Cause Principle Unity

A general account of bonding
thus, bonds based on commercial transactions are ignoble and merely
utilitarian, and are held in low esteem.
22. The appropriateness of bonds. The bonds which are most powerful and
appropriate are those which occur through close contact with a contrary in
a way which can be better explained here by examples rather than by a definition
or by a name (which is unfamiliar.) Thus, consider the case in which
a humble and honourable person binds a proud soul. The proud person
loves those whom he perceives to praise him, and the greater the praise, the
greater the love. And, in fact, the praise of a great man is more significant
than that of unimportant persons, whose praise we even sometimes reject.
So the one who binds carefully observes the ways in which the proud man
is praised. Again, consider soldiers who wish to be known primarily for
their physical strength and courage, and, as a result, are little concerned if
they are not noted primarily for their wisdom and influence over things.
Again, consider philosophers who glory in their knowledge of things, but
are little concerned if they are not praised for their heartfelt courage. The
same judgement applies to the casting of other bonds.
23. The gratitude of bonds. Bonds create a desire for some sort of gratitude.
To give an example from one type of bond, quarrels arise between lovers
when it is taken for granted that each has an obligation to the other. The
lover thinks that the beloved is obliged to turn over to him her stolen soul
where he, who has died in his own body, lives in another body. If the lover
is less flattering to his beloved, she complains that he cares less for her. The
lover complains to the beloved if …
(Bruno’s text ends abruptly here in mid-sentence.)
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