Alfonsi: PETRI ALFONSI DISCIPLINA CLERICALIS

Dixit Petrus Alfunsus, servus Christi Ihesu, compositor huius libri: Gratias ago Deo, qui primus est sine principio, a quo bonorum omnium estprincipium, finis sine fine, totius boni complementum, sapiens qui sapientiamet rationem præbet homini, qui nos sua aspiravit sapientia et suaerationis admirabili illustravit claritate et multiformi sancti spiritussui ditavit gratia. Quia igitur me licet peccatorem Deus multimoda vestiredignatus est sapientia, ne lucerna mihi credita sub modio tecta lateat, eodem spiritu instigante ad multorum utilitatem hunc librum componere admonitussum, ipsum obsecrans ut huic mei libelli principio bonum finem adiungatmeque custodiat, ne quid in eo dicatur quod suae displiceat voluntati. Amen.

Said Peter Alfonsus, servant of Christ Jesus, the composer of this book: I give thanks to God, who is first without beginning, from whom is the beginning of all good things, the end without end, the complement of all good, wise, who offers wisdom and reason to man, who has inspired us with his wisdom and has illuminated us by the admirable clarity of his reason and has enriched us with the multiform grace of his Holy Spirit. Since therefore God has deigned to clothe me, though a sinner, with manifold wisdom, lest the lamp entrusted to me lie hidden under a bushel, with the same Spirit instigating me I have been admonished to compose this book for the benefit of many, beseeching him that he may join a good end to the beginning of this little book of mine and may guard me, lest anything be said in it that may displease his will. Amen.

Deus igitur in hoc opusculo mihi sit in auxilium, qui me librum hunccomponere et in latinum transferre compulit. Cum enim apud me saepius retractandohumanae causas creationis omnimodo scire laborarem, humanum quidem ingeniuminveni ex praecepto conditoris ad hoc esse deputatum, ut quamdiu est insaeculo in sanctae studeat exercitatione philosophiae, qua de creatoresuo meliorem et maiorem habeat notitiam, et moderata vivere studeat continentiaet ab imminentibus sciat sibi praecavere adversitatibus eoque tramite gradiaturin saeculo, qui eum ducat ad regna caelorum. Quodsi in praefata sanctaedisciplinae norma vixerit, hoc quidem pro quo creatus est complevit debetqueperfectus appellari.

Therefore may God be my help in this little work, who compelled me to compose this book and to transfer it into Latin. Since indeed, by reconsidering again and again with myself, I was laboring to know in every way the causes of the creation of man, I found the human ingenium (ingenuity) to be deputed by the precept of the Founder to this: that, so long as it is in the world, it should apply itself to the holy exercise of philosophy, by which it may have a better and greater knowledge of its Creator, and strive to live with moderated continence and know how to guard itself against imminent adversities, and to walk by that path in the world which may lead him to the kingdoms of heaven. But if he shall have lived according to the norm of the aforesaid holy discipline, he has indeed fulfilled that for which he was created and ought to be called perfect.

Fragilem etiam hominis esse consideravi complexionem: quae ne taedium incurrat, [p. 2] quasi provehendo paucis et paucis instruendaest; duritiae quoque eius recordatus, ut facilius retineat, quodammodonecessario mollienda et dulcificanda est; quia et obliviosa est, multisindiget quae oblitorum faciant recordari. Propterea ergo libellum compegi, partim ex proverbiis philosophorum et suis castigationibus, partim ex proverbiiset castigationibus Arabicis et fabulis et versibus, partim ex animaliumet volucrum similitudinibus. Modum tamen consideravi, ne si plura necessariisscripserim, scripta oneri potius sint lectori quam subsidia, ut legentibuset audientibus sint desiderium et occasio ediscendi.

I have also considered the human complexion to be fragile: lest it incur tedium, [p. 2] it must, as it were, be instructed by carrying it forward little by little; and remembering its hardness as well, in order that it may more easily retain, it must in a certain manner necessarily be softened and sweetened; because it is forgetful too, it needs many things which make those who have forgotten recall. For this reason, therefore, I have compiled a little book, partly from the proverbs of the philosophers and their castigations, partly from Arabic proverbs and castigations and fables and verses, partly from the similitudes of animals and birds. Yet I have considered the measure, lest, if I should write more things than are necessary, the writings be rather a burden to the reader than aids, so that for readers and hearers they may be a desire and an occasion for learning by heart.

Scientes vero perea quae hic continentur, oblitorum reminiscantur. Huic libello nomen iniungenset est nomen ex re: id est Clericalis Disciplina; reddit enim clericumdisciplinatum. Vitandum tamen decrevi pro possibilitate sensus mei, nequid in nostro tractatu inveniatur quod nostrae credulitati sit contrariumvel a nostra fide diversum.

Indeed, through the things that are contained here, let those who know recall the things forgotten. Assigning to this little book a name—and it is a name from the thing itself: that is, Clerical Discipline; for it renders the cleric disciplined. I have determined, however, to avoid, according to the capacity of my understanding, lest anything be found in our treatise that is contrary to our belief or diverse from our faith.

Ad quod adiuvet me omnipotens Deus cui supernitor. Amen.

For which may the almighty God help me, on whom I lean. Amen.

Si quis tamen hoc opusculum humano et exteriori oculo percurrerit etquid in eo quod humana parum cavit natura viderit, subtiliori oculo iterumet iterum relegere moneo et demum ipsi et omnibus catholicae fidei perfectiscorrigendum appono. Nihil enim in humanis inventionibus perfectum putatphilosophus.

If anyone, however, shall run through this opuscule with a human and exterior eye, and shall have seen something in it which human nature has scarcely guarded against, I advise him to re-read again and again with a subtler eye, and at last I submit it to himself and to all perfected in the catholic faith for correction. For the philosopher deems nothing perfect in human inventions.

De timore Dei.

On the fear of God.

Enoch philosophus, qui lingua arabica cognominatur Edric, dixit filiosuo: Timor Domini sit negotiatio tua, et veniet tibi lucrum sine labore.

Enoch the philosopher, who in the Arabic tongue is surnamed Edric, said to his son: Let the Fear of the Lord be your trade, and profit will come to you without labor.

Dixit alius philosophus: Qui timet Deum, omnia timent eum; qui veronon timet Deum, timet omnia.

Another philosopher said: He who fears God, all things fear him; but he who does not fear God, fears all things.

Dixit alius philosophus: Qui timet Deum, diligit Deum; qui diligit Deum, obedit Deo.

Said another philosopher: He who fears God, loves God; he who loves God, obeys God.

Dixit Arabs in versu suo: Inobediens es Deo: simulas tamen te eum amare, et incredibile est; si enim vere amares, obedires ei. Nam qui amat, obedit.

An Arab said in his verse: You are disobedient to God: yet you simulate that you love him, and it is incredible; for if you truly loved, you would obey him. For he who loves, obeys.

De ypocrisi.

On hypocrisy.

Dixit Socrates discipulis suis: Videte ne sitis Deo obedientes et inobedientesin eodem. Dicunt ei: Enuclea nobis quod dicis. Qui ait: Dimittite ypocrisim!Est enim ypocrisis coram hominibus simulare se obedire Deo, in occultovero inobedientem esse.

Socrates said to his disciples: See that you not be to God obedient and inobedient at the same time. They say to him: Elucidate for us what you say. He said: Put away hypocrisy! For hypocrisy is, before men, to simulate obeying God, but in secret to be inobedient.

Dicit ei unus ex discipulis: Estne aliud genusypocrisis, unde homini cavendum sit? Dicit Socrates: Est homo qui in apertoet in occulto obedire se Deo ostendit, ut sanctus ab hominibus habeatur[p. 3] et ab eis ideo plus honoretur. Est alius isto subtilior, qui hancrelinquit ypocrisim, ut maiori deserviat: Cum enim ieiunat vel elemosinamfacit et ab eo quaeritur si fecerit, respondet: Deus scit!

One of the disciples says to him: Is there another kind of hypocrisy, from which a man ought to beware? Socrates says: There is a man who shows himself to obey God both in the open and in secret, in order to be held holy by men [p. 3] and for that reason to be honored more by them. There is another, subtler than this one, who leaves this hypocrisy so that he may serve a greater: for when he fasts or gives alms and is asked whether he has done it, he replies: God knows!

vel: non, utin maiori reverentia habeatur et dicatur quia ypocrita non est qui hominibusfactum suum nolit propalari. Credo etiam paucos esse qui aliquo huius ypocrisisgenere non participent. Videte igitur ne hac seducti laboris vestri praemioprivemini!

or: no, in order that he may be held in greater reverence and it may be said that he is not a hypocrite who is unwilling to have his deed divulged to men. I believe also that there are few who do not participate in some kind of this hypocrisy. See therefore lest, seduced by this, you be deprived of the reward of your labor!

Quod ne contingat, omnia facite munda intentione; ne inde gloriamhabere quaeratis!

Lest that should happen, do all things with clean intention; do not seek to have glory from it!

Dicit alius philosophus: Si Deo firmiter inniteris, omnia erunt prosperaquocumque ieris.

Another philosopher says: If you lean firmly on God, all things will be prosperous wherever you go.

De formica. De gallo. De cane.

On the ant. On the cock. On the dog.

Balaam, qui lingua arabica vocatur Lucaman, dixit filio suo: Fili, nesit formica sapientior te, quae congregat in aestate unde vivat in hyeme. --Fili, ne sit gallus vigilantior te, qui in matutinis vigilat, et tu dormis. --Fili, ne sit gallus fortior te, qui iustificat decem uxores suas, tusolam castigare non potes.

Balaam, who in the Arabic tongue is called Lucaman, said to his son: Son, let not the ant be wiser than you, which gathers in summer whence it may live in winter. --Son, let not the rooster be more vigilant than you, who keeps watch in the matutinal hours, while you sleep. --Son, let not the rooster be stronger than you, who justifies his ten wives, while you cannot chastise a single one.

--Fili, ne sit canis corde nobilior te, quibenefactorum suorum non obliviscitur, tu autem benefactorum tuorum oblivisceris. --Fili, ne videatur tibi parum unum habere inimicum vel nimium mille habereamicos. Dico tibi:

--Son, let not a dog be nobler in heart than you, who does not forget his benefactors, but you, however, forget your benefactors. --Son, let it not seem to you too little to have one enemy or too much to have a thousand friends. I tell you:

I. Exemplum de dimidio amico.

1. Example of a half-friend.

Arabs moriturus vocato filio suo dixit: Dic, fili, quot tibi, dum vixi, adquisieris amicos! Respondens filius dixit: Centum, ut arbitror, mihiadquisivi amicos. Dixit pater: Philosophus dicit: Ne laudes amicum, donecprobaveris eum!

An Arab, about to die, having called his son, said: Say, son, how many friends you, while I lived, have acquired! The son answering said: A hundred, as I suppose, I have acquired friends for myself. The father said: The Philosopher says: Do not praise a friend, until you have proved him!

Ego quidem prior natus sum et unius dimidietatem vix mihiadquisivi. Tu ergo centum quomodo tibi adquisisti? Vade igitur probareomnes, ut cognoscas si quis omnium tibi perfectus erit amicus!

I indeed was born earlier, and scarcely acquired for myself the half of one. You, then—how did you acquire a hundred for yourself? Go therefore to test them all, so that you may know whether anyone among them will be a perfect friend to you!

Dixit filius: Quomodo probare consulis? Dixit pater: Vitulum interfectum et frustatimcomminutum in sacco repone, ita ut saccus forinsecus sanguine infectussit. Et cum ad amicum veneris, dic ei: Hominem, care mi, forte interfeci;rogo te, ut eum secreto sepelias; nemo enim te suspectum habebit, sicqueme salvare poteris.

The son said: How do you counsel to test? The father said: Slay a calf and, chopped into pieces, place it in a sack, such that the sack be stained with blood on the outside. And when you shall have come to a friend, say to him: A man, my dear, by chance I have killed;I ask you to bury him secretly; for no one will consider you suspect, and thus you will be able to save me.

Fecit filius sicut pater imperavit. Primus autem amicusad quem venit dixit ei: Fer tecum mortuum super collum tuum! Sicut fecistimalum, patere satisfactionem!

The son did as the father commanded. But the first friend to whom he came said to him: “Carry the dead man with you upon your neck! Just as you did the evil, endure the satisfaction!”

In domum meam non introibis. Cum autem persingulos sic fecisset, eodem [p. 4] responso ei omnes responderunt. Adpatrem ergo rediens nuntiavit quae fecerat.

You will not enter my house. But when he had done thus with each one, all answered him with the same [p. 4] response. Therefore returning to his father, he announced what he had done.

Dixit pater: Contigit tibiquod dixit philosophus: Multi sunt dum numerantur amici, sed in necessitatepauci. Vade ad dimidium amicum meum quem habeo et vide, quid dicat tibi!Venit et sicut aliis dixerat huic ait. Qui dixit: Intra domum!

The father said: It chanced to youwhat the philosopher said: Many are friends while they are being numbered, but in necessityfew. Go to my half-friend whom I have and see, what he says to you!He came and, just as he had said to the others, he said to this one. He said: Enter the house!

Non esthoc secretum quod vicinis debeat propalari. Emissa ergo uxore cum omnifamilia sua sepulturam fodit. Cum autem ille omnia parata videret, remprout erat disseruit gratias agens.

This is not a secret that ought to be made public to the neighbors. Therefore, with his wife sent out together with all his whole household, he dug a grave for the sepulture. But when he saw that everything was prepared, he set forth the matter as it was, giving thanks.

Deinde patri retulit quae fecerat. Pater vero ait: Pro tali amico dicit philosophus: Hic est vere amicus quite adiuvat, cum saeculum tibi deficit. Dixit filius ad patrem: Vidistihominem qui integrum sibi amicum lucratus fuerit?

Then he reported to his father what he had done. But the father said: For such a friend the philosopher says: This is truly a friend who aids you, when the age fails you. The son said to the father: Have you seen seea man who has acquired for himself an integral friend?

Tunc pater: Non vidiquidem, sed audivi. Tunc filius: Renuntia mihi de eo, si forte talem mihiadquisiero! At pater:

Then the father: I have indeed not seen, but I have heard. Then the son: Report to me about him, if by chance I shall have acquired such a one for myself! But the father:

II. Exemplum de integro amico.

2. Example of a true friend.

Relatum est mihi de duobus negotiatoribus, quorum unus erat in Aegypto, alter Baldach, seque solo auditu cognoverant et per internuntios pro sibinecessariis mittebant. Contigit autem ut qui erat Baldach, in negotiationemiret in Aegyptum. Aegyptiacus audito eius adventu occurrit ei et suscepiteum gaudens in domum suam et in omnibus ei servivit sicut mos est amicorumper octo dies et ostendit ei omnes manerias cantus quas habebat in domosua.

It was reported to me about two merchants, of whom one was in Egypt, the other in Baghdad, and they had come to know one another by hearing alone and through intermediaries they used to send to each other for the things they needed. It happened, moreover, that the one who was in Baghdad, went for trade into Egypt. The Egyptian, on hearing of his arrival, went out to meet him and gladly received him into his house, and in all things served him, as is the custom of friends, for eight days, and he showed him all the kinds of songs he had in his house.

Finitis octo diebus infirmatus est. Quod valde graviter dominus deamico suo ferens ascivit omnes medicos Aegyptiacos, ut amicum hospitemviderent. Medici vero palpato pulsu, iterum et iterum urina respecta, nullamin eo agnoverunt infirmitatem.

When the eight days were finished, he was made infirm. Which the master, taking very grievously on account of his friend, summoned all the Egyptian physicians, that they might see his guest‑friend. The physicians, however, after the pulse had been palpated and the urine inspected again and again, acknowledged no infirmity in him.

Et quia per hoc nullam corporalem agnovereinfirmitatem, amoris sciunt esse passionem. Hoc agnito dominus venit adeum et quaesivit si qua esset mulier in domo sua quam diligeret. Ad haecaeger: Ostende mihi omnes domus tuae mulieres, et si forte inter eas hancvidero, tibi ostendam.

And because through this they recognized no corporal infirmity, they know it to be a passion of love. This being recognized, the master came to him and inquired whether there were any woman in his house whom he loved. To this, the sick man: Show me all the women of your house, and if by chance among them I shall have seen her, I will point her out to you.

Quo audito ostendit ei cantatrices et pedissequas: quarum nulla ei complacuit. Post haec ostendit ei omnes filias: has quoquesicut et priores omnino reppulit atque neglexit. Habebat autem dominusquandam nobilem puellam in domo sua, quam iam diu educaverat, ut eam acciperetin uxorem; quam et ostendit ei. Aeger vero aspecta hac ait: [p. 5] Ex hacest mihi mors et in hac est mihi vita!

When this was heard he showed him the songstresses and the attendants: of whom none pleased him. After these things he showed him all the daughters: these also, just as the former, he utterly repelled and neglected. But the lord had a certain noble girl in his house, whom he had long since educated, that he might take her as wife; and he showed her to him as well. But the sick man, this one having been beheld, said: [p. 5] From her is my death, and in her is my life!

Quo audito dedit ei puellam nobilemin uxorem cum omnibus quae erat cum ea accepturus. Et preterea dedit eiea quae erat daturus puellae, si eam acciperet in uxorem. His completis, accepta uxore cum his quae cum uxore acceperat et negotiatione facta rediitin patriam.

Upon hearing this, he gave him the noble girl in marriage, with all the things which he was going to receive with her. And moreover he gave him those things which he was going to give to the girl, if he should take her as a wife. These things completed, his wife having been received, with those things which he had received with his wife, and the negotiation having been done, he returned into his fatherland.

--Contigit autem post haec ut Aegyptiacus omnia sua multismodis amitteret, et pauper effectus cogitavit apud se quod iret Baldachad amicum quem ibi habebat, ut sui misereretur. Iter ergo nudus et famelicusarripuit atque Baldach intempestae noctis silentio pervenit. Pudor autemei obstabat ne domum amici adiret, ne forte incognitus tali tempore domoexpelleretur.

--It befell, however, after these things that the Egyptian lost all his belongings in many ways, and, made poor, he considered with himself that he would go to Baldach to the friend whom he had there, that he might take pity on him. Therefore, naked and famished, he set out on the journey and reached Baldach in the silence of the dead of night. But shame hindered him from going to the house of his friend, lest perhaps, unknown, at such a time he be driven from the house.

Templum ergo quoddam antiquum intravit ut ibidem pernoctaret. Sed cum ibi anxius multa secum diu volveret, occurrerunt sibi duo viriprope templum in civitate, quorum unus alium interfecit clamque aufugit. Multi ergo cives pro strepitu decurrentes interfectum repperierunt, etquaerentes quisnam homicidium perpetrasset, intraverunt templum speranteshomicidam ibidem reperire.

Therefore he entered a certain ancient temple so that he might spend the night there. But while there, anxious, he long turned many things over with himself, there encountered one another near the temple in the city two men, of whom one killed the other and clandestinely fled. Many citizens therefore, running up at the noise, found the slain man, and, inquiring who had perpetrated the homicide, entered the temple, hoping to find the murderer there.

Aegyptiacum vero illic reperierunt et sciscitantesab eo quisnam virum interfecisset, audierunt ab ipso quia ego illum interfeci. Paupertatem enim suam morte saltem finire vehementer cupiebat. Captus itaqueet incarceratus est.

But they found the Egyptian there, and, inquiring from him who had killed the man, they heard from him himself: “I killed him.” For he greatly desired at least to end his poverty by death. Therefore he was seized and incarcerated.

Mane autem facto producitur ante iudices et mortecondempnatus ducitur ad crucem. Multi vero de more accurrerunt, quorumunus fuit amicus eius cuius causa Baldach adierat. Qui acutius eum intuensdeprehendit esse amicum quem in Aegypto reliquerat.

At daybreak, however, he is brought before the judges and, condemned to death, is led to the cross. Many indeed ran up according to custom, of whom one was the friend for whose sake he had gone to Baldach. He, looking at him more keenly, recognized him as the friend whom he had left in Egypt.

Reminiscens itaquebonorum quae sibi in Aegypto fecerat, cogitans etiam quia post mortem retribuereilli non poterat, mortem pro ipso subire se decrevit. Voce igitur magnaexclamavit: Quid innocentem condempnatis quove eum ducitis? Non mortemmeruit, ego virum interfeci.

Remembering therefore the good things which he had done for him in Egypt, considering also that after death he could not repay him, he resolved to undergo death on his behalf. Therefore with a loud voice he exclaimed: Why do you condemn the innocent man, or where are you leading him? He has not merited death, I killed the man.

At illi iniecerunt manus in eum atque ligatumsecum ad crucem traxerunt aliumque a poena mortis absolverunt. Homicidavero in eodem agmine haec intuens gradiebatur atque secum ait: Hunc interfeciet iste dampnatur! Hic innocens supplicio deputatur, ego nocens libertatefruor!

But they laid hands on him and, bound, dragged him with them to the cross, and they absolved another from the penalty of death. The homicide, however, in the same column, watching these things, was walking and said to himself: This man is the one he killed, and that one is condemned! This innocent man is assigned to punishment, I, the nocent, enjoy liberty!

Quaenam causa est huius iniusticiae? Nescio nisi sola sit Dei patientia. Verum Deus, iudex iustus, impunitum scelus nullum dimittit.

What is the cause of this injustice? I do not know unless it be only the patience of God. But God, a just judge, lets no crime go unpunished.

Ne igitur posteriusin me durius vindicet, huius me prodam criminis esse reum; sicque eos amorte absolvendo [p. 6] quod commisi luam peccatum. Obiecit se ergo periculodicens: Me me qui feci; istum dimittite innoxium! Iudices autem non parumadmirantes hunc alio a morte absoluto ligaverunt.

Therefore, lest later he avenge more harshly upon me, I will betray myself to be guilty of this crime; and thus by absolving them amorte [p. 6] I will atone for the sin which I committed. He therefore threw himself into perilodicens: Me me qui feci; istum dimittite innoxium! The judges, however, not a littleadmiring, bound this man, the other having been absolved from death.

Iamque de iudicio dubitanteshunc cum reliquis prius liberatis ante regem duxerunt eique omnia ex ordinereferentes ipsum etiam haesitare compulerunt. Communi itaque consilio rexeis omne crimen quod sibi imposuerant condonavit, eo tamen pacto ut criminissibi impositi causas patefacerent. At illi rei veritatem ei exposuerunt.

And now, doubting about the judgment, they led this man, together with the others previously freed, before the king; and, reporting everything to him in order, they even compelled him himself to hesitate. Therefore, by common counsel, the king condoned to them every crime which they had imposed upon themselves, on this condition, however, that they disclose the causes of the crime laid upon themselves. But they set forth to him the truth of the matter.

Communi autem consensu omnibus absolutis indigena qui pro amico suo moridecreverat ipsum in domum suam introduxit eique omni honore pro ritu factoinquit: Si mecum manere adquiescis, omnia nobis prout decet erunt communia;si vero repatriare volueris, quae mea sunt aequa lance partiamur. At illenatalis soli dulcedine irretitus partem totius substantiae quam ei obtuleratrecepit sicque repatriavit. --His itaque sic relatis inquit filius ad patrem: Vix poterit talis reperiri amicus.

By common consent, with all acquitted, the native who had decreed to die for his friend led him into his house, and, with every honor performed according to rite, said: If you acquiesce to remain with me, all things will be common between us as is fitting;si indeed you should wish to repatriate, what is mine let us divide with an equal scale. But he, ensnared by the sweetness of his natal soil, received a part of the whole substance which he had offered to him, and thus repatriated. --These things thus related, the son said to the father: Scarcely could such a friend be found.

De consilio.

On counsel.

Dixit alius philosophus propter amicos non probatos: Provide tibi semelde inimicis et milies de amicis, quia forsitan quandoque amicus fiet inimicuset sic levius poterit perquirere dampnum tuum.

Another philosopher said, on account of friends not proved: Provide for yourself once concerning enemies and a thousand times concerning friends, because perhaps someday a friend will become an enemy, and thus he will be able more readily to seek out your damage.

Item alius philosophus: Cave tibi de consilio illius a quo petis consilium, nisi tibi sit fidelis comprobatus.

Likewise another philosopher: Beware for yourself of the counsel of him from whom you seek counsel, unless he has been proved faithful to you.

Item alius philosophus: Consule amico tuo in bonum quantum poteris, etsi tibi credere noluerit. Iustum est enim ut sibi bene consulas, licetrectum ut insulsus tuum non sequatur consilium.

Likewise another philosopher: Counsel your friend for his good as much as you can, even if he is unwilling to credit you. For it is just that you counsel him well, although it is right that the fool should not follow your counsel.

Alius: Noli consilium tuum omni revelare homini. Qui enim consiliumsuum in corde suo retinet, sui iuris est melius eligere.

Another: Do not reveal your counsel to every man. For he who retains his counsel in his heart, is of his own right to choose better.

Alius: Consilium absconditum quasi in carcere tuo est reclusum, revelatumvero te in carcere suo tenet ligatum.

Another: A hidden counsel is shut up as if in your prison, but, once revealed, it holds you bound in its prison.

Alius: Ne te associaveris inimicis tuis, cum alios possis reperire socios. Quae enim male egeris, notabunt; quae vero bona fuerint, devitabunt.

Another: Do not associate yourself with your enemies, when you can find other associates. For the things you have done badly, they will mark; but the things that will have been good, they will shun.

[p. 7] Dixit quidam versificator: Est una de huius saeculi adversitatibusgravioribus libero homini quod necessitate cogitur ut sibi subveniat requirereinimicum. Quaesivit quidam a quodam Arabe: Quae maior adversitas contigittibi in hoc saeculo? Arabs: Necessitas compulit me convenire inimicum, ut quae volebam mihi concederet.

[p. 7] A certain versifier said: There is among the graver adversities of this age for a free man, that by necessity he is compelled to seek out an enemy to succor him. A certain man asked a certain Arab: What greater adversity has befallen you in this age? Arab: Necessity compelled me to meet with an enemy, so that he might grant to me the things I wanted.

De leccatore.

On the bootlicker.

Alius: Ne te associaveris leccatori, cuius societas est tibi dedecus.

Another: Do not associate yourself with a toady, whose society is a disgrace to you.

Alius: Ne glorieris in laude leccatoris, cuius laus est tibi vituperiumet vituperium laus. --Quidam philosophus transiens per viam alium repperitphilosophum cum quodam leccatore iocantem atque ait: Simile sibi simileattrahere adamantis est. At ille inquit: Nunquam me sibi adiunxi.

Another: Do not glory in the praise of a flatterer, whose praise is for you vituperation and vituperation praise. --A certain philosopher, passing along the way, found another philosopher joking with a certain flatterer and said: Like draws like; it is the property of the adamant to attract the like to itself. But he said: I have never joined myself to him.

