De speciebus somniorum, et causis, Jiguris, et
The Nature and Causes of Dreams
The author introduces the various types of dreams and explains how they often stem from bodily passions, gluttony, or emotional turmoil.
meanings. There are, however, many types of dreams, along with multiple causes, various forms, and different meanings. For it is either an insomnium, a phantasm, a dream, an oracle, or a vision. Furthermore, insomnias most frequently arise from drunkenness or gluttony, or from various bodily passions, the turmoil of one's affections, and the lingering traces of one's thoughts. Hence, for those whose minds aren't healthy because of their attachments, dreams are never lacking. Virgil prudently hints at this: 'Sister Anna, what dreams terrify me in my suspense?' The hero's great virtue and the great honor of his people recur in the mind; his face and words remain fixed in the heart, and anxiety gives no peaceful rest to the limbs. These things also don't bypass the passion of those who are grieving or rejoicing, or those whom the distress of fear vexes or the heat of immoderate desire inflames.
Phantasms and the Interpretation of Signs
This segment distinguishes between phantasms, which are bodily or mental disturbances, and dreams that hold potential meaning for public or personal life.
A phantasm occurs when unknown species of things appear, differing from nature in quality, quantity, or in the manner or number of their parts, such as if, by chance, neither foot nor head corresponds to a single form—like a beautiful woman ending in a fish's tail. Physicians maintain that these types arise from infirmity of mind and body, and they pay more attention to their causes than to any meanings they might hold. They also include the nightmare in this category, where someone under various pressures thinks they are awake while actually sleeping—a state of restless sleep where they feel as if they are being weighed down by someone. All these things require the care of physicians rather than our analysis, especially since nothing true appears in them, except that they are very real and very troublesome passions. A dream, however—a term commonly used even if it refers to a specific type—carries images of things through certain veils. It is here that the discipline of interpreters is primarily engaged; it is something belonging to each person, sometimes alien, sometimes common, and at times public or general. In all these cases, the quality of the persons, things, and times is observed most diligently. As Nestor says regarding the public state of a king, one should trust the dream of the king or the one who holds the magistracy, whether it concerns the matter itself or a predestination near to the matter. Or, if a sign of public fortune is shown to many—as in the case written to have been revealed to many Roman citizens, according to some, through the Sibyl as interpreter regarding the mystery of the Incarnation.
Divine Mysteries and Prophetic Visions
The author discusses how divine mysteries, such as the Incarnation and the Second Coming, are revealed through prophetic signs and mystical visions.
Indeed, the Spirit, teaching and dictating, revealed the mysteries not only of the Incarnation, but also of the Passion, the Ascension after the Resurrection, and even the Second Coming, as you'll clearly find in the Sibylline verses. The beginning of these, as found in the writings of many of the Fathers, is: 'The earth will grow moist with sweat as a sign of judgment.' If, however, the capital letters of each verse are joined in order, this will be found expressed to confound the unbelief of the Jews: 'Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior'—except that in the Latin language, the nature of the Greek letters could not be fully observed. I believe you'll find the verses themselves in blessed Augustine’s book, The City of God. The head and main point of this mystical vision is, therefore, that Jesus—who was prefigured—is undoubtedly the Son of the living God, true man, judge of all, eternal king, rewarder of those who hope in Him, author of life, and by grace, the giver of eternal blessedness. Because of the reality itself, or the near predestination of the event, it's said that a magistrate is understood to be either present or future. The destruction of Numantia was, in fact, made known to the younger Africanus while he was still almost a soldier. When autumn is mature or ending, dreams vanish more frequently.
The Mechanics of Vision and Figurative Truth
The author explores how visions present truth through varying degrees of clarity, sometimes using figurative images to warn or instruct.
For as the leaves fall from the trees, the vanity of dreams takes hold; Virgil seems to have sensed this in the book where he explores the mysteries of all philosophy, when he burdened the falling leaves in the underworld with various dreams. The diversity of places also allows for various forms of rest, so that some dreams are more abundant than others, depending on the location. For a marshy or desolate place is more fertile in producing fantastic images than a more prominent or celebrated one. A matter is also revealed sometimes more clearly, sometimes more obscurely; at times it presents itself to the soul, while at other times it is declared through someone else's suggestion. But when it pours itself in with immediate light, it is a vision, because it seems to be presented to the eyes in the full and true likeness of itself; such is the case where Alexander recognized Cassander—whom he had not seen at all, but by whom he was to be killed by poisoned drink—because a dream had represented him to him. Furthermore, one kind of vision is clearer, as it occurs with a distinct image of the thing; another requires a deeper understanding, as when a mixture of figurative species clouds the matter; just as when Gaius Caesar crossed the Rubicon and brought war upon his country, a huge image of his trembling country appeared to the leader to signify the terror of the citizens who were about to be oppressed by a fellow citizen's injury, warning its leader not to attack his fellow citizens with civil arms. For the image of the public empire was a sign of public fear and of the city prostrated by the Caesarean name. But if anyone believes that there was no image of the empire in the truth that appeared in this way, they will be assured by the testimony of history.
