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., Wikipedia: The Elephant, 28 November 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant

Matthews, J. and Matthews C., (2010), The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures, HarperCollins UK, London

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)

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

Endnotes

[1] The word cetus has been Latinized from ketos/kitos. The Greek word for whale is κῆτος/kítos. Cetus could be also translated as whale but the author of the bestiary is referring to the mythological sea monster Cetus because the next folio ff104v describes the whale as being smaller than the cetus monster. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetus_(mythology)

[2] Jonah KJV 2:2: "And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice."

Read More
Wolf fish, sea bream, red mullet, grey mullet, thymallus, scarus, stargazer, millago, eel and moray, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230
Jacob Scott Jacob Scott

Wolf fish, sea bream, red mullet, grey mullet, thymallus, scarus, stargazer, millago, eel and moray, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

In the world of fish, cunning and unique behaviours abound: the wolf fish, a master of escape, cleverly digs through the sand with its tail to evade nets. The sea bream, known as phăgĕr, boasts formidable teeth that allow it to feast on oysters. Meanwhile, the red mullet, mullus, is said to temper desire when eaten and dulls the senses, especially when its flesh is soaked in wine, reducing the drinker's thirst.

The grey mullet, mūgĭl, lives up to its name, being incredibly agile and capable of leaping through nets. The grayling, thymallus, is both grey and fragrant, delighting the senses with its pleasant aroma. The scărus, a genus of parrotfish, is not only skilled at chewing its food but also demonstrates cleverness by escaping from wicker traps through the tail-end and even receiving assistance from fellow parrotfish.

The stargazer, ūrănoscŏpus, features a distinctive upward-looking eye, adding to its enigmatic nature. The millago, when seen leaping from the water, signals that a storm is easing. Eels, anguillae, are slippery and elusive, particularly in the Ganges River where they can grow up to thirty feet long. When eels are killed in wine, they induce a strong aversion to the drink.

Lastly, the moray eel, mūrēna, is a unique creature, exclusively female and reputed to conceive from a snake. It is notoriously difficult to kill with a stick but succumbs quickly if struck on the head. Its soul is said to reside in its tail, as it dies instantly when the tail is harmed.

Lupus marinus alios pisces devorat. et est. ingeniosus.
ita ut reti circundatus; cauda aranas(changed to harenas) arat. Et sic conditus
transire rete. Phagrus ita duros dentes habet; ut ostreis
in mari alatur. Mulus libidinem inhibet commestus
The wolf fish[1] devours other fish and is clever. When surrounded by a net, it digs in the sand with its tail, thus managing to pass through the net.

The sea bream, phăgĕr[2], has such hard teeth that it feeds on oysters in the sea.

The red mullet, mullus[3], inhibits lust when eaten.
oculos habetat. Iin vino necatus(changed from nacat;) tedium vini bibendi
iiiverit hiis; qui ex vino hoc bibunt. Megilis ita est
agilis; quod transvolat rete. et dicitur mugilis quasi
multum agillis. Timallus est specie graus et sapore;
iocundus. Sicut flos fragrat et corpore aspirat odorem;
Escarius; escas ruminat. ingeniosus. In vase vimineo
inclusus; non fronte exit sec cauda foramina facit lata;
ut exeat. Et si alius escarius videt exeuntem; adiuvat
apprehensa cauda(changed from causa) exeuntis. Vranuscopus; habet
oculum in capite quo sursum semper intendit;
Milago quotiens extra aquam videtur avolare; tempes
tatem sedari significat. Anguilla in limo oritur. et
limosa est. ut quinto plus presseris; tanto cicius de manibus
elabitur. Et in gaugen fluvio; sunt.xxx. pedum
anguille. Si in vino necantur. tedium vini prestant
bibentibus ex eo. Murena est tantum feminei sexus.
et concipit ex serpent. Unde a piscatoribus sibilantibus;
De h’ supra capitur. Fuste vix interficitur. ferula protinus. Animam
habet in cauda. Nam in capite percussa; vix interimitur cauda statim.
It dulls the eyes. When killed in wine, it makes those who drink that wine lose the desire to drink more. The grey mullet, mūgĭl, is so agile that it flies through the net and its name sounds like ăgĭlis, agile. The grayling, thymallus,[4] is grey in appearance and delicious in taste. Like a flower, it smells fragrant and exudes a pleasant aroma from its body.

