Magistri Petri Lombardi
Arch. Episc. Parisiensis

Master Peter Lombard
Archbishop of Paris

Sententiarum Quatuor Libri

The Four Books of Sentences

LIBER SECUNDUS SENTENTIARUM.

 

DE  RERUM  CREATIONE  ET  FORMATIONE  CORPORALIUM ET  SPIRITUALIUM
ET  ALIIS  PLURIBUS  EO  PERTINENTIBUS

THE SECOND BOOK OF THE SENTENCES

 

ON THE CREATION AND FORMATION OF THINGS CORPORAL AND SPIRITUAL AND MANY OTHERS PERTAINING TO THIS

DISTINCTIO XIV.

DISTINCTION 14

Opera Omnia S. Bonaventurae,
Ad Claras Aquas, 1885, Vol. 2, pag. 333-335.
Cum Notitiis Editorum Quaracchi

Latin text taken from Opera Omnia S. Bonaventurae,
Ad Claras Aquas, 1885, Vol. 2, pp. 333-335.
Notes by the Quaracchi Editors.

 

PARS. I.

 

PART I

Cap. I.

 

De opere secundae diei, qua factum est firmamentum.

Chapter I.

On the work of the Second Day, on which the firmament was made.

Dixit quoque Deus:  Fiat firmamentum in medio aquarum, et dividat aquas ab aquis . . . Divisitque aquas, quae erant sub firmamento, ab his quae erant super firmamentum.1

God also said:  Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and divide the waters from the waters . . . And He divided the waters, which were beneath the firmament, from those which were above the firmament.1

Cap. II.

 

Quod caelum tunc factum debet intelligi.

Chapter II.

Which heaven ought to be understood to have been made then.

« Sciendum est, quod illius caeli describitur hic creatio, sicut ait Beda super Genesim,2 in quo fixa sunt sidera, cui suppositae sunt aquae in aëre et in terra, et superpositae aliae, de quibus dicitur:  Qui tegis aquis superiora eius.  In medio ergo firmamentum est, id est sidereum caelum ».

« It must be known, that here there is described the creation of that heaven, just as (St.) Bede (the Venerable) says on Genesis,2 in which the stars [sidera] were fixed, beneath which were placed the waters, in the air and on the Earth, and above (which were) placed the others, of which there is said:  Thou who dost cover its heights with waters.  Therefore in the midst is the firmament, that is, the sidereal heaven [sidereum caelum] ».

Cap. III.

 

De qua materia factum sit.

Chapter III.

From which matter was it made?

« Quod de aquis factum esse, credi potest ».3  Crystallinus enim lapis, cui magna est firmitas et perspicuitas, de aquis factus est.

« That it was made from waters, can be believed ».3  For crystalline stone, to which there belongs a great firmness and perspicuity, is made from waters.

Cap. IV.

 

Quomodo aquae possint esse super caelum, et quales sint.

Chapter IV.

In what manner can waters be above the sky, and what kind are they?

« Si quem vero movet, quomodo aquae natura fluidae et in ima labiles super caelum possint consistere; de Deo scriptum4 esse meminerit:  Qui ligat aquas in nubibus suis.  Qui enim infra caelum ligat aquas ad tempus vaporibus nubium retentas, potest etiam super caeli sphaeram non vaporali tenuitate, sed glaciali soliditate aquas suspendere, ne labantur.  Quales autem et ad quid conditae sint, ipse novit qui condidit ».  —  Ecce ostensum est his verbis, quod caelum factum sit, scilicet illud in quo fixa sunt sidera, id est, quod excedit aërem, et de qua materia, scilicet de aquis, et quales sint aquae, quae super illud caelum sunt, scilicet ut glacies solidatae.

