Ornithology: The History of Birds

...hesitantly left the root of his name; so that it is likely that at the time when the Roman tongue was being confounded with that of the Barbarians Aldrovandi refers to the Migration Period or "Dark Ages" when Latin mixed with Germanic dialects., the name ALDOBRANDINUM flowed from "Hildebrand." For this reason, since I perceived that the surname of our family also (if it is permitted to compare the smallest things to the greatest) bears no small similarity to that same word—for in the earliest times we were named Aldobrandi, not, as today, by the corrupted name Aldrovandi—I swear that nothing more pleasing or more delightful has ever happened to me than to hear the Cardinals called ALDOBRANDINI, and to have a Supreme Pontiff from that same family. He is a Pontiff whom I—on account of his admirable nature and exquisite learning joined with the keenest judgment, and the highest integrity of life and character, which I observed when he was returning from Poland and passing through Bologna—judged most worthy of such a high pinnacle of dignity. I have long hoped for an opportunity to demonstrate this desire and respect of mine, which I finally do now, offering these night-labors of mine original: "vigilias" — a common scholarly metaphor for works produced by staying up late by candlelight. most humbly on bended knees before your Holiest feet.

Finally, there is the condition of the work itself, which likewise not only invited but incited me to this plan, deliberation, and decision. I would wish your Holiness to judge how much labor and what expenses I have consumed in it. For I have indicated not only the Greek and Latin names of the birds treated, but also the Hebrew, Arabic, Italian, and finally those of all nations. To these I have added descriptions of the birds, and those I was able to obtain I place before the eyes of the readers as drawings. I reveal their nature and habits, what food they use, by what art they may be captured, how they ought to be prepared original: "condiri" — referring to culinary preparation or preservation., and what nourishment they provide to those who eat them (a part which will be treated more extensively in the second work). I also teach which diseases they may cure. I explain emblems, symbols, icons, coins, adages, and mystical matters from both sacred and profane sources, as well as hieroglyphics. From this, whatever can be said about birds can be sought here, so much so that the Most Illustrious Paravicini Cardinal Ottavio Paravicini (1552–1611), a patron of the arts and sciences.—whom I gladly name a hero on account of the most exact judgment in which he excels—said when I showed him this work that I had left no room for others to say anything more.

Furthermore, as many scholarly works on animals as have been published by others until now, nearly all of them were dedicated either to your predecessors as Supreme Pontiffs, or to Emperors, or to Kings and similar Most Serene Princes. And although there is a common proverb, Saleable wine does not need hanging ivy original: "Vino vendibili non opus esse suspensa hedera" — An ancient Roman proverb meaning that a good product does not need an advertisement. Taverns traditionally hung ivy outside to show they sold wine., the opposite nevertheless seems to be true in this business. For indeed, scholarly labors, though praiseworthy in themselves and worthy of posterity, usually either perish suddenly or at least are little valued unless they are published under the care and authority of great men. For these men perform the same service for letters as water does for lupins original: "lupinis" — a type of legume that is naturally very bitter and must be soaked in water to become edible.; for just as that genus of legume, once soaked in water, lays aside all its bitterness, in the same way, these men by their favor make letters more pleasing and effective for everyone. Seeing this, the wisest men, both ancient and more recent, protected their learning with the authority of princes. Hence it is that the natural history of Pliny has always flourished, flourishes even now, and will flourish forever, because it was dedicated and entrusted to Vespasian Caesar. What age shall destroy the golden poems of Oppian? Truly none, none at all; for the patronage of Antoninus Caesar rendered them immortal. Nor, perhaps, would we have the never-sufficiently praised (and yet to be praised) commentaries of Aristotle on animals, unless Alexander the Great had interposed his Royal Majesty both in their writing and in their publication. We would furthermore be deprived of six hundred "golden books" which we now kiss with devotion, being grateful not so much to the authors as to those to whose faith they were entrusted.

But to call upon my contemporaries: Ippolito Salviani An Italian physician and zoologist (1514–1572) famous for his work on fish., once familiarly known to me, dedicated his most excellent histories and labors on fish to Pope Paul IV. Andrea Mattioli Pietro Andrea Mattioli (1501–1577), a famous herbalist.—also not only known to me, but someone with whom I communicated many things—dedicated his commentaries on the books of Dioscorides regarding medical matter to the Emperor Maximilian II. Pierre Belon...