Homily of the blessed Physiologus

Homily of the blessed Physiologus, who composed concerning the beasts and the birds, how many likenesses are upon them, and many signs which come about for the benefit of him who reads it. First discourse concerning the lion, king of the beasts. And this lion is Jacob, for Jacob, while blessing his son, said: "Judah, you are a lion's cub; arise from your grief, my son; you have slept and dwelt like a lion and like a lion's cub." And it is fitting. He said concerning the lion, that it has three natures. Its first wisdom: when hunters who pursue it come, it erases its tracks with its tail, so that those who follow its tracks and its scent may not find it by its tracks and may not seize it. Likewise, our Saviour, the new lion from the tribe of Judah, from the root of David, concealed his tracks from above; he hid his nature, he concealed his divinity. He became like the angels until he descended and came into the womb of his mother, the virgin Mary, to save the race of mankind who had sinned. When the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, those who were watching for his descent did not perceive him; they said, "Who is this, the king of glory?

Second discourse concerning the lion When it goes into the forest without fear, its eyes are open. This also reaches the one who says in the song of songs: "I sleep, and my heart is awake." Our Lord, in the flesh, goes upon the cross, and in divinity, at the right hand of the Father, he is vigilant, as it is said: "He does not sleep nor slumber, who watches over Israel." Third discourse The lioness gives birth to a dead cub, and she watches over her cub until its father comes. And when the father has come on the third day, he breathes upon its face and raises it up. Likewise, the Father, the holder of all, raised up his Son, his firstborn from before the world, who is our Lord Christ, who rose by the power of his divinity and raised up all. Good is what Jacob said: "And like the lion's cub, there is none who awakens it." On the lizard Second discourse concerning the salamander, which is burned. The salamander, when it is burned, its eyes are shaded, and it becomes blind until it no longer sees the light of the sun, and it seeks a crevice that looks toward the east, and it stays there. And when the sun sets, its eyes are opened, and it becomes alive. This, then, you do with its good nature. And you, O man, while you have an old covering, when the eye of your heart is shaded, seek a crevice of help in patience until the sun of mercy dawns for you, which the prophet called dawn, and it will illuminate the eye of your heart with this likeness.

Third discourse concerning the bird whose name is Caradrion It is written in the second Law: It is said concerning it that its entire body is white and there is no black upon it. And it looks with a black eye and is found in the palaces of kings. They bring it when a person is ill; whether he will live or whether he will die, it knows. If the person's illness is for death, it turns its face away from him and knows that he will die. And if it is for life, the Caradrion looks at the face of the sick person, and the sick person looks at the face of the Caradrion, and the person's illness is healed, and it flies into the air of the sun and spreads its wings and draws out his illness, and the Caradrion and the sick person are healed together. This is likened to the face of our Savior, because his entire body is white and there is no black upon him, which is sin. He says: The ruler of this world comes and does not find anything upon me. He came from heaven to the Jews, turned his face of divinity away from them toward the Gentiles. He removed from us the illness and pain of sin, hanging upon the cross of the evening, because he said: "I ascended into the heights, your arrow, arrow." The blessed Physiologus spoke well concerning the Caradrion. And there is one who says: "It is unclean in the Law; why do you liken it to our Savior?" We say: The serpent of the earth is unclean. John says: As Moses hung up the serpent of the earth in the wilderness, likewise he hung up the Son of the Virgin, the living one, to be hung. These are two creatures: one that is sanctified and one that is not sanctified. The one who says this speaks well.

Fourth discourse concerning the bird whose name is Pelican, which is the Caradrion. David says: I have been likened to the pelican of the wilderness. Physiologus says concerning the pelican: It is truly a lover of its young. When its young are born, they strike the faces of their parents, and the parents strike the heads of their offspring and kill them. And on the third day after their death, it opens its side and sprinkles blood upon the dead young and revives them. As it is said in Isaiah: I have begotten children and they have denied me; they have wronged me. We have begotten the maker of all creation, and we have denied him and worshipped creatures, and we have abandoned our creator; he also abandoned us and delivered us to death. And after he had mercy, like a mother, and ascended upon the wood of the cross, he sprinkled for us blood and the water of the baptism of repentance, and he revived us. Good is what is said concerning the Pelican. Fifth discourse concerning the owl. A foul bird which David named the owl. He says: And I have become like an owl in a house at night.

Physiologus says: This bird loves the night more than the day. Our Lord Jesus Christ loved us, who dwell in the darkness and shadow of death, and the nations, each one of them, and those from the Jews, from the land of inheritance, who took hope from their fathers. He loved us, because of this he said: "You shall find pasture for the soul, for the Father desires to give you his kingdom and what is like it." For the unclean pelican in the Law, as the Apostle says: "He who knows not sin, for our sake he fasted from sin." And he bowed his head, so that all good might be poured out. He spoke concerning the pelican. On the eagle Fifth discourse concerning the eagle. David says: "He who renews like the eagle my youth." Physiologus says: The eagle, when it grows old, becomes heavy, and its eyes grow dim, and it seeks a spring of pure water. And it flies up into the air of the sun, it burns its wings and the dimness of its eyes, and it descends into the spring of water and immerses itself three times. Then it is renewed and becomes young again.

