A delightful translation of one of the finest, and most beautiful,
examples of a medieval Bestiary.
Bestiaries are a particularly characteristic product of medieval
England, and give a unique insight into the medieval mind. Richly
illuminated and lavishly produced, they were luxury objects for noble
families. Their three-fold purpose was to provide a natural history of
birds, beasts and fishes, to draw moral examples from animal behaviour
(the industrious bee, the stubborn ass), and to reveal a mystical
meaning - the phoenix, for instance, as a symbol ofChrist's
resurrection.
This Bestiary, MS Bodley 764, was produced around the middle of the
thirteenth century and is of singular beauty and interest. The lively
illustrations have the freedom and naturalistic quality ofthe later
Gothic style, and make dazzling use of colour. This book reproduces the
136 illuminations to the same size and in the same place as the original
manuscript, fitting the text around them. Richard Barber's translation
from the original Latin is a delight to read, capturing both the serious
intent of the manuscript and its charm.
RICHARD BARBER has written many books on the history of and life in the
middle ages, from his Somerset MaughamAward-winning The Knight and
Chivalry, by way of biographies of Henry II and the Black Prince, to an
anthology of Arthurian literature from England, France and Germany,
Arthurian Legends, and an account of the historical Arthur, King Arthur:
Hero and Legend.
