The bonnacon (also called bonasus or bonacho) is a legendary creature described as a bull with inward-curving horns and a horse-like mane. Medievalbestiaries usually depict its fur as reddish-brown or black.[1] Because its horns were useless for self-defense, the bonnacon was said to expel large amounts of caustic feces from its anus at its pursuers, burning them and thereby ensuring its escape.
There are reports of a wild animal in Paeonia called the bonasus, which has the mane of a horse, but in all other respects resembles a bull; its horns are curved back in such a manner as to be of no use for fighting, and it is said that because of this it saves itself by running away, meanwhile emitting a trail of dung that sometimes covers a distance of as much as three furlongs (604 meters or 1,980 feet), contact with which scorches pursuers like a sort of fire."[2]
The term is derived from Greek βόνᾱσος (bonasos), meaning "bison".
The popularity of the Naturalis Historia in the Middle Ages led to the bonnacon's inclusion in medieval bestiaries. In the tradition of the Physiologus, bestiaries often ascribed moral and scriptural lessons to the descriptions of animals, but the bonnacon gained no such symbolic meaning. Manuscript illustrations of the creature may have served as a source of humor, deriving as much from the reaction of the hunters as from the act of defecation.[3] The Aberdeen Bestiary describes the creature using similar language to Pliny, though the beast's location is moved from Paeonia to Asia:
In Asia an animal is found which men call bonnacon. It has the head of a bull, and thereafter its whole body is of the size of a bull's with the maned neck of a horse. Its horns are convoluted, curling back on themselves in such a way that if anyone comes up against it, he is not harmed. But the protection which its forehead denies this monster is furnished by its bowels. For when it turns to flee, it discharges fumes from the excrement of its belly over a distance of three acres, the heat of which sets fire to anything it touches. In this way, it drives off its pursuers with its harmful excrement.[4]
The bonnacon is also mentioned in the life of Saint Martha in the Golden Legend, a 13th-century hagiographical work by Jacobus de Voragine. In the story, Saint Martha encounters and tames the Tarasque, a dragon-like legendary creature said to be the offspring of the biblical Leviathan and the bonnacon. In this account, the bonnacon (here: bonacho or onacho) is said to originate in Galatia.[5][6]
^"Life of S. Martha". Fordham University. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
^. L'Abbaye Sainte Benoit. Archived from the original on December 24, 2010. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Medieval miniatures of bonnacon.
Bonnacon at The Medieval Bestiary
Image of the Bonnacon in the fifteenth-century English bestiary Copenhagen, GKS 1633 4º, f. 10r
September 01, 2023
bonnacon, bonnacon, also, called, bonasus, bonacho, legendary, creature, described, bull, with, inward, curving, horns, horse, like, mane, medieval, bestiaries, usually, depict, reddish, brown, black, because, horns, were, useless, self, defense, bonnacon, sai. The bonnacon also called bonasus or bonacho is a legendary creature described as a bull with inward curving horns and a horse like mane Medieval bestiaries usually depict its fur as reddish brown or black 1 Because its horns were useless for self defense the bonnacon was said to expel large amounts of caustic feces from its anus at its pursuers burning them and thereby ensuring its escape BonnaconA depiction of a bonnacon in a medieval bestiary Bonnacon in the Rochester BestiaryTextual history EditThe first known description of the bonnacon comes from Pliny the Elder s Naturalis Historia There are reports of a wild animal in Paeonia called the bonasus which has the mane of a horse but in all other respects resembles a bull its horns are curved back in such a manner as to be of no use for fighting and it is said that because of this it saves itself by running away meanwhile emitting a trail of dung that sometimes covers a distance of as much as three furlongs 604 meters or 1 980 feet contact with which scorches pursuers like a sort of fire 2 The term is derived from Greek bonᾱsos bonasos meaning bison The popularity of the Naturalis Historia in the Middle Ages led to the bonnacon s inclusion in medieval bestiaries In the tradition of the Physiologus bestiaries often ascribed moral and scriptural lessons to the descriptions of animals but the bonnacon gained no such symbolic meaning Manuscript illustrations of the creature may have served as a source of humor deriving as much from the reaction of the hunters as from the act of defecation 3 The Aberdeen Bestiary describes the creature using similar language to Pliny though the beast s location is moved from Paeonia to Asia In Asia an animal is found which men call bonnacon It has the head of a bull and thereafter its whole body is of the size of a bull s with the maned neck of a horse Its horns are convoluted curling back on themselves in such a way that if anyone comes up against it he is not harmed But the protection which its forehead denies this monster is furnished by its bowels For when it turns to flee it discharges fumes from the excrement of its belly over a distance of three acres the heat of which sets fire to anything it touches In this way it drives off its pursuers with its harmful excrement 4 The bonnacon is also mentioned in the life of Saint Martha in the Golden Legend a 13th century hagiographical work by Jacobus de Voragine In the story Saint Martha encounters and tames the Tarasque a dragon like legendary creature said to be the offspring of the biblical Leviathan and the bonnacon In this account the bonnacon here bonacho or onacho is said to originate in Galatia 5 6 References Edit The Medieval Bestiary Bonnacon Image Gallery Pliny the Elder Naturalis Historia Book 8 16 Hassig Debra 1991 Beauty in the Beasts A Study of Medieval Aesthetics RES Anthropology and Aesthetics 19 20 19 20 159 JSTOR 20166830 The Aberdeen Bestiary Life of S Martha Fordham University Retrieved January 23 2017 Sainte Marthe L Abbaye Sainte Benoit Archived from the original on December 24 2010 Retrieved January 23 2017 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Medieval miniatures of bonnacon Bonnacon at The Medieval Bestiary Image of the Bonnacon in the fifteenth century English bestiary Copenhagen GKS 1633 4º f 10r Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bonnacon amp oldid 1159197194, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
