Wild she-goat, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

In Christian symbolism, the wild she-goat was sometimes linked to lust and sinful desires. This association draws from traditional notions of goats as lascivious animals. This symbolism was often used to caution against succumbing to earthly temptations and indulging in immoral behaviour.

Although the Bible does not explicitly mention wild she-goats in the context of lust, there are references to goats in general being associated with sin and separation from God. For example, in Matthew 25:31-46, goats are separated from sheep as a metaphor for the judgment of the righteous and the unrighteous.

In the Old Testament, goats were a symbol of the leader and spiritual guidance. In Jeremiah 50:8: “Flee out of Babylon; leave the land of the Babylonians, and be like the goats that lead the flock.”, the Judeans are urged to flee from Babylon and go out like goats leading the flock and the goats represents exemplary action.

The wild she-goat was sometimes allegorically connected to the devil, especially when portrayed in a demonic or unruly manner. This association may stem from the goat's historical association with pagan rites and the notion of the devil as a corrupter.

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 she-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/

Henrike Frey-Anthes, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Ziege/Ziegenbock, December 2023, https://www.bibelwissenschaft.de/ressourcen/wibilex/altes-testament/ziege-ziegenbock

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