Hercinia, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

Rochester Bestiary
Written By KAS

The Ercinee birds, named after the Hercynian Forest in Germany where they are found, possess extraordinary feathers. These feathers shine so brilliantly in the dark that they can illuminate a path even on the blackest of nights. When the feathers are scattered on the ground, their glow serves as a guiding light, revealing the course of the journey. The shining plumage acts as a beacon, ensuring travellers can find their way through the densest shadows.

Arcinee aves dicte; ab ercinio saltu germanie;
ubi nascuntur. quarum penne adeo per obscura
emicant; ut quamvis nox densis sit tecta tenebris;
ad presidium dirigendi itineris; iacte in terra luceant.
cursus que vie pateat inditio plumarum fulgentium;
Ercinee birds are named after the Hercynian Forest in Germany wherein they are born. Their feathers shine so brightly in the darkness that even if there were pitch darkness, the feathers, when lying on the ground, would shine to guide the path. The course of the journey is revealed by the glow of the feathers.

Further Reading

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Hercinia, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast539.htm

Mynott, J, Birds in the Ancient World (New York: Oxford University Press 2018)

Josh Goldenberg (BA 2012) and Matt Shanahan (BA 2014), Logeion, November 2022, https://logeion.uchicago.edu/

Castiglioni, L. and Mariotti, S. (1996). Vocabolario della Lingua Latina: Latino-Italiano Italiano-Latino. Terza Edizione. Loescher Torino

Curley, M. J., Physiologus: A Medieval Book of Nature Lore (University of Chicago edition 2009)

Rackham, H., M.A., Pliny Natural History Volume III, Libri VIII-XI (London: William Heinemann Ltd, 1949)

Collins, A. H., M.A., Symbolism of Animals and Birds (New York: McBride, Nast & Company, 1913)

Henderson, C., The Book of Barely Imagined Beings (London: University of Chicago Press, 2013)

White, T. H., The Bestiary: A Book of Beasts (New York: G.P Putnam’s Sons, 1960)

Matthews, J. and Matthews C., The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A-Z of fantastic beings from myth and magic (London: HarperElement, 2005)

Barney, S. A., Lewis, W. J., Beach A., Berghof O., The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006)

KAS