Ad haectransiens: Cur ergo ei applaudebas? At ille: Non, sed magna necessitatecogitur etiam honestus homo latrinam adire.

To this, the passer-by: Why then were you applauding him? But he: No, but by great necessity even an honest man is compelled to go to the latrine.

De sapientia.

On wisdom.

Alius philosophus: Fili, grave est arduas ascendere mansiones, et abeisdem descendere facile est.

Another philosopher: Son, it is burdensome to ascend arduous mansions, and from the same to descend is easy.

Alius philosophus: Melior est inimicitia sapientis quam amicitia insipientis.

Another philosopher: The enmity of the wise man is better than the friendship of the insipient.

Alius philosophus: Non habeas pro magno amicitiam stulti, quia non estpermanens.

Another philosopher: Do not hold as great the friendship of a fool, because it is not permanent.

Alius philosophus: Melior est societas simplicis inter sapientes nutritiquam prudentis cum leccatoribus educati.

Another philosopher: Better is the society of a simple man, nurtured among the wise, than that of a prudent man, educated with gluttons.

Alius philosophus: Dulcior est sapienti aspera vita inter sapientesquam dulcis vita inter insipientes.

Another philosopher: Sweeter to the sapient is a rough life among sapients than a sweet life among insipients.

Alius philosophus: Sapientiae duae sunt species: una naturalis, aliaartificialis; quarum una non potest manere sine alia.

Another philosopher: There are two species of wisdom: one natural, anotherartificial; of which the one cannot remain without the other.

Alius: Ne committas stultis sapientiam quia eis esset iniuriosum; nequesapientibus eam deneges, quia quod suum est eis auferres.

Another: Do not commit wisdom to fools, because it would be injurious to them; nor deny it to the wise, because you would take from them what is theirs.

Alius: Huius mundi dona diversa sunt: quibusdam enim datur rerum possessio, quibusdam sapientia. Quidam loquens filio inquit: Quid malles tibi dari, an censum an sapientiam? Cui filius: Horum quodlibet alio indiget.

Another: The gifts of this world are diverse: to some indeed possession of things is given, to others wisdom. A certain man, speaking to his son, said: What would you prefer to be given to you, wealth or wisdom? To this the son: Either of these needs the other.

--Fuitquidam versificator egregius, sed egenus et mendicus, semper de paupertatesua amicis conquerens, de qua etiam versus composuit talem sensum exprimentes: Tu qui partiris partes monstra mea cur mihi desit! Culpandus non es, seddic mihi: quem culpabo? Nam si constellatio mea est mihi dura, a te quoqueid factum esse indubitabile est.

--There was a certain excellent versifier, but indigent and a beggar, always complaining to his friends about his poverty, about which he also composed verses expressing such a sense: You who apportion portions, show why my share is lacking to me! You are not to be blamed, but tell me: whom shall I blame? For if my constellation is harsh to me, it is indubitable that this too has been done by you.

Sed inter me et ipsam tu orator et iudexes. Tu dedisti mihi sapientiam sine substantia. Dic ergo mihi: quid facietsapientia sine substantia?

But between me and her, you are orator and judge. You have given me wisdom without substance. Tell me, therefore: what will wisdom do without substance?

[p. 8] Accipe partem sapientiae et da mihi partempecuniae! Ne patiaris me illo indigere cuius damnum erit mihi pudori!

[p. 8] Accept a portion of wisdom and give me a portion of money! Do not allow me to be in need of that whose loss will be to my shame!

Dixit quidam philosophus: Tribus modis indiget unus alio: Cuicumquebenefeceris, in eo maior eo eris; quo non indigueris, par ipsius eris;quo vero indigueris, minor eo eris.

A certain philosopher said: In three ways one needs another: Whomsoever you have benefited, in that you will be greater than him; the one whom you have not needed, you will be on a par with him;but the one whom you have needed, you will be less than him.

Alius: Claritas anime sapientia est, census vero claritas corporis est.

Another: The clarity of the soul is wisdom, but wealth is the clarity of the body.

Alius: Sapientia corpora mortua sua claritate vivificat, velut terraarida humiditate pluviae virescit.

Another: Sapience vivifies dead bodies by its own clarity, just as arid earth becomes verdant by the humidity of rain.

De silentio.

On silence.

Discipulus magistro: Quomodo habendo me inter sapientes discipulos computabor?Magister: Serva silentium, donec sit tibi loqui necessarium. Ait enim philosophus: Silentium est signum sapientiae, et loquacitas est signum stultitiae. ÒAlius: Ne festines respondere donec fuerit finis interrogationis, nec quaestionemin conventu factam solvere temptes, cum sapientiorem te ibi esse prospexeris, nec quaestioni alii cuiquam factae respondeas, nec laudem appetas pro retibi incognita.

The disciple to the master: How, by conducting myself, shall I be computed among the wise?The master: Keep silence, until it is necessary for you to speak. For the philosopher says: Silence is a sign of sapience, and loquacity is a sign of stupidity. ÒAnother: Do not hasten to respond until there has been an end of the interrogation, nor attempt to solve a question made in an assembly, when you have perceived there to be someone wiser than yourself there; nor answer a question put to any other person, nor seek praise for a thing unknown to you.

Philosophus enim dicit: Qui de re sibi ignota laudem appetit, illum mendacem probatio reddit. --Alius: Adquiesce veritati sive a te prolataesive tibi obiectae. --Alius: Ne glorieris in sapientibus verbis tuis, quiaprout philosophus testatur: Qui in suis verbis sapientibus gloriatur, stultusesse comprobatur.

For the philosopher says: He who seeks praise concerning a matter unknown to himself, proof renders that man mendacious. --Another: Acquiesce in the truth, whether brought forth by you or set before you. --Another: Do not glory in your wise words, since, as the philosopher attests: He who glories in his own wise words is proved to be a fool.

--Haec omnia faciens connumeraberis inter discipulossapienciae atque prudentiae.

--Doing all these things, you will be counted among the disciples of sapience and prudence.

Philosophus dicit: Qui prudenter inquirere voluerit solutionem prudenterintelliget.

The Philosopher says: Whoever wishes to inquire prudently will prudently understand the solution.

Alius: Quicumque erubuerit sapientiam ab aliis investigare, magis erubesceteandem a semetipso inquiri.

Another: Whoever would blush to investigate wisdom from others, let him blush more that the same be inquired by himself.

Alius: Qui brevi tempore pro pudore disciplinam non patitur, omni temporein pudore insipientiae permanebit.

Another: He who for a short time, for shame, does not endure discipline, will remain for all timein the shame of insipience.

Alius: Non omnis qui sapiens dicitur sapiens est, sed qui discit etretinet sapientiam.

Another: Not everyone who is called wise is wise, but he who learns and retains wisdom.

Alius: Qui in doctrina defecerit, parum generositas sua ei proderit. Dogmate indiget nobilitas, sapientia vero experientia.

Another: He who has failed in doctrine, his own nobility will profit him little. Nobility needs dogma, but wisdom indeed [needs] experience.

Alius: In quo sua desinit nobilitas, avorum nobilitatem haut congruereservat.

Another: In whom his own nobility ceases, he does not fittingly preserve the nobility of his ancestors.

Alius: Nobilitas a me procedens est mihi cordi plus quam quae patrumprocedit nobilitate. [p. 9]

Another: The nobility proceeding from me is dearer to my heart than that which proceeds from the fathers’ nobility. [p. 9]

III. Exemplum de tribus versificatoribus.

3. Example of three versifiers.

Arabs: Quidam versificator prudens et facetus, sed ignobilis cuidamregi versus suos obtulit. Cuius notata prudentia rex eum honorifice suscepit. Huic igitur invidebant alii versificatores sua superbi generositate regemqueconvenientes inquiunt: Domine rex, cur hunc tam vili ortum prosapia adeomagnificas?

The Arab: A certain versifier, prudent and facetious, but ignoble, offered his verses to a certain king. Whose prudence having been noted, the king received him honorably. Therefore other versifiers envied him, proud of their own nobility, and, coming to the king, they say: Lord king, why do you so magnify this man sprung from so vile a lineage?

Ad haec rex: Quem vituperare putastis, magis laudastis. Ipsevero qui vituperabatur, haec adiunxit: Rosa ex spinis orta nequaquam blasphematur. Rex autem maximis honoratum muneribus eum dimisit.

To this the king: Whom you thought to vituperate, you have rather lauded. He himself indeed who was being vituperated, added this: A rose sprung from thorns is by no means blasphemed. However, the king dismissed him, honored with very great gifts.

Contigit ut quidam versificator nobili ortus prosapia, parum autem disciplinatusregi cuidam versus suos offerret. Quos acceptos rex male quippe compositossprevit nihilque sibi dedit. Inquit igitur versificator regi: Si non proversibus, saltem pro generositate aliquid mihi tribuas.

It befell that a certain versifier, born of a noble lineage, but little disciplined, offered his own verses to a certain king. The king, having received them, since they were badly composed, spurned them and gave nothing to him. Therefore the versifier said to the king: If not for the verses, at least for nobility of birth, grant me something.

Rex ergo: Quisest pater tuus? At ille sibi indicavit. Ait rex: Semen in te degeneravit.

Therefore the king: Who is your father? And he pointed him out to him. The king said: The seed in you has degenerated.

Cui versificator: Saepe, rex, exfrumento oritur siligo. Ad haec rex: Teminorem quam patrem tuum probasti. Illumque immunem sic dimisit.

To which the versifier: Often, king, from grain there arises fine wheat. To this the king: You have proved yourself lesser than your father. And thus he dismissed him scot-free.

IV. Exemplum De mulo et vulpe.

4. Example Of the mule and the fox.

Alius versificator item venit ad regem, patre ignobili, sed matre generosa. Incompositus quidem incompositos obtulit versus. Cuius mater fratrem habebatlitteratura et facetia splendidum.

Another versifier likewise came to the king, of an ignoble father, but of a noble mother. Uncomposed indeed, he offered uncomposed verses. His mother had a brother splendid in literature and wit.

Rex autem nequaquam eum honorifice suscepit. Quaesivit tamen ab eo, cuius filius erat. At ille praetendit ei avunculumsuum; unde rex in nimium risum se convertit.

The king, however, by no means received him with honor. Nevertheless he inquired of him, whose son he was. But he alleged to him his maternal uncle; whence the king turned to excessive laughter.

Aiunt ei sui familiares: Undeiste tantus risus procedit? Ait rex: Fabulam quandam in libro quodam legeram, quam hic oculis conspicio. At illi: Quae est illa?

His familiars say to him: Whence proceeds this so great laughter? The king says: I had read a certain fable in a certain book, which I behold here with my eyes. But they: Which is that?

Ait rex: Mulum noviternatum vulpis in pascuis invenit atque admirans ait: Quis es tu? Mulus dicitse Dei creaturam esse. Cui vulpis: Habesne patrem aut matrem? Mulus ait: Avunculus meus est equus generosus.

The king says: A fox found a mule newly born in the pastures and, marveling, said: Who are you? The mule says that he is a creature of God. To which the fox: Have you a father or a mother? The mule says: My uncle is a noble horse.

--Sicut ergo mulus non recognovit asinumpatrem suum, eo quod pigrum et deforme animal est, sic iste patrem suumconfiteri erubescebat pro inertia sua incognitum. Rex tunc convertens sead versificatorem ait: Volo ut indices mihi patrem tuum. At ille sibi indicavit.

--Thus therefore the mule did not recognize the ass his father, because it is a sluggish and deformed animal, so this man was blushing to confess his father, unknown on account of his own inertia. The king then, turning himself to the versifier, said: I wish that you point out to me your father. But he pointed him out to him.

Cognovit ergo rex quia pater eius vilis et indisciplinatus erat, et aitservis suis: Demus huic de rebus nostris, quia non degenerat.

Therefore the king recognized that his father was vile and undisciplined, and he said to his servants: Let us give to this man from our goods, because he is not degenerate.

De vera nobilitate.

On true nobility.

Arabs ait patri: Miror me legisse in temporibus praeteritis nobiles, facetos, sapientes honorari, modo vero soli venerantur leccatores. Ad quodpater: Ne mireris, fili, quia clerici clericos, generosi generosos, facetifacetos honorant, leccatores a leccatoribus venerantur. Filius: Vidi etaliud: quod clerici pro sapientia sua non sunt honorati; unde facti suntleccatores et ad magnum venere honorem.

The Arab says to his father: I marvel that I have read in times past that nobles, the witty, the wise to be honored, but now indeed only flatterers are venerated. To which the father: Do not wonder, son, for clerics honor clerics, the well-born honor the well-born, the witty honor the witty, flatterers are venerated by flatterers. The son: I have seen something else as well: that clerics are not honored for their wisdom; whence they have become flatterers and have come to great honor.

Tunc pater ait illi: Hoc quidemex inertia temporis contigit. Ad quod filius: Edissere mihi, pater karissime, veram nobilitatis deffinitionem. Et [p. 10] pater: Ut, inquit, Aristotilesin epistola sua quam Alexandro regi composuit, meminit: qui cum ab eo quaereretquem sibi ex hominibus consilarum faceret, taliter per epistolam respondit: Accipe, ait, talem qui septem liberalibus artibus sit instructus, industriisseptem eruditus, septem etiam probitatibus edoctus, et ego hanc aestimoperfectam esse nobilitatem.

Then the father said to him: This indeed has come to pass from the inertia of the time. To which the son: Expound to me, most dear father, the true definition of nobility. And [p. 10] the father: As, he says, Aristotle in his epistle which he composed to King Alexander, mentions: when he asked him whom from among men he should make his counselor, he replied thus by epistle: Take, he said, such a one as is instructed in the seven liberal arts, educated in seven industries, also taught in seven probities (virtues), and I judge this to be perfect nobility.

--Et filius: Haec nobilitas in tempore meonon contingit, immo auri et argenti tota est quam video nobilitas, ut aitversificator:

--And the son: This nobility does not occur in my time, rather the nobility which I see is wholly of gold and silver, as the versifier says:

Glorificant gazae privatos nobilitate
Paupertasque domum premit altam nobilitate.

Riches glorify private persons with nobility;
Poverty presses a lofty house in its nobility.

Versificator quidam de adversitatibus saeculi quae super nobiles veniunt, versus fecit istos sub persona nobilium: Dic, inquit, illis qui pro adversitatibusquae nobis accidunt nos contempnunt quod saeculum nulli fecit Deus contrariumnisi nobilibus tantum. Nonne vides quod mare devehit stercora et paleas, et pretiosi lapides in fundum vadunt? Et nonne vides quod in caelo suntstellae e quibus nescimus numerum?

A certain versifier, about the adversities of the age which come upon nobles, made these verses under the persona of nobles: Say, he says, to those who on account of the adversitieswhich befall us contemn us, that God made the age contrary to none save only to nobles. Do you not see that the sea carries down dung and chaff, and that precious stones go to the bottom? And do you not see that in heaven there arestars of which we do not know the number?

At insuper nulla quidem patitur eclipsimpraeter solem et lunam. Et pater: Ex temporis inertia accidit quia hominesin divitiis solum iudicant gloriandum.

But moreover, nothing at all suffers an eclipse except the sun and the moon. And the father: It happens from the inertia of the time, because men judge that only in riches there is to be gloried.

De septem artibus, probitatibus, industriis.

On the seven arts, probities, industries.

Unus ex discipulis interrogavit magistrum suum et dixit: Cum septemsint artes et septem probitates et septem industriae, vellem ut haec mihisicut se habent enumerares. Magister: Enumerabo. Hae sunt artes: Dialectica, arithmetica, geometria, phisica, musica, astronomia.

One of the disciples asked his master and said: Since there are seven arts and seven probities and seven industries, I would that you enumerate these for me as they are. Master: I will enumerate. These are the arts: Dialectic, arithmetic, geometry, physics, music, astronomy.

De septima vero diversaeplurimorum sunt sententiae quaenam sit. Philosophi qui prophetias non sectantur, aiunt nigromantiam esse septimam. Aliqui ex illis videlicet qui prophetiisnon credunt, philosophiam volunt esse septimam, quae res naturales velelementa mundana praecellit.

But concerning the seventh, indeed, the opinions of very many are diverse as to what it is. The philosophers who do not follow prophecies say that nigromancy (necromancy) is the seventh. Some of them—namely those who do not believe in prophecies—want philosophy to be the seventh, which excels natural things or the mundane elements.

Quidam qui philosophiae non student, grammaticamesse affirmant.

Certain people who do not study philosophy, affirm that grammar is.

Probitates vero hae sunt: Equitare, natare, sagittare, cestibus certare, aucupare, scaccis ludere, versificari.

The accomplishments indeed are these: To ride on horseback, to swim, to shoot with the bow, to contend with the cestus, to hawk, to play chess, to versify.

[p. 11] Industriae hae sunt: Ne sit vorax, potator, luxuriosus, violentus, mendax, avarus et de mala conversatione. Discipulus: Hoc tempore puto neminemhuiusmodi esse.

[p. 11] These are the disciplines: Let him not be voracious, a drinker, luxurious, violent, mendacious, avaricious, and of evil conversation. Student: At this time I think no one is of this sort.

De mendacio.

On lying.

Correxit quidam philosophus filium suum: Cave mendacium, quia dulciusest carmine volucrum.

A certain philosopher corrected his son: Beware mendacity, because it is sweeter than the song of birds.

Alius: Cum leve sit mendacium proferre, quare videtur grave veritatemdicere?

Another: Since it is light to proffer a lie, why does it seem grave to speak the truth?

Alius philosophus: Si dicere metuas unde paeniteas, melius est dicere: non! quam: sic!

Another philosopher: If you fear to say something you would repent of, it is better to say: no! than: yes!

Alius: Verecundia negandi cave ne inferat tibi necessitatem mentiendi, quia honestius est rem negare quam longos terminos dare.

Another: Beware lest the modesty of refusing bring upon you the necessity of lying, because it is more honest to deny the matter than to give long terms.

Alius: Terminum termino addere roganti est hoc tempore calliditas negandi.

Another: To add term to term to the one asking is, at this time, the shrewdness of denying.

Alius: Si mendacio quilibet salvatur, multo magis veritate salvatur. --Accusatus quidam ductus est ante regem iudicem negansque crimen impositumtandem convincitur. Cui rex: Duppliciter punieris: semel pro crimine commisso, secundo pro commisso negato.

Another: If anyone is saved by a lie, much more is he saved by the truth. --An accused man was led before the king as judge, and, denying the crime imputed to him, at length is convicted. To whom the king: You will be punished doubly: once for the crime committed, secondly for the committed crime denied.

Alter quidam consimiliter accusatus quod commiserat non negavit. Dixeruntquequi regi astiterunt: De crimine confesso iudicium sumet. Non ita, rex inquit, quia philosophus dicit: Confitenti peccatum ratio est relaxare iudicium.

Another man, similarly accused of what he had committed, did not deny it. And those who stood by the king said: He will undergo judgment for the confessed crime. Not so, said the king, because the philosopher says: For one confessing sin, reason is to relax the judgment.

Sicque liber factus a rege discessit.

And so he departed freed by the king.

Socrates: Sicut homo mendax in principis comitatu non convenit, sica regno caelorum excludendus erit.

Socrates: Just as a mendacious man is not fitting in a prince’s retinue, so he must be excluded from the kingdom of heaven.

Quidam philosophus dixit filio suo: Dic esse mentitum, qui malum dicitmalo vincendum, quia sicut ignem ignis non perimit, sic malum malo noncedit. Ut igitur ignem aqua extinguit, sic bono malum quilibet destruit.

A certain philosopher said to his son: Say that he has lied, who says that evil must be conquered by evil, because just as fire does not destroy fire, so evil does not yield to evil. As therefore water extinguishes fire, so by good anyone destroys evil.

Alius: Ne reddas malum ne similis sis malo, sed redde bonum ut meliorsis malo.

Another: Do not render evil lest you be similar to the evil man, but render good that you may be better than the evil man.

Alius: Ne confidas in malo si periculum evaseris, ut aliud ineas, quiaillud non faciet ut simile pertranseas.

Another: Do not confide in evil if you have escaped a peril, so as to enter upon another, for that will not bring it about that you pass through a similar one.

Dixit Arabicus filio suo: Si quemlibet videris malis operibus praegravari, ne te intromittas, quia qui pendulum solverit, super illum ruina erit. [p. 12]

The Arab said to his son: If you see anyone being overburdened by evil works, do not intrude yourself, for he who loosens the pendulum, ruin will be upon him. [p. 12]

V. Exemplum de homine et serpente.

5. Example of a man and a serpent.

Transiens quidam per silvam invenit serpentem a pastoribus extentumet stipitibus alligatum. Quem mox solutum calefacere curavit. Calefactusserpens circa foventem serpere coepit et tandem ligatum grave strinxit.

A certain man, passing through a forest, found a serpent stretched out by shepherds and bound to stakes. Whom, once loosed, he took care to warm. The warmed serpent began to creep around the one warming him and at last, having him bound, gravely constricted him.

Tunc homo: Quid, inquit, facis? Cur malum pro bono reddis? Naturam meam, dixit serpens, facio.

Then the man: What, he says, are you doing? Why do you repay evil for good? My nature, said the serpent, I do.

Bonum, ait ille, tibi feci, et illud malo mihi solvis?Illis sic contendentibus vocata est inter eos ad iudicium vulpis. Cui totumut evenerat est monstratum ex ordine. Tunc vulpis: De hac causa iudicareper auditum ignoro, nisi qualiter inter vos primum fuerit ad oculum videro.

"Good," said he, "I did you a good, and do you pay me that with evil?Those two thus contending, a fox was called between them to judgment. To whom the whole, as it had happened, was shown in order. Then the fox: Concerning this cause I do not know how to judge by hearing, unless first I shall see with the eye how it was between you."

Religatur iterum serpens ut prius. Modo, inquit vulpis, o serpens, si potesevadere, discede! Et tu, o homo, de solvendo serpente noli laborare!

The serpent is bound again as before. Now, said the fox, O serpent, if you can escape, depart! And you, O man, do not labor about unbinding the serpent!

Nonnelegisti quod qui pendulum solverit, super illum ruina erit?

Have you not read that whoever shall release the one hanging, ruin will be upon him?

Dixit Arabs quidam filio suo: Si gravatus fueris aliquo modo et facilepossis liberari, non expectes, quia dum expectabis liberari facilius, gravaberisamplius. Et ne tibi contingat quod contigit gibboso de versificatore. Etquomodo?

A certain Arab said to his son: If you should be burdened in any way and can easily be liberated, do not wait, because while you wait to be liberated more easily, you will be burdened more. And let it not befall you what befell the hunchback about the versifier. And how?

filius inquit. Pater:

the son says. Father:

VI. Exemplum de versificatore et gibboso.

6. Example of the versifier and the hunchback.

Quidam versificator versus faciens regi praesentavit, et laudavit rexingenium illius iussitque ut pro facto donum exposceret. Qui donum taleexpostulat ut se ianitorem suae civitatis per rnensem faceret, et ab omnigibboso denarium et a scabioso denarium et de monoculo denarium et de impetiginosodenarium et de hernioso haberet denarium. Quod rex concessit et sigillocorroboravit.

A certain versifier, making verses, presented them to the king, and the king praised his ingenuity and ordered that he ask for a gift in return for the deed. He requests such a gift: that he make him janitor of his city for a month, and that he should have from every gibbous (hunchback) a denarius, and from a scabby man a denarius, and from a one‑eyed man a denarius, and from an impetiginous man a denarius, and from a man with a hernia a denarius. Which the king granted and corroborated with his seal.

Qui ministerio suscepto portae assedit et ministerium suumegit. Quadam die gibbosus quidam bene cappatus cum baculo portam intravit. Cui versificator obvius denarium postulat.

Who, the ministry having been undertaken, sat at the gate and carried out his ministry. On a certain day a hunchback, well cloaked, with a staff, entered the gate. From him the versifier, meeting him, demands a denarius.

Qui denegat dare. Vim inferenteversificatore, dum caputium de capite levat, gibbosum deprehendit monoculumesse: duos ergo denarios postulat, a quo prius unum expetiit. Noluit dare, retentus est.

He refuses to give. As the versifier applies force, while he lifts the hood from his head, he discovers the hunchback to be one-eyed: therefore he demands two denarii, from whom previously he had demanded one. He was unwilling to give; he was detained.

Non habens auxilium fugere voluit, sed per caputium retractuscapite nudato apparuit scabiosus. Interrogat protinus ille tres denarios. Videns gibbosus neque fuga neque auxilio se posse defendi coepit resisteredefendensque se nudatis brachiis apparuit habens in his impetiginem: quartumergo denarium postulat.

Not having help he wanted to flee, but by the hood draggedbackwith his head laid bare he appeared scabby. Forthwith that man asks three denarii. Seeing, the hunchback that neither by flight nor by help he could defend himself began to resistdefending himself, and with his arms laid bare he appeared to have impetigo on them: fourththerefore denarius he demands.

Cui defendenti cappam abstulit, et cadente illoin terram herniosum comperit: quintum ergo denarium ab eo extorsit. Siccontigit ut qui unum ultro dare noluit, quinque invitus dedit.

From the one defending himself he snatched away the cape, and as that one fell to the ground he discovered him to be hernious: therefore he extorted from him the fifth denarius. Thus it befell that he who was unwilling to give one of his own accord, gave five unwillingly.

Dixit philosophus quidam filio suo: Fili, vide ne transeas per aedemgentis iniquae! Transitus namque causa fit status, et status occasio sessionis, et sessio causa mortis. [p. 13]

A certain philosopher said to his son: Son, see that you do not pass through the temple of a wicked people! For a passing-by becomes the cause of standing, and standing the occasion of sitting, and sitting the cause of death. [p. 13]

VII. Exemplum de clerico domum potatorum intrante.

7. Example about a cleric entering the house of drinkers.

Dictum enim est duos clericos de civitate quadam vespere ut exspatiarenturexisse. Venerunt ergo in locum ubi potatores convenerant. Dixit alter sociosuo: Divertamus alia via, quia philosophus dicit: Non est transeundum persedem gentis iniquae.

For it has been said that two clerics from a certain city went out toward evening to take a stroll. They came, therefore, to a place where the drinkers had convened. The one said to his companion: Let us turn aside by another way, because the philosopher says: One must not pass through the seat of a nation of iniquity.

Respondit socius: Transitus non nocebit, si aliudnon affuerit. Et transeuntes audierunt in domo cantilenam. Substitit alterretentus dulcedine cantus.

His companion replied: The transit will not harm, if nothing else be present. And as they were passing, they heard a chant in the house. The other halted, held back by the sweetness of the song.

Monuit socius ire: noluit. Recedente socio remansitsolus illectusque cantu domum intravit. Undique vocatus sedit sedensquecum aliis potavit.

His companion admonished him to go; he was unwilling. With his companion withdrawing, he remained alone, and, enticed by the song, he entered the house. Called from all sides, he sat down and, seated, drank with the others.

