Beast

Sources : He-goat

Herodotus [c. 484 – c. 425 BCE] (Histories, Book 3.112) But gum-mastich, which Greeks call ledanon and Arabians ladanon, is yet more strangely produced. Its scent is most sweet, yet nothing smells more evilly than that which produces it; for it is found in the beards of he-goats, forming in them like tree-gum. This is used in the making of many perfumes; there is nothing that the Arabians so often burn for fragrance. - [Godley translation]

Isidore of Seville [7th century CE] (Etymologies, Book 12, 1:14): The he-goat [hircus] is a lascivious animal, butting and always eager to mate; his eyes look sideways on account of wantonness, whence he has taken his name, for according to Suetonius, hirqui are the corners of the eyes. His nature is so ardent that his blood by itself dissolves adamantine stone [diamond], which can be overpowered by neither fire nor iron. Larger he-goats are called cinyphii from the river Cinyps in Libya, where they are born large. - [Barney, Lewis, et. al. translation]

Aberdeen Bestiary [circa 1200 CE] (folio 21v): The he-goat is a wanton and frisky animal, always longing for sex; as a result of its lustfulness its eyes look sideways - from which it has has derived its name. For, according to Suetonius, hirci are the corners of the eyes. Its nature is so very heated that its blood alone will dissolve a diamond, against which the properties of neither fire nor iron can prevail. Kids, hedi, take their name from the word for eating, edendum, for the young ones are very fat and taste delicious. As a result their name means 'eat' and 'eatable'.

Bartholomaeus Anglicus [13th century CE] (Liber de proprietatibus rerum, Book18.59): The Goat bucke is called Hircus, & is a lecherous beast, alwaye servent to the déede of lechery, as Isid[ore] saith libr. 12. And his eyen looke thwart over to lechery ward, & hath that name therefore: for Hirci be the corners of the eien, as he sayeth: his kinde is most hot, insomuch that his hot bloud softeneth and carveth the harde Adamant stone, that neyther fire nor yron may overcome, as it is said there. This Goate bucke is called also Caper, and hath that name of Capio, to take, for bée laboureth to take croppes of trées: And the Goate bucke beginneth to bée mooved to gender after one yeare, as Aristotle sayth, li. 6. and the male that is first gendered, is more great and more fat then those that bée gendered afterward. Also libro. 7. he sayth, that some Goate Bucks have notable hugenesse in eares, as some Rammes have in theyr tailes. For some have in bredth more the¯ the breadth of the hound. And the Goate bucke hath a long beard & a small taile, & long downe to the earth, & many & strong and great hornes, and rough Wooll and hard, with stinking smell, and hath much fatnesse, and namelye within about the reines, and then he dyeth lightly, excepte the fatnesse bée with-drawen. And the more fat he is, the lesse Semen hée hath, and gendereth the lesse, as hée sayth, lib. 8. And then hee doeth the déede of generation but seldome. And therefore wise heardes slayeth them, ere they doe the déede of generation, or else suffer them to bée leane, and maketh them bée leane, and though hée séeme leane without, yet sometime he is full fat within, and it oft happeneth that the Goat bucke is wonderfullye shapen, as Aristotle sayeth, libro. 8. for sometime it happened that a Goate Bucke was séene with hornes in the legges, and that was wonderfull to sée. And among all flesh of beasts, flesh of Goate Buckes is worst, hardest, and worst to defie, as Isaac sayeth in Dietis, and namely when the Goat buck is right olde. The skinne of the olde Goat bucke is better and more stronger then the young: but the odour and the smell is more, and the flesh is worst, and if hée bée gelded, his fleshe is the more moyst and tender, and lesse harde to defie, and lesse evill to be eaten. Also libro. 28. Plinius sayth, that Democritus sayeth, that the Goate Bucke is never without the Feavers. And the bloud of a Goat buck, that is fedde with Ivie, breaketh wonderfully the stone both in the bledder and in the reines; as he saith: and his horne burnt, feareth & chaseth away Serpents, & healeth feavers & cankers, & fretteth awaye & cleanseth Polipus, superfluitye of flesh in the nose. The liver of the Goat bucke helpeth agaynst biting of the madde houndes. His gall cléereth the sight, and fretteth awaye the webbes of the eyen: His urine meddeled with his gal helpeth leprous men, and doth awaye scales and scabs. - [Batman]