Oracles and the Authority of the Messenger
This part defines an oracle as the divine will announced through a human form and discusses the criteria for the authority of such messengers.
For when the leaders decided to honor the majesty of the city with a visible image, they were eager to have a female figure crafted with exquisite skill, holding the world in her right hand, made of bronze. Yet when this figure was finished—perfect in its noble form, graceful in its proportions, with a fitting arrangement of parts and limbs that were all well-matched and harmonious—it demanded from the people not so much scrutiny as admiration, though some argued that the legs alone were too weak to support such a massive weight. The craftsman replied to them that the legs were perfectly sufficient until the virgin gave birth, for he completely disbelieved that a virgin could give birth. This was fulfilled when Christ was born; the old order collapsed and broke, because the human realm shrinks where the divine empire expands. When a matter is clarified through a dream by someone else’s announcement, it falls into the category of an oracle, provided the person announcing it is honorable and worthy of respect. For an oracle, as someone has said, is the divine will announced through the mouth of a human. By the term 'human,' however, we mean anything that appears in human form—whether it be a person, an angel, God, or any other creature. A person’s character is honorable and worthy of respect based on their nature, as with a parent; their status, as with a master; their conduct, as with a religious person; their fortune, as with a magistrate; or their religion, as with those consecrated by divine rites and ceremonies, whether they are God, an angel, or a human.
The Danger of Demonic Imitation
The author warns against the deceptive nature of pagan oracles and the demonic influence that can mimic divine truth to lead nations astray.
From this it appears that, while not in an absolute sense, yet in a qualified one, people are indeed called 'venerable' by the art of conjecture, even when they are not only honest but detestable. Just as those of the Catholic faith offer devout reverence to the true God and to the things made sacred by His gift, so too do those of heretical and superstitious belief offer not the reverence that is due—which is nothing—but a shameful service to fictitious deities, or rather, to true demons and their execrable rites. This is gathered more extensively from the books of the pagans. Aeneas found the promised Italy he was looking for through the guidance of oracles; there, he established his seat and sowed the seed of the Roman race in soil that pleased them, guided not so much by the will of gods as by that of demons. After all, what else are father Anchises, Jupiter, Apollo, or the others—whom it would take too long to recount—doing in dreams? Therefore, if a race arises from that toxic seed—impious toward God, cruel to men, watchful for the persecution of the saints, lacking in faith, marked by habitual treachery, old in its ways, royal in its arrogance, foul with greed, distinguished by its lusts, swollen with pride, and unbearable in its every kind of wickedness—it shouldn't be attributed to miracles. Their author was a murderer from the beginning, and, falling away from the truth, he pierced the world with the sting of envy and brought death upon it. Those who are of that father, even if they can't reach his full measure, are still accustomed to imitate his malice; although it's certain that in that same soil, the hand of the Lord has planted some shoots that produce the fruit of virtue through apostolic irrigation. But if anyone were to review the entire history from the founding of the city, he'd find that they labored more than other nations in ambition and greed, and that they shook the whole world with various seditions and plagues.
True Revelation in the Canonical Tradition
The chapter concludes by contrasting the vanity of false dreams with the true, authoritative oracles found in the canonical scriptures.
They, too, felt the frequent losses caused by their tyranny and rebellions, so that hardly any of their leaders reached the end of their lives by natural causes. Hence, that satirical saying fits them perfectly: "Few kings descend to the harvest of Ceres without slaughter and blood." In the canonical scriptures, many oracles are also found; for example, when Joseph is often instructed in dreams by an angel, it is more strictly forbidden that they return to Herod; Peter is taught to gather the fullness of the nations in the reptilian lore; and when visited by the apostles, a cross was erected by Constantine in the citadel of the empire, and with peace restored to the churches, the public voice of the orbis majesty declared that the kingdom and empire of Christ is to be. But because the two primary kinds are altogether vain, and in the last, as if in a visible form, truth occurs to the mind, the middle one, which presents itself to the body of truth as a veil of figures, is executed more diligently.