Et ecce praeco exploratorem civitatis fugientem sequenspost illum in domum potantium intravit. Invento exploratore in illa domoipse et omnes capti sunt. Hic, inquit, hospitium huius exploratoris fuit: hinc exiit, huc rediit; omnes conscii et socii huius fuistis.

And behold, the herald, following the city’s explorer as he fled, went in after him into the house of the drinkers. With the explorer found in that house, he himself and all were seized. “This,” said he, “was the lodging of this explorer: from here he went out, hither he returned; you all were privy and associates of this man.”

Ducti suntomnes ad patibulum, et clericus inter illos magna voce praedicabat omnibus: Quisquis iniquae gentis consortio fruitur, procul dubio mortis immeritaepoenas lucratur.

All were led to the gibbet, and the cleric among them with a loud voice was preaching to all: Whoever enjoys the consortium of an iniquitous people, beyond doubt gains the penalties of undeserved death.

VIII. Exemplum de voce bubonis.

8. Example of the voice of the bubo.

Fertur de duobus discipulis quod exeuntes de quadam civitate veneruntin locum ubi vox cuiusdam feminae valde sonora audiebatur, verbaque cantusbene composita erant et cantus ipse musice constructus valde delectabiliset amatorius insonuit. Substitit alter cantilena retentus. Cui socius: Divertamus hinc!

It is said about two disciples that, going out from a certain city, they came into a place where the voice of a certain woman, very sonorous, was being heard, and the words of the song were well composed, and the song itself, musically constructed, sounded very delectable and amorous. One of them halted, held back by the cantilena. To whom his companion: Let us turn aside from here!

--Et diverterunt inde --quia intantum volucris cantu decipiturquod ad mortem perducitur. Item unus: Ista vox dulcior est illa quam egoet magister meus iam pridem audieramus. Et qualis erat illa, inquit alter, et quomodo illam audistis?

--And they turned aside from there --because the bird is deceived by the song to such an extent that it is led unto death. Likewise one [said]: This voice is sweeter than that which I and my master had long ago heard. And what was that like, said the other, and how did you hear it?

Evenit, dixit socius, quod a civitate exieramus, et sic vox una asperrima audiebatur et cantus incompositus verbaque inordinatesonabant; quique cantaverat, saepius per idem repetebat et suo licet asperocantu quasi delectabili detinebatur. Tunc mihi magister: Si verum est quodhomines dicunt vocem bubonis hominis mortem portendere, tunc ista sinedubio vox bubonis mortem annunciat. Cui ego: Miror, cum cantus sit tamhorridus, cur iste tantum in illo delectatur.

It happened, said the companion, that we had gone out from the city, and thus a single voice most harsh was being heard, and the song uncomposed, and the words were sounding inordinately; and the one who had been singing kept repeating the same again and again, and, although his song was harsh, he was held as if by something delectable. Then my master to me: If it is true what men say, that the voice of the owl portends a man’s death, then this without doubt the voice of an owl announces a death. To which I: I marvel, since the song is so horrid, why this man takes so much delight in it.

Et ille mihi: Non recordarisillius philosophi qui dicit: In tribus delectatur homo, et si bona nonsint: in sua voce, in suo carmine et in suo filio? --Ut istud de se etde suo magistro narraverat, digressi sunt inde ambo.

And he to me: Do you not remember that philosopher who says: In three things a man delights, and even if they are not good: in his own voice, in his own song and in his own son? --As he had told this about himself and about his master, both departed from there.

Dixit quidam philosophus filio suo: Sequere scorpionem, leonem et draconem, sed malam feminam non sequaris!

A certain philosopher said to his son: Follow a scorpion, a lion and a dragon, but do not follow an evil woman!

Alius philosophus: Ora deum ut te liberet ab ingenio nequam feminarum, et tu ipse ne decipiaris provide tibi. --Dictum namque est de quodam philosophoquod transiens iuxta locum quo auceps rete tetenderat avibus decipiendisvidit mulierculam cum eo lascivientem. Cui dixit: Qui aves decipere conaris, vide ne avicula factus huius visco tenearis.

Another philosopher: Pray God to liberate you from the wicked ingenuity of women, and you yourself, be provident for yourself lest you be deceived. --For it has been said about a certain philosopher that, passing by the place where a fowler had stretched a net for deceiving birds, he saw a little woman wantoning with him. To him he said: You who try to deceive birds, see lest, having become a little bird, you be held by this one’s bird-lime.

[p. 14] Dixit quidam discipulus magistro suo: Legi in libris philosophorumquibus praecipiunt ut ab ingenio feminae perversae custodiat se homo. EtSalomon in proverbiis hoc idem admonet. Sed tu si super ingenio illiussive de fabulis sive de proverbiis aliquid memoriter tenes, vellem renarrandome instrueres.

[p. 14] A certain disciple said to his master: I have read in the books of the philosophers, in which they prescribe that a man guard himself against the disposition of a perverse woman. And Solomon in the Proverbs admonishes this same thing. But you—if, concerning her disposition, whether from fables or from proverbs, you hold anything by memory—I would wish that by re‑narrating it you would instruct me.

Magister: Faciam, inquit, tui causa libenter. Sed vereorne si qui nostra simplici animo legentes carmina quae de mulierum artibusad earum correptionem et tuam et aliorum instructionem scribimus viderint, videlicet quomodo quaedam earum nescientibus viris suos advocent amasioset complectentes deosculentur advocatos et quae illarum expetat lasciviain ipsis expleant, earum nequitiam in nos redundare credant. Discipulus: Ne timeas hoc, magister, quia Salomon in libro proverbiorum et multi sapientespravos earum corrigendo mores talia scripserunt nec culpam sed laudem indepromeruerunt.

Master: “I will do so,” he says, “gladly for your sake. But I fear lest, if any who read our poems with a simple mind should see what we write about the arts of women for their correction and for your instruction and that of others—namely, how some of them, with the men not knowing, summon their lovers to themselves, and, embracing, kiss the ones they have called, and fulfill upon them the things which their lasciviousness seeks—they may believe that their wickedness redounds upon us.” Disciple: “Do not fear this, master, because Solomon in the book of Proverbs, and many wise men, by correcting their depraved morals, have written such things and have thereby earned not blame but praise.”

Tu similiter de illis scribens ad nostram utilitatem nonvituperium, sed coronam promereberis. Et ob hoc rogata sine cunctationedemonstra. Tunc magister:

You likewise, by writing about them for our utility, will earn not reproach, but a crown. And for this reason, having been asked, demonstrate without delay. Then the master:

IX. Exemplum de vindemiatore.

9. Example about the grape-harvester.

Perrexit quidam ut vindemiaret vineam. Quod uxor illius videns intellexitillum circa vineam diutius moraturum et misso nuntio convocat amicum conviviumqueparat. Accidit autem ut dominus ramo vineae in oculo percussus domum citorediret nihil de oculo percusso videns; veniensque ad portam suae domushostium pulsavit.

A certain man went out to harvest the vineyard’s vintage. His wife, seeing this, understood that he would tarry longer around the vineyard, and, a messenger having been sent, she summons a friend and prepares a convivium. But it happened that the master, struck in the eye by a vine-branch, quickly returned home, seeing nothing from the smitten eye; and coming to the portal of his house, he knocked at the door.

Quod uxor intelligens nimium turbata convocatum amicumabscondit seorsum et domino suo hostium postea aperire cucurrit. Qui intranset graviter pro oculo tristis et dolens iussit cameram parari et lectumsterni, ut posset quiescere. Timuit uxor ne intrans cameram amicum latitantemvideret.

Which the wife, understanding, being excessively disturbed, hid the summoned friend apart, and then ran to open the door for her lord. He, entering and, on account of his eye, grievously sad and in pain, ordered the chamber to be prepared and the bed to be spread, so that he might rest. The wife feared lest, entering the chamber, he would see the friend lurking.

Dixit ei: Quid tantum properas ad lectum? Dic mihi quid tibi sitprius! Narravitque ei totum ut acciderat.

She said to him: Why are you hurrying so much to the bed? Tell me first what is the matter with you! And he narrated to her everything as it had happened.

Permitte, inquit illa, karissimedomine, ut oculum sanum medicinali arte confirmem et carmine, ne ita eveniatde sano ut mihi evenit de iam percusso, quia dampnum tuum commune est nobis. Apponensque os suum ad oculum sanum tantum fovit quousque amicus a locoubi absconditus erat viro nesciente discessit. Tandemque se erigens: Modo, inquit, karissime vir, sum secura ne simile de hoc oculo eveniat, qualede altero evenit.

"Permit," said she, "dearest lord, that I may confirm the sound eye by medicinal art and by incantation, lest it thus befall the sound one as it befell me concerning the one already struck, because your damage is common to us." And placing her mouth to the sound eye, she so warmed it until the friend departed from the place where he had been hidden, the husband not knowing. And at length raising herself: "Now," said she, "dearest husband, I am assured that something similar will not befall this eye, as befell the other."

Iam potes, si placet, ad lectum descendere. --Tunc discipulusait magistro: Bene me instruxisti, et quod de illarum artibus retulistisiticuloso et desideranti animo commendavi; nec quod inde scio pro divitiisArabum commutare volo. Sed si placet progredere, et quod transferre inactum publicae administrationis futurorum valeamus edissere!

Now you can, if it pleases, descend to the bed. --Then the disciple said to the master: You have well instructed me, and what you have reported of their arts I have commended to memory with a thirsty and desiring mind; nor do I wish to exchange what I know from there for the riches of the Arabs. But if it pleases, go forward, and expound what we may be able to transfer into action in the public administration of future things!

--Faciam, inquit magister: [p. 15]

--I shall do so, said the master: [p. 15]

X. Exemplum de lintheo.

10. Example concerning the linen cloth.

Dictum est de quodam qui peregre proficiscens commisit uxorem suam suaesocrui. Uxor autem sua alium quendam adamavit et matri hoc indicavit. Quaecommota pro filia favit amori et convocans procum eundem coepit cum illoet filia epulari.

It was said about a certain man who, setting out abroad, entrusted his wife to his mother-in-law. But his wife fell in love with a certain other man and indicated this to her mother. She, moved on behalf of her daughter, favored the love, and, summoning that same suitor, began to banquet with him and her daughter.

Epulantibus illis supervenit maritus et hostium pulsavit. Et consurgens mulier procum abscondit et hostium postea domino aperuit. Qui postquam intravit, ut lectus sibi pararetur praecepit; nam quiescerevolebat quia lassus erat.

While they were feasting, the husband came upon them and knocked at the door. And the woman, rising, hid the suitor and afterward opened the door to her lord. He, after he had entered, ordered that a bed be prepared for himself; for he wished to rest because he was weary.

Turbata mulier dubitavit quid faceret. Quod vidensmater: Ne festines, inquit, filia, lectum parare, donec monstremus maritotuo lintheum quod fecimus. Et extrahens lintheum vetula quantum potuitunum cornu illius sustulit et alterum filiae sublevandum dedit.

Troubled, the woman doubted what she should do. Seeing this the mother: Do not hasten, she said, daughter, to prepare the bed, until we show to your husband the linen which we have made. And drawing out the linen, the little old woman, as much as she could, lifted one corner of it and gave the other to her daughter for lifting.

Sicquelintheo extenso delusus est maritus, quousque qui latuerat egredereturamicus. Tunc ait mulier filiae suae: Extende lintheum super lectum marititui, quia manibus tuis et meis est contextum. Cui maritus: Et tu, domina, scis tale lintheum parare?

Thus, with the linen spread out, the husband was deluded, until the friend who had hidden came out. Then the woman said to her daughter: Stretch the linen over your husband’s bed, because by your hands and mine it has been woven. To which the husband: And you, lady, do you know how to prepare such a linen?

Et illa: O fili, multa huiusmodi paravi. --Adhaec discipulus: Mirabile quid audivi; sed vellem ut amplius me instrueres, quia quanto plus ingenium illarum attendo, tanto magis ad mei custodiamexacuor. Respondit magister: Adhuc tertium tibi dicam, et sic tibi ad instructionemexempla nostra sufficient.

And she: O son, many things of this kind I have prepared. --To this the disciple: A marvelous thing I have heard; but I would that you would instruct me further, because the more I attend to their ingenuity, the more I am sharpened for the custody of myself. The master replied: I will tell you a third still, and thus for your instruction our examples will suffice.

Discipulus: Ut placet.

Disciple: As it pleases.

XI. Exemplum de gladio.

11. Example of the sword.

Relatum est, inquit, iterum quod quidam proficiscens peregre commisitconiugem suam socrui suae servandam. Uxor autem clam iuvenem quendam amavit, quod suae matri protinus indicavit. Illa vero amori consensit paratoqueconvivio ascivit iuvenem.

It was reported, he says, again, that a certain man, setting out abroad, entrusted his wife to her mother-in-law to be kept. But the wife secretly loved a certain young man, which she immediately disclosed to her mother. She, however, consented to the love, and with a banquet prepared invited the young man.

Quibus epulantibus dominus veniens ianuam pulsavit. Surrexit itaque uxor et dimisit maritum intrare. Sed mater cum amasio filiaeremanens, quia locus ubi absconderetur non erat, quid faceret prius dubitavit.

While they were banqueting, the lord, coming, knocked at the door. The wife therefore arose and allowed her husband to enter. But the mother, remaining with the daughter’s lover, because there was no place where he might be concealed, at first hesitated as to what she should do.

Sed dum filia sua hostium aperiret marito, arripuit vetula nudum gladiumet commisit amasio iussitque ut ante hostium in introitu mariti filiaesuae stricto gladio staret, et si aliquid ei maritus loqueretur, nihilresponderet. Fecit ut iusserat. Hostioque aperto ut illum maritus sic starevidit, substitit et: Quis, inquit, tu es? Quo non respondente, cum primumobstupuisset, tunc magis extimuit.

But while his daughter was opening the door to her husband, the little old woman seized a naked sword and handed it to the paramour and ordered that he stand before the door, at the entrance of her daughter’s husband, with drawn sword, and that if the husband should say anything to him, he should answer nothing. He did as she had ordered. And the door having been opened, when the husband saw him standing thus, he halted and said: Who, he says, are you? And as he did not respond, when at first he had been astounded, then he grew more afraid.

Respondit intus vetula: Care gener, tace, ne aliquis te audiat! Ad haec ille magis mirans: Quid hoc est, inquit, cara domina? Tunc mulier: Bone fili, venerant huc tres persequentes istum, et nos aperto hostio hunc cum suo gladio intrare permisimus, donec discederentqui illum interficere volebant.

The old woman inside replied: Dear son-in-law, be silent, lest someone hear you! At this he, more amazed: What is this, said he, dear lady? Then the woman: Good son, three had come here pursuing this man, and we, with the door open, permitted this one to enter with his sword, until those departedwho wanted to kill him.

Qui nunc timens te aliquem ex illis essestupefactus nihil tibi respondit. Et ait maritus: Bene habeas, domina, quae hoc modo hunc liberasti a morte. Et introiens advocavit amasium uxorissuae [p. 16] et secum sedere fecit.

Who now, fearing that you were someone of them, was stupefied and answered nothing to you. And the husband said: May it be well with you, lady, you who in this way have freed this man from death. And on entering he called his wife's lover [p. 16] and had him sit with him.

Sicque dulcibus alloquiis delinitumcirca noctem exire dimisit. --Discipulus: Miranda dixisti; sed nunc magisillarum praesumptuosam admiror audaciam. Volo tamen ut adhuc mihi de earumingeniis si non fuerit grave dicas.

And so, having been beguiled by sweet speeches, he allowed him to go out toward night. --Disciple: You have told marvels; but now I marvel more at the presumptuous audacity of those women. I nevertheless wish that you would still tell me about their wits, if it will not be burdensome.

Quanto enim magis dixeris, tanto maiorapromereberis. Ad quem magister: Nonne tibi sufficiunt ista? Tria tibi narravi, et tu nondum desinis instigare?

For the more indeed you shall have said, by so much greater things you will merit. To whom the master: Do those things not suffice for you? I have narrated three to you, and do you not yet cease to instigate?

Discipulus: Tria dicendo nimium auges recitandonumerum, sed pauca sonuerunt verba. Dic ergo unum quod longa verbositatemeas repleat aures, et sic mihi sufficiet. Magister: Cave ne contingatinter nos quod inter regem et suum accidit fabulatorem.

Disciple: By saying three you excessively augment the number to be recited, but few words have sounded. Therefore say one which with long verbosity may fill my ears, and thus it will suffice for me. Master: Beware lest there befall between us what befell between the king and his storyteller.

Discipulus: Quid, care magister, quid tandem accidit? Magister:

Disciple: What, dear Master, what, then, has happened? Master:

XII. a). Exemplum de rege et fabulatore suo.

12. a). Example about the king and his fabulist.

Rex quidam suum habuit fabulatorem, qui singulis noctibus quinque sibinarrare fabulas consueverat. Contigit tandem quod rex curis quibusdam sollicitusminime posset dormire pluresque solito quaesivit audire fabulas. Ille autemtres super hoc enarravit, sed parvas.

A certain king had his own fabulist, who had been accustomed each night to narrate to him five fables. It befell at last that the king, anxiousnot at all able to sleep, sought to hear more fables than usual. Butthree on this he related, but short ones.

Quaesivit rex etiam plures. Illevero nullatenus voluit; dixerat enim sicut iam visum fuerat sibi, multas. Ad haec rex: Plurimas iam narrasti, sed brevissimas.

The king also sought more. But he by no means was willing; for he had said, as it had already seemed to him, many. To this the king: You have already narrated very many, but very brief ones.

Vellem vero aliquamte narrare quae multis producatur verbis, et sic te dormire permittam. Concessit fabulator et sic incepit:

I would indeed wish to narrate to you something which is prolonged with many words, and thus I will permit you to sleep. The storyteller conceded and thus began:

b). De rustico.

b). On the rustic.

Erat quidam rusticus qui mille solidos habuit. Hic autem in negotiationemproficiscens comparavit bis mille oves, singulas senis denariis. Acciditeo redeunte quod magna inundatio aquarum succresceret.

There was a certain rustic who had 1,000 solidi. This man, however, setting out for negotiation, purchased 2,000 sheep, each for 6 denarii. It befell on his return that a great inundation of waters was swelling up.

Qui cum neque perpontem neque per vadum transire posset, abiit sollicitus quaerens quo cumovibus suis transvehi posset. Invenit tandem exiguam naviculam quae nisiduas oves una cum rustico ferre non valebat. Sed tandem necessitate coactusduas oves imponens aquam transiit.

Since he could cross neither by the bridge nor by the ford, he went away solicitous, seeking where he might be conveyed across with his sheep. At length he found a small little boat which could carry only two sheep together with the rustic. But at last, compelled by necessity, placing two sheep on board he crossed the water.

--His dictis fabulator obdormivit. Rexsiquidem illum excitans ut fabulam quam inceperat finiret commonuit. Fabulatorad haec: Fluctus ille magnus est, navicula autem minima et grex ovium innumerabilis: permitte ergo supradictum rusticum suas transferre oves, et quam incepifabulam ad finem perducam.

--With these things said the fabulist fell asleep. The king, indeed, rousing him, reminded him to finish the fable which he had begun. The fabulist to this: That wave is great, but the little boat very small and the flock of sheep innumerable: therefore permit the aforesaid rustic to transfer his sheep, and I will bring the fable which I have begun to its end.

--Fabulator etenim hoc modo regem longas audirefabulas gestientem pacificavit. Quodsi amplius me praedictis etiam subtexerealia compuleris, iam dicti praesidio exempli me deliberare conabor. Discipulus: Dictum est in antiquis proverbiis quod non eadem compunctione dolet quipro muneribus lacrimatur et qui sui dolore corporis gravatur.

--For the Storyteller indeed in this way pacified the king, eager to hear long tales. But if you compel me further even to subweave other things in addition to the aforesaid, I will try to deliver myself by the aid of the example already mentioned. Disciple: It has been said in ancient proverbs that he does not grieve with the same compunction, who weeps for gifts, and he who is weighed down by the pain of his own body.

Neque regemadeo dilexit fabulator, sicut et tu me diligis. Voluit enim fabulis suiseum aliquantum [p. 17] seducere, tu vero me discipulum minime. Unde precorne iam promotam narrationem modo velis subducere; sed praelibata mulierumingenia diligenter pande.

Nor did the storyteller love the king so much, as you love me. For he wished by his fables to seduce him somewhat [p. 17], whereas you by no means wish to seduce me, your disciple. Wherefore I pray, do not now wish to withdraw the narrative already advanced; but diligently unfold the prelibated natures of women.

Magister:

Master:

XIII. Exemplum de canicula lacrimante.

13. Example of a little dog weeping.

Dictum est quod quidam nobilis progenie haberet uxorem castam nimiumet formosam. Contigit forte quod orationis studio Romam vellet adire, sedalium custodem uxori suae nisi semetipsam noluit deputare, illius castismoribus satis confisus et probitatis honore. Hic autem parato comitatuabiit.

It is said that a certain man of noble progeny had a wife exceedingly chaste and beautiful. It befell by chance that, from zeal for oration, he wished to go to Rome; but he was unwilling to appoint any other custodian for his wife than herself, sufficiently trusting in her chaste morals and in the honor of her probity. He, however, with his retinue prepared, departed.

Uxor vero caste vivendo et in omnibus prudenter agens remansit. Accidit tandem quod necessitate compulsa a domo sua propria suam conventuravicinam egrederetur. Quae peracto negotio ad propria remeavit.

The wife, however, living chastely and acting prudently in all things, remained. It happened at length that, compelled by necessity, she went out from her own house to visit her neighbor. Who, the business having been completed, returned to her own home.

Quam iuvenisaspectam ardenti amore diligere coepit et plurimos ad eam direxit nuntios, cupiens ab illa qua tantum ardebat amari. Quibus contemptis eum penitussprevit. Iuvenis cum se sic contemptum sentiret, dolens adeo efficiturut nimio infirmitatis onere gravaretur.

Whom, when the young man had beheld, he began to love with ardent love and sent very many messengers to her, desiring to be loved by her for whom he burned so greatly. These being contemned, she utterly despised him. When the young man felt himself thus contemned, he, grieving, was brought to such a pass that he was weighed down by an excessive burden of infirmity.

Saepius tamen illuc ibat quo dominamegressam viderat, desiderans eam convenire; sed nequaquam praevaluit efficere. Cui prae dolore lacrimanti fit obvia anus religionis habitu decorata, quaerensquaenam esset causa quae eum sic dolere compelleret. Sed iuvenis quae insua versabantur conscientia minime detegere volebat.

More often, however, he went thither where he had seen the lady go out, desiring to meet her; but by no means did he prevail to bring it to pass. To him, weeping from pain, there meets an old woman adorned with a religious habit, askingwhat cause it was which compelled him to grieve thus. But the youth was by no means willing to disclose the things which were turning in his own conscience.

Ad quem anus: Quantoquis infirmitatem suam medico revelare distulerit, tanto graviori morboattritus fuerit. Quo audito narravit ei ex ordine quae sibi acciderantet suum propalavit secretum. Cui anus: De his quae iam dixisti Dei auxilioremedium inveniam.

To whom the old woman said: The longer one has postponed revealing his infirmity to a physician, the more he will have been worn down by a more grievous malady. On hearing this, he narrated to her in order the things that had befallen him and made his secret manifest. To whom the old woman said: Concerning these things which you have now said, by God’s help I shall find a remedy.

Et eo relicto ad propria remeavit. Et caniculam quamapud se habebat duobus diebus ieiunare coegit et die tertio panem sinapiconfectum ieiunanti largita est. Quae dum gustaret, prae amaritudine oculieius lacrimari coeperunt.

And leaving him there she returned to her own place. And she compelled the little dog which she had with her to fast for two days, and on the third day she bestowed upon the fasting one bread prepared with mustard. As it was tasting it, because of the bitterness its eyes began to weep.

Post haec vero anus illa ad domum pudicae feminaeperrexit quam iuvenis praedictus adeo adamavit. Quae honorifice pro magnareligionis specie ab eo suscepta est. Hanc autem sua sequebatur canicula.

After this, that old woman went to the house of the chaste woman whom the aforesaid young man had so ardently loved. She was received by her with honor, for the great semblance of religion. Her own little dog, moreover, was following her.

Cumque vidisset mulier illa caniculam lacrimantem, quaesivit quid haberetet quare lacrimaretur. Anus ad haec: Cara amica, ne quaeras quid sit, quiaadeo magnus dolor est quod nequeo dicere. Mulier vero magis instigabatut diceret.

And when that woman had seen the little dog weeping, she inquired what it had and why it was weeping. The old woman to this: Dear friend, do not ask what it is, because so great is the pain that I am not able to say. But the woman urged the more that she should tell.

Cui anus: Haec quam conspicis canicula mea erat filia, castanimis ac decora. Quam iuvenis adamavit quidam; sed adeo casta erat ut eumomnino sperneret et eius amorem respueret. Unde dolens adeo efficitur utmagna [p. 18] aegritudine stringeretur: pro qua culpa miserabiliter haecsupradicta nata mea in caniculam mutata est.

To whom the old woman: This little dog whom you behold was my daughter, chaste in mind and comely. A certain young man fell in love with her; but she was so chaste that she utterly spurned him and spat back his love. Whereupon, grieving, he was brought to such a pass that he was constrained by great [p. 18] aegritude: for which fault, pitiably, this aforesaid daughter of mine was changed into a little dog.

His dictis prae nimio doloreerupit in lacrimas anus illa. Ad haec femina: Quid ego, cara domina, similispeccati conscia, quid, inquam, factura sum? Me etenim dilexit iuvenis quidam, sed castitatis amore eum contempsi, et simili modo ei contigit.

With these words, from excessive pain that old woman burst into tears. At this the woman said: “What am I, dear lady, conscious of a similar sin—what, I say, am I to do? For indeed a certain young man loved me, but out of love of chastity I contemned him, and in a similar way it befell him.”

Cui anus: Laudo tibi, cara amica, ut quam citius poteris huius miserearis et quodquaerit facias, ne et tu simili modo in canem muteris. Si enim scirem interiuvenem praedictum et filiam meam amorem, nunquam mea mutaretur filia. Cui ait mulier casta: Obsecro ut consilium huius rei utile dicas, ne propriaforma privata efficiar canicula.

To her the old woman: I advise you, dear friend, that as quickly as you will be able you take pity on this one and do what he asks, lest you too in a similar manner be changed into a dog. If indeed I had known the love between the aforesaid youth and my daughter, my daughter would never have been changed. To her the chaste woman said: I beseech you to give useful counsel for this matter, lest, deprived of my proper form, I be made a little she-dog.

