at it
acomplise
by hy{m} self ?
Chaucer - Boethius
inges.
?
ilke same
? ing is good in his substaunce.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Most rightly said! ]
_B. _ ? ou hast seid ry? tfully
q{uo}d . I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ But you have owned that true felicity is the
sovereign good; then you must also grant that God is that true
felicity. ]
_P. _ But we han graunted q{uo}d she ? at 2532
souereyne good is blysfulnes. ? at is so? e q{uo}d . I. ? an
q{uo}d she mote we nedes graunten {and} confessen ? at
? ilke same souereyne goode be god.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Your conclusions follow from your premises. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 21 _b_. ]]
? Certys *q{uo}d
. I. I ne may nat denye ne wi? stonde ? e resou{n}s p{ur}posed. 2536
and I see wel ? at it folwe? by streng? e of ? e
p{re}misses.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Let us see whether we cannot prove this more
convincingly by considering it in this view, that there cannot be
two sovereign goods which differ in themselves. ]
? Loke nowe q{uo}d she yif ? is be proued
[yit] more fermely ? us. ? ? at ? er ne mowen nat ben
two souereyne goodes ? at ben diuerse amo[n]ges hem 2540
self.
[Sidenote: For it is plain that of the goods that differ one
cannot be what the other is; wherefore neither of them can be
perfect where one wants the other. ]
? at on is nat ? at ? at o? er is. ? an [ne] mowen
nei? er of hem ben p{er}fit. so as ey? er of hem lakki? to
o? ir.
[Sidenote: That which is not perfect cannot be the supreme good. ]
but ? at ? at nis nat p{er}fit men may seen apertly
? at it nis nat souereyne.
[Sidenote: Neither can the chief good be essentially different. ]
? e ? inges ? an ? at ben 2544
souereynely goode ne mowen by no wey ben diuerse.
[Sidenote: But it has been shown that God and happiness are the
chief good, wherefore the sovereign felicity and the Supreme
Divinity are one and the same. ]
? But I haue wel conclude ? at blisfulnesse {and} god ben
[the] souereyne goode. For whiche it mot nedes be ? at
souereyne blisfulnesse is souerey[ne] dyuynite. ? No 2548
? ing q{uo}d I nis more so? efast ? an ? is ne more ferme by
resou{n}. ne a more wor? i ? ing ? an god may nat ben
concluded.
[Sidenote: Following then the examples of geometricians who deduce
their consequences from their propositions, I shall deduce to thee
something like a corollary as follows:--]
_P. _ vpon ? ise ? inges ? an q{uo}d she. ry? t as
? ise geometriens whan ? ei han shewed her p{ro}posiciou{n}s 2552
ben wont to brynge{n} in ? inges ? at ? ei clepen porismes
or declarac{i}ou{n}s of forseide ? inges. ry? t so wil I ? eue
? e here as a corolarie or a mede of coroune.
[Sidenote: Because by the attainment of felicity men become happy,
and as felicity is the same as Divinity itself, therefore by the
attainment of Divinity men are made happy. ]
For whi.
for as moche as by ? e getynge of blisfulnesse men ben 2556
maked blysful. {and} blisfulnesse is diuinite. ? ? an is
it manifest {and} open ? at by ? e gety{n}g of diuinite men
ben makid blisful.
[Sidenote: But as by the participation of justice or of wisdom men
become just or wise,]
ry? t as by ? e getynge of iustice . . .
{and} by ? e getyng of sapience ? ei ben maked wise. 2560
[Linenotes:
2529 _whiche_--whych
2531 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd
2533 _so? e_--soth
2534 _mote_--moten
2539 [_yit_]--from C.
2541 _is_ (1)--nis
_o? er_--othre
[_ne_]--from C.
2546 _conclude_--concluded
2547 [_the_] from C.
_goode_--good
_be_--ben
2549 _so? efast_--sothfast
_ferme_--MS. forme, C. ferme
2552 _proposiciouns_--MS. p{ro}porsiou{n}s, C. p{ro}posiciou{n}s
2553 _porismes_--MS. poeismes, C. porysmes
2554 _wil_--wole]
[Headnote:
THE HAPPY MAN IS A GOD. ]
[Sidenote: so by partaking of Divinity they must necessarily,
and by parity of reason, become gods. ]
? Ry? t so nedes by ? e semblable resou{n}
wha{n} ? ei han getyn [[pg 92]]
diuinite ? ei ben maked goddys.
