Pars 2, Cap. 10
Breviloquium · Pars II: De creatura mundi
Capitulum X. De productione hominis quantum ad corpus.
De corpore vero humano in statu primae conditionis tenenda sunt haec secundum doctrinam fidei
orthodoxae, videlicet quod corpus primi hominis sic conditum fuit et de limo terrae1 formatum, ut tamen esset animae subiectum et suo modo proportionabile, proportionabile, inquam, quantum ad complexionem aequalem, quantum ad organizationem pulcherrimam et multiformem et quantum ad rectitudinem staturae; subiectum autem, ut esset obtemperans sine rebellione, esset etiam propagans et propagabile sine libidine, esset vegetabile sine defectione, esset etiam immutabile ad2 omnimodam incorruptionem, non interveniente morte; et secundum hoc datus est sibi locus paradisi terrestris in habitationem tranquillam. — Formata est mulier de latere viri in consortium et adiutorium ad propagationem immaculatam; datum est etiam lignum vitae3 ad vegetationem continuam, et tandem ad immutationem perfectam per immortalitatem perpetuam.
Ratio autem ad intelligentiam praedictorum haec est: quia, cum primum principium sit in producendo potentissimum, sapientissimum et optimum, et in omnibus effectibus suis hoc aliquo modo manifestet; potissime debuit hoc manifestare in ultimo effectu et nobilissimo; cuiusmodi est homo, quem inter ceteras creaturas produxit ultimo, ut in hoc potissime appareret et reluceret divinorum operum consummatio.
Ut igitur in homine manifestaretur Dei potentia, ideo fecit eum ex naturis maxime distantibus, coniunctis in unam personam et naturam; cuiusmodi sunt corpus et anima, quorum unum est substantia corporea, alterum vero, scilicet anima, est substantia spiritualis et incorporea; quae in genere substantiae maxime distant4.
Ut vero ibidem manifestaretur Dei sapientia, fecit tale corpus, ut proportionem suo modo haberet ad animam. Quoniam ergo corpus unitur animae ut perficienti et moventi et ad beatitudinem sursum tendenti5; ideo, ut conformaretur animae vivificanti, habuit complexionem aequalem non a pondere, vel mole, sed ab aequalitate naturalis iustitiae, quae disponit ad nobilissimum modum vitae. — Ut autem conformaretur moventi per multiformitatem potentiarum, habuit multiformitatem organorum cum summa venustate et artificiositate et ductibilitate; sicut patet in facie et in manu, quae est « organum organorum6 ». — Ut autem conformaretur animae sursum tendenti ad caelum, habuit rectitudinem staturae et caput sursum erectum; ut sic corporalis rectitudo mentali rectitudini attestaretur.
Postremo, ut in homine manifestaretur Dei bonitas et benevolentia, ideo fecit hominem absque omni macula et culpa et absque omni poena sive miseria. Cum enim primum principium simul sit optimum et iustissimum; quia optimum, non debuit facere hominem nisi bonum, ac per hoc innocentem et rectum7; quia iustissimum, poenam non debuit infligere ei qui nullum omnino habebat peccatum: ac per hoc tale corpus constituit illi animae rationali, quod ita sibi esset obtemperans, ut nulla esset in eo pugna rebellionis, nulla pronitas libidinis, nulla imminutio vigoris, nulla corruptio mortis; ita etiam esset animae conforme, ut, sicut anima erat innocens, et tamen poterat cadere in culpam, sic corpus esset impassibile, et tamen posset cadere in poenam; et ideo « poterat non mori, et poterat mori8 »; poterat habere sufficientiam, et poterat habere indigentiam; poterat animae obtemperare, et poterat etiam adversus eam rebellionem et pugnam habere.
Et propterea in statu illo corpus erat tale, ut ab eo fieret decisio seminalis ad propagationem prolis per adminiculum sexus muliebris pariter comprincipiantis; fieret etiam humoris nutrimentalis consumtio per actionem caloris; fieret etiam nihilominus restauratio per alimentum lignorum paradisi, restaurato per lignum vitae, seu praeservato humido radicali; quod quidem lignum hanc virtutem habuit, ob quam, ut dicit Augustinus9, fuit non solum in cibum, verum etiam in Sacramentum. — Incorruptio igitur et immortalitas corporis Adae principaliter veniebat ab anima sicut a continente et influente, a corporis bona et aequali complexione sicut a disponente et suscipiente, a ligno autem vitae sicut a
vegetante et adminiculante, a regimine vero divinae providentiae sicut interius conservante et exterius protegente.
