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S. Bonaventurae Bagnoregis |
St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio |
Commentaria in Quatuor Libros Sententiarum |
Commentaries on the Four Books of Sentences |
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Magistri Petri Lombardi, Episc. Parisiensis |
of Master Peter Lombard, Archbishop of Paris |
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SECUNDI LIBRI |
BOOK TWO |
COMMENTARIUS IN DISTINCTIONEM II. |
COMMENTARY ON DISTINCTION II |
PARS I. |
PART I |
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DUBIA CIRCA LITTERAM MAGISTRI. |
DOUBTS ON THE TEXT OF MASTER PETER |
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Opera Omnia S. Bonaventurae,
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Latin
text taken from Opera Omnia S. Bonaventurae,
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DUB. I. |
DOUBT I |
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In parte ista sunt dubitationes circa litteram, et quaeritur primo circa hoc quod dicit: Et tu in principio, Domine, fundasti terram. Videtur enim falsum, primo ex hoc, quod dicit, terram esse fundatam, quia non videtur esse fundata, sed potius appensa, secundum quod dicitur Isaiae quadragesimo:1 Qui appendit tribus digitis molem terrae; et Proverbiorum octavo: Quando appendebat fundamenta terrae. Item videtur falsum dicere, cum ait: In principio terram fundasti,2 quia terra facta fuit tertio die: ergo non fuit fundata in principio. |
In this part are the doubts about (Master Peter’s) text, and there is asked first about that which (the Prophet, Kind David) says: And Thou at the beginning, Lord, founded the Earth. For it seems false, first from this, that he says, that the Earth was founded [fundatam], because it does not seem to have been founded, but rather weighed [appensa], according to what is said in the fortieth (chapter) of Isaiah:1 Who weighs [appendit] upon three fingers the mass of the Earth; and in the eighth (chapter) of Proverbs: When He weighed the foundations of the Earth. Likewise it seems that he says (something) false, when he says: In the beginning Thou hast founded the Earth [terram],2 because the land [terra] was made on the Third Day: therefore it was not founded at the beginning. |
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Iuxta hoc quaeritur, supra quid terra fundata sit; et videtur, quod super aquas, propter illud Psalmi:3 Qui fundavit terram super aquas. Contrarium autem videtur per Scripturam, quae dicit:4 Qui fundavit terram super stabilitatem suam, et per rationem, quae dictat, aquam esse minus gravem quam terram, et ita secundum ordinem naturae non terram supra aquam, sed e converso. |
In accord with this there is asked, “Upon what was the Earth founded?”; and it seems, that (it was founded) upon waters, on account of that (verse) of the Psalm:3 Who founded the Earth upon waters. Moreover the contrary seems (to be true) through the Scripture, which says:4 Who founded the Earth upon its stability, and through reason, which dictates, that water is less heavy than earth, and thus according to the order of nature that not earth (is founded) upon water, but the other way around. |
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RESPONDEO: Dicendum, quod nomine terrae in Scriptura intelligitur materia5 corporalium, intelligitur etiam elementum terrae; et utroque modo accipi potest in praedicta auctoritate, et vere. Si enim terra accipiatur pro materia informi, sic recte dicitur: In principio, tu Domine, terram fundasti, id est, in principio fecisti materiam informem, quasi fundamentum omnium formarum.6 Quae ideo dicitur esse fundata, quia omnes formae sustentantur a materia, et ipsa non sustentatur ab alio nisi a Deo. Ideo autem dicitur esse fundata in principio, quia nihil ante ipsam creatum est. — Si autem nomine terrae intelligatur elementum terrae, adhuc verus est praedictus sermo. Terra enim fundata dicitur propter sui stabilitatem, secundum illud Ecclesiastae primo:7 Generatio praeterit, et generatio advenit; terra autem in aeternum stat. — Hoc autem elementum, scilicet terrae, et dicitur fundatum et dicitur appensum, et fundatum super stabilitatem suam et fundatum etiam super aquas. Fundatam dicitur, quia, sicut fundamentum est infimum inter omnes partes domus, sic terra est infimum inter omnia corpora mundi, et in centro existens tenet locum fundamenti. — Et cum virtute propria sibi divinitus data centrum appetat et in centro requiescat, fundata dicitur super stabilitatem suam. Et hoc dictum esse intelligendum est secundum veritatem. Secundum autem nostram imaginationem et vulgarem opinionem, cum aquae cooperiant inferiorem superficiem terrae respectu nostri, et ultra aquam sit aër, et ultra aërem8 sit ignis, dicitur terra esse fundata super aquas. Nos enim aestimamus, terram esse super aquam, dum consideramus aquam sub pedibus nostris. — Dicitur etiam esse tribus digitis appensa, pro eo quod tribus elementis intermediis distat a caeli circumferentia, et mediantibus illis videtur esse quasi appensa. — Et per hoc patet responsio ad omnia obiecta. |
