Human senses, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230
Folios 123v-125v
The section of the Rochester Bestiary on humans continues with a description of the five known senses.
Although is it typical for a medieval bestiary to include a section on humans, the Ages of Man are not included which is a relatively standard text.
Transcription
Translation
extrema etheria luce. aut interno spiritu
lucido. pertenues vias a cerebro. atque penetra-
tis tunicis in aere exeuntes. et tunc comixtio-
ne similis materie visum dantes. Visus dictus;
quod vivatior sit ceteris sensibus. ac prestanti-
or. sive velotior. ampliusque vigeat; quantum me-
moria inter cetera mentis officia. Vicinior enim
est. cerebro; unde omnia manant. Ex quo fit; ut ea
[126r]
ti cum dicimus. Vide quomodo sanat. quomodo
sapit. Sic et de ceteris. Auditus appellatus; quod
voces hauriat. Hoc est aere verberato; suscipiat
sonos. Odoratus; quasi aeris odor attractus. Tacto enim
aere sentitur; sicut et olfactus; quod odoribus afficia-
tur. Gustus a gutture(changed from guttere) dictus. Tactus; eoquod per-
tractet. et tangat. et per omnia membra vigorem sensus
aspergat. Nam tactu probamus; quicquid ceteris sen-
sibus iudicare non possumus. Duo enim genera tactus
esse; certissimum est. Nam aut extrinsecus venit quod
feriat; aut intus in ipso corpore oritur. Unicuique enim
sensui propriam naturam datam. Nam quod vi-
dendum est; oculis capitur. quod audiendum; auribus.
Mollia ac dura; tactu estimantur. Sapor gustu. odor
naribus; ducitur. Prima pars hominis; caput.
Datumque illi hoc nomen; eoquod sensus omnes et ner-
vi. inde initium capiant. atque ex eo omnis vigen-
di causa oriatur. Ibi enim omnes sensus apparent. Unde
[126v]
gerit.
Translation
Translated by Gabriele Macelletti, Translator.
There are five senses of the body: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Among these, two are opened and three are closed, whereas two are always open. They are called senses, for through them, the soul subtly animates the whole body with the power of sensation. Whence, they are called praesentĭa (presence/promptness/determination), just as they are before the senses, and just as before the eyes, there are things that are visible. Sight, compared by philosophers to a liquid as clear as glass, is said to be produced either from the farthest light of the ethereal earth or from the inner, luminous spirit that traverses the delicate pathways from the brain, passing through the membranes and coming out into the air, and then providing a mixture of similar matter that gives sight. Sight is named so, for it is more vital than the other senses, superior, swifter, and more vigorous, just as memory excels among the other functions of the mind. It is closer to the brain, wherefrom all things flow and it happens that those senses also pertain to the others. For this reason, we use the word see when we refer to things pertaining to the other senses. Just as when we say “see how it heals or see how it tastes”.
Hearing is so called, for it catches sounds. This happens when the air is struck and it receives the sounds. The sense of smell behaves just as if it drew the scent of air. In fact, the sense of touch is perceived by the air, just as smell is affected by odours. The sense of taste is called gustŭs, for it comes from the throat guttŭr. The sense of touch handles and holds, and diffuses the power of sensation through all the limbs. Through the sense of touch, we experience that which we cannot judge through the other senses, for there are indeed two kinds of touch: it is most certain. The sensation of touching either comes from without by experience or from within the body itself. Each sense has its own nature. That which is to be seen is perceived by the eyes, that which is to be heard, by the ears. Soft and hard things are assessed by touch. Flavour by taste, smell by the nose. The first part of Man is the head: this name is given to it, for all the senses and nerves take their beginning from there, and it is the seat of all the senses. Here all the senses appear from where it somehow assumes the role of the soul itself, which tends to the body.