« However if it disturbs [movet] someone, in what manner waters, fluid in nature and able to fall into the depths [in ima labiles], can even consist above the (sidereal) heaven; he will remember (what has been) written of God:4  Who binds the waters in His clouds.  For He who binds beneath the sky the waters retained for a time in the vapors of clouds, can also suspend waters above the sphere of the sky not by the tenuousness of vapors [vaporali tenuitate], but by the solidity of ice [glaciali soliditate], lest they fall.  Moreover of what kind (they are) and for what they were founded, He Himself knows who founded (them) ».  —  Behold there is shown with these words, which heaven was made, namely that in which are fixed the constellations [sidera], that is, (the one) which exceeds the air, and from which matter, that is from waters, (it was made), and of what kind are the waters, which are above that heaven, namely (those) solidified as ice [glacies solidatae].

Quidam vero caelum, quod excedit aëris spatia, igneae naturae dicunt asserentes, super aërem purum ignem esse, qui dicitur esse caelum, de quo igne sidera et luminaria facta esse coniectant; quibus Augustinus5 consentire videtur.  Utrum vero nomine firmamenti caelum, quod excedit aërem, an ipse aër hic intelligatur, idem Augustinus quaerit nec solvit.  Magis tamen approbare videtur, caelum illud hic accipi, quod spatia aëris excedit.  Aquas autem, quae super illud caelum sunt, dicit vaporaliter trahi et levissimis suspendi guttis, sicut aër iste nubilosus exhalatione terrae aquas vaporaliter trahit et per subtiles minutias suspendit, et post corpulentius conglobatas pluvialiter refundit.  Si ergo « potest aqua, sicut videmus, ad tantas minutias pervenire, ut feratur vaporaliter super aërem aquis naturaliter leviorem; cur non credamus, etiam super illud levius caelum minutioribus guttis et levioribus immanare vaporibus »?6  Sed quoquo modo ibi sint, ibi esse non dubitamus.

However certain (authors) say, that the heaven, which exceeds the spaces [spatia] of the air, (is) of an fiery nature, asserting, that above the air there is pure fire, which is said to be the heaven [caelum], from which fire they conjecture the stars and luminaries (of heaven) have been made; with whom (St.) Augustine5 seems to agree.  However whether there is understood here by the name of “firmament” the heaven, which exceeds the air, or the air itself, the same (St.) Augustine asks and does not solve.  Yet he seems to approve more, that there is accepted here that heaven, which exceeds the spaces of the air. Moreover the waters, which are above that heaven, he says, are drawn and suspended in the lightest drops [levissimis guttis], just as this air, beclouded with the exhalation of the earth, draws waters in the manner of vapor and suspends (them) through subtle particles [minutias], and pours (them) back (upon the earth) in the manner of rain [pluvialiter] after they have condensed together in larger drops [post corpulentius conglobatas].  If, therefore, « water can, just as we see, arrive at particles so small [tantas minutias], as to be born in the manner of vapor above the air, (which is) naturally lighter than waters; why do we not believe, that it remains [immanare] above that lighter heaven in more minute drops and lighter vapors »?6  But we do not doubt that (waters) are there, in whatever manner they may be there.

1  Gen. 1, 6. 7.  —  Testante cod. Erf., haec et sequentia usque ad cap. VII. sumta sunt ex Gandolpho., Sent. II. c. 57.

2  Hexaëm. ad v. 6.  Hic textus, qui excurrit usque in cap. IV, habetur in Glossa ordinaria fere ad verbum. —  Locus sequens s. Scripturae est Ps. 103, 3.

3  Omissa inscriptione capituli, codd. et edd. vocem quod (i. e. caelum) coniungunt cum praecedente propositione, quae coniunctio ex eo explicari potest, quod in antiquis manuscriptis tituli capitulorum non raro ad marginem scribebantur.  —  Verba, quae sequuntur:  Crystallinus . . . de aquis factus est alludere videntur ad Eccli. 43, 22: et gelavit crystallus ab aqua. —  In initio cap. IV. pro natura, quod edd. 1, 5, 8 exhibent, codd. cum Vat. et ceteris edd. incongrue naturae.