Chapter X. On the production of man as regards the body.
Concerning the human body, however, in the state of its first condition, these things are to be held according to the doctrine of the orthodox
faith: namely, that the body of the first man was so founded and formed from the slime of the earth1 that it should nevertheless be subject to the soul and in its own manner proportionable to it — proportionable, I say, as regards an equal complexion, as regards a most beautiful and multiform organization, and as regards uprightness of stature; and subject, that it might be obedient without rebellion, might also be propagating and propagable without lust, might be capable of growth without failing, and might also be unchangeable toward2 an incorruption of every kind, with no death intervening; and according to this there was given to it the place of the earthly paradise for a tranquil dwelling. — Woman was formed from the side of the man for fellowship and help toward an immaculate propagation; there was also given the tree of life3 for continual growth, and at length for a perfect transformation into a perpetual immortality.
Now the reason for the understanding of the foresaid is this: that since the first principle is in producing most powerful, most wise and best, and manifests this in some manner in all its effects, it had most of all to manifest this in the last and noblest effect — of which sort is man, whom it produced last among the other creatures, so that in him most of all the consummation of the divine works might appear and shine forth.
That the power of God, therefore, might be manifested in man, it made him out of natures most widely distant, conjoined into one person and nature; of which sort are body and soul, of which the one is a corporeal substance, and the other, namely the soul, is a spiritual and incorporeal substance — which in the genus of substance are most widely distant4.
But that the wisdom of God might be manifested in the same place, it made such a body as would have, in its own manner, a proportion to the soul. Since, therefore, the body is united to the soul as to what perfects and moves it and tends upward to beatitude5: therefore, that it might be conformed to the life-giving soul, it had an equal complexion — not from weight or mass, but from the equality of natural justice, which disposes toward the noblest mode of life. — And that it might be conformed to the soul as mover, through the multiformity of its powers, it had a multiformity of organs with the utmost gracefulness and artistry and pliancy; as appears in the face and in the hand, which is « the organ of organs6 ». — And that it might be conformed to the soul tending upward to heaven, it had uprightness of stature and a head erect on high; so that thus bodily uprightness might bear witness to uprightness of mind.
Lastly, that the goodness and benevolence of God might be manifested in man, it therefore made man without any stain and guilt and without any punishment or misery. For since the first principle is at once best and most just: because best, it ought not to make man other than good, and through this innocent and upright7; because most just, it ought not to inflict punishment on him who had no sin at all. And through this it constituted for that rational soul such a body as would be so obedient to it that there would be in it no strife of rebellion, no proneness to lust, no diminution of vigour, no corruption of death; and would likewise be so conformed to the soul that, just as the soul was innocent and yet could fall into guilt, so the body would be impassible and yet could fall into punishment; and therefore « it could not die, and it could die8 »; it could have sufficiency, and it could have want; it could obey the soul, and it could also have rebellion and strife against it.
And for this reason, in that state the body was such that from it there would come a seminal severance for the propagation of offspring, through the aid of the female sex co-originating equally with it; there would also come a consuming of the nutrimental humour through the action of heat; and there would nonetheless come a restoration through the food of the trees of paradise, the radical moisture being restored — or rather preserved — through the tree of life; which tree indeed had this power, on account of which, as Augustine says9, it was not only for food but also for a Sacrament. — The incorruption, therefore, and immortality of Adam's body came principally from the soul as from that which contains and inflows; from the good and equal complexion of the body as from that which disposes and receives; from the tree of life as from that which
gives growth and support; and from the governance of divine providence as from that which inwardly conserves and outwardly protects.
- 1Gen. 2, 7. — Pro orthodoxae plures codd. orthodoxam.Gen. 2:7. — For orthodoxae very many codices [read] orthodoxam.
- 2S habet per.S has per.
- 3Gen. 2, 9. — De formatione corporis humani eiusque proportionabilitate cfr. II. Sent. d. 17. a. 2. q. 1-3; de productione corporis mulieris de latere viri vide ibid. d. 18. a. 1. q. 1; de immortalitate corporis agitur ibid. d. 19. a. 2. q. 1. seq., et de propagatione eius ibid. d. 20. per totam. — Inferius pro per I O U V et. Subinde post sapientissimum L U V addunt et benevolentissimum.Gen. 2:9. — On the formation of the human body and its proportionability compare II Sent. d. 17, a. 2, q. 1–3; on the production of the woman's body from the side of the man see ibid. d. 18, a. 1, q. 1; on the immortality of the body the matter is treated ibid. d. 19, a. 2, q. 1 and following; and on its propagation ibid. d. 20, throughout. — Below, for per I O U V [read] et. Thereafter, after sapientissimum, L U V add et benevolentissimum.
- 4Utpote supremae species substantiae.Inasmuch as they are the highest species of substance.
- 5Cfr. cap. praeced. — De aequalitate a pondere et a iustitia cfr. II. Sent. d. 17. a. 2. q. 3.Compare the preceding chapter. — On equality from weight and from justice compare II Sent. d. 17, a. 2, q. 3.
- 6Aristot. supra pag. 161, nota 2. allegatus. — De seq. propositione cfr. Alex. Hal., S. p. II. q. 81. m. 2, qui ad ipsam confirmandam praeter alios adducit Ovid., I. Metamorph. v. 84-86, et August., 83 Qq. q. 51. n. 3. — Inferius pro mentali Q S mentis.Aristotle, cited above at p. 161, note 2. — On the following proposition compare Alexander of Hales, Summa p. II, q. 81, m. 2, who to confirm it adduces, besides others, Ovid, I Metamorphoses vv. 84–86, and Augustine, 83 Questions, q. 51, n. 3. — Below, for mentali Q S [read] mentis.
- 7Eccle. 7, 30: Solummodo hoc inveni, quod fecerit Deus hominem rectum. Cfr. supra pag. 225, nota 1. — August., III. de Lib. arb. c. 18. n. 51: Omnis autem poena, si iusta est, peccati poena est etc. — Superius I L M omittunt et culpa, non pauci codd. et 2 autem macula et.Eccl. 7:30: Only this have I found, that God made man upright. Compare above, p. 225, note 1. — Augustine, III On Free Choice c. 18, n. 51: But every punishment, if it is just, is the punishment of sin, etc. — Above, I L M omit et culpa; not a few codices and edition 2, however, [omit] macula et.
- 8August., VI. de Gen. ad lit. c. 25. n. 36. Cfr. II. Sent. lit. Magistri, d. XIX. c. 1. seqq. — Inferius fide B H Q (M a secunda manu) supplevimus animae, et subinde fide A B D F H I M S etiam adversus eam (Q etiam adversus animam).Augustine, VI On Genesis to the Letter c. 25, n. 36. Compare II Sent., the Master's text, d. XIX, c. 1 and following. — Below, on the authority of B H Q (M by a second hand) we have supplied animae, and thereafter, on the authority of A B D F H I M S, etiam adversus eam (Q etiam adversus animam).
- 9Libr. VIII. de Gen. ad lit. c. 4. n. 8: Erat ei ergo in lignis ceteris alimentum, in illo autem Sacramentum. Cfr. XIII. de Civ. Dei, c. 20. et VI. Op. imperf. contra Iulian. c. 30. — De humido radicali vide tom. I. pag. 316, nota 12. verba Scoti. — E H legunt: Fuit non solum in sustentationis cibum, verum etiam in Sacramentum; et hoc propter latentem virtutem eius, qua scilicet praeter sustentationem ipsius manifestam occultam virtutem, conservandi scilicet ipsos et omnes posteros, habuit, ne veterascerent et vetustate perirent. Inferius pro complexione multi codd. et 2 compositione.Book VIII On Genesis to the Letter c. 4, n. 8: He had, therefore, nourishment in the other trees, but in that one a Sacrament. Compare XIII On the City of God c. 20, and VI Unfinished Work against Julian c. 30. — On the radical moisture see vol. I, p. 316, note 12, the words of Scotus. — E H read: It was not only for the food of sustenance, but also for a Sacrament; and this on account of its hidden power, by which, namely, beyond its own manifest sustenance, it had a hidden power — of preserving, namely, themselves and all their posterity — that they should not grow old and perish by age. Below, for complexione many codices and edition 2 [read] compositione.