Phoenix, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

The legendary pheoenix sets itself on fire and rises from the ashes every five hundred years.

The medieval bestiary records that the phoenix is a bird from Arabia which lives for five hundred years. There is only one living Phoenix in the world at any time. When it feels itself growing old, it builds a pyre of wood and spices and sits on it, facing the sun and spreading its wings, setting itself on fire. When it has been consumed by fire, the next day a new bird arises out of the ashes. The Phoenix is sometimes depicted in medieval art and literature as endowed with a halo, which emphasises the birds connection to the sun.

The story of the Phoenix is allegorical of the death and resurrection of Christ, who said "I have the power to lay down my life, and I have the power to take it again (John 10:18).

Transcription

Translation

Fenix quoque licet in sacra scriptura noninveniatur;
quia tamen nos natura eius instruit; pauca de
eo dicemus. Fenix igitur est. arabie avis. sic dicta; quod
colorem pheniceum habeat. Vel quod sit in toto or-
be singularis et unica. Nam arabes singularem et
unicam fenicem vocant. Hec quingentos et ultra annos
vivens. dum se viderit senuisse collectis aroma-
tum virgultis; rogum sibi instruit. et conversa
ad radium solis alarum plausu voluntarium sibi

The phoenix, too, may not be found in the sacred scriptures; because, nevertheless, his nature instructs us; we will say a little about him. So the phoenix is a bird of Arabia. so called; which has a Phoenician color. Or that it is singular and unique in the whole world. For the Arabs call it a singular and unique phoenix. He lived five hundred years and more, while he seemed to grow old by gathering spices; He prepares a pyre for himself, and turning to the sun's rays, with the clapping of his wings, he feeds himself a voluntary

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incendium nutrit. seque urit. Postea vero die no-
na; avis de cineribus suis surgit. Huius figuram
gerit dominus noster iesus christus. qui dicit. Potestatem ha-
beo ponendi animam meam et iterum sumendi
eam. Si ergo phenix mortificandi et vivificandi se
potestatem habet. cur stulti homines irascuntur in
verbo dei qui verus dei filius est. qui dicit. Potesta-
tem habeo et cetera. Descendit namque salvator noster
de celo. alas suavitatis. odoribus novi et veteris ~
testamenti replevit. et in ara crucis seipsum pro nobis
deo patri obtulit. et tercia die resurrexit.

fire, and then burns. Later, however, on a no-na day; a bird rises from its ashes. Our Lord Jesus Christ bears the figure of this, who says. I have the power to lay down my soul and take it up again. If then the phoenix has the power to kill and to give life, why are foolish men angry at the word of God, who is the true son of God, who says? I have power and so on. For our savior came down from heaven, filled his wings with the fragrance of the new and old testaments, and on the altar of the cross he offered himself to God the father for us, and rose again on the third day.

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Fenis quoque secundum ambrosium cum sentit sibi
mortem imminere; facte sibi thecam de thure
et mirra. et ceteris aromatibus. Impletoque vite
sue tempore; intrat et moritur. De cuius humore
carnis; vermis exurgit. paulatimque adolescit.
ac processu statuti temporis; induit alarum. re-
migia. atque in superioris avis speciem formamque
reparatur. Non ut diversa; sed quasi eadem; de
materia substancie sue avis resurgat. Quid
dicunt hic heretici. qui negant divine potestati
quod non negant phenici; Fenix vetustatem suam
novitate resurgendi reparavit. et christus resurgere non
potuit. qui potestatem habet ponendi animam
suam. et iterum resumendi eam; Doceat igitur nos avis vel
exemplo sui resurrectionem credere. que et sine exem-
plo et sine rationis perceptione iam sibi insignia re-
surrectionis instaurat. Et quia hoc ipsum nos docet
granum cadens in terram. quod nisi mortificatum
fuerit in semine; non resurgit in renovatione. Et
utique aves propter homines sunt non homines;
propter aves. Sit igitur exemplum nobis quia auctor
et creator omnium sanctos suos in eternum perire non pati-

Fenis also, according to Ambrosius, when he feels that death is imminent; make him a box of thyme and myrrh and other spices. And completed his life in his time; he enters and dies. Of the humor of the flesh; it arises as a worm, and grows up little by little, and by the process of a set time; put on wings, row and the appearance and form of the superior bird is restored. Not as different; but as if the same; He rises from the material substance of his ancestors. What do the heretics say here, who deny the divine power that the Phoenicians do not deny? Phoenix repaired his old age by rising again, and Christ could not rise again, who has the power to lay down his soul, and to raise it up again; Let him therefore teach us to believe in the resurrection by the example of the old man, who, without example and without the perception of reason, already establishes for himself the signs of the re-resurrection. And because the grain falling into the ground teaches us this very thing, that unless it has been mortified in the seed; it does not rise again in renewal. And of course the birds are not men because of men; because of the birds Therefore let it be an example to us that the author and creator of all things does not suffer his saints to perish

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tur. qui avem unicam perire non passus est. sed
resurgentem eam sui semine voluit reparari. Quis
igitur huic annuntiat diem mortis ut faciat sibi the-
cam et impleat bonis odoribus atqe ingrediatur
in eam et moriatur illic. ubi odoribus gratis fetor
funeris possit aboleri; Fac et tu homo tibi thecam
et expolians te veterem hominem cum actibus suis;
novum indue. Techa tua et vagina tua christus est. qui te
protegat. et abscondat in die malo. Vis scire quia the-
ca protectio est. Pharetra inquit mea protexi eum.
Thecam ergo habes christum. thecam habes et fidem. thecam
habes et bonam consciam. Hanc imple bonis vir-
tutum odoribus. hoc est castitatis. misericordie. iusti-
cie. Et cognosce diem mortis tue. et ingredere in eam
cum fiducia resurrectionis. sicut cognovit paulus qui
ait. Bonum certamen certavi. cursum consummavi. fi-
dem servavi. Reposita est. michi corona iusticie. Intra-
vit igitur in thecam suam quasi bonus fenix. quam
bono replevit odore martirii.

forever. who did not suffer a single bird to perish, but wanted it to be restored by its rising again with its own seed. Who, then, announces to this man the day of his death, that he should make a coffin for himself and fill it with good odors, so that he may enter into it and die there, where the stench of the funeral can be removed free of charge by the odors. And you make yourself a man and rob yourself of the old man with his actions; put on a new one. Christ is your shelter and your sheath, who will protect you and hide you in the evil day. You want to know that the box is a protection. "I protected him," said Pharetra. Then you have the box of Christ, you have the box and faith, you have the box and a good conscience. Fill it with the good odors of the virtues, that is, chastity, mercy, and justice. And know the day of thy death, and enter into it with the confidence of the resurrection. as the little one who said I fought the good fight, I finished the course, I kept the faith. The crown of justice has been restored to me. So he entered his box like a good phoenix. which good he filled with the fragrance of martyrdom.

Acknowledgements

With thanks for the researches of library volunteers Alan and Jean Minnerthey.