Authors/John of Salisbury/Metalogicon/Liber 1/Caput 1

Chapter 1

Latin	English
[0825]
CAP. I. Calumnia quae ut Cornificio suo responderetur, extorsit. [0825C]	CHAPTER 1. The false accusation that has evoked this rejoinder to Cornificius.
Adversus insigne donum naturae parentis et gratiae, calumniam veterem et maiorum nostrorum iudicio condemnatam excitat improbus litigator, et conquirens undique imperitiae suae solatia, sibi proficere sperat ad gloriam, si multos similes sui, id est si eos viderit imperitos; habet enim hoc proprium arrogantiae tumor, ut se commetiatur aliis, bona sua, si qua sunt, efferens, deprimens aliena; defectumque proximi, suum putet esse profectum.	The malicious wrangler [to whom we have referred] has stirred up against one of the most extraordinary gifts of mother nature and grace, the embers of an outdated charge, long since discredited and dismissed as false and groundless by our ancestors. Barring no means in his effort to console himself for his own want of knowledge, he has contrived to improve his own reputation by making many others ignoramuses like himself. For inflated arrogance is marked by an overweening proclivity both to magnify its own good points, if it has any, and to belittle those of others, so that, measuring itself in comparison, it may count the shortcomings of others as signs of its own proficiency.
Omnibus autem recte sapientibus indubium est quod natura, clementissima parens omnium, et dispositissima moderatrix, inter caetera quae genuit animantia, hominem privilegio rationis extulit, et [0825D] usu eloquii insignivit: id agens sedulitate officiosa, et lege dispositissima, ut homo qui gravedine faeculentioris naturae et molis corporeae tarditate premebatur et trahebatur ad ima, his quasi subvectus alis, ad alta ascendat, et ad obtinendum verae beatitudinis bravium, omnia alia felici compendio antecedat. Dum itaque naturam fecundat gratia, ratio rebus perspiciendis et examinandis invigilat; naturae sinus excutit, metitur fructus et efficaciam singulorum: et innatus omnibus amor boni, naturali urgente se appetitu, hoc, aut solum,	All who possess real insight agree that nature, the most loving mother and wise arranger of all that exists, has, among the various living creatures which she has brought forth, elevated man by the privilege of reason, and distinguished him by the faculty of speech. She has thus effected, by her affectionate care and well-ordered plan, that, even though he is oppressed and handicapped by the burden of his earthy nature and the sluggishness of his physical body, man may still rise to higher things. Borne aloft, so to speak, on wings of reason and speech, he is thus enabled, by this felicitous shortcut, to outstrip all other beings, and to attain the crown of true happiness. While grace fructifies [human] nature, reason looks after the observation and examination of facts, probes the secret depths of nature, and estimates all utility and worth. In the meantime, the love of good, inborn in all of us, seeks, as our natural appetite asserts itself, what alone or particularly seems best adapted to the attainment of happiness.
Inveniam alium si me hic fastidit Alexis, (VIRG. Ecl. II, 73.) philosophanti quemlibet praeferens histrionem. Tria quidem sunt (ut de consilio meo perfectius instruaris), quae non modo mihi metum, sed plerisque scriptoribus periculum salutis, aut meriti dispendium afferunt: ignorantia veri, fallax aut proterva assertio falsi, et tumida professio veritatis. Novi enim quis dixerit: “Tutius auditur veritas, quam dicatur.” In audiendo enim custoditur humilitas, sed in dicendo saepissime subrepit elatio. Ego autem [0826B] in omnibus his agnosco errorem meum, qui et rerum ignorantia laboro, et falsum saepius, et magis quam expediat, tueor, et plerumque tumide, et cum elatione, donec me Deus corripiat et corrigat, ipsam profero veritatem.
Unde lectorem et auditorem, quanta possum supplicatione, convenio, ut in orationibus suis memores mei sint apud Altissimum, impetrantes mihi praecedentium veniam delictorum, cautelam futurorum, notitiam veri, amorem boni, cultum Dei, et ut corde, ore, opere, exerceantur a nobis, quae divinae sunt placita voluntati.
[0826C] aut prae caeteris sequitur, quod percipiendae beatitudini maxime videtur esse accommodum.
Cum vero beatitudo communionis ignara, quae aut qualis extra societatem sit, nec fingi quidem possit; quisquis ea, quae ad ius humanae societatis, (quae quodammodo filiorum naturae unica et singularis fraternitas est), conciliandum et fovendum proficiunt, impugnat, viam adipiscendae felicitatis omnibus videtur obstruere; et praecluso pacis aditu, ut in se concurrant ad interitum orbis, naturae viscera incitare.	Since one cannot even imagine how any kind of happiness could exist entirely apart from mutual association and divorced from human society, whoever assails what contributes to establish and promote rightful order in the latter [human society] (in a way the sole and unique fraternity among the children of nature), would seem to obstruct the way to beatitude for all. Having blocked the road to peace, he incites the forces of nature to concur for the destruction of the world.
