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Cap. 17, Vers. 1-19

Commentarius in librum Sapientiae · Capitulum XVII

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Capitulum XVII.

Secundo, de poena damni.

Magna enim sunt etc. Postquam egit de poena sensus, hic agit de poena damni, id est de lucis subtractione; et primo tangitur punitionis Aegyptiorum aequitas, quia scilicet pro meritis puniti sunt; secundo, irremediabilitas, scilicet quia sine interpolatione: Neque enim quae continebat; tertio, generalitas, quia omnes, ibi: Illi autem, qui impotentem; quarto, singularitas, quia illi soli, scilicet Aegyptii: Omnis enim.

Aequitas autem ostenditur ex causa meritoria peccatorum illorum, primo peccati in Deum; secundo, in proximum: Dum enim persuasum; tertio, in se ipsos: Et dum putant.

(Vers. 1.). Magna enim etc. Bene dixi, quod Aegyptii sunt puniti, Israelitae vero consolati; magna enim sunt iudicia tua, Domine; Glossa5: « Quibus regis universam creaturam »; in Psalmo: « Iudicia tua abyssus multa ». Et inenarrabilia verba tua, scilicet quibus rationalem creaturam instruis; inenarrabilia, dico, ad plenum; ad Romanos undecimo: « O altitudo divitiarum sapientiae Dei » etc. Propter hoc; Glossa6: « Quia Creatorem suum credere et intelligere noluerunt », indisciplinatae animae, id est incorrigibiles de peccatis suis; Ecclesiastici vigesimo: « Et processio in malum viro indisciplinato »; item Ieremiae quinto: « Percussisti eos, et non doluerunt; attrivisti eos, et renuerunt accipere disciplinam »; in Psalmo: « Tu vero odisti disciplinam »; erraverunt, a via veritatis; supra quinto: « Ergo erravimus a via veritatis », de qua Ioannis decimo quarto: « Ego sum via et veritas et vita »: via in exemplo, veritas in promisso, vita in praemio.

(Vers. 2.). Dum enim etc. Bene dixi, quod erraverunt; dum enim iniqui, scilicet Aegyptii, dicti iniqui propter iniquam oppressionem Israelitarum et submersionem infantium ipsorum, Exodi primo7; persuasum habent, id est credunt, posse dominari nationi sanctae, id est filiis Israel, qui dicuntur natio sancta, quia erant Sanctorum filii, secundum illud Tobiae secundo: « Filii Sanctorum sumus »; item, quia per circumcisionem sanctificati, de qua sanctificatione habetur Genesis decimo septimo; tertio, quia per conversationem sanctificandi, secundum illud Levitici undecimo: « Sancti estote, quia ego sanctus sum ». Vinculis tenebrarum, scilicet palpabilium, quae fuerunt in Aegypto, Exodi decimo8; et longae noctis, id est obscuri temporis, ac si esset nox; quod tempus longum fuit, quia tribus diebus p. 218 nemo vidit proximum suum, ut patet ibidem; compediti, scilicet per effectus similitudinem, quia scilicet non poterant ire, ac si essent compediti; unde ibidem: « Tribus diebus non movit se quispiam de loco, in quo erat »; inclusi sub tectis, scilicet domorum suarum, non audentes egredi; fugitivi perpetuae providentiae, scilicet quantum in eis erat, scilicet quia praevisam a Deo liberationem Israelitarum putabant impedire. Vel: fugitivi etc., id est volentes effugere Dei providentiam; quod esse non poterat, cum dicatur supra decimo sexto1: « Manum tuam effugere impossibile est ». Latuerunt, id est, latere putaverunt, secundum hoc Proverbiorum decimo quarto: « Iacebunt mali ante bonos »; vel placuerunt, scilicet in poena, qui displicuerunt in culpa, quia per poenam fit reordinatio eorum qui per culpam deordinati erant.

(Vers. 3.). Et dum putant, se latere, scilicet Deum punitorem, cum tamen « omnia nuda sint et aperta oculis eius », ad Hebraeos quarto2. Latere, inquam, in peccatis obscuris, id est enormibus, quae maxime in obscuro fiunt; ad Ephesios quinto: « Quae in occulto fiunt ab eis turpe est dicere », quia « qui male agit odit lucem », Ioannis tertio; propter hoc peccata dicuntur « opera tenebrarum », ad Romanos decimo tertio. Tenebroso velamento oblivionis, id est, tenebrarum caligine eos velante et aliorum oblivionem immittente, dum scilicet se ipsos iuvare non poterant; dispersi sunt, scilicet unus ab altero, paventes horrende, id est timore horribili, scilicet propter tenebrositatem. Et cum admiratione nimia perturbati, scilicet propter inconsuetam rei novitatem; supra quinto3: « Videntes turbabuntur timore horribili et mirabuntur » etc.; Iob decimo octavo: « In die eius stupebunt novissimi, et primos invadet horror ».

Neque enim quae continebat illos spelunca etc. Hic ostenditur poenae irremediabilitas, primo a loco; secundo a contrario: Et ignis; tertio ab artificio: Et magicae etc.

(Vers. 4.). Neque enim etc. Bene dixi: paventes horrende etc.; neque enim spelunca, quae continebat illos, qui scilicet illuc fugerant propter grandinem et pluviam et ignem. Et nota, quod singulare ponit pro plurali, cum dicit spelunca, quia non ad unam tantum speluncam fugerant, sed ad plures, et in diversis locis latere putabant; sine timore custodiebat; Glossa4: « Quia semper tenebras comitatur horror; et quanto minus discernit quis quae circa se sunt, tanto magis metuit ». Quoniam sonitus descendens, scilicet in illam foveam, sonitus, inquam, vel tonitruorum caelestium, vel illusionum diabolicarum; perturbabat, id est perfecte turbabat, illos; Iob decimo quinto5: « Sonitus terroris semper in auribus illius ». Et personae tristes illis apparentes.

Sed quomodo apparebant in tantis tenebris?

Potest dici, quod non apparebant sensui, sed imaginationi.

Pavorem illis praestabant, quia, sicut dicit Glossa6, « potuit esse, ut daemones aliqua phantasmata terribilia eis ingererent, quae eos ad augmentum poenarum exterrerent » secundum illud Iob septimo: « Terrebis me per somnia et per visiones horrore concuties ».

Et ignis quidem etc. Hic ostenditur poenae irremediabilitas, et hoc ex parte contrarii, scilicet ignis, primo, quia non praestabat adiutorium; secundo, quia potius praestabat nocumentum: Apparebat autem illis.