I RESPOND: It must be said, that by the name of “earth” [terrae] there is understood in Scripture the matter5 of (things) corporal, there is also understood the element of earth; and in each manner it can be accepted in the aforesaid authority, and truly. For if “earth” is accepted on behalf of formless matter, thus there is rightly said: At the beginning, Thou Lord, has founded the Earth, that is, “n the beginning Thou has founded formless matter, as the fundament [fundamentum] of all forms”.6 Which (earth) is said to have been “founded” for this reason, that all forms are sustained by matter, and it itself is not sustained by another except by God. Moreover it is said to have been “founded” “at the beginning”, because nothing has been created before it. — Moreover if by the name of “earth” there is understood the element of earth, the aforesaid saying [sermo] is still true. For earth is said (to be) “founded” on account of its stability, according to that (verse) in the first (chapter) of Ecclesiastes:7 A generation passes away, and a generation approaches; but earth stands still unto eternity. — But this element, namely of earth, is also said (to have been) “founded” and is said (to have been) “weighed”, and founded “upon its stability” and founded also “upon waters”. It is said (to be) “founded”, because, just as a foundation [fundamentum] is the lowest among all the parts of a house, so earth is the lowest among all bodies of the world, and existing in the center it holds the place of a foundation. — And since by its own virtue, divinely given to it, it desires the center and rests in the center, it is said (to be) “founded upon its stability”. And it must be understood that this has been said according to the truth. But according to our imagination and the vulgar opinion, since waters cover the lower surface of the land [terram] in our respect, and beyond the water there is the air, and beyond the air8 there is fire, the land is said to have been “founded upon waters”. For we judge, that land is upon water, so long as we consider (there to be) water under our feet. — It is also said to have been “weighed upon three fingers”, in virtue of this that it is distant from the circumference of the sky [a caeli circumferentia] by three intermediary elements, and by means of these it seems to be as if suspended [appensa]. — And through this the response to all the objections is clear. |
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Nota tamen, quod aliter accipitur principium secundum quod nomine terrae intelligitur materia, aliter secundum quod intelligitur elementum terrae. Secundum enim quod nomine terrae intelligitur materia, tunc dicitur esse fundata in principio, id est in primordio productionis rerum; secundum quod terra dicitur elementum, tunc dicitur esse fundata in principio, id est in primis operibus sex dierum.9 |
Note, however, that “beginning” is accepted in one manner according to which matter is understood by the name of “earth”, in another manner according to which the element of earth is understood. For according to which matter is understood by the name of “earth”, then it is said to have been “founded” “at the beginning”, that is “in the first rise [primordio] of the production of things”; according to which “earth” is said to be an element, then it is said to have been “founded” “at the beginning”, that is “in the first works of the Six Days”.9 |
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DUB. II. |
DOUBT II |
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Item quaeritur de hoc quod dicitur, quod tempus non coepit esse in tempore. Omne enim quod coepit esse, aut coepit esse in tempore, aut in aeternitate; si igitur tempus coepit esse, et non coepit esse in aeternitate: ergo coepit esse in tempore. — Item, dicit, quod Deus non coepit esse Dominus ex tempore. Et videtur esse falsum, quia non fuit Dominus, antequam haberet servum; sed non habuit servum nisi ex tempore: ergo coepit esse Dominus ex tempore. |
Likewise is asked concerning this which (St. Augustine) says, that time did not begin to be in time. For everything which began to be, either began to be in time [in tempore], or in eternity; if, therefore, time began to be, and did not began to be in eternity: therefore it began to be in time. — Likewise, (St. Augustine) says, that God did not begin to be Lord on account of time [ex tempore]. And (this) seems to be false, because He was not Lord before He had a servant; but He did not have a servant but in time: therefore He began to be Lord on account of time [ex tempore]. |
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Iuxta hoc quaeritur, utrum coeperit esse Dominus. Et quod non, videtur, quia dominium est potestas coercendi subditos,10 et hoc fuit semper in Deo. Contrarium autem videtur, quia « relativa simul sunt natura »;11 et servus non fuit ab aeterno: ergo nec Dominus. |
In accord with this there is asked, “Whether He began to be a Lord?”. And it seems, that (He did) not, because lordship [dominium] is the power of coercing subjects,10 and this was always in God. Moreover the contrary seems (to be true), because « relatives are by nature together »;11 and there was no servant from eternity: therefore neither a Lord. |
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RESPONDEO: Dicendum, quod differt dicere, secundum Augustinum,12 aliquid fieri ex tempore, et . . . |
I RESPOND: It must be said, that, according to (St.) Augustine,12 it is different to say, that something is done on account of time [ex tempore], and . . . |