Read the original Latin
significationihus. a Sunt autem multae species somniomm, et multiplices causae, et uariae figurae et significationes. Aut enim insomnium, aut phantasma, aut somnium, aut oraculum, aut uisio est. Porro insomnia ex ebrietate uel crapula, aut uariis passionibus corporis affectuumque tumultibus et reliquiis cogitationum frequentissime oriuntur. Vnde et male sanis amantium mentibus insomnia numquam desunt. Quod pradenter innuit Maro: Anna soror, quae me suspensam insomnia terrent? Multa uiri uirtus animo multusque recursat gentis honos, herent infixi in pectore uultus uerbaque, nec placidam membris dat cura quietem. l) Haec quoque dolentium aut gaudentium, aut quos timoris uexat angustia aut immoderatae cupidinis ardor accendit, non praetereunt passionem.
Phantasma, cum rerum ignotae uidentur species, qualitate uel quantitate aut partium modo uel numero a natura discrepantes, ut si forte nec pes nec caput uni reddatur formae-itetrum desinit in piscem mulier formosa supeme. Has quidem species ex infirmitate mentis et corporis tradunt phisici prouenire, earumque causas magis attendunt quam ex eis aliquas significationes. In quo genere et ephialtem, quo quis uariis pressuris quodam quEisi interc uigilio sed sompno potius inquieto opinans se uigilare cvmi dormiat, putatur ab aliquo interim praegrauari, connumerandum arbitrantur. Quae quidem omnia medicorum potius indigent cura quam uentilatione nostra; praesertim cum nichil in eis uerum appareat, nisi quod uerissimae sunt et molestissimae passiones. Somnium uero cuius appellatio comiliunis est, licet in specie propria censeatur, per quaedam inuolucra rerum gerit imagines, in quibus coniectorum praecipue disciplina uersatur, et mmc suum cuiusque est, nunc alienum, modo commune, interdum publicum aut generale est. In his uero omnibus qualitas personarum rerum et temporum diligentisd sime obseruatur. Vt enim ait Nestor, de statu publico regis credatur somnio aut eius qui magistratum gerit, uel re quidem uel rei uicina praedestinatione. Aut si publicae fortunae signum ostensum est multis, ut in eo quod pluribus Romanis ciuibus secundum quosdam Sibilla interprete de mysterio incarnationis reuelatum scribitur.
Et quidem non modo incamationis, sed passionis, ascensionis post resurrectioneni, aduentus quoque secundi interpres, docente et dictante Spiritu patefecit archana, sicut in uersibus Sibyllinis manifeste reperies. Quorum istud, sicut in plerisque patrum scripturis inuenitur, initium est: ludicii signum tellus sudore madescet. a Si uero apices capitales singulorum uersuum ex ordine coniungantur, ad confundendam perfidiam ludeorum hoc inuenietur expressum: lesus Christus Teio Sother: nisi quod in lingua Latina Grecarum litterarum proprietas ad plenum non potuit obseruari. Ipsos uero uersus, ut opinor, apud beatum Augustinum in libro De Ciuitate Dei inuenies. Est ergo mistice uisionis eius caput et summa intentio, lesum qui praefigurabatur indubitanter esse filium Dei uiui, hominem uerum, iudicem omnium, regem eternum, remuneratorem sperantium in se, auctorem uitae, et etemae beatitudinis ex gratia largitorem. Re quidem uel rei uicina praedestinatione, ideo dictum est, quia magistratus nunc praesens intelligitur nunc futurus. Excidium quippe Numantiae iuniori innotuit AfFricano, dum esset adhuc pene miles. Dum autumnus adultus est aut praeruptus, somnia frequentius euanescunt.
Arborum namque labentibus foliis, insomniorum uanitas dominatur: quod et Virgilius, in libro in quo totius philosophiae rimatur archana, sensisse uisus est, dum labentia foha apud inferos uariis somniis onerauit. Locorum quoque diuersitas uarias figuras quietis admittit, ut alia aliis nunc horum nunc illorum somniorum uberiora sint. Locus namque palustris aut desertus eminentiori aut celebriori phantasticarum imaginum fecundior est. Res quoque interdum manifestius, interdum obscurius aperitur, et nunc se ipsam animo ingerit, nune intimante alio deelaratur. Cum uero luee immediata seipsam infundit, uisio est, ex eo quod plena et uera specie sui oculis uideatur esse subiecta; quale est, quod Cassandrum omnino non uisum, a quo Alexander hausto ueneno perimendus erat, agnouit, quia eum quies ei repraesentauerat. Porro uisionum alia manifestior est, ut quae clara rei occurrit imagine; alia profundiorem desiderat intellectum, ut cum rem admixta species figurarum obnubilat; sicut est, quod Gaio Cesare transito Rubicone bellum patriae inferente, ad designandum terrorem ciuium, qui erant per conciuis iniuriam opprimendi, ingens uisa duci patriae trepidantis imago, duci suo denuntians ne conciues armis ciuilibus impugnaret. Publici namque imago imperii publici metus et Cesareo nomine prostratae urbis erat indicio. Quod si imperii nullam in ueritate, quae sic appareret, credidit quis fuisse imaginem, historiarum fide certiorabitur.
