Dist. 33, Divisio Textus
Book I: On the Mystery of the Trinity · Distinction 33
## Commentarius in Distinctionem XXXIII.
De proprietatibus in comparatione ad essentiam et ad personas.
Post supradicta interius considerari oportet etc.
Divisio textus.
The numbered footnotes below correspond to markers in both the Latin body above and the English translation that follows. Each note is given first in Latin (`La.`), then in literal English (`En.`).
Supra egit Magister de nominibus substantialibus, et de proprietatibus per se et singillatim. Hic tertio loco agit de his1 in comparatione, et hoc secundum convenientiam et differentiam; et habet pars ista duas partes. In prima quaerit Magister de proprietatibus in comparatione ad essentiam et personas. In secunda vero agit de comparatione personae sive rei naturae ad naturam, infra distinctione trigesima quarta: Praedictis adiiciendum est etc.
Prima pars habet duas secundum duo opera sapientis, quorum primum est «non mentiri, de quibus novit»; et secundum est «mentientem posse manifestare2». Unde in prima parte primo ostendit et probat veritatem; in secunda eam defendit contra falsitatem, ibi: Hoc autem aliqui negant.
Prima pars habet quatuor partes3. In prima ostendit, quod proprietates sunt personae et in personis, per naturam ipsius proprietatis, quia aeterna est et distincta. In secunda ostendit illud idem violentia auctoritatis4, ibi: Sabellii haeresim declinantes, ubi ponit auctoritates Hieronymi. In tertia ostendit hoc ipsum per naturam divinae simplicitatis, ibi: Cumque de simplicitate divinitatis. In quarta ostendit, quod proprietates non tantum sunt personae, sed etiam divina essentia. Et hoc probat efficacia auctoritatis, ibi: Quod enim proprietas etiam divina natura sit, ubi ponit auctoritatem Hilarii.
Hoc autem aliqui negant dicentes etc. Haec est secunda pars, in qua ponit Magister veritatis probatae defensionem ponendo aliorum rationes et suas responsiones. Et quoniam duplex est modus impugnandi veritatem, scilicet per rationes et auctoritates, ideo haec pars habet duas partes. In prima ponit rationes et responsiones; in secunda auctoritates, ibi: Verumtamen nondum desistunt etc.
Prima pars habet quatuor partes5. In prima ponit obiectionem, quod proprietates non sint personae; et quia rationalis erat, respondet ad veritatem. Secundo vero subiungit aliam rationem, et quia curiosa videtur, respondet ad hominem, non ad orationem6, ibi: Sed iterum addunt etc. Tertio adhuc resumit rationem illorum et respondet ad veritatem, ibi: Ceterum haereticorum improbitas etc. Quarto et ultimo subiungit eorum interrogationem, et quia curiosa erat, praefigit terminum humanae inquisitioni ibi: Sed forte quaeres, cum hae proprietates etc. Et quaelibet istarum partium posset subdividi, scilicet eo quod primo ponit oppositionem et secundo responsionem, et illud manifestum est in littera.
Verumtamen nondum desistunt impatientiae spiritu etc. Haec est ultima pars, in qua respondet Magister auctoritatibus, quas inducunt; et habet haec pars duas partes secundum duas auctoritates Augustini, quas inducunt: et prima sumta est ab expositione Psalmi, secunda vero sumta est ab Augustino, de Trinitate septimo. Prima pars ponitur ibi: Verumtamen nondum desistunt etc; secunda ponitur ibi: Item illis verbis Augustini. Et quaelibet harum potest subdividi, quia primo ponit auctoritatem sive rationem, secundo vero dissolvit.
Tractatio quaestionum.
Ad intelligentiam praesentis distinctionis quatuor quaeruntur.
Primo quaeritur de comparatione proprietatis ad personam.
Secundo, de comparatione proprietatis ad essentiam.
Tertio, de comparatione unius proprietatis ad aliam.
Quarto, de comparatione eiusdem proprietatis ad ipsam.
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## Commentary on Distinction XXXIII.
On the properties in their comparison to the essence and to the persons.
"After what has been said above, it is fitting to consider more inwardly" etc.
Division of the text.
Above the Master treated of the substantial names, and of the properties [taken] in themselves and individually. Here in the third place he treats of these1 in [their mutual] comparison, and this according to agreement and difference; and this part has two divisions. In the first the Master inquires concerning the properties in comparison to the essence and to the persons. In the second, however, he treats of the comparison of person, or of the thing of nature, to the nature, below in the thirty-fourth distinction: "It must be added to what has been said" etc.
