Text: Erec and Enide
The Medieval Bestiary on monkeys:
"The female ape always gives birth to twins, one of which she
loves and the other she hates. When she carries her young, she holds the one
she loves in her arms, but the one she hates must cling to her back. When the
ape is pursued by a hunter, she tires from running while carrying her two
children; when she is in danger of being caught, she drops the child she loves
in order to escape, but the one she hates continues to cling to her back and is
saved. Apes are happy at the new moon but grow sad as it wanes. At the equinox
they urinate seven times. Apes are said to be ugly, dirty beasts with flat and
wrinkled noses; their rear parts are particularly horrible."
Literary Context:
"Erec's robe was made, all worked and woven with thread of gold. The fur lining that was sewed within, belonged to some strange beasts whose heads are all white, and whose necks are as black as mulberries, and which have red backs and green bellies, and dark blue tail. These beasts live in India and they are called "barbiolets". They eat nothing but spices, cinnamon, and fresh cloves. "
Research by Burgess and Curry in Berbiolete and Dindialos: Animal Magic in Twelfth Century Garments suggests that barbiolets refer to the douc langur monkey, which also have varied color in their fur and could have potentially been encountered by Chretien by trade or even live a royal zoo. The mention of the douc langur in this passage is fleeting, but like many beasts are seen primarily for their adornment potential; in this case the barbiolet fur serves as a marker of worldliness and the exotic.
One of the most poignant discoveries of this project was how the beasts that are now confirmed to be closest our closest relatives on the human-beast spectrum are, despite being acknowledged as "simia", painted as being so far away -and given much less respect than the lion or the stag, which we're of course not nearly as closely related to.
Modern Representation
" i |
| The CGI effects used in this poster for Planet of the Apes brings out the human expressions from the eyes of these chimps; authors of Medieval bestiaries often list apes under the latin "simia" (same) because they could could recognize themselves in the apes. Note how both portrayals are interested in the clinging infant imagery. |
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ReplyDeleteWell, I've read a bit of these weird creatures...Could not find any arguments in favor of douc monkey, different coloring & habitation and of course no cinnamon in their diet for no nutrition value. The mentioned Malabar squirrel fits better the picture of the three suggestions incl. Red giant squirrel. In my opinion, Red Panda is a praiseworthy candidate as well for this fancy creature-feature, at least its head is indeed all white and backs red & black neck. They are obviously strange, neither cats, nor bears or foxes... Sure, no cinnamon sticks in diet, though bamboo shoots. All in all, there could be such creatures, roughly speaking. Further reading is welcomed))
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