PHYSIOLOGUS

I

THE PANTHER

Of living creatures many are the kinds
Throughout the world-unnumbered, since no man
Can count their multitudes, nor rightly learn
The ways of their wild nature; wide they roam,
These beasts and birds, as far as ocean sets
A limit to the earth, embracing her

And all her sunny fields with salty seas
And toss of roaring billows.

We have heard

From men of wider lore of one wild beast,

Wonderful dweller in a far-off land

Renowned of men, who loves his native glens

And dusky caverns. Him have wise men called

wisfæste weras, 15 bi pām ānstapan.

20

duguða ĕstig,

on gewritum cÿþa[*]

Sē is [g]hwām frēond,
butan dracan ānum;

pām he in ealle tid andwrão leofap,
þurh yfla gehwylc be he geæfnan mæg.
Dæt is wrætlic deor, wundrum scyne,
Swã hæleð secgað,

hiwa gehwylces.
gæsthālge guman,

tunece wäre
blēom bregdende,
ghwæs @nlicra,

þætte Iōsōphes

telga gehwylces

25 dryhta bearnum,
blæc, brigda gehwas,
wundrum līxeð,

@ghwylc ōprum,

para beorhtra gehwylc, ōprum lixte

swa pas dēores hiw,

þætte wrætlicra

beorhtra and scỹnra

@nlicra gien

and fægerra, frætwum bliceð,

30 symle sellicra.

Hẽ hafað sundorgecynd,

among the children of men report in their books concerning that lonely wanderer.

He is a friend, bountiful in kindness, to every one save only the dragon; with him he always lives at enmity by means of every injury he can inflict.

He is a bewitching animal, marvelously beautiful with every color. Just as, according to men holy in spirit, Joseph's coat was variegated with hues of every shade, each shining before the sons of men brighter and more perfect than another, so does the color of this beast blaze with every diversity, gleaming in wondrous wise so clear and fair that each tint is ever lovelier than the next, glows more enchanting in its splendor, more rare, more beauteous, and more strange.

He has a nature all his own, so gentle and so calm is

The panther, and in books have told of him, The solitary rover.

He is kind,

A bounteous friend to every living thing
Save one alone, the dragon; but with him
The panther ever lives at enmity,
Employing every means within his power
To work him evil.

Fair is he, full bright
And wonderful of hue. The holy scribes
Tell us how Joseph's many-colored coat,
Gleaming with varying dyes of every shade,
Brilliant, resplendent, dazzled all men's eyes
That looked upon it. So the panther's hues
Shine altogether lovely, marvelous,
While each fair color in its beauty glows
Ever more rare and charming than the rest.

His wondrous character is mild, and free

it. Kind, attractive, and friendly, he has no though~ of doing harm to any save the envenomed foe, hi ancient adversary of whom I spoke.

When, delighting in a feast, he has partaken of food, ever at the end of the meal he betakes himself to his resting-place, a hidden retreat among the mountaincaves; there the champion of his race, overcome by sleep, abandons himself to slumber for the space of three nights. Then the dauntless one, replenished with vigor, straightway arises from sleep when the third day has come. A melody, the most ravishing of strains, flows from the wild beast's mouth; and, following the music, there issues a fragrance from the place a fume more transporting, sweet, and strong than any odor whatever, than blossoms of plants or fruits of the forest, choicer

From all disturbing passion. Gracious, kind,
And full of love, he meditates no harm
But to that venomous foe, as I have told,
His ancient enemy.

Once he has rejoiced

His heart with feasting, straight he finds a nook
Hidden among dim caves, his resting-place.
There three nights' space, in deepest slumber wrapped,
The people's champion lies. Then, stout of heart,
The third day he arises fresh from sleep,
Endowed with glory. From the creature's mouth
Issues a melody of sweetest strains;

And close upon the voice a balmy scent
Fills all the place-an incense lovelier,
Sweeter, and abler to perfume the air,
Than any odor of an earthly flower
Or scent of woodland fruit, more excellent