In quo homo similis sit Deo.
The Divine Likeness Restored
Contemplation and virtue restore the divine likeness in us, for we resemble God in wisdom and justice, though God possesses these unchangeably while we do not.
There are two things that restore the divine likeness in a person: contemplation of truth and the practice of virtue. A person is like God in this respect: being wise and just. But the human being possesses these qualities changeably, whereas God possesses them unchangeably.
Divine and Human Actions Distinguished
Human actions fall into three kinds serving natural necessities, and every action is either divine, when aimed at restoring our nature, or human, when providing for our weakness.
Now the actions that serve the necessities of this life fall into three kinds: the first supplies nourishment to nature; the second fortifies against troubles that can arise from outside; the third offers a remedy against harms already inflicted. So when we aim at restoring our own nature, that is a divine action; but when we provide what is necessary for the weakness within us, that is a human one. Therefore every action is either divine or human.
Wisdom's Two Parts
Divine actions are fittingly called intelligence and human actions knowledge, and since wisdom governs all rational actions, it embraces both intelligence and knowledge.
And we can quite fittingly call the former 'intelligence,' since it is concerned with higher things, and the latter 'knowledge,' since it deals with lower things and requires a kind of practical deliberation. If, then, wisdom — as was said above — governs all actions done by reason, it follows that we should say wisdom embraces these two parts: intelligence and knowledge.
The Branches of Intelligence and Knowledge
Intelligence divides into theoretical and practical philosophy, while knowledge, because it pursues human works, is called mechanical, that is, adulterated.
Again, intelligence — since it labors both in the investigation of truth and in the consideration of morals — we divide into two branches: the theoretical, that is, the speculative, and the practical, that is, the active, which is also called 'ethics,' that is, 'moral' philosophy. Knowledge, because it pursues human works, is fittingly called mechanical — that is, adulterated.
Read the original Latin
Duo vero sunt quae divinam in homine similitudinem reparant, id est, speculatio veritatis et virtutis exercitium. quia in hoc homo Deo similis est, quod sapiens et iustus est, sed iste mutabiliter, ille immutabiliter et sapiens et iustus est. illarum vero actionum quae huius vitae necessitati deserviunt, trimodum genus est, primum, quod naturae nutrimentum administrat, secundum, quod contra molesta, quae extrinsecus accidere possunt, munit, tertium, quod contra iam illata praestat remedium. cum igitur ad reparandam naturam nostram intendimus, divina actio est, cum vero illi quod infirmum in nobis est necessaria providemus, humana. omnis igitur actio vel divina est vel humana. possumus autem non incongrue illam, eo quod de superioribus habeatur, intelligentiam appellare, hanc vero, quia de inferioribus habetur, et quasi quodam consilio indiget, scientiam vocare. si igitur sapientia, ut supra dictum est, cunctas quae ratione fiunt moderatur actiones, consequens est iam ut sapientiam has duas partes continere, id est, intelligentiam et scientiam, dicamus. rursus intelligentia, quoniam et in investigatione veritatis et in morum consideratione laborat, eam in duas species dividimus, in theoricam, id est, speculativam, et practicam, id est, activam, quae etiam ethica, id est, moralis appellatur.
scientia vero, quia opera humana prosequitur, congrue mechanica, id est, adulterina vocatur.
Didascalicon de Studio Legendi (On the Study of Reading) companion
Hugh said begin with small daily portions. Start tomorrow.
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