Table Of ContentCOLLATIONES IN
HEXAEMERON
Reportatio B
ST. BONAVENTURE
Contents
I DEQUALITATIBUS 1
II DEPLENITUDINESAPIENTIAE 20
III DEPLENITUDINEINTELLECTUS 39
IV DEVISIONEPRIMA,TRACTATIOPRIMA 57
V DEVISIONEPRIMA,TRACTATIOSECUNDA 71
VI DEVISIONEPRIMA,TRACTATIOTERTIA 91
VII DEVISIONEPRIMA,TRACTATIOQUARTA 105
VIII DEVISIONESECUNDA,TRACTATIOPRIMA 116
IX DEVISIONESECUNDA,TRACTATIOSECUNDA 127
X DEVISIONESECUNDA,TRACTATIOTETRIA 141
XI DEVISIONESECUNDA,TRACTATIOQUARTA 149
XII DEVISIONESECUNDA,TRACTATIOQUINTA 165
XIII DEVISIONETERTIA,TRACTATIOPRIMA 174
XIV DEVISIONETERTIA,TRACTATIOSECUNDA 189
XV DEVISIONETERTIA,TRACTATIOTERTIA 206
XVI DEVISIONETERTIA,TRACTATIOQUATRA 219
XVII DEVISIONETERTIA,TRACTATIOQUINTA 237
XVIIIDEVISIONETERTIA,TRACTATIOSEXTA 252
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COLLATIONESINHEXAEMERON
XIX DEVISIONETERTIA,TRACTATIOULTIMA 268
XX DEQUATRAVISIONE,TRACTATIOPRIMA 282
XXI DEQUATRAVISIONE,TRACTATIOSECUNDA 301
XXII DEQUATRAVISIONE,TRACTATIOTERTIA 320
XXIIIDEQUATRAVISIONE,TRACTATIOQUARTA 343
EPILOGUE 358
ii
Collatio I
DE QUALITATIBUS
OntheQualitiesRequiredofHearersoftheDivineWord,andonChristasthe
CenterofAllKnowledge
DEQUALITATIBUSINAUDITORIBUSDIVINIVERBIREQUISITISETDE
CHRISTOOMNIUMSCIENTIARUMMEDIO
1. IN THE midst of the Church the Lord 1. InmedioEcclesiaeaperietoseiusetadim-
shall open his mouth, and shall fill him with plebiteumDominusspiritusapientiaeetin-
the spirit of wisdom and understanding and tellectusetstolagloriaevestietillum,Ecclesi-
shall clothe him with a robe of glory. In asticidecimoquinto. Inverbisistisdocet
these words the Holy Spirit teaches the Spiritus sanctus prudentem, quibus de-
prudentmantowhomheshouldaddress betsermonemdepromere,undeincipere,
hisspeech,fromwhereheshouldbeginit, ubi terminare. Primo, quibus debet lo-
andfinallywhereheshouldendit. First, qui: quia Ecclesiae; non enim dandum
to whom he should address it, that is, to estsanctumcanibus,necmargaritaespar-
theChurch: forwhatisholyshouldnotbe gendae sunt ante porcos. Secundo docet
giventodogsnorshouldpearlsbethrown ubidebetincipere: quiaamedio,quodest
to the swine. Second, from where to be- Christus;quodmediumsinegligatur,ni-
gin, that is, from the center (medium), hil habetur. Tertio ubi terminare: quia
which is Christ: for if this Medium is inplenitudinesiveadimpletionespiritus
overlooked, no result is obtained. Third, sapientiaeetintellectus.
where he should end, that is, in fullness,
in the complete fulfilling of the spirit of
wisdomandunderstanding.
