Chapter XVII

a. Cristus prostravit hostes suos unico verbo
(Christ prostrated his enemies with a single word)

The four soldiers sent to arrest Jesus of Nazareth drew back and fell to the ground at his words, "I am he."

John XVIII, 6

b. Sampson prostravit mille cum mandibula asini
(Samson prostrated a thousand with the jawbone of an ass)

Filled with the power of the Lord, Samson killed a thousand Philistines with the jawbone, out of vengeance for the killing of his wife. This prefigured the divine power of Jesus' words.

Judges XV, 15

c. Sanger occidit sexcentos viros cum vomere
(Sangar killed six hundred men with a ploughshare)

Sangar defied the Philistines and killed six hundred men to deliver Israel from its enemies. The ox goad with which he slew them is here represented as a large sword or knife.

Judges III, 31

d. David occidit octingentos viros cum (im)petu suo
(David killed eight hundred men with his attack)

The author has given David the credit for killing eight hundred Philistines, in error. In the Bible it was Adino the Eznite, but in the Speculum text David "was like the most tender little worm of the wood, who killed eight hundred men at one onset." The scene shows David, crowned and bearing a shield with his harp, defeating a group of soldiers in battle. Compared to the effect of Jesus' words, these prefigurations seem exaggerated.

II Samuel XXIII, 8
(II Kings)