"Messe ocus Pangur Bán”: structure and cosmology

An analysis of the structure of the ninth-century Irish poem "Messe ocus Pangur Bán" illuminating the relationship between the scholar-author and his cat. A consideration of contemporary theological understanding of Nature and the animal kingdom suggests that the poet is reflecting on the nature of humankind's relationship with Creation and the Creator. The inclusion in the manuscript of an excerpt from Ambrose of Milan's Hexaemeron concerning the nature of various animals confirms the scribe's interest in Christian cosmology and suggests that this prompted the inclusion of this poem in his transcription.