Folio 28v - De posterioribus dorsi columbe; Of the tail feathers of the dove.De colore alarum; Of the colour of the dove's wings.
The dove, which is said to have red feet, is shown in the words of the prophet to have had silver-covered feathers. 'The wings of the dove,' says David, 'sheathed in silver.'
The flight feathers of the dove, covered with silver, are the preachers of the Church. Silver signifies the word of God. The ringing sound of silver signifies the sweetness of the word. Its colour is shining white. Truly, silver contains the shining whiteness of purity, as when a teacher preaches purity in his words and is pure within, loving the doctrine he teaches and revealing what he loves inwardly through his outward deeds. The holy words of the Lord are like silver, tested by fire. The words of the Lord are holy because they have not been corrupted by falsehood. Silver tested by fire remains strong against onslaught. The brilliance of silver on the feathers, therefore, is what is found on the tongues of those who preach - the soft allure of the word of God.
Of the colour of the dove's wings
I have found no written reference to the colour of the dove's wings, but it can be attributed by analogy with the real dove; so that if you were to see a painting of a dove, you would not deny that it should have the colour of the real dove.
The surface of the wings is suffused with the colour of sapphire, because the soul of a contemplative man takes on the appearance of heaven. But the sapphire colour of the wings is marked by traces of shining white, as the white of snow is tinged with sapphire. The mixture of snow-white and sapphire in the wings signifies purity of the flesh and the love of contemplation.
Of the tail feathers of the dove
The prophet refers to the tail feathers of the silver-covered dove and thereafter shows, in moral terms, that they refer to the end of a man's life on earth. He shows that the colour gold represents purity of mind; the pale colour of gold signifies mortification of the flesh. For paleness is the the natural colour of the suffering soul and of the mortified flesh. Therefore the tail feathers of the silver-coloured dove will have the paleness of gold as purity of mind and mortification of the flesh prevail when a dying man makes his end. But for this reason also the golden colour of the dove's tail feathers is mixed with sapphire, because the glory of the bliss to come will closely follow the soul of the contemplative man. Therefore the golden colour of the tail feathers signifies the gift of his eternal reward.
- Commentary
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Commentary
Text
On the silver and gold colouring of the dove.
Comment
The excisions relate to illuminations on f.28r. Initials type 2. The colour indicator 'v' is found twice in the margin, indicating the vermilion pink of the letters. There are corrections to the text in the margin.
Folio Attributes
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Transcription
Columba que [A,rubeos pedes habere dicitur,] pennas deargenta\tas habuisse [A,verbis propheticis demonstr-] atur. Penne inquit \David columbe dearge-[A,ntate. Penne columbe de-]argentate sunt predicato\res ecclesie. Est autem [A, argentum divinum] eloquium. Tinnitus \[A, argenti, dulcedo verbi. Color, candor. Cand-]orem vero argentum \[A,retinet dum quili-]bet doctor mundiciam verbis predicat, et mun\[A,diciam in se habet d-]um quod docet diligit, et quod intus amat, foris \[A,operibus ostendit. Haec] sunt eloquia domini casta, argentum ig\[A, ne examinatum.] Eloquia domini casta quia nulla sunt simula\tione corrupta. Argentum examinatum igne solidatum in \qualibet perturbatione. Candor igitur argenteus in pennis est in lin\guis docentium, lene blandimentum sermonis. \ De colore alarum \ Alarum colorem scriptum non repperi, sed ex simili\tudine materialis columbe potes [PL, potest] assignari, ut si colum\bam pictam respicias, columbe materialis colorem eam habere non \contradicas. Alarum enim superficies saphirino colore superfundi\tur, quia celi speciem animus contemplantis imitatur. Sed color saphi\rinus candidis lineis distinguitur, ut saphirino colori niveus \misceatur. Color enim niveus saphirino mixtus, designat mun\diciam carnis, et amorem contemplationis. \ De posterioribus dorsi columbe \ Posteriora dorsi columbe deargentate propheta commemorat, et postea fi\nem vite presentis in quolibet homine moraliter demonstrat. \In auro puritatem mentis, in pallore vero auri designat mortificati\onem carnis. Est enim pallor, animi pacientis et mortificate \carnis innatus color. Posteriora igitur columbe deargentate in pallore auri erunt dum \puritas mentis et mortificatio carnis finem cuiuslibet morientis op\tinebunt. Sed et ideo color aureus in posterioribus dorsi columbe sa\phirino iungitur, quia contemplantis animum future beatitudinis gloria \subsequetur. Color igitur aureus in posterioribus designat eterne retributionis munus. \Translation
The dove, which is said to have red feet, is shown in the words of the prophet to have had silver-covered feathers. 'The wings of the dove,' says David, 'sheathed in silver.' The flight feathers of the dove, covered with silver, are the preachers of the Church. Silver signifies the word of God. The ringing sound of silver signifies the sweetness of the word. Its colour is shining white. Truly, silver contains the shining whiteness of purity, as when a teacher preaches purity in his words and is pure within, loving the doctrine he teaches and revealing what he loves inwardly through his outward deeds. The holy words of the Lord are like silver, tested by fire. The words of the Lord are holy because they have not been corrupted by falsehood. Silver tested by fire remains strong against onslaught. The brilliance of silver on the feathers, therefore, is what is found on the tongues of those who preach - the soft allure of the word of God. Of the colour of the dove's wings I have found no written reference to the colour of the dove's wings, but it can be attributed by analogy with the real dove; so that if you were to see a painting of a dove, you would not deny that it should have the colour of the real dove. The surface of the wings is suffused with the colour of sapphire, because the soul of a contemplative man takes on the appearance of heaven. But the sapphire colour of the wings is marked by traces of shining white, as the white of snow is tinged with sapphire. The mixture of snow-white and sapphire in the wings signifies purity of the flesh and the love of contemplation. Of the tail feathers of the dove The prophet refers to the tail feathers of the silver-covered dove and thereafter shows, in moral terms, that they refer to the end of a man's life on earth. He shows that the colour gold represents purity of mind; the pale colour of gold signifies mortification of the flesh. For paleness is the the natural colour of the suffering soul and of the mortified flesh. Therefore the tail feathers of the silver-coloured dove will have the paleness of gold as purity of mind and mortification of the flesh prevail when a dying man makes his end. But for this reason also the golden colour of the dove's tail feathers is mixed with sapphire, because the glory of the bliss to come will closely follow the soul of the contemplative man. Therefore the golden colour of the tail feathers signifies the gift of his eternal reward.
