Albertus Magnus on Animals

This is a translation of Albert the Great's mid-13th century treatise on living things, "De Animalibus", considered to be one of the most valuable contributions to the history of science, ranking in importance with the writings of Aristotle and Linnaeus. The text covers human anatomy, reproductive theories, equine and canine veterinary medicine, folk remedies against household pests, advice on training a falcon, theories on whether an ostrich will eat iron, and cures for rabies and sterility. Drawing on all available source materials, the editors present a fully annotated English version of this work. They explain that it is a "summa" in both senses of the word, being a summary of all contemporary knowledge in a given field, and also an epitome or highest expression of it. Whether Albert writes of his early experience in falconry or relates what he learned in conversations with fishermen, soldiers and craftsmen, the text draws the reader into a real world where the lure and lore of animals is of paramount importance. The subjects range from castrated philandering priests who nonetheless manage to produce children in medical marvels, to physiognomic traits.