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1 Vers. 12: Quis appendit etc. — Sequens textus est Prov. 8, 29. 2 Psalm. 101, 26: Initio tu Domine terram fundasti. — Plures codd. In principio terra fundata; alii cum ed. 4 Et tu in principio Domine terram fundasti. 3 Psalm. 135, 6: Qui firmavit terram etc. 4 Psalm. 103, 5: Qui fundasti terram etc. — Paulo inferius fide codd. A Y aa cc dd et ed. 1 substituimus rationem pro naturam (fortasse naturalem); cod. F nostrum intellectum, qui dictat. 5 Intellige cum cod. cc et ed. 1 materia informis, sicut et inferius dicitur. 6 In versione Arabico-latina Aristotelis, I. Metaph. text. 17. (c. 8.), materia prima vocatur fundamentum naturae. — Mox cod. M cum ed. 1 fundamentum pro fundata. 7 Vers. 4. 8 Cod. cc cum ed. 1 et ultra aquam et aërem. 9 Cfr. de hoc dubio Alex. Hal., S. p. II. q. 10. m. 2. 10 Boeth., de Trin., d. 5. dominium definit: Potestas quaedam, qua servus coercetur. 11 Aristot., de Praedicam. c. de Relativis. 12 Libr. XI. de Civ. Dei, c. 6. |
1 Verse 12: Who weighs . . .? [Quis appendit etc.]. — The following text is Prov. 8:29. 2 Ps. 101:26: In the beginning Thou, Lord, hast founded the Earth [Initio tu Domine terram fundasti]. — Several codices read In the beginning the Earth (was) founded [In principio terra fundata]; others, together with edition 4, have And Thou, in the beginning, Lord, founded the Earth [Et tu in principio Domine terram fundasti]. 3 Ps. 136:6: Who strengthened the Earth etc. [Qui firmavit terram etc.]. 4 Ps. 103:5: (Thou) who hast founded the Earth [Qui fundasti terram etc.]. — A little below this, trusting in codices A Y aa cc and dd, and edition 1, we have substituted reason [rationem] for nature [naturam], which should perhaps be read as natural (property) [naturalem]; codex F has our understanding, which dictates [nostrum intellectum, qui dictat] for reason, which dictates [rationem, quae dictat]. 5 Understand together with codex cc and edition 1 formless matter [materia informis], just as is also said below. 6 In the Arabic-Latin version of Aristotle’s, Metaphysics, Bk. I, text 17 (ch. 8), prime matter is called “the fundament of nature” [fundamentum naturae]. — Next codex M, together with edition 1, has to be “a fundament” [fundamentum] for to have been “founded” [fundata]. 7 Verse 4. 8 Codex cc, together with edition 1, has and beyond the water and the air [et ultra acquam et aërem]. 9 On this doubt, cf. Alexander of Hales, Summa, p. II, q. 10, m. 2. 10 (St. Severinus) Boethius, On the Trinity, d. 5, defines “lordship” [dominium]: “A certain power, by which a servant is coerced.” 11 Aristotle, On the Predicaments., ch. “On Relatives”. 12 On the City of God, Bk. XI, ch. 6. |
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in tempore, et cum tempore. Ex enim importat ordinem, in importat continentiam, cum importat simultatem; et ideo nihil est factum in tempore, nec ex tempore, nisi quod exceditur a tempore. Quia igitur tempus et ea, quae in primordio temporis creata sunt, a tempore non exceduntur, ideo dicit, ea esse creata cum tempore, non in tempore, nec ex tempore. — Et ideo cum Deus dicatur dominus respectu omnis rei creatae, Deus non potuit incipere dominus esse ex tempore, nec in tempore, proprie accipiendo habitudinem eius quod est ex et in; nos autem in communi sermone large accipimus. |
in time [in tempore], and with time [cum tempore]. For “on account of” [ex] conveys an order, “in” [in] conveys a continence (i. e. an ability to contain), “with” [cum] conveys a togetherness [simultatem]; and for that reason nothing was made in time, nor on account of time, except that which is exceeded by time. Therefore, because time and those, which were created in the first rise of time, are not exceeded by time, for that reason he says, that they have been created “with time”, not “in time”, nor “on account of time”. — And for that reason since God is said (to be) “lord” in respect of every created thing, God could not start to be a lord on account of time, nor in time, properly accepting the habitude of that which is ex and in; but in common speech we accepts(these) in a broad sense [large]. |
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Quod vero quaeritur, utrum Deus inceperit esse dominus; dicendum, quod dominus uno modo importat potestatem coercendi subditos; et sic dicit praesidentiam secundum habitum et convenit Deo ab aeterno. Alio modo importat actualem praesidentiam respectu servi; et sic incepit esse dominus, non ratione mutationis factae in ipso, sed ratione mutationis factae in suo correlativo.1 |
However, what is asked, “Whether God began to be a lord?”; it must be said, that “lord” in one manner conveys a power of coercing subjections; and thus it means a presidency [praesidentiam] according to a having and convenes with God from eternity. In another manner it conveys an actual presidency in respect of a servant; and in this manner He began to be a lord, not by reason of a change made in Himself, but by reason of a change made in His correlative (that is, in the servant).1 |
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1 Cfr. I. Sent. d. 30. q. 1. seqq. |
1 Cf. Sent., Bk. I, d. 30, q. 1 ff.. |
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