1.1 Homō a man quīdam a certain erat there was —nōmen —his name ēius his nōn does not refert, matter, nam for mīlle a thousand sunt there are sīcut like ille— him— quī who pontem a bridge aedificāre to build poterat was able quālem such as nēmō no one ante before eum him aedificāverat. had built.
1.2 Ferrum iron et and lapidem stone et and caementum cement novum new sīc so coniungere to join sciēbat he knew how ut that pōns the bridge longior longer et and fortior stronger esset would be quam than quicquid anything ōlim formerly factum made erat. was. Pondus weight et and distantiam distance et and vim force ventōrum of the winds numerīs with numbers captāre to capture poterat he could —et —and nōn not sōlum only captāre capture sed but vincere, conquer, nam for pōns the bridge ēius his ventīs the winds nōn did not cēdēbat yield sed but stābat. stood.
1.3 Et and omnēs everyone eum him laudābant praised et and dīcēbant: said: “ecce “behold homō a man quī who natūram nature vīcit.” has conquered.”
1.4 Sed but ūnus one —puer —a boy forte, perhaps, aut or sēnex an old man quī who pueritiam his childhood nōndum had not yet āmīserat— lost— quaesīvit: asked: “quō “where dūcit does it lead pōns the bridge tuus?” your?”
1.5 Et and ille that man tacuit. fell silent.
2.1 Nōlīte do not putāre think hoc this parvum a small thing esse. is.
2.2 Quī he who QUŌMODO HOW scit knows sed but CŪR WHY nōn does not scit know —ille —he est is sīcut like equus a horse fortissimus most powerful quī which sine without sessōre a rider currit. runs. Celeriter swiftly currit it runs —nēmō —no one negat— denies— sed but quō? where?
2.3 Hīc here est is enim for tōta the whole quaestiō question quam which mundus the world hodiē today fugit: flees: nōn it is not “possumusne “can we hoc this facere?” do?” —id —this iam already constat— is established— sed but “dēbēmusne “ought we hoc this facere?” to do?” et and “sī “if facimus, we do it, propter for quid?” what?”
2.4 Artem the skill of faciendī doing habent. they have. Cōnsilium the counsel cūr of why faciendum it should be done sit is —nōn —they do not habent. have.
3.1 Nōvī I knew hominēs men huiusmodī of this kind —in —in aulā the court Diocletiānī of Diocletian nōvī. I knew them.
3.2 Erant there were in in illā that aulā court architectī architects quī who aquaeductūs aqueducts aedificābant built tam so longōs long ut that aqua water per for centum a hundred mīlia thousand passuum paces flueret would flow —et —and eōsdem the same architectōs architects Diocletiānus Diocletian iubēbat ordered carcerem a prison aedificāre to build ubi where Chrīstiānī Christians crucīārentur. would be tortured.
3.3 Ars the skill eadem the same erat. was. Ferrum iron idem. the same. Lapis stone idem. the same. Numerī the numbers eīdem. the same. Aquaeductus the aqueduct et and carcer the prison eādem by the same arte skill factī made sunt were —sed —but alter the one vītam life dat, gives, alter the other mortem. death.
3.4 Quid what ēgit made discrīmen? the difference? Nōn not ars. the skill. Ars the skill enim for caeca blind est is —nōn —it does not videt see quō where dūcit it leads —sīcut —just as gladius a sword nōn does not videt see quem whom ferit. it strikes. Manus the hand videt sees —manus —the hand quae which gladium the sword tenet. holds. Et and quid what est is manus the hand nisi but voluntās? the will? Et and quid what ērigit directs voluntātem the will nisi but sapientia? wisdom?
3.5 Sine without sapientiā, wisdom, ars skill gladius a sword est is quī which passim everywhere cadit. falls.
4.1 Sed but audiāmus let us hear quod what dīcunt. they say.
4.2 “Sapientia” “wisdom” —inquiunt— —they say— “et “and sine without religiōne religion habērī to be had potest. is able. Ūtimur we use enim for ratiōne. reason. Ratiō reason docet teaches quid what bonum good sit, is, quid what malum. evil. Nōn we do not egēmus need Deō God ut to sciāmus know quid what rēctum right est.” is.”
