Worms and insects, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

A worm is a creature that typically arises from flesh, wood or other earthly materials without mating, although some, like the scorpion, may also hatch from eggs. Worms can be found in various forms, originating from earth, water, air, flesh, leaves, wood or even clothing. Among these, the spider is a unique worm of the air, sustained by the air itself. Despite its small size, the spider tirelessly spins intricate webs, constantly labouring and enduring the toll of its craft. It creates its own web, from which it sometimes hangs and then retracts. Once feared for the swelling caused by its venom, the spider remains a symbol of ceaseless effort and delicate balance in nature. Although this animal is industrious, its endless labour was sometimes seen as pointless or excessive, serving as a caution against overworking for material or vain pursuits, rather than focusing on spiritual matters. This symbolises the emptiness of work done without divine purpose or faith.

The spider’s web was often seen as a symbol of the vanity of worldly pursuits—beautiful but fragile and easily destroyed. Just as a spider continually spins its web, which can be destroyed in an instant, humans are reminded of the futility of investing too much in worldly accomplishments that can be quickly undone. The web, being a trap for unsuspecting prey, symbolised deceit, cunning and the devil’s temptations. The spider, hiding and waiting to ensnare its victims, was likened to Satan, who sets traps to lead people into sin.

Vermis est animal quod plerumque de carne vel de
ligno. vel de quacumque re terrena nascitur; sine
concubitu. licet nomiumque et de ovis nascatur sicut
scorpio. Sunt autem vermes aut terre aut aque aut
aeris. aut carnium aut frondium. aut lignorum aut
vestimentorum.
Aranea est. vermis aeris. ab aeris nutrimento cogno-
minata. que exiguo corpore longa fila deducit. et
tele semper intenta; numquam desinit laborare. perpetu-
um sustinens in sua arte dispendium. Filia quos que
de se producit. per que nonnumquam pendet; iterum retra-
hit. Et est tempus quando timeri solet aranea; propter ve-
neni tumorem;

A worm is an animal that generally originates from flesh, wood or any other earthly substance without mating, although sometimes it also comes from eggs, as in the case of the scorpion. Worms can be of the earth, water, air, flesh, leaves, wood or clothing.

The spider is a worm of the air, named after its nourishment from the air. With its small body, it spins long webs and, hanging from its web, never ceases to labour: weaving its web requires continuous effort and energy. It itself produces the web wherefrom it sometimes hangs and then it draws it back. There was a time when the spider was feared owing to the swelling caused by its venom.

Further Reading

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Worm, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast280.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

Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., Wikipedia: The Elephant, 28 November 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant

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] Nonnunquăm = sometimes