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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52 <strong>Thomas</strong> <strong>More</strong>’s Life <strong>of</strong> John Picus<br />
If thou pain thy taste¦: remember therewithal<br />
How Christ <strong>for</strong> thee tasted eysell° and gall. 1<br />
If thou withdraw thine handès and <strong>for</strong>bear<br />
<strong>The</strong> ravin° <strong>of</strong> anything: remember then<br />
How His ⌐ innocent ¬ handès nailèd were¦.<br />
If thou be tempt with° pride: think how that when<br />
He was in <strong>for</strong>m <strong>of</strong> God, yet <strong>of</strong> a bondman<br />
He took the shape and humbled Himself <strong>for</strong> thee<br />
To the ⌐ most odious and vile ¬ death <strong>of</strong> a tree.° 2<br />
Consider when thou art movèd to be wroth°<br />
He Who that was God, and <strong>of</strong> all men the best, 3<br />
Seeing Himself scorned and scourgèd both,<br />
And as a thief between two thievès threst°<br />
With all rebuke and shame: 4 yet from his breast<br />
Came never sign <strong>of</strong> wrath or <strong>of</strong> disdain, 5<br />
But patiently endurèd all the pain¦.<br />
Thus every snare and engine° <strong>of</strong> the devil<br />
If thou this wise° peruse them 6 by and by:<br />
<strong>The</strong>re can be none so cursèd or so evil<br />
But ⌐ to some virtue thou mayst it apply.<br />
For <strong>of</strong>t thou shalt, resisting valiantly<br />
<strong>The</strong> fiendès might and subtle fiery dart, ¬<br />
2 eysell vinegar / 5 ravin theft, robbery / 7 tempt with tempted by / 10 <strong>of</strong> a tree on<br />
a cross / 12 wroth angry / 15 threst placed, [perhaps] thrust / 20 engine plot, wile /<br />
21 this wise in this manner<br />
¦1 <strong>More</strong> omits gulae resistens, “to resist gluttony” (CW 1:372, 373). / 6 <strong>More</strong> omits pro te ligno<br />
crucis, “to the wood <strong>of</strong> the cross <strong>for</strong> your sake” (CW 1:372, 373). / 18 <strong>More</strong> omits omnibus<br />
mansuetissime respondebat, “and he answered everyone with the greatest mildness” (CW 1:372, 373).<br />
1. How Christ . . . gall: <strong>More</strong>’s translation <strong>of</strong> illum felle potatum & aceto, “they gave him gall and<br />
vinegar to drink” (CW 1:372, 373). Cf. Matthew 27:34; Mark 15:36; John 19:29.<br />
2. He was . . . <strong>of</strong> a tree: An allusion to Philippians 2:6–8.<br />
3. best: <strong>The</strong> Latin has iustissimus, “most righteous” (CW 1:372, 373).<br />
4. Seeing Himself . . . and shame: <strong>The</strong> Latin is cum se tamen videret quasi latronem & illudi & conspui &<br />
flagellari & obprobriis omnibus affici & cum latronibus deputari, “when he saw himself treated like a<br />
thief, mocked and spat upon, and scourged and subjected to all manner <strong>of</strong> insults and classed<br />
among thieves” (CW 1: 372. 373). Cf. Mark 15:27; Luke 23:33; John 19:18.<br />
5. Came . . . disdain: Cf. John 19:1–11.<br />
6. peruse: “Seemingly used in the sense ‘recount in order’; if so, it antedates the <strong>earl</strong>iest usage in<br />
this sense, which OED gives as <strong>More</strong>’s Dialogue <strong>of</strong> Com<strong>for</strong>t (CW 12, 40/22)” (CW 1:244).<br />
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