Owl, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

The medieval bestiary records that the owl flies at night because it cannot see in the daylight, and as soon as the sun rises it grows weak (Barber 2008). The bestiary distinguishes between the screech owl, which is larger than the what is described as a night owl, getting its name from its cry. The bestiary records that the screech owl is associated with death and is a lazy creature, hovering around graves day and night and living in filthy caves. It is said to tell of a coming disaster. Other birds will be alarmed and confused if they hear it. It is an unhappy creature (Barber 2008).

Transcription

Translation

Bubo a sono vocis; compositum nomen habet. non in alio
Avis feralis. honusta quidem plumis. set gra-
vis semper decenta pigricie. In speluncis die ac noc-
te moratur. et semper commorans in cavernis. De qua
ovidius. Fedaque sit volucris venturi iiiintia luctus;
Ignavus bubo. durum mortalibus omen. Denique
apud augures; malum portendere fertur. Nam
cum in urbe visa fuerit; solitudinem significare di-
cunt. In levitico hec avis contemplatiuum vel quem
libet fidelem significat. cuius conversatio in celis esse
deberet. sed tristatur de commissione terrenorum Unde
et ibi inter inmundas aves reputatur. cuius car-
nibus vesci illicitum est; idest acciones imitari. Se-
culi enim tristicia mortem operatur. Qui autem deum
diligit debet gaudere. sine intermissione orare. in omnibus
gracias agere.

Noctua et nicticorax secundum ysidorum eadem avis
est. licet in deuteronomio cum una numeretur
inter inmundas aves; statim subiungatur de alia.
quod et ipsa inter inmundas aves habenda sit. Quod
quidem videtur probare quod diverse sint aves. Noctua
igitur sive nicticorax secundum ysidorum dicitur; quod nocte
circumvolet et per diem non possit videre. Nam ex orto
splendore solis; visus illius tanquam habentis glaucas
oculorum pupillas ut dicit ambrosius; hebetatur.
Et quantum fuerit vox obscurior; eo contra usum
aliarum avium; in offensos exercet volatus. Solis
autem lumen illius tenebre est. Et quanto di-
es clarior. tanto plus in ea quasi in tenebris ober-
rat. Hanc autem cretensis insula non habet. et si-
veniat aliunde; statim moritur. Noctua autem
non est bubo ut dicit ysidorus; nam bubo maior
est. Nicticorax; ipsa est noctua. quia noctem amat
Est enim avis lucifuga et solem videre non patitur.
Hec avis in levitico sive in deuteronomio inter inmun-
das reputatur. cuius carne vesci illicitum est. quia
nemo actionem illius imitari debet; qui noctis operibus

The nocturnal and nycticorax are the same bird according to the ysidus, although in Deuteronomy they are counted as one among the unclean birds; it must be immediately joined to another, that she too should be counted among the unclean birds. This indeed seems to prove that they are different birds. Therefore it is called nocturnal or nicticorex according to the Ysidians; that he flies around at night and cannot see during the day. For from the rising brightness of the sun; the sight of him as having gray pupils, as Ambrosius says; is dulled And how much the voice was darker; against the use of other birds; he exercises flights on the offensive. But the light of the sun is that darkness. And the brighter the day, the more he lurks in it as if in darkness. But the Cretan island does not have this, and it should be from somewhere else; he dies immediately. But night is not an owl, as Isidorus says; for the owl is greater. Nicticorax; she is nocturnal, because she loves the night, for she is a flightless bird and does not allow herself to see the sun. This bird in Leviticus or in Deuteronomy is considered among the unclean, whose flesh it is unlawful to eat, because no one should imitate its action; who engages in the works of the night. They are fornication. Dirt

63r

inhiat. Que sunt fornicatio. Inmundicia. Inpu-
dicicia. et cetera. Tales erant gentes. quia nicticorax tamen
nocte rapit. Et est nicticorax quasi noctis corvus.
Vel hec avis figuram tenet iudeorum qui non potue-
runt videre christum verum solem qui illuminat O
ho vi h mundum. Et plus dilexerunt tenebras.
quam lucem. Unde dixerunt. Non habemus regem nisi
cesarem. Et attende quod strix nocturua avis; alia
avis est; quam noctua. vel nicticorax. vel aliqa aliarum
premissarum. quia eam post alias ponit ysidorus. Strix enim
dicitur; quia cum clamat; stridet. De qua lucanus.
Quod trepidus bubo quod stric nocturna queriuntur.
Hec strix; vulgo dicitur anima. ab amando parvu-
los. Unde et lac prebere fertur nascentibus. Noctua igitur
sive nocticorax sive strix que est nocturna avis sig-
nificare possunt illos qui in nocte stellas contem-
plantur et cursus siderum. demoniorum tenebrosa
rimantur. et celi altitudinem se videre credunt. des-
cribentes radio mundum mensuram quoque aeris col-
ligentes. lumen tamen quod christus est. nec fidem eius qui in proxi-
mo est. quia ceci sunt et duces cecorum; videre non possunt.

Impudence, and the rest. Such were the nations, because the nightingale still steals away at night. And he is a night owl like a night raven. Or this bird holds the figure of the Jews who could not see Christ, the true sun that illuminates the world. And they loved darkness more than light. Wherefore they said We have no king but Caesar. And note that the starling is a nocturnal bird; there is another bird; than noctua, or nicticorax, or aliqa of other premisses, because Ysidorus places it after the others. For it is called a strix; because when he cries; screams Of which Lucanus That alarmed owl that the night owl complains. This is the stricture; It is commonly called the soul, from loving little ones. Whence it is said to give milk to those who are born. Therefore, the night owl, or the nightingale, or the owl, which is a night bird, can signify those who in the night gaze upon the stars and search the course of the stars, the darkness of demons, and believe that they see the depth of the sky, describing the world with a ray, and gathering up the measure of air, yet the light which is Christ , nor the faith of him who is near, because the leaders of the blind have also fallen; they cannot see.

Ulula est avis a luctu vel planctu nominata. Cum
enim clamat; aut fletum imitatur; aut gemitum non in alio
Unde apud augures. filamentetur; tristiciam. tacens;
ostendere prosperitatem; Et est magnitudinis corvine.
sed maculis respersa. que rostro in palude fixo; or-
ribiliter ululat et stridet. Significat hec avis;

The screech owl is a bird named after mourning or weeping. For when he cries, he either imitates a cry, or a moan. And it is of the size of a raven, but sprinkled with spots, which fixed its beak in the marsh, howls and screeches horribly. This bird signifies

74r

mistice demones sive hereses et vicia alia que
habitant in mente confusa. Unde ysaias de b-
bilone dicit post alia. Et respondebunt ibi ulu-
le; in edibus eius. et sirene in edibus voluptatis.

mystical demons or heretics and other vices that dwell in a confused mind. Whence Isaiah says of Babylon after other things. And there they will answer the howl, in his food, and the siren in the food of pleasure.