Pelican, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

The pelican, an Egyptian bird living along the Nile, is said to have received its name from Canopus, an ancient city in Egypt, which also referred to Egypt by metonymy. Known for its deep love for its offspring, the pelican's young strike their parents, who in a rage, strike back and kill them. The parents then mourn their dead young for three days, repenting their actions. On the third day, the mother pelican pierces her side with her bill, pours her blood over the dead chicks and revives them. Allegorically, the pelican represents Christ, who created humanity and was struck by them, as mentioned in Isaiah: "I have nourished and brought up children, but they have rebelled against me." Christ, crucified and pierced, shed blood and water to redeem sinners and grant them eternal life, echoing David's words: "I am like a pelican of the wilderness."

Pellicanus avis egiptia habitat in solitudine;
nili fluminis. Unde et nomen sumpsit. Nam cana-
pos egiptus dicitur. Hec avis amatrix est. nimis filiorum.
Que cum genuerit natos; percutiunt parentes suos; in
faciem. sed parentes quasi ad iracundiam provoca-

The pelican is an Egyptian bird that lives in the solitude of the Nile River whence it takes its name. In fact, Cănōpŏs[1] also meant Egypt by metonymy[2]. This bird loves its offspring very much. When it has given birth to its fledglings, they strike their parents in the face. The parents, beside themselves with rage, strike them back and kill them.

ti; repercutiunt eos. et occidunt. Per tridium autem
lugent mortem filiorum; quasi penitentia ducti. Ter-
cia vero die mater eorum rostro percutiens costam suam;
aperit latus suum. et incumbit super pullos suos. et
effundit sanguinem super corpora mortuorum. et sic susci-
tat eos a mortuis. Pellicanus est predicator qui predi-
cat fidem christi. vel ipse dominus noster iesus christus. auctor et condi-
tor totius creature. qui genuit nos. Et cum non
essemus; fecit nos. Nos vero econtrario percussimus eum
in faciem. sicut per ysaiam dicit. Filios enutrivi et ex-
altavi; ipsi autem spreverunt me. Tunc percussimus eum
in faciem; cum servimus creature potius quam creatori.
Iccirco ascendit ipse in altitudinem crucis. percussoque
latere eius exivit sanguis et aqua. quo sanguine
vivificavit peccatores resuscitans eos a peccatis;
ad vitam eternam. Unde david. Similis factus sum
pellicano solitudinis. et cetera.
Onocrotalorum
duo sunt genera. Aliud aquatile. aliud solitudinis.

However, they mourn the death of their children for three days, repenting having done that. On the third day, the mother pierces her side with her beak, opens it, lies over her fledglings and pours her blood over their bodies, thus bringing them back to life. The pelican is the preacher who preaches the faith of Christ or is our Lord Jesus Christ himself, the Creator of all beings, who gave birth to us. When we did not exist, He made us. We, on the contrary, struck Him in the face, as Isaiah said: "I have nourished and brought up children, but they have despised me." We also struck Him in the face when we served the creatures rather than the Creator. Therefore, He ascended to the height of the cross, and when his side was struck (by the spear), blood and water came out. With this blood, he enlivened sinners, raising them from their sins to eternal life. Hence, David says, "I am like a pelican of the wilderness," and so forth.

Further Reading

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Pelican, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast244.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)

Endnotes

[1] Canopos also meant Egypt by metonymy. Canopus (or Canopos) was actually an ancient city located in Egypt, near the western edge of the Nile Delta. It was famous for its temple of Serapis and was known in antiquity for its luxurious lifestyle and as a centre of pilgrimage. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canopus

[2] Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a concept is referred to by the name of something closely associated with that thing or concept. In this case, Canopus, the name of a city refers to the whole concept of Egypt as a country. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metonymy

[3] Isaiah NKJV 1:2: Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me;

[4] Psalm NKJV 102:6: I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert.