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Prologus

Itinerarium mentis in Deum · Prologus

Textus Latinus
p. 295

Incipit Prologus in Itinerarium mentis in Deum.

1. In principio primum principium, a quo cunctae illuminationes descendunt tanquam a Patre luminum, a quo est omne datum optimum et omne donum perfectum1, Patrem scilicet aeternum, invoco per Filium eius, dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, ut intercessione sanctissimae Virginis Mariae, genitricis eiusdem Dei et domini nostri Iesu Christi, et beati Francisci, ducis et patris nostri, det illuminatos oculos2 mentis nostrae ad dirigendos pedes nostros in viam pacis illius, quae exsuperat omnem sensum; quam pacem evangelizavit et dedit dominus noster Iesus Christus; cuius praedicationis repetitor fuit pater noster Franciscus, in omni sua praedicatione pacem in principio et in fine annuntians, in omni salutatione pacem optans3, in omni contemplatione ad ecstaticam pacem suspirans, tanquam civis illius Ierusalem, de qua dicit vir ille pacis, qui cum his qui oderunt pacem, erat pacificus: Rogate quae ad pacem sunt Ierusalem4. Sciebat enim, quod thronus Salomonis non erat nisi in pace, cum scriptum sit: In pace factus est locus eius, et habitatio eius in Sion.

2. Cum igitur exemplo beatissimi patris Francisci hanc pacem anhelo spiritu quaererem, ego peccator, qui loco ipsius patris beatissimi post eius transitum septimus in generali fratrum ministerio per omnia indignus succedo; contigit, ut nutu divino circa Beati ipsius transitum, anno trigesimo tertio5 ad montem Alvernae tanquam ad locum quietum amore quaerendi pacem spiritus declinarem, ibique existens, dum mente tractarem aliquas mentales ascensiones in Deum, inter alia occurrit illud miraculum, quod in praedicto loco contigit ipsi beato Francisco, de visione scilicet Seraph alati ad instar Crucifixi6. In cuius consideratione statim visum est mihi, quod visio illa praetenderet ipsius patris suspensionem in contemplando et viam, per quam pervenitur ad eam.

3. Nam per senas alas illas recte intelligi possunt sex illuminationum suspensiones, quibus anima quasi quibusdam gradibus vel itineribus disponitur, ut transeat ad pacem per ecstaticos excessus sapientiae christianae. Via autem non est nisi per ardentissimum amorem Crucifixi, qui adeo Paulum ad tertium caelum raptum7 transformavit in Christum, ut diceret: Christo confixus sum cruci, vivo autem, iam non ego; vivit vero in me Christus; qui etiam adeo mentem Francisci absorbuit, quod mens in carne patuit, dum sacratissima passionis stigmata in corpore suo ante mortem per biennium deportavit. Effigies igitur sex alarum seraphicarum insinuat sex illuminationes scalares, quae a creaturis incipiunt et perducunt usque ad Deum, ad quem nemo intrat recte nisi per Crucifixum. Nam qui non intrat per ostium, sed ascendit aliunde, ille fur est et latro8. Si quis vero per hoc ostium introierit, ingredietur et egredietur et pascua inveniet. Propter quod dicit Ioannes in Apocalypsi: Beati qui lavant vestimenta p. 296 sua in sanguine Agni, ut sit potestas eorum in ligno vitae, et per portas ingrediantur civitatem; quasi dicat, quod per contemplationem ingredi non potest Ierusalem supernam, nisi per sanguinem Agni intret tanquam per portam. Non enim dispositus est aliquo modo ad contemplationes divinas, quae ad mentales ducunt excessus, nisi cum Daniele sit vir desideriorum1. Desideria autem in nobis inflammantur dupliciter, scilicet per clamorem orationis, quae rugire facit a gemitu cordis, et per fulgorem speculationis, qua mens ad radios lucis directissime et intensissime se convertit.

4. Igitur ad gemitum orationis per Christum crucifixum, per cuius sanguinem purgamur a sordibus vitiorum2, primum quidem lectorem invito, ne forte credat, quod sibi sufficiat lectio sine unctione, speculatio sine devotione, investigatio sine admiratione, circumspectio sine exsultatione, industria sine pietate, scientia sine caritate, intelligentia sine humilitate, studium absque divina gratia, speculum absque sapientia divinitus inspirata. — Praeventis igitur divina gratia, humilibus et piis, compunctis et devotis, unctis oleo laetitiae3 et amatoribus divinae sapientiae et eius desiderio inflammatis, vacare volentibus ad Deum magnificandum, admirandum et etiam degustandum, speculationes subiectas propono, insinuans, quod parum aut nihil est speculum exterius propositum, nisi speculum mentis nostrae tersum fuerit et politum. Exerce igitur te, homo Dei, prius ad stimulum conscientiae remordentem, antequam oculos eleves ad radios sapientiae in eius speculis relucentes, ne forte ex ipsa radiorum speculatione in graviorem incidas foveam tenebrarum.

