De quadratura in fronte arcae designante quatuor mundi partes per litteras nominis Adam scriptionem nominum suorum inchoantes, et de patriarcharum stemmatibus per nominum ipsorum descriptionem ab Adam usque ad Christum; et deinde de Novi Testamenti principibus, et subsecutis sanctis secundum dispositionem et divisionem arcae, et secundum mundi aetates.
The Square of Adam's Name upon the Ark
A square on the ark's front marks the four parts of the world, with the letters A, D, A, M placed at the four compass points to show how Adam's name gathers the world's quarters and how the Greek names of the directions begin from those same letters.
With this division made, I begin from the top down from the head, and I write the first name, Adam, in this way. On the very front of the ark I make a small square to represent the four parts of the world; then on its upper side, that is, the east, I place A — this is the first letter of the name Adam. On the lower side, that is, the west, I place D — this is the second. On the right side, that is, the north, I place A — that is, the third. On the left side, that is, the south, I place M — that is, the fourth letter. In Greek, however, each of the parts of the world begins from these letters. Anatole — that is, the east — begins from A, and so A was placed at the east; Dysis — that is, the west — begins from D, and so D was placed at the west; Arctos — that is, the north — begins from A, and so A is placed again at the north; Mesembria — that is, the south, or the south wind — begins from M, and so M is placed on the south side. Certain people hand down a reason for this of the following kind: they say, namely, that rightly the first parent drew together the elements of his own name from the four parts of the world — he who was to be spread through all parts of the world in his offspring.
The First Section: From Adam to Jacob
The patriarchs from Adam through Jacob are listed in genealogical order and assigned to the first section of the ark's arrangement.
After Adam, the names written down the line of descent are Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; these are placed in the first section.
The Second Section: Judah and the Davidic Line
Judah stands at the center while the other patriarchs are arranged around him by birth and maternal line, then the Davidic kings are listed in succession, all placed in the second section.
In the second section, first I write Judah, and around him the remaining patriarchs, on one side and the other, on the right and on the left, I arrange in this way: starting from the right wall, in the order of generation — Reuben, because he was the firstborn, I write first; then Simeon, then Levi. And these are placed on Judah's right side — these were the four sons of Leah. On Judah's left, similarly in the order of generation, Dan is written first, then Naphtali — these are the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maid. After Naphtali, Gad is placed, then Asher — these are the sons of Zilpah, Leah's maid. Then Issachar, then Zebulun — these again are sons of Leah; then last of all Joseph, and after him Benjamin — these are the sons of Rachel. After this I place on each of their names, from the chest upward, half-length images of them, such as are sometimes depicted on panels — what Greeks more commonly call icons — so that the twelve patriarchs, arranged crosswise by breadth in their stations, may thus appear like a kind of senate of God's city.1 Then, returning to the line of generation after Judah, I place Perez, Hezron, Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz, Obed, Jesse, David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joram, Ahaziah, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz. And these are in the second section.
The Third Section: From Hezekiah to the Apostles
The royal and post-exilic genealogy leads to Joseph and the pillar, after which the twelve apostles are placed around Peter in imitation of the twenty-four elders, and the remaining space is left for those who will come until the end of the age, while the first world age is dated from Adam to the flood.
Then in the third section, arranged in order, are Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah, Eliakim, Jehoiakim, Shealtiel, Zerubbabel, Abiud, Eliakim, Azor, Zadok, Achin, Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, Jacob, and Joseph. Between Joseph and the pillar I write, for here begins Adam according to the flesh. After this I divide the remaining half, the part from the pillar downward, equally into three parts; and these three sections above and three below mark the sides of the dwelling places where they intersect the band across the floor plan. So once this division is made, after the pillar I place Peter first on the central line, and around him the remaining apostles with their images, six on his right and five on his left, so that on one side of the pillar stand twelve patriarchs and on the other twelve apostles, in imitation of the twenty-four elders sitting around the throne in Revelation. And just as the twelve patriarchs above hold the breadth of the ark's upper part—because from them the whole ancient people of the written law descends according to the flesh—so the twelve apostles below, because from them all the people of the new law, that is, of grace, is spread through faith in a spiritual way. Then after Peter come Clement, Anacletus, Evaristus, Alexander, Sixtus, Telesphorus, Hyginus, Pius, Anicetus, Soter, Eleutherius, Victor, Zephyrinus, Callixtus, Urban, Pontian, Antherus, Fabian, Cornelius, Lucius, Stephen, Sixtus, Dionysius, Felix, Euthicius, Gaius, Marcellinus, Marcellus, Eusebius, Melchiades, Sylvester, Mark, Julius, Liberius, Felix, Damasus, Siricius, Anastasius, Innocent, Zozimus, Boniface, Celestine, Sixtus, Leo, Hilary, Simplicius, Felix, Gelasius, Anastasius, Symmachus, Hormisdas, John, Felix, Boniface, John, Agapitus, Silverius, Vigilius, Pelagius, John, Benedict, Pelagius, Gregory, Sabinian, Boniface, Deusdedit, Boniface, Honorius, Severinus, John, Theodore, Martin, Eugene, Vitalian, Adeodatus, Bonus, Agatho, Leo, Benedict, John, Conon, Sergius, John, John, Sisinnius, Constantine, Gregory, Gregory, Zechariah, Stephen, Paul, Stephen, Adrian, Leo, Stephen, Paschal, Eugene, Valentine, Gregory, Leo, Sergius, Benedict, Nicholas, Adrian, John, John, Martin, Adrian, Stephen, Formosus, Boniface, Stephen, Romanus, Theodore, John, Benedict, Leo, Christopher, Sergius, Anastasius, Lando, John, Leo, Stephen, John, Leo, Stephen, Marinus, Agapitus, John, Benedict, Leo, John, Benedict, Lord, Boniface, Benedict, John, John, John, Gregory, John, Sylvester, John, John, Sergius, Benedict, John, Benedict, Sylvester, Gregory, Clement, Damasus, Leo, Victor, Stephen, Benedict, Nicholas, Alexander, Gregory, Victor, Urban, Paschal, Gelasius, Callixtus, Honorius. And the remaining space up to the end of the ark will hold those who are to come after us, even to the end of the age. From Adam to the flood, the first age of the world, covering 1,656 years.