You also, my homeland, O old man, old man, if you are righteous in the path of his love, the world is a sinner, and the eye of your heart is darkened by the thickness of ignorance. Seek the fountain of mysteries from the word of the wise, and there repentance is found. Fly with the wing of reason to the high sun of righteousness, Christ our Savior. Then the old man will be consumed with his deeds. When you are baptized anew in the fountain, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the darkness of the devil’s garment will be undone, and you will be clothed anew and brightly, as created by the Lord. And the prophecy will be fulfilled that says: He who renews like the eagle for your youth. On the phoenix The seventh discourse concerning the bird whose name is Phoenix. Our Lord said in the Gospel: Authority is with me; my soul came and raised me up. But the Jews murmured concerning this word. Phoenix, when it has become five hundred years old, enters into the wood of Lebanon and fills its wings with aromatic wood called *abdu*. And it announces to the priest of the city of the sun in the month of Megabit or in the month of Miyazya. The priest also enters and fills the wood of the vineyard. The bird enters into the city of the sun, carrying the aromatic wood, and places it upon the altar, and itself burns its own head and becomes ash. And on the second day, the priest, while seeking the altar, finds a piece of wood upon the ash. And on the third day, he finds a small bird. And on the fourth day, it becomes a large bird and reveals itself to the laity and speaks to the priest and goes to its place.

If the hoopoe has the power to kill and revive its head, why do the Jews mock our Savior with their speech? By my soul, I have the power. And again, I raise up the phoenix, whose likeness became that of our Savior. His two wings were filled with fragrance, beauty, and strength, and he came to us. We also stretch out our hands in prayer to him, that we may fill our good land with the fragrance of his grace. On the hoopoe Eighth discourse concerning the bird named the hoopoe. It is written in the Law that he who strikes his father and mother shall die. There are people who are killers of their fathers and mothers. For the hoopoe, its young, when their father grows old, they pluck his feathers with their beaks and lick his eyes and warm him in a hot place, and they cover him under their wings and feed him and care for him, as if they were saying to their parents: "We have warmed you and fasted while feeding you. Likewise, we will do for you." As they do this until they become strong and become strong and become righteous. Why do not the prophets love their parents?

On the onager Ninth discourse: On the onager Job said: Who has loosed the onager? And who has broken its bonds? And who has given it the wilderness as its dwelling? Physiologus said: The onager is female. When she gives birth to a male, his father takes him and castrates him, and does not leave him, as is the custom of those who castrate their offspring for their mother. For the ancient fathers castrate the seed of the flesh and are grieved like him. But the apostles, new children of the heavenly kingdom, have cut off this [practice] and say: For everything of flesh is like grass, like a shadow; everything of flesh [passes away]. And concerning spiritual birth, the Preacher says: Rejoice, you who are not born; be glad, you who do not know the pain of childbirth, for many are the children of sorrow than she who [bears them]. For the root of the tares, from which new hope comes, is strong in itself. On the viper Tenth discourse: On the serpent of the earth whose name is the viper

John said concerning the Pharisees: “O generation of wild beasts of the earth, who told you to mock what comes from the womb?” Physiologus said: This is the hyena. The face of the male resembles the face of a man, and the face of the female resembles that of a woman. From their heads to their necks, their appearance is human; and from below their necks to their tails, they are like a leopard. They have no womb; rather, for the female, in the place of her shame, there is a stone like a millstone. When the male lies with her, he casts his seed into her mouth; and she kills her own offspring and swallows the seed, and he dies then. After she has conceived, her young eat the belly of their mother and are born from that place, and their father and mother die at their birth. John fittingly compared the Pharisees to the hyena, for just as the hyena kills its father and mother, so also they killed their fathers, the prophets of our Lord, and their father and his followers. And why should they fear the death that comes, since they have already killed and do not live forever, but they die?

On the snake Our Lord said: Be wise as the snake of the earth, and gentle as the dove. Four characteristics it has: When it grows old, its eyes become dim; and if it wishes to renew itself, it strips itself and fasts forty days and forty nights until its skin falls off; and then it seeks a narrow crevice of a rock; and when it enters there, it squeezes its head and passes through, and after that it becomes young. You also, O man, if you wish to put off the old man, mortify your flesh by fasting, strip off that which leads you into life, and become a new man. A second matter: The snake of the earth, when it drinks water, leaves its venom behind. We also, when we go to church to drink the water of life, which is the teaching of the New Testament of the kingdom, and to partake of the mysteries of the Son of God, the heavenly Word, while we sit in the church, we leave behind all evil from our heart.

Third matter: The snake of the earth fears the one who wears a garment; if it sees him, it flees from him, because it knows his deed when it sees him. It casts off its old age, abandoning its garment, and is saved. We also cast off when our father Adam was in the Garden in his old age without desiring worldly wealth; the snake flees from him. You also, O man, if you abandon the wealth of this world, which is the old garment of man, and cast off all your sins, the snake cannot flee from you. Fourth matter: When it desires to kill a man, it hides all its limbs in a hole, and its head it protects. Likewise we also hide all our flesh from sufferings, and we protect our head, which is our faith, the head of Christ, as the holy martyrs do. For it is said: For every man, the head is Christ, and the head of Christ is God. On the ant Twelfth homily: Concerning the ant, which has no strength and cannot be moved.

