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Raimundus Lullus, Thomas le Myésier: Electorium parvum seu breviculum (after 1321)
On
this Japanese web page I have found a transcription of the text:
Thomas Le Myesier, Breviculum seu parvum Electorium, MS Karlsruhe, Bad.Landesbibl., St Peter, perg.92
Significatio turris :
Turris fiduciae et veritatis aeternae, amoris et scientiae.
Ista principia in Arte videbitis in duabus figuris, prima scilicet secunda. Principia absoluta et relativa: B bonitas, differentia. C magnitudo, concordantia. D duratio, contrarietas. E potestas, principium. F sapientia, medium. G voluntas, finis. H virtus, maioritas. I veritas, aequalitas. K gloria, minoritas.
Funis a turri dependens :
Corda intimae pietatis et misericordiae. Fides tua te salvum facit.
Funis animae rationalis/intellectus: Firmiter credo et veram fidem habeo, sic transcendo.
Funis voluntatis: Firmiter te plus quam me diligo, domine, sed per habitum caritatis, sic ad te diligendum tui gratia transcendo.
Funis memoriae: Firmam spem magnam tui gratia habeo, per quam ad te super vim meam transcendo.
Infra septem virtutes
Iustitia, fortitudo, temperantia, prudentia, humilitas, patientia, pietas.
Sub turri septem vitia
Luxuria, gula, accidia, avaritia, invidia, ira, superbia.
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Thomas Le Myesier, Breviculum seu parvum Electorium, MS Karlsruhe, Bad.Landesbibl., St Peter, perg.92
cfr. CCCM Raimundi Lulli Opera Latina. Supplementi Lulliani I, Turnholt 1990, pp.283-288, 311-356
Novem philosophi quaestiones ponunt : utrum, quid, de quo, quare, quantum, quale, quando, ubi, quomodo, cum quo.
Quaestiones per sit vel est cum novem subiectis coniunctae sunt : Deus, angeli, caelum, homo, imaginativa, sensitiva, vegetativa, elementativa, artificium morale/naturale.
Regulae : De suppositione. De modo essendi et intelligendi. De modo investigandi. De specificatione generali. De demonstratione. De contradictione. De punctis transcendentibus. De maioritate finis.
Vos novem domini, qui dubitatis et quaeritis de novem omnium rerum subiectis et de rebus eorum et operationibus intrinsecis et extrinsecis, immediatis et mediatis, substantialibus et accidentalibus, insensibilibus et sensibilibus, perpetius et corruptibilibus; si huc accedere volueritis, scire per Artem poteritis, Deo dante, per Canones Artis inventivae hic praesentes, qui intellectum benevolum dirigunt, per principia apodiata a turri fiduciae, a qualibet dubitationem quaestionum vestrarum, cum illa sint omnium entium principia sive causae; cum etiam in Arte exponimus omnes species et differentias quaestionum vestrarum. Per quae vobis clare procul dubio, prout intellectui coniuncto possibile est, apparebit veritas quiescere faciens intellectum. Et ad culmen turris per veram fidem vere credendo poterit attingere, memoria recolente voluntateque diligente supra vires.
Raimundi : Vobis tamen et mihi dicit Isaias, quod, nisi crediderimus, non intelligemus (Is.7.9)
Ecce Artis principia universalia, simplicia, primitiva, vera realia et necessaria, substantialia et accidentalia, immediata et mediata, positiva omnium entium et rerum eorum essendi, operandi et cognoscendi. Quibus bene definitis et distinctis per mixtionem eorum cum regulis et canonibus veritas effectuum apparebit; quod potissimum scire ab antiquis philosophis appellatur, et nihilominus duas demonstrationes addidimus necessarias, et plures alios modos et necessarios.
The meaning of the tower:
the tower of faith and eternal truth, love and science.
You see the principles of the Art in two figures, a first one and a second one. Absolute and relative principles: B goodness, difference. C size, concordance. D duration, contrariety. E power, beginning. F wisdom, middle. G will, end. H virtue, majority. I truth, equality. K glory, minority.
The rope hanging from the tower:
Hearts of inner piety and mercy. Your faith saves you.
The rope of the rational soul / intellect: I believe strongly and have a true faith, so I rise.
The rope of will: I strongly prefer you then myself, Lord, but thanks to charity, I rise to choosing you through your grace.
The rope of Memory: I have a strong hope of your grace, thanks to it I rise to you above my strength.
In the middle there are seven virtues:
Justice, strength, temperance, prudence, humbleness, patience, piety.
Below the tower seven vices
Lust, gluttony, idleness, avarice, envy, anger, pride.
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Philosophers pose nine questions: whether, what, of what, why, how much, which, when, where, in which way, with what.
The questions about existence are conjunct with nine subjects: God, the angels, heaven, man, imagining, sensing, vegetative, elementary, moral/natural methods.
Rules: about suppositions. The way of being and understanding. The way of investigating. The general specification. The demonstration. The contradiction. The trascendental points. The majority. End.
You nine lords, who doubt and ask about the nine subjects of all things and their things and intrinsic and extrinsic operations, immediate and mediate, substantial and accidental, perceivable and unperceivable, perpetual and corruptible. If you want to access these things, you can by means of the Art, God granting, through the canons of the art of invention, here presented. They direct a benevolent intellect, through principles leaning on the tower of faith, solving all your doubts and questions, because they are the principles and causes of all beings. In the Art we also expose all kinds and differences of your questions. In this way, truth will appear to you clearly beyond any doubt, as much as it is possible for intellect, and your intellect will be able to rest. Through true faith, believing in truth, you can reach the top of the tower, with a memory more persistent and a will more diligent than any other man.
Raymond: Isaiah says to you and to me that if we do not believe we do not understand (Is.7.9).
The principles of the Art are universal, simple, primitive, truly real and necessary, substantial and accidental, immediate and mediate, positive of all beings and of the existence, working and knowledge of their things. Through them, truth will appear well defined and distinct in their mixture, with rules and canons. What we could learn from ancient philosophers is recalled, and nevertheless we add two necessary demonstrations, and many different and necessary methods.