4  Iob 26, 8

5  Libr. II. de Gen. ad lit. c. 3. p. 6, et quod sequitur ibid. c. 4. n. 7.  —  Paulo post pro solvit ed. 1 et cod. Erf. absolvit.

6  August., loc. cit. c. 4. n. 8, fere ad verbum, in quo textu pro immanare Vat. cum nonnullis aliis edd. emanare, de qua lectione Lexicon Forcellini annotat:  Est qui legit immanare, sed minus recte (pro immanere), ut habet ed. August.).

1  Gen. 1:6,7.  —  According to the testimony of the Erfurt codex, these and the following up to chapter VII, have been taken from Gandolphus, Sent., Bk. II, ch. 57.

2  Hexaëmeron., on v. 6.  This text, which runs on to chapter IV, is had in the Glossa ordinaria nearly word for word.  —  The passage of Sacred Scripture is Ps. 103:3.

3  Having omitted the title of the chapter, the codices and editions conjoint the quod to the preceding proposition, reading which for That, which conjunction can be explained from this, that in the ancient manuscripts the titles of the chapters were written not rarely along the margin.  —  The words, which follow:  For crystalline stone . . . was made from waters [Crystalinnus . . . de aquis factus est] seem to allude to Eccli. 43:22:  and crystal is frozen from water [et gelavit crystallus ab aqua].  —  At the start of chapter IV for fluid in nature [natura fluidae], which editions 1, 5 and 8 exhibit, the codices, together with the Vatican edition and all the other editions, have incongruously of a fluid nature [naturae fluidae].

4  Job 26:8.

5  On a Literal Exposition of Genesis¸ Bk. II, ch. 3, p. 6, and what follows is ibid., ch. 4, n. 7.  —  A little after this for solve [solvit] edition 1 and the Erfurt codex have resolve [absolvit].  [Trans. note:  A little below this spaces of the air [aëris spatia] seems to be said, because according to Aristotelian cosmology, the air is contained beneath several different concentric heavens.]

6  (St.) Augustine, loc. cit., ch. 4, n. 8, nearly word for word, in which text for immanare the Vatican edition, with not a few other editions has emanates [emanare], concerning which reading the Lexicon of Forcellinus notes:  There is the reading immanare, but less rightly (for immanere), as is had in the edition of (St.) Augustine’s (works).

p. 334

Cap. V.

 

De figura firmamenti.

Chapter V.

On the shape of the firmament.

« Quaeri etiam solet, cuius figurae sit caelum.  Sed Spiritus sanctus, quamvis auctores nostri scriverint, per eos dicere noluit, nisi quod prosit saluti ».1  —  « Quaeritur etiam, si stet, an moveatur caelum.  Si movetur, inquiunt, quomodo est firmamentum?  Si stat, quomodo in eo fixa sidera circumeunt?  Sed firmamentum dici potest non propter stationem, sed propter firmitatem vel terminum aquarum intransgressibilem.  Si autem stat, nihil impedit moveri et circuire sidera ».

« There is also customarily asked, “In which shape is the (sidereal) heaven?”  But the Holy Spirit, though our authors wrote, wanted to say through them naught, but what is for (our) salvation ».1  —  « There is also asked, “If it stands still, or whether the (sidereal) heaven moves?”  If it moves, they ask, “In what manner is it a firmament?”.  If it stands still, “In what manner do the stars fixed in it go around?”  But it can be said (to be) a “firmament” not on account of (its) standing still, but on account of (its) firmness and/or (of being) an intransgressible terminus of waters.  But if it stands still, nothing impedes that the stars move and go around ».

Cap. VI.

 

Quare tacuit Scriptura de benedictione operis huius diei.

Chapter VI.

Why Scripture is silent concerning the blessing of the work of this Day.