And Physiologus said: The third wisdom of the snake: First, when it goes to drink, it makes a hole with its mouth, and those which have none, it says to them, "Give me your hole," and it does not take them by force, but they go of their own accord; and those which are naked, this one finds upon the ignorant and the wise. Again, the snake, when it hides its tail in the earth, one hole suffices for it as a shelter from winter, and it does not get wet, nor does it grow old, nor does it die of hunger in the desert. You also, first, restrain the law of the flesh from your soul, as its writing, and it will not kill you. Paul said, "The law of the spirit is life." This, while the Jews were killing, they died of hunger, and they became murderers of their own souls. Again, the snake goes far into the desert in the summer season, and it climbs upon a plant, as if to bring down a hole, and it tests the cold; and from its test it knows whether it is fat or lean, and it abandons the fat and climbs upon the lean, because fat is the food of the wild beast.

And Job said: "The serpent goes out to the desert. You also, O man, the food of the beast which is its likeness, by the bending of the belly, and it takes the desert that dwells in the storehouse." Again, it meditated on the food of the beast of the Medes, the teaching and the desert in truth. Amen, of Christ. On the Sirens and the Onocentaurs The Thirteenth Discourse: Concerning the Sirens and the Onocentaurs From beneath their navels to their feet, they are of a bird; and from their faces to their navels, their likeness is of a horse. And Isaiah said: "For demons, and satyrs, and howling creatures sang in the ruins." These Sirens are murderers, and their voice has none that can resist it. And the Onocentaur: from its face to its waist, it is human; and its lower parts are of an ass, and its voice is harsh, and its whole form is monstrous. Likewise, there are people who resemble them in their faces. They walk about in the church as if they do righteous deeds, but they hide their strength. And they are called the church, but they go out from the church and gather together. Those who resemble the Sirens and the Onocentaurs: our faithful resemble them. And they contend with the power of mystery and with the force of their voice, they deceive us and lead us astray, as it is written: "An evil word corrupts a good deed." The good word says Physiologus.

On the hedgehog The fourteenth homily. Concerning the hedgehog, which is in the likeness of a grape-gatherer. Physiologus says: The hedgehog goes into the vineyard, where it finds fallen grapes; there it rolls about and pierces the grapes with its spines, and it comes to its young and stands up naked. You also, O diligent one, go to the vineyard, which is the teaching of the Law, and take up the fruits of the mysteries, the joys of the house of the kingdom. The hedgehog, however, abandons its nakedness; you, like it, in the likeness of children, feed your members. On the fox The fifteenth homily. Concerning the fox. It is a cunning beast. If it is hungry and finds nothing to eat, it seeks a place of death; and if not, a house of ruin, and it goes there, while looking upward and holding its breath until birds gather above it, as if to eat it; then, springing up, it seizes one of them and eats it. Likewise, the devil, the cunning one, hides himself in the love of the world, and in pleasure and joy, and in all the desires of the flesh, and kills the souls of many. Herod also was like the fox, and it is written: "Hear from our Savior, who said: 'Foxes have dens.'" Solomon also in his song says: "Catch for us the little foxes that spoil our vineyard." David also says: "A portion for the fox.

On the panther The sixteenth homily. Concerning the panther. Now it is a small animal. The prophet said: I was like a panther to Ephraim. Physiologus says: The nature of the panther is this: among all animals, it is beloved, and it is hostile to the serpent. Its appearance is beautiful, like the garment of Joseph. Its animal is exceedingly good, gentle, and pure. And if it eats a little, it is satisfied and sleeps in its den. On the third day it rises from its sleep and roars with a great voice. Those far and near hear its voice, and from its mouth comes a sweet fragrance. And all animals, while following, come to it because of its fragrance. Likewise our Lord Jesus Christ rose from his sleep, and by his fragrance he drew near those far and those near. As the apostle said: The fragrance of Christ is in us, and great is the wisdom that saved us. And the Psalmist said: And a queen stands at your right hand in garments of gold, adorned. And our savior Christ is beautiful in virginity, in strength, in purity, in mercy, in grace, in goodness, in peace, and in patience. Moreover, his slayer of the serpent in heaven is he. And nothing is written that is written concerning animals and concerning birds.

On the aspischelone The seventeenth homily. Concerning the aspischelone. Now it is the head of the beasts of the earth; its nature is monstrous. Solomon said in the Proverb, while teaching and showing: Do not trust an evil woman, for poison drips from the lips of a woman; and afterward you will find what is bitterer than gall, and exceedingly sharp, like a two-edged sword. Likewise, there is a beast in the sea whose name is aspischelone, which has two natures. If hunger afflicts it, it opens its mouth and emits its odor, and small fish are attracted; but when they gather, it devours them. Large fish, however, do not approach that beast. As Job, Moses, and Jeremiah, and all the company of the prophets said: Judith also deceived Holofernes and killed him; Esther deceived Artaxerxes; Susanna deceived the elders; Thecla deceived Tamyrenes. Now the nature of the beast: it is large, truly like an island; and they do not perceive, as those on an island, that they are walking upon that beast, which devours fish. In the heat it rests in the sea and drowns sailors.

