Caput 3
From Virtue to Virtue
The young Ladislaus grows in grace, hungers for righteousness, and crucifies the world in his heart.
And so the boy grew, and having surpassed the virtues that came to him ahead of his years, and advancing in growth from virtue to virtue, when he had climbed to the first step of virtue and gained knowledge of the true God, he became an outstanding devotee of the Christian faith and strove with pure affection of mind to serve Christ most devoutly. For, enlightened by the grace of the Holy Spirit, and counting as fleeting and passing the glory of the world that smiled on him and flattered him, he hungered and thirsted for righteousness, so that he might happily reach the eternal homeland. For although the world was flourishing and gleaming white for him, yet in his heart it had already withered—the world to whose desires he himself had been crucified in the hope of the sons of God.1
A Sanctuary of the Holy Spirit
Ladislaus builds his life on the foundation of faith in Christ, becoming a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit and manifesting a rich array of virtues.
And so, while still in this mortal body, he was already no longer living as himself but in him; and by faithfully embracing it with his whole mind, he held to the right, true, catholic faith—founded in Christ Jesus, rooted in the hearts of the prophets and patriarchs, and commended by apostolic proclamation.2 On this foundation he also built a dwelling place pleasing to Almighty God and a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit, of gold, gems, and precious stones, according to the Apostle. For he was abundant in love, long-suffering in patience, a serene king in his piety, full of the gifts of grace, a cultivator of justice, a patron of chastity, a consoler of the afflicted, a lifter of the oppressed, merciful to orphans, a devoted father to wards; and overflowing with true compassion, he came to the aid of the wretched and the poor in their needs.3
Humility in the Midst of Honors
Despite being endowed with natural gifts and a kingly appearance, Ladislaus remains humble, giving thanks to God and dedicating all good to Him.
But in natural gifts, by the grace of divine mercy, a special privilege of preeminence had raised him above the common worth of other people. For he had strong hands and was handsome to look at, with a lion-like face and large limbs.4 He was, in fact, tall in stature, standing a head above other men from the shoulder up, so that with the fullness of gifts overflowing in him, the very appearance of his body also declared him worthy of a royal crown.5 Yet when he saw himself made glorious by such high honors, he didn't swell with pride, and he didn't seize other people's rights by deceit or force. Instead, giving due thanks to the One who freely bestows good things without any return of merits for the benefits he had received, he dedicated whatever good he found in himself to the worship of God.
Read the original Latin
Creuit itaque puer, et uirtutibus ante diem ei contingentibus superatis, et in incrementa de uirtute in uirtutem proficiens, cum ad primum uirtutis gradum ascendisset, habita ueri dei noticia, christiane fidei cultor factus eximius, puro mentis affectu deuotissime Christo seruire studuit.
illustratus enim sancti spiritus gracia, arridentis sibi atque blandientis mundi gloriam caducam reputans et transitoriam, esuriuit atque sitiuit iusticiam, ut ad eternam feliciter perueniret patriam. quamuis enim mundus sibi florens albesceret, in eius tamen corde iam aruerat, cuius ipse concupiscencijs in spe filiorum dei crucifixus fuerat.
in hoc itaque mortali corpore uiuens iam non ipse, sed in ipso fidem rectam, ueram catholicam, in Christo Iesu fundatam in cordibus prophetarum patriarcharumque radicatam, apostolico preconio commendatam tota mente fideliter amplectendo tenuit. super hoc eciam fundatum gratum omnipotenti deo habitaculum et sancti spiritus sacrarium, ex auro, gemmis et lapidibus preciosis secundum apostolum edificauit.
erat enim copiosus in caritate, longanimis in paciencia, pietate rex serenus, graciarum donis plenus, cultor iusticie, patronus pudicicie, consolator afflictorum, subleuator oppressorum, miserator orphanorum, pius pater pupillorum, miserorum et inopum necessaribus nomine uisceribus affluens subueniebat.
in naturalibus autem bonis diuine miseracionis gracia speciali eum prerogatiua preeminencie super communem hominum ualorem pretulerat. erat enim manu fortis et uisu desiderabilis, et secundum phisonomiam leonis magnas habens extremitates. statura quippe procerus, ceterisque hominibus ab humero supra preeminens, ita quod exuberante in ipso donorum plenitudine, ipsa quoque corporis species regio dyademate dignum ipsum declararet.
cum uero tanta honorum preeminencia se uideret gloriosum, non in superbie tumorem est eleuatus, non aliorum iura dolose seu uiolenter occupauit, sed ei qui sine prouentu meritorum largiri bona consueuit, debitas pro acceptis beneficiis gracias agens, quidquid bonorum sensit in se diuino cultui mancipauit.
Notes
- 1 ↩albesco literally means 'grow white'; with florens it paints worldly prosperity as blooming and bright rather than merely pale.
- 2 ↩iam non ipse, sed in ipso echoes Gal 2:20 (vivo, jam non ego); in ipso is taken as in Christ, not reflexive self-reference.
- 3 ↩Rendered as overflowing with true/genuine compassion. Medieval uiscera regularly means deep, visceral mercy (cf. viscera misericordiae); nomine is taken as 'worthy of the name / truly so called.' If a different local reading of nomine is preferred, the sense of deep compassion still holds.
- 4 ↩phisonomiam = physiognomiam (medieval spelling). extremitates rendered as 'limbs' (hands/feet/members in physiognomic description), not abstract 'extremes'.
- 5 ↩dyademate = diademate; rendered as 'royal crown' for natural modern readability while keeping the royal-diadem sense.
Legenda Sancti Ladislai regis (Life of Saint Ladislaus of Hungary) companion
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