Folio 32v - the turtle dove, continued. De palma; the palm tree
and is not affected by chance temptation. It cannot go back on its first pledge of love because it knows how to preserve the chastity which it plighted as the first duty of marriage.
Of the palm-tree and the turtle dove
'I shall multiply my days as the palm' (see Job 29:18).
The palm-tree 'multiplies its days', because it grows slowly before it reaches its full height. In the same way, a righteous man proceeds slowly before he attains what he strives for. For he longs to attain the kingdom of heaven. But worldly desire prevents him from attaining his chosen goal other than at a slow pace.
The palm-tree multiplies its days. Neither the cold of winter nor the extreme heat of summer, however, prevent it from flourishing at all times. In the same way, a righteous man grows ever stronger and nothing hinders him in his pursuit of virtuous conduct. The cold of winter represents the sluggishness or heedlessness of a mind that lacks religious zeal. The extreme heat of summer represents the ardour of lust, or the flame of wrath or the smouldering fire of covetouness. As the palm-tree, therefore, does not wither in the cold nor burn in the great heat of summer, so a righteous man does not feel the pressure of any sort of temptation.
The palm-tree multiplies its days in another sense, as when a righteous man recalls to his memory the days past and contemplates in his mind the years of eternity. He tells himself how few his past days have been and, looking at it from the other side, trusts in a long line of days to come. If you take this teaching to heart, you will grow to a great height, multiplying your days and triumphing over adversity, like the palm-tree.
Again of the palm-tree
'Thy stature is like to a palm-tree' (Song of Solomon, 7:7).
- Commentary
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Commentary
Text
The palm tree and the turtle dove. The text refers to the palm tree, slow growing and forever flourishing. The rubric compares the nest of the turtle dove with the faith in Christ's passion.
Illustration
This dominating image shows the usual bland white turtle dove in its roundel and square perched in the arms of a cross. The cross represents the tree which conceals the nest, according to the rubric. In the Aviarium several stories are illustrated with heavily inscribed diagrams. For this scene, the Heiligenkreuz Aviary (f. 133v) shows a dove inside a circle in the centre of a cross . The circle and cross are covered in rubric and behind the cross is a rather bushy palm tree (Clark, 1992, fig.5). The Aberdeen artist has used a simplified version of this design, minus the palm tree and most of the rubric. There is a sketch of the cross in the right margin. In the centre of the cross Clark (1992, 269) has deciphered the colour indication ni, meaning niteur, bright or clear. At the lower right of the sketched circle may be the letters 'pp'. Two initials, type 2.
Folio Attributes
- Transcription and Translation
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Transcription
non temptatur occasionis illecebra. Turtura nescit primam fidem\ irritam facere quia novit castimoniam servare, prima conu\bii sorte premissam.\ De palma et turture\ Sicut palma multipli\cabo dies. Palma dies\ multiplicat, quia tarde proficit\ priusquam in altum crescat. Si\militer iustus tarde proficit,\ priusquam ad hoc perveniat\ ad quod tendit.\ Est enim iusti\ desiderium, ut\ perveniat ad \ celeste regnum. Si ad [PL, Sed] hoc\ desiderium mundi impedit\ ut ad optata nisi tarde perveni\re possit. Palma multipli\cat dies, nec tamen eam frigus\ hiemis vel nimius calor\ estatis impediunt quin\ semper virescat. Similiter\ iustus semper viret nec\ aliquo impeditur quin in\ proposito bone operationis\ perseveret. Frigus hyemis,\ est torpor vel negligentia\ refrigerate mentis. Nimius\ calor estatis, est ardor libi\dinis, vel iracunde flamma\ seu incendium\ cupiditatis.\ Nec palma igitur \ marcescit fri\gore, nec nimio estatis u\ritur calore, sic nec iustus\ premitur qualicumque temp\tatione. Aliter palma dies\ multiplicat, quia iustus\ dies antiquos ad memori\am reducit, et annos eter\nos in mente tractat. Pau\citatem dierum sibi nuntiat,\ et ex alia parte longitudi\nem dierum in futuro sperat. Qui hec igitur intra se colligit, multipli\cando dies sicut palma vivendo [A, vincendo] in altum crescit.\ Item de palma\ Statura tua assimilata est palme\Translation
and is not affected by chance temptation. It cannot go back on its first pledge of love because it knows how to preserve the chastity which it plighted as the first duty of marriage. Of the palm-tree and the turtle dove 'I shall multiply my days as the palm' (see Job 29:18). The palm-tree 'multiplies its days', because it grows slowly before it reaches its full height. In the same way, a righteous man proceeds slowly before he attains what he strives for. For he longs to attain the kingdom of heaven. But worldly desire prevents him from attaining his chosen goal other than at a slow pace. The palm-tree multiplies its days. Neither the cold of winter nor the extreme heat of summer, however, prevent it from flourishing at all times. In the same way, a righteous man grows ever stronger and nothing hinders him in his pursuit of virtuous conduct. The cold of winter represents the sluggishness or heedlessness of a mind that lacks religious zeal. The extreme heat of summer represents the ardour of lust, or the flame of wrath or the smouldering fire of covetouness. As the palm-tree, therefore, does not wither in the cold nor burn in the great heat of summer, so a righteous man does not feel the pressure of any sort of temptation. The palm-tree multiplies its days in another sense, as when a righteous man recalls to his memory the days past and contemplates in his mind the years of eternity. He tells himself how few his past days have been and, looking at it from the other side, trusts in a long line of days to come. If you take this teaching to heart, you will grow to a great height, multiplying your days and triumphing over adversity, like the palm-tree. Again of the palm-tree 'Thy stature is like to a palm-tree' (Song of Solomon, 7:7).