On the aspischelone, the seventeenth homily. Concerning the aspischelone. Now it is the head of the beasts of the earth; its nature is monstrous. Solomon said in the Proverb, while teaching and showing: Do not trust an ev You also: if you place your head upon it, your head will be cut off. The devil will cause you to fall with him into the lake of Gehenna. Good, says Physiologus. On the partridge The eighteenth homily. Concerning the partridge. Jeremiah said: The partridge gathers to itself young that it did not bear, and it does much labor in toil, and abandons them when they are grown. And it became barren. Physiologus said: It steals the eggs of others, and hatches them; when their young are grown, they go to their relatives and abandon it alone, barren. The devil likewise seduces the children of the mind to himself, whom he did not beget; and when they grow in understanding and hear the name of their Father, Christ, and they are believers and holy apostles, they abandon the devil, barren, and go to Christ. Good, says Physiologus, concerning the partridge. On the vulture The nineteenth homily. Concerning the vulture, which is the ostrich. Our Savior said in the Gospel: Woe to the barren. Physiologus said:

The aspischelone dwells in the mountains of the valleys and goes up into the great heights and sleeps in the cavern of the mountain. And the female, if she conceives, goes to the land of India and takes the stone called eugtakios. The stone resembles a tortoise and is round in form. And if they strike it, what is inside sounds. And the woman, if she fights and gives birth and sits upon it, she gives birth without pain. You also, strengthen your womb with the Holy Spirit; take the stone eugtakios which we have named; it is the head of the corner, and sit upon it, and you will be saved from pain. Isaiah the prophet said: "Concerning your fear, O Lord, we conceived, we travailed, and we gave birth to the spirit of your salvation upon the earth." Truly, eugtakios is a holy stone. Our Lord Christ was born without sickness and without seed, in the flesh from the Virgin, born without pain. And just as eugtakios, what is inside has another power, so our Lord: subtle divinity, dwelling in his flesh. Good is what he who spoke said.

On the ant-lion The twenty-first discourse: concerning the myrmecoleon, which is the ant-lion. Elphas the Temanite king says: "The ant-lion has consumed the sin of the glutton." Physiologus says: Its face is that of a lion, and its hindquarters are those of an ant. Its father is a devourer of flesh, while its mother is a devourer of grain. Because of this, the male offspring die when the mother nurses them, for they find no flesh and eat no grain; then they die of hunger, since they have two natures. Likewise, the heart of a person of two paths: if he does not dwell in prayer while longing for what has no Amen, as it is said: "If it is, it is; and if it is not, it is not." On the weasel The twenty-second matter: concerning the weasel, whose name is mustela. It says in the Law: "You shall not eat the weasel." Such is its nature. The female, when she mates with the male, receives the seed into her mouth and conceives and gives birth through the ear. Likewise, there are people who receive the spiritual discourse of the Church through their ears and bring forth discourse from their ears, but do not digest it in their hearts, like the likeness of the weasel. "You shall not eat" is said; "you shall not associate with it.

On the unicorn The twenty-second discourse: concerning the beast whose name is Monokeros, which is the unicorn, which has one horn. He says in the Psalm: "And my horn shall be exalted like that of the unicorn." Like its nature: It is a small beast, and its appearance is gentle and meek, and it cannot be hunted by hunters because of its strength, and it has one horn in the middle of its head. How then do they capture it? They lead a beautiful virgin to a beautiful place and place her opposite its face. Then it approaches and leaps and rests in her bosom, and the virgin rises up and brings it to the king, and they find in it great wealth. This is the likeness of our Savior, who raised up for us the horn of our salvation from the house of David, his servant. The powers that are in heaven could not capture him or hunt him. But the Word descended into the bosom of the Virgin Mary, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. On the beaver The twenty-third discourse: concerning the beast whose name is Kastorios. It is truly meek and chaste. Because of its nature, it grows long hair which becomes a remedy. For this reason, when a hunter pursues it, it cuts off its testicles from its hair and abandons them. And if another pursues it, it hides itself, fleeing until it sees that there is no one who pursues it. Then it goes on its way.

You also, wise man, turn away from that which is the desire of the flesh, fornication, and lust, and pride, and that which resembles them, and leave your enemy the devil, as you say: "The soul, when it has escaped like a bird from the snare of the enemy." On the hyena The twenty-fourth discourse: concerning the hyena. He says in the Scripture: "The hyena, sometimes it becomes male and sometimes it becomes female." And it is the filthiest of all wild animals in the change of its nature. The prophet Jeremiah says: "The hyena, the hyena has come." You also, be not like the hyena, but be steadfast in one law. Paul also says: "Women have abandoned their nature and have become like that which is not their nature." The Physiologus says well. On the enudris The twenty-fifth discourse: concerning the enudris. There is a small animal which resembles a dog. It is the enemy of the crocodile. When the crocodile sleeps, its mouth is open. And that animal whose name we have mentioned goes upon the mud and rolls itself entirely in it. And when the mud dries, it enters into the mouth of the sleeping crocodile and eats its entrails within until it reaches death.

