SR
← De eruditione filiorum nobilium (On the Education of Noble Children)/Book 1 · De eruditione filiorum nobilium
Chapter 2Erud.1.2

De magistri eleccione.

The Necessity of Learning for Noble Youth

A teacher must be chosen for noble boys who excels in both knowledge and character, for learning is indispensable from childhood, as Scripture and the classical authorities attest.

So a teacher for noble boys must be chosen with both qualities in mind — knowledge and character. And they can hardly acquire or deepen knowledge without instruction through letters. That is why it is especially necessary for those who need a great deal of learning to be steeped in letters from childhood. As we have already said elsewhere, in the letter that a former king of the Romans is known to have sent to the king of the Franks — urging him to have his children trained in the liberal disciplines — among other things he added: 'An unlettered king is like a crowned donkey.' And that such manifold learning is especially necessary for such men, Palladius says in Book 10 on agriculture.12 'No one,' he says, 'ought to know better things or more things than the prince,' whose teaching can benefit all his subjects. Moreover, since great men are not accustomed to labor with their bodies like other people, an honorable engagement with letters is useful for them — something they can pursue in their leisure time to acquire wisdom, according to that passage in Ecclesiasticus 38: 'Write wisdom in the time of leisure, for whoever is diminished in activity will find or perceive it.'3 And further, as the same book says in chapter 33: 'Idleness has taught great malice.'4 Hence Seneca too, in his letters to Lucilius.5

Five Qualities Sought in a Teacher

Five qualities are to be sought in a teacher: a gifted mind, an upright life, humble knowledge, straightforward speech, and skill in teaching.

'Leisure,' he says, 'without learning is death.' In short, just as Hugh says in book 10 of the Didascalicon: 'The first comfort in life is the pursuit of wisdom.' On this subject too, something has already been said above, where the discussion dealt with the excellence of the prince in wisdom. Now, in a teacher five qualities are to be sought, namely: a gifted mind, an upright life, humble knowledge, straightforward speech, and skill in teaching. A gifted mind, I say, so that from the many things that can be taught, the teacher may know how to choose the better ones and not accept everything drawn from the writings of others, in keeping with that saying of the philosopher Varro. 'Choose,' he says, 'the teacher whom you would admire more for his own work than for the work of others.' .

The Teacher Must Know Himself

A teacher who has learned nothing of himself teaches nothing of worth, and one whose life contradicts his words is shamefully convicted by his own fault.

. Whoever has learned nothing of himself will teach nothing of worth. . . And so they are falsely called teachers — really just narrators for their listeners, and they should be listened to as though they were merely retailing rumors. Thus Varro. The second thing required of a teacher is an honorable life or conduct, because 'it is shameful for a teacher when his own fault convicts him.' Hence Jerome to Nepotian: 'Do not let your actions contradict your words.'

The Shame of Professing Without Practicing

It is disgraceful to handle the words of philosophy but not its works, like leaves without fruit, as Seneca, Ambrose, and Augustine all testify from their own experience.

And so Seneca writes to Lucilius: 'This,' he says, 'is the most disgraceful thing — the charge usually brought against us — that we handle the words of philosophy, not its works.' Likewise Ambrose, commenting on Luke: 'Leaves,' he says, 'without fruit are suspect to me.'✦ For such are the garments worn by the exiles of paradise.✦ This is the matter Augustine complains about in his Confessions, confessing the condition of his boyhood and speaking at the same time about his teachers. 'I was put into school,' he says, 'to learn letters, though what good they were, poor me, I did not know.' . . But I delighted in play, and punishment was inflicted on us by men who certainly did the same things themselves.

Augustine's Lament and Thanksgiving

Augustine recalls that elders punish in boys the same trifles they call business in themselves, yet gives thanks to God that his own good came from God, not from teachers who directed him toward any end but God.

But the trivial pursuits of grown-ups get called business, while the very same things done by boys are punished by those same adults. . . And I myself was not doing well. . . But for me, my God, things were going well — because of you. Nor were those who pushed me to do well actually doing well, because they were not directing it toward you as its end.'

Integrity of Life Gains Authority

Boethius demands complete integrity of character in a teacher, and Seneca teaches that a living voice and shared life benefit more than mere speech.

