[Dog:] Dirty bastard or faithful companion? From the most ancient times, we find in texts this double attitude towards "man's best friend". Also in the Middle Ages, most texts show both sides of the coin, even if certain authors do not hide their opinion, sometimes more positive, sometimes more negative. Thus, the Latin bestiaries appear rather neutral or slightly positive, while their French successors already emphasize the faults more. The encyclopedists of the thirteenth century were also more neutral, unlike the authors of moralized encyclopedias, most of whom did not hide their antipathy. A possible explanation can be found in the sources used, but to be able to draw definitive conclusions, it would be necessary to extend the present investigation towards earlier or later centuries, towards other literary genres or towards other languages. - [Author]

Language: French