[Sidenote: Every happy man then is a god. But by nature there is
only _One_; but by participation of Divine essence there may be
many gods. ]
? an is euery blisful
man god. ? But certis by nature. ? er nys but oon god.
but by ? e p{ar}ticipac{i}ou{n}s of diuinite ? ere ne lette? ne 2564
disturbe? no ? ing ? at ? er ne ben many goddes. ? ? is
is q{uo}d . I. a faire ? ing {and} a p{re}cious. ? Clepe it as
? {o}u wolt. be it corolarie or porisme or mede of coroune
or declarynges ? Certys q{uo}d she no ? ing nis fairer. 2568
? an is ? e ? ing ? at by resou{n} sholde ben added to ? ise
forseide ? inges. what ? ing q{uo}d . I.
[Sidenote: But as happiness seems to be an assemblage of many
things, ought we not to consider whether these several things
constitute conjointly the body of happiness, or whether there is
not some one of these particular things that may complete the
substance or essence of it, and to which all the rest have a
relation? ]
? So q{uo}d she as
it seme? ? at blisfulnesse conteni? many ? inges. it were
forto witen whe? ir [? {a}t] alle ? ise ? inges maken or 2572
conioignen as a maner body of blysfulnesse by diuersite
of parties or [of] me{m}bris. Or ellys yif any of alle
? ilke ? i{n}g{us} be swyche ?
at it acomplise by hy{m} self ? e
substaunce of blisfulnesse. so ? at alle ? ise o? er ? inges 2576
ben referred and brou? t to blisfulnesse. ? at is to seyne
as to ? e chief of hem.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Illustrate this matter by proper examples. ]
? I wolde q{uo}d I ? at ? ou
makedest me clerly to vndirstonde what ? ou seist. {and}
? at ? ou recordest me ? e forseide ? inges.
[Sidenote: _P. _ As you grant that happiness is a good, you may say
the same of all the other goods; for perfect sufficiency is
identical with supreme felicity; so is supreme power, likewise
high rank, a shining reputation, and perfect pleasure. ]
? Haue I nat 2580
iuged q{uo}d she. ? at blisfulnesse is goode. ? is forso? e
q{uo}d . I. {and} ? at souereyne goode. ? Adde ? an q{uo}d
she ? ilke goode ? at is maked blisfulnes to alle ? e forseide
? inges. ? For ? ilke same blisfulnesse ? at is 2584
demed to ben souereyne suffisaunce. ? ilke self is
souereyne power. souereyne reuerence. sou{er}eyne clernesse
or noblesse {and} souereyne delit.
[Sidenote: What say you, then; are all these things, sufficiency,
power, and the rest, to be considered as constituent parts of
felicity? or are they to be referred to the sovereign good as
their source and principal? ]
what seist ? ou
? an of alle ? ise ? inges. ? at is to seyne. suffisance power 2588
{and} ? ise o? er ? inges. ben ? ei ? an as membris of blisfulnesse.
or ben ? ei referred {and} brou? t to souereyne good.
? Ry? t as alle ? inges ? at ben brou? t to ? e chief of hem.
[Linenotes:
2563 _oon_--o
2564 _lette? _--let
2566 _faire_--fayr
2567 _porisme_--MS. pousme, C. porisme
2572 [_? at_]--from C.
2573 _maner_--maner{e}
_by_--be
2574 [_of_]--from C.
2575 _swyche_--swych
2576 _o? er_--oothr{e}
2577 _seyne_--seyn
2578 _chief_--chef
2581 _goode ? is_--good ys
2582 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn good
2583 _goode_--good
2585 _self_--selue
2588 _? ise_--C. omits
_seyne_--seyn
2589 _o? er_--oothre]
[Headnote:
GOOD, THE RULE AND SQUARE OF THINGS DESIRABLE. ]
[Sidenote: _B. _ I see what you are aiming at, and I am desirous to
hear your arguments. ]
b. I vndirstonde wel q{uo}d . I. what ? ou p{ur}posest to [[pg 93]]
seke. but I desijr[e] to herkene ? at ? ou shewe it me. 2593
[Sidenote: _P. _ If all these things were members of felicity, they
would differ one from another, for it is the property of diverse
parts to compose one body. ]
_p. _ Take now ? us ? e discressiou{n} of ? is questiou{n} q{uo}d
she. yif al ? ise ? inges q{uo}d she weren membris to
felicite. ? an weren ? ei diu{er}se ? at oon fro ? at o? er. 2596
? And swiche is ? e nat{ur}e of p{ar}ties or of membris.