(Vers. 5.). Dicit ergo: Et ignis quidem nulla vis poterat illis lumen praebere; unde deficiebat eis illuminatio a parte inferiori; et dicit: nulla vis, quia tres sunt species ignis, secundum Philosophum7, scilicet lux, flamma et carbo. Nec siderum, id est stellarum, limpidae flammae, id est dati radii, illuminare poterant illam noctem horrendam; unde patet, quod eis deficiebat lumen a parte superiori, quamvis supra positae sint stellae, ut illuminent noctem, Genesis primo8. Et merito defuit eis lumen, quia scilicet rebelles fuerunt lumini spirituali; Iob vigesimo quarto: « Ipsi fuerunt rebelles lumini », et ideo sol iustitiae non oriebatur eis; unde supra quinto: « Sol intelligentiae non est ortus nobis, et iustitiae lumen non luxit nobis ».

(Vers. 6.). Apparebat autem illis, scilicet Aegyptiis, subitaneus ignis, scilicet coruscationum caelestium, timore plenus, scilicet propter aspectum malorum visorum, scilicet fulgurum; « quanto enim graviores sunt dolores, tanto maiores timentur horrores ». Et timore percussi9, propter visionem malorum imaginatorum, illius quae non videbatur faciei, id est phantasmatis non visi exterius, sed imaginati interius, quod diabolus immittebat ad magis terrendum; aestimabant, deteriora esse quae p. 219 videbantur, supple: quam essent secundum rei veritatem; Iob decimo octavo1: « Undique terrebunt eum formidines et involvent pedes eius ».

Et magicae etc. Hic ostenditur irremediabilitas ab artificio, scilicet artis magicae; et primo ostenditur magorum confusio; secundo, materia confusionis, scilicet timor: Illi enim; tertio, causa exterius timorem efficiens: Nam etsi nihil; quarto, dispositio interius timorem augens: Frequenter2 etc. Et ibi tanguntur tria timorem augentia, quorum primum est remorsus conscientiae; secundum est perturbatio consequens remorsum: Semper enim; tertium est diffidentia auxilii consequens utrumque: Nihil enim est timor etc.

(Vers. 7.). Et magicae artis, id est magorum ipsorum, appositi erant, scilicet ad praedicta mala, derisus, in hoc scilicet, quod haec mala expellere tentabant et non poterant; unde et ipsi vehementer timebant; Exodi octavo3: « Digitus Dei est hic ». Et sapientiae gloria, id est gloria magorum de sapientia sua, correptio cum contumelia, supple: erat, id est causa correctionis contumeliosae; Proverbiorum undecimo4: « Ubi fuerit superbia, ibi erit contumelia »; Ieremiae nono: « Non glorietur sapiens in sapientia sua ».

(Vers. 8.). Et bene dixi, quod eorum correptio fuit cum contumelia ipsorum; illi enim, scilicet magi, qui promittebant, timores, scilicet interiores, et perturbationes, scilicet exteriores, se expellere, scilicet per suam artem magicam, ab anima languente, scilicet prae timore et perturbatione; hi cum derisu, illato ab aliis, pleni timore, in se ipsis, languebant. Unde cuilibet eorum posset dici illud Lucae quarto5: « Medice, cura te ipsum »; Proverbiorum vigesimo quinto: « Nubes et ventus et pluviae non sequentes, vir gloriosus et promissa non complens ».

(Vers. 9.). Nam etsi nihil illos ex monstris, id est phantasmatibus apparentibus, vel miraculis Moysi, perturbabat, quia scilicet monstris erant assueti, sicut Balaam non timuit loquelam asinae, ut patet Numerorum vigesimo secundo6. Transitu tamen animalium, scilicet subito et impetuoso, scilicet ursorum et leonum et huiusmodi, et sibilatione serpentum vel serpentium, quos scilicet videre non poterant, commoti, scilicet interius; tremebundi, scilicet exterius, peribant, scilicet deficientes propter praedicta; Deuteronomii vigesimo octavo7: « Dabit tibi Dominus cor pavidum et oculos deficientes et animam moerore consumtam, et timebis nocte et die ». Et, id est etiam, aërem, quem nulla ratione effugere quis posset, scilicet propter necessitatem inspirationis et respirationis; negantes se videre, propter tenebras palpabiles.

(Vers. 10.). Frequenter enim praeoccupant, scilicet cogitando et exspectando ante eventum, pessima, scilicet supplicia pro peccatis inferenda; pessima dicit, quia mala in vita, peiora in morte, pessima post mortem; vel: mala innata, peiora illata ab homine, sed pessima inflicta a Deo; propter quod ad Hebraeos decimo8: « Horrendum est incidere in manus Dei viventis ». Redarguente, eos, conscientia, secundum illud Ieremiae secundo: « Arguet te malitia tua ». Cum enim sit timida nequitia, id est habens timorem annexum, eo quod malum culpae9 semper consequitur vel comitatur malum poenae; unde sicut « caritas perfecta excludit timorem », ut dicitur primae Ioannis quarto10; sic iniquitas eum causat vel inducit; in Psalmo: « Trepidaverunt timore, ubi non erat timor »; item Levitici vigesimo sexto: « Terrebit eos sonitus folii volantis »; dat testimonium condemnationis, scilicet contra actorem suum; unde ad Romanos secundo11: « Testimonium reddente conscientia »; testimonium, inquam, condemnationis, scilicet actoris sui, id est testificatur, ipsum esse dignum condemnatione; unde supra quinto: « Nos insensati » etc.; item Genesis quadragesimo secundo: « Merito haec patimur, quia peccavimus in fratrem nostrum ». Alii12 habent: data est in omnium condemnationem. Semper enim praesumit, id est, antequam eveniant, suspicatur, saeva, id est aspera sibi eventura, perturbata conscientia, scilicet peccato vel peccati remorsu; unde dicit Cain, Genesis quarto13: « Omnis, qui invenerit me, occidet me ».

(Vers. 11.). Nihil enim est. Nota, quod hic causalis praedicatio, non essentialis habetur; timor enim non est praesumtio, sed causatur ex praesumtione, id est praesumta suspicione mali futuri14. Unde describit hic timorem dupliciter: primo per causam, quae est praesumtio mali futuri; secundo, per effectum eius, qui est proditio vel manifestatio cogitationis deficientis auxilii. Nihil enim est timor p. 220 nisi praesumtionis adiutorium1, id est praesumtio sive suspicio mali futuri vel eventuri adiuvans ad timendum, et proditio cogitationis auxiliorum, scilicet deficientium, id est cogitatio prodens defectum auxilii et ipsi timenti et aliis, scilicet qui eius timore percipiunt, ei deficere auxilium. Unde talis timor facit clamare petendo auxilium, ut patet in Petro, qui, cum coepisset mergi, clamavit et dixit: « Domine, salvum me fac », Matthaei decimo quarto2.

(Vers. 12.). Et dum ab intus, scilicet in mente, minor est exspectatio, id est spes vel confidentia, quia caret iustitia, quae facit iustos confidentes et securos, secundum illud Proverbiorum vigesimo octavo3: « Iustus quasi leo confidens absque terrore erit ». Maiorem putat potentiam, id est, maiorem reputant vim ad nocendum, eius causae, scilicet terribilis, de qua tormentum praestat, id est, imminet sibi, quia defectus maioris spei et confidentiae auget timorem facientem suspicari maius malum, quod imminet, quam sit.