This is Augustine. Therefore Boethius says in his book on scholastic discipline: 'Whoever desires to carry out the office of teacher must be strong in the complete integrity of character — . . let him be steady in expression, devout in feeling, distinguished in virtues, praiseworthy in goodness.' And indeed, integrity of life and maturity in the teacher gain authority, and greatly benefit the listeners. Hence Seneca, in a letter to Lucilius, on the way. 'A living voice and a life shared together,' he says, 'will benefit you more than a speech.

Example Over Precept: The Teacher's Life Speaks Loudest

People believe their eyes more than their ears, so the teacher's life carries greater weight than eloquence, and a high seat joined with a low life is monstrous.

So, to get right to the point: it is fitting, first, because people trust their eyes more than their ears, and second, because the path through precepts is long, but through examples it is short and effective.' The same author, in his fifty-second letter. 'Choose,' he says, 'the helper you admire more when you see him than when you hear him.' As Augustine says in his book On Christian Teaching: 'No matter how great the grandeur of one's speech, the life of the one who leads carries more weight if it is to be heard obediently.' On the other hand, blessed Bernard says to Eugene in book three: 'It is a monstrous thing — . . — a high seat and a low life, a boastful tongue and an idle hand, much talk and no fruit.'✦

The Weightlessness of Frivolous Authority

Serious speech from a frivolous author is weightless, and Ovid confesses that our ways are far from our song.

And so too Walter of Châtillon, in the eighth book of his *Alexandreid*: Serious speech carries less weight and less value when it does not come from a serious author. It is the author's frivolity that makes rumors empty. Such a one can rightly say what Ovid wrote in the second book of the Tristia: Believe me, our ways are a far cry from our song.

Good and Bad Examples: The Teacher's Formative Power

Just as a teacher's good examples instruct disciples, bad ones corrupt them, as shown by Alexander's inability to free himself from the vices of his childhood tutor Leonides.

And truly, just as the good examples of a teacher instruct his disciples better, so too do bad ones corrupt them. Hence Jerome, in his letter to Aletia: 'Easy,' he says, 'is the imitation of bad things.'6 Whence Greek history relates that Alexander, ruler of the world, could not — in his gait and manners — be free from the vices with which he had already been infected while still a small child by his tutor Leonides.'7 The third quality required in a teacher is humble knowledge. Knowledge, indeed — for as Ovid says in his book of the Tristia:8

Humble Knowledge: The Third Quality

The third quality is humble knowledge: one must learn long before teaching, and knowledge must be humble rather than puffed up, for proud knowledge is demonic, not true wisdom.

No one can teach what they barely know themselves. For this reason Jerome says to the unlearned: 'Spend a long time learning what you would teach.' So the same writer also says about Ecclesiastes that the Pythagoreans' discipline was 'to keep silent for five years and then let the learned speak,' in keeping with what is written in the same place, namely: Ecclesiastes 3: 'A time to be silent and a time to speak'; this is what is said in Ecclesiasticus 18: 'Before you speak, learn.' This knowledge, however, ought to be humble, not puffed up. Otherwise it is not true wisdom, in keeping with Solomon's words in Proverbs 12: 'Where there is humility, there also is wisdom.' On the contrary, concerning proud knowledge the Apostle says in 1 Corinthians 8: 'Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.' If anyone, however, thinks he knows something, he has not yet understood how he ought to know it.✦ Such is the knowledge of demons, from which they also take their name, because 'demon' is interpreted as 'the knowing one.'

Simple Eloquence: The Fourth Quality

The fourth quality is simple eloquence, for wisdom without eloquence is of little use, and hidden wisdom profits no one.

So James 3 says, 'This wisdom is not the kind that comes down from above — it is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.'✦ Fourth is simple eloquence, because as Cicero says in the prologue to the Rhetorica, 'Wisdom without eloquence does not amount to much.' Hence it is also said in Ecclesiasticus 20: 'The wisdom of a hidden man and the treasure of the unseen — what use is there in either?' And eloquence really is of great value for teaching. As Terence says in the Phormio:

The Power and Peril of Words

Through wicked storytelling one can be corrupted, yet Cicero says eloquence can refine even the roughest matter, though Juvenal warns that a torrent of words can be a deadly gift.

There is nothing. . . Indeed, through wicked storytelling one can be corrupted. On the other hand, Cicero says in his book on the Paradoxes: 'Nothing is so rough and unrefined that it cannot be made to shine by eloquence.' But eloquence ought to be simple, because, as Juvenal says in book four: A rushing torrent of words is, for many people, a deadly gift — their very own fluency turned fatal.9

Five Things Needed for Eloquence

Five things are needed for eloquence: natural ability, conscience, practice, bearing, and joy of heart.

