10717. The story is probably taken from Solinus, who combines the story of the Arimaspians, as told by Herodotus and Pliny, with the account of the emeralds produced in the country: Collect. 15.
10718. ‘the land which is called Scythia.’
10747. Pour nostre essample. The idea that these things were done, not only related, for our example is merely an extension of the usual medieval view of Natural History.
10748. nous attrait, ‘teaches us,’ (‘brings before us’). For the various meanings of ‘attraire’ compare the following passages, 567, 1550, 14480, 16637, 17800, 21623, 23361.
St. Remigius does not, so far as I know, mention the story of the griffons and Arimaspians, but probably the following passage, where the truth is compared to a treasure, may be the one referred to: ‘Habemus namque magnum depositum fidei et doctrinae veritatis ... velut pretiosum multiplicem thesaurum divinitus nobis ad custodiendum commendatum: quem sine intermissione domino auxiliante delemus inspicere, extergere, polire atque excutere ac diligentissime servare, ne per incuriam et ignaviam nostram aut pulvere sordescat aut ... malignorum spirituum insidiis vel a nocturnis et occultis furibus effodiatur et deripiatur.’ (De tenenda Script. Verit. i. 1.)
10800. ‘And in it he rejoices’: ‘fait demener’ is equivalent to ‘demeine,’ and ‘demener ses joyes’ means ‘to rejoice,’ cp. 444, 5038, &c.
10801. Probably referring to Albertus Magnus de Animalibus, but I do not know the passage.
10813. This comparison does not appear to be in Isidore, though he gives much the same account as we have here of the origin of pearls. (Isid. Etym. xii. 6. 49). Isidore no doubt borrowed the story from Solinus (ch. 53), who had it indirectly from Pliny, N. H. ix. 54. In Bozon, Contes Moralizés, p. 41, we have the story with nearly the same application as here.
10882. ‘He who considers this’ &c.
10903. ‘That which pleases the one’ &c., the verb being used here with a direct object.