Aesop's Fables [6th century BCE +] (The Swan and his Owner; Perry 233) They say that swans sing when they are about to die. A certain man chanced upon a swan that was for sale and bought him, since he had heard that swans sing very beautifully. At the man's next dinner party, he came and got the swan, expecting that the bird would serenade his guests at dinner. The swan, however, was completely silent. Later on, when the swan realized that he was about to die, he began to sing his funeral dirge. When his owner heard him, he said, 'Well, if you are going to sing this song only at the moment of your death, then I was a fool for having commanded you to do it. I should have ordered you to be butchered instead!' - [ Gibbs translation]

Aristotle [ca. 350 BCE] (De animalibus Book 9, 2.9; 9, 13.2): [Book 9, 2.9] The little owl and the swan attack the eagle, and the swan often comes off victorious. Of all birds the swans are most disposed to devour [or fight] each other. [Book 9, 13.2] The swan also is web-footed, and lives in ponds and marshes. Its manner of life and disposition is good, and so is its mode of rearing their young and its old age. If an eagle attacks the swan, it defends itself and comes off victorious, but will not commence the fight. Swans have the power of song, especially when near the end of their life; for they then fly out to sea, and some persons, sailing near the coast of Libya, have met many of them in the sea singing a mournful song, and have afterwards seen some of them die. - [Cresswell translation, 1887]

Pliny the Elder [1st century CE] (Natural History, Book 10, 32; 10, 95): [Book 10, 32] Geese and swans also migrate on a similar other principle, but the flight of these is seen. They travel in a pointed formation like fast galleys, so cleaving the air more easily than if they drove at it with a straight front; while in the rear the flight stretches out in a gradually widening wedge, and presents a broad surface to the drive of a following breeze. They place their necks on the birds in front of them, and when the leaders are tired they receive them to the rear. ... A story is told about the mournful song of swans at their death - a false story as I judge on the strength of a certain number of experiences. Swans are cannibals, and eat one another's flesh. [Book 10, 95] There are quarrels between swans and eagles...

Aelianus [170-230 CE] (On the Characteristics of Animals, Book 2, chapter 32): The Swan is assigned by poets and many prose-writers as servant to Apollo, but in what other relation it stands to music and song I do not know. Yet the ancients believed that when it has sung what is called its 'swan-song', it dies. In that case Nature honors it more highly than it does noble and upright men, and rightly so, for while others praise and lament them, Swans praise or, if you will, lament themselves. [Book 5, chapter 34] Now the swan has so contented a spirit that at the very close of its life it sings and breaks out into a dirge, as it were, for itself. - [Scholfield translation]

Isidore of Seville [7th century CE] (Etymologies, Book 12, 7:18): The swan... is called olor because it is ‘entirely’ white in its plumage; for no one mentions a black swan... The cycnus is named for singing (canere) because it pours out a sweetness of song with its modulated voice. It is thought to sing sweetly because it has a long curved neck, and a voice forcing its way by a long and winding path necessarily renders varied modulations. [Book 12, 7:19] People say that in the Hyperborean regions, when musicians are singing to citharas, swans come flocking in large numbers, and sing with them quite harmoniously. Olor is the Latin name... Sailors say that this bird makes a good omen for them. - [Barney, Lewis, et. al. translation]

Hugh of Fouilloy [ca. 1100-1172 CE] (De avibus, chapter 58): The swan (olor) is a bird which the Greeks call cygnus. The swan {olor) is so named, moreover, because it is completely white in plumage; for no one recalls a black swan. In fact, in Greek olon means 'all.' The swan (cygnus) is named surely for its singing, because with melodious notes it gives forth a sweet song. Moreover, it [is said] to sing so sweetly because it has a long and curving neck, and it is inevitable that a voice forcing its way through a long and flexible passage will produce various melodies. It is reported that many swans fly to the singing lyricists in the northern regions, and join properly in the mode. The swan has snowy plumage, but black skin. Allegorically the snowy color of plumage denotes the effect of the pretense by which the black flesh is hidden, because a sin of the flesh is veiled by pretense. While the swan swims in the river it carries its neck erect, because a proud man who is enticed by worldly possessions also at the same time prides himself in possession of transitory things. It is reported that many swans fly to the singing lyricists in the northern regions, and join properly in the mode, because those who covet pleasures with all their hearts harmonize with pleasure seekers as if flying to them. But at the last, when the swan is dying, it is said to sing exceedingly sweetly as it dies. Likewise, when the proud man departs this life, he delights still in the sweetness of this world, and dying, he remembers the things which he did wrong. But when the swan is deprived of its snowy plumage, set on a spit, it is roasted at a fire. Likewise, when at death the wealthy. proud man is stripped of his worldly glory, descending to the flames of hell, he will be punished with torments, and he who was accustomed to seek nourishment in the lowest quarters, descending into the abyss, becomes food for the fire. - [Clark translation, 1992]