5. Placuit autem distinguere tractatum4 in septem capitula, praemittendo titulos ad faciliorem intelligentiam dicendorum. Rogo igitur, quod magis pensetur intentio scribentis quam opus, magis dictorum sensus quam sermo incultus, magis veritas quam venustas, magis exercitatio affectus quam eruditio intellectus. Quod ut fiat, non est harum speculationum progressus perfunctorie transcurrendus, sed morosissime ruminandus.

EXPLICIT PROLOGUS.

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English Translation

Here begins the Prologue to the Journey of the Mind into God.

1. In the beginning I invoke the First Beginning, from whom all illuminations descend as from the Father of lights, from whom is every best gift and every perfect gift1 — the eternal Father, namely — through his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, that by the intercession of the most holy Virgin Mary, mother of the same God and our Lord Jesus Christ, and of blessed Francis, our leader and father, he may give enlightened eyes2 to our mind to direct our feet into the way of that peace which surpasseth all understanding; which peace our Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed and gave; and the repeater of his preaching was our father Francis, announcing peace at the beginning and at the end of every sermon of his, wishing peace in every greeting3, sighing after ecstatic peace in every contemplation, as a citizen of that Jerusalem of which that man of peace speaks — he who with them that hated peace was peaceable: Pray ye for the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem4. For he knew that the throne of Solomon stood only in peace, since it is written: In peace is his place made, and his abode in Sion.

2. Since, therefore, after the example of the most blessed father Francis, I sought this peace with panting spirit — I, a sinner, who, unworthy in every way, succeed in the place of that most blessed father after his passing as seventh in the general ministry of the brethren — it came to pass that, by the divine nod, about the time of the passing of the Blessed one himself, in the thirty-third year5, I turned aside to Mount Alverna, as to a quiet place, out of love of seeking peace of spirit; and abiding there, while I turned over in my mind certain mental ascensions into God, there occurred among other things that miracle which in the aforesaid place befell the blessed Francis himself — the vision, namely, of the winged Seraph after the likeness of the Crucified6. In the consideration of which it at once seemed to me that this vision set forth the uplifting of that father himself in contemplating, and the way by which it is arrived at.

3. For by those six wings can rightly be understood six upliftings of illumination, by which the soul, as by certain steps or journeys, is disposed to pass over into peace through the ecstatic transports of Christian wisdom. Now the way is by nothing else than the most ardent love of the Crucified, which so transformed Paul, rapt to the third heaven7, into Christ, that he said: With Christ I am nailed to the cross; and I live, now not I; but Christ liveth in me; which also so absorbed the mind of Francis that his mind lay open in his flesh, while for two years before his death he carried the most sacred stigmata of the passion in his body. The effigy, therefore, of the six seraphic wings intimates six ladder-like illuminations, which begin from creatures and lead through even unto God, to whom no one rightly enters except through the Crucified. For he that entereth not by the door, but climbeth up another way, the same is a thief and a robber8. But if any man shall have entered in by this door, he shall go in, and go out, and shall find pastures. Wherefore John says in the Apocalypse: Blessed are they that wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb, that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city; as though he should say that one cannot enter the supernal Jerusalem by contemplation unless one enter through the blood of the Lamb as through a gate. For a man is in no way disposed to divine contemplations, which lead to mental transports, unless with Daniel he be a man of desires1. Now desires are inflamed in us in a twofold way, namely through the cry of prayer, which makes one roar from the groaning of the heart, and through the flash of speculation, whereby the mind turns itself most directly and most intensely toward the rays of light.

4. Therefore, to the groaning of prayer through Christ crucified, by whose blood we are purged from the filth of vices2, I first of all invite the reader, lest perchance he should believe that reading suffices him without unction, speculation without devotion, investigation without wonder, observation without exultation, industry without piety, knowledge without charity, intelligence without humility, study without divine grace, the mirror without wisdom divinely inspired. — To those, therefore, who are prevented by divine grace, to the humble and pious, to the compunct and devout, to those anointed with the oil of gladness3 and the lovers of divine wisdom, inflamed with desire for her, to those wishing to give themselves free to magnifying God, to admiring him, and even to tasting him, I propose the speculations that follow, intimating that little or nothing is the outward mirror set before us, unless the mirror of our mind have been wiped and polished. Exercise thyself, therefore, O man of God, first upon the sting of conscience that bites back, before thou lift thine eyes to the rays of wisdom gleaming in her mirrors, lest perchance from the very speculation of those rays thou fall into a deeper pit of darkness.

5. Now it has pleased me to divide the treatise4 into seven chapters, prefixing titles for the easier understanding of the things to be said. I ask, therefore, that the intention of the writer be weighed rather than the work, the sense of the words rather than the unpolished speech, truth rather than beauty, the exercising of affection rather than the erudition of the intellect. And that this may be so, the progress of these speculations is not to be run through in a perfunctory manner, but to be ruminated with the utmost slowness.

