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Chapter 8LDO.2.8

VISIO QUINTA, cap. VIII

The White Horse: From Adam to the Flood

The first age of the world, from Adam to the flood, is symbolized by the white horse, with God's wrath and mercy displayed through the bow in the clouds and the prefiguration of baptism.

"And look, a white horse, and the one sitting on it had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering so that he might conquer.✦ This is to be considered as follows: the first period, which began in Adam, was like a white horse, because humankind transgressed through ignorance. Against this God placed the wrath of his punishment, which also carried vengeance within itself, and to it God gave the power of victory to overcome enemies, so that it might even fight in the battle of battles against the ancient dragon.✦1 And he placed this vengeance in the failure of the law that he had given to Adam, so that also in the failure of the flood he made a bow in the clouds of the sky.✦ This period lasted from the expulsion of Adam up to the flood, during which God, in wrath, submerged the whole people through rushing waters, which sounded like thunder, except for those who were saved in the ark. And just as in the first period God displayed the bow of his wrath in vengeance, so also after the flood he gave a bow in the clouds of the sky as this sign, lest from then on he submerge the whole world through the thunderous sound of waters, and there he prefigured that the faithful would be saved through baptism.✦✦

The Red Horse: Peace Withdrawn After the Flood

The red horse represents the post-flood age when God withdrew peace and permitted people to kill one another, a judgment mirrored in the soul that turns from God.

Next it continues: "And another horse went out, red, and the one sitting on it was granted that he might take peace from the earth, so that people would kill one another, and a great sword was given to him."✦ This is to be understood as follows: that horse represents the period in which, after the flood, peace was taken away through the wrath of God by just judgment from those who set themselves against God, because they did not seek peace from him, nor did they give it to others. And so God also allowed his judgment, by which people cruelly killed one another, since they had withdrawn their faithfulness from him, just as the soul itself kills itself when it does not seek to cling to God.2 Then again it is written.

The Black Horse: The Age of Martyrs and the Scale of Abstinence

The black horse signifies the era of persecution and martyrdom, where God's just scale weighs abstinence and love of the heavenly homeland, and the martyrs' hunger for justice becomes their glory.

"And behold, a black horse, and the one sitting on it held a scale in his hand."✦ "And it continues: 'A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the wine and the oil.' This should be understood as follows: The time when persecutors rose up in the Church after the passion of the Son of God—that is the black horse, namely through unbelief, where unbelievers, despising the faith, drew the blackness of unfaithfulness upon themselves; but the wrath of God weighed the torments of the martyrs by a just measure—indeed, a fitting punishment for the torturers, but eternal glory for the martyrs.✦3 For the victory of the martyrs was the rich root of all virtues, which sent out its thick shoots in them, stripping away the feasts of their own will and the law according to the flesh; and in which the failure of the flesh's will was transformed into love for eternal life—the faith that every believer holds within themselves. And these things also came about in a blessed hunger, by which the faithful hunger and thirst for justice.✦ So the scale means this: on the one hand, a person is nourished by the fruits of the earth in spiritual abstinence, and on the other, a virgin by nature loves the heavenly homeland. Therefore, that was the time of the martyrs, which was mixed with the blackness of the north wind, when the martyrs were killed by the unjust, like lambs by wolves.✦ For this reason, by the judgment of this time, the scale was also given, to weigh out in a double measure these two things—namely, abstinence and love for the heavenly homeland—which belong to the martyrs, as has been said. For the martyrs themselves afflict their bodies through abstinence and gaze toward the heavenly longing, just as an eagle fixes its eyes on the sun—which the quart of wheat signifies, comparing it to the single denarius of life. But those who, according to the precepts of the law, restrain themselves from sins through abstinence, and withdraw from themselves the partnership of a husband or wife, and, leaving their wealth behind, make themselves poor—all of which are very hard and harsh things—are joined in love to the single denarius, which is the heavenly homeland, through the three quarts of these hardships. And wisdom does this, which has weighed all things equally through mercy, because God is merciful above all.

Wine and Oil Preserved: Penitence and Mercy

Through penitence and mercy, the faithful are redeemed from sin, so that wine and oil—symbols of spiritual gladness and anointing—remain unharmed.

In this way wine and oil are not harmed, when through penitence and mercy a person is redeemed from their sins.

The Pale Horse: Death, Apostasy, and the Last Judgment

The pale horse named Death represents the final age when all justice is despised, diabolical persuasion reigns, and God's wrath brings wars, famine, sudden death, and condemnation to the unrepentant.