Anus: Libenter pro Dei amore et animaeremedio meae et quia miseret me tui, hunc supradictum iuvenem quaeram, et si quo inveniri poterit, ad te reducam. Cui gratias egit mulier. Etsic anus artificiosa dictis fidem praebuit, et quem promisit reduxit iuvenemet sic eos associavit.

Old woman: Gladly, for the love of God and for the remedy of my soul, and because I pity you, I will seek this aforesaid youth, and if he can be found anywhere, I will bring him back to you. To whom the woman gave thanks. And so the artful old woman gave faith to her words, and the youth whom she had promised she brought back, and thus she associated them.

--Discipulus ait magistro: Nunquam audivi tam mirabilequid, et hoc puto fieri arte diaboli. Magister: Ne dubites! Discipulus: Spero quod si quis homo tam sapiens erit ut semper timeat se posse decipiarte mulieris, forsitan se ab illius ingenio custodire valebit.

--The disciple says to the master: Never have I heard so marvelous a thing, and I think this happens by diabolic art. Master: Do not doubt! Disciple: I hope that if any man will be so wise as always to fear that he can be deceived by the art of a woman, perhaps he will be able to guard himself from that woman’s ingenuity.

Magister: Audivi de quodam homine qui multum laboravit ut suam custodiret uxorem, sed nihil profuit. Discipulus: Magister, dic mihi, quid fecit, ut meliussciam si quam duxero illam custodire. Magister:

Master: I have heard about a certain man who labored much to guard his wife, but it profited nothing. Disciple: Master, tell me, what did he do, that I may know better, if I marry one, to guard her. Master:

XIV. Exemplum de puteo.

14. Example of the well.

Quidam iuvenis fuit, qui totam intentionem suam et totum sensum suumet adhuc totum tempus suum ad hoc misit ut sciret omnimodam artem mulieris, et hoc facto voluit ducere uxorem. Sed primitus perrexit quaerere consiliumet sapientiorem illius regionis adiit hominem et qualiter custodire possetquam ducere volebat quaesivit uxorem. Sapiens vero hoc audiens dedit sibiconsilium quod construeret domum altis parietibus lapideis poneretque intusmulierem daretque sibi satis ad comedendum et non superflua indumenta faceretqueita domum quod non esset in ea nisi solum hostium solaque fenestra perquam videret, et tali altitudine et tali compositione per quam nemo possetintrare vel exire.

A certain young man was, who put his whole intention and his whole sense, and even all his time, to this: that he might know the all-around art of woman; and this having been done he wished to take a wife. But first he went to seek counsel and approached the wisest man of that region and asked how he could keep under guard the wife whom he wished to take. The wise man, on hearing this, gave him counsel that he should construct a house with high stone walls and place the woman inside, and give to her enough to eat and not superfluous garments, and make the house such that there was in it only a door and only a window through which she might see, and of such height and such composition through which no one could enter or exit.

Iuvenis vero audito consilio sapientis, sicuti ei iusserategit. Mane vero quando iuvenis de domo exibat, hostium domus firmabat, et similiter quando intrabat; quando autem dormiebat, sub capite suo claves[p. 19] domus abscondebat. Hoc autem longo tempore egit.

The young man, however, with the counsel of the sage having been heard, did as he had been ordered. In the morning, indeed, when the young man went out of the house, he secured the door of the house, and likewise when he entered; but when, however, he slept, he hid under his head the keys[p. 19] of the house. This, moreover, he did for a long time.

Quadam vero diedum iuvenis ad forum iret, mulier sua, ut erat solita facere, ascenditfenestram et euntes et regredientes intente aspexit. Haec una die cum adfenestram staret, vidit quendam iuvenem formosum corpore atque facie. Quoviso statim illius amore succensa fuit.

On a certain day, while the young man was going to the forum, his wife, as she was accustomed to do, climbed up to the window and intently looked at those going and returning. This one day, when she was standing at the window, she saw a certain young man handsome in body and face. On seeing him, she was at once inflamed with love for him.

Mulier haec amore iuvenis succensaet ut supradictum est custodita coepit cogitare quo modo et qua arte possetloqui cum adamato iuvene. At ipsa plena ingenio ac dolositatis arte cogitavitquod claves domini sui furaretur dum dormiret. Et ita egit.

This woman, inflamed with love for the youth and, as has been said above, kept under guard, began to consider by what way and by what art she might be able to speak with the beloved youth. But she, full of ingenuity and the art of dolosity, conceived that she would steal her lord’s keys while he slept. And so she did.

Haec vero assuetaerat dominum suum unaquaque nocte vino inebriare, ut securius ad amicumsuum posset exire et suam voluntatem explere. Dominus vero illius philosophicisiam edoctus monitis sine dolo nullos esse muliebres actus coepit excogitarequid sua coniunx strueret frequenti et cotidiana potatione. Quod ut suboculo poneret, se finxit ebrium esse.

She, in truth, was accustomed to inebriate her lord with wine each and every night, so that she might more securely go out to her lover and fulfill her will. But her master, already taught by philosophical monitions that there are no womanly acts without guile, began to devise what his consort was contriving by the frequent and quotidian potation. And in order to put the matter under his eye, he pretended to be drunk.

Cuius rei mulier inscia de lectonocte consurgens perrexit ad hostium domus et aperto hostio exivit ad amicum. Vir autem suus in silentio noctis suaviter consurgens venit ad hostiumet apertum clausit et firmavit et fenestram ascendit stetitque ibi donecin camisia sua mulierem suam nudam revertentem vidit. Quae domum redienshostium clausum invenit; unde animo multum condeluit et tandem hostiumpulsavit.

Of this matter the woman, unaware, rising from the bed by night, went to the door of the house, and, the door opened, went out to her lover. But her husband, softly rising in the silence of the night, came to the door and, since it was open, closed and fastened it, and climbed to the window and stood there until he saw his wife returning, naked in her chemise. She, returning home, found the door shut; whereupon she grieved much in spirit, and at length knocked at the door.

Vir mulierem suam audiens et videns ac si nesciret interrogavitquis esset. At ipsa culpae veniam petens et nunquam amplius se hoc facturampromittens nihil profecit. Sed vir iratus ait quod eam intrare non permitteret, sed esse suum suis parentibus ostenderet.

The husband, hearing and seeing his wife, as if he did not know, asked who it was. But she, seeking pardon for her fault and promising that she would never do this any more, accomplished nothing. But the irate husband said that he would not permit her to enter, but would show the matter to her parents.

At ipsa magis ac magis clamansdixit quod nisi hostium domus recluderet, in puteum qui iuxta domum eratsaliret et ita vitam finiret, sicque de morte sua amicis et propinquisrationem reddere deberet. Spretis minis dominus suae mulieris intrare nonpermisit. Mulier vero plena arte et calliditate sumpsit lapidem, quem proiecitin puteum hac intentione ut vir suus audito sonitu lapidis in puteum ruentisputaret sese in puteum cecidisse.

But she, crying out more and more, said that unless he reopened the door of the house, she would leap into the well which was next to the house and so finish her life, and thus he would have to render an account of her death to her friends and relatives. With her threats spurned, the husband did not permit her to enter. But the woman, full of art and craftiness, took a stone, which she threw into the well with this intention: that her husband, on hearing the sound of the stone rushing into the well, would think that she herself had fallen into the well.

Et hoc peracto mulier post puteum seabscondit. Vir simplex atque insipiens audito sonitu lapidis in puteumruentis mox et absque mora de domo egrediens celeri cursu ad puteum venit, putans verum esse [p. 20] quod mulierem audisset cecidisse. Mulier verovidens hostium domus apertum et non oblita suae artis domum intravit firmatoquehostio ascendit fenestram.

With this accomplished, the woman hid herself behind the well. The simple and unwise man, on hearing the sound of the stone rushing into the well, soon and without delay, going out of the house, came at a swift run to the well, thinking it true [p. 20] that he had heard the woman had fallen. But the woman, seeing the door of the house open and not forgetful of her art, entered the house, and, the door made fast, climbed to the window.

Ille autem videns se esse deceptum inquit: Omulier fallax et plena arte diaboli, permitte me intrare et quicquid mihiforisfecisti me condonaturum tibi crede! At illa eum increpans introitumquedomus omnimodo facto atque sacramento denegans ait: O seductor, tuum esseatque tuum facinus parentibus tuis ostendam, quia unaquaque nocte es solitusita furtim a me exire et meretrices adire. Et ita egit.

He, however, seeing that he had been deceived, said: O woman, deceitful and full of the craft of the devil, allow me to enter, and believe that whatever you have done to me outside I will condone! But she, rebuking him and in every way denying the entrance of the house, both by deed and by oath, said: O seducer, I will show to your parents that it is yours and your crime, because each night you are accustomed thus stealthily to go out from me and to visit prostitutes. And so she did.

Parentes vero haecaudientes atque verum esse existimantes increpaverunt eum. Et ita mulierilla liberata arte sua flagitium quod meruerat in virum retrusit. Cui nihilprofuit, immo obfuit mulierem custodisse: nam iste etiam accidit cumulusmiseriae quod existimatione plurimorum quod patiebatur meruisse crederetur.

But the parents, hearing these things and supposing them to be true, rebuked him. And so that woman, having been freed by her own art, thrust back onto the man the flagitious offense which she had deserved. For him it profited nothing; nay rather, it harmed him to have kept the woman under guard: for this heap of misery also befell him—that, in the estimation of very many, he was believed to have merited what he was suffering.

Unde quidem bonis compluribus pulsus, dignitatibus exutus, existimationefoedatus ob uxoris maliloquium incestitatis tulit supplicium.

Whence indeed, driven from many goods, stripped of dignities, in estimationdefiled on account of his wife's evil-speaking of incest, he bore punishment.

Discipulus: Nemo est qui se a mulieris ingenio custodire possit, nisiquem Deus custodierit, et haec talis narratio, ne ducam uxorem, est magnadehortatio. Magister: Non debes credere omnes mulieres esse tales, quoniammagna castitas atque magna bonitas in multis reperitur mulieribus, et sciasin bona muliere bonam societatem reperiri posse, bonaque mulier fideliscustos est et bona domus. Salomon in fine libri proverbiorum suorum composuitviginti duos versus de laude atque bonitate mulieris bonae.

Disciple: There is no one who can guard himself from a woman’s ingenuity, unless God guards him, and such a narration, that I not take a wife, is a great dehortation. Master: You ought not to believe all women are such, since great chastity and great goodness are found in many women, and know that in a good woman good society can be found, and a good woman is a faithful custodian and a good household. Solomon, at the end of the book of his Proverbs, composed twenty‑two verses on the praise and goodness of a good woman.

Discipulusad haec: Bene me confortasti! Sed audisti tamen aliquam mulierem quae suisensus ingenium niteretur mittere in bonum? Magister ait: Audivi.

Disciple to this: You have comforted me well! But have you nevertheless heard of any woman who by her own sense would strive to set her ingenuity toward the good? Master said: I have heard.

Discipulus: Refer mihi de illa, quia videtur mihi res nova! Magister:

Student: Tell me about her, for it seems to me a new thing! Master:

XV. Exemplum de decem cofris.

15. Example about the ten coffers.

Dictum fuit mihi quod quidam Hyspanus perrexit Mech, et dum ibat pervenitin Aegyptum. Qui deserta terrae intrare volens et transire cogitavit quodpecuniam suam in Aegypto dimitteret. Et antequam dimittere voluisset, interrogavitsi aliquis fidelis homo esset in illa regione cui posset pecuniam suamcommittere.

It was told to me that a certain Spaniard set out for Mecca, and while he was going he arrived in Egypt. He, wishing to enter the deserts of the land and to pass through them, considered that he should leave his money in Egypt. And before he would leave it, he asked whether there was any faithful man in that region to whom he could entrust his money.

Et ostenderunt ei antiquum hominem nominatum probitate fidelitatis. Cui de suo mille talenta commisit. Deinde perrexit factoque itinere adillum rediit cui pecuniam commisit, et quod commiserat ab eo quaesivit.

And they showed to him an ancient man, nominated by the probity of fidelity. To whom he entrusted from his own a thousand talents. Then he went on, and the journey having been made, he returned to the one to whom he had entrusted the money, and he asked from him what he had entrusted.

At ille [p. 21] plenus nequitia illum nunquam antea se vidisse dicebat. Ille vero sic deceptus perrexit ad probos homines regionis illius, et quomodotractavisset eum homo ille cui pecuniam commiserat, eis retulit. Vicinivero illius de eo talia audientes credere noluerunt, sed nihil hoc essedixerunt.

But he [p. 21], full of knavery, said that he had never seen him before. He, however, thus deceived, went on to the men of probity of that region, and reported to them how the man to whom he had entrusted the money had treated him. But his neighbors, hearing such things about him, were unwilling to believe, but said that there was nothing to this.

Sed qui pecuniam perdiderat unaquaque die ad domum illius quiretinebat iniuste pecuniam, ibat blandisque precibus eum deprecabatur utpecuniam redderet. Quod deceptor audiens increpavit eum dicens ne ampliustale quid de eo diceret vel ad eum veniret; quod si faceret, poenas exmerito subiret. Auditis minis illius qui eum deceperat tristis coepit redire.

But he who had lost the money, each and every day, went to the house of the man who was unjustly retaining the money, and with ingratiating pleas he entreated him to return the money. Hearing this, the deceiver rebuked him, saying that he should no longer say such a thing about him or come to him; and if he did, he would deservedly undergo penalties. Having heard the threats of the one who had deceived him, sad, he began to turn back.

Et in redeundo obviavit cuidam vetulae pannis heremitalibus indutae. Haecautem baculo suo fragiles artus sustentabat et per viam lapides laudandoDeum ne transeuntium pedes laederetur locabat. Quae videns hominem flentem--cognovit enim eum esse extraneum --commota pietate in angiportum vocavitet quid ei accidisset interrogavit.

And on returning he met a certain little old woman clothed in eremitic rags. This woman was supporting her fragile limbs with her staff and, praising God, was placing the stones along the way so that the feet of passers-by might not be harmed. Seeing the man weeping--for she recognized him to be a stranger --moved by piety she called him into a narrow alley and asked what had happened to him.

At ille ordine narravit. Femina veroauditis verbis illius hominis inquit: Amice, si vera sunt quae retulisti, feram tibi inde auxilium. Et ille: Quomodo potes hoc facere, ancilla Dei?At illa inquit: Adduc mihi hominem de terra tua, cuius factis et dictisfidem habere possis.

But he recounted in order. The woman, indeed, on hearing the words of that man, said: Friend, if the things you have reported are true, I will bring you aid thence. And he: How can you do this, handmaid of God?And she said: Bring to me a man from your land, in whose deeds and words you can have faith.

At ille adduxit. Deinde decepti socio praecepit decemcofros exterius pretiosis depictos coloribus atque ferro deargentato ligatoscum bonis serraturis emere et ad domum sui hospitis afferre lapidibusquecomminutis implere. At ipse ita egit.

But he brought him. Then she instructed the man deceived by his companion to buy ten coffers, painted on the outside with precious colors and bound with silvered iron, with good locks, and to bring them to his host’s house and fill them with stones, comminuted. And he did so.

Mulier vero ut vidit omnia illa quaepraeceperat esse parata ait: Nunc decem homines perquire, qui euntes addomum illius qui te decepit mecum et cum socio tuo deferant cofros, unuspost alium venientes ordine longo; et quam cito primus venerit ad domumillius hominis qui te decepit et requiescet ibi, veni et interroga pecuniamtuam! Et ego tantum confido in Deum quod reddita tibi tua pecunia erit. At ipse sicut vetula iusserat egit.

But the woman, when she saw that all those things which she had ordered to be made ready were prepared, said: Now seek out ten men, who, going to the house of him who deceived you, together with me and with your companion, will carry the coffers, coming one after another in a long line; and as soon as the first shall have come to the house of that man who deceived you and shall rest there, come and demand your money! And I am so confident in God that your money will be restored to you. And he did just as the little old woman had ordered.

Quae non oblita incepti quod praedixeratiter incepit. Et venit cum socio decepti ad domum deceptoris et inquit: Quidam homo de Hyspania mecum hospitatus fuit et vult Mech adire; quaeritqueantea pecuniam suam quae est in decem cofris servandam alicui bono hominidonec revertatur commendare. Precor itaque ut mei causa in aede tua illamcustodias; et quia audivi et scio te bonum hominem esse et fidelem, noloaliquem alium praeter te solum huius pecuniae commendationi adesse.

She, not oblivious of the undertaking which she had foretold, began the journey. And she came with the deceived man’s companion to the deceiver’s house and said: A certain man from Hispania lodged with me and wants to go to Mech; and he seeks first to commend his money, which is in ten coffers, to be kept by some good man until he returns. I beseech you therefore, for my sake, to guard it in your house; and because I have heard and I know you to be a good and faithful man, I do not wish any other person besides you alone to be present at the commendation of this money.

Etdum ita loqueretur, [p. 22] venit primus deferens cofrum, aliis a longeiam apparentibus. Interim deceptus praeceptorum vetulae non oblitus postprimum cofrum sicut ei praeceptum fuerat venit. Ille vero qui pecuniamcelaverat, plenus nequitia ac mala arte, ut vidit hominem venientem cuipecuniam celaverat, timens ne, si pecuniam requireret, alius qui adducebatsuam pecuniam non committeret, contra eum ita dicendo perrexit: O amice, ubi fuisti et ubi tantum diutinasti?

And while she was thus speaking, [p. 22] the first came bearing a coffer, with the others already appearing from afar. Meanwhile the deceived man, not forgetful of the old woman’s precepts, came after the first coffer as it had been prescribed to him. But he who had hidden the money, full of wickedness and evil artifice, when he saw the man coming to whom he had hidden the money, fearing lest, if he should ask for the money, the other who was bringing his money would not entrust it, went toward him saying thus: O friend, where have you been and where have you tarried so long?

Veni et accipe pecuniam tuam meaefidei iam diu commendatam, quoniam inveni et amodo taedet me custodireillam! At ille laetus atque gaudens recepit pecuniam gratias agens. Vetulaautem ut vidit hominem pecuniam habentem, surrexit atque inquit: Ibimusego et socius meus contra cofros nostros et festinare praecipiemus.

Come and take your money, long ago committed to my trust, since I have found it and from now on it wearies me to keep it! And he, glad and rejoicing, received the money, giving thanks. But the old woman, when she saw the man having the money, rose and said: We will go, I and my companion, toward our coffers, and we will bid them to make haste.

Tuvero expecta donec redeamus et bene serva quod iam adduximus! Ille autemlaetus animo quod acceperat servavit adventumque eorum --quod adhuc potest--expectavit. Et ita bono ingenio vetulae reddita fuit viro summa pecuniae.

But you, wait until we return, and keep well what we have already brought! He, however, glad in mind, kept safe what he had received and awaited their advent --so far as was still possible--. And thus by the good ingenuity of the little old woman the sum of money was returned to the man.

Discipulus: Istud mirum fuit ingenium atque utile, nec puto quod aliquisphilosophus subtilius cogitaret per quod levius vir pecuniam suarum recuperaret. Magister: Bene posset philosophus suo facere naturali ingenio et artificiali, secreta etiam naturae rimando, quod mulier solo fecit naturali ingenio. Discipulus: Hoc bene credo.

Student: That was a wondrous and useful ingenuity, nor do I think that any philosopher would have thought more subtly by which the man might more easily recover his own money. Teacher: A philosopher could well accomplish by his own natural ingenuity and by artifice, by probing also the secrets of nature, what the woman accomplished by natural ingenuity alone. Student: This I well believe.

Sed si aliquid philosophorum huiusmodi reposuistiin cordis armariolo, largire mihi discipulo, et ego fideli memoriae commendabo, ut quandoque condiscipulis lacte philosophico educatis delicatissimum largiripossum alimentum. Magister:

But if you have stored up anything of this sort from the philosophers in the little cupboard of your heart, grant it to me, your disciple, and I will entrust it to faithful memory, so that at some time I may be able to bestow the most delicate nourishment upon my fellow‑students brought up on philosophical milk. Master:

XVI. Exemplum de tonellis olei.

16. Example of the little barrels of oil.

Contigit quod quidam homo habuit filium, cui post mortem suam nihilpraeter domum dimisit. Iste cum magno labore corpori suo vix etiam quaenatura exigit suppeditabat, et tamen domum suam licet magna coactus inediavendere nolebat. Habebat autem puer iste quendam vicinum valde divitem, qui domum pueri emere cupiebat ut suam largiorem faceret.

It befell that a certain man had a son, to whom after his death he left nothing except the house. This one, with great labor, scarcely supplied to his body even the things which nature requires, and yet he was unwilling to sell his house, though constrained by great starvation. Moreover, this boy had a certain neighbor very rich, who desired to buy the boy’s house so that he might make his own larger.

Puer autem necprece nec pretio vendere volebat. Quod postquam dives ille comperit, quibusingeniis et quibus artibus puero subtraheret domum cogitavit. At iuvenissecundum posse suum familiaritatem eius devitavit.

The boy, however, was unwilling to sell either by prayer or for a price. After the rich man learned this, he cogitated by what ingenuities and by what arts he might take away the house from the boy. But the youth, according to his ability, avoided his familiarity.

Denique contristatusdives ille causa domus et quod non [p. 23] posset puerum decipere, quadamdie venit ad puerum et inquit ei: O puer, accommoda mihi parvam tuae partemcuriae pretio, quoniam in ea sub terra decem tonellos cum oleo custodirevolo; et nihil tibi nocebunt, et habebis inde aliquod sustentamentum vitae. Puer autem coactus necessitate concessit et dedit illi claves domus. Iuvenisvero interim more solito liberis liberaliter serviens victum perquisivit.

At length that rich man, saddened on account of the house and because he could not [p. 23] deceive the boy, on a certain day came to the boy and said to him: O boy, accommodate me with a small part of your courtyard for a price, since in it under the earth I wish to keep ten little tunlets with oil; and they will do you no harm, and you will have from it some sustentation of life. The boy, however, compelled by necessity, conceded and gave him the keys of the house. The youth meanwhile, in the customary manner, by serving the freeborn liberally, procured his sustenance.

At dives homo acceptis clavibus curiam iuvenis suffodiens quinque tonellosplenos oleo ibi recondidit et quinque dimidios. Et hoc facto iuvenem advocavitclavesque domus illi tribuens ait: O iuvenis, oleum meum tibi committoatque in tua custodia trado. Iuvenis simplex putans omnes tonellos esseplenos in custodia recepit.

But the rich man, having received the keys, digging into the youth’s courtyard, deposited there five casks full of oil and five half-full. And this done, he summoned the youth and, bestowing the keys of the house upon him, said: O youth, I commit my oil to you and deliver it into your custody. The simple youth, thinking all the casks to be full, received them into custody.

At post longum tempus contigit quod in terrailla oleum carum fuit. Dives hoc videns puero inquit: O amice, veni etiuva me oleum meum effodere quod tuae iam dudum mandavi custodiae, et laborispraemium accipies et tutelae. Iuvenis audita prece cum pretio diviti concessit, ut secundum posse suum cum iuvaret.

But after a long time it befell that in that land oil was dear. The rich man, seeing this, said to the boy: O friend, come and help me dig up my oil which I long ago entrusted to your custody, and you will receive a reward for the labor and for the guardianship. The youth, the request having been heard, consented to the rich man for a price, so that he might help according to his ability.

Dives vero non oblitus fraudis suaenequissimae adduxit homines, ut oleum emerent. Quibus adductis terram aperueruntet quinque plenos tonellos et quinque dimidios invenerunt. Perceptis talibusadvocavit puerum ita dicendo: Amice, causa tuae custodiae amisi oleum: insuper quod tibi commisi, fraudulenter abstulisti.

But the rich man, not forgetful of his most iniquitous fraud, brought men, that they might buy the oil. These having been brought, they opened the ground and found five full barrels and five half-full. Upon perceiving such things he summoned the boy, saying thus: “Friend, on account of your custody I have lost the oil: moreover, what I entrusted to you, you have fraudulently taken away.”

Quapropter volo utmea mihi restituas. His dictis eum accepit et vellet nollet ad iustitiamdeduxit. Iusticia eum videns accusavit, sed iuvenis quid contra diceretnescivit.

Wherefore I wish that you restore to me what is mine. With these things said, he took him and, whether he would or not, led him to Justice. Justice, seeing him, accused him, but the young man did not know what to say in counter.

Sed tamen indutias unius diei quaesivit. Quod iusticia, quiaiustum erat, concessit. In civitate autem illa morabatur quidam philosophus, qui cognominabatur Auxilium Egentium, bonus homo atque religiosus.

But nevertheless he sought a respite of one day. Which Justice, because it was just, granted. In that city, moreover, there dwelt a certain philosopher, who was surnamed Auxilium Egentium, a good and religious man.

Iuvenisautem audito bonitatis illius praeconio perrexit ad eum quaesivitque abeo consilium dicens: Si vera sunt quae multis referentibus de te mihi dictasunt, more domestico fer mihi auxilium, etenim iniuste accusor. Philosophusaudita prece iuvenis interrogavit si iuste vel iniuste accusarent eum. Iuvenis vero quod iniuste accusaretur, firmavit sacramento.

The young man, however, having heard the proclamation of that goodness, went to him and sought counsel from him, saying: If the things which have been said to me about you by many reporters are true, bring me help in domestic fashion; for indeed I am accused unjustly. The philosopher, after hearing the young man’s petition, asked whether they accused him justly or unjustly. The young man, for his part, confirmed by an oath that he was being accused unjustly.

Audita reisinceritate philosophus pietate commotus ait: Auxiliante Deo feram tibiauxilium; sed sicut a iustitia respectum usque in crastinam diem accepisti, quin eas ad placita dimittere noli, et ero ibi paratus succurrere tuaeveritati atque eorum nocere falsitati. Iuvenis autem quod philosophus eiiusserat egit. Mane autem facto venit philosophus ad iustitiam.

Upon hearing the sincerity of the case, the philosopher, moved by piety, said: With God aiding, I will bear aid to you; but just as from the Justice you have received a respite until the morrow, do not refuse to go to the pleas, and I will be there ready to succor your truth and to harm their falsity. The young man, however, did what the philosopher had ordered him. But when morning had come, the philosopher came to the Justice.

Quem postquamvidit iustitia, ut sapientem et philosophum vocavit vocatumque iuxta sesedere fecit. Inde iustitia vocavit accusantes et accusatum et praecepitquod suorum recordarentur placitorum; et ita fecerunt. Illis vero sic coramastan-[p. 24]tibus iustitia ait philosopho quod causas eorum audiret etinde iudicium faceret.

After Justice saw him, she called him as a wise man and philosopher, and, having called him, made him sit beside her. Then Justice called the accusers and the accused and commanded that they should recall their pleadings; and so they did. But with them thus stand-[p. 24]ing before her, Justice said to the philosopher that he should hear their cases and then make judgment.

Inde philosophus: Praecipe nunc, iustitia, clarumoleum de quinque tonellis plenis mensurari, et scias quantum sit ibi clariolei; et similiter de quinque dimidiis, et scias quantum clari olei ibifuerit. Deinde spissum oleum de quinque plenis tonellis sit mensuratum, et scias quantum spissi olei fuerit ibi; et similiter de dimidiis quinquefacias mensurari, et scias quantum spissi olei in eis sit. Et si tantumspissi olei inveneris in dimidiis tonellis quantum et in plenis, sciasoleum fuisse furatum.

Then the philosopher: Command now, justice, that clear oil from five full barrels be measured, and know how much clear oil is there; and similarly from five half-barrels, and know how much clear oil has been there. Next let thick oil from five full barrels be measured, and know how much thick oil was there; and similarly from five half-barrels have it measured, and know how much thick oil is in them. And if you find as much thick oil in the half-barrels as in the full, know the oil to have been stolen.

Et si in dimidiis tonellis inveneris talem partemspissitudinis qualem oleum clarum ibi existens exigit, quod quidem et inplenis tonellis invenire poteris, scias oleum non fuisse furatum. Iustitiahaec audiens confirmavit iudicium, factumque est ita. Et hoc modo iuvenisevasit sensu philosophi.

And if in the half casks you find such a portion of thickness as the clear oil there present requires—which indeed you can also find in the full casks—know that the oil was not stolen. Justice, hearing these things, confirmed the judgment, and so it was done. And in this way the youth escaped by the philosopher’s wit.

Finitis placitis iuvenis philosopho grates reddidit. Tunc philosophus ait illi: Nunquamne illud philosophi audisti: Non emasdomum, antequam cognoscas vicinum? Ad haec iuvenis: Primum habuimus domum, antequam iuxta nos hospitaretur.

With the proceedings finished, the youth rendered thanks to the philosopher. Then the philosopher said to him: Have you never heard this of the philosopher: Do not buy a house, before you come to know your neighbor? To this the youth: We had the house first, before he lodged next to us.

Cui philosophus: Primum vendas domum quammaneas iuxta malum vicinum. --Discipulus: Tale iudicium apparet esse philosophi, et hoc est gratia Dei et merito vocatus est hoc nomine Auxilium Miserorum. --Tum discipulus: Etsi iam audita mente sedeant, ad audiendum plura animumincitant.

To this the philosopher: First, sell the house rather than remain next to a bad neighbor. --The disciple: Such a judgment appears to be the philosopher’s, and this is by the grace of God, and by merit he has been called by this name, Help of the Miserable. --Then the disciple: Although the things already heard sit in the mind, they incite the mind to hear more.

Magister inquit: Libenter tibi dicam, et sic incipit:

The master said: I will gladly tell you, and thus he begins:

XVII. Exemplum de aureo serpente.

17. Example about the golden serpent.

Dictum fuit de quodam divite in civitatem eunte quod sacculum milletalentis plenum deferret secum et insuper aureum serpentem oculos habentemiacinctinos in sacculo eodem. Quod totum simul amisit. Quidam vero pauperiter faciens illud invenit deditque uxori et quomodo invenisset retulitei.

It was said about a certain rich man going into the city that he was carrying with him a little bag full of a thousand talents, and, besides, in that same bag a golden serpent having hyacinthine eyes. All of this together he lost. But a certain man making a poor living found it and gave it to his wife, and he related to her how he had found it.

Mulier hoc audiens ait: Quod deus dedit, custodiamus! Alia die praecoper viam ita clamando perrexit: Qui talem censum invenit, reddat et absquealiquo forisfacto centum talenta inde habeat! Hoc audiens inventor censusdixit uxori: Reddamus censum, et absque aliquo peccato centum talenta indehabebimus!

The woman, hearing this, said: What God has given, let us guard! Another day the public crier went along the road proclaiming thus: Whoever has found such a cens, let him return it, and without any forisfact let him have one hundred talents therefrom! Hearing this, the finder of the cens said to his wife: Let us return the cens, and without any sin we shall have one hundred talents from it!

Ad haec mulier: Si Deus voluisset eum censum habere, non amisisset. Quod Deus donavit, custodiamus! Inventor census quod redderetur laboravit, at ipsa omnimodo denegavit.

To this the woman: If God had willed him to have that sum, he would not have lost it. What God has given, let us keep! The finder of the sum strove that it be returned, but she in every way refused.

Et tamen vellet nollet mulier, dominus reddiditet quod praeco promiserat expetiit. Dives autem plenus nequitiae ait: Adhucalium serpentem mihi deesse sciatis. Hoc prava intentione dicebat, ut pauperihomini talenta non redderet promissa.

And yet, whether the woman would or not, the master returned it and demanded what the crier had promised. But the rich man, full of wickedness, said: Know that I still lack another serpent. He said this with a perverse intention, so that he might not return to the poor man the talents that had been promised.

Pauper vero se nihil amplius invenissedicebat. At homines civitatis illius diviti faventes, pauperi deroganteset inexorabile contra fortunam pauperis odium gerentes illum ad iustitiamdetraxerunt. Pauper autem clamando, ut supra-[p. 25]dictum est, se nihilamplius invenisse iuravit.

But the poor man said that he had found nothing more. But the men of that city, favoring the rich man, derogating the poor man, and bearing an inexorable hatred against the fortune of the poor man, dragged him away from justice. But the poor man, crying out, as has been said above-[p. 25], swore that he had found nothing more.

Sed dum sermo huiuscemodi pauperum divitumqueper ora discurreret, ministris referentibus tandem percussit aures regis. Quod simul audivit, divitem et pauperem et pecuniam sibi praesentari praecepit. Adductis omnibus rex philosophum qui vocabatur Auxilium Miserorum cum aliissapientibus ad se vocavit eisque accusatoris vocem et accusati audire etenodare praecepit.

But while talk of this kind of the poor and the rich was passing from mouth to mouth, with the attendants reporting it, at length it struck the ears of the king. As soon as he heard it, he ordered that the rich man and the poor man and the money be presented to him. When all had been brought in the king summoned to himself the philosopher who was called Help of the Wretched along with other wise men and commanded them to hear the voice of the accuser and of the accused and to disentangle it.

Philosophus hoc audiens commotus pietate pauperem adse vocavit et ait ei secrete: Dic mihi, frater, si huius hominis pecuniamhabueris; quodsi non habueris, auxiliante Deo te liberare conabor. Ad haecpauper: Scit Deus quod reddidi quantum inveni! Inde philosophus ad regem: Si rectum inde iudicium vobis audire placuerit, dicam.

The philosopher, hearing this, moved by piety, called the poor man to him and said to him in secret: Tell me, brother, whether you have had this man’s money; but if you have not had it, with God helping I will try to free you. To this the poor man: God knows that I returned as much as I found! Then the philosopher to the king: If it shall please you to hear a right judgment thereon, I will speak.

Rex hoc audiensut indicaret rogavit. Tunc philosophus regi: Iste homo dives bonus multumest et credibilis et veritatis magnum habet testimonium, et non est credibileeum aliquid interrogare quod non amisisset. Et ex alia parte credibilequidem mihi videtur quod iste pauper homo nihil amplius invenit quam quodreddidit, quia malus homo si esset, non quod reddidit redderet, immo totumcelaret.

The king, hearing this, asked that he indicate. Then the philosopher to the king: This rich man is very good and credible and has a great testimony of truth, and it is not credible that he would inquire about something which he had not lost. And on the other hand it seems credible to me that this poor man found nothing more than what he returned; for if he were a bad man, he would not return what he returned; rather, he would conceal the whole.

Inde rex: Quid autem iudicas inde, philosophe? Philosophus: Orex, sume censum et da ex eo pauperi centum talenta, et quod remanseritserva donec veniat qui censum interroget, quia non est hic, cuius istecensus sit; et iste dives homo eat ad praeconem et faciat interrogare sacculumcum duobus serpentibus. Regi autem placuit hoc iudicium atque omnibus ibicircumstantibus.

Then the king: What, moreover, do you judge about it, philosopher? The Philosopher: O king, take the sum and give from it to the poor man one hundred talents, and what remains keep until there comes the one who asks for the sum, for he whose sum this is is not here; and let this rich man go to the herald and have inquiry made for the little sack with the two serpents. And this judgment pleased the king and all who were standing around there.

Dives vero qui sacculum perdiderat, hoc audiens inquit: Bone rex, dico tibi in veritate censum istum fuisse meum, sed quia volebampauperi homini quod praeco promiserat auferre, dixi adhuc mihi alium serpentemdeesse. Sed modo, rex, mei miserere et quod praeco promisit reddam pauperi. Rex inde suum tradidit censum diviti, dives autem pauperi, et ita philosophussensu atque ingenio pauperem liberavit.

The rich man indeed who had lost the purse, hearing this, said: Good king, I tell you in truth that this sum was mine, but because I wished to take away from the poor man what the herald had promised, I said that another serpent was still lacking to me. But now, king, have mercy on me, and I will render to the poor man what the herald promised. Then the king handed over his sum to the rich man, and the rich man to the poor man, and thus the philosopher by sense and ingenuity freed the poor man.

Discipulus: Apparet hoc esse ingenium philosophiae, et hoc exemplo nonest mirum quod de duabus mulieribus Salomon iudicavit.

Disciple: It appears that this is the ingenuity of philosophy, and by this example it is no marvel what Solomon judged concerning the two women.

De societate ignota.

On the unknown society.

Philosophus ait: Ne aggrediaris viam cum aliquo, nisi eum prius agnoveris!Si quisquam tibi ignotus se in via associaverit iterque tuum investigaverit, dic te longius velle ire quam disposueris; et si detulerit lanceam, vadead dexteram; si ensem, vade ad sinistram. [p. 26]

The Philosopher says: Do not enter upon the way with anyone, unless you have first recognized him!If anyone unknown to you has associated himself with you on the way and has investigated your route, say that you wish to go farther than you had planned; and if he has brought a lance, go to the right; if a sword, go to the left. [p. 26]

De sequendis magnis viis.

On following great roads.

Arabs filium suum castigavit dicens: Sequere calles, quamvis sint semitislongiores. Et item: Accipe puellam in uxorem, quamvis sit vetula. Et item: Fer merces tuas ad magnas civitates, quamvis ibi vilius vendere putes.

An Arab chastised his son, saying: Follow the beaten tracks, although they are longer than the short paths. And likewise: Take a maiden as your wife, although she is a little old. And likewise: Carry your wares to great cities, although you may think to sell them more cheaply there.

Ad haec filius: Verum est quod dixisti de magnis viis.

To this the son: It is true what you said about the great roads.

XVIII. a) Exemplum de semita.

18. a) Example about the footpath.

Nam quadam die cum ego et socii mei perrexissemus ad urbem sole ad occasumappropinquante et adhuc longe essemus a civitate, vidimus semitam quaesecundum visum ad civitatem ituris promittebat compendium. Invenimus senema quo requisivimus consilium de itinere illius semitae. At senex ait: Propiussemita ducit ad civitatem quam magna via, et tamen citius per magnam viamad civitatem venietis quam per semitam.

For on a certain day, when my companions and I had proceeded toward the city with the sun approaching its setting, and we were still far from the city, we saw a footpath which, according to its look, promised a compendium—a shortcut—for those going to the city. We found an old man, from whom we asked counsel about the route of that footpath. But the old man said: The footpath leads nearer to the city than the great road; and yet you will come to the city more quickly by the great road than by the footpath.

Hoc audientes illum pro stultohabuimus et magnam viam pretermittentes semitae declinavimus. Quam insistentesad dexteram et ad sinistram, quanta fuit nox, deerravimus nec ad civitatempervenimus. Ac si per callem pergentes fuissemus, procul dubio moenia civitatissubintrassemus.

Hearing this, we held him for a fool, and passing by the great road we turned aside into the footpath. Keeping to it, to the right and to the left, for as long as it was night, we wandered astray, nor did we reach the city. And if we had been proceeding along the lane, without a doubt we would have slipped within the walls of the city.

b) Exemplum de vado.

b) Example about the ford.

Pater ad haec: Hoc alia vice nobis evenit, cum pergeremus ad civitatemper magnam viam: praeerat nobis fluvius, quem quoquo modo transituri eramus, antequam civitatem intraremus. Sicque nobis iter agentibus in duas partessecta est via: quarum una ad civitatem per vadum, alia per pontem ducebat. Deinde quendam senem vidimus, quem de duabus viis quae propius duceretad civitatem interrogavimus.

The Father to these things: This befell us on another occasion, when we were proceeding to the city along the great road: a river was before us, which we were about to cross by whatever means, before we entered the city. And so, as we were making our journey, the way was cut into two parts: of which one led to the city by a ford, the other by a bridge. Then we saw a certain old man, whom we interrogated, of the two ways, which led nearer to the city.

Et senex ait quod brevior erat via per vadumad civitatem duobus miliaribus quam via per pontem. Sed tamen citius, inquit, ad civitatem venire potestis per pontem. Et quidam ex nostris illum senemsicut vos vestrum antea deriserunt et per vadum iter aggressi sunt.

And the old man said that the way by the ford to the city was shorter by 2 miles than the way by the bridge. But yet more quickly, he said, you can come to the city by the bridge. And some of our men derided that old man, just as you earlier derided yours, and they undertook the journey by the ford.

Sedeorum alii socios submersos dimiserunt, alii equos et sarcinas perdiderunt, quidam vero pannos madefactos, alii omnino amissos defleverunt. Sed noset senex noster qui per pontem transivimus, sine impedimento et absqueomni incommodo processimus et eos super ripam fluminis adhuc iacturam deflentesrepperimus. Quibus flentibus et yma fluvii cum rastris et sagena perscrutantibussenex ait: Si nobiscum per pontem perrexissetis, hoc impedimentum non haberetis.

But some of them dismissed their companions who had been submerged, others lost their horses and packs, some indeed bewailed garments soaked, others utterly lost. But we and our old man, who crossed by the bridge, proceeded without impediment and without any inconvenience, and we found them on the bank of the river still lamenting the loss. To them weeping and searching the river’s depths with rakes and a seine the old man said: If you had gone along with us by the bridge, you would not have this impediment.

At illi dixerunt: Hoc fecimus, quia viam tardare nolebamus. Ad haec senex: Nunc magis tardati estis! Et illis relictis laeti subintravimus portasurbis.

But they said: We did this, because we did not wish to delay the journey. To this the old man: Now you have been delayed even more! And, leaving them behind, we gladly entered within the gates of the city.

--Tale est proverbium quod audivi: Magis valet longa via ad paradysumquam brevis ad infernum.

--Such is the proverb that I have heard: A long way to paradise is worth more than a short one to hell.

[p. 27] Arabs castigavit filium suum: Fili, si fueris in via cum aliquosocio, dilige eum sicut te ipsum et non mediteris aliquem decipere, neet tu decipiaris, veluti duobus contigit burgensibus et rustico. Filius: Pater, refer mihi, ut aliquid utilitatis inde capiant posteri. Pater:

[p. 27] An Arab chastised his son: Son, if you should be on the way with some companion, love him as yourself and do not contemplate deceiving anyone, lest even you be deceived, as befell two burghers and a rustic. Son: Father, relate to me, so that posterity may take some utility from it. Father:

XIX. Exemplum de duobus burgensibus et rustico.

19. Example of two burgesses and a rustic.

Dictum fuit de duobus burgensibus et rustico causa orationis Mech adeuntibusquod essent socii victus, donec venirent prope Mech, et tunc defecit illiscibus ita quod non remansit eis quicquam nisi tantum farinae qua solumpanem et parvum facerent. Burgenses vero hoc videntes dixerunt ad invicem: Parum panis habemus, et noster multum comedit socius. Quapropter oportetnos habere consilium, quomodo sibi partem panis auferre possimus et quodnobiscum debet, soli comedamus.

It was said about two burghers and a rustic, for the sake of prayer, approaching Mechthat they were associates in victuals, until they came near Mech, and then their food failed them, so that nothing remained to them except only flour with which they could make only a small loaf of bread. The burghers, however, seeing this, said to one another: We have little bread, and our companion eats much. Wherefore it behooves us to have counsel, how we may be able to take away from him a part of the bread, and that which he ought with us, let us eat alone.

Deinde acceperunt consilium huiuscemodiquod facerent panem et coquerent et dum coqueretur dormirent, et quisquiseorum mirabiliora sompniando videret, solus panem comederet. Hoc artificiosedicebant, quia rusticum simplicem ad huiusmodi ficticia deputabant. Etfecerunt panem miseruntque in ignem, deinde iacuerunt ut dormirent.

Then they took counsel of this kind, that they would make bread and bake it, and while it was baking they would sleep, and whoever of them should see more marvelous things in dreaming, he alone would eat the bread. They said this artfully, because they deemed the simple rustic suited to such fictions. And they made the bread and put it into the fire, then lay down to sleep.

Atrusticus percepta eorum astutia dormientibus sociis de igne extraxit panemsemicoctum et comedit et iterum iacuit. Sed unus de burgensibus sicut sompnoperterritus esset evigilavit sociumque vocavit. Cui alter de burgensibusait: Quid habes?

But the rustic, having perceived their astuteness, while his comrades were sleeping, drew from the fire the half-baked bread and ate, and lay down again. But one of the burghers, as if he had been frightened out of sleep, awoke and called his companion. To whom the other of the burghers said: “What have you?”

At ille inquit: Mirabile sompnium vidi: nam mihi visumerat quod duo angeli aperiebant portas caeli et me sumentes ante Deum ducebant. Cui socius: Mirabile est hoc sompnium quod vidisti. At ego sompniavi quodego duobus angelis ducentibus et terram findentibus ducerer in infernum.

But he said: I saw a marvelous dream: for it had seemed to me that two angels were opening the portals of heaven and, taking me up, were leading me before God. To whom his companion: Marvelous is this dream that you have seen. But I dreamed that I, with two angels leading and rending the earth, was being led into hell.

Rusticus vero hoc totum audiebat et tamen se dormire fingebat. Sed burgensesdecepti et decipere volentes ut evigilaret rusticum vocaverunt. Rusticusvero callide et sicut territus esset, respondit: Qui sunt qui me vocant?At illi: Socii tui sumus.

The rustic, however, was hearing all this and nevertheless was feigning himself to sleep. But the burghers, deceived and wishing to deceive, called the rustic so that he might wake up. The rustic indeed, cleverly and as if he were terrified, answered: Who are they who call me?But they: We are your companions.

Quibus rusticus: Rediistis iam? At ipsi contra: Quo perreximus, unde redire debeamus? Ad haec rusticus: Nunc visum eratmihi quod duo angeli unum ex vobis accipiebant et aperiebant portas caeliducebantque ante Deum; deinde alium accipiebant duo alii angeli et apertaterra ducebant in infernum.

To whom the rustic: Have you returned already? But they, in counter: Where have we gone, that we ought to return from? To this the rustic: Just now it seemed to me that two angels were taking one of you and were opening the gates of heaven and were leading him before God; then two other angels were taking another, and, the earth opened, they were leading him into hell.

Et his visis putavi neminem vestrum iam [p. 28] amplius rediturum et surrexi et panem comedi. --Et pater: O fili, sicevenit eis qui socium decipere voluerunt, quia suo ingenio decepti fuerunt. Tunc filius: Ita evenit eis, sicut in proverbio dictum est: Qui totum voluit, totum perdidit.

And with these things seen I thought that none of you now [p. 28] would return any more, and I rose and ate bread. --And the father: O son, thus it befell those who wished to deceive a companion, because by their own ingenuity they were deceived. Then the son: So it befell them, as in the proverb it is said: He who wanted the whole, lost the whole.

Haec autem natura est canis, cui faverunt illi: quorumunus alii cibum auferre cupit. Sed si naturam cameli sequerentur, mitioremnaturam imitarentur. Nam talis est natura cameli, quando insimul daturpraebenda multis, quod nullus eorum comedet, donec omnes insimul edant;et si unus ita infirmatur quod nequeat comedere, donec removeatur aliiieiunabunt.

But this is the nature of the dog, whom they favored: one of whom desires to snatch away another’s food. But if they were to follow the nature of the camel, they would imitate a gentler nature. For such is the nature of the camel, when at once provender is given to many, that none of them will eat until all together eat; and if one is thus made infirm that he cannot eat, until he is removed the others will fast.

Et isti burgenses postquam volebant animalis naturam sibi assumere, mitissimi animalis naturam sibi debuissent vendicare; et merito cibum amiserunt. Quin etiam hoc eis evenisse voluissem, quod magistro meo narrante iam dudumaudivi evenisse incisori regis pro discipulo suo Nedui, videlicet quodfustibus caederentur. Pater ad haec: Dic mihi, fili, quid audisti?

And those burgesses, after they wanted to assume to themselves the nature of an animal, ought to have vindicated for themselves the nature of the most gentle animal; and deservedly they lost the food. Nay even I would have wished this also to have befallen them, which, my master relating, long ago I heard to have befallen the king’s carver for his disciple Nedui, namely that they should be beaten with cudgels. The father to this: Tell me, son, what did you hear?

Quomodocontigit discipulo, quoniam talis narratio animi erit recreatio? Filius:

How did it befall the disciple, since such a narration will be a re-creation of the mind? The Son:

XX. Exemplum de regii incisoris discipulo Nedui nomine.

20. Example concerning the royal carver’s disciple by the name Nedui.

Narravit mihi magister meus quendam regem habuisse unum incisorem quidiversos diversis aptos temporibus ei incidebat pannos. At ille discipulossutores habebat, quorum quisquis artificiose suebat quod magister incisorregis artificiose scindebat. Inter quos discipulos unus erat nomine Nedui, qui socios arte sutoria superabat.

My teacher told me that a certain king had a single cutter who cut for him cloths suited to various different times. But that man had apprentice sewers, each of whom artfully sewed what the master, the king’s cutter, artfully cut. Among those disciples there was one named Nedui, who surpassed his companions in the sutorial art.

Sed die festo veniente rex suorum adse incisorem pannorum vocavit et pro tempore pretiosas vestes sibi et suisfamiliaribus parari praecepit. Quod ut citius et sine impedimento fieret, unum de camerariis suis eunuchum, cuius illud erat officium, sutoribuscustodem addidit et ut eorum curvos ungues observaret et eis ad sufficientiamnecessaria ministraret, rogavit. Sed in una dierum ministri calidum panemet mel cum aliis ferculis incisori et consociis comedendum dederunt.

But with the feast day coming, the king called to himself his cutter of cloth and ordered that for the time precious garments be prepared for himself and for his familiars. And so that it might be done more quickly and without impediment, he assigned as overseer to the tailors one of his chamberlains, a eunuch, whose office that was, and asked that he observe their crooked nails and supply them with the necessaries to sufficiency. But on one of the days the attendants gave warm bread and honey, with other courses, to the cutter and his companions to be eaten.

Etqui aderant, comedere coeperunt. Quibus epulantibus ait eunuchus: Magister, quare Nedui absente comeditis nec illum expectatis? Magister inquit: Quiamel non comederet, etiamsi adesset.

And those who were present, commenced to eat. While they were feasting, the eunuch said: Master, why do you eat with Nedui absent and not wait for him? The master said: Because he would not eat the honey, even if he were present.

Et comederunt. Deinde venit Nedui etait: Quare me absente comedistis nec partem meam mihi reservastis? Cuieunuchus: Magister tuus dixit quod mel non comederes, etiamsi adesses.

And they ate. Then Nedui came and said: Why did you eat in my absence and not reserve my share for me? To this the eunuch said: Your master said that you would not eat honey, even if you were present.

At ille tacuit et quomodo illud magistro suo recompensare posset, cogitavit. Et hoc facto magistro absente secreto dixit eunucho: Domine, magister meusquandoque frenesim patiens sensum perdit et indiscrete circumstantes verberatatque interimit. Cui eunuchus: Si scirem horam, quando ei hoc contingit, ne quid inconsulte ageret, ligarem et loris corrigerem.

But he was silent, and how he might recompense that to his master, he thought. And this done, with the master absent, he said secretly to the eunuch: “Lord, my master sometimes, suffering frenzy, loses his sense and indiscriminately beats and kills those standing around.” To this the eunuch: “If I knew the hour, when this befalls him, so that he might do nothing inconsiderately, I would bind him and correct him with straps.”

At Nedui ait: Cumvideris illum huc et illuc aspicientem terramque manibus verberantem atquesua sede surgentem et scamnum super quod sedet manibus rapientem, tunceum scias insanum esse, et nisi tibi et tuis provideris, capud fuste dolabit. [p. 29] Ad hoc eunuchus: Tu benedicaris, quia amodo mihi et meis providebo. Talibus dictis Nedui sequenti die magistri sui forfices secreto abscondit.

But Nedui said: When you see him looking hither and thither and beating the ground with his hands and rising from his seat and snatching with his hands the bench on which he sits, then you may know him to be insane, and unless you provide for yourself and yours, he will hew your head with a club. [p. 29] To this the eunuch: May you be blessed, because from now on I will look out for myself and mine. With such words spoken, Nedui on the following day secretly hid his master’s shears.

At incisor quaerens forfices et non inveniens coepit manibus terram percutereet huc et illuc aspicere suaque sede surgere et scamnum super quod sedebatmanu demovere. Hoc videns eunuchus statim suos vocavit clientes et praecepitincisorem ligari et ne aliquos verberaret, graviter verberari. Sed incisorclamabat ita dicendo: Quid forisfeci?

But the cutter, seeking the scissors and not finding them, began to strike the ground with his hands and to look here and there and to rise from his seat and to move with his hand the bench upon which he was sitting. Seeing this, the eunuch immediately called his clients and ordered the cutter to be bound and, lest he might beat anyone, to be beaten severely. But the cutter was shouting, saying thus: What wrong have I done?

Ut quid talibus me afficitis verberibus?At illi acrius verberando tacebant. Quando autem lassi fuerunt verberandoet ipse vapulando, exosum vitae solverunt. Qui respirans, sed longo temporisintervallo quaesivit ab eunucho, quid forisfecisset.

Why are you afflicting me with such blows?But they, by beating more fiercely, were silent. But when they were weary from beatingand he from being beaten, they released him, loathing life. He, catching his breath, but after a long timeinterval, asked of the eunuch, what offense he had committed.

Cui eunuchus: Dixitmihi Nedui discipulus tuus quod quandoque insanires nec nisi vinculis etverberibus correptus cessares; et ideo te ligavi et verberavi. Hoc auditoincisor Nedui discipulum suum vocavit et ait: Amice, quando novisti meesse insanum? Ad haec discipulus: Quando me mel non comedere scivisti?Eunuchus et alii hoc audientes riserunt et utrumque merito poenas suscepisseiudicaverunt.

To this the eunuch said: Your disciple Nedui told me that at times you go insane, and that you would not cease unless corrected by chains and beatings; and therefore I bound and beat you. Hearing this, the incisor called his disciple Nedui and said: Friend, when did you know me to be insane? To these words the disciple: When you knew that I do not eat honey. The eunuch and the others, hearing this, laughed and judged that both had deservedly undergone punishments.

Ad haec pater: Merito hoc illi accidit, quia si custodisset quod Moysespraecepit, ut diligeret fratrem suum sicut se ipsum, hoc ei non evenisset.

To this the father: Deservedly this befell him, because if he had observed what Moses prescribed, that he should love his brother as himself, this would not have come to pass.

Castigavit sapiens filium suum: Vide ne imponas aliquod crimen sociotuo, serio vel ludo, ne ita tibi contingat, sicut duobus ioculatoribuscontigit ante regem. Ad haec filius: Narra mihi, pater, obsecro. Pater: Fiat.

A sapient man chastised his son: See that you do not impose any crime upon your associate, in earnest or in play, lest it so befall you, as it befell two jesters before a king. To this the son: Tell me, father, I beseech. Father: Let it be done.

XXI. Exemplum de duobus ioculatoribus.

21. Example about two jesters.

Venit quidam ioculator ad regem. Quem vocatum rex cum alio ioculatorefecit sedere atque comedere. Sed qui prius aderat ioculator, coepit invideresupervenienti, quem rex iam sibi praeferebat et omnes aulici.

A certain jester came to the king. Whom, when summoned, the king made to sit and eat with another jester. But the jester who had been there first began to envy the newcomer, whom the king now preferred to him, and all the courtiers likewise.

Quod ne diuduraret, pudorem illi facere, ut sic saltem aufugeret, cogitavit. Itaquevescentibus aliis ossa latenter primus ioculator coadunavit et ante sociumposuit finitoque prandio in obprobrium socii coniectam struem ossium regiostendit et mordaciter inquit: Domine, socius meus omnium istorum ossiumvestituram comedit. Rex vero eum torvis oculis respexit.

Lest this be prolonged, he thought to make him feel shame, so that thus at least he might run away. Accordingly, while the others were eating, the first juggler secretly gathered together the bones and set them before his companion; and when the luncheon was finished, for the opprobrium of his companion he showed the heaped pile of bones to the king and mordaciously said: Lord, my companion has eaten the vestiture of all those bones. But the king looked back at him with grim eyes.

Accusatus autemregi ait: Domine, feci quod natura mea, id est humana, requirebat, quiacarnes comedi et ossa dimisi. Et socius meus fecit quod sua natura, videlicetcanina, requirebat, quia carnes comedit et ossa.

But, accused before the king, he said: Lord, I did what my nature, that is, human, required, because I ate the meats and left the bones. And my companion did what his own nature, namely canine, required, because he ate the meats and the bones.

De largo, avaro, prodigo.

On the generous, the avaricious, the prodigal.

Dixit philosophus: Honora minorem te et da sibi de tuo, sicut tu visquod maior te honoret et de suo tibi tribuat.

The philosopher said: Honor one lesser than yourself and give to him of your own, just as you wish that one greater than you would honor you and grant to you of his own.

Alius: Turpe quidem est multum diviti homini esse avarum, mediocri autemhomini pulchrum est esse largum.

Another: It is indeed shameful for a rich man to be very avaricious, but for a man of moderate means it is beautiful to be liberal.

[p. 30] Discipulus ait: Diffinitionem largi et avari et prodigi mihisubscribe. Pater: Qui dat quibus dandum est et retinet quibus retinendumest, largus est. Et qui prohibet quibus prohibendum est et quibus non estprohibendum, avarus est.

[p. 30] The Disciple said: Write down for me the definition of the generous and the avaricious and the prodigal. Father: He who gives to those to whom it must be given and withholds from those from whom it must be withheld, is generous. And he who withholds both from those from whom withholding is due and from those from whom it is not due, is avaricious.

Et qui dat quibus est dandum et quibus non estdandum, prodigus est.

And he who gives to those to whom it ought to be given and to those to whom it ought not to be given, is prodigal.

De divitiis.

On riches.

Ait alius philosophus: Noli associari rei deficienti, et ne postponaste associari rei crescenti.

Another philosopher says: Do not associate yourself with a deficient thing, and do not postpone to associate yourself with a growing thing.

Alius: Magis valet parva beatitudo quam plena domus auro et argento.

Another: A small beatitude is worth more than a house full of gold and silver.

Alius: Utilia perquire magno sensu, non magna velocitate.

Alius: Seek out useful things with great sense, not with great velocity.

Alius: Ne respicias ditiorem te, ne in Deum pecces, sed respice pauperioremte, et inde grates Deo redde.

Another: Do not look at someone richer than you, lest you sin against God, but look at someone poorer than you, and from that render thanks to God.

Alius: Non deneges Deum pro paupertate, et pro divitiis noli superbire.

Another: Do not deny God on account of poverty, and on account of riches do not be proud.

Alius: Qui multa cupit, semper maiorum fame tabescit.

Another: He who covets many things, always wastes away with hunger for greater things.

Alius: Si vis in hoc saeculo tantum habere quantum sufficere poteritnaturae, non multa decebit te congregare. Et si cupido satisfacere voluerisanimo, licet congregatis quaecumque in toto mundi ambitu continentur divitiis, sitis tamen ardebit habendi.

Another: If you wish in this age to have only as much as will suffice for nature, it will not be fitting for you to congregate many things. And if, being desirous, you should wish to satisfy the mind, even though, with riches congregated, whatever things are contained in the whole ambit of the world, the thirst of having will nevertheless burn.

Alius: Qui parce sua dispendit, diu durant ei possessa.

Another: He who spends his own sparingly, his possessions endure for him for a long time.

Alius: Radix pacis est aliena non cupere, et fructus eius est requiemhabere.

Another: The root of peace is not to desire what is another's, and its fruit is to have repose.

Alius: Qui vult relinquere saeculum, videat ne aliquid retineat quodsi illius partium, quoniam tantundem valeret, ac si paleis ignem extingueret.

Another: He who wishes to relinquish the secular world, let him see that he retain nothing which is of its party, since it would avail just as much, as if he were extinguishing a fire with chaff.

Alius: Qui pecuniam congregat, multum laborat et vigiliis tabescit neperdat; ad ultimum dolet, quando perdit quod obtinuerat.

Another: He who gathers money, labors much and wastes away with vigils lest he lose it; in the end he grieves, when he loses what he had obtained.

Dispiculus magistro: Laudas congregare pecuniam? Magister: Ita! Acquire, sed iuste et in bono dispende nec in thesauro reconde.

Student to the teacher: Do you praise collecting money? Teacher: Yes! Acquire, but spend it justly and on what is good, and do not hoard it in a treasury.

Alius: Ne desideres res alterius, et ne doleas de amissis rebus, quoniamdolore nihil erit recuperabile. Unde dicitur quod

Another: Do not desire the things of another, and do not grieve over lost things, since by sorrow nothing will be recoverable. Whence it is said that

XXII. Exemplum de rustico et avicula.

22. Example about the rustic and the little bird.

Quidam habuit virgultum, in quo rivulis fluentibus herba viridis eratet pro habilitate loci conveniebant ibi volucres modulamine vocum cantusdiversos exercentes. Quadam die [p. 31] dum in suo ille fatigatus quiesceretpomario, quaedam avicula super arborem cantando delectabiliter sedit. Quamut vidit et eius cantum audivit, deceptam laqueo sumpsit.

A certain man had a thicket, in which, with rivulets flowing, the grass was green, and by the suitability of the place there gathered there birds, exercising diverse songs by the modulation of their voices. On a certain day [p. 31] while he, wearied, was resting in his own pomary, a certain little bird sat upon a tree, singing delightfully. When he saw it and heard its song, he took it, ensnared by a noose.

Ad quem avis: Cur tantum laborasti me capere, vel quod proficuum in mei captione sperastihabere? Ad haec homo: Solos cantus tuos audire cupio. Cui avis: Pro nihilo, quia retenta nec prece nec pretio cantabo.

To whom the bird: Why have you labored so much to capture me, or what profit did you hope to have in my capture? To these things the man: I desire to hear your songs alone. To which the bird: For nothing; for, being detained, I will sing neither for entreaty nor for a price.

At ille: Nisi cantaveris, tecomedam. Et avis: Quomodo comedes? Si comederis coctam aqua, quid valebitavis tam parva?

But he: Unless you sing, I will eat you. And the bird: How will you eat me? If you eat me cooked in water, what will so small a bird be worth?

Et etiam caro erit hispida. Et si assata fuero, multo minorero. Sed si me abire dimiseris, magnam utilitatem ex me consequeris.

And even the meat will be bristly. And if I have been roasted, I shall be much smaller. But if you let me go away, you will obtain great utility from me.

Atille contra: Quale proficuum? Avis: Ostendam tibi tres sapientiae maneriasquas maioris facies quam trium vitulorum carnes. At ille securus promissiavem abire permisit.

But he, in reply: What profit? The bird: I will show you three manners of sapience which you will esteem as greater than the flesh of three calves. But he, secure in the promise, allowed the bird to depart.

Cui avis ait: Est unum de promissis: ne credas omnibusdictis! Secundum: quod tuum est, semper habebis! Tertium: ne doleas deamissis!

To him the bird said: There is one of the promises: do not credit all sayings! The second: what is yours, you will always have! The third: do not grieve over losses!

Hoc dicto avicula arborem conscendit et dulci canore dicere coepit: Benedictus Deus qui tuorum oculorum aciem clausit et sapientiam tibi abstulit, quoniam si intestinorum plicas meorum perquisisses, unius ponderis unciaeiacinctum invenisses. Hoc ille audiens cepit flere et dolere atque palmispectus percutere, quoniam fidem dictis praebuerat aviculae. Et avis aitilli: Cito oblitus es sensus quem tibi dixi!

With this said the little bird climbed a tree and began to speak in sweet song: Blessed be God who has closed the keenness of your eyes and has taken away sapience from you, since, if you had searched the folds of my intestines, you would have found a hyacinth of one ounce in weight. Hearing this he began to weep and to grieve and to beat his breast with his palms, because he had given credence to the little bird’s words. And the bird said to him: You have quickly forgotten the sense which I told you!

Nonne dixi tibi: non credequicquid tibi dicetur? Et quomodo credis quod in me sit iacinctus qui situnius unciae ponderis, cum ego tota non sim tanti ponderis? Et nonne dixitibi: Quod tuum est, semper habebis?

Did I not say to you: do not believe whatever will be said to you? And how do you believe that there is in me a jacinth which is of the weight of one ounce, since I, entire, am not of so great a weight? And did I not say to you: What is yours, you will always have?

Et quomodo potes lapidem habere deme volante? Et nonne dixi tibi: Ne doleas de rebus amissis? Et quare proiacincto qui in me est doles?

And how can you have a stone from me as I am flying? And did I not say to you: Do not grieve over things lost? And why do you grieve on account of the jacinth which is in me?

Talibus dictis deriso rustico avis in nemorisavia devolavit.

With such words said, the bird, the rustic having been mocked, flew down into the pathless places of the grove.

De libris non credendis.

On books not to be believed.

Philosophus castigavit filium suum dicens: Quicquid inveneris, legas, sed non credas quicquid legeris. Ad haec discipulus: Credo hoc esse: nonest verum quicquid est in libris. Nam simile huic iam legi in libris etproverbiis philosophorum: Multae sunt arbores, sed non omnes faciunt fructum;multi fructus, sed non omnes comestibiles.

The philosopher castigated his son, saying: Whatever you find, read, but do not believe whatever you read. To this the disciple: I believe this to be the case: not everything that is in books is true. For something similar to this I have already read in the books and proverbs of the philosophers: Many are the trees, but not all make/bear fruit;many fruits, but not all comestible.

Castigavit Arabs filium suum dicens: Fili, ne dimittas pro futuris praesentia, ne forsan perdas utrumque, sicut evenit lupo de bobus promissis a rustico. [p. 32]

An Arab chastised his son, saying: Son, do not let go the present things for future ones, lest perhaps you lose both, as it befell the wolf concerning the oxen promised by the rustic. [p. 32]

XXIII. Exemplum de aratore et lupo iudicioque vulpis.

23. Example about the plowman and the wolf and the judgment of the fox.

Dictum namque fuit de uno aratore quod boves illius recto tramite nollentincedere. Quibus dixit: Lupi vos comedant! Quod lupus audiens adquievit.

For it was said about a certain plowman that his oxen were unwilling to proceed by the straight track. To them he said: Let wolves eat you! A wolf, hearing this, acquiesced.

Cum autem dies declinaretur et iam rusticus ab aratro boves solvisset, venit ad eum lupus ita dicens: Da mihi boves quos mihi promisisti! Ad haecarator: Si verbum dixi, non tamen sacramento firmavi. Et lupus contra: Habere debeo, quia concessisti.

But when the day was declining and now the rustic had loosed the oxen from the plough, a wolf came to him, thus saying: Give me the oxen which you promised to me! To this the plowman: If I spoke a word, nevertheless I did not confirm it by a sacrament (oath). And the wolf in reply: I ought to have them, because you conceded.

Firmaverunt tandem pactum quod inde irentad iudicem. Quod dum facerent, vulpi obviaverunt. Quibus euntibus ait callidavulpis: Quo tenditis?

They finally confirmed a pact that thence they would go to the judge. Which while they were doing, they met a fox. To them as they were going the cunning fox said: Whither do you tend?

Illi quod factum fuerat narraverunt vulpi. Quibusdixit: Pro nihilo alium iudicem quaeritis, quoniam rectum inde vobis faciamiudicium. Sed prius permittite me loqui consilio uni ex vobis et deindealii; et si potero vos concordare sine iudicio, sententia celabitur; sinautem, in commune dicetur.

They told the fox what had been done. To them she said: You seek another judge for nothing, since I will render a right judgment for you on this matter. But first allow me to speak in counsel to one of you and then to the other; and if I can reconcile you without a judgment, the sentence will be concealed; but if not, it will be pronounced in common.

At ipsi concesserunt. Et vulpis primum locutaseorsum cum aratore ait: Da mihi unam gallinam et uxori meae alteram, ethabebis boves! Arator concessit.

But they consented. And the fox first spoke apart with the plowman and said: Give me one hen and to my wife another, and you shall have the oxen! The plowman consented.

Et hoc facto cum lupo locuta est dicens: Audi, amice, et meritus tuis praecedentibus pro te debet mea si qua estfacundia laborare. Tantum locuta sum cum rustico quod, si boves illiusdimiseris omnino quietos, dabit tibi caseum ad magnitudinem clipei factum. Hoc lupus concessit.

And this done she spoke with the wolf, saying: Listen, friend, and, merited by your antecedents, my eloquence, if there is any, ought to labor for you. I have spoken so much with the rustic that, if you let his oxen go entirely unmolested, he will give you a cheese made to the magnitude of a shield. This the wolf conceded.

Cui vulpis inde inquit: Concede aratorem boves suosabducere, et ego ducam te ad locum ubi parantur illius casei ut quem voluerisde multis, eligere possis. Sed lupus astutae vulpis deceptus verbis quietumabire permisit rusticum. Vulpis vero vagando huc et illuc, quantum potuit, lupum deviavit.

Then the fox said to him: Allow the ploughman to lead away his oxen, and I will lead you to the place where those cheeses of his are prepared, so that, from among many, you may be able to choose whichever you wish. But the wolf, deceived by the words of the astute fox, allowed the rustic to go away quietly. But the fox, by wandering hither and thither, diverted the wolf as much as she could.

Quem veniente obscura nocte ad altum deduxit puteum. Cuisuper puteum stanti formam lunae semiplenae in yma putei radiantis ostenditet ait: Hic est caseus quem tibi promisi! Descende si placet et comede!Ad haec lupus: Descende tu primitus, et si sola deferre non poteris, utte iuvem faciam quae hortaris.

Whom, as obscure night was coming, she led down to a deep well. To him, standing over the well, she showed the form of the half-full moon shining in the bottom of the well and said: Here is the cheese which I promised you! Descend, if it pleases, and eat! To this the wolf: You descend first, and if you will not be able to carry it up alone, I will do what you urge, so that I may help you.

Et hoc dicto viderunt cordam pendentem inputeum, in cuius capite erat urceola ligata et in alio capite cordae alteraurceola, et pendebant tali ingenio quod una surgente altera desdendebat. Quod vulpis simulac vidit, quasi obsequens precibus lupi urceolam intravitet ad fundum venit. Lupus autem inde gavisus ait: Cur non affers mihi caseum?Vulpis ait: Nequeo prae magnitudine, sed intra aliam urceolam et veni sicutspopondisti!

And with this said they saw a rope hanging into the well, at one end of which a little bucket was tied, and at the other end of the rope another little bucket, and they hung by such a contrivance that, the one rising, the other was descending. Which, as soon as the fox saw, as though complying with the wolf’s entreaties, she entered the bucket and came to the bottom. But the wolf, rejoicing at that, said: Why are you not bringing me the cheese?The fox said: I cannot on account of its magnitude, but enter the other bucket and come, just as you promised!

Lupo intrante urceola magnitudine ponderis ducta cito fundumpetiit, altera surgente cum vulpe quae erat levis. Quae vulpecula tactoore putei foras exilivit et in [p. 33] puteo lupum dimisit. Et ita quiapro futuro quod praesens erat dimisit, lupus boves et caseum perdidit.

When the wolf entered, the little jar, drawn by the magnitude of the weight, quickly sought the bottom, the other rising with the fox, who was light. Which little fox, when the mouth of the well was touched, leapt out, and in [p. 33] the well she left the wolf. And thus, because for the future he let go what was present, the wolf lost the oxen and the cheese.

De consilio accipiendo et probando.

On accepting and approving counsel.

Castigavit Arabs filium suum dicens: Accipe consilium ab eodem, de quorequiris experto, quod sic levius habere poteris quam si tu ipse periculoseprobaveris.

An Arab chastised his son, saying: Receive counsel from that same one, experienced in that about which you inquire, which thus you will be able to have more easily than if you yourself had perilously proved it.

Alius castigavit filium suum dicens: Ne credas omni quod audies consilio, donec prius an sit utile probatum fuerit in aliquo, ne contingat tibi sicutlatroni contigit, qui consilio domini domus cuiusdam credidit. Ad haecfilius: Quomodo, pater, evenit ei? Pater:

Another chastised his son, saying: Do not trust every counsel that you hear, until first it shall have been proved in some case whether it is useful, lest it happen to you as it happened to the robber, who trusted the counsel of the master of a certain house. To this the son: How, father, did it befall him? Father:

XXIV. Exemplum de latrone et radio lunae.

24. Example about the robber and the ray of the moon.

Dictum fuit quod quidam latro ad domum cuiusdam divitis perrexit intentionefurandi. Et ascendens tectum ad fenestram per quam fumus exibat pervenit, et si aliquis intus vigilaret auscultavit. Quod dominus domus comperitet suaviter suae uxori ait: Interroga alta voce, unde venit mihi iste tammagnus quem habeo census!

It was said that a certain thief went to the house of a certain rich man with the intention of stealing. And ascending the roof, he came to the window through which smoke was going out, and listened to see whether anyone inside was awake. When the master of the house found this out, he gently said to his wife: “Ask in a loud voice, ‘Whence has there come to me this so great revenue that I have!’”

Quod ut rescias, multum labora! Tunc ipsa altavoce ait: Domine, unde tam magnum habuisti censum, cum nunquam mercatorfueris? At ille: Quod Deus donavit, serva et fac inde voluntatem tuam etnon inquiras, unde mihi tanta pecunia venerit!

That you may know it, labor much! Then she herself said in a loud voice: Lord, whence have you had so great an income, since you have never been a merchant? But he: What God has donated, keep, and from it do your will, and do not inquire, whence so much money has come to me!

At ipsa, sicut ei iniunctumfuerat, magis ac magis ut resciret instabat. Demum quasi coactus precibussuae uxoris inquit dicens: Vide ne cuiquam secreta nostra detegas: Latrofui. At ipsa: Mirum mihi videtur quomodo tam magnum censum latrocinio potuistiacquirere, quod nunquam audivimus clamorem sive aliquam calumpniam inde.

But she herself, just as it had been enjoined upon her, pressed more and more to find it out. At last, as if compelled by the prayers of his wife, he said: See that you disclose our secrets to no one: I was a robber. But she: It seems wondrous to me how by latrociny you were able to acquire so great a fortune, since we have never heard a clamor or any calumny therefrom.

At ipse ait: Quidam magister meus carmen me docuit quod dicebam quandosuper tectum ascendebam; et veniens ad fenestram accipiebam radium lunaemanu et carmen meum septies dicebam, scilicet "saulem", et ita descendebamsine periculo et quicquid pretiosum inveniebam in domo corradens sumebam;et hoc facto iterum ad radium veniebam lunae et eodem carmine septies dictocum omnibus in domo sumptis ascendebam et quod sustuleram ad hospitiumdeferebam. Tali ingenio hunc quem possideo censum habeo. At mulier ait: Bene fecisti quod mihi talia dixisti; nam quando filium habuero, ne pauperdegat, hoc carmen docebo.

But he said: A certain magister of mine taught me a carmen that I used to say when I was going up onto the roof; and, coming to the window, I would take a ray of the moon in my hand and I would say my carmen seven times, namely "saulem", and thus I would descend without peril, and whatever precious thing I found in the house, scraping it together, I would take;and this done, again I would come to the ray of the moon and, with the same carmen said seven times, with everything in the house taken, I would ascend, and what I had carried off I would bring to my hospitium. By such ingenuity I have this census which I possess. But the woman said: You have done well that you told me such things; for when I shall have a son, lest he live poor, I will teach him this carmen.

At dominus inquit: Permitte me amodo dormirequoniam sompno aggravatus volo quiescere. Et ut magis deciperet, quasidormiens stertere coepit. Perceptis denique talibus verbis fur nimis indegavisus est, et dicto septies carmine et assumpto manu radio lunae laxatismanibus et pedibus per fenestram in domum magnum faciens sonum ceciditet fracto crure ac brachio congemuit.

But the master said: Permit me from now on to sleep, since, weighed down by sleep, I wish to repose. And, that he might deceive the more, as if sleeping he began to snore. At last, upon hearing such words, the thief rejoiced exceedingly thereat, and, the charm having been said seven times and the ray of the moon taken in his hand, with his hands and feet loosened he fell through the window into the house, making a great sound, and, with his leg and his arm broken, he groaned.

At dominus domus quasi nesciens inquit: Tu [p. 34] quis es qui ita cecidisti? Cui latro: Ego sum ille fur infelixqui tuis credidi fallacibus dictis. --Ad haec filius: Tu benedicaris, quoniamdolosa edocuisti me vitare consilia.

But the master of the house, as if not knowing, said: “You [p. 34] who are you who have fallen thus?” To whom the robber: “I am that unlucky thief who believed your fallacious words.” --At this the son: “May you be blessed, since you have instructed me to avoid deceitful counsels.”

De consilio.

On counsel.

Philosophus ait: Cave consilium azimum, donec sit fermentatum.

The Philosopher says: Beware azymous counsel, until it is fermented.

Alius: Ne credas consilium monentis quod deneges alterius benefactum, quoniam qui denegat benefactum coram oculis omnia cernentis se accusat.

Another: Do not trust the counsel of one admonishing that you deny another’s benefaction, since he who denies a benefaction before the eyes of the One discerning all accuses himself.

Alius: Si fueris in aliquo bono, ne pecces serva, quoniam saepissimemaximum comminuitur bonum vel amittitur.

Another: If you are in any good, preserve it, do not sin, since very often the greatest good is diminished or is lost.

De benefacto.

On the benefaction.

Interrogavit discipulus magistrum suum: Prohibuit philosophus benefactumdenegare; sed non divisit benefactum creatoris vel creaturae? Ad haec magister: Dico tibi quod ille qui denegat benefactum, denegat Deum; et ille qui nonobedit regi vel rectori, est inobediens Deo. Discipulus: Ostende mihi rationemquomodo hoc possit esse.

The disciple questioned his master: The philosopher forbade denying a benefaction; but did he not divide the benefaction of the creator or of the creature? To this the master: I tell you that he who denies the benefaction denies God; and he who does not obey the king or the rector is inobedient to God. The disciple: Show me the reason how this can be.

Magister: Nullum benefactum procedit ex creaturaad creaturam nisi ex deo procedat; et illi qui denegant benefactum, suosdenegant benefactores et ita denegant Deum.

Master: No benefaction proceeds from a creature to a creature unless it proceeds from God; and those who deny the benefaction, deny their benefactors and thus deny God.

Item: Rex qui rector verax est, virga Dei in terra est; et ille quiobedit virgae, obedit rectori; et ille qui non obedit virgae, non obeditDeo.

Likewise: The king who is a veracious ruler, is the rod of God on earth; and he who obeys the rod, obeys the ruler; and he who does not obey the rod, does not obey God.

De rege bono et malo.

On the good king and the bad.

Alius philosophus ait: Custodi te a rege qui ferus est ut leo, et cuilevis est animus ut puero.

Another philosopher says: Guard yourself from a king who is fierce like a lion, and whose spirit is light as a boy’s.

Alius: Qui malum dicit de rege, ante tempus suum morietur.

Another: He who speaks evil of the king, will die before his time.

Alius: Diutius patitur Deus regnum regis in sua persona peccantis, sibonus sit gentibus et mitis, quam faceret in sua persona iusto regi, simalus esset gentibus et crudelis. --Aristotiles in epistola sua castigavitregem Alexandrum ita dicens: Melius est cum paucis pace tuos regere quammagnam militiam tenere. --Item: Tene rectam iustitiam inter homines, etdiligent te; nec properes ulli reddere mutuum boni vel mali, quia diutiusexpectabit te amicus et diutius timebit te inimicus.

Another: God for a longer time endures the reign of a king sinning in his own persona, if he is good to the peoples and mild, than he would do for a just king in his own persona, if he were bad to the peoples and cruel. --Aristotle, in his epistle, rebuked King Alexander, saying thus: It is better with a few, in peace, to rule your own than to hold a great soldiery. --Likewise: Hold straight justice among men, and they will love you; nor be quick to render to anyone in kind either good or evil, because longer will a friend await you and longer will an enemy fear you.

XXV. Exemplum de Mariano.

25. Example about Marianus.

Plato retulit in libro de prophetiis quod quidam rex erat in Graeciasenex, gentibus crudelis. Huic crevit maximum multis e partibus bellum. Cuius ut sciret eventum, totius suae regionis et vicinae mandavit philosophos.

Plato related in the book on prophecies that there was a certain king in Greece, an old man, cruel to the peoples. To this man there grew a very great war from many parts. In order that he might know its outcome, he commanded the philosophers of his whole region and of the neighboring region.