HERE ENDS THE PROLOGUE.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. 1
    Iac. 1, 17. — Superius pro illuminationes C D E F illustrationes.
    James 1:17. — Above, for illuminationes C D E F have illustrationes.
  2. 2
    Eph. 1, 17. seq. — Seq. locus est Luc. 1, 79; tertius Phil. 4, 7. — Subinde respicitur Ioan. 14, 27: Pacem relinquo vobis, pacem meam do vobis etc.
    Ephesians 1:17 f. — The following place is Luke 1:79; the third, Philippians 4:7. — Thereupon reference is made to John 14:27: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, etc.
  3. 3
    Cfr. Vitae primae S. Franc. pars I, a Thoma de Celano, c. 10; Legenda trium sociorum, c. 8. et Legenda S. Francisci a Bonav. scripta, c. 3.
    Cf. the First Life of St. Francis, part I, by Thomas of Celano, ch. 10; the Legend of the Three Companions, ch. 8; and the Legend of St. Francis written by Bonaventure, ch. 3.
  4. 4
    Psalm. 119, 7. et Ps. 121, 6. — Seq. locus est Ps. 75, 3.
    Psalm 119:7 and Ps. 121:6. — The following place is Ps. 75:3.
  5. 5
    Scilicet 1259. — Ed. 1 anno 32. Edd. post Beati ipsius transitum, codd. refragantibus (verba: circa... transitum, qui fuit 4. Octob. 1226, determinant tempus autumni). Inferius pro locum quietum [D G K L quietis] A substituit montem quietum.
    That is, 1259. — Edition 1 has in the year 32. The editions have after the passing of the Blessed one himself, the codices standing against them (the words circa... transitum — that passing fell on October 4, 1226 — fix the season as autumn). Below, for locum quietum [D G K L quietis] A substitutes montem quietum.
  6. 6
    Cfr. Vitae primae S. Franc., pars II. c. 3; Legenda trium sociorum, c. 17. et Legenda S. Francisci a Bonav. scripta, c. 13, ubi etiam insinuatur, quod visio haec et stigmatizatio Francisci fuerit biennio ante ipsius mortem, scil. anno 1224. — De Seraph alato cfr. Isai. 6, 2. — Mox post In cuius A C addunt rei, qui etiam inferius cum 1, 2 venitur pro pervenitur.
    Cf. the First Life of St. Francis, part II, ch. 3; the Legend of the Three Companions, ch. 17; and the Legend of St. Francis written by Bonaventure, ch. 13, where it is also intimated that this vision and the stigmatization of Francis took place two years before his death, namely in the year 1224. — On the winged Seraph cf. Isaiah 6:2. — Soon after In cuius A C add rei; the same, along with editions 1 and 2, also have venitur for pervenitur below.
  7. 7
    Epist. II. Cor. 12, 2. (A B D E F M omittunt tertium). — Seq. locus est Gal. 2, 19. seq. — Superius post ut transeat D F H K L M N addunt ex hoc mundo (Ioan. 13, 1.).
    Second Epistle to the Corinthians 12:2. (A B D E F M omit tertium.) — The following place is Galatians 2:19 f. — Above, after ut transeat D F H K L M N add ex hoc mundo (John 13:1).
  8. 8
    Ioan. 10, 1. Edd. post ostium addunt in ovile, cui Vulgata subnectit ovium. — Seq. locus est ibid. v. 9; tertius est Apoc. 22, 14. Pro ingrediantur civitatem Vulgata intrent in civitatem.
    John 10:1. After ostium the editions add in ovile, to which the Vulgate subjoins ovium. — The following place is ibid., v. 9; the third is Apocalypse 22:14. For ingrediantur civitatem the Vulgate has intrent in civitatem.
  9. 1
    Dan. 9, 23. — Inferius respicitur Ps. 37, 9: Rugiebam a gemitu cordis mei. — Superius pro Non enim dispositus est [K L N disponitur] H Nullus enim potest disponi.
    Daniel 9:23. — Below, reference is made to Psalm 37:9: I roared with the groaning of my heart. — Above, for Non enim dispositus est [K L N disponitur] H has Nullus enim potest disponi.
  10. 2
    Hebr. 1, 3, dicitur « purgationem peccatorum faciens ». I. Ioan. 2, 20. et 27, ubi insinuatur, quod unctio divina docet de omnibus.
    Hebrews 1:3, where it is said, « making purgation of sins ». 1 John 2:20 and 27, where it is intimated that the divine unction teaches concerning all things.
  11. 3
    Psalm. 44, 8. — Edd. divinae laetitiae, quae etiam post pauca pro admirandum substituunt amandum. Inferius pro nihil est 1 nihil prodest, et pro remordentem G K L M N remordentis.
    Psalm 44:8. — The editions have divinae laetitiae; the same shortly after substitute amandum for admirandum. Below, for nihil est edition 1 has nihil prodest, and for remordentem G K L M N have remordentis.
  12. 4
    E P tractatulum. Inferius voci venustas edd. praefigunt sermonum.
    E P have tractatulum. Below, the editions prefix sermonum to the word venustas. ---
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