PIGEON. See what is said before under Hos. vii. 11.the Article DOVE.
The Prophet Hosea says, that Ephraim is like a seduced Pigeon or Dove, that is without Understanding. Factus est Ephraim quasi Columba seducta, non habens cor. The Dove or Pigeon is a simple Animal, without Craft, without Defence, without Understanding. For this is the Sense of the Words, non habens cor. The Hebrews suppos’d the Understanding to be lodg’d in the Heart. See Hos. iv. 11. Prov. vii. 7. ix. 4, 16. x. 21. xii. 11. Ecclus. xvi. 23. As to the Words, Columba seducta, Commentators observe, that this Bird is the only one that does not protect and defend its young ones, and expresses no Concern when they are taken away: But returns always to the same Hole, to build her Nest therein, notwithstanding the frequent Experience she has had, that Worms, Vermin, Birds, or Men have taken away or destroy’d her Young that were deposited there.
But I should rather choose to explain this Passage of such Pigeons as suffer themselves to be seduced, to go to strange Pigeon-houses. ‘Tis said that in Cairo, and other Cities of Egypt, there are your Pigeon-stealers, who make it a kind of a Trade, to entice other Peoples Pigeons to their own Pigeonhouses. The Talmudists exclude this Sort of People from any of the Employments of the Psal.Sanhedrim. lxviii.
13.The Psalmist, describing Pigeons, says, that they are white as Silver, and their Back is yellow as Gold. Pennæ columbæ deargentatæ, & posteriora dorsi ejus in pallore auri. In Palestine the greatest part of their Pigeons were white. Their Plumage is compar’d to Silver, because of its Likeness, and to Gold for its pale or green Colour. For the Hebrew, instead of pallor auri, reads viriditas auri. Prophane Authors give the Epithets of pale and green to this Metal. Inaurata pallidior statuâMart. l. 12. Ep. 15. Isai. lix. 11. xxxviii. 14. Nahum ii. 7. Cant. ii. 14., says Catullus. And Miratus Scythicas virentis auri flammas Jupiter, says Martial.
The Prophets frequently compare the People to Flights of Pigeons. Isaiah compares the Jews to Pigeons, or to Doves murmuring under their Disgraces. Quasi columbæ meditantes. He makes use of the same Word meditating, to express the murmuring Noise of the Dove, in the Canticle of Hezekiah. Nahum says, that the Women of Nineveh are carried away captive, and murmur like Stock -Doves. Minantur gementes ut Columbæ, murmurantes in cordibus suis. See Jerem. xlviii. 28. Ezek. vii. 16. Hos. ix. 11, &c. We see in the same Prophets, that the Pigeons often made their Nests in the Clefts of Rocks. Columba mea in foraminibus petræ. And, Jerem. xlviii. 28. Estote quasi columba nidificans in summo ore foraminis.
Psal. lv. 2. Hos. xi. 11.In Egypt, in Arabia, in Syria, and in Mogul, they make use of Pigeons for conveying of Letters, when they have Occasion for extraordinary Expedition. They fasten the Letter under the Wing of the Bird, and letting her go, she flies with great Rapidity to the Place where she is to go. ‘Tis said, that in Holland they have made Use of this Contrivance at some Sieges. This has some Relation to what was done by Noah, when he let the Dove go out of the Ark. The Prophet asks from God the Wings of a Dove. Hosea says, that the People of the Lord shall fly out of Egypt like a Bird, and out of Assyria like a Dove. This may very well express that Eagerness of Pigeons brought up to carry Letters, to return to the Place of their ordinary Habitation, and to their own Nest.