We cannot help but think of the fable when we come across this other major, but less known, agent of the transmission of animal imagery which is the Physiologus, the object of our study. ... This study will be an opportunity to better understand, on the basis of current knowledge, what is hidden behind the apparent simplicity of this catalog of images for the use of Christians. The first part will immerse us in the extraordinary evolution of this text, which represents nearly ten centuries of history. From the Greek original from the beginning of the Christian era to the medieval bestiaries produced in its wake, we will try to best describe the different stages of the development of the Physiologus, between contaminations and translations into other languages. This global approach to the work will allow us, among other things, to take stock of the manuscript editions and modern translations of the Physiologus. - [Author]

Language: French