And for a person to be eloquent, five things are needed for that purpose. Natural ability, conscience, practice or experience, bearing, and joy of heart.10 Natural ability, then — because as Quintilian says: 'Philosophy can be feigned, but eloquence cannot.'11 Conscience — because as it says in Ecclesiasticus 6: 'a gracious tongue,'12 that is,13 'will abound in a good person.'14 And as Claudian says in the Greater:15

The Teacher Must First Persuade Himself

Whoever loves a song performs deeds worthy of song, and it is shameful for a teacher whose life contradicts his words; therefore Seneca and Quintilian teach that one must first persuade oneself before persuading others.

Whoever loves a song performs deeds worthy of song. On the other hand, Cato says: It is shameful for a teacher, etc. For this reason Seneca says in his book on morals: 'Consider yourself an orator, if you have first persuaded yourself, before all others, of what is right.' Hence also Quintilian, in the eighth book: 'He will certainly persuade others better,' he says, 'who has first persuaded himself.' For however carefully pretense is guarded, it still gives itself away, and there is never such great skill in speaking that it does not stumble and falter whenever words are at odds with the heart.' These are his words.

Practice, Gesture, and Gladness in Teaching

Practice is the most certain teacher of speaking, gesture helps penetrate ears and soothe eyes, and gladness—especially from a good conscience—gives eloquence that natural talent denies.

Moreover, practice — because, as Cicero says in the second book of his Rhetoric: 'Practice is the constant use and habit of speaking.' And as Quintilian says in the first book: 'Habit is the most certain teacher of speaking.' Hence, as Seneca says to Lucilius: 'These things happen mutually, and men learn while they teach.' A person is also helped by gesture in teaching, because, as Valerius says in the eighth book: 'The ornaments of eloquence consist in suitable delivery and appropriate movement of the body, and when a person has equipped himself with these, he approaches people in three ways — namely, by penetrating their ears, soothing their eyes, and assailing their minds.' So Valerius. To this the well-known saying of Seneca also seems to agree: 'Choose,' he says, 'the helper whom you will wonder at more when you have seen him than when you have heard him.' The mind's eloquence is also helped by gladness, according to that saying of Ennodius: 'Joy,' he says, 'gives eloquence that natural talent denies.' This gladness, however, comes especially from the security of a good conscience, according to that word of the Apostle in 2 Corinthians. 1. 'Our glory,' he says, 'this is the testimony of our conscience.'✦ Sometimes, nevertheless, from the discovery of fine sayings, according to that proverb.

The Joy of Fine Sayings and Worthy Hearers

A teacher is sometimes gladdened by the judgment of his own mouth, by the worthiness or number of his hearers, and by the public approval that makes virtue shine more beautifully.

15: 'A person is gladdened by the judgment of his own mouth.'✦ Sometimes, too, from the worthiness of the hearers or even from their sheer number — according to that saying of Quintilian's in book ten: 'Every best teacher rejoices in a crowd and thinks himself worthy of a larger theater.' And no wonder, since Boethius writes in his book on hypotheticals: 'There is no good thing that does not shine forth more beautifully when it is approved by the knowledge of many.'

Read the original Latin

Pueris ergo nobilibus eligendus est magister in ambobus, in sciencia ac moribus. Nec facile possunt acquirere siue multiplicare scienciam nisi per litterarum doctrinam. Ideoque necessarium est maxime talibus, quibus opus est multa sciencia, ut litteris imbuantur a puericia. Unde, sicut iam alias diximus, in litteris, quas quondam rex romanorum misisse legitur ad regem francorum hortans eum, ut liberos suos institui faceret liberalibus disciplinis, inter ceteras quoque adiecit: ‘Rex illiteratus est quasi asinus coronatus,’ et quod maxime talibus necessaria sit multiplex sciencia, dicit palladius in libro io de agricultura. ‘Neminem,’ inquit, ‘magis decet quam principem meliora uel plura nosse,’ cuius doctrina potest prodesse omnibus subiectis. Preterea, quia magnates non solent, ut ceteri homines, corporaliter laborare, ideo utilis est eis honesta litterarum occupacio, quam tempore vacacionis intendant percipiende sapiencie, iuxta illud ecclesiastici xxxviii: ‘sapienciam scribe in tempore uacuitatis, quia qui minoratur actu, inueniet siue percipiet illam.’ Ceterum, ut dicitur in eodem xxxiii: ‘Multam maliciam docuit ociositas.’ hinc et seneca ad lucilium.

