Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Illustrated: Rhinoceros et Vulpes


M0141 - M0142 - M0143
142. Rhinoceros et Vulpes. Rhinoceros animal est robustum et grande, corio duro et squamato quasi clypeatum, naso cornuto, unde et nomen sortitum fuit. Huius generis unus, conspecto quodam corvo insidente rupi, declaraturus robur suum, omnibus viribus et summa contentione in rupem impetum facit, tamquam hanc eversurus et deturbaturus corvum. Sed, incursione concitatissima fracto cornu, irridetur a praetereunte vulpecula, quae docet aliis ferramentis ad rupes demoliendas opus esse. Fabula docet audaciae vires et robur, expers prudentiae, saepe exitiosum esse.

0218 De rinocerote et corvo

Click here for a SLIDESHOW of all the Speculum Sapientiae images. You can see the rhino's horn has broken off!

M0142 (not in Perry). Source: Daumas 272. This fable is not in Perry’s catalog, but it is in the Speculum Sapientiae, 2.18. The name rhino-ceros in Greek means “nose-horn.” Compare the fable of the goat who breaks his horn on a statue, #325.