life of john picus earl of mirandola - The Center for Thomas More ...
life of john picus earl of mirandola - The Center for Thomas More ...
life of john picus earl of mirandola - The Center for Thomas More ...
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<strong>The</strong> Third Rule.<br />
Twelve Rules <strong>of</strong> Spiritual Battle<br />
Consider ⌐ well ¬ that folly it is ⌐ and vain ¬<br />
To look <strong>for</strong> heaven ⌐ with pleasure and delight ¬∆1<br />
Since Christ our ⌐ Lord and sovereign ¬ captain 2<br />
Ascended never but by manly° fight<br />
And bitter passion; then were it no right°<br />
That any servant, ⌐ ye will yourself record,° ¬<br />
Should stand in better condition than his lord. 3<br />
<strong>The</strong> Fourth Rule.<br />
Think how that we not only should not grudge<br />
But eke be ⌐ glad and joyful ¬ <strong>of</strong> this fight, Δ4<br />
And long there<strong>for</strong> although we could not judge<br />
How that thereby redound° unto us might<br />
Any ⌐ pr<strong>of</strong>it ¬Δ5 , but only ⌐ <strong>for</strong> delight ¬<br />
To be con<strong>for</strong>med ⌐ and like in some behaviour ¬<br />
To Jesu Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour. 6<br />
As <strong>of</strong>ten as thou dost war and strive,<br />
By the resistance <strong>of</strong> any sinful motion,° 7<br />
Against any <strong>of</strong> thy sensual wittès five,°<br />
Cast in thy mind 8 as <strong>of</strong>t ⌐ with good devotion ¬<br />
How thou resemblest Christ: as with sour potion<br />
7 manly courageous / 8 were it no right it is not fitting / 9 record remember / 17 redound<br />
result / 23 sinful motion temptation / 24 sensual wittès five five senses<br />
Δ1. To look . . . delight: Here <strong>More</strong> significantly alters the Latin original, which reads credere ad<br />
caelum posse perveniri nisi per huismodi pugnam, “to think one can reach heaven except by such a battle<br />
as this” (CW 1:372, 373).<br />
2. our . . . captain: For the Latin caput nostrum, “our head” (CW 1:372, 373).<br />
3. then were . . . his lord: An allusion to Matthew 10:24.<br />
Δ4. Think . . . this fight: <strong>More</strong> alters the original Latin recordetur non solum non esse aegre ferendam hanc<br />
pugnam sed optandam, “let him remember that he should not only not endure this battle unwillingly<br />
but should choose to bear it” (CW 1:372, 373).<br />
Δ5. And . . . pr<strong>of</strong>it: <strong>More</strong> expands and alters the Latin etiam si nullum inde nobis praemium perveniret…,<br />
“even if we got no reward from it…” (CW 1:372, 373).<br />
6. To Jesu . . . Saviour: <strong>The</strong> Latin reads Christo deo & domino nostro, “to Christ, our God and our<br />
lord” (CW 1:372, 373).<br />
7. As <strong>of</strong>ten . . . motion: <strong>More</strong>’s expansion <strong>of</strong> the Latin & quotiens resistendo alicui tentationi, “and<br />
whenever in resisting any temptation” (CW 1:372, 373).<br />
8. Cast in thy mind: While the Latin has cogita and not recordetur (CW 1:372), the sense here is much<br />
the same, namely, “remember”—even “meditate upon”—the truth in question.<br />
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