‘Ocium,’ inquit, ‘sine litteris mors est.’ Denique sicut dicit hugo in libro didascalicon io: ‘Primum in uita solacium est sapiencie studium.’ De hac quoque materia iam alias dictum est supra, ubi actum est de excellencia principis in sapiencia. In doctore autem quinque sunt requirenda, scil. mens ingeniosa, vita honesta, humilis sciencia, simplex eloquencia, docendi pericia. Mens inquam ingeniosa, ut ex multis, que doceri possunt, meliora eligere sciat, nec totum ex aliorum dictis accipiat, iuxta illud Varronis philosophi. ‘Illum,’ inquit, ‘eruditorem elige, quem magis mireris in suis quam in alienis . .

. Nil magnificum docebit, qui a se nil didicit . . . falsoque magistri nuncupantur auditorum narratores ac sic audiendi sunt, ut qui recensent rumores.’ Hec Varro. Secundum, quod requiritur in eo, est honesta uita siue conuersacio, quia ‘turpe est doctori, cum culpa redarguit ipsum.’ Unde ieronimus ad nepocianum: ‘Non confundant,’ inquit, ‘opera sermonem tuum.’

Hinc et seneca ad lucilium: ‘Hoc,’ inquit, ‘turpissimum est, quod nobis obici solet verba nos philosophie non opera tractare.’ Item ambrosius super lucam: ‘folia,’ inquit, ‘sine fructu suspecta sunt michi. tales enim uestes habent exules paradisi.’ hoc est, de quo conqueritur augustinus in libro Confessionum io statum puericie sue confitens et de magistris suis pariter loquens. ‘In scolam,’ inquit, ‘datus sum ut litteras discerem, in quibus quid utilitatis esset, miser ignorabam . . . Sed ludere delectabat et in nos vindicabatur ab eis, qui talia utique agebant.

Sed maiorum nuge negocia vocantur, puerorum autem cum sint, a maioribus puniuntur . . . Nec faciebam ego bene . . . sed michi, deus meus, bene fiebat abs te. Nec illi qui me urgebant, bene faciebant, quia non ad te finem id referebant.’

hec augustinus. Ideo dicit boecius in libro de scolastica disciplina: ‘Quisquis officium magistri prosequi desiderat, uniuersa morum honestate oportet, ut polleat . . . sit constans in uultu, pius in affectu, uirtutibus insignis, bonitate laudabilis.’ Et reuera uite honestas et maturitas in doctore auctoritatem adquirit et multum in auditoribus proficit. Unde seneca ad lucilium epistola via. ‘Plus,’ inquit, ‘uiua uox et conuictus tibi quam oratio proderit.

Unde ut in rem presentem venias, congruit, primum, quia homines amplius oculis quam auribus credunt, deinde quia longum est iter per precepta, breve et efficax per exempla.’ Idem in epistola liia. ‘Illum,’ inquit, ‘elige adiutorem, quem magis admireris, cum videris, quam cum audieris.’ ut enim dicit augustinus in libro de doctrina christiana: ‘Habet, ut obedienter audiatur, quantacumque granditate diccionis maius pondus vita ducentis.’ Econtra vero dicit beatus bernardus ad eugenium libro iio: ‘Monstruosa res est . . . sedes prima et vita yma, lingua magniloqua et manus ociosa, sermo multus et fructus nullus.’

Hinc et galterus in alexandreide libro viiio:

minus est preciosus et absque pondere sermo grauis, quem non grauis edidit auctor. Rumoresque facit leuitas auctoris inanes.

Talis recte dicere potest illud ouidii in libro tristium iio:

Crede michi, mores distant a carmine nostri.

Et revera sicut exempla bona doctoris melius discipulos instruunt, sic et mala corrumpunt. Unde ieronymus in epistola ad aletham: ‘Procliuis est,’ inquit, ‘malorum emulacio. Unde greca historia narrat alexandrum orbis dominatorem leonidis pedagogi sui non potuisse viciis carere in incessu et moribus, quibus adhuc paruulus fuerat infectus.’ Tercium, quod in eo requiritur, est humilis scientia. sciencia quidem, quoniam ut dicit ouidius in libro tristium:

Quod minime nouit, nemo docere potest.