Post haec quaeri solet, quare hic non est dictum, sicut in aliorum dierum operibus:  Vidit Deus, quod esset bonum.  Sacramentum aliquod hic commendatur.  Ideo enim fortassis non est hic2 dictum, quod tamen sicut in aliis factum est, quia binarius principium est alteritatis et signum divisionis.

After these (questions) there is customarily asked, why this:  God saw, that it was good, is not said, just as (it is said) in regard to the works of the other days.  Some sacrament (i. e. mystery) is commended here.  For perhaps there has not been said here,2 what, however, has been done, just as in the other (days), for this reason, that a group of two is a principle of duplicity [alteritatis] and a sign of division.

 PARS. II.

PART II

Cap. VII.

 

De opere tertii diei, quando aquae congregatae sunt in unum.

Chapter VII.

On the work of the third day, when the waters were gathered together into one.

Sequitur:  Dixit Deus:  Congregentur aquae in locum unum, et appareat arida.  Tertii diei opus est congregatio aquarum in unum locum.  « Congregatae sunt enim omnes aquae caelo inferiores in unam matricem, ut lux, quae praeterito biduo aquas clara luce lustraverat, in puro aëre clarior fulgeat, et appareat terra, quae cooperta latebat, et quae aquis limosa erat fieret arida et germinibus apta.  Eodem enim die protulit terra herbam virentem, lignumque faciens fructum ».4

There follows:  God said:  Let the waters be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.  The work of the third day is the gathering together of the waters into one place.  « For there were gathered together all the waters below heaven into one matrix, so that light, which had brightly cleansed [lustraverat] the waters with clear light in the past two days, might gleam clearer in the pure air, and (so that) the land might appear, which (when) covered had lain hidden, and (so that) what had been slimy with waters might become dry and apt for shoots [germinibus].  For on the same day the earth brought forth the green herb [herbam virentem], and wood bearing fruit [lignum faciens fructum] ».4

Cap. VIII.

 

Quomodo omnes aquae congregatae sunt in unum locum, cum multa sint maria et flumina.

Chapter VIII.

How all the waters were gathered together into one place, even though there are many seas and rivers.

« Si autem quaeratur, ubi congregatae sunt aquae, quae totum texerant spatium usque ad caelum; potuit fieri, ut terra subsidens concavas partes praeberet, ubi fluctuantes aquas rariores fuisse, quae sicut nebula tegerent terras, sed congregatione esse spissatas, et ideo facile in unum posse redigi locum. Cumque multa constet esse maria et flumina, in unum tamen locum dicit aquas congregatas propter continuationem omnium aquarum, quae in terris sunt, quia cuncta flumina et maria magno mari iunguntur.  Ideoque cum dixerit aquas congregatas in unum locum, deinde dicit pluraliter, congregationesque aquarum, propter multifidos sinus earum, quibus omnibus ex magno mari principium est ».

« But if it be asked, where the waters were gathered together, which had covered the whole space even unto heaven; it could have come to be, that the earth subsiding proffered (its) hollow [concavas] parts, where the fluctuating waters, which had covered the lands as a nebula, were rarer, but by being gathered together were thickened, and for that reason were able to brought down [redigi] into one place.  And though is established that there are many seas and rivers, yet (Scripture) says that the waters (were) gathered together into one place on account of the continuity [continuationem] of all the waters, which are among the lands [in terris], because all the rives and seas are joined into a great sea.  And for that reason when it said that the waters (were) gathered together into one place, it then says in the plural, and the gatherings of the waters [congregationesque aquarum], on account of the their many-cloven [multifidos] gulfs, the beginning of all of which is out of the great sea ».

Cap. IX.

 

De opere quartae diei, qua facta sunt luminaria.

Chapter IX.

On the work of the Fourth Day, on which the luminaries (of heaven) were made.

