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Præludium
Amoris Diuini & Humani
ANTIPATHIA
LIBER I.
Præludium. AN SIT AMOR?
ANTIPATHIA
LIBER I.
Præludium. AN SIT AMOR?
Thaul.
August.
D. Thom.
Macrob.
Idiot.
P. Beroal.
August.
Qvid quæris? an sit amor? sapienter quæris, sed
& insipienter. Sapiēter quæris; quia ordine do-
ctrinæ: insipienter, quia in te est. quod domi posside-
tur, frustra foris quæritur. Si ais, in me amor nō est;
iniustus es: vbi charitas non est, nō potest esse iustitia.
Si non amas, odisti: odio vel amore ducimur: quæris
adhuc an sit amor? si nō amas, sine volūtate es: om-
niū enim actuū voluntatis initiū & radix est amor.
Si nō amas, insanis: nō amare, dementia est. Si non a-
mas, nō homo es: inhumanū est non amare. Perseueras
quærere an sit amor? si non amas, mortuús es: sine
amore tanquam mortui reputamur. Sed quid vltra
disputo? cum mortuo ratiocinari, stultitia est. addu-
cam mortuum, sed scriptis viuentem. mortuo lo-
quatur mortuus: audiamus. Quod est in nauigio gu-
bernator; quod in ciuitate magistratus; quod in
mundo sol; hoc inter mortales est amor. nauigium
sine gubernatore, labascit; ciuitas sine magistratu,
periclitatur; mundus sine sole tenebricosus efficitur;
& mortalium vita, sine amore, vitalis non est. Credis
hoc? reuiuisces. si reuiuiscis; noli amplius quærere:
habes quod quærebas. vbi vita, ibi amor est: vbi a-
mor, ibi sunt omnia: ama ergo, & fac quod vis.
& insipienter. Sapiēter quæris; quia ordine do-
ctrinæ: insipienter, quia in te est. quod domi posside-
tur, frustra foris quæritur. Si ais, in me amor nō est;
iniustus es: vbi charitas non est, nō potest esse iustitia.
Si non amas, odisti: odio vel amore ducimur: quæris
adhuc an sit amor? si nō amas, sine volūtate es: om-
niū enim actuū voluntatis initiū & radix est amor.
Si nō amas, insanis: nō amare, dementia est. Si non a-
mas, nō homo es: inhumanū est non amare. Perseueras
quærere an sit amor? si non amas, mortuús es: sine
amore tanquam mortui reputamur. Sed quid vltra
disputo? cum mortuo ratiocinari, stultitia est. addu-
cam mortuum, sed scriptis viuentem. mortuo lo-
quatur mortuus: audiamus. Quod est in nauigio gu-
bernator; quod in ciuitate magistratus; quod in
mundo sol; hoc inter mortales est amor. nauigium
sine gubernatore, labascit; ciuitas sine magistratu,
periclitatur; mundus sine sole tenebricosus efficitur;
& mortalium vita, sine amore, vitalis non est. Credis
hoc? reuiuisces. si reuiuiscis; noli amplius quærere:
habes quod quærebas. vbi vita, ibi amor est: vbi a-
mor, ibi sunt omnia: ama ergo, & fac quod vis.
Facsimile Images
Translations
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Prelude to the 'First Book of The opposite Passions of Divine and Human Love' Does love exist? What is that you ask? If love exists? It is wise of you to ask, but also foolish: wise, because it is a chapter of [Christian] doctrine; foolish, because it exists in you. What one possesses at home, one seeks in vain outside. If you say: there is no love in me, you are unjust: where there is love, there cannot be justice. If you do not love, you hate: we are led by hate or by love. Do you still ask if love exists? If you do not love, you are without will, for love is the beginning and the root of all acts of will. If you do not love, you are insane. It is not love, it is madness. If you do not love, you are not a human: it is inhuman not to love. Do you still persist in asking if love exists? If you do not love, you are dead: without love we are thought of as dead. But why do I go on disputing this? To argue with someone who is dead is foolishness. Let me bring forward somebody who is dead, but who lives by Scripture. Let a dead man speak to a dead man; let us listen. What the steersman is in seafaring, what the magistrate is in the municipality, what the sun is in the world, that is what love is among mortals. Without a steersman a sea voyage goes off course, a community without a magistrate runs into danger, without the sun the world is turned into a place of darkness. So also without love the life of mortals will not stay alive. Do you believe this? You will come to life again. If you come to life again, do not inquire any further: you have what you were looking for. Where there is life, there is love. Where love is, there everything is. So love, and do what you want. |