2. But first, we must speak of ourselves 2. Sed primo loquendum est de nobis
andconsiderwhatqualitieswemustpos- ipsis et videndum, quales esse debemus.
sess. For a ray of light offered to a weak Si enim oculo infirmo apponatur radius,
eye blinds it instead of enlightening it. potius excaecatur quam illuminetur. Lo-
1
COLLATIONESINHEXAEMERON
Hence we should speak of the Church quendum est igitur Ecclesiae, quae qui-
which is the assembly of rational men, dem est convocatio rationalium; syna-
while the synagogue is the gathering of goga autem est congregatio gregum et
herdsandofmenlivinganimallives. We hominum brutaliter viventium. Eccle-
should speak of the Church which is a siaeloquendumest,quaequidemestunio
unionofrationalmenliving inharmony rationalium concorditer et uniformiter
anduniformitythroughharmoniousand viventium per concordem et uniformem
uniform observance of divine Law, har- observantiam divinae legis, per concor-
monious and uniform adherence to di- demetuniformemcohaerentiamdivinae
vinepeace,harmoniousanduniformcon- pacis,perconcordemetuniformemcon-
celebration of divine praise. Now these sonantiamdivinaelaudis. Haecautemor-
threeareinlogicalorder,fortherecanbe dinatasunt: quialausessenonpotest,ubi
nopraisewithoutpeace,nordivinepeace non est pax, nec divina pax, ubi non est
withoutobservanceofdivineLaw. observantiadivinaelegis.
3. Concerningthefirstitem,letusquote 3. De primo in prima ad Timotheum:
St. Paul: I write these things to thee, my Haec tibi scribo fili Timothee, ut scias,
son Timothy, in order that thou mayest quomodooporteatteconversariindomoDei,
know how to conduct thyself in the house of quaeestEcclesiaDeivivi, columnaetfirma-
God, which is the Church of the living God, mentumveritatis. Ecclesiadiciturcolumna
the pillar and mainstay of the truth. The et firmamentum, quia mentis illustra-
Church is called pillar and mainstay be- tiva, et quia virtutis stabilitum. Ve-
cause it both enlightens the mind and nientesautemadeamillustranturperfi-
strengthens virtue. Those who come to dem et stabiliuntur per virtutis constan-
it are enlightened by faith and strength- tiam. Ethaecduo facitlex divina. Unde
enedbytheconstancyofvirtue. Anddi- estcolumnafiliorumIsrael,adcuiusmo-
vine Law brings about these two effects. tumapparetomnino,quomodoagendum
Hence it is the column of the sons of Is- et quomodo quiescendum. In hoc enim
rael,whosemotionindicatedclearlyhow omnes Ecclesiae concordant, ut custodi-
theyweretoactandhowtorest. Foron ant legem Dei, sicut olim totus populus
thispointallChurchesareinagreement, motumcolumnaeaspiciebat. Quiadhanc
onhowtoobserveGod’sLaw,asinolden nonaspicitsempernonestdeunitateEc-
daysthewholepeoplekepttheireyeson clesiae,utsieamnonintelligas,velsiin-
the moving column. He who does not telligis,eamnonsequaris.
lookuponitdoesnotbelongtotheunity
oftheChurch,forinstanceifhedoesnot
understandthisLaw,orunderstandingit,
refusestoobeyit.
4. NowweshouldspeakoftheChurchof 4. Item loquendum est Ecclesiae ra-
rational men united in harmonious and tionalium unitorum per concordem et
uniform adherence to divine peace. Of uniformem cohaerentiam divinae pacis.
