Physiologus: On the Natures of Twelve Animals

Mary’s womb was a resting place for you, O Christ,
And He who begot you made you rise after three days,
Since you, the avenger of death, then underwent the death of the cross.
You guard us, you who never sleep,
Like an ever-watchful shepherd, so the leader does not stray from the flock.

Here the author subsequently sets down the allegories allegory: a story or description where the literal details represent deeper spiritual or moral meanings concerning the nature of the lion, speaking thus: Just as the lion lives on a high mountain, so Christ, the spiritual lion, lives in the highest heaven. Whence Ecclesiasticus says:

I dwell in the highest places original: "Ego in altissimis habito"; see Sirach 24:4

And just as the lion, when he descends from the mountain, wipes out the tracks of his feet so that hunters might not find them, so Christ, when he descended from heaven into the womb of the glorious Virgin Mary to redeem the human race through the incarnation incarnation: the Christian doctrine of God becoming human in the form of Jesus, hid himself in such a way that none of the devils knew Christ was the Son of God or born of the Virgin Mary.

The second nature of the lion is compared to Christ in this way: because just as the lion rouses his dead cub after the third day, so after the Jews crucified Christ, he lay dead in the tomb until the third day. But on the third day, the Father in his divinity resurrected him with such a voice:

Arise, my glory; arise, psaltery and harp original: "Exurge gloria mea exurge psalterium et cythara"; see Psalm 57:8

The third nature of the lion is compared to Christ in this way: For just as the lion never closes his eyes when he sleeps, so Christ never closes the eyes of his mercy, but always watches and guards us as an ever-vigilant and good shepherd, so that the "snatcher"—that is, the devil—might not seize anyone from his flock. Whence the Psalmist says:

Behold, he who guards Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep original: "Ecce non dormitabit neque dormiet qui custodit israel"; see Psalm 121:4

And in the Gospel:

I am the good shepherd who feeds my sheep with my body, and I lay down my life for my sheep original: "Ego sum pastor bonus qui pasco oues meas corpore et pro ouibus meis pono animam meam"; see John 10:11

Likewise, just as the lion never sleeps with closed eyes, so Christ—although he had "slept" in the body on the cross—nevertheless remained awake, sitting at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, and this was in his spirit; whence he himself said:

I slept, and my heart stayed awake original: "Ego dormiui et cor meum vigilauit"; see Song of Solomon 5:2

It should also be noted that the name "lion" (leo) is said to be derived from the verb leo, les, lere, which means the same as "to destroy" or "to blot out" leo/lere: a medieval grammatical fiction used to explain the word "delere" (to destroy), though it is not used in its simple form. For just as the lion destroys other animals, so Christ destroys all his adversaries, namely sinners. Whence in the Gospel:

Go, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for you from the beginning of the world original: "Ite maledicti in ignem eternum qui vobis paratus est ab origine mundi"; see Matthew 25:41

Likewise the Psalmist:

As wax melts before the face of the fire, so let the sinners perish before the face of the Lord original: "Sicut fluit cera a facie ignis sic periant peccatores a facie domini"; see Psalm 68:2

Likewise elsewhere:

The lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered original: "Vicit leo de tribu iuda"; see Revelation 5:5

Likewise, just as the lion destroys other animals, so Christ blots out the sins inborn in us from Adam. Whence John says:

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world original: "Ecce agnus dei qui tollit peccata mundi"; see John 1:29

Nature of the lion, allegory, Christ, resurrection, incarnation, good shepherd, blotting out of sins, Physiologus, Virgin Mary.