The ichneumon is compared to the devil. The serpent called the asp is a type of our savior Christ, who put on earthly flesh, which is corruptible, and descended into hell, and devoured the souls within it, and killed death, as it is said: "Where is your sting, death? And where is your victory, hell?" And just as the serpent came out of the belly of the ichneumon, so also our Lord rose from the tomb on the third day, alive without corruption. On the ichneumon The twenty-sixth discourse is about the serpent whose name is ichneumon. It is the enemy of the crocodile, says Physiologus. When it sees the crocodile, it rolls in mud, and with its mouth open, it watches, like a serpent of the earth. Likewise, our Savior put on human flesh, hid his divinity, and dwelt by the shore of the sea, which is the world, and there he killed Pharaoh, who dwells on the Nile of Egypt, who is the devil. This serpent, when it has put on mud, hides itself from the crocodile when it approaches it, without the crocodile's knowledge. So also Christ, when he was in the flesh, while he was being pursued by the devil, he appeared as God, but the devil did not know him. "All things are in your hand; you have terrified me, for your power is near." But he bowed his head and saved all.

On the Crow Jeremiah says, “I was like a crow in the desert, alone.” He says this to Jerusalem. Physiologus says: When one crow dies, another crow does not take a second mate, nor does it take another female. Likewise, the assembly of the Jews, which killed the Lord, will not have another savior, for it is said, “I chose you as a single virgin, pure, so that you might approach me in purity; those who stone you and beat you with wood—if a new teaching of ours chooses us for Christ, the heavenly devil will not enter into us. And if the power of the word departs from our heart, the adversary will destroy us.” For it is said, “He does not sleep, nor does he rest, who has set a trap for Israel.” From now on, there will be no good fruit in the new city, which is the heart. So says Physiologus. On the Turtledove The twenty-eighth discourse: On the turtledove. It is said in the Song of Songs: “The voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.

Physiologus says: The frog is exceedingly cold in the desert, and it does not go with many. And our Lord Christ ascended the Mount of Olives, and he called from among the many Peter and James and John; and from the heavens a voice came down saying, “This is my son whom I love, and I have chosen him.” The strong servants of Christ likewise love the cold of the desert, as he says: “Like the frog I am cold, and like the dove I mourn.” The frog is a bird whose name is “cold-one.” And all birds love the time of harvest; but it does not love the time of harvest. Good, he says, concerning the frog. On the frog The twenty-ninth discourse concerning the terrestrial frog. Physiologus says: How it is tormented by the flame and heat of the sun. For frogs that dwell in water, in the depth of the water, if the sun finds them. And they resemble the strong and the ascetics of the former heart, who are tormented by the affliction of the world. If a great winter finds them because of their deeds, they die, which is the persecution of the faithful. As they flee from the heat of the sun, those who dwell in water are those who are brothers in the love of the deception of the world. If a little finds them, they are troubled and return again into the deep. Good, says Physiologus.

On the deer David says: As the deer longs for springs of water, so my soul longs for the Lord. Physiologus says: The deer is the enemy of the serpent. If the serpent sees the deer, it enters into a hole in the ground. The deer fills its belly with water and vomits it into the holes, and when the serpent comes out, the deer kills it. Likewise, our Lord killed the great serpent in the heavens, having first spoken a word of wisdom: "You who have drunk water, serpent, and the devil who has drunk a heavenly word." And you, wherever in your heart it says to you, "Do not fast, do not give alms, do not fear a woman or a man," the new law of the water of teaching you have drunk, kill all the works of falsehood. Our Lord expelled the great serpent, the devil, from the heavens, who hid his head in the depths of the earth and in great holes. Our Lord cast water and blood from his mouth and killed the serpent. For us, he baptized us with the water of rebirth and taught us all the hidden works of killing with the devil.

On the salamander The twenty-first discourse: On the creature whose name is salamander. Physiologus says concerning it: If it enters into a furnace of fire, it extinguishes it; likewise, if it enters into a lime-kiln, it extinguishes it. If the salamander extinguishes fire by its nature, how much more do those people who have believed until now, for the sake of three coins, cast themselves into fire, burning themselves by the strength of their faith? Amen. Scripture says: Fire does not burn you by its heat. On the diamond The twenty-second discourse: On the precious stone, the diamond. Physiologus says: The diamond is found in the morning dew; it is not found by day, except at night, and its name is diamond, because it conquers everything, and it is not conquered by anyone. Our Lord judges everything, as he says: Who will accuse me concerning sin? The people who dwell in darkness have seen light, and for those in darkness and the shadow of death, light has dawned for them; in the morning, indeed, the faithful one is found. The prophet says: Its name is morning. Another says: A star shines from Jacob. And when the diamond became a type for our teacher, as Job says: In the morning dew, it is not conquered by the devil. And as the apostles were, whose morning is Christ, as Scripture says: He tells of the persecutions and afflictions that befell them from the Jews, while they were cast into rivers with suffering, and from the Pharisees and scribes, brothers, with suffering.