Aliter videtur posse exponi secundum Glossam4, ab illo: Semper enim praesumit saeva etc.; quasi dicat: merito nequitia dat testimonium condemnationis; semper enim praesumit saeva, id est, praesumtuose extollitur ad inferendum saeva aliis; perturbata conscientia, id est irata conscientia, non tranquilla; enim, pro sed. Nihil enim est timor nisi praesumtionis adiutorium, id est medicamentum, reprimendo scilicet motum huius praesumtionis, et proditio, id est manifestatio, cogitationis auxiliorum, id est infirmae cogitationis, quae se ante extollebat praesumendo, se non indigere auxilio. Et dum ab intus minor est exspectatio, id est, minor speratur5 potestas nocendi rei, a qua punitur, scilicet extrinsecus; maiorem putat potentiam, id est virtutem ad nocendum sibi, quam sit secundum veritatem.

Illi autem etc. Hic ostenditur punitionis generalitas, primo ex parte temporis; secundo, ex parte personarum afflictarum: Deinde, si quisquam; tertio, ex parte causarum: Sive spiritus sibilans.

(Vers. 13. 14.). Quasi dicat: sic terrebantur magi; illi autem, scilicet Aegyptii, qui impotentem vere noctem, id est fortem, quia tenebrosam valde et longam et nullo remedio illuminabilem; et ab infimis, scilicet exaltatione vaporum et fumositatum grossarum, aerem obscurantium; et ab altissimis6, scilicet defectu irradiationis corporum caelestium, supervenientem, id est super eos venientem, eundem somnum, id est communem, dormientes, quia sicut dormiebat unus, sic alius, non melius. — Aliquando monstrorum exagitabantur timore, id est phantasmatum monstruosorum in somnis apparentium eis; Iob septimo7: « Terrebis me per somnia et per visiones horrore concuties ». Aliquando animae deficiebant traductione, id est quasi imminente exitu de corpore, et hoc vigilando, quando iam excitati erant; quia, sicut dicit Glossa, « nec vigilantes nec dormientes quiescere poterant, quia horrendis monstris et visionibus et terrore nimio circumdabantur ». Subitaneus enim, id est repentinus, et insperatus, id est improvisus, quia cito et ex improviso, illis timor supervenerat, id est desuper, a divino iudicio; Isaiae quadragesimo septimo8: « Veniet super te repente miseria, quam nescies ».

(Vers. 15.). Deinde, scilicet praeter praedicta mala, si quisquam ex illis, scilicet Aegyptiis, decidisset, scilicet in foveam vel huiusmodi, custodiebatur in carcere, id est in loco, in quo ceciderat, non valens inde exire, sine ferro reclusus, id est sine vinculis ferreis, quia vinculo tenebrarum omnes erant compediti, ut patet supra eodem9.

(Vers. 16.). Si enim rusticus quis erat, id est ruris cultor, aut pastor, animalium, aut agri laborum operarius, ut messor vel vindemiator, praeoccupatus esset, scilicet illis tenebris extra domum suam; ineffugibilem sustinebat necessitatem, scilicet penuriam et afflictionem, quia nemo movit se tribus diebus de loco, in quo erat, ut patet Exodi decimo10.

(Vers. 17. 18.). Una enim, id est communi, catena tenebrarum, scilicet exteriorum, omnes erant colligati, id est simul ligati. Nec tantum catena tenebrarum exteriorum, sed interiorum, scilicet infidelitatis et peccatorum; unde Proverbiorum quinto11: « Funibus peccatorum suorum » quisque « constringitur »; item in Psalmo: « Funes peccatorum circumplexi sunt me ». Sive enim spiritus etc. Bene dixi, quod necessitatem sustinebant, sive enim spiritus sibi sibilans, id est « sibilus aurae tenuis », tertii Regum decimo nono12; aut inter spissos ra- p. 221 mos arborum avium sonus, id est cantus, suavis, suavis, in quantum erat de se idoneus ad delectandum magis quam ad terrendum; aut vis aquae decurrentis nimium, id est impetuose currentis, sicut currunt aquae torrentium. — Aut sonus validus praecipitantium1 petrarum, id est impetuose de altis locis cadentium, aut ludentium animalium cursus invisus, scilicet propter tenebrarum densitatem, animalium, scilicet mitium, ut iumentorum; aut mugientium valida bestiarum vox, id est ferarum, aut ursorum, aut leonum, aut huiusmodi; aut resonans de altissimis montibus echo, id est repraesentatio vocis animalium propter reverberationem montium vel petrarum; deficientes faciebant illos prae timore, scilicet omnia supra dicta; unde Glossa2: « Undique miseri cruciabantur; quidquid enim auribus, vel oculis, vel quolibet sensu percipiebant, tanquam periculosum formidabant ».

Notandum autem, quod catena praedicta, moraliter loquendo, significat peccatorum progressum et connexionem, de qua Isaiae quinquagesimo octavo3: « Si abstuleris de medio tui catenam ». Spiritus sibilans significat diaboli occultam suggestionem; Apocalypsis decimo sexto: « Vidi de ore draconis et de ore bestiae et de ore pseudoprophetae exire tres spiritus immundos in modum ranarum ». Avium sonus suavis, cogitationum delectationem; Sophoniae secundo4: « Vox cantantis in fenestra ». Aqua decurrens, consensum in perpetrationem peccati, contra quod Ecclesiastici vigesimo quinto: « Non des aquae tuae exitum nec modicum ». Sonus petrarum cadentium, peccati exteriorem operationem; Iob decimo quarto5: « Mons cadens defluit, et saxum transfertur de loco suo ». Cursus animalium ludentium, pravam consuetudinem; Iob quadragesimo: « Omnes bestiae agri ludunt ibi ». Valida vox bestiarum mugientium, apertam gloriationem de peccato perpetrato; contra quod in Psalmo6: « Quid gloriaris in malitia »? Resonans echo, delectabilis peccati recordationem; Numerorum undecimo: « Recordamur piscium, quos comedebamus in Aegypto ».

Omnis enim etc. Hic tangitur poenae singularitas; et quia « opposita iuxta se posita magis elucescunt7 », primo tangitur illuminatio aliorum; secundo, Aegyptiorum obtenebratio: Solis autem illis etc.; tertio, obtenebrationis meritum: Ipsi ergo.

(Vers. 19.). Bene dixi: Aegyptios compeditos vinculis tenebrarum et non alios; omnis enim orbis terrarum, scilicet excepta regione Aegypti, limpido « id est claro8 », illustrabatur lumine, scilicet solis et caelestium luminarium, quamvis alibi essent multi peccatores in mundo; Matthaei quinto: « Solem suum facit oriri super bonos et malos ». Et non impeditis continebatur, id est conservabatur, non impeditis operibus, luminarium per densitatem tenebrarum; vel alio modo: non impeditis operibus, hominum aliorum ab Aegyptiis propter defectum lucis, cum alibi esset claritas lucis9, quae ad operandum requiritur; unde Ioannis nono: « Operamini, dum dies est; venit enim nox, quando nemo potest operari ».