this it is said in Ecclesiasticus: The sons UndediciturinEcclesiastico: Filiisapien-
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COLLATIOI. DEQUALITATIBUS
of wisdom are the Church of the just: and tiaeecclesiaiustorum,etnatioillorumobedi-
theirgeneration,obedienceandlove. Forthe entiaetdilectioEcclesiaenimmutuosedili-
Churchinreturnlovesitself. Andloveis gensest. Dilectioautemnasciturexlegis
born of obedience to the Law. And the impletione. Lex enim praecipit dilec-
Law itself commands love: Now the pur- tionem, in prima ad Timotheum: Finis
poseofthischargeischarity,orlove,froma praeceptiestdilectioseucaritasdecordepuro
pureheartandagoodconscienceandfaithun- etconscientiabonaetfidenonficta. Etidem
feigned. Andagain, hewholoveshisneigh- Apostolus: Qui diligit proximum legem im-
bor has fulfilled the Law. And this can be plevit. Et probat per verbum Salvatoris:
proved in the Saviour’s own words: On Inhis,inquit,duobusuniversalexpendetet
these two commandments depend the whole Prophetae. Oportetergo,utlegisObserva-
Law and the Prophets. And so it is fitting tores sint amatores, Ioannis decimo ter-
that those who obey the Law be loving tio: In hoc cognoscent omnes, quia discipuli
also. Bythiswillallmenknowthatyouare meiestis,sidilectionemhabueritisadinvicem
Mydisciples,ifyouhaveloveforoneanother. etApostolus: NonestDeusdissensionis,sed
AndtheApostlewrites: ForGodisaGod pacis.
ofpeace,notofdisorder.
5. Finally,weshouldspeakoftheChurch 5. Item loquendum est Ecclesiae ratio-
ofrationalmenunitedinharmoniousand nalium unitorum per concordem et uni-
uniform concelebration of divine praise, formem consonantiam divinae laudis; in
according to the Psalm, with Thee is my Psalmo: Apudtelausmeainecclesiamagna.
praiseinagreatChurch. Asasweetchant Sicut enim ex multitudine vocum uni-
results from a great number of voices tarumsecundumquandamproportionem
united in a certain proportion and har- et harmoniam dulcedo cantus fit; sic ex
mony, so also a spiritual harmony pleas- multorum affectione harmonia spiritu-
ing to the Most High comes forth from alis, placens Altissimo; unde in Psalmo:
theharmonyoftheloveofmany. Hence InecclesiisbenediciteDeodominodefontibus
thePsalm: BlesstheLord,youofIsrael’swell- Israel. Talibus igitur observatoribus div-
spring! To such observers of divine Law, inaelegis,amatoribusdivinaepacis,per-
to such lovers of divine peace, to such solutoribus divinae laudis, et non aliis,
singers of divine praise, and to no oth- debetfierisermo;ettalessuntvirieccle-
ers, is this speech to be addressed: and siastici. QuiautemrapiturextrahancEc-
such are men of the Church. As for the clesiam,illinondebetfieri.
man who has been snatched away from
thisChurch,thisspeechdoesnothaveto
beaddressedtohim.
6. Foramanissnatchedawaybythespirit 6. Rapiturautemhomoperspiritumcar-
of carnality and cupidity which oppose nalitatis et cupiditatis, contra primum.
thefirstperfection. Forthesearethetwo Hi duo sunt, qui avertunt hominem a
vicesthatturnmanawayfromGod’sLaw. legeDeietexcaecantduosoculosmentis.
Indeed, this Law of God prescribes the LexenimDeipraecipitbonumcommune
3
COLLATIONESINHEXAEMERON
commongoodandthespiritualgoodand et bonum spirituale et retrahit ab amore
recoilsfromimpurelovewhichiscarnal- foedo, qui est carnalitatis, et ab amore
ity and from exclusive love which is cu- privato, qui est cupiditatis. Lex enim
pidity. For the Law is hateful to carnal odiosaestcarnalietcupido;necunquam
and covetous men: never do they want eamaudirevolunt. Suntenimsicutcanis
to listen to it. They are like the dog and etporcus. Canisenimsemperestcupidus
theswine. Thedogisalwayscovetousand etnunquamcommunicarevolens,porcus
never wants to share, and the swine al- autemsemperinlutoessevult.
wayswantstoliveinthemire.
