Folio 46v - the cranes, continued. De milvo; Of the kite. De psitaco; Of the parrot
For the old change their love of former pleasures into the sadness of repentance.
Behold how, through the nature of birds, we can teach the nature of the religious life.
Of the kite
It is weak in strength and in flight - a puny bird, mollis avis, from which it gets its name, milvus. It is, however, a bird of prey, always preying on domestic birds.
As we read in the book of Etymologies of Isidore: 'The kite, milvus, derives its name from mollis volatu, weak in flight. For the kite is a weakly bird.'
The kite signifies those who are tempted by effete pleasures. It feeds on corpses, as pleasure-seekers take delight in carnal desires. It constantly hovers around kitchens and meat-markets so that if pieces of raw meat are thrown out from them, it can seize them quickly. In this the kite represents to us those who are motivated by concern for their stomach. Those who are of this world, therefore, seek pleasure, frequent meat-markets and gaze with longing at kitchens.
The kite is timid in big matters, bold in small. It dares not seize wild birds but customarily preys on domestic ones. It lies in wait to seize their young and when it encounters unwary youngsters, it kills them quickly. In the same way, the effete and pleasure-seeking seize infants of tender years, in the sense that they teach the more simple and undiscerning their own habits and lead them into perversion. As kites deceive the unwary by flying over them slowly, the pleasure-seekers lead the young astray by flattering them with sweet words.
See how birds who lack the capacity of rational thought instruct through examples of evil conduct men who are experienced and intelligent.
Of the parrot
India alone produces the bird called the parrot, green in colour, with a deep-red neck and a large tongue, broader than those of other birds, with which it utters distinct words; so that if you did not see it, you would think it was a man talking
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Commentary
Text
The kite a puny bird of prey. The parrot is green in colour with a deep red neck.
Illustration
a portrait of the kite in a roundel. Both the Aberdeen and Ashmole Bestiaries have a good depiction of this bird whose forked tail suggests that it is a red kite. Initials type 2. Red initial guide ('s') in left margin.
Folio Attributes
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Transcription
Mutat enim amorem pristine delectationis in dolorem contricio\ nis. Ecce qualiter per naturam volucrum doceri potest vita religi\ osorum. \ De milvo \ Milvus mollis et [PL, est] viribus et vo\ latu, quasi mollis avis,\ unde et nuncupatur rapacissimum\ tamen et semper domesticis avibus insidi\ atur. Sicut enim in libro ethimo\ logiarum Ysidori legitur: milvus\ a molli volatu nominatur. Est enim\ milvus mollis viribus. Illos autem mil\ vus significat quos mollices voluptates [PL, mollities voluptatis] temptant. Cadaveribus\ milvus vescitur, quia carnalibus desideriis voluptuosi delectantur. Circa\ coquinas et macella milvus assidue volitat, ut siquid crude\ carnis ab eis proiciatur fori[a inserted]s, velocius rapiat. Per hoc enim milvus eos\ nobis innuit, quos cura ventris sollicitos reddit. Qui igitur huius mundi\ sunt, voluptuosa querunt, macella frequentant, et coquinis in\ hiant. Milvus timidus est in magnis; audax in minimis. Sil\ vestres volucres rapere non audet, domesticis autem insidiari so\ let. Insidiatur pullis ut illos rapiat, et quos incautos repperit, velo\ cius necat. Sic molles et voluptuosi teneros pullos rapiunt, quia\ simpliciores et indiscretos suis moribus aptant, et ad perversos usus per\ trahunt. Super eos lente volando incautos decipiunt, dum eos\ blandis sermonibus adulando seducunt. Ecce quomodo volucres que\ ratione carent peritos homines et ratione intentos per exempla per\ verse operationis docent. \ De psitaco Sola India mittit avem psitacum colore viridi torque pu\ nicea, grandi lingua, et ceteris avibus laciore, unde et articu\ lata verba exprimit, ita ut si eam non videris, homine loqui putes.\Translation
For the old change their love of former pleasures into the sadness of repentance. Behold how, through the nature of birds, we can teach the nature of the religious life. Of the kite It is weak in strength and in flight - a puny bird, mollis avis, from which it gets its name, milvus. It is, however, a bird of prey, always preying on domestic birds. As we read in the book of Etymologies of Isidore: 'The kite, milvus, derives its name from mollis volatu, weak in flight. For the kite is a weakly bird.' The kite signifies those who are tempted by effete pleasures. It feeds on corpses, as pleasure-seekers take delight in carnal desires. It constantly hovers around kitchens and meat-markets so that if pieces of raw meat are thrown out from them, it can seize them quickly. In this the kite represents to us those who are motivated by concern for their stomach. Those who are of this world, therefore, seek pleasure, frequent meat-markets and gaze with longing at kitchens. The kite is timid in big matters, bold in small. It dares not seize wild birds but customarily preys on domestic ones. It lies in wait to seize their young and when it encounters unwary youngsters, it kills them quickly. In the same way, the effete and pleasure-seeking seize infants of tender years, in the sense that they teach the more simple and undiscerning their own habits and lead them into perversion. As kites deceive the unwary by flying over them slowly, the pleasure-seekers lead the young astray by flattering them with sweet words. See how birds who lack the capacity of rational thought instruct through examples of evil conduct men who are experienced and intelligent. Of the parrot India alone produces the bird called the parrot, green in colour, with a deep-red neck and a large tongue, broader than those of other birds, with which it utters distinct words; so that if you did not see it, you would think it was a man talking
