Hrabanus Maurus

Hrabanus Maurus (ca. 780-856), abbot of Fulda and Archbishop of Mainz, was theological and pedagogica
writer. He was born at Mainz about 776 (or possibly 784) and died near there in 856. His name, which is
spelled in various ways (Hrabanus, Rabanus, Rhabanus, Reabanus, Raban, Rabano), is connected with Old
High German hraban, "raven"; "Magnentius", which sometimes appears before his surname, Maurus, is
probably related to his residence in Mainz. At an early age he became a Benedictine monk at Fulda. In 802
went to Tours to study theology and the liberal arts, under the great scholar Alcuin, from who he received t
surname Maurus after the favorite disciple of St. Benedict. After a year of study, he was recalled to Fulda,
where he taught at the monastic school and eventually became head-master. In 814 he was ordained as a pr
in 822 he became abbot of the monastery. Under Abbot Hrabanus, the monastery flourished, becoming a
renowned seat of learning in the Frankish kingdoms. Between 840 and 847 Hrabanus became embroiled in
royal political struggles, resigned as abbot, and fled from Fulda. In 847, after a reconciliation with the king
was appointed Archbishop of Mainz.
Hrabanus was said to be the most learned man of his age. His knowledge of scripture, patristics, canon law
liturgy was without compare. The scope of his writing extended over the entire field of sacred and profane
learning as then understood. He wrote commentaries on nearly all the books of the Old Testament, as well
the Gospel of Matthew and the Pauline Epistles. He also wrote more secular works such as De computo, a
treatise on numbers and the calendar; the Excerptio de arte grammatica Prisciani, a treatise on grammar an
famous encyclopedia, De rerum naturis.
De rerum naturis (On the Nature of Things), also known as De universo, is an encyclopedia in 22 books,
covering a large range of subjects. It was written between 842 and 847. Hrabanus' stated intent was to com
an encyclopedic handbook for preachers. He drew on earlier sources for his information, particularly
the Etymologiae of Isidore of Seville, but the organization of the material was his own invention.
Book 8 is on animals. It is divided into seven chapters: De bestiis ("beasts", mostly mammals); De minutis
animantibus (small animals); De serpentibus (serpents, reptiles); De vermibus ("worms", mostly insects); D
piscibus (fish); De avibus (birds); De minutis avibus (small birds). The chapters and the animals in them ar
(based on
Schipper) (this list is preliminary and may not be entirely reliable):
Chapter 1: De bestiis - On beasts
Leonis (lion)
Tigris (tiger)
Panter (panther)
Pardus (pard)
Rinocerota (monocerus and unicorn)
Elefantem (elephant)
Gripes (griffin)
Camaeleon (chameleon)
Linx (lynx)
Castores (beaver)
Ursus (bear)
Lupus (wolf)
Canis (dog)
Vulpis (fox)
Simiae (ape)
Enidros (hydrus)
Dracontius (dragon)
Musio (cat)
Chapter 2: De minutis animantibus - On small animals

Mus (mouse)
Mustela (weasel)
Talpa (mole)
Glires (?)
Hiritius (hedgehog)
Grillus (?)
Formica (ant)
Ranae (frog)
Chapter 3: De serpentibus - On serpents
Cerastes (cerastes)
Draco major (dragon)
Aspis (asp)
Ipnalis (hypnalis, another kind of asp)
Bailiscus (basilisk)
Scorpio (scorpion)
Vipera (viper)
Enidris (hydros?)
Celidros (?)
Salamandra (salamander)
Chapter 4: De vermibus - On worms
Areana (spider)
Cantarida (?)
Multipes (multiped)
Limax (?)
Bombices (?)
Eruca (?)
Teredonas (termite?)
Tinea (?)
Lumbricus (?)
Ascaridae (?)
Tarmus (?)
Ricinus (?)
Usia (?)
Chapter 5: De piscibus - On fish
Crocodrillus (crocodile)
Mullus (?)
Mugilis (?)
Anguillae (sea snake?)
Draco marinus (sea dragon)
Mure (?)
Concae, Cocleae (?)
Murice (?)
Chapter 6: De avibus - On birds
Aquila (eagle)
Vultur (vulture)