The Ages of the World
The second through sixth ages are measured in years, and the faithful who pass through them are received into the eternal Sabbath and look forward to the eighth age of resurrection and everlasting reign with the Lord.
The second age, from the flood to Abraham, lasted 292 years. The third, from Abraham to David, lasted 942 years. The fourth, from David to the deportation, lasted 473 years. The fifth, from the deportation to the coming of Christ, lasted 585 years. The sixth age, which is now underway, has no fixed number of years. Like a decrepit old age, it will be brought to its end by the death of the whole world. Whoever has made it through these troubled ages of the world, so full of labors, by a happy death, is now received into the seventh age of the eternal Sabbath. There they await the eighth age of the blessed resurrection, in which they will reign forever with the Lord.
Read the original Latin
Hac divisione facta incipio sursum a capite et primum nomen Adam taliter scribo. In ipsa fronte arcae facio parvam quadraturam ad figurandas quatuor partes mundi, deinde superiori ejus lateri, id est orienti appono A, hoc est primam litteram nominis Adam. Inferiori autem lateri, id est occidenti, appono D, hoc est secundam. Dextero lateri, id est aquiloni, appono A, id est tertiam. Sinistro lateri, id est australi, appono M, id est quartam litteram. In Graeco autem singulae partes mundi ab his litteris incipiunt. Anatole, ἀνατολή, id est oriens, incipit ab a, et ideo orienti appositum est A; Dysis Δύσις, id est occidens, incipit a, d, et ideo occidenti appositum est D; Arctos, ἄρκτος, id est septentrio, incipit ab a, et ideo septentrioni apponitur rursum A; Mesembria, μεσημβρία, id est meridies sive auster, incipitur ab m, et ideo australi lateri apponitur M. Cujus rei rationem quidam talem tradunt: Dicunt enim quod recte primus parens a quatuor partibus mundi nominis sui elementa contraxit, qui per omnes partes mundi in prole sua diffundendus fuit.
Post Adam secundum lineam generationis scribuntur Seth, Enos, Cainam, Malaleel, Jaret, Henoch, Mathusalem, Lamech, Noe, Sem, Arphaxat, Sale, Heber, Phalech, Reu, Saruch, Nachor, Thare, Abraham, Isaac et Jacob; et hi in prima parte collocantur.
In secunda parte primo scribo Judam, et circa ipsum reliquos patriarchas hinc inde a dextris et a sinistris hoc modo dispono: Incipiens a dextro pariete secundum ordinem generationis, Ruben, quia primogenitus fuit, primum scribo; deinde Simeon, deinde Levi. Et hi a dextris Judae collocantur; hi quatuor filii Liae fuerunt. A sinistris Judae similiter secundum ordinem generationis primum scribitur Dan, deinde Nephthalin, hi filii Balae ancillae Rachelis. Post Nephthalin ponitur Gad, deinde Aser, hi filii Zelphae ancillae Liae. Deinde Issachar, deinde Zabulon, hi rursum filii Liae: deinde novissime Joseph, et post eum Benjamin, hi filii Rachel. Post haec singulis nominibus suas imagines superpono semiplenas, a pectore sursum, quales nonnunquam in tabulis solent figurari, quas Graeci frequentiori Iconas ἐικόνας vocant, ut sic duodecim patriarchae secundum latitudinem per transversum in stationibus suis ordinati appareant, quasi quidam senatus Dei civitatis. Deinde reversus ad lineam generationis post Judam pono Phares, Ephrom, Aram, Aminadab, Naasson, Salmon, Booz, Obeth, Isai, David, Salomon, Roboam, Abia, Asa, Josaphat, Joram, Aazias, Joas, Amazias, Ozias, Joathan, Achas. Et hi sunt in secunda parte.