Quibus congregatis ait: Videte quam magnum mihi et vobis ingruat bellum, quod propter meum credo evenire vobis peccatum. [p. 35] Sed si aliquidest in me quod sit reprehendendum, dicite et vestro iudicio corrigere festinabo. Philosophi: De criminalibus in corpore vestro nullum scimus nec quid nobiset vobis venturum sit cognoscimus.

With these assembled he said: See how great a war is bearing down upon me and upon you, which I believe is coming upon you on account of my sin. [p. 35] But if there is anything in me which is to be reprehended, say it, and by your judgment I will hasten to correct it. Philosophers: Concerning criminal matters in your person we know none, nor do we know what is going to come to us and to you.

Sed hic prope viam trium dierum moraturquidam sapiens homo nomine Marianus, qui per spiritum sanctum loquitur. Ad eum ergo de philosophis vestris aliquos legate, per quos vobis quidin tota vita vestra sit venturum declarabit. His ita peractis septem philosophosad eum misit.

But here, near the road, there tarries for three days a certain wise man named Marianus, who speaks through the Holy Spirit. Therefore send to him, as legates, some of your philosophers, through whom he will declare to you what in your whole life is going to come. With these things thus accomplished, he sent seven philosophers to him.

Qui postquam quam prius inhabitaverat intravere urbem, desertamillius invenere maximam partem. Sed illis quaerentibus hospitium Marianidictum fuit quod ipse et multi de concivibus petiissent heremum. His auditisperrexerunt ad eum philosophi.

Who, after they had entered the city which they had formerly inhabited, found the greater part of it deserted. But as they were seeking hospitality, it was said about Marianus that he himself and many of the fellow-citizens had sought the eremus, the desert. Having heard these things, the philosophers proceeded to him.

Quos ut vidit sapiens ait: Venite venite, legati regis inobedientis! Deus enim ei in custodia diversas nationes subdidit, quarum non rectus gubernator, sed immitis exstitit. Deus tamen qui illumet illius subditos de eadem et non de diversa materia creavit, eius immoderatamdiu passus nequitiam multimodis correptionibus ut converteretur admonuit.

As soon as the wise man saw them, he said: Come, come, legates of a disobedient king! For God subjected to him in custody diverse nations, of which he was not an upright governor, but a harsh one. Yet God, who created him and his subjects from the same, and not from a different, matter, having long endured his immoderate wickedness, admonished him by corrections of many kinds so that he might be converted.

Sed tandem omnino ad malum eius pertinaci animo in illius necem immisericordeset barbaras suscitavit gentes. Et hoc dicto tacuit sapiens homo. Quod audientesphilosophi mirabantur et universi qui aderant.

But at length, wholly to his harm, with a pertinacious mind he stirred up merciless and barbarous nations unto that man’s death. And with this said, the wise man fell silent. Hearing this, the philosophers marveled, and all who were present.

Die autem tertia philosophisquaerentibus licitum repatriandi reverendus ille prophetico spiritu dixit: Revertimini, quoniam mortuus est dominus vester, et Deus iam novum regemibi imposuit qui sit rectus gubernator et mitis gentibus subditis. Auditistalibus de septem qui venerant philosophis tribus cum praedicto sapientein heremo remanentibus quatuor repatriaverunt. Qui omnia, sicut eis praedictumfuerat, vera et constituta invenerunt.

But on the third day, as the philosophers were asking leave to repatriate, that reverend man by a prophetic spirit said: Return, since your lord is dead, and God has now imposed a new king there who is a right governor and gentle to the subject nations. On hearing such things, of the seven philosophers who had come, with three remaining in the desert with the aforesaid wise man, four repatriated. They found all things, just as it had been foretold to them, true and established.

Arabs dixit filio suo: Ne moreris in civitate regis, cuius dispensamaior fuerit quam redditus.

The Arab said to his son: Do not linger in the city of a king, whose disbursement shall have been greater than the revenue.

XXVI. Exemplum de duobus fratribus et regis dispensa.

26. Example about two brothers and the king's expenses.

Dictum namque fuit quod quidam rex suorum communi assensu procerum cuidamsuo familiari, quem antea cognoverat in saecularibus esse prudentem, totiusregni habenas commisit, qui totius provinciae redditus susciperet, placitatractaret, domum domusque ministros et dispensas ordinaret. Eius frateralterius regni dives mercator remotam incolebat civitatem. Qui perceptorumore de fratris sublimatione parato comitatu prout decuit [p. 36] utfratrem viseret, iter incepit.

For it was said that a certain king, by the common assent of his peers, entrusted the reins of the whole realm to a certain intimate of his, whom he had previously known to be prudent in secular matters, to receive the revenues of the whole province, to handle the pleas, to order the household and the house’s ministers and the disbursements. His brother, a rich merchant of another kingdom, dwelt in a remote city. Who, by report about his brother’s sublimation, with a retinue prepared as was fitting [p. 36] to visit his brother, began the journey.

Praemisso tandem nuntio, ne subitus autimprovisus veniret, qui de adventu suo fratri referret, civitati in quafrater aderat appropinquavit. Audito fratris adventu frater occurrit eiet hilari vultu accurate eum suscepit. Transactis vero aliquot diebus, proviso tempore et loco, regi inter cetera quae sciebat placere, etiamsuum fratrem advenisse retulit.

A messenger having at last been sent ahead, so that he might not come suddenly or unanticipated, one who would report to his brother about his arrival, he approached the city in which his brother was present. When his brother heard of his arrival, the brother ran to meet him and with a cheerful countenance carefully received him. After several days had passed, with the time and place provided, he reported to the king, among the other things which he knew would please, that his brother too had arrived.

Cui rex: Si frater tuus tecum in meo regnoremanere adquieverit, omnia tecum illi --etiam mearum custodiam rerum Òcommunia esse concedo. Quodsi laborem renuerit, in hac civitate largaspossessiones ei dabo et omnes consuetudines et quae mihi facere deberetcondonabo. Si vero demum tactus amore natalis soli repatriare voluerit, plurima vestimentorum mutatoria et quaecumque ei necessaria fuerint, largirecum habundantia.

To which the king: If your brother shall have acquiesced to remain with you in my kingdom, I grant that all things with you to him — even the custody of my possessions — be common. But if he shall refuse the labor, in this city I will give him large possessions, and I will remit all customary dues and what he would owe to do for me. If, however, at last touched by love of his native soil he should wish to repatriate, bestow upon him in abundance very many changes of garments and whatever things may be necessary for him.

Auditis sermonibus regis frater fratrem convenit et quantadominus promiserat, ordine retaxavit. Cui frater: Si vis ut tecum morer, ostende mihi quanti sint redditus regis. Ipse autem omnes ostendit.

On hearing the king’s speech, the brother met his brother and recounted, in order, how great the lord had promised. To him the brother said: If you wish me to stay with you, show me how great the king’s revenues are. And he himself showed them all.

Deindeinterrogavit quantas dispensas rex faceret. Quod et ipse indicavit. Tuncipse computavit cum fratre quod tantus erat redditus quanta et dispensa.

Then he inquired how great expenditures the king made. This too he indicated. Then he himself computed with his brother that the revenue was as great as the expenditure.

Et dixit fratri: Amice, video quod tanta est regis dispensa quantus etredditus. Sed si surrexerit bellum regi vestro vel aliquid tale, unde procurabitmilites suos vel unde inveniet eis nummos? Frater: Aliquo consilio adquiremus.

And he said to his brother: Friend, I see that the king’s expenditure is as great as the revenue. But if war should arise for your king or something of the sort, whence will he procure for his soldiers or whence will he find coins for them? Brother: By some counsel we shall acquire.

Cui frater: Timeo ne census meus sit pars huius consilii, et ideo vale, quia nolo hic amplius morari.

To which the brother: I fear lest my census be part of this counsel, and therefore farewell, because I do not wish to linger here any longer.

Dixit philosophus: Rex est similis igni: cui si nimis admotus fueris, cremaberis; si ex toto remotus, frigebis.

The philosopher said: The king is similar to fire: to which, if you have been brought too near, you will be burned; if altogether removed, you will grow cold.

De familiaritate regis.

On the familiarity of the king.

Arabicus interrogavit patrem: Si credidero verbis philosophi, nunquamfamiliaris ero regi. Cui pater: Fili, regi placere magna prudentia est. Filius: Pater, erudi me, quomodo, si oportuerit me regi servire, ut prudenset bene doctus valeam placere.

The Arab asked his father: If I believe the words of the philosopher, I shall never be familiar with the king. To whom the father: Son, to please the king is great prudence. The son: Father, instruct me, how, if it should be necessary for me to serve the king, I may, being prudent and well-taught, be able to please.

Pater: Ad huiusmodi instructionem multaessent necessaria, quae modo ad memoriam non revocamus, et fortasse siperscriberentur, tibi pusillo in taedium verterentur. Sed de multis paucaet quae si observaveris erunt utilia referemus. Ad quem filius: Etsi arrectisauribus multa cupio, promissa tamen audiendi avidus vehementer efflagito.

Father: For instruction of this sort many things would be necessary, which we do not at the moment recall to memory, and perhaps, if they were written out, to you, little one, they would turn into tedium. But out of many things a few, which, if you observe them, will be useful, we will relate. To whom the son: Although with ears pricked I desire many things, yet, eager to hear the things promised, I urgently demand them.

Pater: Qui vult regi esse familiaris, debet videre omni visu mentis quod, cum venerit ad regem, stare diu possit; nec unquam sedeat, donec rex praecipiat;nec loquatur nisi cum opus fuerit; nec moretur cum rege nisi ipse praeceperitmorari; et fideliter consilium taceat; et semper sit intentus audire quoddicit rex, ne oporteat regem bis praeceptum repetere; quodcumque praecipiatrex, faciat; sed caveat ne regi mentiatur, et videat quod regem diligatet sit ei obediens; nec unquam associet se homini quem rex odio habebit. Et cum haec omnia et multa alia fecerit, forsitan de rege [p. 37] non magnumhabebit proficuum. --Filius: Nihil peius contingit homini quam diu regiservire et nihil boni adquirere.

Father: He who wishes to be familiar with the king, ought to see with every view of the mind that, when he shall have come to the king, he can stand for a long time; and let him never sit, until the king shall command;nor let him speak unless there is need; nor let him tarry with the king unless he himself has commanded to tarry; and let him faithfully keep counsel silent; and let him always be intent to hear what the king says, lest it be necessary for the king to repeat the precept twice; whatever the king commands, let him do; but let him beware lest he lie to the king, and let him see that he love the king and be obedient to him; nor ever let him associate himself with a man whom the king will have in hatred. And when he shall have done all these things and many others, perhaps from the king [p. 37] he will not have great profit. --Son: Nothing worse befalls a man than to serve the king for a long time and acquire nothing good.

Pater: Hoc multis iam evenit; et ideopraecipit philosophus ne quisquam nimis moretur in servitio regis. --Aliusphilosophus dixit: Qui servit regi ut ita dicam sine fortunio, hoc saeculumperdit et aliud.

Pater: This has already happened to many; and therefore the philosopher enjoins that no one linger too long in the service of a king. --Another philosopher said: He who serves a king, so to speak, without fortune, loses this age and the other.

De modo comedendi.

On the mode of eating.

Filius: O pater, quare oblitus es dicere quomodo debet homo comederecoram rege? Pater: Non oblitus fui dicere, quia nulla differentia est intercomedere coram rege et alibi. Filius: Dic ergo quomodo ubique debeam comedere.

Son: O father, why have you forgotten to say how a man ought to eat before the king? Father: I did not forget to say, because there is no difference between eating before the king and elsewhere. Son: Say therefore how I ought to eat everywhere.

Pater: Cum ablueris manus ut comedas, nihil tangas nisi prandium, doneccomedas; nec comedas panem priusquam veniat aliud ferculum super mensam, ne dicaris impatiens; nec tantum ponas bolum in ore tuo, ut micae defluanthinc et inde, ne dicaris gluto; nec glutias bolum priusquam bene fueritcommasticatum in ore tuo, ne straguleris; nec pocula sumas donec os sitvacuum, ne dicaris vinosus; nec loquaris dum aliquid in ore tuo tenueris, ne aliquid intret de gutture in intimam arteriam et sic sit tibi causamortis; et si videris bolum quod tibi placeat in parapside coram sodali, ne sumas, ne dicatur tibi prava rusticitas. Post prandium manus ablue, quia phisicum est et curiale; ob hoc enim multorum oculi deteriorantur, quoniam post prandia manibus non ablutis terguntur.

Pater: When you have washed your hands to eat, touch nothing except the meal, until you eat; do not eat bread before another course comes upon the table, lest you be called impatient; nor put so large a bolus into your mouth that crumbs fall this way and that, lest you be called a glutton; nor swallow the bolus before it has been well masticated in your mouth, lest you be strangled; nor take the cups until the mouth is empty, lest you be called vinous; nor speak while you hold anything in your mouth, lest something enter from the throat into the inmost artery and thus be for you a cause of death; and if you see a bolus which pleases you on the dish before your companion, do not take it, lest perverse rusticity be said of you. After the meal wash your hands, because it is physic and courtly; for on this account the eyes of many deteriorate, since after meals they are rubbed with hands not washed.

Filius: Si quis invitaverit me ad prandium, quomodo respondebo: concedamstatim annon? Pater: Fac sicut auctoritas Iudaeorum praecipit! Dicit enim: Si quis invitaverit te, videas personam invitantis.

Son: If someone has invited me to a meal, how shall I respond: shall I consent at once or not? Father: Do as the authority of the Jews prescribes! For it says: If someone has invited you, consider the person of the inviter.

Si enim magna personafuerit, statim concede; sin autem, secundum quod erit vel secunda vel tertiavice. Hoc etiam refertur de Habraam:

For if it shall be a great person, concede at once; but if otherwise, according as it will be either the second or the third occasion. This also is related of Abraham:

Quadam enim die dum coram sua staret ianua, transeuntes sub humana specievidit tres angelos. Quos ipse suam domum intrare honesto vultu rogavit, pedes lavare, ciborum refectionen sumere, lassos artus sompno recreare. Ipsi vero, quoniam magna persona erat, concesserunt eius petitioni.

On a certain day, while he was standing before his door, he saw three angels passing by under human aspect. Whom he himself, with an honest countenance, asked to enter his house, to wash their feet, to take a refection of foods, to refresh their weary limbs with sleep. They, however, since he was a great personage, acceded to his petition.

Cumautem ad Loth venissent et iterum atque iterum rogarentur quod tectum eiussubintrarent, quia autentica non erat persona, velut coacti annuerunt.

But when they had come to Lot and were asked again and again that they might enter under his roof, since he was not an authoritative personage, they assented as if compelled.

Iuvenis senem interrogavit: Cum invitatus fuero ad prandium, quid faciam: parum vel nimis comedam? Cui senex: Nimis! Quoniam si amicus tuus fueritqui te invitavit, [p. 38] multum gaudebit; si autem inimicus, dolebit.

A youth asked an old man: When I shall have been invited to dinner, what should I do: shall I eat too little or too much? To which the old man: Too much! Since if it is a friend of yours who invited you, [p. 38] he will rejoice greatly; but if an enemy, he will be pained.

Hoc audito risit puer. Ad quem senex: Quid rides? Puer: Recordatus sumverbi quod audivi de Maimundo nigro.

On hearing this, the boy laughed. To whom the old man: Why do you laugh? Boy: I have recalled the saying that I heard about Maimundus the Black.

Quidam enim senex quaesivit ab eo, quantum posset comedere. Cui ipse: De cuius prandio, de meo vel de alterius? At ille: De tuo.

For a certain old man asked him how much he could eat. To him he himself said: At whose lunch, mine or another’s? But he: Yours.

Maimundus: Quantominus possum. Senex: De alterius quantum? Maimundus: Quanto magis possum.

Maimundus: As little as I can. Old Man: Of another’s, how much? Maimundus: As much as I can.

Senex: Tu modo recordaris verborum cuiusdam gulosi, pigri, stulti, garruliet nugigeruli et quicquid tale de illo dicitur vel eo amplius in eo invenitur. Iuvenis: Multum placet mihi de eo audire, quia quicquid de eo est, derisoriumest; et si quid de eius dictis vel factis mente retines, eloquere, et habebopro munere. Senex:

Old Man: You are merely recalling the words of a certain glutton, sluggard, fool, chatterer and triflemonger, and whatever suchlike is said about him, or even more than that is found in him. Young Man: It greatly pleases me to hear about him, because whatever there is about him is derisory; and if you retain anything in mind of his sayings or deeds, speak it, and I will count it as a gift. Old Man:

XXVII. Exemplum de Maimundo servo.

27. Example about Maimundus the servant.

Dominus suus praecepit ei quadam nocte ut clauderet ianuam. Ipse verodesidia pressus surgere non potuit et ideo dixit quia clausa erat ianua. Mane autem facto dixit dominus servo: Maimunde, aperi ianuam!

His master commanded him on a certain night to close the door. But he himself, indeed pressed by sloth, could not rise, and therefore said that the door was closed. With morning having been made, however, the master said to the servant: Maimund, open the door!

Cui servus: Domine, sciebam quod volebas eam hodie esse apertam, et ideo nolui eamsero claudere. Tunc primum comperit dominus quod propter pigritiam dimiseratet ait: Surge, fac opus tuum, quia dies est et sol iam altus est! Cui servus: Domine, si sol iam altus est, da mihi comedere.

To whom the servant: Master, I knew that you wanted it to be open today, and therefore I did not wish to close it late. Then for the first time the master discovered that he had neglected it on account of sloth and said: Rise, do your work, for it is day and the sun is already high! To whom the servant: Master, if the sun is already high, give me to eat.

Cui dominus: Pessime serve, vis nocte comedere? Cui servus: Si nox est, permitte me dormire! --Aliavice dixit dominus servo noctu: Maimunde, surge et vide utrum pluat necne!Ipse vero advocavit canem, qui iacebat extra ianuam, et cum venisset canis, palpavit pedes eius.

To whom the master: Most wicked servant, do you wish to eat at night? To whom the servant: If it is night, permit me to sleep! --On another occasion the master said to the servant by night: Maimunde, get up and see whether it is raining or not!He, however, summoned the dog, which was lying outside the door, and when the dog had come, he palpated its feet.

Quibus inventis siccis domino inquit: Domine, nonpluit. --Alia vice dominus interrogavit servum noctu an ignis esset indomo. Ipse vero vocato murilego temptavit an calidus esset an non.

When these were found dry, he says to the master: Master, it has not rained. --Another time the master asked the servant by night whether there was a fire in the house. But he, having called the mouser, tested whether it was hot or not.

Et cuminvenisset eum frigidum, ait: Domine, non. --Iuvenis: Pigritiam eius audivi;modo garrulitatem eius audire cupio. Senex: Dictum fuit quod dominus suusveniebat de foro laetus pro lucro, quia multum lucratus fuerat.

And when he had found it cold, he said: Lord, no. --Young man: I have heard his sloth; now I desire to hear his garrulity. Old man: It was said that his masterwas coming from the forum joyful for lucre, because he had gained much lucre.

Et exivitservus Maimundus contra dominum suum. Quem cum videret dominus, timuitne aliquos rumores ut mos suus erat diceret, et dixit: Cave ne dicas mihirumores malos! Maimundus: Non dicam rumores malos, sed canis nostra parvulaBispella mortua est.

And the servant Maimundus went out toward his master. When the master saw him, he feared lest he would say some rumors, as was his custom, and said: Beware lest you tell me bad rumors! Maimundus: I will not tell bad rumors, but our little dog Bispella is dead.

Cui dominus: Quomodo mortua est? Servus: Mulus nosterexterritus fuit et rupit chamum suum et dum fugeret, sub pedibus suis canemsuffocavit. Dominus: Quid actum fuit de mulo?

To this the master: How did she die? The servant: Our mule was terrified and broke his bit, and while he was fleeing, he suffocated the dog under his feet. The master: What was done about the mule?

Servus: In puteum ceciditet mortuus est. Dominus: Quomodo exterritus fuit mulus? Servus: Filiustuus de solario cecidit ita quod mortuus est, et exinde [p. 39] exterritusfuit mulus.

Servant: He fell into the well and died. Master: How was the mule terrified? Servant: Your son fell from the solar so that he died, and from that [p. 39] the mule was terrified.

Dominus: Quid agit genitrix eius? Servus: Prae nimio dolorenati mortua est. Dominus: Quis custodit domum?

Master: How is his mother? Servant: From too great grief for her son, she has died. Master: Who is guarding the house?

Servus: Nullus, quoniamin cinerem vertitur et quicquid in ea erat. Dominus: Quomodo combusta fuit?Servus: Eadem nocte qua domina mortua fuit, pedissequa quae vigilabat prodomina, oblita fuit candelam in thalamo, et ita combusta est domus tota. Dominus: Pedissequa ubi est?

Servant: No one, since it is turned into ash and whatever was in it. Master: How was it burned?Servant: The same night on which the mistress died, the handmaid who was keeping watch for the mistress, forgot a candle in the bedchamber, and so the whole house was burned. Master: Where is the handmaid?

Servus: Ipsa volebat ignem extinguere, etcecidit trabs super caput eius et mortua est. Dominus: Tu quomodo evasisti, cum tam piger sis? Servus: Cum viderem pedissequam defunctam, effugi.

Servant: She herself wanted to extinguish the fire, and a beam fell upon her head and she died. Master: How did you escape, since you are so sluggish? Servant: When I saw the handmaid defunct, I fled.

ÒTunc dominus contristatus valde ad vicinos suos venit orans eos ut recipereturin alicuius domo et hospitaretur. Interea obviavit cuidam amico suo. Quicum videret eum tristem, interrogavit quare ita tristaretur.

Then the master, very saddened, came to his neighbors, begging them that he might be receivedin someone’s house and lodged. Meanwhile he met a certain friend of his. When he saw him sad, he asked why he was so saddened.

Ipse veroretulit sibi omnia, quae dixerat sibi servus. Amicus autem desolato retulitversus amico, ut consolaretur eum, dicens: Amice, noli desolari, quia multotienscontingit homini tam graves adversitatum inundationes sustinere quod desidereteas etiam inhonesta morte finire; et statim eveniunt ei tanta commoda quodprorsus dulce sit ei praeteritarum reminisci adversitatum. Sed humanarumrerum tam immensa fluctuatio variante meritorum ordine summi rectoris distinguiturarbitrio.

He himself indeed related to him all the things that the servant had said to him. But the friend recited verses to the desolate friend, in order to console him, saying: Friend, do not be desolate, because very often it befalls a man to sustain such grave inundations of adversities that he desires to finish them even by a dishonorable death; and immediately such great advantages befall him that it is altogether sweet for him to remember past adversities. But the so immense fluctuation of human affairs, with the order of merits varying, is distinguished by the arbitration of the highest ruler.

Haec etiam prophetae Iob corroborantur exemplo: cuius animumnon pessumdedit amissio rerum.

These things too are corroborated by the example of the prophet Job: the loss of his goods did not bring his spirit to ruin.

De saecularium instabilitate.

Of the instability of secular things.

Numquid etiam audisti quod dicit philosophus: Quis potest in saeculoisto, cum mutabile sit, aliquid stabile habere, vel quis potest in hacvita aliquid durabile, cum sint omnia transitoria, habere?

Have you also heard what the philosopher says: Who can in this age, since it is mutable, have anything stable, or who can in this life, since all things are transitory, have anything durable?

Dixit Arabs filio suo: Fili, cum forte contigerit tibi aliquid adversi, noli nimis desolari nec nimis inde tristari, quoniam hoc est genus Deumnegandi; sed Deum semper debes laudare tam de adversitate quam de prosperitate. Multa enim mala contingunt hominibus quae eveniunt eis ut maiora mala effugiant;et multa mala contingunt, quae in bono finiuntur. Et ideo laudare debesDeum in omnibus et in eo confidere, sicut dixit versificator: Cum fuerisin tristitia, nihil inde sollicitus eris, sed omnia in dispositione Deipermitte et renuntia semper bonum futurum, et ita eris oblitus malorum, quia multa mala eveniunt, quae in bono finiuntur.

An Arab said to his son: Son, when by chance something adverse befalls you, do not be too desolate nor too saddened by it, since this is a kind of denying God; but you ought always to praise God both for adversity and for prosperity. For many evils befall men which happen to them so that they may escape greater evils;and many evils befall, which are ended in good. And therefore you ought to praise God in all things and to trust in him, just as the versifier said: When you are in sadness, you will be solicitous about it in nothing, but entrust all things to the disposition of God and always announce good to come, and thus you will be forgetful of evils, because many evils happen, which are ended in good.

Philosophus ait: Huius saeculi bona sunt commixta; non enim comedesmel sine veneno.

The Philosopher says: The goods of this age are commixed; for you will not eat honey without poison.

[p. 40] Alius: Quaecunque in saeculo sunt, commutabilia sunt; et quaeex eis tibi bona sunt ventura, licet sis debilis, tamen habebis, et malumviribus devitare non poteris.

[p. 40] Another: Whatever things are in the world are mutable; and whatever of them good things are about to come to you, although you are weak, nevertheless you will have; and by strength you will not be able to avoid evil.

Alius: Quod pigro assequi desiderata donant, idem consequi cupita velocinegant.

Another: What grants to the slow to achieve the desired, the same denies to the swift to attain the coveted.

Alius:

Another:

Se venustantem [semper] saeculum dedecorat,
Et peroptantem se terra deglutit et vorat.

The age [always] disgraces the one beautifying himself,
and the earth swallows down and devours the one exceedingly desiring himself.

Alius:

Another:

Quasi in ictu oculi finitur gloria mundi,
Et cum sit fragilis, non exeptanda videtur.

As if in the blink of an eye the glory of the world is ended,
And since it is fragile, it does not seem to be expected.

XXVIII. Exemplum de Socrate (= Diogene) et rege.

28. Example about Socrates (= Diogenes) and the king.

Proverbialiter enim Socratem dicunt saeculares tumultus devitantem etagrestem vitam cupientem nemus incoluisse et tugurii loco dimidium inhabitassedolium, cuius fundum vento opponebat et ymbri et quod erat apertum iocundosoli. Quem venatores regis inventum dum intuerentur et illuderent quoniampediculos suffocantem, coeperunt avertere radiorum solis amenitatem. Quibusille placido vultu ait: Quod mihi non datis, auferre mihi non praesumatis.

Proverbially, they say that Socrates, avoiding secular tumults and desiring a rustic life, inhabited a grove and, in place of a hut, lived in a half-cask, whose bottom he would set against the wind and the rain, and what was open he exposed to the pleasant sun. When the king’s hunters found him and, as they were gazing at him and mocking him because he was suffocating lice, they began to turn away the amenity of the sun’s rays. To them he, with a placid face, said: What you do not give me, do not presume to take from me.

