Doves and pigeons

Doves, Roman mosaic, Capitoline Museum, Rome
Doves, Roman mosaic, Capitoline Museum, Rome

Turtle doves in culture

Turtle doves have featured in art and culture for thousands of years. Their beauty, song and behaviour inspired Ancient Greeks and Romans, Elizabethan poets, modern musicians, and painters. Perhaps because of their endearing, soothing purr and tender affections when seen perched in pairs, they have long been symbols of love.

A romantic bird

On 19 May 2018, the turtle dove enjoyed a moment of cultural recognition in one of the readings at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, watched by millions around the world. The text, taken from the Song of Solomon in the Old Testament, describes the bird as a herald of spring.

“The winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land.”

Turtle doves and weddings are a perfect match: these birds have often had romantic associations, and in poetry they’re usually connected with fidelity and trust.

Roman deity Fides was often pictured holding a turtle dove: she was the goddess of good faith (as in the Latin term bona fide). In Greek mythology, the birds pulled the chariot of Aphrodite, the goddess of love.

Chaucer, in his Parlement of Foules, mentioned “The wedded turtledove with her heart true”.

And Elizabethan poet Sir Philip Sidney wrote:

“Time will work what no man knoweth
Time doth us the subject prove
With time still affection groweth
To the faithful turtledove”

Turtle doves weren’t just thought of as devoted, monogamous partners. If one of a pair died, the other was believed to mourn, and perhaps never bond with another bird again. Co-ruler of Florence, Giuliano de’ Medici was murdered in 1478, aged 25. A posthumous portrait of him by Botticelli includes a perched turtle dove. It’s said that Medici’s partner commissioned the picture, with the bird representing her, in mourning.

https://operationturtledove.org/turtle-doves/turtle-doves-in-culture/

Botticelli, Giuliano de’ Medici

Most of the pigeons and doves in the Schubert song texts are turtles (Streptopelia turtur). They nearly always feature as a figure of devotion and fidelity. Their call resounds in the work of poets to point up the joy of coupledom or to emphasise the emptiness of a human who has either lost or never found a mate.

Wo weht der Liebe hoher Geist?
Er weht im Abendglanz, 
Er weht im Sternenkranz; 
Wo Bien' und Maienkäfer schwirren, 
Und zart die Turteltauben girren.  

Where is the noble spirit of love stirring? . . .
It is stirring in the glow of evening,
It is stirring in the circle of the stars;
Where bees and May bugs buzz,
And where turtle doves coo tenderly.

Leon, Die Liebe	D 522

Wer Lebenslust fühlet, 
Der bleibt nicht allein,
Allein sein ist öde, 
Wer kann sich da freun?
Im traulichen Kreise, 
Beim herzlichen Kuss, 
Beisammen zu leben 
Ist Seelengenuss.  

Das lehrt uns der Tauber, 
Für Liebe und Lust 
Erhebt sich dem Täubchen 
Die seidene Brust.
Es girret für Wonne, 
Es lehret im Kuss, 
Beisammen zu leben,
Sei Herzensgenuss.   

Anyone who feels pleasure in life  
Does not remain alone. 
Being on your own is unpleasant,  
Who could enjoy it? 
Within a trusted circle,  
With heartfelt kisses, 
Living together 
Is delight for the soul.  

This is what the dove teaches us;  
For love and pleasure 
The dove raises 
Its silk breast, 
He coos with delight 
And teaches by kissing 
That living together 
Leads to delight for the heart.  

Unger, Die Geselligkeit	D 609 

Überhüllet von Laub girret ein Taubenpaar
Sein Entzücken mir vor; aber ich wende mich,
   Suche dunklere Schatten,
      Und die einsame Träne rinnt.

Wann, o lächelndes Bild, welches wie Morgenrot
Durch die Seele mir strahlt, find ich auf Erden dich?
   Und die einsame Träne
      Bebt mir heißer die Wang herab.

Covered over by foliage, a pair of doves is cooing
Their devotion in front of me; but I turn away and
Look for darker shadows,
And the single tear runs [down my cheek].

When, oh smiling image, which, like dawn
Is shining through my soul, when shall I find you on earth?
And the single tear
Feels hotter as it trembles down my cheek.

Hölty, Die Mainacht	D 194

After Raphael, Venus in her chariot pulled by doves

August Wilhelm von Schlegel’s Lebensmelodien (Melodies of Life) contrasts the turtle doves pulling Venus’s chariot with two other bird species associated with Jove: the eagle and the swan. The eagle’s domain is the air, and he celebrates his role in lifting Ganymede up to Olympus. The swan remains on the water, but embodies Jove in his embrace of Leda. The turtle-doves belong in the woods and the undergrowth and they represent the power of physical desire in our own demain between the sky and the water. Yet just as the eagle dies in majesty and swans sing as they die, the turtle doves find their fulfilment in (self) sacrifice. On one level, this is a simple image of orgasm (and a fairly conventional pairing of love and death). On another level, though, the reference to sacrifice evokes the role of turtle doves in the Bible and the sacrifice of two turtle doves when Jesus was born:

22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

Luke 2: 22-24 (King James Version)

Schlegel is concerned not just with linking love and death, but also with fusing physical and spiritual love, sexuality and spirituality.

In der Myrten Schatten,  
Gatte treu dem Gatten,  
Flattern wir und tauschen  
Manchen langen Kuss,  
Suchen und irren,   
Finden und girren,  
Schmachten und lauschen,  
Wunsch und Genuss!  

Venus Wagen ziehen   
Schnäbelnd wir im Fliehen,  
Unsre blauen Schwingen  
Sämt der Sonne Gold.  
O wie es fächelt, 
Wenn sie uns lächelt!   
Leichtes Gelingen,   
Lieblicher Sold!  
 
Wende denn die Stürme,  
Schöne Göttin! schirme  
Bei bescheidner Freude  
Deiner Tauben Paar!  
Lass uns beisammen!  
Oder in Flammen  
Opfre uns beide   
Deinem Altar!

In the shadow of the myrtles
Partner is true to partner,
We flutter and exchange
Many a long kiss.
   Searching and going off,
   Finding and cooing,
   Languishing and listening,
   Desire and enjoyment!

Pulling the chariot of Venus
We bill and coo as we fly;
Our blue wings
Collect the sun's gold.
   Oh how it blows
   When they smile on us!
   Easy success,
   Lovely reward!

So turn away the storms,
Beautiful goddess! protect
With a modest joy
Your pair of doves!
   Let us stay together!
   Or in flames
   Sacrifice us both
   On your altar!

Schlegel, Lebensmelodien	D 395

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