Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae" · Boethius
QUESTIO.
Moche more þan þoo þinges þat ben absolut {and} quit fram alle talentȝ or affecc{i}ou{n}s of bodies. as god or hys aungels ne folwen nat in discernynge þinges obiect from wiþ oute forþe. but þei accomplissen {and} speden þe dede of hir þouȝt by þis resou{n}. ¶ þan þere comen many manere knowynges to dyu{er}se {and} differy{n}g substaunces. for þe wit of þe body þe whiche witte is naked {and} despoyled of alle oþer knowynges. þilke witte comeþ to bestes þat ne mowen nat moeuen hem self here ne þere. as oystres {and} muscles {and} oþer swiche shelle fysshe of þe see. þ{a}t cliue{n} {and} ben norissed to roches. but þe ymaginac{i}ou{n} comeþ to remuable bestes þat seme{n} to han talent to fleen or to desiren any þinge. but resou{n} is al only to þe lynage of mankynde ryȝt as i{n}telligence is oonly þe deuyne nature. of whiche it folweþ þat þilke knowyng is more worþe þan [th]is[e] oþer. syn it knoweþ by hys p{ro}pre nature nat only hys subiect. as who seiþ it ne knoweþ nat al oonly þat app{er}teiniþ p{ro}prely to hys knowynge. but it knoweþ þe subgitȝ of alle oþer knowynges. but how shal it þan be yif þat wit {and} ymaginac{i}ou{n} stryuen aȝeins resonynge {and} sein þat of þilke vniuersel þinges. þat resou{n} weneþ to seen þat it nis ryȝt nauȝt. for wit {and} ymaginac{i}ou{n} seyn þat þat. þat is sensible or ymaginable it ne may nat ben vniuersel. þan is eiþer þe iugement of resou{n} [soth]. ne þat þer nis no þinge sensible. or ellys for þat resou{n} woot wel þat many þinges ben subiect to wit {and} to ymaginac{i}ou{n}. þan is þe co{n}sepc{i}ou{n} of resou{n} veyn {and} fals whiche þat lookeþ {and} co{m}p{re}hendiþ. þat þat is sensible {and} synguler as uniuersele. and ȝif þat resou{n} wolde answeren aȝein to þise two þat is to sein to wit {and} to ymaginac{i}ou{n}. {and} sein þat soþely she hir self. þat is to seyn þat resou{n} lokeþ {and} comp{re}hendiþ by resou{n} of vniuersalite. boþe þat þat is sensible {and} þat þat is ymaginable. {and} þat þilke two þat is to seyn wit {and} ymaginac{i}ou{n} ne mowe{n} nat strecchen ne enhaunsen hem self to knowynge of vniuersalite for þat þe knowy{n}g of hem ne may exceden nor so{ur}mou{n}te{n} þe bodyly figure[s] ¶ Certys of þe knowyng of þinges men auȝten raþer ȝeue credence to þe more stedfast {and} to þe more p{er}fit iugement.
In þis manere stryuynge þan we þat han strengþe of resonynge {and} of ymaginynge {and} of wit þat is to seyn by resou{n} {and} by ymaginac{i}ou{n} {and} by wit. [{and}] we sholde raþer p{re}ise þe cause of resou{n}. as who seiþ þan þe cause of wit or ymaginac{i}ou{n}. semblable þinge is it þat þe resou{n} of mankynde ne weneþ nat þat þe deuyne intelligence byholdeþ or knoweþ þinges to comen. but ryȝt as þe resou{n} of mankynde knoweþ hem. for þou arguist {and} seist þus. þat yif it ne seme nat to men þat so{m}me þinges han certeyne {and} necessarie bytidynges. þei ne mowen nat ben wist byforn certeynely to bytiden. þa{n} nis [ther] no p{re}science of þilke þinges. {and} yif we trowen þat p{re}science ben in þise þinges. þan is þer no þinge þat it ne bitidiþ by necessite. but certys yif we myȝte{n} han þe iugeme{n}t of þe deuyne þouȝt as we ben p{ar}son{er}s of resou{n}. ryȝt so as we han demed. it byhoueþ þat ymaginac{i}ou{n} {and} wit ben byneþe resou{n}. ryȝt so wolde we deme{n} þat it were ryȝtful þing þat ma{n}s resou{n} auȝt[e] to su{m}mitten it self {and} to ben byneþe þe deuyne þouȝt. for whiche þat yif we mowen. as who seiþ. þat yif þat we mowe{n} I conseil[e] þat we enhanse vs in to þe heyȝt of þilke souereyne i{n}telligence. for þere shal resou{n} wel seen þat þat it ne may nat by-holden in it self. and certys þat is þis in what manere þe p{re}science of god seeþ alle þinges c{er}teins {and} difinissed al þouȝ þei ne han no certein issues or by-tydynges. ne þis is non oppiniou{n} but it is raþer þe simplicite of þe souereyn science þat nis nat enclosed nor yshet wiþi{n}ne no boundes.
Ideas discussed in this chapter
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