(Vers. 20.). Solis autem illis, scilicet Aegyptiis, superposita erat, scilicet a Deo, gravis nox, quia obscurior solito et longior; Iob trigesimo septimo10: « Nos quippe involvimur tenebris ». Nox, dico, existens, imago, id est expressa repraesentatio, tenebrarum, scilicet aeternarum; quae scilicet imago tenebrarum, id est tenebrae imaginatae, superventura illis erat, scilicet in inferno; unde Matthaei vigesimo quinto: « Inutilem servum eiicite in tenebras exteriores »; item Iob decimo: « Terram miseriae et tenebrarum » etc. Et quia tam graves tenebras patiebantur, et non immerito; ipsi ergo sibi erant graviores tenebrae11, id est causa graviorum tenebrarum, supple: quam patiebantur, id est superventurarum sibi in inferno; unde Iob trigesimo quarto: « Novit opera eorum, et idcirco inducet noctem, et conterentur ». Vel: ipsi erant graviores tenebrae, id est periculosiores per excaecationem cordis; « excaecavit enim eos malitia eorum », supra secundo12; ad Ephesios quinto: « Eratis aliquando tenebrae »; aliqui libri habent: graviores tenebris, scilicet exterioribus, propter remorsum conscientiae.

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p. 217

Chapter XVII.

Secondly, on the punishment of loss.

For great are etc. After he has treated of the punishment of sense, here he treats of the punishment of loss, that is, of the withdrawing of light; and first is touched the equity of the punishing of the Egyptians, namely because they were punished for their merits; secondly, its irremediableness, namely because it was without intermission: For neither did the den that held; thirdly, its generality, because it was all of them, there: But they who the powerless; fourthly, its singularity, because it was they alone, namely the Egyptians: For the whole.

Now the equity is shown from the meritorious cause of the sins of those men: first, of the sin against God; secondly, against the neighbour: For while they were persuaded; thirdly, against themselves: And while they think.

(Vers. 1.). For great etc. I said well that the Egyptians were punished, but the Israelites consoled; for great are thy judgments, O Lord; the Gloss5: « By which thou rulest the whole creation »; in the Psalm: « Thy judgments are a great deep ». And thy words cannot be expressed, namely those by which thou instructest the rational creature; cannot be expressed, I say, to the full; to the Romans, the eleventh: « O the depth of the riches of the wisdom of God » etc. Therefore; the Gloss6: « Because they would not believe and understand their Creator », the undisciplined souls, that is, those incorrigible of their sins; Ecclesiasticus, the twentieth: « And there is a going forward in evil for an undisciplined man »; likewise Jeremias, the fifth: « Thou hast struck them, and they have not grieved; thou hast bruised them, and they have refused to receive discipline »; in the Psalm: « But thou hast hated discipline »; have erred, from the way of truth; above, the fifth: « Therefore we have erred from the way of truth », of which John, the fourteenth: « I am the way, and the truth, and the life »: the way in example, the truth in promise, the life in reward.

(Vers. 2.). For while etc. I said well that they have erred; for while the wicked, namely the Egyptians, called wicked on account of the wicked oppression of the Israelites and the drowning of their infants, Exodus, the first7; are persuaded, that is, believe, that they are able to have dominion over the holy nation, that is, over the children of Israel, who are called a holy nation, because they were the children of the Saints, according to that of Tobias, the second: « We are the children of the Saints »; likewise, because sanctified through circumcision, of which sanctification it is had in Genesis, the seventeenth; thirdly, because they were to be sanctified through their conversation, according to that of Leviticus, the eleventh: « Be ye holy, because I am holy ». With the bonds of darkness, namely of the palpable darkness, which was in Egypt, Exodus, the tenth8; and of a long night, that is, of a dark time, as if it were night; which time was long, because for three days p. 218 no one saw his neighbour, as is clear in the same place; fettered, namely through likeness of effect, because, namely, they could not go, as if they were fettered; hence in the same place: « For three days no one moved himself from the place where he was »; shut up under roofs, namely of their houses, not daring to go out; fugitives from the perpetual providence, namely as far as was in them, namely because they thought to hinder the deliverance of the Israelites foreseen by God. Or: fugitives etc., that is, wishing to escape the providence of God; which could not be, since it is said above, the sixteenth1: « It is impossible to escape thy hand ». They lay hid, that is, they thought to lie hid, according to this of Proverbs, the fourteenth: « The evil shall lie down before the good »; or they pleased, namely in punishment, who displeased in fault, because through punishment there comes about the reordering of those who through fault had been disordered.

(Vers. 3.). And while they think to lie hid, namely from God the punisher, though nevertheless « all things are naked and open to his eyes », to the Hebrews, the fourth2. To lie hid, I say, in their dark sins, that is, enormous ones, which are done chiefly in the dark; to the Ephesians, the fifth: « The things that are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of », because « he that doth evil hateth the light », John, the third; on account of this sins are called « the works of darkness », to the Romans, the thirteenth. With a dark veil of forgetfulness, that is, with the gloom of darkness veiling them and bringing on forgetfulness of others, while, namely, they could not help themselves; they were scattered, namely one from another, being horribly afraid, that is, with a horrible fear, namely on account of the darkness. And troubled with exceeding great astonishment, namely on account of the unaccustomed newness of the thing; above, the fifth3: « Seeing it, they shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed » etc.; Job, the eighteenth: « They that come after him shall be astonished at his day, and horror shall fall upon them that went before ».

For neither did the den that held them etc. Here is shown the irremediableness of the punishment, first from the place; secondly from the contrary: And the fire; thirdly from artifice: And the magic etc.

(Vers. 4.). For neither etc. I said well: being horribly afraid etc.; for neither did the den, that held them, who, namely, had fled there on account of the hail and the rain and the fire. And note that he sets the singular for the plural, when he says den, because they had not fled to one den only, but to several, and they thought to lie hid in divers places; keep them without fear; the Gloss4: « Because horror always accompanies darkness; and the less one discerns the things that are about him, the more he fears ». For a sound coming down, namely into that pit, a sound, I say, either of heavenly thunders, or of diabolical illusions; troubled, that is, thoroughly troubled, them; Job, the fifteenth5: « The sound of dread is always in his ears ». And sad persons appearing to them.

But how did they appear in so great darkness?

It can be said that they did not appear to sense, but to imagination.

Afforded them dread, because, as the Gloss says6, « it could be that the demons cast upon them certain terrible phantasms, which frightened them to the increase of their punishments », according to that of Job, the seventh: « Thou wilt frighten me with dreams, and terrify me with visions ».

And the fire indeed etc. Here is shown the irremediableness of the punishment, and this on the part of the contrary, namely of fire: first, because it afforded no help; secondly, because it rather afforded harm: But there appeared to them.