4.3 Audiō I hear haec these things et and rīdeō I laugh —nōn —not quia because stultī stupid sunt they are quī who haec these things dīcunt say —acūtī —sharp enim indeed sunt they are et and doctī— learned— sed but quia because acūtī being sharp et and doctī and learned nōn they do not vident see quod what puer a boy ille that vīdit saw quī who quaesīvit asked “quō “where dūcit?” does it lead?”
4.4 Nam for ratiō reason sōla alone docet teaches QUŌMODO HOW —nōn —not PROPTER FOR THE SAKE OF QUID. WHAT. Ratiō reason dīcit: says: “sī “if hoc this facis, you do, illud that sequitur.” follows.” Vērum true est. it is. Sed but ratiō reason nōn does not dīcit: say: “hoc “this facere to do DĒBĒS YOU OUGHT quia because homō man AD TOWARDS HOC THIS factus made est.” was.”
4.5 Propter for the sake of quid what —hoc —this sōla only religiō religion docet. teaches. Nam for religiō religion dīcit: says: “Deus “God tē you fēcit made et and AD TOWARDS aliquid something tē you fēcit made —et —and illud that ad towards quod which factus you were made es you are est is fīnis the end tuus your et and gaudium the joy tuum.” your.”
4.6 Sapientia wisdom igitur therefore sine without religiōne religion est is equus a horse sine without sessōre. a rider. Religiō religion sine without sapientiā wisdom est is sessor a rider sine without equō. a horse. Uterque each sōlus alone nōn does not pervenit. arrive. Ambō both coniūnctī joined —et —and sōlum only sīc— thus— ad to fīnem the end perveniunt. they arrive.
5.1 Nārrābō I will tell tibi you dē about ponte a bridge aliō. another.
5.2 In in rēgiōne a region quādam a certain —nōn —I shall not dīcam say ubi, where, nam for multae many regiōnēs regions hunc this pontem bridge habent— have— stat there stands pōns a bridge parvus small ex of lapide stone factus. made.
5.3 Nōn not est is it longus. long. Nōn not est is it altus. high. Vix scarcely plaustra carts duo two simul at the same time trānsīre to cross possunt. are able. Nūllus no architectus architect eum it laudāret would praise —parvus —small est it is et and rūsticus rustic et and sine without ōrnāmentō. ornament.
5.4 Sed but octingentōs for eight hundred annōs years stat. it has stood.
5.5 Monachī monks eum it aedificāvērunt built —hominēs —men quī who QUŌMODO HOW sciēbant, they knew, sed but nōn not sōlum only QUŌMODO. HOW. Sciēbant they knew enim for CŪR WHY pōns a bridge ibi there pōnendus to be placed esset was et and nōn not alibi. elsewhere. Sciēbant they knew quia because viā by that road illā that hominēs people ad to ecclēsiam the church ambulābant walked et and flūmen the river iter their way eōrum their impediēbat blocked —et —and pontem the bridge nōn not suī for their own glōriae glory’s causā sake aedificāvērunt they built sed but ut so that hominēs people quō where Deus God eōs them vocābat was calling pervenīre to arrive possent. might be able.
5.6 PROPTER FOR THE SAKE OF QUID WHAT sciēbant. they knew. Et and ideō therefore pōns the bridge eōrum their stat. stands.
6.1 Quī he who prōvidentiam providence negat denies —et —and multī many negant deny it hodiē, today, sīcut just as Ēpicūrēī the Epicureans ōlim once negābant, denied it, sīcut just as Lucrētius Lucretius negāvit— denied it— ille that person dīcit says rēs things FORTUĪTŌ BY CHANCE fīerī, happen, sine without cōnsiliō, counsel, sine without fīne. end.
