Ape, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230
Apes are the clade (group of species) which include homo sapiens. Apes evolved to inhabit Africa, Europe and Asia, and are distinguishable from the group of species known as monkeys by their lack of tail. Today many species of ape are endangered in the wild due to habitat destruction and hunting.
The medieval bestiary records that apes are an animal that appear to have human characteristics, conscious of the elements and world around them, and that they will protect their young carrying them in their arms or on their backs when running from danger (Barber 2008).
Transcription
Translation
They are called apes in the Latin language, because in them much resemblance to human reason is felt. The wise of these elements rejoice at the new moon, and the mean and hollow are sad. The nature of a monkey is such that when it has given birth to twin cubs; he loves the one and despises the other. But if sometimes he is pursued by hunters; before him he embraces whom he loves, and carries another by his neck whom he hates. The ape has no tail, whose figure the devil wears; he who has a head has no tail, and although the ape is altogether ugly; but his posteriors are quite hideous and horrible. The devil began when he was an angel in heaven. But he was a hypocrite and a devil and a deceiver inwardly, and he lost his tail, because he will all perish in the end. As the Apostle says. Whom the Lord Jesus Christ will kill with the breath of his mouth. A monkey is a Greek name, that is, with compressed noses. Hence we also say of monkeys that they are with suppressed noses and ugly faces, with shameful frowns. It is true that even goats have pressure on their noses. Giraffes have tails. This is the only distinction between the first mentioned. Zenophali himself is of the number of apes; in the most crowded parts of Ethiopia. Violent to the jump. wild bite I was never so tame; that they may not be more mad. Among the apes there are also sparrows, hairy in their arms, and docile to the oblivion of ferocity.
bees Apes dicuntur vel quod se pedibus alligent.dum ramis dependent; vel quia sine
pedibus nascuntur. Nam postea et pedes et pen-
nas accipiunt. Hec sollertes in generandi mel-
lis offitio. assignatas incolunt sedes. Domicilia
in enarrabili arte componunt. et ex variis floribus
favum componunt. Textisque ceris; innumera prole
castra replent. Exercitum et reges habent. prelia mo-
vent. fumum fugiunt. tumultu exasperantur. Has
plerique experti sunt de boum cadaveribus nas-
ci. Nam pro hiis creandis; vitulorum occisorum
carnes verberantur. ut ex putrefacto cruore. ver-
mes creentur. qui postea efficiuntur apes. Proprie
nes de equis. fuci de milvis. Vespe de asinis. Cas-
tros greci appellant; qui in extremis favorum
partibus maiores creantur. quos aliqui reges
putant dici; quod castra ducant. Fucus autem
est; api similis. sed ape maior. et scrabone minor.
et depascit alienos labores quos ipse non labora-
vit. De quo virgilius. Ingavum fucum pecus; a
presepibus arcent. Sole apes communem omnibus sobo-
lem habent. Unam incolunt mansionem;
Unius patrie clauduntur limine. Communis la-
bor. communis cibus. communis volatus. communis;
fructus. communis generatio. communis virgini-
tatis integritatis(changed to integritas). Communis partus. Non enim
inter se concubitu miscentur. et subito maxi-
mum filiorum examen emittunt. Foliis atque herbis
ore suo prolem legentes. Ipse sibi regem ordinant.
Ipse populos creant. Et licet sint sub rege; tamen sunt
libere. quia regem quem ordinaverunt; diligunt
elegitur que prestet; corporis magnitudine. et man-
suetudine. et specie. Nam et si habet aculeum; tamen
eo non utitur ad vindicandum. Apes quoque alie
si aculeo suo utantur ad vindicandum. pro commissi-
pretio; sententia mortis se affligunt. Nulle apes
ad pastum exire audent; nisi precesserit earum
rex. et principatum volatus teneat. Processus est; per
rura redolentia. per hortos floribus redolentes. per
amena riparum. Illic ludus alacris iuventutis. Il-
lic campestre exercitium. Illic; curarum remissio.
Opus ipsum; suave. de floribus et herbis dulcibus fun-
damina prima castrorum ponuntur. Quid enim aliud
est favus nisi castrorum speties. in quibus minute.
et rotunde cellule quasi turres connexione sui invi-
cem fulciuntur. Cernas omnes certare de munere.
alias invigilare querendo victum. alias sollicitam
castris exhibere custodiam. alias futuros explora-
re imbres. et contemplari concursus nubium. ali-
as de floribus ceras fingere. alias rorem infusum
diari laboribus et raptu victum querere. Atque
utinam raptorum insidias non timerent. Habent
tamen spicula sua. et inter mella fundunt vene-
num; si fuerint lacessite. animasque ponunt in
vulnere. et spiculum ardore vindicte. Apis
dicitur sapiens et discretus et diligens et
proindus. Unde sapientia salomonis dicit.
Vade ad apem et vide quam operaria est. et eius imita-
re operationem. Operatio enim apis appetibilis est. om-
nibus. tam pauperibus quam divitibus. et cara et
indiscreta sui gracia; regibus pariter ac me-
diocribus equali suavitate dulcessit. et volup-
tati et saluti consulit. fauces obdulcat. et cu-
rat vulnera. Internis quoque sanat viscera. Itaque
cum sit robore infirma apes; valida est vigo-
re sapiencie et amore virtutis. Denique regem
suum apes summa protectione defendunt. et peri-
re pro eo pulcrum putant. Amisso rege. fidem
diripiunt. Quia is qui principatum habuit mune-
ris; interemptus est. Itaque cum aves alie vix in anno
edant singulos fetus; apes geminos vel triplices
creant. et multiplici ceteris fecunditate preponde-
rant. Apes iterum dicuntur maligni spiritus vel tu-
multus et compunctiones carnalium desideriorum. Unde
ysaias. In die illa sibilabit d9 musce que est.
in extremo fluminum egypti. et api que est in
terra affur. et venient et requiescent omnes in tor-
rentibus vallium et cavernis petrarum. et in omnibus
frutectis. et in universis foraminibus. Malignienin
spiritus dulcedinem huius vite sequendam suggeren-
tes; animam aculeo peccati et pene eterne transfi-
gunt. Hee musce et apes manent in terra egypti; et
in fluminibus eius et in terra assiriorum; quia demones
luxuriosis et vitiosis et tenebris ignorantie de-
ditis; dominantur. Musce sicut et apes. necate in aqua;
aliquotiens post unius hore spatium; reviviscunt.
Nomine musce aliquando dicuntur demones. vel cure secularum;