7. Opposingadherencetopeace,wehave 7. Item, contra cohaerentiam pacis est
thespiritofmaliceandcruelty,ofhatred spiritus malignitatis et crudelitatis, in-
andanger,andthesetwoleadtocomplete vidus et iracundus; et hi duo totum per-
perversion: the malicious man turns ev- vertunt: invidus omne bonum conver-
ery good into evil, while the angry man tit in malum, iracundus omne malum in
turns every evil into good and considers bonum et ipsam redditionem mali repu-
goodtheactualrenderingofevil. Hence tat bonum. Et ideo ponunt tenebras lucem
theychangedarknessintolight,andlightinto etlucemtenebras,Isaiaequinto. Undetales
darkness. Suchastheseareunqualifiedto nonsuntidoneiadaudiendumlegemDei.
listentoGod’sLaw.
8. Again,opposingtheconcelebrationof 8. Item, contra consonantiam divinae
divine praise, we have the spirit of pre- laudisspirituspraesumptionisetcuriosi-
sumptionandcuriosity,inthesensethat tatis, ita quod praesumptuosus Deum
the presumptuous does not glorify God non magnificat,sed sese laudat; curio-
but praises himself, while the curious is sus autem devotionem non habet, Unde
lackingindevotion. Therearemanymen multi sunt tales, qui vacui sunt laude et
of this kind, empty of praise and devo- devotione, etsi habeant splendorem sci-
tionalthoughfilledwiththesplendorsof entiarum. Faciunt enim casas vesparum,
knowledge. Theybuildwasps’nestswith- quaenonhabentfavummellis,sicutapes,
out honeycombs, while the bees make quaemellificant.
honey.
9. To such as these this speech is not 9. Talibus itaque iam dictis non est
to be addressed, for they are a rebellious faciendus sermo, quia sunt domus ex-
house; and sometimes, because of the in- asperans; et aliquando propter indispo-
adequatedispositionofthelisteners, the sitionem auditorum facit Dominus lin-
Lordmakesthetonguesticktothepalate. guamadhaererepalato, sedloquendumest
But the brothers should be spoken to, fratribus,undeinPsalmo: Narrabonomen
hence,thePsalm: Iwillproclaimyourname tuumfratribusmeis,inmedio,ecclesiaelaud-
to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly abote,etvirisspiritualibus,utasapientia
I will praise you; and spiritual men also, mundana trahantur ad sapientiam chris-
in order that they may be drawn from tianam. Praecessitenimimpugnatiovitae
4
COLLATIOI. DEQUALITATIBUS
worldly knowledge to Christian knowl- Christi in moribus per theologos, et im-
edge. For theologians have attacked the pugnatiodoctrinaeChristiperfalsaspo-
life of Christ as related to morals, and sitionesperartistas. Nonitaqueredeun-
the teachers of the School of Art have dumestinAegyptumperdesideriumvil-
attacked the doctrine of Christ by their ium ciborum, alliorom, porrorum et pe-
false statements. That is no sufficient ponum, nec dimittendus cibus caelestis.
reason to return to Egypt by seeking Etsicpatetprimum.
vilefood,garlic,scallionsandpumpkins,
whilerejectingheavenlyfood. Andsothe
firstpointismadeclear.
10. Asregardsthesecondpoint,notethat 10. Circasecundumnota,quodincipien-
abeginningshouldbemadefromthecen- dumestamedio,quodestChristus. Ipse
ter(medium),thatis,fromChrist. ForHe enim mediator Dei et hominum est, tenens
Himself is the Mediator between God and mediuminomnibus,utpatebit. Undeab
men, holding the central position in all illo incipiendum necessario, si quis vult
things, as shall be seen. Hence it is nec- venireadsapientiamchristianam,utpro-
essary to start from Him if a man wants baturinMatthaeo,quianemonovitFilium
toreachChristianwisdom,asitisproved nisi Pater, neque Patrem quis novit nisi Vil-
in Matthew: for no one knows the Son ius, et cui voluerit Filius revelare. Manifes-
excepttheFather;nordoesanyoneknow tumestetiam,quodabilloincipiendum,
the Father except the Son, and him to a quo duo maxime sapientes inceperunt,
whomtheSonchoosestorevealHim. It scilicetMoyses,inchoatorsapientiaeDei,
is also manifest that a beginning should et Ioannes, terminator. Alter dixit: In
be made from the One from whom the principio creavit Deus caelum et terram, id
twogreatestWiseMenbegan: Moses,the est in Filio, secundum Augustinum; et
originator of wisdom, and John, its con- Ioannes: In principio erat Verbum, et Ver-
summator. Theformersaid: Inthebegin- bum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum.