(Vers. 5.). He says therefore: And no power of fire indeed could afford them lumentr.; whence illumination failed them on the lower side; and he says: no power, because there are three species of fire, according to the Philosopher7, namely light, flame and coal. Nor of the stars (siderum), that is, of the stars (stellarum), the clear flames, that is, given [so printed: dati for clari] rays, could illuminate that horrible night; whence it is clear that lumen failed them on the upper side, although the stars are placed above to illuminate the night, Genesis, the first8. And deservedly lumen was lacking to them, because, namely, they were rebels against the spiritual lumen; Job, the twenty-fourth: « They have been rebellious to the lumen », and therefore the sun of justice did not rise upon them; whence above, the fifth: « The sun of understanding hath not risen upon us, and the lumen of justice hath not shone unto us ».

(Vers. 6.). But there appeared to them, namely to the Egyptians, a sudden fire, namely of heavenly lightnings, full of fear, namely on account of the sight of the evils seen, namely of the thunderbolts; « for the heavier the pains are, the greater the horrors that are feared ». And struck with fear9, on account of the vision of evils imagined, of that face which was not seen, that is, of a phantasm not seen outwardly, but imagined inwardly, which the devil sent in to terrify them more; they thought the things which were seen to be worse, p. 219 supply: than they were according to the truth of the thing; Job, the eighteenth1: « Fears shall terrify him on every side, and shall entangle his feet ».

And the magic etc. Here is shown the irremediableness from artifice, namely of the magic art; and first is shown the confusion of the magicians; secondly, the matter of the confusion, namely fear: For they; thirdly, the cause outwardly effecting fear: For though nothing; fourthly, the disposition inwardly increasing fear: For often2 etc. And there are touched three things increasing fear, of which the first is the remorse of conscience; the second is the perturbation following remorse: For always; the third is the distrust of help following both: For fear is nothing etc.

(Vers. 7.). And of the magic art, that is, of the magicians themselves, were put, namely to the aforesaid evils, the mockeries, in this, namely, that they tried to expel these evils and could not; whence they themselves too feared exceedingly; Exodus, the eighth3: « This is the finger of God ». And the glory of wisdom, that is, the glory of the magicians in their wisdom, was a rebuke with reproach, supply: was, that is, the cause of a reproachful correction; Proverbs, the eleventh4: « Where pride is, there also shall be reproach »; Jeremias, the ninth: « Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom ».

(Vers. 8.). And I said well that their rebuke was with reproach of themselves; for they, namely the magicians, who promised to expel fears, namely interior ones, and perturbations, namely exterior ones, namely through their magic art, from a languishing soul, namely for fear and perturbation; these, with mockery, brought on them by others, full of fear, in themselves, languished. Whence to each of them could be said that of Luke, the fourth5: « Physician, heal thyself »; Proverbs, the twenty-fifth: « As clouds, and wind, when no rain followeth, so is the man that boasteth, and doth not fulfil his promises ».

(Vers. 9.). For though nothing from monsters, that is, from phantasms appearing, or from the miracles of Moses, disturbed them, because, namely, they were accustomed to monsters, as Balaam did not fear the speech of the ass, as is clear from Numbers, the twenty-second6. Yet by the passing of animals, namely sudden and violent, namely of bears and lions and the like, and the hissing of serpents or of serpents, which, namely, they could not see, moved, namely inwardly; trembling, namely outwardly, they perished, namely failing on account of the aforesaid things; Deuteronomy, the twenty-eighth7: « The Lord will give thee a fearful heart, and languishing eyes, and a soul consumed with pensiveness, and thou shalt fear night and day ». And, that is, also, the air, which no one could by any means escape, namely on account of the necessity of breathing in and breathing out; denying that they saw, on account of the palpable darkness.

(Vers. 10.). For often they forecast, namely by thinking and expecting before the event, the worst things, namely the penalties to be inflicted for sins; he says the worst, because evil things in life, worse in death, the worst after death; or: evil things innate, worse brought on by man, but the worst inflicted by God; on account of which to the Hebrews, the tenth8: « It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God ». Conscience reproving, them, according to that of Jeremias, the second: « Thy own malice shall reprove thee ». For whereas wickedness is fearful, that is, having fear annexed to it, for the reason that the evil of fault9 always follows upon or accompanies the evil of punishment; whence as « perfect charity casteth out fear », as is said in the first of John, the fourth10; so iniquity causes or brings it on; in the Psalm: « They have trembled for fear, where there was no fear »; likewise Leviticus, the twenty-sixth: « The sound of a flying leaf shall terrify them »; it beareth witness of condemnation, namely against its own doer; whence to the Romans, the second11: « Their conscience bearing witness »; witness, I say, of condemnation, namely of its doer, that is, it testifies that he is worthy of condemnation; whence above, the fifth: « We fools » etc.; likewise Genesis, the forty-second: « We deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother ». Others12 have: is given unto the condemnation of all. For it always presumes, that is, before they come, suspects, grievous things, that is, harsh things about to befall it, a troubled conscience, namely by sin or by the remorse of sin; whence Cain says, Genesis, the fourth13: « Every one, therefore, that findeth me, shall kill me ».

(Vers. 11.). For fear is nothing. Note that here a causal predication, not an essential one, is had; for fear is not presumption, but is caused from presumption, that is, from the presumed suspicion of an evil to come14. Hence he describes fear here in two ways: first through its cause, which is the presumption of an evil to come; secondly, through its effect, which is the betrayal or manifestation of the thought that help is failing. For fear is nothing p. 220 but a help of presumption1, that is, the presumption or suspicion of an evil to come or about to happen helping towards fearing, and a betrayal of the thought of helps, namely failing ones, that is, a thought betraying the lack of help both to the one fearing and to others, namely those who perceive by his fear that help is failing him. Hence such fear makes one cry out asking for help, as is clear in Peter, who, when he began to sink, cried out and said: « Lord, save me », Matthew, the fourteenth2.

(Vers. 12.). And while from within, namely in the mind, the expectation is less, that is, hope or confidence, because it lacks justice, which makes the just confident and secure, according to that of Proverbs, the twenty-eighth3: « The just, bold as a lion, shall be without dread ». It thinks the power greater, that is, they reckon the force for harming greater, of that cause, namely the terrible one, from which the torment comes forth, that is, threatens them, because the lack of greater hope and confidence increases fear, making one suspect the evil that threatens to be greater than it is.

Otherwise it seems that it can be expounded according to the Gloss4, from that point: For it always presumes grievous things etc.; as if to say: deservedly wickedness beareth witness of condemnation; for it always presumes grievous things, that is, it presumptuously lifts itself up to inflict grievous things on others; a troubled conscience, that is, an angry conscience, not a tranquil one; for (enim), for sed ("but"). For fear is nothing but a help of presumption, that is, a medicine, namely by repressing the motion of this presumption, and a betrayal, that is, a manifestation, of the thought of helps, that is, of the infirm thought, which before lifted itself up by presuming that it did not need help. And while from within the expectation is less, that is, a lesser power of harming is hoped for5 in the thing by which it is punished, namely from without; it thinks the power greater, that is, the strength for harming it, than it is according to the truth.