And as the diamond is not overcome by those who test it, so all the company of prophets and all the saints speak this. On the swallow The thirty-third discourse: On the bird whose name is swallow. This is the likeness of the fathers of asceticism, perfect in their deeds. It sleeps until winter passes, and in summer it awakens. These are like those who, after the winter of their tribulations has passed, while they are being tested, remember all the waves of sufferings that pass over their flesh, standing before God when they say: “Awake, you who sleep, and arise, you dead, and Christ, the sun of righteousness, will shine for you.” The dead, however, do not see the light, for they have awakened to evil gain and have girded themselves for deceit and foul lust. Concerning them, Physiologus says well. The swallow bird, however, remains in one place until winter passes. On the epidexion tree The thirty-fourth discourse: On the tree whose name is epidexion, a sacrifice of the right hand.

And there is in the land of India a good tree, and its fruit is sweet, and its shade is very great, and it shelters the partridges and they eat from it. And there is also the hunter who kills the partridges; but he fears the shade of that tree and does not approach. And if the partridge goes out and distances itself from the shade, the hunter catches it. This is the likeness of the Father, as Gabriel said to our Lady Mary: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." The tree of life is for him who believes and produces fruit. And the partridge is his wisdom, which works in the shadow of the Father's wing, which is the help of his right hand. The faithful are preserved and they partake of the teaching of wisdom from the Spirit that overshadows them, which is joy, peace, patience, and the nourishment of the soul. But he who dwells where the shadow does not reach, which is to go into the darkness of error, evil desire has led him astray: fornication, theft, pride, falsehood, and deceit. These things, having found us, easily catch us while we are far from the shadow of life. Because of this, the Apostle, having made the wood of the cross his killer of the hunter, cries out and says: "Woe to me! It does not benefit me to boast without the cross of Christ, for in my presence the world is dead, and I too am dead in the presence of the world." The good Physiologus says concerning the tree of the Epideixis.

On the dove John said: I saw the heavens open, and the Holy Spirit descending like a dove, and it rested upon him, and a voice came from heaven saying: This is my son whom I love, and I have anointed him. And concerning the many doves, Physiologus spoke and said: There are indeed those that are wild and those that are tame. And there is a great variety of doves: some of them have their appearance variegated with black, and some are speckled, and some are white, and there is a red one. Physiologus spoke concerning the doves, because he sent them all as teachers of the world. The doves cannot bring in anything, but the doves from the wilderness, which are wild, are brought into the dovecotes, except for the red one alone; they cannot bring it in, nor tame it. First, the Father sent before the coming of Christ the red dove, while calling all to eternal life: Moses, and Elijah, and Samuel, and Jeremiah, and Isaiah, and Ezekiel, and the other prophets. And there is no one who can bring a man into life unless the Lord Jesus Christ was sent from the heavens from his Father. And he brought all into life, saying: Come to me, all of you, the weary and the heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. And Rahab, who through her faith received salvation and saved her house by the sign of the red thread. He said in my dream: Like the kiss of your lips.

Our Lady Mary took a red thread, the work of the hand, and she wove it until the age of her service was fulfilled, and it was a mystery. Again, it is written in the Gospel of Matthew that when they crucified our Lord, they clothed him in a red garment. And John said: The thread of the work was hidden in the mystery of his incarnation. The thread, which is the image of the kingdom of heaven, has no one who wears a thread without a king alone. Physiologus said well concerning the red partridges. Again, he said: All partridges, if they go together, do not fear the hunter for their chicks, because of their multitude and the strength of their wings; at the time of their flight, they are afraid. But if one finds itself alone, it is easily captured. This is the image of the virgins. If they are together in the church and do not abandon their assembly, they fear not the sound of their psalms and prayers, and the enemy does not approach them. As they are in the pasture of the heart, they pray to their God without ceasing, and they do not weary. And all Christians should be in this likeness and not abandon the assembly.

On the antelope There is an animal called the antelope. It is a very bitter animal, and it cannot be caught by a hunter. It has large horns, and it sharpens them on large trees, and it falls to the ground. And if it is thirsty, it goes down to the river Euphrates and drinks water. And there is a tree there called the zertane, and its branches are large. And that animal comes to that tree, playing, and it is caught by the branches of that tree, having entangled its horns while it seeks to be freed, but it cannot be freed. For the hunter awakens, and hearing its cry, comes and kills the animal while it is trapped. You too, my city, while you have two horns, which are the New and Old Testaments, and the cross and the faith that strengthen you, do not be caught by the branches of falsehood and heresy, and the love of the world and all the passions that lead to judgment, and the enemy Satan will not find you.

On the fire-stones The forty-seventh discourse is concerning the stone called pyrites, from which fire issues. And everything that touches it is burned. And one of its natures is for the male and the female, and they are distant from each other. This one, however, is likened to the female. You also, beware lest you become like one who is burned by the flame of lust that burns. Even Samson was destroyed by this, until his hair was shorn and his strength was cut off. And many have erred through women, as it is written concerning the nature of women. On the magnet The thirty-eighth discourse is concerning the stone called magnet. It is said that it draws iron to itself as if it were touching it, that stone. If the creatures draw each other, how much more does the Creator of all and the Maker of all, who suspended the sky like a vault and spread out the earth and fixed it upon the water for our sake, and who himself was suspended as if to redeem us, draw each other? Good, says Physiologus, concerning the magnet.