The first part has two [divisions] according to the two works of the wise man, of which the first is "not to lie about the things he knows"; and the second is "to be able to expose the one who lies"2. Hence in the first part he first sets forth and proves the truth; in the second he defends it against falsehood, there: "Some, however, deny this".
The first part has four divisions3. In the first he shows that the properties are persons and [are] in the persons, by the nature of the property itself, because it is eternal and distinct. In the second he shows the same thing by the force of authority4, there: "Avoiding the heresy of Sabellius", where he sets down the authorities of Jerome. In the third he shows this very thing by the nature of the divine simplicity, there: "And since concerning the simplicity of the divinity". In the fourth he shows that the properties are not only the persons, but also the divine essence. And this he proves by the efficacy of authority, there: "That the property is also the divine nature", where he sets down the authority of Hilary.
"Some, however, deny this, saying" etc. This is the second part, in which the Master sets down the defense of the truth which has been proved by setting forth the reasonings of others and his own responses. And because there is a twofold mode of impugning the truth, namely by reasons and by authorities, therefore this part has two divisions. In the first he sets down the reasons and the responses; in the second the authorities, there: "Yet they still do not desist" etc.
The first part has four divisions5. In the first he sets down the objection, that the properties are not persons; and because it was rational, he answers according to the truth. Secondly, however, he adds another reason, and because it seems over-curious, he answers ad hominem, not to the speech6, there: "But again they add" etc. Thirdly he yet again takes up their reason and answers according to the truth, there: "For the rest, the wickedness of the heretics" etc. Fourthly and lastly he adds their interrogation, and because it was over-curious, he sets a limit to the human inquiry there: "But perhaps you will ask, since these properties" etc. And each of these divisions could be subdivided, namely insofar as he first sets down the opposition and secondly the response, and that is manifest in the letter [of the text].
"Yet they still do not desist, [being driven] by the spirit of impatience" etc. This is the last part, in which the Master answers the authorities which they bring forward; and this part has two divisions according to the two authorities of Augustine which they bring forward: and the first is taken from the exposition of a Psalm, the second is taken from Augustine, On the Trinity, [book] seven. The first part is set down there: "Yet they still do not desist" etc.; the second is set down there: "Likewise from those words of Augustine". And each of these can be subdivided, because first he sets down the authority or reason, and secondly he resolves it.
Treatment of the questions.
For the understanding of the present distinction four things are asked.
First it is asked concerning the comparison of property to person.
Second, concerning the comparison of property to essence.
Third, concerning the comparison of one property to another.
Fourth, concerning the comparison of the same property to itself.
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- Codd. aa bb addunt quae dicuntur.Codices aa and bb add quae dicuntur ("which are said").
- Hi duo textus inveniuntur apud Aristot., I. Elench. c. 2. (c. 1.).These two texts are found in Aristotle, I. [On Sophistical] Refutations, c. 2 (c. 1).
- Codd. I X aa bb cum ed. 1 particulas. Aliquanto inferius pro distincta codd. aa bb distinctiva.Codices I, X, aa, bb with edition 1 [read] particulas ("little parts"). Somewhat below, for distincta ("distinct"), codices aa, bb [read] distinctiva ("distinctive").
- Vat. per violentiam auctoris Sabellii. Mox pro auctoritates cod. W auctoritatem.The Vatican edition [reads] per violentiam auctoris Sabellii ("by the violence of the author Sabellius"). Soon after, for auctoritates ("authorities"), codex W [reads] auctoritatem ("authority").
- Codd. X aa bb cum ed. 1 particulas. Paulo inferius pro rationalis codd. GYZ cum ed. 1 rationabilis.Codices X, aa, bb with edition 1 [read] particulas ("little parts"). A little below, for rationalis ("rational"), codices G, Y, Z with edition 1 [read] rationabilis ("reasonable").
- Pro orationem Vat. rationem; utriusque lectionis idem est sensus. Nostram lectionem habent omnes codd.; terminus ad orationem sumtus est ex Boethio (cfr. supra pag. 131, nota 6.).For orationem ("speech") the Vatican edition [reads] rationem ("reason"); the sense of both readings is the same. All the codices have our reading; the term ad orationem ("to the speech") is taken from Boethius (cf. above page 131, note 6). ---