ning God created the heavens and the earth, HoceratinprincipioapudDeum. Omniaper
and, in Augustine’s opinion, this means ipsumfactasunt. Siergoadnotitiamcrea-
the Son. And John said: In the beginning turaepervenirinonpotestnisiperid,per
was the Word, and the Word was with God; quod facta est; necesse est, ut verbum ve-
andtheWordwasGod. Hewasinthebegin- raxpraecedatte,inEcclesiastico.
ningwithGod. Allthingsweremadethrough
Him. If,therefore,itisimpossibletoun-
derstand a creature except through that
bywhichitwasmade,itisnecessarythat
thetrueWordgobeforethee.
11. Our intent, then, is to show that in 11. Propositum igitur nostrum est os-
Christarehiddenallthetreasuresofwisdom tendere, quod in Christo sunt omnes the-
andknowledge,andthatHeHimselfisthe sauri sapientiae et scientiae Dei absconditi,
centralpointofallunderstanding. Heis etipseestmediumomniumscientiarum.
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COLLATIONESINHEXAEMERON
the central point in a sevenfold sense, in Est autem septiforme medium, scilicet
terms of essence, nature, distance, doc- essentiae, naturae, distantiae, doctrinae,
trine, moderation, justice and concord. modestiae, iustitiae, concordiae. Pri-
Thefirstisinthemetaphysicalorder,the mum est de consideratione metaphysici,
second in the physical, the third in the secundum physici, tertium mathematici,
mathematical, the fourth in the logical, quartum logici, quintum ethici, sextum
the fifth in the ethical, the sixth in the politici seu iuristarum, septimum the-
political or juridical, and the seventh in ologi. Primum medium est aeternali
thetheological. ThefirstCenterisfirstby origine primarium; secundum virtuali
eternal origin, the second is most strong diffusione pervalidum; tertium centrali
throughthediffusionofpower,thethird positione profundum; quartum ratio-
is most deep because of the centrality of nalimanifestationepraeclarum;quintum
position, the fourth is most clear by ra- morali electione praecipuum; sextum iu-
tional proof, the fifth is most important diciali compensatione praecelsum; sep-
because of the choice of moral good, the timum universali conciliatione pacatum.
sixth is outstanding because of the retri- PrimummediumChristusfuitinaeterna
bution of justice, the seventh is at peace generatione; secundum in incarnatione;
through universal conciliation. Christ tertiuminpassione;quartuminresurrec-
wasthefirstcenterbyHiseternalgener- tione; quintum in ascensione; sextum in
ation,thesecondbyHisincarnation,the futuroexamine;septimuminsempiterna
third by His passion, the fourth by His retributionesivebeatificatione.
resurrection, the fifth by His ascension,
the sixth by the judgment to come, the
seventhbytheeternalretributionorbe-
atification.