Sequitur:  Dixit Deus:  Fiant luminaria in firmamento caeli, et dividant diem ac noctem.5  In praecedenti triduo disposita est universitatis huius mundi machina, et partibus suis distributa.  Formata enim luce prima die, quae universa illustraret, duo sequentes dies attributi sunt supremae et infimae parti mundi, firmamento scilicet, aëri, terrae et aquae. Nam secunda die firmamentum desuper expansum est.  Tertia vero aquarum molibus intra receptacula sua collectis, terra est revelata atque aër serenatus.  Quatuor igitur mundi elementa illis diebus suis locis distincta sunt et ordinata.  —  Tribus autem sequentibus diebus ornata sunt illa quatuor elementa.  Quarta enim die ornatum est firmamentum sole et luna et stellis; quinta aër in volatilibus, et aquae in piscibus ornamenta acceperunt; sexta accepit terra iumenta et reptilia et bestias, post quae omnia factus est homo de terra et in terra, non tamen ad terram nec propter terram, sed ad caelum et propter caelum.  Quia igitur caelum ceteris elementis speciem praestat, priusquam aliis factum est, « ideo ante alia ornatur in quarto die, quo fiunt sidera, quae ideo facta sunt, ut per ea illustretur inferior pars, ne esset habitantibus tenebrosa.  Infirmitatique hominum provisum est, ut, cirumeunte sole, potirentur homines diei noctisque vicissitudine propter dormiendi vigilandique necessitatem; et etiam ideo, ne nox indecora remaneret, sed luna ac sideribus consolarentur homines, quibus in nocte operandi necessitas incumberet; et quia quaedam animalia sunt, quae lucem ferre non possunt ».6

There follows:  God said:  Let there be luminaries in the firmament of heaven, and let them divide day and night.5  In the preceding triduum the machine of the university of this world was arranged, and distributed according to its parts.  For with light formed on the First Day, which brightened each and every (thing), two following days were allotted [attributi] to the highest and lowest part of the world, that is to the firmament, air, earth and water.  For on the Second Day the firmament was stretched out over above [desuper].  But on the Third (Day), with the masses of waters collected within their own receptacles, the land was revealed and the air became clear [serenatus].  Therefore the four elements of the world were in those Days distinguished and ordered in their places.  —  Moreover on the three following Days those four elements were ornamented.  For on the Fourth Day the firmament was ornamented with the Sun and Moon and stars [stellis]; on the Fifth (Day) the air accepted (its) ornaments in winged (creatures), and the waters in fishes; but on the Sixth (Day) the earth accepted the livestock and reptiles and beasts, after all of which there was made man from the earth [de terra] and on earth [in terra], yet not facing the earth [ad terram] nor for the sake of the earth [propter terram], but facing heaven [ad caelum] and for the sake of heaven [propter caelum].  Therefore because heaven presents (its) appearance to all the other elements, it was made before the others, « for that reason it is ornamented before the others on the fourth day, in which the constellations [sidera] were made, which were made for this reason, so that the inferior part might be made bright through them, lest it be shadowy to (those) dwelling (there).  And for the infirmity of men it was provided, that, with the Sun going around, men would become the masters [potirentur] of the day and night on account of the necessity of sleeping and waking according to (its) vicissitude; and (the heavenly bodies were) also (made) for this reason, so that the night would not remained unadorned, but there might be consoled by the Moon and constellations the men, upon whom there would be incumbent the necessity of working at night; and because there are certain animals, which cannot bear the light [lucem ferre] ».6

1  August., ibid. c. 9. n. 20; sequens locus ibid. c. 10. n. 23; in utroque loco multa sunt omissa.

2  Cod. Erf. bene adnotat:  Non est hic secundum nostram translationem, tamen Septuag. habent, ut patet per August., super Gen. I. c. 1.  —  Idem ad sequens notat:  Secundum Hieron., super Zachariam 1, 7 est binarius numerus infamis, et contra Iovin. I. n. 16, binarius est numerus infaustus, et tangit rationem, quae hic ponitur.

