Wild goat, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

The wild goat symbolises resilience, discernment and spiritual healing. As it grazes amidst the rugged terrain, this creature ascends from high pastures to even loftier peaks, embodying the journey of the soul towards greater virtue and enlightenment.

Guided by the keenness of its eyes, the wild goat distinguishes between nourishing grass and harmful foliage, a testament to its discerning nature. Similarly, virtuous preachers, engrossed in the Law of the Lord, traverse the landscape of moral principles, selecting and ruminating upon the wisdom that sustains and uplifts.

Yet, even the mighty goat is not immune to wounds, and when affliction strikes, it seeks solace in the healing properties of the dittany plant. This miraculous herb, akin to Christ himself, offers swift restoration to the wounded soul, expelling the weapons of the adversary and granting forgiveness through the sacrament of confession.

The wild goat's journey mirrors the spiritual odyssey of humankind. Just as the goat ascends from virtue to virtue, so too do believers strive for spiritual growth and enlightenment. In times of tribulation, they turn to Christ, the ultimate healer, whose grace and mercy bring swift redemption and renewal.

Through the lens of nature's wisdom and spiritual insight, the wild goat is symbolic of hope, resilience, and divine compassion. Its story serves as a beacon of inspiration, guiding souls on their quest for inner peace and ultimate redemption.

Caprea has habet naturas quod pascendo de al-
tis ad altiora tendit. bonas herbas a noxiis ocu-
lorum acumine eligit. herbas ruminat. vulne-
rata ad dittanum¹ currit. qua tacta sanatur;
Sic boni predicatores pascentes in lege domini. et in bo-
nis pastoribus quasi in pastu delectantes; de virtu-
te in virtutem conscendunt. bonas sentencias a ma-
lis eligunt. et electas ruminant. idest bonas perscru-
tantur. et ruminatas tradunt memorie. Hii a-
peccato(changed from peccata) vulnerati; ad christum fontem recurrunt. qui
telum diaboli expellit de corde. confitentes pecca-
ta et cito sanantur. Ideoque christus bene ditanus dicitur.

The wild goat has these characteristics: when grazing, it moves from high to even higher pastures. It discerns good grass from harmful grass owing to the sharpness of its eyes. It chews the cud. When wounded, it hastens to search for the dittany plant and it heals by touching it. Thus, good preachers, who graze on the Law of the Lord and take delight in good pastures and in being good shepherds, ascend from virtue to virtue. They discern good maxims and principles from evil ones and ruminate the chosen ones. That is, they thoroughly examine the good ones and commit the ruminated ones to memory. Those wounded by sin seek the help of Christ, the Source, who expels the devil's weapons from their heart. Once they have confessed their sins, they are healed quickly. Therefore, Christ is compared to the plant dittany.

Sicut enim ditanus ferrum a vulnere depellit; et vul-
nus sanat; ita christus per confessionem diabolum eicit;
et peccatum ignoscit.

In fact, just as the dittany expels iron from a wound and heals it, so Christ, through confession, casts out the Devil and forgives sin.

Further Reading

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Goat, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast163.htm

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

Matthews, J. and Matthews C., (2010), The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures, HarperCollins UK, London

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)

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

Endnotes

1 Dictamnus or dictamnum