? at dyuerse me{m}bris compounen a body.
[Sidenote: But it has been well shown that all these things are
the same and do not differ--therefore they are not parts, for if
they were, happiness might be made up of one member--which is
absurd and impossible. ]
? Certis
q{uo}d I it ha? wel ben shewed her byforne. ? at alle ? ise
? inges ben alle on ? ing. ? an ben ? ei none membris q{uo}d 2600
she.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 22. ]]
for ellys it sholde seme ? at blisfulnesse were
conioigned *al of one membre alone. but ? at is a ? i{n}g
? at may nat ben doon.
[Sidenote: _B. _ This I doubt not, but I desire to hear the
sequel. ]
? is ? ing q{uo}d . I. nys nat
doutous. but I abide to herkene ? e remenaunt of ? e 2604
questiou{n}.
[Sidenote: _P. _ All the things above-mentioned must be tried by
Good, as the rule and square. ]
? is is ope{n} {and} clere q{uo}d she. ? at alle o? er
? inges ben referred {and} brou? t to goode.
[Sidenote: Sufficiency, power, &c. , are all desired, because they
are esteemed a good. ]
? For ? erfore
is suffisaunce requered. For it is demed to ben
good. {and} for? i is power requered. for men trowen also 2608
? at it be goode. and ? is same ? ing mowe we ? inken {and}
coueiten of reuerence {and} of noblesse {and} of delit.
[Sidenote: Good is the cause why all things are desired. ]
? an is souereyne good ? e soume {and} ? e cause of alle ? at
au? t[e] be desired.
[Sidenote: For that which contains no good, either in reality or
appearance, can never be desired. ]
forwhi ? ilke ? ing ? at wi? -holde? no 2612
good in it self ne semblaunce of goode it ne may nat
wel in no manere be desired ne requered.
[Sidenote: On the contrary, things not essentially good are
desired because they appear to be real goods. ]
{and} ? e contrarie.
For ? ou? ? at ? inges by hir nature ne ben nat
goode algates yif men wene ? at ? ei be{n} goode ? it ben 2616
? ei desired as ? ou? [? {a}t] ?
? ing is good in his substaunce.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Most rightly said! ]
_B. _ ? ou hast seid ry? tfully
q{uo}d . I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ But you have owned that true felicity is the
sovereign good; then you must also grant that God is that true
felicity. ]
_P. _ But we han graunted q{uo}d she ? at 2532
souereyne good is blysfulnes. ? at is so? e q{uo}d . I. ? an
q{uo}d she mote we nedes graunten {and} confessen ? at
? ilke same souereyne goode be god.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Your conclusions follow from your premises. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 21 _b_. ]]
? Certys *q{uo}d
. I. I ne may nat denye ne wi? stonde ? e resou{n}s p{ur}posed. 2536
and I see wel ? at it folwe? by streng? e of ? e
p{re}misses.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Let us see whether we cannot prove this more
convincingly by considering it in this view, that there cannot be
two sovereign goods which differ in themselves. ]
? Loke nowe q{uo}d she yif ? is be proued
[yit] more fermely ? us. ? ? at ? er ne mowen nat ben
two souereyne goodes ? at ben diuerse amo[n]ges hem 2540
self.
[Sidenote: For it is plain that of the goods that differ one
cannot be what the other is; wherefore neither of them can be
perfect where one wants the other. ]
? at on is nat ? at ? at o? er is. ? an [ne] mowen
nei? er of hem ben p{er}fit. so as ey? er of hem lakki? to
o? ir.
[Sidenote: That which is not perfect cannot be the supreme good. ]
but ? at ? at nis nat p{er}fit men may seen apertly
? at it nis nat souereyne.
[Sidenote: Neither can the chief good be essentially different. ]
? e ? inges ? an ? at ben 2544
souereynely goode ne mowen by no wey ben diuerse.
[Sidenote: But it has been shown that God and happiness are the
chief good, wherefore the sovereign felicity and the Supreme
Divinity are one and the same. ]
? But I haue wel conclude ? at blisfulnesse {and} god ben
[the] souereyne goode. For whiche it mot nedes be ? at
souereyne blisfulnesse is souerey[ne] dyuynite. ? No 2548
? ing q{uo}d I nis more so? efast ? an ? is ne more ferme by
resou{n}. ne a more wor? i ? ing ? an god may nat ben
concluded.
