Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Moralized Bible
France, Paris, between 1227-1234
MS M.240 fol. 1v

	From top to bottom in left and right columns, eight medallions enclose as follows:
	Left column:
	1A) Apocalypse: Birds summoned -- Nimbed angel, in clouds, extends hands toward twelve birds, five pecking at five men extending hands, all falling, one from horse, another bird on arm of one of the five men.
	Biblical quotation, ET UIDI ANGELUM STANTEM IN NUBE ET CLAMAUIT DICENS OMNIBUS AUIBUS Q(UE) UOLABANT PER MEDIUM CELI. VENITE CONGREGAMINI AD CENAM MAGNAM DEI UT CARNES REGUM ET TRIBUNORUM ET FORTIUM MANDUCETIS ET CARNES EQUORUM ET SEDENTIUM IN IPSIS, based on Revelation 19:17-18.
	1B) Scene, Ecclesiastic: Preaching -- Dominican (?) monk holds book in left hand and raises right hand preaching, beside Hell Mouth in which two of three devils pour liquid from vessels on two souls of Damned, one tonsured, both with hands raised, beside three heads of Damned, all in cauldron above flames fanned by one of the devils with bellows, beside tonsured soul of Damned;
	above, six souls of the Elect, five with hands raised, two tonsured, one as crowned king, one as mitered bishop, all emerge from clouds.
	Commentary, ANGELUS IN CELO CLAMANS SIGNIFICAT PREDICATORES. AUES SIGNIFICANT BONOS CHRISTIANOS QUI SEMPER TENDUNT IN ALTUM AD BONA CELESTIA CONTEMPLANDA. CENA SIGNIFICAT GLORIAM DE CELIS. COMESTIO CARNIUM DILECTIONEM IUSTICIE DEI QUAM HABEBIT SANCTI IN DAMPNATIS CRUCIANDIS.
	2A) Apocalypse: Beast, Battle -- Beneath clouds, crowned king, armed with sword, as the foremost of fourteen men including one armed with sword, extends right hand toward Beast with seven heads and eleven horns, accompanied by six men wearing caps.
	Biblical quotation, ET UIDI BESTIAM ET REGES TERRE ET EXERCITUS EORUM CONGREGATOS AD FACIENDUM PRELIUM CUM ILLO QUI SEDEBAT IN EQUO ET CUM EXERCITU EIUS, from Revelation 19:19.
	2B) Among nine tonsured monks, wearing habits, one a Dominican with open book in right hand, raises left hand toward Antichrist with seven crowned heads and ten horns, holding sword in right hand and open book in left hand, accompanied by two men with heads draped, one holding open book in left hand, and six men wearing pointed caps, one with sword in left hand; all beneath clouds.
	Commentary, BESTIA SIGNIFICAT ANTICHRISTUM REGES SUOS DISCIPULOS. BELLUM PERSECUTIONEM QUAM SUO TEMPORE INFERET CHRISTIANIS.
	Right column:
	3A) Apocalypse: Beast and False Prophet taken -- Beneath clouds, nimbed angel with sword strikes Beast with seven heads and nine horns, falling into flaming Hell Mouth, in which is False Prophet represented by six men, five wearing pointed hats, three with hands raised.
	Biblical quotation, ET APPREHENSA EST BESTIA ET CUM ILLA PSEUDOPROPHETAE QUI FECERUNT SIGNA CORAM IPSO QUIBUS SEDUCTI SUNT ILLI QUI ACCEPERUNT CARACTEREM BESTIAE. ET QUI ADORAUERUNT YMAGINEM EIUS ET MISSI SUNT IN STAGNUM IGNIS ARDENTIS. ET CETERI OCCISI SUNT GLADIO SEDENTIS SUPER EQUUM, based on Revelation 19:20-21.
	3B) Personification of Church, nimbed, crowned, veiled, with chalice in left hand and right hand raised, stands beside Christ, nimbed, with open book in left hand and right hand raised toward four men with heads draped and two men wearing pointed caps, three with hands raised, all flanking Antichrist with seven crowned heads and eleven horns, raising hands, all in Hell Mouth;
	above, two mitered bishops raising hands, flanking Personification of Church, nimbed, crowned, with right hand raised and chalice in left hand, all emerge from clouds.
	Commentary, HOC SIGNIFICAT QUOD DOMINUS IHESUS CHRISTUS ANTICHRISTUM ET OMNES PERSECUTORES SANCTE ECCLESIE SUO UERBO DESTRUET ET IN FETOREM INFERNI DETRUDET.
	4A) Apocalypse: Dragon imprisoned -- Beneath clouds, Evangelist John, nimbed, holds book in draped right hand and raises left hand, beside nimbed angel placing chain around Dragon (represented as Antichrist) with seven crowned heads and ten horns, in pit.
	Biblical quotation, ET UIDI ANGELUM DESCENDENTEM DE CELO HABENTEM CLAUEM ABYSSI ET CATHENAM MAGNAM IN MANU SUA, from Revelation 20:01, and ET APPREHENDIT DRACHONEM ET SERPENTEM ANTIQUUM QUI EST DIABOLUS ET SATHANAS ET LIGAUIT EUM PER ANNOS MILLE ET MISIT EUM IN ABYSSUM ET CLAUSIT ET SIGNAUIT SUPER ILLUM UT NON SEDUCAT AMPLIUS GENTES from Revelation 20:02-03.
	4B) Christ: Harrowing of Hell -- Beneath clouds, three men including two with hands raised, stand beside Christ, cross-nimbed, wearing partly draped mantle, with cross-staff in right hand transfixing Satan or devil in Hell Mouth and with His left hand grasping left hand of Adam, accompanied by five figures, one with left hand raised, all nude, in the Hell Mouth.
	Commentary, ANGELUS DESCENDENS DE CELO ET HABENS CLAUEM ABYSSI SIGNIFICAT IHESUM CHRISTUM QUI IN UIRTUTE CRUCIS ET PASSIONIS SUE DYABOLI DESTRUET ET SUOS LIBERABIT.
	Patterned backgrounds and borders.

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