Part 7 (1/2)

Hence, too, the prodigal son in the Gospel is blamed because he would fain have filled his belly with the husks (_f_) which the swine did eat.

Hence, too, Origen understands by the flies and frogs with which the Egyptians were smitten, the empty garrulousness of the dialecticians and their sophistical arguments.

From all which instances it is gathered that knowledge of profane literature is not to be sought after by churchmen.

But, on the other hand[N] one reads that Moses and Daniel were learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and Chaldeans.

One reads also that G.o.d ordered the sons of Israel to spoil (_g_) the Egyptians of their gold and silver; the moral interpretation of this teaches that should we find in the poets either the gold of wisdom or the silver of eloquence, we should turn it to the profit of useful learning. In Leviticus also we are ordered to ...

(_d_) Such a one is rejected by the evidence, as VI. quaest. I. qui crimen. Also, he cannot be a bishop. As XLVIII. dist. -- necesse. Nay he is called a dog rather than a bishop. As II. quaest. VII. qui nee. John.

(_e_) Because he read them for pleasure not for instruction, as de conse. dist. V. non mediocriter.

(_f_) That is, with profane wisdom which fills but does not satisfy,[O]

(_g_) XIIII. quaest V. dixit.[P]

...offer up to G.o.d the first fruits of honey, that is, the sweetness of human eloquence. The Magi, too, offered three gifts, by which some would have us understand the three parts _(h)_ of philosophy.

[The reader will note that the two paragraphs following belong more properly to the first part of the argument; they may be inserted just before the third paragraph above,--”From all which instances,” etc.]

Finally in his exposition of the Psalms, Ca.s.siodorus bears witness that all the splendor of rhetorical eloquence, all the melody of poetic speech, whatever variety there may be of pleasing p.r.o.nunciation, have their origin in divine Scriptures.

Hence also Ambrose says concerning the Epistle to the Colossians: The sum total of celestial knowledge or of earthly creation is in Him who is their Fountain-head and Author, so that he who knows Him should not seek anything beyond, because He is goodness and wisdom in their completeness; whatever is sought elsewhere, in Him is found in its completeness. In Daniel and Solomon he shows that He is for infidels the source of all their eloquence and wisdom. Infidels do not so think, because they do not, in the Gospels and the prophets, read about astrology and other such like things, which are of slight _(i)_ worth because they avail not for salvation, but lead to error; and whoever devotes himself to these has no care for his soul; while he who knows Christ finds a treasure house of wisdom and knowledge, because he knows that which is of avail.

Hence Bede says in the Book of Kings:

=The clergy should not be prevented from reading profane literature.[Q]=

He harms the mental ac.u.men of readers, and causes it to wane, who thinks that they should in every way be prevented from reading profane books; for whatever useful things _(k)_ are found in them it is lawful to adopt as one's own. Otherwise Moses and Daniel would not have been allowed to become learned in the wisdom and literature of the Egyptians and ...

(_h_) I.e. Ethics, natural philosophy, rational philosophy.

(_i_) Compared with other knowledge. John.

(_k_) He argues that the useful is not vitiated by the useless as XVII.

q. IV. questi s. dist. IX. si ad scripturas. Contra Joan.

...Chaldeans, whose superst.i.tions and wantonness nevertheless they shuddered at. And the teacher _(l)_ of the gentiles himself would not have introduced _(m)_ some verses of the poets into his own writings or sayings.

[On this Gratian comments:]

Then why[R] are those [writings] forbidden to be read which, it ...

(_l_) For we read that when Paul had come to Athens he saw an altar of the Unknown G.o.d on which it was written: ”This is an altar of[S] the Unknown G.o.d in whom we live and move and have our being.” And with this inscription the Apostle began his exhortation and made known to those Athenians the meaning of this inscription,--continuing about our G.o.d and saying: ”Whom you p.r.o.nounce Unknown, Him declare I unto you and wors.h.i.+p.” Then Dionysius,[T] the Areopagite, seeing a blind man pa.s.sing by said to him (i.e. Paul), ”If you will give sight to that blind man I will believe you.” Immediately, when the name of Christ had been invoked, he was restored to sight and Dionysius believed.

(_m_) E.g. In the Epistle of Paul to t.i.tus,[U] the quotation from Epimenides the poet: ”The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.” I. quaest, i. dominus declaravit.

Also he introduced in the first Epistle to the Corinthians this from Menander: ”Evil communications often corrupt good manners.” XXVIII.

quaestio I. saepe.