Ideo dicit ieronymus ad rusticum: ‘Multo tempore disce, quod doceas.’ Hinc etiam idem dicit super ecclesiastem, quod pytagoricorum ‘disciplina’ fuit ‘tacere per quinquennium et postea eruditos loqui,’ secundum illud, quod ibidem scriptum est scil. ecclesiaste iii: ‘Tempus tacendi et tempus loquendi’; hoc est quod dicitur ecclesiastico xviii: ‘Antequam loquaris, disce.’ Hec autem sciencia debet humilis esse, non inflatiua. alioquin non est vera sapiencia secundum illud salomonis prouerbiis xii: ‘Ubi humilitas ibi et sapiencia.’ Econtra vero de sciencia superba dicit apostolus Ia ad corinthios viii: ‘Sciencia inflat, caritas edificat.’ siquis autem existimat se aliquid scire, nondum cognouit, quemadmodum opporteat eum scire. talis est sciencia demonum, a qua etiam nominantur, quia demon sciens interpretatur.

Unde iacobus iii: ‘Non est,’ inquit, ‘ista sapiencia de sursum descendens, sed terrena, animalis, dyabolica.’ Quartum est simplex eloquencia, quia, sicut ait tullius in prologo rethoricorum, ‘Sapiencia sine eloquencia parum prodest.’ Hinc etiam dicitur in ecclesiastico xx: ‘Sapiencia absconsus et thesaurus inuisus, que utilitas in utrisque?’ Et reuera multum valet ad doctrinam facundia. Ut enim ait therrencius in phormione:

Nichil est . . . Quin male narrando possit deprauari.

Econtra uero dicit tullius in libro de paradoxis: ‘Nichil esse tam horridum et incultum, quod non splendescat oracione.’ Debet autem esse simplex eloquencia, quia, sicut dicit Juuenalis libro iiiio:

Torrens dicendi copia multis et sua mortifera est facundia.

Ad hoc autem, ut sit homo facundus, oportet, ut adiuuent eum quinque, videl. natura, consciencia, exercicium vel usus, gestus et cordis leticia. Natura quidem, quia, sicut dicit quintilianus: ‘philosophia simulari potest, sed eloquencia non potest.’ Consciencia uero, quia, sicut dicitur ecclesiastico vi: ‘lingua eucharis,’ i. e. graciosa, ‘in bono homine habundabit.’ Et ut dicit claudianus in maiori:

Carmen amat quisquis carmine digna gerit.

Econtra uero dicit cato:

Turpe est doctori etc.

Ideo dicit seneca in libro de moribus: ‘Oratorem te puta, si tibi ipsi ante omnes, quod oportet, persuaseris.’ Hinc et quintilianus libro viiio, ‘Melius,’ inquit, ‘aliis certe suadebit, qui prius ipsi persuaserit. prodit enim se quamlibet custodita simulacio, nec unquam est tanta loquendi facultas, que non titubet et hereat, quociens ab animo verba dissenciunt.’ hec ille. Exercicium autem, quia, sicut dicit tullius in rethorica iia: ‘Exercitacio est usus assiduus et consuetudo dicendi.’ Et ut dicit quintilianus libro i: ‘Consuetudo est certissima magistra loquendi.’ hinc ut seneca ait ad lucilium: ‘Mutuo ista fiunt et homines, dum docent, discunt.’ Gestu quoque adiuuatur homo in docendo, quia sicut dicit Valerius libro viii: ‘Eloquencie ornamenta in pronunciacione apta et conueniente corporis motu consistunt, quibus cum se instruxerit, tribus modis homines aggreditur scil.

aures eorum penetrando, oculos demulcendo, animos inuadendo.’ hec valerius. Cui eciam videtur consonare supradictum illud verbum senece: ‘Illum,’ inquit, ‘adiutorem elige, quem magis mireris, cum uideris, quam cum audieris.’ Adiuuatur etiam eloquencia mentis leticia iuxta illud ennodii: ‘Exultacio,’ inquit, ‘eloquenciam dat, quam ingenium negat.’ hec autem leticia maxime prouenit ex securitate consciencie, secundum illud apostoli IIa ad corinth. i. ‘Gloria,’ inquit, ‘nostra, hoc est testimonium consciencie nostre.’ aliquando tamen ex bonorum dictorum inuencione, iuxta illud prouerb.

xv: ‘Letatur homo in sentencia oris sui.’ aliquando eciam ex auditorum dignitate vel etiam multitudine secundum illud quintiliani libro io: ‘Optimus quisque preceptor frequencia gaudet et maiori theatro se dignum putat.’ Nec mirum, quia Boecius in libro ypoteticorum: ‘Nullum est bonum, quod non pulcrius elucescat, si plurimorum noticia conprobetur.’

