Thunder symbols

[MarcoP]

I agree that Koen's track is right and I interpret those as lion's heads, meaning that thunder is seen as the voice of God.

1. Revelation 10:3 "And [the mighty angel] cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices." (I guess it is quite obvious that Scivias was largely inspired by the Book of Revelation).

2. Hildegard herself associates the lion's roar with thunder in "Subtilitates diversarum naturarum creaturum" You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. - Et cor leonis in domo tua vel in quocunque loco volueris ibi sepeli, et quam diu ibi sepulum iacuerit, fulgura, incendia ibi non facient, nec tonitrua ibi percutient. Nam leo tonitruum cum audit, mox rugitus emittere solet. (And if you bury a lion's heart in your house or in any place you want, as long as it is buried there, there will be no lightning and no fire and thunder will not strike. Indeed, whenever a lion hears thunder, it immediately roars.)

3. Comparing the thunder symbol with the image of Leo in the same diagram shows that the two are compatible.