Gerald of Wales [c. 1146 – c. 1223] (Topographia Hibernica, chapter 14): It is remarkable in swans that they teach us not to grieve at the fate of death; for in their last moments, making a virtue of necessity, they exhibit by their funeral songs contempt for the loss of life. So men, who are clothed in white by the merits of their virtues, depart joyfully from the troubles of the present world, and thirsting for God, the only fountain of life, desire to be dissolved, freed from this body of death, and to be with Christ. - [Forester translation, 1863, chapter 14]

Thomas of Cantimpré [circa 1200-1272 CE] Liber de natura rerum, Birds 5.26): The swan is a bird which the Greeks call olorem. And the swan is said to be white with all his feathers: for no one remembers a black swan. The swan is called by its singing, because it pours out the sweetness of the song with its melodious voices. That is why they say that he sings softly, because he has a long and bent neck, and it is necessary for his voice to make various modulations during a long and winding journey. Jacobus: The swan has white feathers but black flesh. It will die while singing a song of joy and jubilation. When the swans are about to migrate to another place for the sake of food, they must come together in such order as to fly, so that they are carried out with a head-on attack, with which they more easily push through the air than if they were pushing in front. At the rear they gradually expand, and the column is extended into a wedge. They lay their necks on those who preceded them, and the tired leader moves to the back. At the same time they come together and flatter each other, male and female, and bend their heads alternately with their necks as if to embrace. Neither tarrying where they have mated, the male, aware of the injury to the female, flees from her; but she impatiently pursues the fugitive. But by no means does the grudge persist for a long time, but is pacified by the ceasing of the injury, and ceasing from the male's spirit and persecution after copulation, he purifies himself by immersing himself in water with the frequent movement of his tail and beak. As the Experimentator says, the swan has its strength in its wings. At the instant of death he fastens its feather in his brain [?] and sings most sweetly. It is of a choleric complexion, and therefore passionate. With one foot it swims, and with the other it governs itself like a sail. When fed with fish it is harmless to them. It eats little according to the size of it body. It has very small teeth in his beak, with which It cuts food. It nests above the waters, anxious to raise its young. A bird intolerant of burden, as Marcus Varus says, does not fly willingly, but delights to rest in ponds. - [Badke translation/paraphrase]

Bartholomaeus Anglicus [13th century CE] (Liber de proprietatibus rerum, Book12.11): The Swan is called Cignus in latin, & Olor in Gréeke, for he is all white in feathers: for no man findeth a black Swan. Olor is Gréeke, and is to understand white, as Isid[ore] saith. The Swan is called Cignus, and hath that name of Canendo, singing. For he faineth swéetnes of swéet songs, with accord of voice, and he singeth swéetly, for he hath a long neck diversly bent to make divers notes. And it is sayd, that in the countries that be called Hiperbores, that the harpers harping before, the Swans birdes flye out of their neasts, and sing full merely, as Isidore saith. And as Marcius and Ambrose say, shipmen trowe, that it betokeneth good, if they méete Swans in perill of shipwracke. Alway the Swan is the most meriest bird in divinations: shipmen desire this bird, for he doppeth not downe in the waves, and therefore he was hallowed to Apollo as Marcius sayth: and his most strength is in the wings. When the Swan is in love, hée seeketh the female, and pleaseth hir with beclipping of the necke, and draweth hir to him ward: and he joyneth his neck, to the females necke, as it were binding the neckes together. And after the treading, the female smileth the male, and flieth him, and the male batheth him ofte after the treding, and so doth the female also, ere she take any meate. And when she shall dye, and that a feather is pight on the brayne, then she singeth: & against the usage of other beasts in stéede of groning, the Swan singeth, as Ambrose saith. The Swan hath most white fethers without any mingling of blacknesse or other colour, and hath blacke flesh, and hard to be digested, and hath a bill with a manner bounching, that distinguisheth the sight from the smell and tast, and the bill is full blacke within, and inwarde full thicke. The Swan putteth downe his head into the water, and séeketh his meate, & cutteth it: and though he be nourished among fish, yet he eateth them not. Also if bread or other meate be throwen to him, he withdraweth and giveth place to fish that followeth him, and séeketh and gathereth his meale of hearbes, grasse, & rootes. And he hath blacke feete and close, and hole & broad, & full able to swim: and in swimming he useth that one foote, in stéede of an oare, and the other foote in steede of a stirrer, and ruleth himselfe therewith, and dwelleth in lakes and in pondes, and maketh his neast nigh waters, where upon fewe stickes throwen togethers, the Swan sitteth on broode, & bringeth forth birdes, and féedeth them busily, and bringeth them up, and covereth and defendeth them with winges, bill, and hissing. And if any man come toward the Signets, the Swan putteth hir selfe among the birdes, and prepareth to make resistaunce, and ceaseth not to defend hir birdes, and is a birde of great wayght and heavinesse, and of much flesh in bodie: and therefore shée loveth rest, and flyeth but seldome. But wilde Swans flye with strong flight, with their neckes strayght forwarde, and féete straight backwarde: But they are not so great of bodye, nor so fat as tame Swans that be nourished and fed nigh places thereas men inhabite in, as Marcius saith. - [Batman]