Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Moralized Bible
France, Paris, between 1227-1234
MS M.240 fol. 2r

	From top to bottom in left and right columns, eight medallions enclose as follows:
	Left column:
	1A) Apocalypse: First Resurrection -- John, nimbed, stands with right hand raised toward four nude figures, three with hands raised, three surrounded by shrubbery;
	above clouds, Christ, cross-nimbed, with right hand presents keys to right hand of Apostle Peter, nimbed, tonsured, with left hand raised, seated on cushioned bench (Apostle, Peter: receiving Keys), beside two nimbed apostles, one with book in right hand, each with hand raised, both seated, one on cushioned bench.
	Biblical quotation, ET UIDI SEDES ET SEDERUNT SUPER EAS ET IUDICIUM DATUM EST ILLIS. ET UIDI ANIMAS DECOLLATORUM CUM PALMA MARTIRII PROPTER TESTIMONIUM IHESU, based on Revelation 20:04.
	1B) Nude personification of soul with hands raised emerges from mouth of man, with hands raised, reclining in bed, behind which is tonsured cleric holding chalice in left hand and extending wafer toward him (Scene, Liturgical: Extreme Unction);
	to right, devil (red-headed), wearing long loin cloth, grasps soul issuing from mouth of man, with moneybag in right hand and left hand raised, reclining in bed, beside devil, wearing short trousers, bound (?) behind column in Hell Mouth;
	above, Christ, cross-nimbed, with book in left hand and right hand raised, is flanked by five nude, crowned souls of Elect, with hands raised, all emerging from clouds.
	Commentary, HOC QUE SEDENT S(UPE)R SEDES SIGNIFICAT Q(UOD) INDE SATHANAS EST LIGATUS UN(DE) SANCTA ECCLESIA REGNAT. ET ILLI QUI MORIU(N)TUR IN UERA CONFESSIONE REGNABUNT CUM IHESU CHRISTO. ET ILLI QUI MORIU(N)TUR IN PECCATO MORTALI. ANIME EORUM SUNT IN PENA GEHENNALI.
	2A) Apocalypse: Satan, Gog and Magog -- Four tonsured clerics, two with hands raised, all hold open books, seated in church or monastery, before Satan, wearing loin cloth, holding sword in right hand and extending left hand toward the clerics, and twenty-one (?) men, wearing pointed caps, two with swords; above, Christ, cross-nimbed, extending right hand and raising left hand, emerges from clouds.
	Biblical quotation, ET CUM (CON)SUMMATI FUERINT MILLE A(N)NI SOLUETUR SATHANAS DE CARCERE SUO ET EXIET ET SEDUCET GENTES Q(UE) S(UN)T SUP(ER) QUATUOR ANGULOS TERRE. GOG ET MAGOG ET CONGREGABIT EOS IN PRELIUM QUORUM NUMERUS EST SIC(UT) ARENA MARIS, based on Revelation 20:07.
	2B) Two tonsured monks, each with open book in left hand and right hand raised, stand in building, before Antichrist with seven crowned heads and ten horns, raising right hand and holding open book in left hand, and seven heretics, five wearing pointed caps, two with heads draped, one holding open book, beneath clouds.
	Commentary, PER GOG ET MAGOG SIGIFICANTUR OMNES DISCIPLI ANTICHRISTI [ANTIXI] MODERNI S(ILICET) HERETICI QUI PRIUATIM NOCENT ET ILLI QUI IN TEMP(OR)E ANTICHRISTI APERTE PREDICABUNT.
	Right column:
	3A) Apocalypse: Satan cast down -- Tonsured cleric holds open book in right hand and raises left hand, inside church or monastery, before Hell Mouth, in which are eleven men, ten wearing pointed caps, one with head draped, four with hands raised, and horned Satan, wearing loin cloth, with hands raised, glancing toward flames falling on all of them from clouds.
	Biblical quotation, ET ASCENDENT S(UPE)R ALTITUDINEM T(ER)RE ET CIRCUMUENIENT CASTRA SANCTORUM ET CIUITATEM DILECTA(M) ET DESCENDIT IGNIS DE CELO ET DEUORAUIT EOS. ET DIAB(O)L(U)S QUI EOS SEDUCEBAT MISSUS EST IN STAGNUM IGIS ET SULPHURIS, from Revelation 20:08-09.
	3B) Crowned king raises sword in right hand and with left hand grasps neck of nimbed male saint kneeling with hands raised (Saint, Male: Scene, Martyrdom); above, Christ, cross-nimbed, as half figure, with hands raised, is surrounded by clouds from which flames are falling on four men, with heads draped, two with open books, all with hands raised, in Hell Mouth.
	Commentary, IGNIS QUI DE CELO DESCE(N)DIT PROPT(ER) IPSOS DEUORANDOS SIGNIFICAT APERTAM UINDCTAM QUA A DEO PUNIENT(UR) INFIDELES ET HERETICI ET TIRANNI QUI SANCTOS MARTIRES OCCIDERUNT.
	4A) Apocalypse: Last Resurrection and Judgment -- Beneath clouds, John, nimbed, stands with draped right hand and left hand raised toward Christ, cross-nimbed, raising open book in each hand, seated on cushioned bench with feet on globe, in mandorla, beside eleven nude figures of the dead, four with hands raised; shrubbery in foreground.
	Biblical quotation, ET UIDE T(HR)ONUM MAGNUM ET CANDIDUM ET SEDENTEM SUP(ER) EUM A CUI(US) CONSPECTU FUGIT T(ER)RA ET CELU(M) from Revelation 20:11, and ET UIDI MORTUOS MAGNOS ET PUSILLOS STANTES IN (CON)SPECTU THRONI ET LIB(RI) APERTI SUNT, from Revelation 20:12.
	4B) One of two tonsured monks raises left hand to face, both with right hands raised, beside mitered bishop with falcon on left wrist and right hand raised toward man, wearing cap and hooded garment, holding moneybag in left hand and raising right hand, and two men, one raising right hand to inclined head, the other wearing hooded garment;
	above, two angels, one wearing fillet, both with hands raised, flank Personification of Church (inscribed), nimbed, crowned, veiled, with right hand raised and chalice in left hand, seated beside Christ, cross-nimbed, with right hand raised in blessing and open book in left hand, seated, all emerging from clouds.
	Commentary, MAGN(US) THRONUS CANDIDUS SIGNIFICAT SANCTAM ECCLESIAM IN QUA IHESUS CHRISTUS IN DIE IUDICII REQ(UI)ESCET. HOC QUOD TERRA ET CELUM FUGERUNT SIGNIFICAT TIMOREM QUEM AUARI ET SUPERBI HABEBUNT. HOC QUOD LIBRI APERTI SUNT SIGNIFICAT QUOD OMNNES CONS(CIEN)CIE ERUNT APERTE.
	Patterned backgrounds and borders.

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