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Negotiatio Amoris [9]


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Negotiatio Amoris.translation
IX.
Gregor. Nazian. D. Greg. Euseb.
MErcatum hanc vitam existima o homo! si
negotiatus benè fueris, quæstum facies. ven-
ditor est Amor diuinus, venditor & est humanus;
Sed tu esto prudens negotiator, explora, & expen-
de margaritas vtriusque Amoris. pro vnâ ex ijs
quas diuinus proponit, facilè repudiabis omnes
quas humanus vendit. qui cælestis vitæ dulcedi-
nem perfectè cognouerit, quæ in terrenis amaue-
rat, libenter cuncta derelinquit. in comparatione
eius vilescunt omnia; deforme conspicitur quid-
quid de terrenæ rei placebat specie; quia sola præ-
tiosæ margaritæ claritas fulget in mente. ne te er-
go alliciat Cupido mercibus suis, vanæ sunt, in-
vtiles sunt, transitoriæ sunt, nociuæ sunt.
Negotiator callidus est, qui ex ijs quæ diu possi-
dere nō potest, tale aliquid emit quod numquam
amittere timeat, & in quo vniuersa possidet. translation

[18a] ↓

Negotiamini dum venio. Luc. 191. translation

Depuis que Dieu s'est fait marchand
Cupidon n' à plus de chaland.

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Traficq de l'Amour.
IX.
L'Amour diuin estale ses denrées
L'humain aussy les siennes descriées;
L'vn vend le mal, l'autre donne le bien.
Trousse pannier marchand de beatilles,
Tu peus allieurs debiter tes coquilles,
Car pour icy tu ne vendras plus rien.

Quita alla mercader caro,
Que despues que Amor lo es;
Se trata sin interes.

Te wijl Godt naer den handel ziet/
Cupidos meers en ghelter niet.

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18

[18a]

19

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Translations

The business of love2.
O mankind, value this life as trade! If you conduct the negotiations well, you will make money. A seller is divine love, human love is also. But you, you have to a careful negotiator, survey and calculate the cost of the pearls of either love. From one of those that divine love set before you, you will reject all those that human love has for sale. Who has come to know to perfection the sweetness of heavenly love, willingly leaves behind all the worldy loves he has had. In comparison to the celestial all loses its worth. All that was pleasing in the worldly variety becomes ugly to behold, because only the splendour of its pretious jewel shines in the mind. Therefor, let not Cupid lure you with his goods, they are empty, useless, transitory, they are damaging. [Euseb.] A trader is smart, who with what he cannot keep for a long time, buys something of that quality that he never needs to fear losing them, and in which he possesses all thing alike3.
Do business with these until I come back4.

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Literature


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    Sources and parallels


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    References, across this site, to this page:


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    Iconclass

    Sacred love and human love as tradesmen; the human soul chooses the crown of thorns from the basket of sacred love, making a gesture of rejection towards human love

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    Comments

    commentary

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    Notes

    1
    Luc. 19:13.
    2
    The placement of the marginalia notwithstanding, the text appears to form a unity (same simile all the way through). It will have to be checked who exactly 'D. Greg.' is. Most obvious candidate is Gregory the Great, but it may even be Greg. Naz. himself. However, that is not very likely, for why should his name be repeated?
    3
    'in which he possesses all things alike': or 'possesses the universe, the all'.
    4
    'Do business with these until I come back', translation is from NRSV. See also: 'You must take care of business until I come back' (GH) and 'Occupy till I come' (KJV).