The parrotfish, scărus[5], chews its food and is clever. When trapped in a wicker basket, it does not exit headfirst but makes large holes with its tail to escape. If another parrotfish sees it escaping, it helps by grabbing the exiting tail.

The stargazer, ūrănoscŏpus[6], has an eye on its head, which always looks upward. When the millago is seen flying out of the water, it signifies that a storm will subside. The eel, anguilla, is born in the mud and is slimy. The more you press it, the faster it slips out of your hands. In the Ganges River, there are eels thirty feet long. If they are killed in wine, they cause in those who drink it revulsion for the wine. The moray, mūrēna, is exclusively female and conceives from a snake. Hence, it is captured by fishermen hissing. It is hardly killed with a stick but easily with a cane. Its soul is in its tail, for it is hardly killed but the tail immediately dies, when struck on the head.

Further Reading

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Bream, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast104615.htm

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Mullet, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast106317.htm

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Thymallus, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast106318.htm

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Scarus, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast104615.htm

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Uranoscopus, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast104660.htm

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Millago, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast104637.htm

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Bream, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast104615.htm

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Eel, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast106039.htm

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

Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., Wikipedia: The Elephant, 28 November 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant

Matthews, J. and Matthews C., (2010), The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures, HarperCollins UK, London

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)

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

Endnotes

[1] This fish is also known as the Atlantic wolf fish or Atlantic cat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_wolffishfish

[2] This fish, Pagrus pagrus, is the red porgy, commonly known as sea bream. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_porgy

[3] The term Mullus refers to the red mullet, Mullus barbatus or the striped red mullet, Mullus surmuletus. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mullus_barbatus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_red_mullet

[4] The grayling is Thymallus thymallus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thymallus_thymallus

[5] The genus of parrotfishes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarus

[6] This is a genus of stargazers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranoscopus

Read More
Octopus, cuttlefish, snail, murex, crab, oyster and mussel, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230
Jacob Scott Jacob Scott

Octopus, cuttlefish, snail, murex, crab, oyster and mussel, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

This text offers a fascinating mix of medieval natural history and moral allegory. It begins by describing the octopus, a clever creature that evades hooks by using its arms and the cuttlefish, which uses its ink in such a way that it metaphorically makes men see Ethiopians when added to a lamp—a reference to its ink’s potency. Molluscs, like snails, are said to grow and shrink with the moon and some even conceive pearls from the dew of the heavens. The sea snail, murex, sheds purple tears when cut, from which valuable purple dye is made.

Crabs, cunning shellfish, wait patiently for oysters to open in the sunlight and then drop pebbles into their shells, preventing them from closing. This trick allows the crabs to feast on the oyster’s flesh. The text draws a moral parallel between the crab’s deception and people who use cunning to feed off others’ hardships. It urges readers to avoid deceit and rely on their own simplicity and virtue, emphasising the value of honest poverty over greed-driven wealth. In closing, it offers a strange piece of folklore about tying crabs with basil to attract scorpions, leaving us with a mix of wonder and wisdom.

The allegorical message is clear: true wealth comes from living in harmony and avoiding the cunning exploitation of others.

