Anabulla, ut Plinius scribit, bestia est Ethiopie. Hoc animal collum habet equo simile, pedes et crura ut boves, caput ut camelus. Albas habet maculas, colorem rutilum valde membra singula distinguentem. Cum ergo tanto decore animal respersum sit, pellis multum spectabilis carius venditur; et hoc ad luxum oculorum, qui vix unquam curiositate pestifera sanantur.
- Translation
- Vocabulary
- Notes
The anabulla, as Pliny writes, is a beast of Ethiopia. This animal has a neck similar to a horse, the feet and legs of cows, and the head of a camel. It has white spots, the color red greatly decorating every limb. Therefore since the animal is sprinkled with so much decoration, the noteworthy pelt is sold much more dearly; this pertains to the luxury of the spots, which are scarcely ever restored by contagious curiosity.
anabulla, -ae f. giraffe
bestia, -ae f. beast; animal
bos, bovis m, f. bull; cow
camelus, i m. camel
collum, -i n. neck
crus, cruris n. leg
curiositas, curiositatis f. curiosity; inquisitiveness
distinguo, distinguere, distinxi, distinctus 3 to adorn; decorate
luxus, luxus m. luxury; sumptuousness
macula, -ae f. spot; stain
oculus, -i m. eye; spot
pellis, pellis f. pelt; hide
pestifer, -a, -um adj. contagious
respergo, respergere, respersi, respersus 3 to sprinkle; spatter
rutilus, -a, -um adj. red; golden red, reddish yellow
sano, sanare, sanavi, sanatus 1 to restore; correct
spectabilis, -e adj. noteworthy; outstanding
unquam adv. ever; at some time
valde adv. greatly; loudly; powerfully
vendo, vendere, vendidi, venditus 3 to sell
Anabulla: Meaning giraffe, more commonly referred to as a camelopardalis, camelopardalis f.
ut Plinius scribit: Refers to Pliny the Elder, a 1st century CE Roman author and natural philosopher who wrote the Naturalis Historia, an extensive encyclopedia cataloguing subjects like botany, mathematics, zoology, and more.
Ethiopie: Refers to the kingdom under the rule Aksumite Empire. Should be read as Ethiopiae, making it a genitive.
pedes et crura ut boves: Directly translated as “the feet and legs as cows.”
caput ut camelus: Directly translated as “the head as a camel.”
distinguentem: Present participle of distinguo, distinguere, distinxi, distinctus, modifying colorem.
respersum sit: Subjunctive perfect of respergo, respergere, respersi, respersus.
multum…venditur: Meaning that the pelts are sold at a high cost
carius: Comparative adverb of carus, -a, um, meaning more dearly.
oculorum: Commonly mean eyes, but here it likely refers to the spots on a giraffe’s hide
et hoc…sanantur: Perhaps meaning that the spots are intriguing to those who see them and allows their hides to be sold at a high cost