183

DE GALLO GALLINACEO
& GALLINA. Cap. I.

CHAPTER I

THE COCK AND THE HEN

Claras, ni fallimur, easque satis efficaces rationes in primordio huiusce operis adduximus, cur a Pavone potius, quam a Gallinaceo genere exorsi fuerimus, tametsi hoc in omni avium familia, quae ad mensae usum requiruntur, apud omnes ferme authores, quotquot hactenus scripserunt, primas obtinere videatur. Placuit autem, ut id obiter dicamus, Plinium hac in re, tanquam ducem, authoremque sectari. Hic enim subinde a Pavonibus ad Gallinaceos sermonem convertit, dum ait: Proxime gloriam sentiunt, et hi nostri vigiles nocturni, quos excitandis in opera mortalibus, rumpendoque somno natura genuit: {novit} <norunt>[1] sidera etc. Haud me fugit interim, non defutura cuipiam sua argumenta, quibus Gallinaceum hocce genus in multis, praecedentibus avibus praeferat. Veruntamen cum hae volucres prorsus domesticae sint, illae vero sylvestres, quae domesticis meo iudicio sunt praestantiores, vel saltem ita vulgo habentur, itaque Gallinaceam hanc familiam in hunc librum, qui privatim de ea tantum aget, reiecimus.

At the beginning of this work I brought forward clear, if I am not mistaken, and also rather valid reasons why I started from peacock rather than from gallinaceous genus, although the latter, among the whole class of birds sought for table, seems to hold the first place among almost all authors who have thus far written on them. I can say incidentally that in this respect I have chosen to follow Pliny as guide and as reliable source. And precisely, from peacocks, he directly changes his subject to the fowls, when saying: Nearly likewise - the peacocks - are longing for glory also these our nightly guardians Nature created for arousing mortals to their labor and for breaking their slumber: they are acquainted with the stars etc. Meanwhile, I realize that somebody won’t lack the arguments by which to place this gallinaceous genus before several previous birds. In spite of that, being these birds completely domestic, and being the other ones without doubt wild, which in my opinion are superior to the domestic ones, or at least are usually so considered, therefore I placed this gallinaceous family in this book which deals with it quite exclusively.

Plurimi sane has alites veteres fecisse, maxime Gallos, vel ex hoc[2] Ciceronis constat, qui non minus delinquere eum, dixit, qui Gallum Gallinaceum, cum non opus fuerit, occiderit, quam eum, qui patrem suffocaverit. Nec ab re ita scripsit Tullius, cum praecipue hac ave prisci Graeci, et Romani in bello uterentur, et sacris suis adhiberent. Non minorem laudem meretur eius animositas, splendorque et amor erga suos, caeteraeque eius dotes, quibus sese verum nobis egregii, laudabilisque patrisfamilias exemplar praebet.

Without any doubt it is turning out evident that ancients highly esteemed these birds, overall the cocks, like it turns out from this passage of Cicero, who said: He was no less at fault who killed a rooster when there was no need to do so than he who choked his father. And Tullius didn’t write thus without a reason, since ancient Greeks and Romans mainly used this bird in warfare and assigned it to their sacred ceremonies. No less praise are deserving its courage and its magnificence, and the love toward its owns, and other its qualities by which it offers us itself as true example of matchless and praiseworthy family father.

Quantum vero ex hoc Gallo, eiusque coniugibus, ac liberis emolumenti humano generi, cum ad victum tam sanis, quam aegrotis suppeditandum, tum etiam ad quoscunque ferme morbos propulsandos cedat, id tam clarum cuivis esse arbitramur, ut demonstratione prorsus non egeat. Quis etenim tam internus, quam externus corporis affectus, qui non hinc sua hauriat remedia?

No proof is required, for to whomever it is clear, how much benefits are arising for mankind from the rooster and from its females as well as from its offspring, not only by furnishing plentifully food for both healthy and sick humans, but also in holding off almost any kind of illness. And precisely, what body's illness both internal and external does not obtain its remedies hence?

Sed de hisce post suo loco: iam ad historiam more nostro accedamus: in qua tradenda illud fere in singulis rubricis observabimus: quae utrique sexui communia sunt, praeferemus: hinc quae mari, ultimo quae faeminae soli conveniunt adducemus, omnem ubique quoad licuerit, confusionem evitaturi. De Capo vero separatim agere visum est, cum quod is, etsi ex Gallo factus veluti utriusque sexum complexus, et ceu hermophroditus factus, medius scilicet inter Gallum, et Gallinam videatur, tum quia ad mensae vel sanorum, vel aegrorum usum duntaxat natus sit: Gallus vero, et Gallina soboli studentes genus suum natura duce aeternum reddant.

But I shall speak of this matter later in its proper place: now according to my usual procedure I enter into the research: and in giving its account I will subdivide it practically in subchapters: I will begin with those things which are in common with both sexes: next I will report on what is concerning the male, and last the female alone, endeavoring anywhere to avoid as far as possible any confusion. It seemed wise to me to deal separately with the Capon, since, although created from the rooster, it almost seems to include both sexes and that it turned into a hermaphrodite, that is, something in between the cock and the hen, and moreover because it is born merely for the use at the table of both healthy and sick humans: so that cock and hen, devoting themselves to the offspring, can make eternal their progeny under the leadership of Nature.