On the saw-fish The forty-ninth discourse is concerning the saw-fish, whose name is prionos. And it has great wings. And when it sees a great ship, it goes with them and accompanies them. And having gone thirty or forty stades, it spreads its wings and returns to its former place. Now the ships are the apostles and the martyrs who were scattered and tossed about in this world while they were being persecuted, as the ship is tossed by the waves of the sea, while they gather much wealth until they reach the harbor. But the saw-fish that accompanies them are those who began good works and virtuous deeds and turned back without reaching the harbor of salvation. Good, says Physiologus, concerning the prionos. On the three children The fortieth discourse is concerning the three steadfast children and Daniel. After they were thrown into the furnace and cast to the lions, they were saved from death while confessing the word of faith. For if these were saved, it is not a wonder beyond the saints, if they raise the dead and move mountains while the Lord helps them.

On the ibis The fiftieth discourse is concerning the ibis. It is unclean according to the law, as it is written. It cannot descend into the depth of the sea for the catching of fish, but it lives by the shore and is barren, and it is not found where the water is salty. Likewise, those who descend into the sea of the love of God cause the tempter to fear. If his hand is spread out, who can stand before the sign of the cross? He cannot cross the sea, and there is a likeness in every creature that knows the sun. If its ray is spread out, it cannot shine, and the moon likewise. So also a bird, if its two wings are spread out, it cannot fly through the air. Moses also spread out his hand and destroyed Amalek. Daniel subdued the lions. Jonah from the belly of the whale, and the three youths were given to the furnace, to the lion and the bear, and deliverance came by the sign of the cross. And Susanna, and Judith, and Esther, and the three youths—all were saved by this likeness. On the wild goat The fifty-first discourse is concerning the wild animal whose name is the dorkas.

It is said that it loves the marshes and dwells there, obtaining its food in the low-lying mountains. And it is said that it knows everything that comes to it, whether in anger or in kindness or in peace. As the Psalmist says: "Behold, my brother comes, while he cuts through the midst of the mountains and gathers upon the peaks of the mountains," like the prophets and the peaks of the apostles. And it is wise, like a stranger, and its likeness is to this, for it knows our Savior, everything, and it is the Lord who sees all our deeds. For those who come from afar, whether in deceit or in evil, it knows them, as it knew Judas, as it bound him in a snare. David also: The Lord knows the path of the pure. On the diamond The forty-second discourse is concerning the diamond, which is the adamant. A hard and strong stone, which cannot be broken; fire cannot consume it, nor can iron cut it. And if it is present in a house, a demon cannot enter. And no sorcery or anything that harms a person can prevail against it; it overcomes all the error of the devil.

On the elephant A discourse concerning the animal whose name is Elbas, which is the hedgehog. It is in the desert, and it is a wise animal, and it has no desire. And if it wishes, it finds a child and goes toward the east, near a garden. And it is in the land of Siron, which is the henna plant. And the female and the male go together. And if the female precedes, she plucks from the plant and gives it to the male, and she plays with him until he rises and eats and unites with her. Then she conceives. And when her time for giving birth arrives, she goes into a great river and descends into the water until she reaches her teats, and there she gives birth to the young until her teats rise and become dry. The father hedgehog guards him, protecting him from the animals of the earth, for the animals of the earth are hostile to the young of the hedgehog. And if the hedgehog finds him, he tramples the animal of the earth with his foot and kills him.

Its nature is this: if it falls, it cannot get up, because it has no joints in its knees. And if it wishes to sleep, it leans against a tree and, leaning, sleeps. The hunters, who know its nature and its place, go and cut the tree until only a little remains. And when it comes and leans, it falls, and it cries out and weeps. Hearing this, another comes to help it, but cannot, and cries out. And many come, but they cannot raise it. After all of them, a small young elephant comes, puts its trunk into its belly, lifts it, and raises it. This small young elephant frightens the demons, and the wicked one does not approach it. In the likeness of Adam and Eve: when they were in the Garden of Eden, they did not know evil; then there was no one who would die. And from the time of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, from which they ate and were fed, then she [Eve] became evil and knew her husband, and she bore her Cain, and he said to them, "Arise like water," as David said: "Save me, O Lord, for water has reached my soul." And the coming of the great elephant, and it could not raise him. And after him, many elephants came, but they could not raise him. And these were the great prophets and the twelve minor prophets; they could not raise Adam. And the coming of the new elephant, our Savior, took his likeness and became his servant, raised us, and lifted us with him into the heavens. And this was his likeness.

On the agate The forty-fourth discourse: concerning the agate stone. When it desires, the elephant goes down, lowering its tusk into the sea, and binds it with a strong rope, and draws out its tusk. It approaches the place where the elephant is, and stands there, in Kenya. And it does not move, having fixed the place of its standing, while it draws the rope. And it finds the elephant by diligence. And as for how the elephant is born: there is a bird whose name is the crane. From the sea it ascends at dawn, having opened its mouth while it drinks the dew of the heavens, at the rising of the sun and the moon and the stars. Among all lights, the elephant is created, and the crane is a bird which has two wings that overshadow the elephant. And this is the likeness of our Savior, who was born without seed from the sole Virgin, of whom it is said: Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. The elephant makes firm the standing of the sea, and the two wings are like the New and Old Testaments. And the sun and the moon and the stars and the dew are likened to the Holy Spirit, which illumines all and fills its authority and its ordinance in all. For the elephant is precious, and he who desires it sells all that he has and buys it. You also, O lord, sell all your possessions and give to the poor, so that you may buy the precious elephant, which is Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, who illumines the whole world.