[Sidenote: Following then the examples of geometricians who deduce
their consequences from their propositions, I shall deduce to thee
something like a corollary as follows:--]
_P. _ vpon ? ise ? inges ? an q{uo}d she. ry? t as
? ise geometriens whan ? ei han shewed her p{ro}posiciou{n}s 2552
ben wont to brynge{n} in ? inges ? at ? ei clepen porismes
or declarac{i}ou{n}s of forseide ? inges. ry? t so wil I ? eue
? e here as a corolarie or a mede of coroune.
[Sidenote: Because by the attainment of felicity men become happy,
and as felicity is the same as Divinity itself, therefore by the
attainment of Divinity men are made happy. ]
For whi.
for as moche as by ? e getynge of blisfulnesse men ben 2556
maked blysful. {and} blisfulnesse is diuinite. ? ? an is
it manifest {and} open ? at by ? e gety{n}g of diuinite men
ben makid blisful.
[Sidenote: But as by the participation of justice or of wisdom men
become just or wise,]
ry? t as by ? e getynge of iustice . . .
{and} by ? e getyng of sapience ? ei ben maked wise. 2560
[Linenotes:
2529 _whiche_--whych
2531 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd
2533 _so? e_--soth
2534 _mote_--moten
2539 [_yit_]--from C.
2541 _is_ (1)--nis
_o? er_--othre
[_ne_]--from C.
2546 _conclude_--concluded
2547 [_the_] from C.
_goode_--good
_be_--ben
2549 _so? efast_--sothfast
_ferme_--MS. forme, C. ferme
2552 _proposiciouns_--MS. p{ro}porsiou{n}s, C. p{ro}posiciou{n}s
2553 _porismes_--MS. poeismes, C. porysmes
2554 _wil_--wole]
[Headnote:
THE HAPPY MAN IS A GOD. ]
[Sidenote: so by partaking of Divinity they must necessarily,
and by parity of reason, become gods. ]
? Ry? t so nedes by ? e semblable resou{n}
wha{n} ? ei han getyn [[pg 92]]
diuinite ? ei ben maked goddys.
[Sidenote: Every happy man then is a god. But by nature there is
only _One_; but by participation of Divine essence there may be
many gods. ]
? an is euery blisful
man god. ? But certis by nature. ? er nys but oon god.
but by ? e p{ar}ticipac{i}ou{n}s of diuinite ? ere ne lette? ne 2564
disturbe? no ? ing ? at ? er ne ben many goddes. ? ? is
is q{uo}d . I. a faire ? ing {and} a p{re}cious. ? Clepe it as
? {o}u wolt. be it corolarie or porisme or mede of coroune
or declarynges ? Certys q{uo}d she no ? ing nis fairer. 2568
? an is ? e ? ing ? at by resou{n} sholde ben added to ? ise
forseide ? inges. what ? ing q{uo}d . I.
[Sidenote: But as happiness seems to be an assemblage of many
things, ought we not to consider whether these several things
constitute conjointly the body of happiness, or whether there is
not some one of these particular things that may complete the
substance or essence of it, and to which all the rest have a
relation? ]
? So q{uo}d she as
it seme? ? at blisfulnesse conteni? many ? inges. it were
forto witen whe? ir [? {a}t] alle ? ise ? inges maken or 2572
conioignen as a maner body of blysfulnesse by diuersite
of parties or [of] me{m}bris. Or ellys yif any of alle
? ilke ? i{n}g{us} be swyche ?
at it acomplise by hy{m} self ? e
substaunce of blisfulnesse. so ? at alle ? ise o? er ? inges 2576
ben referred and brou? t to blisfulnesse. ? at is to seyne
as to ? e chief of hem.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Illustrate this matter by proper examples. ]
? I wolde q{uo}d I ? at ? ou
makedest me clerly to vndirstonde what ? ou seist. {and}
? at ? ou recordest me ? e forseide ? inges.
[Sidenote: _P. _ As you grant that happiness is a good, you may say
the same of all the other goods; for perfect sufficiency is
identical with supreme felicity; so is supreme power, likewise
high rank, a shining reputation, and perfect pleasure. ]
? Haue I nat 2580
iuged q{uo}d she. ? at blisfulnesse is goode. ? is forso? e
q{uo}d . I. {and} ? at souereyne goode. ? Adde ? an q{uo}d
she ? ilke goode ? at is maked blisfulnes to alle ? e forseide
? inges. ? For ? ilke same blisfulnesse ? at is 2584
demed to ben souereyne suffisaunce. ? ilke self is
souereyne power. souereyne reuerence. sou{er}eyne clernesse
or noblesse {and} souereyne delit.