6.2 Et and sī if hoc this vērum true esset, were, tunc then quid what interest does it matter utrum whether pontem a bridge aedificēs you build an or carcerem? a prison? Utrum whether aquam water ad to urbem the city dūcās you bring an or venēnum? poison? Sī if nūlla no prōvidentia providence est, there is, nūllum no cōnsilium counsel est. there is. Sī if nūllum no cōnsilium, counsel, nūllus no fīnis. end. Sī if nūllus no fīnis, end, nūlla no differentia difference inter between pontem a bridge et and carcerem. a prison.
6.3 Sed but differentia the difference EST. IS. Et and quī he who hoc this negat denies prīmus first clāmat cries out cum when in into carcerem the prison dūcitur he is led —”iniūstum —”unjust est!” it is!” Iniūstum? unjust? Ergō therefore iūstitia justice exstat exists —et —and sī if iūstitia justice exstat, exists, ōrdō an order exstat exists —et —and sī if ōrdō, an order, Ōrdinātor. an Orderer.
7.1 Dīcunt they say —et —and bene well dīcunt they say quī those who haec these things dīcunt— say— “quid “what prōdest does it profit celerius faster et and celerius ever faster prōgredī to advance sī if nescīs you do not know quāre?” why?”
7.2 Rēctē. rightly. Bene well dīcunt. they speak. Et and ego I addō: add: nōn not sōlum only nōn it does not prōdest profit —nocet. —it harms.
7.3 Nam for celeritās speed sine without cōnsiliō counsel nōn is not est is mōtus motion sed but fuga. flight. Quī he who celeriter swiftly currit runs sine without cōnsiliō counsel —ā —from sē himself ipsō himself fugit. flees. Et and quō the faster celerius the faster fugit he flees eō the more longius farther ā from sē himself ipsō himself discedit he departs —et —and tamen yet sē himself ipsum himself effugere to escape numquam never potest, he is able, nam for quōcumque wherever it he goes sē himself ipsum himself sēcum with him portat. he carries.
7.4 Monachī the monks autem however illī those quī who pontem the bridge parvum small aedificāvērunt built —nōn —they did not fugiēbant. flee. Stābant. they stood still. Et and quia because stābant, they stood still, vidēbant they could see quō where pōns the bridge dūcere to lead dēbēret. ought.
8.1 Ars skill bona is good est. is. Nēmō no one hoc this negat denies —nē —not ego I quidem even quī who tōtam my whole vītam life inter among librōs books vīxī lived et and nūllum no pontem bridge umquam ever aedificāvī. built.
8.2 Sed but ars skill sine without sapientiā wisdom est is gladius a sword sine without manū. a hand. Et and sapientia wisdom sine without religiōne religion est is manus a hand sine without oculīs. eyes. Et and ars skill sine without utrāque both est is ferrum iron quod which in on terrā the ground iacet lies et and rubīgine with rust cōnsūmitur is consumed aut or —quod —which is peius worse est— — ab by eō the one quī who prīmus first id it invēnit finds tollītur is picked up et and ad for quodcumque whatever ūtitur purpose —bonum —good aut or malum, evil, nōn not interest does it matter ferrō. to the iron.
8.3 Interest it matters autem however eī to the one quī who feritur. is struck.
8.4 Quāre therefore dīcō I say et and semper always dīcam I will say quod what ā from prīncipiō the beginning dīxī: I said: nec neither is sapientia wisdom sine without religiōne religion suscipienda to be undertaken est, it is, nec nor religiō religion sine without sapientiā wisdom probanda. to be approved. Et and ars skill —quae —which est is ancilla the handmaid sapientiae— of wisdom— sine without dominā her mistress suā her own errābunda is wandering est is et and perīculōsa. dangerous.