On the donkey and the ape The forty-fifth discourse: concerning the donkey and the ape. And they are found in the royal house. On the 25th of Meggabit, if it has rained twelve times, the king and his army know that it has been cut, night and day. Now those who believed in the word of the prophets are those who are instructed by the sign. And the braying of the donkey is the devil, and the ape is the likeness of his face, which the devil prepared and did not complete. Before, he was one of the chiefs of the angels; afterwards, he was called the enemy of God, just as he was called near to God. Likewise, the ape has no completion. Good, says Physiologus. On the Indian stone The forty-sixth discourse: concerning the Indian stone. There is a stone whose nature is thus: if it touches a person and becomes fat, the physician seeks that stone and places it upon the sick person with water and leaves it for three hours. And then he removes the stone from the person. And when they test it with deceit, the stone reveals the deceit. And if they place the stone in the sun for three hours, it will drink up all the water that the person drank, and the stone will become pure in its entirety, and the person will live.

The stone is Jesus Christ our Lord, because of the perfect love which brought him to shame for us who loved him, while we were in the water of lust of the devil, which filled our hearts; and he descended and was bound on the cross, he took our sufferings and healed our disease and redeemed us with his own self. On the heron The forty-seventh discourse: concerning the bird whose name is the heron. It is wise among all birds. Its flight and its soaring are one, and it does not seek many places, but where it is cool it goes. And it eats a little food, and where it dwells it sleeps, and it does not eat dead flesh, and it does not wander in many places, and its resting place is one place. You also, do not seek many places of the worldly, but let your resting place be one, and that is the holy church. For our Lord Jesus Christ descended and taught the heavenly law, that we might find heavenly praise, and that our mind might be in heaven. Do not seek the glory of the world and find it. Good, says Physiologus.

On the sycamore The forty-eighth discourse: concerning the sycamore, which is the fig tree. The blessed Amos says: "I am not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet, but I am a gatherer of sycamore fruit and a herdsman of cattle." A beautiful meditation: the prophet, before the face of Christ, said, "I am a gatherer of sycamore fruit." It is a new word. For He who is called Keos, having ascended upon the fig tree, sees our Savior and his sign. Before the fig tree ripens, there are fruits whose name is "tsatsut" (the unripe figs), which dwell within it, like those who dwell in darkness and do not see light; and it seems to them that they are in great cities. And when the fig tree ripens, the tsatsut come out and are scattered among themselves. In darkness we dwell before the fig tree ripens; and when it has ripened, indeed, on the first day and on the third day, food becomes for many. For the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ was pierced with nails and fixed on the cross; blood and water came out of him; and on the third day he rose from the dead and appeared, and a new sun shone, like the tsatsut which, when the fig tree ripened, saw the light of the sun. And the herdsman of cattle, who says, "the prophet," the peoples of the Nazarenes, who are called after him: their ears, after the thorn and the thistle, have repented. And the peoples who, in darkness, have seen a great light; and for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, light has dawned upon them. And when the fig tree ripens, on the third day food becomes for all.

Our Lord Jesus Christ raised the dead on the third day, and gave life and forgiveness, and became a consolation for all that is good. So says Physiologus. The forty-eighth discourse, which he composed concerning the beasts and concerning the birds and concerning the trees, among which there is much likeness of his glory. Praise be to God forever. Amen and amen. Let it be, let it be. On the lion. On the lizard. On the caladrius. On the pelican. On the owl. On the eagle. On the phoenix. On the hoopoe. On the wild donkey. On the viper. On the snake. On the ant. On the sirens and centaurs. On the hedgehog. On the fox. On the panther. On the whale. On the partridge. On the vulture. On the ant-lion. On the weasel.

On the unicorn On the beaver On the hyena On the hydrus On the ichneumon On the crow On the turtledove On the frog On the deer On the salamander On the diamond On the swallow On the epidexion On the dove On the antelope On the fire-stones On the magnet On the saw-fish On the three children On the ibis On the wild goat On the diamond On the elephant On the agate On the donkey and ape On the Indian stone On the heron On the sycamore Conclusion Four discourses. Three discourses. Concerning the bird whose name is Pelican, which is the Graab. David said: I have likened myself to the Pelican of the wilderness.

He said, Physiologus, concerning the pelican: how it is a lover of its young, truly. When they are born, their young strike the faces of their parents. And the parents cut off the heads of their offspring and kill them. And on the third day, the mother opens her side, and blood flows over the dead young, and she revives them. As it is said in Isaiah: "I have begotten and raised them, but they have rebelled against me." And they have begotten us, and we have struck the one who begot us. The Creator of all creation, we have struck him, and we have worshipped creatures and abandoned our Creator. And he has abandoned us to death, and we have been delivered to death. And after, only after, he has had mercy, as from...

And he showed us the sign of the cross, sprinkling for us the blood and water of the baptism of repentance, and he revived us well. He said, concerning the pelican.