12. Andso,thefirstcenterisintheorder 12. Primum ergo medium est essentiae
ofessence. Itisfirstbyreasonofeternal aeternali generatione primarium. Esse
generation. Being can exist in only two enimnonestnisidupliciter: velesse,quod
ways: either as subsistent, self- modeled estexseetsecundumseetpropterse,vel
andself-intended,orascontingent,mod- esse,quodestexalioetsecundumaliudet
eled on another and tending to another. propter aliud. Necesse etiam est, ut esse,
Also, asubsistentbeingmustnecessarily quodestexse,sitsecundumseetpropter
be self-modeled and self-intended. Sub- se. Esse ex se est in ratione originantis;
sistent being is in the order of originat- esse secundum se in ratione exemplantis,
ing,self-modeledbeingintheorderofex- et esse propter se in ratione timentis vel
emplating,andself-intendedbeinginthe terminantis; id est in ratione principii,
order of ending or terminating; that is, medii et finis seu termini. Pater in ra-
theyarerelatedtotheorigin,thecenter, tione originantis principii; Filius in ra-
andtheendorterminalpoint. TheFather tione exemplaris medii; Spiritus sanctus
is in the order of the originating princi- inrationeterminantiscomplementi. Hae
ple,theSonintheorderoftheexemplat- tres personae sunt aequales et aeque no-
6
COLLATIOI. DEQUALITATIBUS
ing center, the Holy Spirit in the order biles, quia aequae nobilitatis est Spiritui
ofthefulfillingend. ThesethreePersons sancto divinas personas terminare, sicut
areequalandofequalnobility: foritisof Patri originare, vel Filio omnia reprae-
equalnobilityfortheHolySpirittocom- sentare.
pletethedivinePersonsasitisfortheFa-
thertooriginatethemandfortheSonto
representthemall.
13. Althoughthemetaphysicianisableto 13. Metaphysicusautem,licetassurgatex
risefromtheconsiderationofcreatedand consideratione principiorum substantiae
particular substance to that of the uni- creatae et particularis ad universalem et
versal and uncreated and to the very no- increatam et ad illud esse, ut habet ra-
tionofbeing,sothathereachestheideas tionem principii, medii et finis ultimi,
ofbeginning,centerandfinalend,yethe non tamen in ratione Patris et Filii et
doesnotattainthenotionsofFather,Son, Spiritus sancti. Metaphysicus enim as-
and Holy Spirit. For the metaphysician surgitadilludesseconsideranduminra-
risestothenotionofthisbeingbyseeing tione principii omnia originantis; et in
itinthelightoftheoriginalprincipleof hoc convenit cum physico, qui origines
all things, and in this he meets physical rerumconsiderat. Assurgitetiamadcon-
science that studies the origin of things. siderandumilludesseinrationeultimifi-
He also rises to the notion of this being nis; et in hoc convenit cum morali sive
inthelightofthefinalend,andinthishe ethico, qui reducit omnia ad unum sum-
meetsmoralphilosophy,orethics,which mum bonum ut ad finem ultimum, con-
leadsallthingsbacktotheoneSupreme siderandofelicitatem,sivepracticam,sive
Good as to the final end by considering speculativam. Sed ut considerat illud
either practical or speculative happiness. esse in ratione omnia exemplantis, cum
But when he considers this being in the nullocommunicatetestverusmetaphysi-
light of that principle which is the ex- cus. Pater enim ab aeterno genuit Fil-
emplary of all things, he meets no other ium similem sibi et dixit se et simili-
science, but is a true metaphysician. For tudinemsuamsimilemsibietcumhocto-
fromalleternitytheFatherbegetsaSon tumpossesuum;dixitquaepossetfacere,
similartoHimselfandexpressesHimself etmaximequaevoluitfacere,etomniain
and a likeness similar to Himself, and in eo expressit, scilicet in Filio seu in isto
sodoingHeexpressesthesumtotalofHis medio tanquam in sua arte. Unde il-
[active] potency; He expresses what He ludmediumveritasest;etconstatsecun-
cando,andmostofall,whatHewillsto dum Augustinum et alios sanctos, quod
do, andHeexpresseseverythinginHim, «Christushabenscathedramincaelodo-
that is, in the Son or in that very Cen- cet interius»; nec aliquo modo aliqua
ter, which so to speak is His Art. Hence veritas sciri potest nisi per illam veri-
this Center is Truth; and it is proved by tatem. Nam idem est principium es-
Augustine and other saints that Christ sendi et cognoscendi. Si enim scibile in
having His chair in heaven teaches in- quantum scibilesecundum Philosophum
7