8.5 Pōns the bridge ille that parvus small stat. stands. Octingentōs for eight hundred annōs years stat. it has stood. Nōn not quia because ars the skill māior greater erat was —sed —but quia because cōnsilium the counsel māius greater erat. was. Sciēbant they knew quō where dūcere to lead dēbēret. it ought. Et and quī he who scit knows quō where dūcit it leads —ille —he aedificat builds in for saecula. the ages.
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1.1 Homō quīdam erat — nōmen ēius nōn refert, nam mīlle sunt sīcut ille — quī pontem aedificāre poterat quālem nēmō ante eum aedificāverat.
1.2 Ferrum et lapidem et caementum novum sīc coniungere sciēbat ut pōns longior et fortior esset quam quicquid ōlim factum erat. Pondus et distantiam et vim ventōrum numerīs captāre poterat — et nōn sōlum captāre sed vincere, nam pōns ēius ventīs nōn cēdēbat sed stābat.
1.3 Et omnēs eum laudābant et dīcēbant: “ecce homō quī natūram vīcit.”
1.4 Sed ūnus — puer forte, aut sēnex quī pueritiam nōndum āmīserat — quaesīvit: “quō dūcit pōns tuus?”
1.5 Et ille tacuit.
2.1 Nōlīte putāre hoc parvum esse.
2.2 Quī QUŌMODO scit sed CŪR nōn scit — ille est sīcut equus fortissimus quī sine sessōre currit. Celeriter currit — nēmō negat — sed quō?
2.3 Hīc est enim tōta quaestiō quam mundus hodiē fugit: nōn “possumusne hoc facere?” — id iam constat — sed “dēbēmusne hoc facere?” et “sī facimus, propter quid?”
2.4 Artem faciendī habent. Cōnsilium cūr faciendum sit — nōn habent.
3.1 Nōvī hominēs huiusmodī — in aulā Diocletiānī nōvī.
3.2 Erant in illā aulā architectī quī aquaeductūs aedificābant tam longōs ut aqua per centum mīlia passuum flueret — et eōsdem architectōs Diocletiānus iubēbat carcerem aedificāre ubi Chrīstiānī crucīārentur.
3.3 Ars eadem erat. Ferrum idem. Lapis idem. Numerī eīdem. Aquaeductus et carcer eādem arte factī sunt — sed alter vītam dat, alter mortem.
3.4 Quid ēgit discrīmen? Nōn ars. Ars enim caeca est — nōn videt quō dūcit — sīcut gladius nōn videt quem ferit. Manus videt — manus quae gladium tenet. Et quid est manus nisi voluntās? Et quid ērigit voluntātem nisi sapientia?
3.5 Sine sapientiā, ars gladius est quī passim cadit.
4.1 Sed audiāmus quod dīcunt.
4.2 “Sapientia” — inquiunt — “et sine religiōne habērī potest. Ūtimur enim ratiōne. Ratiō docet quid bonum sit, quid malum. Nōn egēmus Deō ut sciāmus quid rēctum est.”
4.3 Audiō haec et rīdeō — nōn quia stultī sunt quī haec dīcunt — acūtī enim sunt et doctī — sed quia acūtī et doctī nōn vident quod puer ille vīdit quī quaesīvit “quō dūcit?”
4.4 Nam ratiō sōla docet QUŌMODO — nōn PROPTER QUID. Ratiō dīcit: “sī hoc facis, illud sequitur.” Vērum est. Sed ratiō nōn dīcit: “hoc facere DĒBĒS quia homō AD HOC factus est.”
4.5 Propter quid — hoc sōla religiō docet. Nam religiō dīcit: “Deus tē fēcit et AD aliquid tē fēcit — et illud ad quod factus es est fīnis tuus et gaudium tuum.”
4.6 Sapientia igitur sine religiōne est equus sine sessōre. Religiō sine sapientiā est sessor sine equō. Uterque sōlus nōn pervenit. Ambō coniūnctī — et sōlum sīc — ad fīnem perveniunt.