Grues (crane)
Ciconiae (stork)
Olor (swan)
Strutio (ostrich)
Ardea (heron)
Fenix (phoenix)
Cinomolgus (cinnamologus)
Psittacus (parrot)
Alcion (kingfisher)
Onacrotalus (bittern)
Vespertilio (bat)
Noctua (owl)
Bubo (owl)
Lucina (nightingale)
Ulala (owl?)
Graculus (jay)
Picus (woodpecker)
Pavo (peacock)
Gallus (cock)
Anser (goose)
Mergis (merganser?)
Fulica (coot)
Turtur (turtledove)
Columba (dove)
Perdix (partridge)
Coturnices (quail)
Passer (sparrow)
Pellicanus (pelican)
Nocticorax (owl)
Garrula (?)
Hirundo (swallow)
Corvus (raven)
Cornix (crow)
Milvus (kite)
Accipiter (hawk)
Uppupa (hoopoe)
Chapter 7: De minutis avibus - On small birds

Apes (bee)
Spines (?)
Scrabrones (?)
Locusta (locust)
Musca (?)
The books and chapters of the De rerum naturis are listed below (based on
Schipper).
Book 1: On God and angels
De deo; De filio dei; De spiritu sancto; De eadem trinitatis; De angelis
Book 2: On man, the patriarchs, the status of man
De hominibus qui quodam praesagio nomina acceperunt; De patriarchis et ceteris eiusdem aetatis hominib
Book 3:
De aliis quibusdam viris, siue faeminis quorum nomina in vetere testamento scripta leguntur; De prophetis

Book 4: People of the New Testement, martyrs, clerics, monastics, heretics

De personis quae ad novum testamentum pertinent; De martiribus; De Aeclesia et sinagoga; De religione e
fide; De clericis; De monachis; De ceteros fidelibus; De heresi et scismate; De heresibus; De diffinitionibu
recte fidei et aeclesiasticorum dogmatum
Book 5:
De sanctis scripturis hoc est vetere et novo testamento; De auctoribus eorundem librorum; Brevis annotatio
quae indicat quid in sanctis canonicis; De bibliotheca; De opusculorum diversitate; De canonibus
evangeliorum; De canonibus conciliorum; De heresi et scismate; De heresibus; De hostiis holocaustis atqu
sacrificiis et quid eorum species singulae significent; De sacramentis divinis ubi quid in his homini; De
exorcismo; De simbolo; De oratione et ieiunio; De penitentiae satisfactione atque ex homologesi
Book 6:
De homine et partibus eius; De situ et habitu corporis humani; Quomodo humana membra asscribantur dia
Book 7:
De aetatibus hominis; De generationis prosapia; De ordinibus filiorum; De agnatis et cognatis; De coniugii
morte; De portentis; De pecoribus et iumentis
Book 8: On animals
De bestiis; De minutis animantibus; De serpentibus; De vermibus; De piscibus; De avibus; De minutis avib
Book 9: On astronomy - the world and the heavens
De mundo et IIII plagis ipsius; De athomis; De elementis; De caelo; De partibus caeli; De ianuis caeli; De
cardinibus; De lucae; De luminaribus; De sole; De luna; De sideribus; De Pliadibus et Arcturo; De arcturo;
Orione et Hiadibus; De Lucifero; De vespere; De aere; De nubibus; De tonitru et fulgure atque coruscation
De arcu caelesti; De igne; De pruna; De carbonibus; De cineribus; De ventis; De aura et altano; De turbine
procellae
Book 10: On time and the calendar
De temporibus; De momentis; De horis; De diebus; De partibus diei; De nocte; De septem partibus noctis;
tenebris; De ebdomadibus; De mensibus; De vicissitudinibus temporum IIII; De anno; De saeculo; De sex
aetatibus saeculi; De festiuitatibus; De sabbato; De dominico die
Book 11: On water - oceans, rivers, floods
De diversitate aquarum; De mari; De oceano; De mediterraneo; De rubro mari; De abysso; De estibus vel f
De lacis et stagnis; De fontibus; De fluminis; De torrentibus; De puteis; De gurgitibus; De pluviis; De gutta
nive; De glacie; De pruina et grandina; De rore; De nebula; De diluviis
Book 12: On geography - the regions of the Earth, the globe, paradise
De terra; De orbe; De paradiso; De regionibus; De insulis; De promontoriis
Book 13: On geography - mountains, valleys, deserts
De montibus; De collibus; De vallibus; De campis; De saltibus; De locis; De confragosis locis; De lustris
ferarum; De lucis; De desertis locis; De deuiis locis; De amoenis locis; De apricis locis; De lubricis locis; D
estiuis locis; De naualibus locis; De litore; De specu; De hiatu; De profundo; De baratro; De erebi profund
De loco cociti
Book 14: On architecture and building
De aedificiis publicis; De portis; De uiis; De plateis; De cloacis; De foro; De curia; De pretorio; De gymna
De capitolio; De arcibus; De amphitheatro; De faro; De thermis; De balneis; De politerio; De thabernis; De
macello; De carcere; De habitaculis; De aedificiis sacris; De aditibus; De parietibus aedificiorum; De
repostoriis; De officinis; De munitionibus; De tentoriis; De sepulchris; De aedificiis rusticis; De agris; De
mensuris agrorum; De itineribus
Book 15: On the liberal arts
De philosophis gentium; De poetis; De Sibillis; De magis; De paganis; De diis gentium
Book 16: On language
De linguis gentium; De gentium vocabulis; De regnis miliaeque vocabulis; De civibus
Book 17: On geology - stones, minerals, gems, metals
De pulueribus et glebis terra; De glebis et aquis; De lapidibus vulgaribus; De lapidibus insignioribus; De