But they etc. Here is shown the generality of the punishing, first on the part of time; secondly, on the part of the persons afflicted: Moreover if any one; thirdly, on the part of the causes: Whether it were a whistling wind.

(Vers. 13. 14.). As if to say: thus were the magicians terrified; but they, namely the Egyptians, who the night truly powerless, that is, strong, because very dark and long and to be illuminated by no remedy; and from the lowest, namely by the rising of vapours and of gross fumes darkening the air; and from the highest6, namely by the failure of the irradiation of the heavenly bodies, coming upon them, that is, coming over them, slept the same sleep, that is, a common one, sleeping, because as one slept, so did another, no better. — Sometimes they were harassed with the fear of monsters, that is, of monstrous phantasms appearing to them in their sleep; Job, the seventh7: « Thou wilt frighten me with dreams, and terrify me with visions ». Sometimes their souls failed by the carrying across, that is, as it were by an imminent going forth from the body, and this while waking, when they had now been roused; because, as the Gloss says, « neither waking nor sleeping could they rest, because they were surrounded by horrible monsters and visions and exceeding terror ». For a sudden, that is, a hasty, and unlooked-for, that is, an unforeseen, because quickly and unexpectedly, fear had come upon them, that is, from above, from the divine judgment; Isaias, the forty-seventh8: « Misery shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know ».

(Vers. 15.). Moreover, namely besides the aforesaid evils, if any of them, namely of the Egyptians, had fallen down, namely into a pit or something of the kind, he was kept in prison, that is, in the place where he had fallen, not able to go out from it, shut up without iron, that is, without iron bonds, because all were fettered by the bond of darkness, as is clear above in the same chapter9.

(Vers. 16.). For if any one were a countryman, that is, a tiller of the country, or a shepherd, of animals, or a labourer in the works of the field, as a reaper or a vintager, and had been overtaken, namely by that darkness outside his house; he endured a necessity from which he could not fly, namely want and affliction, because no one moved himself for three days from the place where he was, as is clear from Exodus, the tenth10.

(Vers. 17. 18.). For with one, that is, a common, chain of darkness, namely of exterior darkness, they were all bound together, that is, tied together. And not only by the chain of exterior darkness, but of interior, namely of unbelief and of sins; whence Proverbs, the fifth11: « With the ropes of his own sins » each one « is fast bound »; likewise in the Psalm: « The cords of sinners have encompassed me ». Whether a wind etc. I said well that they endured necessity; for whether a wind hissing to itself, that is, « the whistling of a gentle air », the third of Kings, the nineteenth12; or among the thick p. 221 branches of trees the sound of birds, that is, their song, sweet, sweet, in so far as of itself it was fit for delighting rather than for terrifying; or the force of water running down too much, that is, running violently, as the waters of torrents run. — Or the mighty sound of stones hurling down1, that is, falling violently from high places, or the unseen running of animals playing, namely on account of the density of the darkness, of animals, namely of mild ones, as of beasts of burden; or the mighty voice of lowing beasts, that is, of wild beasts, or of bears, or of lions, or the like; or an echo resounding from the highest mountains, that is, the reproduction of the voice of animals on account of the reverberation of mountains or of rocks; made them faint for fear, namely all the things said above; whence the Gloss2: « On every side the wretches were tormented; for whatever they perceived by the ears, or by the eyes, or by any sense, they dreaded as dangerous ».

And it is to be noted that the aforesaid chain, speaking morally, signifies the progress and connexion of sins, of which Isaias, the fifty-eighth3: « If thou take away the chain out of the midst of thee ». The whistling wind signifies the hidden suggestion of the devil; Apocalypse, the sixteenth: « I saw from the mouth of the dragon, and from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits go forth like frogs ». The sweet sound of birds, the delectation of thoughts; Sophonias, the second4: « The voice of the singing bird in the window ». The water running down, consent to the perpetration of sin, against which Ecclesiasticus, the twenty-fifth: « Give no issue to thy water, no, not a little ». The sound of falling stones, the exterior operation of sin; Job, the fourteenth5: « A mountain falling cometh to nought, and a rock is removed out of its place ». The running of playing animals, depraved custom; Job, the fortieth: « All the beasts of the field play there ». The mighty voice of lowing beasts, open glorying in sin perpetrated; against which in the Psalm6: « Why dost thou glory in malice »? The resounding echo, the delectable remembrance of sin; Numbers, the eleventh: « We remember the fish that we ate in Egypt ».

For the whole etc. Here is touched the singularity of the punishment; and because « opposites placed beside one another shine out the more7 », first is touched the illumination of the others; secondly, the darkening of the Egyptians: But over them only etc.; thirdly, the merit of the darkening: They therefore.

(Vers. 19.). I said well: that the Egyptians were fettered with the bonds of darkness, and not others; for the whole world, namely except the region of Egypt, was made bright with a clear « that is, bright8 », lumen, namely of the sun and of the heavenly luminaries, although elsewhere there were many sinners in the world; Matthew, the fifth: « He maketh his sun to rise upon the good and bad ». And with works unhindered it was kept, that is, preserved, with works unhindered, of the luminaries, by the density of the darkness; or in another way: with works unhindered, of men other than the Egyptians, on account of the lack of light, since elsewhere there was the clearness of light9, which is required for working; whence John, the ninth: « Work, while it is day; for the night cometh, when no man can work ».

