Folio 24v - the hedgehog continued. De formicis; Of ants.
thinking ahead, protects itself with twin ventilation ducts, son that when it thinks that the north wind is about to blow, it blocks the northern one, and when it knows that the south wind is giving warning of mist in the air, it goes to the northern passage to avoid the vapours blown from the opposite direction, which will do it harm.
Of ants
The ant has three characteristics. The first is that they march in line, each one carrying a grain of corn in its mouth. Those who have none do not say to the others: 'Give us some of your grain', but follow the tracks of those who first went out to the place where they find the corn and carry it off to their nest. Let this description serve to signify sensible men, who, like the ants, act in unity, as a result of which they will be rewarded in the future.
The ant's second characteristic is that when it stores grain in its nest, it divides its supply in two, lest by chance it should be soaked in the winter rains, the seed germinate and the ant die of hunger. In the same way, you, O man, should keep separate the words of the Old and the New Testament, that is, distinguish between the spiritual and the carnal, lest the law interpreted literally should kill you, for the law is a spiritual thing, as the Apostle says: 'For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life' (2 Corinthians, 3:6). For the Jews, who paid attention only to the letter of the law and scorned its spiritual interpretation, have died of hunger.
The ant's third characteristic is that at harvest time it walks through the crop and finds out by nibbling the ears whether it is barley or wheat. If the crop is barley, the ant goes to another ear and sniffs it, and if it smells wheat, it climbs to the top of the ear and carries off the grain to its nest. For barley is food for beasts. As Job says: 'Barley grew for me instead of wheat' (see Job, 31:40), meaning the doctrine of heretics. For heresy is like barley, and should be cast away, because it shatters and destroys men's souls. Therefore, Christian, flee from all heretics; their teachings are false and hostile ...
- Commentary
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Commentary
Text
Hedgehog continued. Ants.
Illustration
Ants march in line carrying grain in their mouth. They collect the grain in two stores to reduce the chance of rain damage.
Comment
Pricking for pouncing on right side, refers to the mole on f. 24r. Red initial indicator 'f'' in left margin. Initial type 2.
Folio Attributes
- Transcription and Translation
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Transcription
futuri providus geminas sibi respirandi vias munit ut quando \boream flaturum collegerit, septemtrionalem obstruat, quando \nothum cognoverit detegere aeris nebulam ad septemtriona\lem se conferat ut flatus declinet obvios et regione nocituros. \ De formicis \ Formica tres naturas habet. Prima natura est ut ordina\te ambulent, et unaqueque earum granum baiulet in ore suo. \Et he que vacue sunt, non dicunt date nobis de granis vestris, \sed vadunt per vestigia priorum usque ad locum ubi frumentum \inveniunt et afferunt frumentum in cubile suum. Habet ad pru\dentium significationem dicta sufficiant, quia sicut formice con\gregant unde remunerentur in futuro. Secunda natura quando recon\dit grana in cubile suum dividit ea in duo, ne forte pluvia \infundantur in hieme, et germinent grana et fame pereat, sic et \tu homo verba veteris et novi testamenti divide, id est discerne inter \spiritualia et carnalia, ne littera te occidat, quam lex spiritualis est sicut \apostolus ait: Littera enim occidit, spritus autem vivificat. Judei namque \solam litteram attendentes, et spiritualem intellectum contempnen\tes, fame necati sunt. Tertia natura est. Tempore messis ambu \lat inter segetes, et ore intelligit an ordei sit spica an tritici. Si \fuerit ordei, transit ad aliud spicum et odorat, et si senserit quia \tritici est, ascendit in summitatem spici, et tollens inde gra\num portat in habitaculum suum. Ordeum enim brutorum \animalium cibus est. Unde dicit Job: pro tritico prodivit mihi ordeum, \scilicet doctrine hereticorum. Ordeacee enim sunt et procul abiciende, \que dirumpunt et interficiunt animas hominum. Fuge ergo \Christiane omnes hereticos quorum dogmata falsa et inimica sunt \Translation
thinking ahead, protects itself with twin ventilation ducts, son that when it thinks that the north wind is about to blow, it blocks the northern one, and when it knows that the south wind is giving warning of mist in the air, it goes to the northern passage to avoid the vapours blown from the opposite direction, which will do it harm. Of ants The ant has three characteristics. The first is that they march in line, each one carrying a grain of corn in its mouth. Those who have none do not say to the others: 'Give us some of your grain', but follow the tracks of those who first went out to the place where they find the corn and carry it off to their nest. Let this description serve to signify sensible men, who, like the ants, act in unity, as a result of which they will be rewarded in the future. The ant's second characteristic is that when it stores grain in its nest, it divides its supply in two, lest by chance it should be soaked in the winter rains, the seed germinate and the ant die of hunger. In the same way, you, O man, should keep separate the words of the Old and the New Testament, that is, distinguish between the spiritual and the carnal, lest the law interpreted literally should kill you, for the law is a spiritual thing, as the Apostle says: 'For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life' (2 Corinthians, 3:6). For the Jews, who paid attention only to the letter of the law and scorned its spiritual interpretation, have died of hunger. The ant's third characteristic is that at harvest time it walks through the crop and finds out by nibbling the ears whether it is barley or wheat. If the crop is barley, the ant goes to another ear and sniffs it, and if it smells wheat, it climbs to the top of the ear and carries off the grain to its nest. For barley is food for beasts. As Job says: 'Barley grew for me instead of wheat' (see Job, 31:40), meaning the doctrine of heretics. For heresy is like barley, and should be cast away, because it shatters and destroys men's souls. Therefore, Christian, flee from all heretics; their teachings are false and hostile ...