Talibus irati eum de lare quo degebat expellere voluerunt et in devia abducere, ne praetereuntis oculos domini tam vilis persona offenderet. Quod non valentesminati sunt ei dicentes: Vade ne quid mali ex protervitatis studio tibicontingat, quia rex noster et dominus cum familiaribus suis et primatibusest hac parte transiturus. Illos autem in se latrantes philosophus intuens: Non est, inquit, vester dominus meus dominus, sed potius mei est serviservus.

Angry at such things, they wanted to expel him from the hearth where he dwelt and to lead him off into byways, lest the eyes of their lord as he passed by be offended by so vile a person. Not being able to do this, they threatened him, saying: Go, lest anything evil, out of a zeal for protervity, may befall you, because our king and lord with his familiars and chief men is about to pass this way. But the philosopher, looking at them barking at him, said: Your lord is not my lord, but rather is the servant of my servant.

Quod audientes et novercali vultu eum respicientes quidam eum detruncareproposuerunt, minus vero improbi donec sententiam regis audirent, parcereei decreverunt. Dum vero in hunc modum decertarent, rex adveniens et quaecausa litigii foret perquirens, quae gesta fuerant vel dicta famulis referentibuscognovit. Volens itaque rex quae sibi relata erant turpia verane an fictafuissent cognoscere, ad philosophum properavit inquirens quid de se philosophusdixerit.

Hearing this and looking at him with a stepmotherly countenance, certain men proposed to mutilate him, but the less wicked decreed to spare him until they should hear the king’s sentence. But while they were contending in this manner, the king, arriving and inquiring what the cause of the litigation was, learned from the servants reporting what had been done or said. Therefore, wishing to know whether the things reported to him were disgraceful and true or feigned, the king hastened to the philosopher, inquiring what the philosopher had said about him.

Qui sicut prius famulis, ita nunc sibi eum sui servi servum esseasseruit. Quorum sententiam verborum rex benigno affatu diligenter enodarisibi postulavit. Ad quem philosophus servata vultus dignitate leniter inquit: Voluntas quidem subiecta est et servit mihi, non ego sibi.

Who, just as before to the servants, so now to himself asserted that he was the servant of his servant. The king, with a benign address, requested that the sense of those words be diligently unraveled to him. To whom the philosopher, the dignity of his countenance maintained, gently said: The will indeed is subject and serves me, not I to it.

Tu e conversosubiectus es voluntati et [p. 41] sibi servis, non ipsa tibi. Itaque servuses eius qui mihi servit. Tunc rex defixo paululum visu sic coepit loqui: Ut patet in verbis tuis, nihil meae potentiam gloriae vereris.

You, conversely, are subject to the will and [p. 41] you serve it, not it you. Therefore you are the servant of him who serves me. Then the king, with his gaze fixed a little, thus began to speak: As is evident in your words, you fear nothing of the power of my glory.

Cui philosophusin angustam suae mentis sedem receptus ait: Scis ipse nimium tibi ambitionemrerum mortalium dominatam fuisse et materiam gerendis rebus te optavisse, quo ne virtus tua ut ipse fateris consenesceret tacita; sed ob cupidinemgloriae sicut rei sinceritas est fecisti adipiscendae. Quae gloria quamsit exilis et totius vacua ponderis, sic considera: Tuae praeteritae gloriaepotentia, utpote quae iam nulla est, metuenda non est; sed neque futura, cuius eventus dubitabilis et incertus est; de praesenti constat quod itaparva est quod momentanea quasi in ictu oculi sit annullanda: ob hoc ergoin nulla parte sui est formidanda. --Perceptis itaque philosophi verbisrex ait complicibus suis: Servus Dei est!

To this the philosopher, withdrawn into the narrow seat of his mind, said: You yourself know that ambition for mortal things has too much dominated you, and that you have desired material for conducting affairs, lest your virtue, as you yourself confess, should senesce in silence; but out of a craving for glory, as the sincerity of the matter is, you have done things to obtain it. Consider thus how meager that glory is and utterly empty of all weight: the power of your past glory—since it now is nothing—is not to be feared; nor the future, whose outcome is doubtful and uncertain; as for the present, it is agreed that it is so small that, being momentary, it is to be annulled, as it were, in the twinkling of an eye: on this account, therefore, in no part of itself is it to be dreaded. --Having perceived the philosopher’s words, the king said to his companions: He is a servant of God!

Videte ne quid molestum ei faciatisaut inhonestum.

See to it that you do nothing troublesome to him or dishonorable.

De vitae termino.

On the end of life.

Item discipulus magistro: Cum saecularia ita sint exilia, cur praeparamustanta quasi durabilia? Magister: Quoniam vitae terminus est incertus. Etphilosophus ait: Operare pro futuro saeculo quasi nunc sis moriturus, etpro praesenti sicut semper victurus.

Likewise the disciple to the master: Since secular exiles are thus, why do we preparesuch great things as if durable? Master: Because the terminus of life is uncertain. Andthe philosopher says: Work for the future age as if you were now about to die, andfor the present as if you were always about to live.

Melius enim est quod post mortem tuama te quaesita habeant inimici quam in vita tua egeas quod tibi subveniantamici.

For it is better that after your death your enemies have the things acquired by you than that in your life you be in need so that friends must succor you.

Alius: Saeculum est quasi transitus: ob hoc itaque cum honestate tibiomnia provide, quia brevis est cursus vitae.

Another: The age is as it were a transit: on account of this, therefore, provide all things for yourself with honesty, because the course of life is brief.

Alius: Saeculum est quasi pons: transi ergo, ne hospiteris.

Another: The age is as if a bridge: cross therefore, do not lodge as a guest.

Et alius: Saeculum est quasi pons instabilis: cuius introitus est matrisuterus, et eiusdem mors erit exitus.

And another: The world is like an unstable bridge: whose entrance is the mother’s uterus, and its exit will be death.

Dicit versificator:

The versifier says:

Mors est porta patens terrenis pervia cunctis;
Sed quaero post hanc quae sit habenda domus.

Death is a portal standing open, pervious to all the earthly;
But I ask what home is to be had after this.

Est enim domus delitiarum deo famulantium; est et diversa poenas promerentium.

For there is a house of delights for those serving God; and there is also a different one for those meriting punishments.

Arabs interrogavit patrem: Quomodo domum delitiarum et gloriam eiuslucrari potero? Pater: Quicquid melius et pretiosius habes, repone in eacustodiendum, et invenies cum illuc veneris tibi paratum. Filius: Quomodopossum in eam domum pecuniam praemittere, cuius hostium nondum novi adire?Pater: Audi quod fecit filius consiliarii regis post obitum patris.

An Arab asked his father: How will I be able to gain the house of delights and itsglory? Father: Whatever better and more precious thing you have, set it aside in itfor custody, and you will find it prepared for you when you come there. Son: Howcan I send money ahead into that house, the door of which I do not yet know how to approach?Father: Hear what the son of the king’s counselor did after his father’s death.

Filius: Pater, fare, nec subterfugiam monitis obedire. Pater: [p. 42]

Son: Father, speak, nor shall I evade obeying the admonitions. Father: [p. 42]

XXIX. Exemplum de prudenti consiliarii regis filio.

29. Example of the prudent son of the king's counselor.

Rex quidam sapientem habuit consiliarium et familiarem, qui tandem legibusnaturae favens parvum reliquit heredem bene disciplinatum et curialem. Cui totam quae magna erat possessionem et divitiarum acervos subscripsitet morti cessit. Quo facto rex puerum ad se vocavit et de patris occasune plus iusto doleret admonuit, et quaecumque pater illi regenda dederattestamento, firmavit et insuper quod aetate eius exigente in patris locumsusciperet eum promisit.

A certain king had a wise counselor and familiar, who at length, favoring the laws of nature, left a small heir, well-disciplined and courtly. To him he bequeathed the whole possession, which was great, and heaps of riches, and then yielded to death. When this had been done, the king called the boy to himself and admonished him not to grieve beyond what is just at his father’s passing, and he confirmed whatever the father had given to him to be administered by testament, and moreover promised that, as his age required, he would receive him into his father’s place.

Inde valedicto iuvenis laetus ad propria remeavit. Quem rex oblivioni tradidit, nec ipse ad regem remeare festinavit. Longotemporis intervallo in eadem regione qua puer inerat, coeperunt adeo egerequod ciborum inedia periclitarentur fame.

From there, with farewell said, the young man gladly returned to his own. Whom the king consigned to oblivion, nor did he himself hasten to return to the king. After a long interval of time, in the same region where the boy was, they began to be so in need that, for lack of foods, they were imperiled by famine.

Quod videns puer bonae indolisanimo condoluit, condolens horrea deplevit et pauperibus distribuit etde penu vinum extraxit et carnes quas habebat egentibus erogavit. Et crescentepenuria decrescens pecunia indigentibus non suffecit. Postea vero datopro annona thesauro vitam fame vel siti laborantium quousque potuit sustinerenon distulit, nec suffecit.

Seeing this, the boy of good disposition grieved in spirit, and, grieving, he emptied the granaries and distributed to the poor, and from the store he drew wine and bestowed upon the needy the meats which he had. And as scarcity increased, diminishing money did not suffice for the indigent. Afterwards indeed, with his treasury given for provisions, he did not delay to sustain, so far as he could, the life of those laboring under hunger or thirst, nor did it suffice.

Hoc idem de vestibus et de lapidibus pretiosisegit. Et sic transiit circulus anni, in quo non paucos iam mortis nexibusirretitos liberavit. Erat autem in eadem regione quidam regis praescriptinotarius, qui livoris macula tactus puero invidebat et graves inimicitiascontra eum latenter exercebat.

He did the same with garments and with precious stones. And thus the circuit of a year passed, in which he freed not a few already entangled in the bonds of death. But in the same region there was a certain notary of the aforesaid king, who, touched by the stain of envy, envied the boy and secretly was exercising grievous enmities against him.

Qui regem erga puerum in iram exasperabathiis verbis: Domine, lenitas vestrae maiestatis in vestri filium consiliarii, cui pater infinitam reliquit pecuniam, ne dicam stulte, nimium mollis extitit: modo namque nec vos nec ipse pecuniam habetis, quam ipse insulsus superfluedilapidavit. Rex vero talibus in iram commotus pro puero legavit. Cui taliadixit: Insipiens fili sapientis, iners artificiosi, prodige largi, ut quiddivitias sapienter congregatas et tibi ad servandum commendatas dedistiperniciei?

He was exasperating the king into anger against the boy with these words: “Lord, the mildness of your majesty toward the son of your counselor, to whom his father left infinite money, not to say foolishly, has proved too soft: for now neither you nor he have money, which he, senseless, has superfluously dilapidated.” But the king, moved to anger by such things, summoned the boy. To whom he said such words: “Foolish son of a wise man, inert one of a skillful father, prodigal spendthrift, why have you given over to perdition the riches wisely congregated and commended to you for safekeeping?”

Ad haec puer visu in terram defixo --principis etenim vultuositatemutpote torvis inflammatam luminibus verebatur: Domine, si pace vestra licetdicere, non ut quibusdam videtur stultus patre sapienti vobis sum relictus. Pater etenim meus congregavit thesaurum, congregatum unde fures raperepossent collocavit et mihi cui possetis auferre vel ignis posset comburerevel aliquis casus eripere reliquit. Ego vero eundem ibi collocavi ubi fidelitersibi servabitur et mihi.

To this the boy, with his gaze fixed on the ground --for he feared the prince’s countenance, inasmuch as it was inflamed with grim eyes--: Lord, if by your leave it is permitted to speak, not, as it seems to some, have I been left to you a fool by a wise father. For my father amassed a treasure; having amassed it, he placed it where thieves could snatch it, and he left it to me, from whom you could take it away, or fire could burn it, or some mishap could carry it off. But I have placed that same in the place where it will be faithfully kept for itself and for me.

Rex autem quid inde fecisset rogavit. Puer veroquid et qualiter egerat retaxavit. Comperta denique iuvenis astutia remuneratumprius rex eum coram circumstantibus laudavit, laudato patris servitiumrecompensavit.

But the king asked what he had done about it. The boy indeed recounted what and how he had acted. Once the youth’s astuteness was discovered, the king, having first remunerated him, praised him before those standing around; and, he having been praised, he recompensed his father’s service.

Qui exinde lucrando novas et maiores prioribus divitiasadquisivit. --Hoc modo quod pretiosius habuit filius consiliarii regisin domo delitiarum thesaurisavit.

Who thereafter, by profiting, acquired new riches greater than the former. --In this way the son of the king’s counselor treasured up what he held more precious in the house of delights.

[p. 43] Auditis sermonibus patris filius inquit: Iuvenis iste sapienteregit et magnae specimen bonitatis in se futurum indicavit. Et fecit sicutphilosophus filio suo praecepit dicens: Fili, vende hoc saeculum pro futuroet utrumque lucraberis. Quod ita contigit.

[p. 43] When he had heard his father’s words, the son said: This young man has acted wisely and has indicated that there would be in himself a specimen of great goodness in time to come. And he did as the philosopher commanded his son, saying: Son, sell this age for the future, and you will gain both. And so it came to pass.

Alius corrigens filium suum dixit: Fili, pro futuro saeculo operare, antequam mors segreget te ab opere corporali.

Another, correcting his son, said: Son, work for the future age, before death segregates you from bodily work.

Alius: Vide ne decipiant te saeculares deliciae et irretitus fallaciissaecularibus mortis venturae obliviscaris, ne tibi contingat sicut latronidomum divitis ineunti. Cui filius: Ede, pater quid accidit? Pater:

Another: See that the secular delights do not deceive you, and that, ensnared by secular fallacies, you do not forget the coming death, lest it befall you as it did to the robber going into the house of a rich man. To whom the son: Tell, father, what happened? Father:

XXX. Exemplum de latrone qui nimia eligere studuit.

30. Example of the robber who strove to choose too much.

Domum divitis fur intravit et diversis eam gazis plenam invenit. Hincstupefactus de diversis diversa et de pretiosis pretiosiora eligere studendocuravit; et quaeque vilia relinquens in eligendo tempus consumpsit, donecdies adveniens quid facere vellet detexit. Expergefecti de improviso vigilesdomus in eligendo furem reperiunt, capiunt, inde loris et fustibus caesumin yma carceris detrudunt.

A thief entered the house of a rich man and found it full of diverse treasures. Thereupon, astonished, he set about to select different things from the diverse and, from the precious, things more precious; and, leaving whatever was cheap, he consumed time in choosing, until the arriving day exposed what he willed to do. Suddenly awakened, the watchmen of the house find the thief in the act of choosing, seize him, and then, beaten with thongs and clubs, they thrust him down into the lowest depth of the prison.

Ad ultimum data sicut de iam confesso sententiaamaras audiens historias capitalem subiit sententiam. Qui si tam propediem venturum praecogitasset, ne loris et fustibus caederetur, vel quodgravius extitit, ne capite privaretur praecavisset.

At the last, with sentence given as upon one already confessed, hearing bitter stories, he underwent the capital sentence. If he had foreknown that it was going to come so soon, he would have taken precautions, lest he be beaten with thongs and clubs, or—what was more grievous—lest he be deprived of his head.

Alius philosophus: Huius saeculi divitiae sunt transitoriae sicut hominissompnia dormientis: qui evigilans quaecumque habuerat in aperiendo oculosirrecuperabiliter perdidit, sicut vulgo dicitur:

Another philosopher: The riches of this age are transitory, like the dreams of a sleeping man: who, on awaking, whatever he had, in the opening of his eyes, has lost irrecuperably, as it is commonly said:

XXXI. Exemplum de opilione et mangone.

31. Example of a shepherd and a monger.

Opilio quidam in sompnis mille oves habuit. Quas mango quidam cupiensemere, ut carius venderet, sicut sompnianti visum fuerat pro unaquaqueove duos solidos dare volebat. Sed qui vendebat, cum duobus solidis denariumpro unaquaque poscebat.

A certain shepherd in dreams had a thousand sheep. A certain monger, desiring to buy them, so that he might sell them more dearly, as it had seemed to the dreamer, was willing to give two solidi for each ewe. But the one who was selling, along with the two solidi, was demanding a denarius for each.

Illis contendentibus de pretio hoc modo sompnusevanuit. Sed venditor dum esse sompnium comperit, nondum apertis oculisclamare coepit: Pro unaquaque mihi viginti denarios tribue, et quotquotsunt, tecum abduces!

While they were contending about the price, in this way the dream vanished. But the vendor, when he ascertained that it was a dream, with his eyes not yet opened, began to shout: For each one grant me twenty denarii, and however many there are, you will lead away with you!

De morte.

On death.

Hunc vero in modum transeuntia mundi gaudia sectantes et diversis utretineant inhiantes de improviso veniens dies, id est finis vitae, intercipitet quaeque cupita velint nolint adimit.

Truly, in this way, following the transitory joys of the world and gaping after diverse things to retain them, the day coming unexpectedly, that is, the end of life, intercepts and, whether they wish it or not, takes away whatever things have been desired.

[p. 44] Item filius: Mortis nexus aliquo modo fugere poterimus? Pater: Minime, quia illius incurabilis est morsus, nec medicis artibus eius avarasfugiemus manus. Filius: Quomodo ergo ne nimis laedat sustinebimus?

[p. 44] Likewise the son: Shall we be able in any way to flee the bonds of death? The father: By no means, because its bite is incurable, nor by the medical arts shall we escape its greedy hands. The son: How then shall we endure, so that it may not wound too much?

Pater: Fac sicut dicit versificator quidam:

Father: Do as a certain versifier says:

Quod vitare nequis constanti sustine mente!
Sic quae dura fuit mors tibi mitis erit.

What you cannot avoid, sustain with a constant mind!
Thus the death which was hard to you will be gentle to you.

XXXII. Exemplum de philosopho per cimiterium transeunte.

32. Example of a philosopher passing through the cemetery.

Dictum est de quodam philosopho quod per antiquum transiens cimiteriumlaminam vidit marmoream cuiusdam mortui cineribus superpositam; sed inea versus inscripti verba sepulti praetereuntibus loquentis exprimebanthoc modo:

It was said about a certain philosopher that, passing through an ancient cemetery, he saw a marble plate laid over the ashes of a certain dead man; but on it verses had been inscribed which expressed, in this way, the words of the buried man speaking to those passing by:

Verba mortui cuiusdam.

Words of a certain dead man.

Tu prope qui transis nec dicis: aveto! resiste,
Auribus et cordis haec mea dicta tene:
Sum quod eris; quod es, ipse fui, derisor amarae
Mortis, dum licuit pace iuvante frui.
Sed veniente nece postquam sum raptus amicis
Atque meis famulis, orba parente domus
Me contexit humo deploravitque iacentem
Inque meos cineres ultima dona dedit.

You who pass by near and do not say: hail! stop,
Auribus and heart hold these my words:
I am what you will be; what you are, I myself was, a scoffer at bitter
Death, while it was permitted to enjoy with peace aiding.
But with death coming, after I was snatched from friends
And from my own servants, a house bereft of a parent
Covered me with earth and bewailed me lying,
And upon my ashes gave the last gifts.

Inde mei vultus corrosit terra nitorem,
Quaeque fuit formae gloria magna iacet.
Meque fuisse virum nequeas agnoscere, si iam
Ad visum fuero forte retectus humo.
Ergo Deum pro me cum pura mente precare,
Ut mihi perpetua pace frui tribuat.

Thereupon the earth has corroded the luster of my visage,
and that which was the great glory of my form lies low.
Nor could you recognize that I had been a man, if now
by chance I should be laid open from the soil to view.
Therefore pray to God for me with a pure mind,
that he may grant me to enjoy perpetual peace.

Et quicumque rogant pro me, comportet in unum,
Ut mecum maneant in regione poli.

And whoever pray for me, may He gather together into one,
that they may remain with me in the region of the heavens.

Relectis iterum et iterum versibus istis, saecularibus postpositis, factusest heremita philosophus.

These verses reread again and again, secular things set aside, the hermit became a philosopher.

XXXIII. Exemplum de aurea Alexandri sepultura.

33. An example concerning the golden sepulture of Alexander.

Item dictum est de Alexandro quod sepultura eius foret aurea et in pervioomnibus atrio posita. Ad quam plurimi convenerunt philosophi, de quibusunus ait:

Likewise it was said of Alexander that his sepulture would be golden and set in an atrium pervious to all. To which very many philosophers convened, of whom one said:

Alexander ex auro fecit thesaurum: nunc e converso aurum de eo facitthesaurum.

Alexander made a treasure out of gold: now, conversely, gold makes a treasure from him.

Alius: Heri totus non sufficiebat ei mundus: hodie quatuor solae sufficiuntei ulnae.

Another: Yesterday the whole world did not suffice him: today only four cubits suffice him.

[p. 45] Alius: Heri populo imperavit: hodie populus imperat illi.

[p. 45] Another: Yesterday he commanded the people: today the people command him.

Alius: Heri multos potuit a morte liberare: hodie nec eius iacula valuitdevitare.

Another: Yesterday he was able to liberate many from death: today he was not able to avoid its darts.

Alius: Heri ducebat exercitus: hodie ab illis ducitur sepulturae.

Another: Yesterday he was leading armies: today he is conducted by them to sepulture.

Alius: Heri terram premebat: hodie eadem premitur ipse.

Another: Yesterday he pressed the earth: today he himself is pressed by the same.

Alius: Heri gentes eum timebant: hodie vilem eum deputant.

Another: Yesterday the nations feared him: today they deem him vile.

Alius: Heri amicos habuit et inimicos: hodie habet omnes aequales.

Another: Yesterday he had friends and enemies: today he has all as equals.

Sed de triginta duobus philosophis circumstantibus quid quisque de potentissimorege dixerit, memoriae longum est reducere.

But as for the thirty-two philosophers standing around, what each one has said about the most potent king, it would be long to bring back to memory.

XXXIV. Exemplum de heremita suam corrigente animam.

34. Example of a hermit correcting his soul.

Item heremita philophus hoc modo versibus suam correxit animam: Animamea, scias et cognoscas, dum potentia est in manu tua, quid opereris, antequamde tuo movearis loco ad domum, in qua manet iustitia et ad portam lociiudicii, ubi leges in rotulo quicquid tua manus egerit in hoc saeculo. Et angeli de caelo a dexteris et a sinistris discooperient et renuntiabuntconsilium tuum et quicquid a te fuerit excogitatum. Et ante Deum veniettuum iudicium et una lance quicquid boni et alia quicquid mali egeris, sed uno et eodem declarabitur examine.

Likewise a hermit-philosopher corrected his soul in this way by verses: My soul, know and recognize, while power is in your hand, what you do, before you are moved from your place to the house in which justice abides and to the gate of the place of judgment, where you will read on the scroll whatever your hand has done in this age. And the angels from heaven on the right and on the left will uncover and will announce your counsel and whatever has been devised by you. And before God your judgment will come, and on one scale whatever good and on the other whatever evil you have done, yet by one and the same examination it will be made clear.

Et omnes tui fratres et amici noninvenient tuam redemptionem, et ob hoc te deserent et omnino dimittent. Hodie itaque redemptionem accipe, id est: bonum fac assidue! Et antequamveniat dies summonitionis, ad Deum revertere et non dicas: cras revertaret non morabor, quia sic crastinantem te impediet concupiscentia vel forsan retinebit dies extrema.

And all your brothers and friends will not find your redemption, and on account of this they will desert you and utterly dismiss you. Today, therefore, accept redemption, that is: do good assiduously! And before the day of summons comes, turn back to God and do not say: tomorrow I will return and I will not delay, because thus, as you procrastinate till tomorrow, concupiscence will hinder you, or perhaps the final day will detain you.

Itaque dierum saeculi reminiscere et generationum annorum antiquorum, qui omnes transierunt, et inde accipe sensum. Ubi suntreges, ubi principes, ubi divites qui thesauros congregaverunt et indesuperbi fuerunt? Modo sunt sicut qui non fuerunt, modo sunt finiti sicutqui non vixerunt, modo sunt sicut flos qui de arbore cecidit, quo ulteriusnon redit.

And so remember the days of the age and the generations of ancient years, which all have passed, and from there take understanding. Where are the kings, where the princes, where the rich who gathered up treasures and were proud because of them? Now they are as those who have not been, now they are ended as those who have not lived, now they are like a flower which has fallen from a tree, which does not return any further.

Non timeas, anima mea, non timeas nimis! De saeculi adversitatibusnon oriatur timor tuus! Time tui diem iudicii, paveas tuorum multitudinempeccatorum!

Do not fear, my soul, do not fear too much! Let not your fear arise from the adversities of the age! Fear your day of judgment, be aghast at the multitude of your sins!

Memento tui creatoris, qui tuus iudex est et testis.

Remember your Creator, who is your judge and witness.

De aliis heremitarum dictis.

On other sayings of the eremites.

Heremita quidam quaesivit a quodam magistro: Quid faciam in hoc saeculo, quod me praecedat in alio? Respondit magister: Fac quod est bonum in generetuo.

A certain hermit asked a certain master: What should I do in this age, that may go before me into the other? The master replied: Do what is good in your kind.

Alius heremita per vicos clamabat: Ne tradatis oblivioni durabilia profinem habituris.

Another hermit was shouting through the villages: Do not consign to oblivion the durable things, you who are going to have an end.

[p. 46] Alius vociferabatur: Diligite animas vestras quantum et corpora, et proficietis.

[p. 46] Another vociferated: Love your souls as much as your bodies, and you will profit.

Alius: Nolite oblivisci eius qui non obliviscetur vestri, et servitegubernatori.

Another: Do not forget him who will not forget you, and serve the governor.

De timore Dei.

On the Fear of God.

Alius: Timete Deum, quia timor Domini clavis est ad omne bonum et ad percipiendam gloriam conductum. De quo Salomon in Ecclesiaste ait: Finem loquendi omnes pariter audiamus: Deum time et mandata eius observa; hoc est enim omnis homo. Et cuncta quae fiunt, adducet Deus in iudicium pro omni errato, sive bonum sive malum sit.

Another: Fear God, because the fear of the Lord is the key to every good and a conduit toward receiving glory. Of which Solomon in Ecclesiastes says: Let us hear the end of speaking, all together: Fear God and observe his commandments; for this is every man. And all things which are done, God will bring into judgment for every error, whether it be good or evil.

Epilogus.

Epilogue.

Ob hoc igitur immensam Dei omnipotentis clementiam supplices exoramus, quatinus bonis nostris operibus praecedentibus post districti diem iudiciia dextris filii sui collocati aeterna requie cum suis fidelibus me reamur perfrui in aula caelesti, praestante domino nostro Jhesu Christo, cui est honor et gloria cum Patre et Spiritu Sancto per infinita saeculorum saecula.

Therefore, on account of this, we suppliants beseech the immense clemency of God omnipotent, that, our good works going before, after the day of strict judgment, set at the right hand of his Son, we may merit to enjoy eternal rest with his faithful ones in the celestial hall, granting it our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honor and glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit through the infinite ages of ages.

AMEN.