Colippus est ita ingeniosus; ut
brachiis hamum amplectatur. et sic escam circum-
rodit. Sepia ore concipit sicut vipera. Cuius attra-
menti vis tanta est; ut si lucerne addatur; ethio-
pes facit homines videre. Concharum id est cocleae
multa genera sunt. Et crescente luna; crescunt. et
decrescente; decrescunt; Quedam ex hiis nocturno tem-
pore littora appetunt. et ex celesti rore; margaritam
concipiunt. Murica est coclea maris. dicta conchil-
cum. quia circumscisa ferro; lacrimas(corrected) purpurei colo-
ris emittit. ex quibus purpura tingitur. Cancri sunt
conche. crura habentes. retro incedentes. ostreis iiiiii-
ci. ex quorum carnibus nutriuntur. Explorant enim
quando ostrea claustra testarum aperiunt. et sic latenter
lapillum iniciunt. et sic carnes eorum rodunt;
strea sunt quorum carnis mollicies testa tegitur
que concipiunt lacte musculi coclearum id est mas-
culo(changed from culi) coclearum; Et dicuntur musculi quasi masculi;
The octopus, pōlўpus, is so clever that it coils around the hook with its arms, thus gnawing around the bait. The cuttlefish, sepia, takes hold with its mouth like a viper and its ink has such a great power that if it is added to a lamp, it causes men to see Ethiopians[2]. There are many kinds of molluscs, for instance, snails, cŏclĕae. As the moon waxes, they grow and as it wanes, they shrink. Some of them seek the shores at night and conceive pearls from the celestial dew. The murex is a type of sea snail, called conchȳlĭum, for it sheds purple tears when cut with iron wherefrom purple dye is made. Crabs, cancri, are shellfish with legs and move backward. They feed on oysters, which they carefully watch, waiting for the moment the oysters open their shells. Then, they secretly throw in a pebble and gnaw their flesh. Oysters, ostrea, are those whose soft flesh is covered by a shell and they conceive from the milk of mussels, that is, from the male of the snails. Mussels are called muscŭli, almost as if they were like males, mascŭli.
Nota quod cancer quia aperire clausum ostreum nulla
vi potest. et periculosum est si chelam eius includat; ad ar-
gumenta confugit. et insidias nova fraude molitur. Itaque
quia omnia genera piscium delectatione aliqua mulcentur;
explorat si quando ostreum remotis in locis ab omni vento contra solis
radium aperiat os suum. et referet claustra testarum. ut
libero aere visceris sui voluptatem quandam capiat. et
tunc clanculo calculum immittat qui lapidem conclusio-
nem ostrei inpediat. Ac sic aperta claustra aperiens. inserit che-
las. visceraque interna depascitur. Sic igitur in visi sunt qui
cancri usu in alieno usu circumscriptionis irrepunt. et infir-
mitatem proprie virtutis astu quodam suffulciunt. fratris
bonum vescuntur. et alterius pascuntur erumpna. tu
ut dolum autem propriis esto contentus. et aliena te dampna non pascant
Bonus cibus est simplicitas innocentie. sua bona habens.
Insidiari nescit alienis. nec avaricie fascibus inardescit. cui lu-
men omne ad virtutem dispendium est; ad cupiditatem;
incendium. Et ideo beata est si bonam noverit cum veritate
paupertatem. et omnibus preferenda thesauris. quia melius
without fear. Hospitality to everyone in harmony is better than the preparation of fattened calves in disagreement.

Let us therefore use our intelligence to seek harmony and preserve our salvation, not to harm the innocence of others. We may indeed follow the examples of others, be inspired by the sea, in order to attain salvation and not to harm others. Some say that if a hundred crabs are tied with a bunch of basil, all the scorpions present will gather in that place. There are two kinds of crabs: freshwater and marine.

Further Reading

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Octopus, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast105674.htm

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Cuttlefish, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast106321.htm

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Sea-snail, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast105363.htm

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Crab, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast100870.htm

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Pearl-oyster, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast548.htm

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Mussel, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast106322.htm

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

Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., Wikipedia: The Elephant, 28 November 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant

Matthews, J. and Matthews C., (2010), The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures, HarperCollins UK, London

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)

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

Endnotes

[1] Transcription error from pōlўpus, octopus.

[2] A term probably used in the Middle Ages to refer to people with dark skin from regions like Africa.

Read More