Pliny the Elder (1st century CE) in his Natural History, Book 10, 24-25, had this to say about cocks: "[...] They duel with each other to determine who will rule, with the winner strutting proudly and the loser forced to serve; a conquered cock does not crow. Some cocks are bred only to fight. Cocks carry themselves so proudly that even the noble lion is afraid of them. Omens and auspices can be read in the behaviour of cocks." The miniature comes from a magnificent psalter, possibly from a monastery in Norwich, with the inscription "Psaltarium Roberti de Ormseby monachi Norwyci...", thus known as the Ormseby Psalter. Beautifully decorated with paintings, borders and marginal illustrations. Some of the marginal illustrations contain bestiary and other animal themes. Here two cocks prepare to fight! Oxford, the Bodleian Library, Ms. Douce 366, fol. 128r.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:08:50 +0000
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