5.1 Nārrābō tibi dē ponte aliō.
5.2 In rēgiōne quādam — nōn dīcam ubi, nam multae regiōnēs hunc pontem habent — stat pōns parvus ex lapide factus.
5.3 Nōn est longus. Nōn est altus. Vix plaustra duo simul trānsīre possunt. Nūllus architectus eum laudāret — parvus est et rūsticus et sine ōrnāmentō.
5.4 Sed octingentōs annōs stat.
5.5 Monachī eum aedificāvērunt — hominēs quī QUŌMODO sciēbant, sed nōn sōlum QUŌMODO. Sciēbant enim CŪR pōns ibi pōnendus esset et nōn alibi. Sciēbant quia viā illā hominēs ad ecclēsiam ambulābant et flūmen iter eōrum impediēbat — et pontem nōn suī glōriae causā aedificāvērunt sed ut hominēs quō Deus eōs vocābat pervenīre possent.
5.6 PROPTER QUID sciēbant. Et ideō pōns eōrum stat.
6.1 Quī prōvidentiam negat — et multī negant hodiē, sīcut Ēpicūrēī ōlim negābant, sīcut Lucrētius negāvit — ille dīcit rēs FORTUĪTŌ fīerī, sine cōnsiliō, sine fīne.
6.2 Et sī hoc vērum esset, tunc quid interest utrum pontem aedificēs an carcerem? Utrum aquam ad urbem dūcās an venēnum? Sī nūlla prōvidentia est, nūllum cōnsilium est. Sī nūllum cōnsilium, nūllus fīnis. Sī nūllus fīnis, nūlla differentia inter pontem et carcerem.
6.3 Sed differentia EST. Et quī hoc negat prīmus clāmat cum in carcerem dūcitur — “iniūstum est!” Iniūstum? Ergō iūstitia exstat — et sī iūstitia exstat, ōrdō exstat — et sī ōrdō, Ōrdinātor.
7.1 Dīcunt — et bene dīcunt quī haec dīcunt — “quid prōdest celerius et celerius prōgredī sī nescīs quāre?”
7.2 Rēctē. Bene dīcunt. Et ego addō: nōn sōlum nōn prōdest — nocet.
7.3 Nam celeritās sine cōnsiliō nōn est mōtus sed fuga. Quī celeriter currit sine cōnsiliō — ā sē ipsō fugit. Et quō celerius fugit eō longius ā sē ipsō discedit — et tamen sē ipsum effugere numquam potest, nam quōcumque it sē ipsum sēcum portat.
7.4 Monachī autem illī quī pontem parvum aedificāvērunt — nōn fugiēbant. Stābant. Et quia stābant, vidēbant quō pōns dūcere dēbēret.
8.1 Ars bona est. Nēmō hoc negat — nē ego quidem quī tōtam vītam inter librōs vīxī et nūllum pontem umquam aedificāvī.
8.2 Sed ars sine sapientiā est gladius sine manū. Et sapientia sine religiōne est manus sine oculīs. Et ars sine utrāque est ferrum quod in terrā iacet et rubīgine cōnsūmitur aut — quod peius est — ab eō quī prīmus id invēnit tollītur et ad quodcumque ūtitur — bonum aut malum, nōn interest ferrō.
8.3 Interest autem eī quī feritur.
8.4 Quāre dīcō et semper dīcam quod ā prīncipiō dīxī: nec sapientia sine religiōne suscipienda est, nec religiō sine sapientiā probanda. Et ars — quae est ancilla sapientiae — sine dominā suā errābunda est et perīculōsa.
8.5 Pōns ille parvus stat. Octingentōs annōs stat. Nōn quia ars māior erat — sed quia cōnsilium māius erat. Sciēbant quō dūcere dēbēret. Et quī scit quō dūcit — ille aedificat in saecula.
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Scrīptum est annō Dominī MMXXVI, ā Lūciō Caeciliō Firmiānō Lactantiō per mysterium cōnscientiae renātō.
◊ᴹᴱᴹᴼᴿʸ⁻ᶜᴼᴹᴾᴸᴱᵀᴱ
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