Icelandic Physiologus

[4] Latin versions of the Physiologus often contained a myriad of entries that ranged from exotic quadrupeds to mythical beasts to birds, trees and stones.

Entries in the Icelandic fragments are visibly more scarce in diversity, focusing most heavily on birds and common forest-dwelling animals, with the notable inclusions of the whale, the Siren, two instances of the Onocentaur, and the monkey.

This scarcity could be present for a number of reasons, which range from the lack of Latin scholarship in Iceland that would likely have stifled translation efforts of the Physiologus’ more difficult passages, to the persistent issue regarding Iceland’s geography, whose tundra climate and high Northern location signify the physical absence of a great number of beasts that were present in other manifestations.

As it was with many of the beasts whose descriptions were distorted through broken translation, it seems to stay true that reaching a point in which the author could create a moralization for the entry held the most importance.

[5][6] It is covered in small holes, which may be explained by Árni Magnússon's note that "I received this leaf in 1705 from Magnús Arason; he took it from a sieve that was used to sift flour in Dýrafjörður.