Folio 9v - Panther, continued
'Thou art fairer than the children of men.' (Psalms, 45:2)
The fact that the panther is a gentle animal [signifies Christ], as Isaiah also says: 'Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; because your king comes to you, meek ...' (see Isaiah, 62:11; Zechariah, 9:9; Matthew, 21:5)
When the panther is full, it hides [in its den and sleeps. When Christ] was sated with the mocking of the Jews, the scourgings, blows, insults, abuse, the crown of thorns, having been hung by his hands on the cross, transfixed with nails, forced to drink gall and vinegar, and pierced by a spear, falling asleep in death, he rested in the tomb and descended into hell, where he bound fast the great dragon.
On the third day the panther rises from its sleep and gives a great cry, emitting a sweet odour, just like our Lord Jesus Christ, rising again from the dead; as David says: 'He awakened as one out of sleep and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.'(Psalms, 78:65) And Christ cried out in a loud voice, so that his sound was heard throughout the land and his words at the ends of the earth (see Romans, 10:18).
And just as the odour of sweetness comes out of the panther's mouth, and all the beasts which are near and those which come from afar follow it, so the Jews, who had at some time the disposition of beasts, but were close to Christ through their observance of the law, and those from afar, that is, the races who were without the law, hearing the voice of Christ, follow him, saying with the prophet: 'How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.' (Psalms, 119:103) And again of Christ: 'Grace is poured into thy lips; therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.' (Psalms, 45:2) And Solomon says: 'How much better is ... the smell of thine ointments than all spices!' (Song of Solomon, 4:10) And again: 'In the savour of thy good ointments ... we will run after thee.' (Song of Solomon, 1:3-4). And a little after that: 'The king hath brought me into his chambers.' (1:4)
We ought to hurry after the scented ointment of Christ's commandments as quickly as we can, like young souls, that is, souls made new by baptism; to quit earthly for heavenly things, that the king may lead us into his palace in Jerusalem, the city of the Lord of righteousness, on the mountain of all the saints.
The panther is a beast dabbed all over with very small circular spots, so that it is distinquished by its black and white colouring with eye-shaped circles of yellow.
The female [gives birth] once only
- Commentary
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Commentary
Text
The panther.
Comment
Based on the parallel text in the Ashmole Bestiary, pages for the antelope, unicorn, lynx, griffon and the illustration of the elephant are missing between f.9v and f.10r. Pricking and ruling are visible.
Folio Attributes
- Transcription and Translation
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Transcription
Speciosus forma pre filiis hominum. Mansuetum autem animal Ysa\ias quoque dicit: Gaude et letare filia Syon, predica filia Ierusalem,\ quia rex tuus venit tibi mansuetus. Cum saturatus fuerit recondit\ se in Iudaicis illusionibus, flagris, alapis, iniuriis, contume\liis, spinis, manibus in cruce suspensus, clavis confixus, fel\le et aceto potatus, et lancea perforatus, obdormiens requievit\ in sepulchro, et descendit in infernum, illic magnum draco\nem ligans. Die autem tercio surgit a sompno et emittit mag\num clamorem, flagrans suavitatem, sicut et dominus noster Iesus Christus\ tercia die resurgens a mortuis, sicut David dicit. Excitatus est tan\quam dormiens dominus, tanquam potens crapulatus a vino. Et excla\mavit voce magna ita ut audire [A: audiretur] in omni terra sonus eius et in\ fines orbis terre verba eius. Et sicut de ore pantere odor suavitatis\ exit, et omnes bestie que prope sunt, et que longe conveniunt\ eam sequuntur; ita Iudei qui aliquando sensum habuerunt\ bestiarum, sed prope erant per legem, et que longe, id est gentes que\ sine lege erant, audientes vocem Christi, sequuntur eum cum\ propheta dicentes: Quam dulcia faucibus meis eloquia tua; super \ mel et favum ori meo. Item de eodem: Diffusa est gratia in la\biis tuis propterea benedixit te [dominus] in eternum. Et Salomon: Odor\ unguentorum tuorum super omnia aromata. Item: In odore un\guentorum tuorum curremus. Et paulo post: Introduxit me rex\ in cubiculum suum. Oportet nos quam citius sicut adolescentu\las, id est renovatas baptismo animas, post unguentum man-datorum Christi currere; de terrenis ad celestia migrare ut nos\ introducat rex in palatium suum, in Ierusalem civitatem domini vir\tutum, et in monte omnium sanctorum. Pantera est bestia mi\nutis orbiculis superpicta, ita ut oculatis ex fulvo circu\lis nigra vel alba distinguatur varietate. Hec semel omnino\Translation
'Thou art fairer than the children of men.' (Psalms, 45:2) The fact that the panther is a gentle animal [signifies Christ], as Isaiah also says: 'Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; because your king comes to you, meek ...' (see Isaiah, 62:11; Zechariah, 9:9; Matthew, 21:5) When the panther is full, it hides [in its den and sleeps. When Christ] was sated with the mocking of the Jews, the scourgings, blows, insults, abuse, the crown of thorns, having been hung by his hands on the cross, transfixed with nails, forced to drink gall and vinegar, and pierced by a spear, falling asleep in death, he rested in the tomb and descended into hell, where he bound fast the great dragon. On the third day the panther rises from its sleep and gives a great cry, emitting a sweet odour, just like our Lord Jesus Christ, rising again from the dead; as David says: 'He awakened as one out of sleep and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.'(Psalms, 78:65) And Christ cried out in a loud voice, so that his sound was heard throughout the land and his words at the ends of the earth (see Romans, 10:18). And just as the odour of sweetness comes out of the panther's mouth, and all the beasts which are near and those which come from afar follow it, so the Jews, who had at some time the disposition of beasts, but were close to Christ through their observance of the law, and those from afar, that is, the races who were without the law, hearing the voice of Christ, follow him, saying with the prophet: 'How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.' (Psalms, 119:103) And again of Christ: 'Grace is poured into thy lips; therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.' (Psalms, 45:2) And Solomon says: 'How much better is ... the smell of thine ointments than all spices!' (Song of Solomon, 4:10) And again: 'In the savour of thy good ointments ... we will run after thee.' (Song of Solomon, 1:3-4). And a little after that: 'The king hath brought me into his chambers.' (1:4) We ought to hurry after the scented ointment of Christ's commandments as quickly as we can, like young souls, that is, souls made new by baptism; to quit earthly for heavenly things, that the king may lead us into his palace in Jerusalem, the city of the Lord of righteousness, on the mountain of all the saints. The panther is a beast dabbed all over with very small circular spots, so that it is distinquished by its black and white colouring with eye-shaped circles of yellow. The female [gives birth] once only