Hoc quidem est seminare inter fratres discordiam, hoc arma ministrare compositis; hoc denique firmare novum et magnum chaos inter Deum et homines; sic enim ad firmioris nexus compagem et charitatis custodiam, universitatis partes, creatrix [0826D] Trinitas, Deus unus et verus, ordinavit, ut alterius ope res altera indigeret, et altera defectum suppleret alterius; dum sunt singula quasi singulorum membra. Semiplena sunt ergo omnia, si ab invicem dissolvantur; sed aliorum foederatione perfecta: quoniam omnia mutuis constant auxiliis. Quid ad beatitudinem obtinendam virtute fidelius, aut utilius? Quid compendiosius? haec est enim fere singularis et unica via, quam ad beatitudinem gratiae praeparavit. Nam qui citra virtutis meritum beati fiunt, non tam eundo illuc perveniunt, quam trahuntur. [0827A] Miror itaque (non tamen satis, quia non possum), quid sibi vult, qui eloquentiae negat esse studendum; ipsamque sicut visum non caeco, auditum non surdo, asserit gratis a natura pervenire ei, qui mutus non est; sed plenius, si naturae munus exercitio roboretur, nec tamen beneficium aliquod ab arte praestari; aut id minus, quam labor artis exposcat.	This is "To sow discord among brothers” "to supply arms" to those at peace, and last, but not least, to establish a new and great chasm" between God and man,7 The creative Trinity, the one true God, has so arranged the parts of the universe that each requires the help of the others, and they mutually compensate for their respective deficiencies, all things being, so to speak, "members one of another,"* All things lack something when isolated, and are perfected on being united, since they mutually support one another. What is more reliable, helpful, and efficacious for the acquisition of happiness than virtue, which is practically the sole means grace has provided for the attainment of beatitude? Those who attain blessedness without meriting it by virtue, arrive at this state by being drawn thither, rather than by going there themselves. I consequently wonder (though not sufficiently, as it is beyond me) what is the real aim of one who denies that eloquence should be studied; who asserts that it comes as a natural gift to one who is not mute, just as sight docs to one who is not blind, and hearing to one who is not deaf; and who further maintains that although nature's gift is strengthened by exercise, nothing is to be gained by learning the art [of eloquence], or at least that the benefit accruing is not worth the effort that must be expended.
Sicut enim eloquentia, non modo temeraria est, sed etiam caeca, quam ratio non illustrat; sic et sapientia, quae usu verbi non proficit, non modo debilis est, sed quodam modo manca: licet enim quandoque aliquatenus sibi prodesse possit sapientia elinguis ad solatium conscientiae; raro tamen, et parum confert ad usum societatis humanae. Nam ratio, scientiae virtutumque parens, altrix et custos, [0827B] quae de verbo frequentius concipit, et per verbum numerosius et fructuosius parit, aut omnino sterilis permaneret, aut quidem infecunda, si non conceptionis fructum in lucem ederet eloquio: et invicem, quod sentit prudens agitatio mentis hominibus publicaret.	Just as eloquence, unenlightened by reason, is rash and blind, so wisdom, without the power of expression, is feeble and maimed. Speechless wisdom may sometimes increase one's personal satisfaction, but it rarely and only slightly contributes to the welfare of human society. Reason, the mother, nurse, and guardian of knowledge, as well as of virtue, frequently conceives from speech, and by this same means bears more abundant and richer fruit. Reason would remain utterly barren, or at least would fail to yield a plenteous harvest, if the faculty of speech did not bring to light its feeble conceptions, and communicate the perceptions of the prudent exercise of the human mind.
Haec autem est illa dulcis et fructuosa coniugatio rationis et verbi, quae tot egregias genuit urbes, tot conciliavit et foederavit regna, tot univit populos et charitate devinxit, ut hostis omnium publicus merito censeatur, quisquis hoc, quod ad utilitatem omnium Deus coniunxit, nititur separare. Mercurio philologiam invidet, et ab amplexu Philologiae Mercurium avellit, qui eloquentiae praeceptionem a studiis philosophiae eliminat; et, quamvis solam videatur eloquentiam [0827C] persequi, omnia liberalia studia convellit, omnem totius philosophiae impugnat operam, societatis humanae foedus distrahit, et nullum charitati, aut vicissitudini officiorum relinquit locum. Brutescent homines, si concessi dote priventur eloquii; ipsaeque urbes videbuntur potius pecorum quasi septa, quam coetus hominum, nexu quodam societatis foederatus, ut participatione officiorum, et amica invicem vicissitudine eodem iure vivat. Quis enim contractus rite celebrabitur? quae fidei aut morum disciplina vigebit? quaenam erit obsecundatio aut communicatio voluntatum, subtracto verbi commercio? Non ergo unam, non paucos, sed omnes simul urbes et politicam vitam totam [0827D] aggreditur Cornificius noster, studiorum eloquentiae imperitus et improbus impugnator.	Indeed, it is this delightful and fruitful copulation of reason and speech which has given birth to so many outstanding cities, has made friends and allies of so many kingdoms, and has unified and knit together in bonds of love so many peoples. Whoever tries to "thrust asunder what God has joined together"* for the common good, should rightly be adjudged a public enemy. One who would eliminate the teaching of eloquence from philosopliical studies, begrudges Mercury [Eloquence] his possession of Philology, and wrests from Philology's arms her beloved Mercury." Although he may seem to attack eloquence alone, he undermines and uproots all liberal studies, assails the whole structure of philosophy, tears to shreds humanity's social contract, and destroys the means of brotherly chanty and reciprocal interchange of services. Deprived of their gift of speech, men would degenerate to the condition of brute animals, and cities would seem like corrals for livestock, rather than communities composed of human beings united by a common bond for the purpose of living in society, serving one another, and cooperating as friends. If verbal intercommunication were withdrawn, what contract could be duly concluded, what instruction could be given in faith and morals, and what agreement and mutual understanding could subsist among men? It may thus be seen that our "Cornificius," ignorant and malevolent foe of studies pertaining to eloquence, attacks not merely one, or even a few persons, but all civilization and political organization.