Folio 36r - the night owl, continued. De epopo; the hoopoe
he said to the leper: 'See thou tell no man' (Matthew, 8:4). Of this light it is said: 'And from the wicked their light is witholden' (Job, 38:15), that is, the glory of present life. He himself is the light inaccessible 'which lighteth every man' (John, 1:9). The light, therefore, shuns the light, that is, the truth shuns the vanity of worldly glory. The night-owl flies at night in search of food, as Christ converts sinners into the body of the Church by preaching. In a moral sense, moreover, the night-owl signifies to us not just any righteous man, but rather one who lives among other men yet hides from their view as much as possible. He flees from the light, in the sense that he does not look for the glory of human praise. It is said of this light: 'Will the light of the wicked not be put out, and the spark of his fire not shine?' (see Job, 17:5). 'Light' here signifies the prosperity of present life. The light of the wicked is extinguished, in the sense that the prosperity of our fleeting life ends with life itself. Will the flame of his fire not shine? 'Fire' here is the passion of temporal desires. Its flame is the splendour or outward show of power which comes from its inner fire. But it will not shine because on the day of death all outward splendour and power will perish.
The night-owl keeps watch in the night, as when the righteous man, alert to the darkness of sinners, avoids their errors. It lives in the cracks of walls, in the sense that he considers the weakness of the world and awaits its downfall. It seeks food by night, as when he reflects upon the life of sinners and uses their example to nourish the mind of the righteous.
Of the hoopoe
When the bird called the hoopoe sees that its parents have grown old and that their eyes are dim, it plucks out their old plumage and licks their eyes and keeps them warm, and its parents' life is renewed. It as if the hoopoe said to them: 'Just as you took pains in feeding me, I will do likewise for you.'
If birds, who lack reason, do as much for each other, how much more should men, who have the power of reason, support their parents in return; because the law says: 'And he that curses his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death' (Exodus, 21:17); it is as if he were guilty of parricide or matricide.
See how the hoopoes pluck their parents' plumage and lick their eyes, in order that they should regain their former health.
- Commentary
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Commentary
Text
The night owl continued; the hoopoe. The young hoopoe looks after its ageing parents, giving them new life by plucking out their old plumage and cleansing their eyes.
Comment
Initial type 3. Pricking for pouncing on f.36v visible. Folio mark of four horizontal 'matchsticks' on top right corner.
Folio Attributes
- Transcription and Translation
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Transcription
ret, ait leproso: Vide nemini dixeris. De hac luce dicitur: Auferetur\ ab impiis lux sua, id est presentis vite gloria. Ipse autem est lux inacces\sibilis: que illuminat omnem hominem. Lux igitur refugit lu\cem, id est veritas humane glorie vanitatem. In nocte volitans escas\ querit, quia peccatores in corpus ecclesie predicando convertit. Moraliter\ autem nicticorax non quemlibet iustum nobis innuit, sed eum qui\ inter homines degens ab intuitu hominum se in quantum potuit\ abscondit. Lucem refugit, quia humane laudis gloriam non attendit.\ De qua luce dicitur: Nonne lux impii extinguetur nec splendebit flam\ma ignis eius. Lucem dicit presentis vite prosperitatem. Sed lux impii\ extinguitur, quia fugitive vite prosperitas cum ipsa terminatur. Nec splende\bit flamma ignis eius? Ignem dicit temporalium desideriorum fervo\rem. Cuius flamma est decor vel potestas externe que de interno eius \ ardore procedit. Sed non splendebit quia in die exitus omnis exterior\ decor et potestas peribit. In nocte vigilat, dum peccatorum tenebras \ attendens eorum errores vitat. Habitat in rimis parietum, dum \ mundi defectum considerat, et expectat occasum. Escam in nocte\ querit, quia peccantium vitam recogitans de exemplis iustorum\ mentem pascit.\ De epopo\ Avis que dicitur epopus quando viderit parentes eius [senuis-]\ se et caligasse oculos eorum, evellit plumas eorum et ocu\los eorum lingit et calefacit eos et renovantur parentes ipsius, quasi\ dicens parentibus suis, sicut laborastis nutrientes me similiter ego\ facio vobis. Si autem hoc faciunt sibi invicem irrationabiles quan\to magis rationabiles homines parentum suorum nutrimenta\ mutua reddere debent, quia lex dicit: Qui maledixerit patri vel\ matri morte morietur, et est quasi patricida et matricida. Ecce\ quomodo epopi plumas parentum evellunt, et oculos eorum\ lingunt, et eos calefaciunt, ut pristinam sanitatem recuperent.\Translation
he said to the leper: 'See thou tell no man' (Matthew, 8:4). Of this light it is said: 'And from the wicked their light is witholden' (Job, 38:15), that is, the glory of present life. He himself is the light inaccessible 'which lighteth every man' (John, 1:9). The light, therefore, shuns the light, that is, the truth shuns the vanity of worldly glory. The night-owl flies at night in search of food, as Christ converts sinners into the body of the Church by preaching. In a moral sense, moreover, the night-owl signifies to us not just any righteous man, but rather one who lives among other men yet hides from their view as much as possible. He flees from the light, in the sense that he does not look for the glory of human praise. It is said of this light: 'Will the light of the wicked not be put out, and the spark of his fire not shine?' (see Job, 17:5). 'Light' here signifies the prosperity of present life. The light of the wicked is extinguished, in the sense that the prosperity of our fleeting life ends with life itself. Will the flame of his fire not shine? 'Fire' here is the passion of temporal desires. Its flame is the splendour or outward show of power which comes from its inner fire. But it will not shine because on the day of death all outward splendour and power will perish. The night-owl keeps watch in the night, as when the righteous man, alert to the darkness of sinners, avoids their errors. It lives in the cracks of walls, in the sense that he considers the weakness of the world and awaits its downfall. It seeks food by night, as when he reflects upon the life of sinners and uses their example to nourish the mind of the righteous. Of the hoopoe When the bird called the hoopoe sees that its parents have grown old and that their eyes are dim, it plucks out their old plumage and licks their eyes and keeps them warm, and its parents' life is renewed. It as if the hoopoe said to them: 'Just as you took pains in feeding me, I will do likewise for you.' If birds, who lack reason, do as much for each other, how much more should men, who have the power of reason, support their parents in return; because the law says: 'And he that curses his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death' (Exodus, 21:17); it is as if he were guilty of parricide or matricide. See how the hoopoes pluck their parents' plumage and lick their eyes, in order that they should regain their former health.
