Liber II, Pars II — Qualis cura gerenda sit de filio ab anno quartodecimo et deinceps. Cap. XVII.

Liber II, Pars II — Qualis cura gerenda sit de filio ab anno quartodecimo et deinceps. Cap. XVII.

It was said above that there are three things to focus on regarding children: namely, how they should have a well-ordered body, a well-regulated appetite, and a well-illuminated intellect. These three can be adapted to the three seven-year periods of life. In the first seven years after receiving baptism and the sacraments of the Church, the main focus should be on how to ensure they have a well-ordered body. But in the second seven years, from the twelfth to the fourteenth year, the focus should be on two things: the disposition of the body and the regulation of appetite. For in the first seven years, children are almost entirely lacking in the use of reason, and they cannot easily become accustomed to virtuous actions or scientific considerations. If they can learn anything during that time, it is merely the common idioms. But from the seventh to the fourteenth year, since they begin to have some illicit desires and, in some way (though imperfectly), start to participate in the use of reason, it is necessary to focus not only on how they have a well-ordered body but also on how they have a regulated appetite. But from the fourteenth year onward, since they begin to participate more fully in the use of reason, we must focus not only on how they have a well-ordered body and a regulated appetite, but also on their prudence and ensuring they have a well-illuminated intellect. In the first seven years after receiving baptism and the sacraments of the Church, the focus should primarily be on ensuring a good disposition of the body. But in the second seven years, from the twelfth year to the fourteenth, the focus should be on two main areas: the disposition of the body and the ordering of desires. In the third seven years, starting from the fourteenth year onward, the focus should be on three areas: the good disposition of the body, the ordering of desires, and the illumination of the intellect. A good disposition of the body is necessary for those who wish to live a political life, starting from the fourteenth year onward, so they can take on stronger labors than they have until now. From the seventh year until the fourteenth, the labors should be lighter and somewhat weaker. Stronger labors should be taken on than in the previous seven years; from the fourteenth year onward, further exercises should be taken on that are more demanding than before. In fact, all labors leading up to the fourteenth year should be light and somewhat weak; from then on, however, stronger labors should be taken on. For the philosopher also states that up to the fourteenth year, children should be accustomed to light labors. He says that until the fourteenth year, boys should be accustomed to light work, but after that, they should take on heavier tasks. For according to him, from the fourteenth year onward, boys should be trained for more demanding tasks, such as physical training or any other exercise similar to military training, so that later, when they reach their fourteenth year, they can endure military duties. For then a person is well-prepared in body when they have a body that meets the demands of their duty. It is important to know that those who wish to live a political life must sometimes endure tough labor for the defense of the state. All who wish to live such a life from the fourteenth year onward should be trained for robust duties, so that if the time comes and the state needs defense, they will have a body prepared to endure such tasks. However, it is sufficient for now to know that fathers should be concerned about the upbringing of their sons in such a way that they have a well-prepared body to endure the necessary tasks. Those who are more or less accustomed to such tasks will be evident in their performance. Let it be enough for now to know that it is fitting for fathers to be concerned about their sons' training, so that they have a well-prepared body to undertake their duties. This is most likely to happen if they become accustomed to the proper exercises. Notice how fathers should be concerned for their sons from the fourteenth year onward, so that they have well-ordered bodies. Next, we need to see how they should be guided regarding these matters, so that they have a well-ordered appetite. However, it seems that young people, starting from the fourteenth year, particularly struggle with disordered appetites in two ways. First, regarding pride, because when they begin to have a perfect use of reason, it seems to them that they are worthy to rule, and they disdain being subject to others. Second, they sin in pursuing sensual pleasures, because then they begin to be more ardently drawn to them. Therefore, since caution must always be exercised where greater danger is imminent, from the fourteenth year onward, young people should be especially warned not to be proud, but to be subject and obedient to their fathers and elders. The philosopher touches on this. There are three brief reasons why children should be subject to their elders and obey them. The first reason is that the elders and parents command the youth for their own good. The second reason is that when children reach the age of maturity, they will be expected to lead; therefore, while they are still in their youth, they should obey their parents and elders to set an example for when they come to maturity, so that they may serve and obey them. The third reason is that anyone who wants to learn to lead must first learn to be subordinate. Therefore, no one is a good master unless they have first been a good student. Thus, the philosopher says that no one can lead well. Unless they have first learned to be subordinate. For no one is a good master unless they have first been a good student, so that they may lead well and not be indignant about being subordinate to their elders and parents. Therefore, the desires of young people at this age must be corrected so that they will want to obey their parents and elders. Secondly, they must be corrected so that they do not pursue illicit desires. Young people from the age of fourteen onward should not only be encouraged to be abstinent and sober regarding food and drink, but also to be chaste and modest in their sexual actions, because from that time on, as it was said, they are more strongly tempted toward sexual desires. Therefore, they should be guided at that age so that they either completely refrain from sexual activity or are content with the use of their own spouse. Having shown how the body should be well ordered and the desires corrected in young people from the age of fourteen onward, it remains to show how the intellect should be rightly illuminated. This can be sufficiently achieved through the teachings already given. For since they begin to have a perfect use of reason from the age of fourteen onward, as was said, from that time they can be instructed not only in grammar, which is the science of words, or in dialectics, which is a certain method of knowing, or in the practical aspects of music, which consists in the harmony of sounds, but they are also capable of being instructed in further sciences. What further sciences should be proposed to them, father, has already been discussed. For if they want to live a political and military life, they should especially study moral sciences, because through them they will learn how to govern themselves and others; however, a young person who pursues passions is not a sufficiently capable student of moral sciences. In the very youthful stage, which lasts until the fourteenth year, such sciences should not be presented to them; but from the fourteenth year onward, if young people can restrain themselves so that passions and lusts do not follow, they become disposed to be capable students of moral sciences, through which they can learn to govern themselves and others. Thus, young people should be guided from the fourteenth year onward: from the fourteenth year until the twenty-first, or until the twenty-fifth, or until the twenty-seventh. If it is asked how men should be governed from that time onward, because then they have almost reached the highest perfection, they should be such that they know how to govern and lead themselves. From then on, they do not need a teacher, but through what we have said in the first book, which is about self-governance, they can receive guidance on how to govern themselves.