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Luke.13.6-Luke.13.9 — He also told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. Luke.13.7 — 'And he said to the vineyard worker, "Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and have found none. Cut it down. Why should it also waste the ground?"' This smooths tense sequence and avoids over-punctuating the command. Luke.13.8 — And he answered and said to him, 'Lord, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure; Luke.13.9 — If it bears fruit next year, fine; if not, you can cut it down.
  2. ↩Gen.3.7 — Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
  3. ↩Matt.7.16 — You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles?
  4. ↩1Cor.8.2 — If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know as he ought to know.
  5. ↩Jas.3.15 — This is not the wisdom that comes down from above; it is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
  6. ↩2Cor.1.12 — For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God—not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God—we conducted ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.
  7. ↩Prov.12.14 — From the fruit of a man's mouth he is satisfied with good, and the work of a man's hands will be repaid to him.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩The letter attributed to a 'rex romanorum' is a traditional topos in medieval mirror-for-princes literature; the specific historical attribution is uncertain.
  2. 2 ↩'Rex illiteratus est quasi asinus coronatus' — a proverbial saying widely circulated in medieval educational texts; exact origin uncertain.
  3. 3 ↩Ecclesiasticus 38 — deuterocanonical; quotation candidate preserved without quote marks per policy. The specific verse reference is to Sir 38:24–25 (Vulgate numbering varies). Exact correspondence to Moses database pending tx-08 resolution.
  4. 4 ↩Ecclesiasticus 33 — deuterocanonical; quotation candidate preserved without quote marks per policy. Exact verse correspondence pending tx-08 Moses resolution.
  5. 5 ↩This sentence is a fragment — a transitional citation tag introducing a Seneca reference that continues in the following section (Erud.1.2.2). It is translated as-is.
  6. 6 ↩The Latin reads 'ad aletham' (to Aletia/Aletha), a proper name. The letter and its addressee are preserved as given in the source.
  7. 7 ↩The sentence is a historical exemplum about the lasting influence of a tutor's vices on Alexander the Great, drawn from Greek historiography.
  8. 8 ↩The sentence is incomplete in the source, introducing a quotation from Ovid's Tristia that follows in the next section. The translation preserves the fragmentary, lead-in character of the Latin.
  9. 9 ↩The Latin plays on the paradox of copia (abundance) as both gift and danger: facundia (eloence/fluency) qualified as mortifera (deadly) and sua (one's own), suggesting that natural eloquence untethered from wisdom becomes self-destructive.
  10. 10 ↩exercicium vel usus: both terms denote habitual exercise; rendered as 'practice or experience' to capture the near-synonymy without redundancy.
  11. 11 ↩The Quintilian tag (philosophia simulari potest, sed eloquentia non potest) is a known sententia; the source text reads 'eloquencia' where classical Latin would have 'eloquentia'. Translated as given.
  12. 12 ↩Ecclesiasticus 6 reference with tag 'lingua eucharis'; the Vulgate Eccli 6:5 reads 'lingua eucharis' in some recensions. Candidate allusion preserved for Moses resolution.
  13. 13 ↩The source reads 'e.' — an abbreviation whose expansion is uncertain. It most likely stands for 'est' (is) or 'et' (and), but could also be a scribal fragment. Rendered as 'that is' as the most plausible connective sense linking the quotation to its gloss in s6.
  14. 14 ↩The clause 'graciosa in bono homine habundabit' appears to continue the Ecclesiasticus 6 quotation; 'graciosa' is supplied from the adjective agreeing with 'lingua'. Candidate allusion preserved for Moses resolution.
  15. 15 ↩in maiori: likely refers to a work or section designated 'the Greater' (maior) in the Claudian corpus or a medieval attribution. The exact reference is uncertain.

De eruditione filiorum nobilium (On the Education of Noble Children) companion

Formation starts with the parents' own practice

Model a daily devotional habit your children can see — Chosen Portion makes it a free 10-minute routine.

Vincent taught that children are formed by the daily practices of their household; Chosen Portion gives parents the daily devotional practice that anchors that household rhythm.

  • A short daily devotional you can read before the kids wake up
  • Family-friendly portions from the same historic tradition Vincent drew on
  • Build a visible 30-day habit your children can imitate
Chosen Portion — Daily Prayer (free iOS app) →