[Sidenote: What say you, then; are all these things, sufficiency,
power, and the rest, to be considered as constituent parts of
felicity? or are they to be referred to the sovereign good as
their source and principal? ]
what seist ? ou
? an of alle ? ise ? inges. ? at is to seyne. suffisance power 2588
{and} ? ise o? er ? inges. ben ? ei ? an as membris of blisfulnesse.
or ben ? ei referred {and} brou? t to souereyne good.
? Ry? t as alle ? inges ? at ben brou? t to ? e chief of hem.
[Linenotes:
2563 _oon_--o
2564 _lette? _--let
2566 _faire_--fayr
2567 _porisme_--MS. pousme, C. porisme
2572 [_? at_]--from C.
2573 _maner_--maner{e}
_by_--be
2574 [_of_]--from C.
2575 _swyche_--swych
2576 _o? er_--oothr{e}
2577 _seyne_--seyn
2578 _chief_--chef
2581 _goode ? is_--good ys
2582 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn good
2583 _goode_--good
2585 _self_--selue
2588 _? ise_--C. omits
_seyne_--seyn
2589 _o? er_--oothre]
[Headnote:
GOOD, THE RULE AND SQUARE OF THINGS DESIRABLE. ]
[Sidenote: _B. _ I see what you are aiming at, and I am desirous to
hear your arguments. ]
b. I vndirstonde wel q{uo}d . I. what ? ou p{ur}posest to [[pg 93]]
seke. but I desijr[e] to herkene ? at ? ou shewe it me. 2593
[Sidenote: _P. _ If all these things were members of felicity, they
would differ one from another, for it is the property of diverse
parts to compose one body. ]
_p. _ Take now ? us ? e discressiou{n} of ? is questiou{n} q{uo}d
she. yif al ? ise ? inges q{uo}d she weren membris to
felicite. ? an weren ? ei diu{er}se ? at oon fro ? at o? er. 2596
? And swiche is ? e nat{ur}e of p{ar}ties or of membris.
? at dyuerse me{m}bris compounen a body.
[Sidenote: But it has been well shown that all these things are
the same and do not differ--therefore they are not parts, for if
they were, happiness might be made up of one member--which is
absurd and impossible. ]
? Certis
q{uo}d I it ha? wel ben shewed her byforne. ? at alle ? ise
? inges ben alle on ? ing. ? an ben ? ei none membris q{uo}d 2600
she.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 22. ]]
for ellys it sholde seme ? at blisfulnesse were
conioigned *al of one membre alone. but ? at is a ? i{n}g
? at may nat ben doon.
[Sidenote: _B. _ This I doubt not, but I desire to hear the
sequel. ]
? is ? ing q{uo}d . I. nys nat
doutous. but I abide to herkene ? e remenaunt of ? e 2604
questiou{n}.
[Sidenote: _P. _ All the things above-mentioned must be tried by
Good, as the rule and square. ]
? is is ope{n} {and} clere q{uo}d she. ? at alle o? er
? inges ben referred {and} brou? t to goode.
[Sidenote: Sufficiency, power, &c. , are all desired, because they
are esteemed a good. ]
? For ? erfore
is suffisaunce requered. For it is demed to ben
good. {and} for? i is power requered. for men trowen also 2608
? at it be goode. and ? is same ? ing mowe we ? inken {and}
coueiten of reuerence {and} of noblesse {and} of delit.
[Sidenote: Good is the cause why all things are desired. ]
? an is souereyne good ? e soume {and} ? e cause of alle ? at
au? t[e] be desired.
[Sidenote: For that which contains no good, either in reality or
appearance, can never be desired. ]
forwhi ? ilke ? ing ? at wi? -holde? no 2612
good in it self ne semblaunce of goode it ne may nat
wel in no manere be desired ne requered.
[Sidenote: On the contrary, things not essentially good are
desired because they appear to be real goods. ]
{and} ? e contrarie.
For ? ou? ? at ? inges by hir nature ne ben nat
goode algates yif men wene ? at ? ei be{n} goode ? it ben 2616
? ei desired as ? ou? [? {a}t] ?