(Vers. 20.). But over them only, namely the Egyptians, was placed, namely by God, a heavy night, because darker than usual and longer; Job, the thirty-seventh10: « For we are wrapped up in darkness ». Night, I say, being an image, that is, an express representation, of darkness, namely of the eternal darkness; which, namely the image of darkness, that is, the imagined darkness, was to come upon them, namely in hell; whence Matthew, the twenty-fifth: « The unprofitable servant cast ye out into the exterior darkness »; likewise Job, the tenth: « A land of misery and darkness » etc. And because they suffered such heavy darkness, and not undeservedly; they therefore were to themselves a heavier darkness11, that is, the cause of a heavier darkness, supply: than that which they suffered, that is, of the darkness to come upon them in hell; whence Job, the thirty-fourth: « He knoweth their works, and therefore he shall bring night on them, and they shall be destroyed ». Or: they were a heavier darkness, that is, more dangerous, through the blinding of the heart; « for their own malice blinded them », above, the second12; to the Ephesians, the fifth: « You were heretofore darkness »; some books have: heavier than the darkness, namely the exterior darkness, on account of the remorse of conscience.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. 5
    Nempe interlinearis ex Rabano. — Sequuntur Ps. 35, 7. et Rom. 11, 33.
    That is, the interlinear Gloss, from Rabanus. — There follow Ps. 35:7 and Rom. 11:33.
  2. 6
    Scilicet interlinearis ex Rabano. — Subinde allegantur Eccli. 20, 9: Est processio in malis etc.; Ier. 5, 3; Ps. 49, 17; Sap. 5, 6. et Ioan. 14, 6.
    Namely the interlinear Gloss, from Rabanus. — Just after are alleged Ecclus. 20:9: There is a going forward in evil things etc.; Jer. 5:3; Ps. 49:17; Sap. 5:6 and John 14:6.
  3. 7
    Vers. 14. seqq. — Tres loci seqq. sunt Tob. 2, 18; Gen. 17, 10. seqq. et Lev. 11, 44.
    Verse 14 ff. — The three following passages are Tob. 2:18; Gen. 17:10 ff. and Lev. 11:44.
  4. 8
    Vers. 21; ibid v. 22. et 23. sunt duo loci seqq.: Factae sunt tenebrae horribiles... tribus diebus. Nemo vidit fratrem suum, nec movit se de loco, in quo erat.
    Verse 21; in the same place, vv. 22 and 23, are the two following passages: There came horrible darkness... for three days. No man saw his brother, nor moved himself out of the place where he was.
  5. 1
    Vers. 15. — Inferius primam lectionem latuerunt exhibet etiam Lyranus in margine; secunda, scil. placuerunt, est card. Hugonis; Vulgata legit iucuerunt. Allegatur Prov. 14, 19, quem locum edd. omittunt.
    Verse 15. — Below, the first reading, latuerunt ("they lay hid"), Lyra also exhibits in the margin; the second, namely placuerunt ("they pleased"), is Cardinal Hugh's; the Vulgate reads iucuerunt [so printed: iucuerunt for iacuerunt, "they lay"]. Prov. 14:19 is alleged, which passage the editions omit.
  6. 2
    Vers. 13. — Tres seqq. loci sunt Eph. 5, 12; Ioan. 3, 20. et Rom. 13, 12.
    Verse 13. — The three following passages are Eph. 5:12; John 3:20 and Rom. 13:12.
  7. 3
    Vers. 2. — Sequitur Iob 18, 20.
    Verse 2. — There follows Job 18:20.
  8. 4
    Nempe ordinaria ex Rabano: Semper enim tenebras etc.
    That is, the ordinary Gloss, from Rabanus: For always darkness etc.
  9. 5
    Vers. 21.
    Verse 21.
  10. 6
    Scilicet ordinaria ex Rabano. — Inferius allegatur Iob 7, 14.
    Namely the ordinary Gloss, from Rabanus. — Below, Job 7:14 is alleged.
  11. 7
    Libr. V. Topic. c. 3. (c. 5.): Non enim est una species ignis; nam diversum est carbo et flamma et lux specie, cum unumquodque horum sit ignis.
    Topics V, c. 3 (c. 5): For fire is not one species; for coal and flame and light are diverse in species, though each one of these is fire.
  12. 8
    Vers. 15. seqq. — Sequuntur Iob 24, 13. (edd. hunc locum omittunt) et Sap. 5, 6.
    Verse 15 ff. — There follow Job 24:13 (the editions omit this passage) and Sap. 5:6.
  13. 9
    Ita etiam Rabanus, card. Hugo et Lyranus; Vulgata perculsi. Superius verbis quanto... horrores, quae sumta sunt ex Glossa, B praemittit: et huiusmodi; Glossa [ordinaria ex Rabano]: Quia undique formidabant poenas. — Inferius pro visi exterius Vat. perperam nisi exterius.
    So also Rabanus, Cardinal Hugh and Lyra; the Vulgate perculsi ("struck down"). Above, before the words quanto... horrores ("the heavier... horrors"), which are taken from the Gloss, B prefixes: and the like; the Gloss [the ordinary Gloss, from Rabanus]: Because they dreaded punishments on every side. — Below, for visi exterius ("seen outwardly") the Vatican edition wrongly has nisi exterius ("unless outwardly").
  14. 1
    Vers. 11.
    Verse 11.
  15. 2
    Vulgata omittit verba hic indicata Frequenter enim praeoccupant pessima, redarguente conscientia, quae tamen exhibentur a Rabano, card. Hugone et Lyrano.
    The Vulgate omits the words here indicated, Frequenter enim praeoccupant pessima, redarguente conscientia ("For often they forecast the worst things, conscience reproving"), which are, however, exhibited by Rabanus, Cardinal Hugh and Lyra.
  16. 3
    Vers. 19. — Subinde pro Et sapientiae gloria, quod etiam card. Hugo et Lyranus habent, Vulgata et sapientiae gloriae.
    Verse 19. — Just after, for Et sapientiae gloria ("And the glory of wisdom"), which Cardinal Hugh and Lyra also have, the Vulgate et sapientiae gloriae ("and of the glory of wisdom").
  17. 4
    Vers. 2. — Sequitur Ier. 9, 23.
    Verse 2. — There follows Jer. 9:23.
  18. 5
    Vers. 23. — Seq. locus est Prov. 25, 14.
    Verse 23. — The following passage is Prov. 25:14.
  19. 6
    Vers. 29.
    Verse 29.
  20. 7
    Vers. 65. et 66, ubi Vulgata: Dabit enim tibi Dominus ibi cor... consumtam moerore. Et erit vita tua quasi pendens ante te. Timebis etc.
    Verses 65 and 66, where the Vulgate: For the Lord will give thee there a heart... consumed with pensiveness. And thy life shall be as it were hanging before thee. Thou shalt fear etc.
  21. 8
    Vers. 31. — Sequitur Ier. 2, 19. — Ut iam superius nota 2. indicavimus, verba Frequenter... conscientia omittit Vulgata.
    Verse 31. — There follows Jer. 2:19. — As we have already indicated above in note 2, the Vulgate omits the words Frequenter... conscientia.
  22. 9
    De hac sententia cfr. II. Sent. d. 36. a. 2. q. 1. 2.
    On this opinion cf. II Sent. d. 36, a. 2, qq. 1–2.
  23. 10
    Vers. 18, ubi pro excludit Vulgata foras mittit. — Sequuntur Ps. 13, 5. et Lev. 26, 36.