Cum enim maiestatem urbis principes uisibili specie censuerunt honorandam, exquisito artificio muliebrem formam, quae orbem dextra contineret, in eris materia fieri studuerunt. Ea uero perfecta in forma egregia, uenusta quantitate, apta partium dispositione, membris quoque condecentibus et sibi inuicem congruentibus uniuersis, cum non tam populi examinationem quam admirationem plena sui commendatione deposceret, quidam solas tibias tantae moli perferendae inhabiles esse causati sunt. Quibus faber respondit, eas usquequaque sufficere donec uirgo pareret, omnino a credens impossibilem uirginis partum. Quod et Christo nato impletum est, ea corruente et fracta, quia humanum contrahitur ubi diuinum imperium dilatatur. Cum uero res per quietem alio nuntiante clarescit, si tamen enuntiantis honesta cuique persona sit et uenerabilis, in oraculorum speciem cadit. Est enim oraculum, ut ait quidam, diuina uoluntas ore hominis enuntiata. Hominis uero appellatione censetur quicquid in specie uidetur hominis, homo, angelus sit, an deus, an quaeuis alia creatura. Persona autem cuiusque honesta est et uenerabilis, aut natura, ut parentis; aut conditione, ut domini; aut moribus, ut religiosi; aut fortuna, ut magistratus; aut religione, ut dei, angeli, hominisue sacris et cerimoniis diuinis consecrati.
Ex quo apparet, etsi non simpliciter tamen secundum quid, perb sonas arte coniectoria non modo honestas sed et detestabiles uenerabilium nomine claudi. Sicut enim catholicae religionis uiri uero Deo eisque quae munere eius sacra sunt piam uenerationem impendunt, ita hereticae et superstitiosae religionis homines fictis numinibus, immo potius ueris demonibus et execrabilibus sacris eorum non debitam reuerentiam, quae nulla est, sed turpissimum exhibent famulatum. Quod latius ex gentilium libris colligitur. Eneas oraculorum indicio promissam et quaesitam inuenit Italiam, et in ea non tam numinum quam demonum nutu sedem statuit et sementem Romani generis in orto qui eis complacuerat seminauit. Quid enim aliud agit in sompnis pater Anchises, quid lupiter, quid ApoUo, quid alii quos longum est enarrare? Vnde si de semine illo genus oritur toxicatum, impium in Deum, crudele in homines, persecutioni sanctorum inuigilans, fide rara, soUenni perfidia, seniile moribus, fastu regale, fedum auaritia, cupiditatibus insigne, superbia tumidum, omnimoda nequitia non ferendum, miraculis non debet ascribi; cum auctor eorum homicida fuerit ab initio, et a ueritate deficiens inuidiae spiculo orbi terrarum infixerit mortem. Qui ergo ex eo patre sunt, etsi eius nequeant implere mensuram, solent tamen illius imitari malitiam; licet in orto illo nonnullas plantas, quae uirtutis fructum irrigatione apostolica faciunt, manu Domini constet esse insertas. Sed si quis ab initio urbis conditae totam reuoluat historiam, eos ambitione et auaritia prae ceteris gentibus inueniet laborasse, et uariis seditionibus et plagis totum concussisse orbem.
Ipsi quoque tyrannidis et seditionum suarum tam crebra dampna senserunt, ut uix quisquam principum eorum ad exitum uitae natura ducente peruenerit. Vnde et illud satiricum illis aptissime facit: Ad genenmi Cereris sine caede et sanguine pauci descendunt reges et sicca morte tyranni. In scripturis quoque canonicis inueniuntur plurima oracula; ut cum loseph in sompnis ab angelo saepius eruditur; magis interdicitur ne redeant ad Herodem; docetur Petrus in reptilium lintheamine plenitudinem gentium colligendam; et cum uisitato ab apostolis Constantino crucis a erectum est in imperii arce uexillvmi, et pace ecclesiis restituta maiestas orbis publica uoce scriniariorum aduocatorum et iudicum omnem uictoriam regnum et imperium Christi esse personuit. Verum quia duae species primae omnino uanae sunt, et in postremis quasi uisibili specie ueritas menti oceurrit, mediam, quae corpori ueritatis quasi uelum figurarum oppandit, diligentius exequitur.
Policraticus companion
Study the argument weekly; pray the tradition daily
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