Aesop’s Fables translated and transmitted in Middle Ages

I was curiously looking around to find more medieval art to post and kept coming up with medieval manuscripts, the colorful pages illuminated around the text to show a story in and of itself unfolding. Somehow I found myself with translations of Aesop’s Fables. There is a picture of Aesop himself writing his book in German 15th century hat (see below). This leads me to the current discussion – what did medieval people think of Aesop’s fables? From what we know about animals in the middle ages and their use in symbolism, teaching tools, hunting, food, daily life, religious significance, and more I began to really think about this question. Of course I first turn to Wikipedia, there contains a list of the numerous languages that the fables were translated into throughout time, barely a language or region of Europe is missing and there is also a following in India believe it or not.[1]

The Capybara -- Not a Medieval Animal

But somewhat related to the Middle Ages tangentially by way of its acceptability as a food for Lent.


Unit of Measure by Sandra Beasley

All can be measured by the standard of the capybara.
Everyone is lesser than or greater than the capybara.
Everything is taller or shorter than the capybara.
Everything is mistaken for a Brazilian dance craze
more or less frequently than the capybara.
Everyone eats greater or fewer watermelons
than the capybara. Everyone eats more or less bark.
Everyone barks more than or less than the capybara,
who also whistles, clicks, grunts, and emits what is known
as his alarm squeal. Everyone is more or less alarmed
than a capybara, who—because his back legs
are longer than his front legs—feels like
he is going downhill at all times.
Everyone is more or less a master of grasses
than the capybara.

Species-oriented sources

Tournament Cat, 2008

Since we're all doing our bibliographies right now, I thought it might be helpful to mention Reaktion Books' animal series:http://www.reaktionbooks.co.uk/series.html?id=1

I have Pigeon and Moose, and have found them to be a great starting-point for species-oriented research. Lots of images, nice, long bibliographies, and relatively un-embarrassing bus-reading.

And if you need a break, check out some more of Jeff de Boer's cat and mouse armor.

What a Joy

While we were all talking today about animals as pets/meat/skins/and livestock what do you think Joy was thinking about? (and we have already established that animals have imaginations and can think for those of you who beg to differ if she was even thinking at all) Later I might add she was chewing on her tail, if that helps you answer the question.

From the position of the picture you might know who took this, however I am not about to give myself away in case my participation grade is on the fence.

The Number of the Beast

666 – Number of the BEAST
670 – Approximate number of the Beast
DCLXVI – Roman numeral of the Beast
666.0000000 – Number of the High Precision Beast
665.9999954 – Number of the Pentium Beast
0.666 – Number of the Millibeast
/666 – Beast Common Denominator
666 x sq. rt. (-1) – Imaginary number of the Beast
1010011010 – Binary of the Beast 6
1-666 – Area code of the Beast
00666 – Zip code of the Beast
1-900-666-0666 – Live Beasts!  One-on-one pacts!  Call now!  Only $6.66 per minute.
$665.95 – Retail price of the Beast
$699.25 – Price of the Beast plus 5% state sales tax
$769.95 – Price of the Beast with all accessories and replacement soul
$606.66 – Wal-Mart price of the Beast
$566.66 – Costco/Price Club price of the Beast
Phillips 666 – Gasoline of the Beast
Route 666 – Way of the Beast
666 F – Oven temperature for roast Beast
666k – Retirement plan of the Beast
666 mg – Recommended Minimum Daily Requirement of Beast
6.66% - 5-year CD interest rate at First Beast of Hell National Bank, $666 min. deposit
Lotus 6-6-6 – Spreadsheet of the Beast
i66686 – CPU of the Beast
666i – BMW of the Beast
DSM-666 (revised) – Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the Beast
668 – Next-door neighbor of the Beast

[Forwarded to Fencing Bear by Barbara Newman.  Original author unknown...as yet!]