    Verse 18, where for excludit ("excludes") the Vulgate has foras mittit ("casteth out"). — There follow Ps. 13:5 and Lev. 26:36.
  24. 11
    Vers. 15. — Duo seqq. loci sunt Sap. 5, 4. et Gen. 42, 21.
    Verse 15. — The two following passages are Sap. 5:4 and Gen. 42:21.
  25. 12
    Ut card. Hugo et Lyranus.
    As Cardinal Hugh and Lyra.
  26. 13
    Vers. 14.
    Verse 14.
  27. 14
    Cfr. III. Sent. d. 26. a. 2. q. 1. et dub. 4; d. 34. p. II. dub. 1.
    Cf. III Sent. d. 26, a. 2, q. 1, and dub. 4; d. 34, p. II, dub. 1.
  28. 1
    Vulgata omittit praesumtionis adiutorium, quod tamen exhibetur a Rabano, card. Hugone et Lyrano.
    The Vulgate omits praesumtionis adiutorium ("a help of presumption"), which is, however, exhibited by Rabanus, Cardinal Hugh and Lyra.
  29. 2
    Vers. 30.
    Verse 30.
  30. 3
    Vers. 1. — Inferius pro putat potentiam (ita cod. B) Vulgata computat inscientiam, Rabanus (ed. Migne) putat conscientiam, card. Hugo et Lyranus computat potentiam, Vat. putant scientiam (card. Hugo in margine computat scientiam).
    Verse 1. — Below, for putat potentiam ("thinks the power"; so codex B) the Vulgate has computat inscientiam ("counts the ignorance"), Rabanus (Migne's edition) putat conscientiam ("thinks the conscience"), Cardinal Hugh and Lyra computat potentiam ("counts the power"), the Vatican edition putant scientiam ("they think the knowledge"; Cardinal Hugh in the margin computat scientiam, "counts the knowledge").
  31. 4
    Nempe interlinearem (ex Rabano): « Semper enim praesumit, extollitur, saeva, perturbata conscientia, quae non habet tranquillitatis serenitatem. Nihil enim est timor, quo scilicet praesumtio comprimitur, nisi praesumtionis adiutorium, medicamentum, proditio » etc. In his ultimis verbis respicitur Glossa ordinaria (ex Rabano): Timor scilicet prodit infirmitatem superbientis, qui vana spe auxiliorum se extollit cogitando, cum posse se sperat quod efficere non potest vel possit, et dum virtus minor est, valetudo rerum, quas extrinsecus patitur, maiorem putat esse potentiam.
    That is, the interlinear Gloss (from Rabanus): « For it always presumes, lifts itself up, grievous things, a troubled conscience, which has not the serenity of tranquillity. For fear is nothing, by which, namely, presumption is repressed, but a help of presumption, a medicine, a betrayal » etc. In these last words the ordinary Gloss (from Rabanus) is regarded: Fear, namely, betrays the infirmity of the proud man, who by vain hope of helps lifts himself up in thought, when he hopes he can do what he cannot or could not effect, and while his strength is less, he thinks the strength of the things which he suffers from without to be a greater power.
  32. 5
    Ita A, alias operatur.
    So A; the others operatur ("is worked").
  33. 6
    Vulgata addit inferis, quod etiam card. Hugo et Lyranus omittunt.
    The Vulgate adds inferis ("hell"), which Cardinal Hugh and Lyra also omit.
  34. 7
    Vers. 14. — Sequitur Glossa ordinaria ex Rabano.
    Verse 14. — There follows the ordinary Gloss, from Rabanus.
  35. 8
    Vers. 11.
    Verse 11.
  36. 9
    Vers. 2.
    Verse 2.
  37. 10
    Vers. 23. Cfr. supra pag. 217, nota 8.
    Verse 23. Cf. above, p. 217, note 8.
  38. 11
    Vers. 22. — Sequitur Ps. 118, 61.
    Verse 22. — There follows Ps. 118:61.
  39. 12
    Vers. 12.
    Verse 12.
  40. 1
    Ita etiam card. Hugo et Lyranus; Vulgata praecipitatarum.
    So also Cardinal Hugh and Lyra; the Vulgate praecipitatarum ("hurled down").
  41. 2
    Scilicet ordinaria ex Rabano.
    Namely the ordinary Gloss, from Rabanus.
  42. 3
    Vers. 9. — Seq. locus est Apoc. 16, 13, ubi Vulgata omittit exire.
    Verse 9. — The following passage is Apoc. 16:13, where the Vulgate omits exire ("go forth").
  43. 4
    Vers. 14. — Sequitur Eccli. 25, 34.
    Verse 14. — There follows Ecclus. 25:34.
  44. 5
    Vers. 18; ibid. 40, 15. habetur seq. locus. Cfr. Gregor., XII. Moral. c. 18. n. 22. seq. et XXIII. c. 2. n. 4.
    Verse 18; in the same book, 40:15, the following passage is had. Cf. Gregory, Morals XII, c. 18, n. 22 f., and XXIII, c. 2, n. 4.
  45. 6
    Psalm. 51, 3. — Subinde allegatur Num. 11, 5.
    Psalm 51:3. — Just after, Num. 11:5 is alleged.
  46. 7
    Vide supra pag. 86, nota 2.
    See above, p. 86, note 2.
  47. 8
    Ita Glossa interlinearis. — Immediate post pro illustrabatur Vulgata illuminabatur. Sequitur Matth. 5, 45.
    So the interlinear Gloss. — Immediately after, for illustrabatur ("was made bright") the Vulgate has illuminabatur ("was enlightened"). There follows Matt. 5:45.
  48. 9
    Exod. 10, 23: « Ubicumque autem habitabant filii Israel, lux erat ». Hic locus addendus est duobus locis supra pag. 178, nota 7. allegatis. — Seq. locus est Ioan. 9, 4: Me oportet operari opera eius qui misit me, donec dies est; venit nox etc.
    Exod. 10:23: « But wheresoever the children of Israel dwelt, there was light ». This passage is to be added to the two passages alleged above, p. 178, note 7. — The following passage is John 9:4: I must work the works of him that sent me, whilst it is day: the night cometh etc.
  49. 10
    Vers. 19. — Inferius allegantur Matth. 25, 30. et Iob 10, 22.
    Verse 19. — Below, Matt. 25:30 and Job 10:22 are alleged.
  50. 11
    Ita etiam card. Hugo et Lyranus; Vulgata tenebris; cfr. finem huius cap. — Sequitur Iob 34, 25.
    So also Cardinal Hugh and Lyra; the Vulgate tenebris ("than the darkness"); cf. the end of this chapter. — There follows Job 34:25.
  51. 12
    Vers. 21. — Seq. locus est Eph. 5, 8.
    Verse 21. — The following passage is Eph. 5:8.
Translator’s Notes
  1. tr.
    Translator's note: the Latin here is lumen, which this translation leaves untranslated to keep it apart from lux ("light"). This is the chapter of the withdrawing of light, and the two words stand side by side throughout it: at Vers. 5 the lemma says no fire could lumen praebere, and Bonaventure's exposition turns on the word — illumination failed them from below and from above, et merito defuit eis lumen, quia scilicet rebelles fuerunt lumini spirituali — while it names the species of fire as lux, flamma et carbo ("light, flame and coal"). Because the prose leans on lumen, the two verses he adduces for it, Job 24:13 (rebelles lumini) and Wisdom 5:6 (iustitiae lumen non luxit nobis), keep "lumen" here and are not given their received English. At Vers. 19 the lemma illustrabatur lumine is likewise "lumen", against defectum lucis and claritas lucis in the same sentence ("light"); luminaria is "luminaries". Everywhere else in the chapter lux is "light".