LatineEnglish
PREFACE.1
PRAEFATIO.
Tres sunt res in sacris litteris perquam memorabiles et celebres, Dei non tantum iussu, verum etiam praescriptione ac designatione ab hominibus effectae: Mosaicum Tabernaculum, Salomonis Templum, et Arca Noë. Sed haec illis multas ob causas admirabilior et praedicabilior videri possit: primum, longinquitate temporis quo facta est, centum enim annos in ea fabricanda consumptos esse creditur; tum magnitudine et capacitate, qua scilicet nihil adhuc simile post orbem conditum in aquis visum est; deinde usu ac fine, is autem fuit generalis terrarum orbis diluvii effugium, et universi tam hominum quam animalium generis conservatio perditique reparatio mundi, et quasi nova quaedam renascentis origo; adhaec, multiplici rerum mirabilitate quibus rebus arca illa supra quam aestimari queat magnificata et nobilitata est — qualis fuit, exempli causa, animalium cuiusque generis ad Arcam adventus ex omnibus terrarum oris, ea congregantibus sanctis Angelis et ad Noë deducentibus; totque ferocium atque immitium saevorumque animalium tam facilis et placida per Noë in arcam introductio, atque inibi per unum annum quietissima commoratio; divina item eius Arcae gubernatio, namque illa non humana vi et arte, sed Dei potentia et Angelorum ministerio per aquas movebatur ac regebatur; ad extremum, ubertate ac sublimitate mysteriorum, de quibus mysteriis magna et mira a Patribus memoriae prodita in loco explicaturi sumus. Ad explanandam igitur huius Arcae historiam breviter descriptam a Mose, totum hunc decimum librum contulimus; eumque, quo dilucidius et enucleatius declararentur quae docere institueramus, duas in partes digessimus. Prius enim traditur historica et (ut vocant) litteralis eorum quae de Arca scripsit Moses explanatio; posterius vero apponitur earundem rerum Mystica, id est Allegorica et Tropologica, interpretatio. Ipsam porro quae de Arca est disputationem tripartitam fecimus: namque primo loco disputatur de materia Arcae; secundo loco de magnitudine et capacitate; postremo de figura et partium eius distinctione ac dispositione.
There are three things in the sacred writings exceedingly memorable and celebrated, made by men not only at God’s command but even by his prescription and design: the Mosaic Tabernacle, the Temple of Solomon, and the Ark of Noah. But this last may, for many causes, seem more wonderful and more worthy of telling than those: first, by the length of time in which it was made, for it is believed that a hundred years were spent in building it; then, by its magnitude and capacity, the like of which has hitherto, since the founding of the world, been seen on the waters; next, by its use and end, which was the escape from the universal Flood of the world, and the preservation of the whole race both of men and of animals, and the repairing of the ruined world, and as it were a certain new origin of a world reborn; and besides, by the manifold marvelousness of the things by which that ark was magnified and ennobled beyond what can be estimated — such as, for example, the coming of animals of every kind to the Ark from all the shores of the earth, the holy Angels gathering them and leading them to Noah; and the so easy and peaceful introduction by Noah into the ark of so many fierce and savage and cruel animals, and their most quiet sojourn there for one year; and likewise the divine steering of that Ark, for it was moved and governed through the waters not by human force and art, but by the power of God and the ministry of the Angels; and finally, by the richness and sublimity of its mysteries — concerning which mysteries great and marvelous things handed down to memory by the Fathers we shall explain in their place. To explain, then, the history of this Ark briefly described by Moses, we have devoted this whole tenth book; and, that the things we have undertaken to teach might be set forth more lucidly and distinctly, we have arranged it in two parts. For first is delivered the historical and (as they call it) literal explanation of what Moses wrote about the Ark; and afterward is added the Mystical — that is, Allegorical and Tropological — interpretation of the same things. And the disputation itself which is about the Ark we have made threefold: for in the first place there is disputed the material of the Ark; in the second, its magnitude and capacity; lastly, its figure and the distinction and disposition of its parts.2
Translator’s notes
- Preface to Book X. ↩
- The Preface: three works most celebrated in Scripture were made by men at God’s express direction — the Tabernacle, the Temple, and Noah’s Ark; why the Ark is the most wonderful; and the plan of this book (a literal then a mystical part; a threefold disputation on the Ark’s material, size, and form). Margin: ‘In five [three] respects the Ark of Noah seems more wonderful than the Tabernacle of Moses and the Temple of Solomon.’ ↩