marmoribus; De ebore; De gemmis; De margaretis; De christallis; De vitro; De metallis; De auro; De aere;

auricalco; De electro; De stagno; De plumbo; De ferro
Book 18: On number, music, medicine
De ponderibus; De mensuris; De numero; De musica et partibus eius; De medicina et morbis
Book 19: On agriculture
De cultura agrorum; De frumentis; De leguminibus; De vitibus; De arboribus; De propiis nominibus arboru
De aromaticis arboribus; De herbis aromaticis, siue communibus; De oleribus
Book 20:
De bellis; De triumphis; De instrumentis bellicis; De bucinis et tubis; De armis; De gladiis; De hastis; De
sagittis; De faretris; De fundis; De loricis; De clippeis; De loricis; De galeis; De foro; De spectaculis; De lu
gimnico; De generibus gimnicorum; De saltu; De cursu; De iactu; De uirtute; De luctatione; De palestra; D
agone; De generibus agonum; De ludis circensibus; De circis; De aurigis; De curru; De equis quibus currit
De septem spatiis; De equitibus; De peditibus; De coloribus equorum; De theatro; De ferali certamine; De
horum execratione ludorum;De navibus; De partibus navigum et armamentis; De velis; De funibus; De reti
De fabrorum fornace
Book 21: On textiles and clothing
De fabricis pariete; De dispositione; De constructione; De venustate; De laqueariis; De crustis; De lithostro
De plastis; De pictura; De coloribus; De instrumentis aedificiorum; De lignariis; De laneficii inventione; D
vestibus sacerdotum; De diversis nominibus vestimentis; De proprio quarundam gentium habitu; De pallei
virorum; De palleis feminarum; De stratu, et reliquis vestibus, quae in usu habentur; De lanis et lino; De
instrumentis vestium; De ornamento; De anulis; De cingulis; De calciamentis
Book 22:
De mensis et escis; De potu; De vasis escariis; De vasis potatoriis; De vasis vinariis sive aquariis; De vasis
oleariis; De vasis coquinariis et pistoriis; De vasis repositoriis; De canistro; De vasis; De lectis et sellis; De
vehiculis; De reliquis quae in usu habentur; De instrumentis rusticis; De instrumentis hortorum; De
instrumentis equorum
Other medieval encyclopedias:
Bartholomeus Anglicus : De proprietatibus rerum
Isidore of Seville : Etymologies
Lambert of Saint-Omer : Liber floridus
Brunetto Latini : Li Livres dou Tresor
Jacob van Maerlant : Der Naturen Bloeme
Konrad von Megenberg : Das Buch der Natur
Thomas de Cantimpr : Liber de natura rerum