3  Gen. 1, 9.

4  Beda, Hexaem. ad v. 9. 10.  Etiam quod sequitur est Bedae et habetur in Glossa ord. (ibid.).  Cfr. August., I. de Gen. ad lit. c. 12. n. 26.

5  Gen. 1, 14.

6  August., II. de Gen. ad lit. c. 13. n. 27, et est in Glossa ord. ad Gen. 1, 14.

1  (St.) Augustine, ibid., ch. 9, n. 20; the following passage is ibid., ch. 10, n. 23; in each passage many (words) have been omitted.

2  The Erfurt codex notes rightly:  It is not there according to our translation, yet the Septuagint has (it), as is clear through (St.) Augustine, On Genesis., Bk. I, ch. 1.  —  The same on the following notes:  According to (St.) Jerome, On Zechariah, 1:7 a group of two is a number of infamy, and Against Jovinian, Bk. I, n. 6, a group of tow is an unlucky number, and he touches upon the reason, which is posited there.

3  Gen. 1:9.

4  (St.) Bede (the Venerable), Hexaëmeron, on vv. 9 and 10.  What follows is also from (St.) Bede and is had in the Glossa ordinaria (ibid.).  Cf. (St.) Augustine, On a Literal Exposition of Genesis, Bk. I, ch. 12, n. 26.

5  Gen. 1:14.

6  (St.) Augustine, On a Literal Exposition of Genesis, Bk. II, ch. 13, n. 27, and is found in the Glossa ordinaria, on Gen. 1:14.

p. 335

Cap. X.

 

Quomodo accipiendum sit illud:  Sint in signa et tempora.

Chapter X.

In what manner is this to be accepted:  Let them be for signs and seasons?

Quod autem subditur:  Et sint in signa et tempora et dies et annos, quomodo accipiendum sit, quaeri solet.  Ita enim « dictum videtur, quasi quarto die coepissent tempora, cum prius triduum sine tempore non fuerit.  Ideoque tempora, quae fiunt per sidera, non spatia morarum, sed vicissitudinem aëreae qualitatis debemus accipere, quia talia motibus siderum fiunt, sicut dies et anni, quos usitate novimus.  Sunt enim in signa serenitatis et tempestatis, et in tempora, quia per ea distinguimus quatuor tempora anni, scilicet ver, aestate, autumnum, hiemem ».1  Vel sunt in signa et tempora, id est, « in distinctionem horarum, quia, priusquam fierent, ordo temporum nullis notabatur indiciis, vel meridiana hora, vel qualibet hora ».  Haec quarta die facta sunt.

But what is subjoined:  And let them be for [in] signs and seasons [tempora] and days and years, there is customarily asked, “In what manner (this) is to be accepted?”  For thus « does it seem (to have been) said, as if the seasons began on the fourth day, though the prior triduum was not without time [tempore].  And for that reason the seasons, which came to be through the stars, we ought to accept not as spaces of delays [spatia morarum], but as the vicissitude of the quality of the air, because by the movements of the stars such come to be, just as (are) the days and years, which we usually know.  For they are as [in] signs of clear and foul weather [serenitatis et tempestatis], and as seasons, because through them we distinguish the four seasons of the year, namely, spring, summer, autumn, (and) winter ».1  And/or they are for signs and seasons, that is, « for the distinction of the hours, because, before they came to be, the order of times [temporum] was noted by no indications [indiciis], neither at the noonday hour, nor at any hour ».  These were made on the Fourth Day.

1  August., ibid. c. 14. n. 29, ubi et sequens locus, sed multis omissis.  Habetur etiam in Glossa ord.  Cfr. I. de Gen. contra Manich. c. 14.

1  (St.) Augustine, ibid., ch. 14, n. 29, where the following passage is also (found), but with many (things) omitted.  It is also had in the Glossa ordinaria.  Cf. On Genesis against Mani, Bk. I, ch. 14.

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