Deinde in tertia parte secundum ordinem ponuntur Ezechias, Manasses, Amon, Josias, Eliachim, Joachim, Salathiel, Zorobabel, Abiud, Eliachim, Azor, Sadoch, Achin, Eliud, Eleazar, Mathan, Jacob, Joseph. Inter Joseph autem et columnam scribo, hucusque primus Adam secundum carnem. Post haec reliquam medietatem, quae est a columna deorsum, similiter in tres partes aequales divido, has autem ternas partes supra, et ternas infra, designant latera mansionum, ubi intersecant ipsam zonam secundum positionem plani. Igitur facta hac divisione, post columnam primum in ipsa linea Petrum, et circa ipsum a dextris et a sinistris reliquos apostolos, cum suis iconibus, sex a dextris et a sinistris quinque, ut ex una parte columnae duodecim patriarchae, et ex altera parte duodecim apostoli sint constituti ad similitudinem viginti quatuor seniorum in Apocalypsi in circuitu throni sedentium. Et sicut duodecim patriarchae superius latitudinem arcae continent (quia ab eis antiquus ille populus scriptae legis universus secundum carnem descendit), ita duodecim apostoli inferius, quia ab eis omnis populus novae legis, id est gratiae, per fidem spiritualiter propagatus est. Deinde post Petrum sequitur: Clemens, Anacletus, Evaristus, Alexander, Sixtus, Thelesphorus, Iginus, Pius, Anicetus, Soter, Eleuterius, Victor, Zepherinus, Calistus, Urbanus, Pontianus, Antherus, Fabianus, Cornelius, Lucius, Stephanus, Sixtus, Dionysius, Felix, Euthicianus, Gaius, Marcellinus, Marcellus, Eusebius, Melchiades, Sylvester, Marcus, Julius, Liberius, Felix, Damasus, Siricius, Anastasius, Innocentius, Zozimus, Bonifacius, Coelestinus, Sixtus, Leo, Hilarius, Simplicius, Felix, Gelasius, Anastasius, Simmachus, Hormisda, Joannes, Felix, Bonifacius, Joannes, Agapitus, Silverius, Vigilius, Pelagius, Joannes, Benedictus, Pelagius, Gregorius, Sabinianus, Bonifacius, Deusdedit, Bonifacius, Honorius, Severinus, Joannes, Theodorus, Martinus, Eugenius, Vitalianus, Adeodatus, Bonus, Agatho, Leo, Benedictus, Joannes, Conon, Sergius, Joannes, Joannes, Sisinius, Constantinus, Gregorius, Gregorius, Zacharias, Stephanus, Paulus, Stephanus, Adrianus, Leo, Stephanus, Paschalis, Eugenius, Valentinus, Gregorius, Leo, Sergius, Benedictus, Nicolaus, Adrianus, Joannes, Joannes, Martinus, Adrianus, Stephanus, Formosus, Bonifacius, Stephanus, Romanus, Theodorus, Joannes, Benedictus, Leo, Christophorus, Sergius, Anastasius, Lando, Joannes, Leo, Stephanus, Joannes, Leo, Stephanus, Marinus, Agapitus, Joannes, Benedictus, Leo, Joannes, Benedictus, Domnus, Bonifacius, Benedictus, Joannes, Joannes, Joannes, Gregorius, Joannes, Sylvester, Joannes, Joannes, Sergius, Benedictus, Joannes, Benedictus, Sylvester, Gregorius, Clemens, Damasus, Leo, Victor, Stephanus, Benedictus, Nicolaus, Alexandrinus, Gregorius, Victor, Urbanus, Paschalis, Gelasius, Calistus, Honorius. Et quod super est spatium usque ad finem arcae illos capiet, qui post nos futuri sunt, usque ad finem saeculi. Ab Adam usque ad diluvium prima aetas saeculi continens annos 1656.
Secunda aetas a diluvio usque ad Abraham continens annos 292. Tertia ab Abraham usque ad David habens annos 942. Quarta a David usque ad transmigrationem continens annos 473. Quinta a transmigratione usque ad adventum Christi habens annos 585. Sexta aetas, quae nunc agitur, nulla annorum serie certa, sed ut aetas decrepita ipsa morte totius saeculi consumenda. Has aerumnosas, plenasque laboribus mundi aetates quicunque felici morte vicerunt, septima jam Sabbati perennis aetate suscepti, octavam beatae resurrectionis aetatem, in qua cum Domino perenniter regnabunt, exspectant.
Notes
- 1 ↩The Greek term is retained as 'icons' to preserve the author's reference to Eastern Christian devotional imagery.
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