MAR. It is time to proceed to the consideration of the following design,
similar to those previously brought forward, and with which it has a
certain affinity. There is an eagle, which with two wings cleaves the
sky; but I do not know how much and in what manner it comes to be
retarded by the weight of a stone which is tied to its leg. There is the
legend: Scinditur incertum. It is certain that it signifies the
multitude, number and character (volgo) of the powers of the soul, to
exemplify which, that verse is taken: Scinditur incertum studia in
contraria vulgus. The whole of which character (volgo) in general is
divided into two factions; although subordinate to these, others are not
wanting, of which some appeal to the high intelligence and splendour of
rectitude, while others incite and force in a certain manner to the low,
to the uncleanness of voluptuousness and compliance with natural
desires. Therefore says the sonnet:
48.
I would do well--to me 'tis not allowed.
With me my sun is not, although I be with him,
For being with him, I'm no more with myself:
The farther from myself--the nearer unto him;
The nearer unto him, the farther from myself.
Once to enjoy, doth cost me many tears,
And seeking happiness, I meet with woe.
For that I look aloft, so blind am I.
That I may gain my love, I lose myself.
Through bitter joy, and through sweet pain,
Weighted with lead, I rise towards the sky.
Necessity withholds, goodness conducts me on,
Fate sinks me down, and counsel raises me,
Desire spurs me, fear keeps me in check.
Care kindles and the peril backward draws.
Tell me, what power or what subterfuge
Can give me peace and bring me from this strife,
If one repels, the other draws me on.
The ascension goes on in the soul through the power and appulsion in
the wings, which are the intellect, or intellectual will upon which she
naturally depends and through which she fixes her gaze toward God, as to
the highest good, and primal truth, as to absolute goodness and beauty.
Thus everything has an impetus towards its beginning retrogressively,
and progressively towards its end and perfection, as Empedocles well
said, and from which sentence I think may be inferred that which the
Nolan said in this octave:
The sun must turn and reach his starting-point,
Each wandering light must go towards its source,
That which is earth to earth itself reverts,
The rivers from the sea to sea return,
And thither, whence desires have life and grow
Must they aspire as to revered divinity,
So every thought born of my lady fair
Comes back perforce to her, my goddess dear.
The intellectual power is never at rest, it is never satisfied with any
comprehended truth, but ever proceeds on and on towards that truth which
is not comprehended. So also the will which follows the apprehension, we
see that it is never satisfied with anything finite. In consequence of
this, the essence of the soul is always referred to the source of its
substance and entity. Then as to the natural powers, by means of which
it is turned to the protection and government of matter, to which it
allies itself, and by appulsion benefits and communicates of its
perfection to inferior things, through the likeness which it has to the
Divine, which in its benignity communicates itself or produces
infinitely, _i.e._ imparts existence to the universal infinite and to
the innumerable worlds in it, or, finitely, produces this universe
alone, subject to our eyes and our common reason. Thus then in the one
sole essence of the soul are found these two kinds of powers, and as
they are used for one's own good and for the good of others, it follows
that they are depicted with a pair of wings, by means of which it is
potent towards the object of the primal and immaterial potencies, and
with a heavy stone, through which it is active and efficacious towards
the objects of the secondary and material potencies. Whence it follows
that the entire affection of the enthusiast is bifold, divided,
harassed, and placed in a position to incline itself more easily
downwards than to force itself upwards: seeing that the soul finds
itself in a low and hostile country, and reaches the far-off region of
its more natural home where its powers are the weakest.
CES. Do you think that this difficulty can be overcome?
MAR. Perfectly well; but the beginning is most difficult, and according
as we make more and more fruitful progress in contemplation we arrive at
a greater and greater facility. As happens to whoever flys up high, the
more he rises above the earth the more air he has beneath to uphold him,
and consequently the less he is affected by gravitation; he may even
rise so high that he cannot, without the labour of cleaving the air,
return downwards, although one might imagine it were more easy to cleave
the air downwards towards the earth than to rise on high towards the
stars.
CES. So that with progress of this kind a greater and greater facility
is acquired for mounting on high?