And again it follows: "And behold, a pale horse, and the one who sat upon it — its name was Death, and Hell followed it."✦ And power was given to it over the four parts of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with death, and by the beasts of the earth."✦ Consider this while it stands: this marked horse signifies that time in which all legal observances and the full justice of God will be reckoned as nothing, pale and worthless — a time when people will say, 'We don't know what we're doing,' and those who commanded us to do these things didn't know what they were saying either. And so, without any fear or trembling before the judgment of God, they will despise all these things — and they will do this, too, through diabolical persuasion. But these works fell under the wrath of God, and they perished in great battles — because God will judge through His own vengeance and will utterly trample them down, because He will bring death upon those who do not repent and will condemn them to the places of Tartarus.4 For even in that time, throughout all the borders of the earth, contentions with swords will arise within them, and the fruits of the earth will be carried off, and people will perish by sudden death and by the bites of beasts.

The Ancient Enemy's Envy and the Catalogue of Vices

The ancient enemy, envying humanity for the glory he lost, rejoices in their punishment and presses the horrors of hatred, murder, and every vice upon them.

Because the ancient enemy, envious of the man on account of the heavenly glory he himself has lost, always rejoices over his punishments, and therefore the horror of hatred, of murder, of the Sodomitic crime, and of other vices presses in on him and fiercely defiles him.5

Read the original Latin

« Et ecce equus albus et qui sedebat super illum habebat arcum, et data est ei corona, et exivit vincens ut vinceret . » Hoc considerandum sic est: Tempus primum quod in Adam incoepit, ut equus albus fuit, quoniam homo per ignorantiam praevaricatus est, super quod Deus iram animadversionis suae posuit, quae et vindictam in se habuit, cui et Deus dedit potestatem victoriae, inimicosque superare, ita ut etiam in praelio praeliorum contra antiquum draconem dimicaret. Et vindictam hanc in defectu legis quam Adae dederat posuit, ut etiam in defectu diluvii, arcum in nubibus coeli fecit. Tempus autem hoc ab expulsione Adae usque ad diluvium perduravit, in quo Deus in ira arcus sui cunctum populum praeter illos qui in arca servati sunt, per concurrentes aquas, quae ut tonitrus sonuerunt submersit. Et sicut in primo tempore Deus irae suae arcum in vindictam ostendit, sic et post diluvium nubibus coeli arcum in hoc signum dedit, ne deinceps per tonitrualem sonum aquarum totum mundum dimergeret, ubi et per baptismum fideles salvari praesignavit. Iterumque subsequitur: « Et exivit alius equus rufus, et qui sedebat super illum datum est illi ut sumeret pacem de terra, et ut invicem se interficiant, et datus est illi gladius magnus . » Hoc considerandum sic est: Equus iste tempus illud est, quo post diluvium per iram Dei justo judicio ablata est pax ab illis qui se Deo opposuerunt, quoniam pacem ab ipso non quaerebant, nec illam hominibus dabant, et ideo etiam judicium Dei permisit quod invicem se crudeliter fidelitatem ab eo recesserant sicut et anima se ipsam occidit cum Deo adhaerere non quaerit. Deinde iterum scriptum est.

« Et ecce equus niger, et qui sedebat super eum habebat stateram in manu sua . » Et subsequitur: « Bilibris tritici denario uno et tres bilibres hordei denario uno, et vinum et oleum ne laeseris » Hoc considerandum sic est: Tempus quo post passionem Filii Dei persecutores in Ecclesia surrexerunt, equus iste est niger, videlicet per incredulitatem, ubi increduli fidem contemnentes, nigredinem infidelitatis sibi attraxerunt; sed ira Dei recta mensura cruciatus martyrum ponderabat, tortoribus quidem condignam poenam, martyribus autem gloriam sempiternam. Nam victoria martyrum pinguis radix omnium virtutum erat, quae grossos suos in illis emiserunt, quibus convivia propriae voluntatis et legis secundum carnem abstulerunt; et in quibus defectus voluntatis carnis in amore aeternae vitae factus est, fides quam in se continet quilibet fidelis, et ista quoque in beata esurie facta sunt, qua fideles esuriunt, et sitiunt justitiam. Sic et statera illud est, quod quidem homo in spiritali abstinentia fructibus terrae pascitur, et quod in virgine a natura coelestem patriam amat. Quapropter tempus istud martyrum erat, quod nigredine aquilonis mistum fuit, quando martyres ab injustis, velut agni a lupis, occisi sunt. Idcirco etiam judicio temporis hujus statera data est, qua in bilibre libraret, haec duo scilicet abstinentiam et coelestis patriae dilectionem, quae martyrum sunt, ut praedictum est. Ipsi enim martyres corpus suum per abstinentiam affligunt, et in coeleste desiderium aspiciunt, velut aquila in sole oculos suos ponit, quod bilibris tritici designat, denarium unum vitae comparans. Qui vero secundum praecepta legis per abstinentiam a peccatis se continent et consortium viri aut uxoris sibi abstrahunt, et relictis divitiis suis se pauperes faciunt, quae omnia valde dura et aspera sunt, per tres bilibres asperitatum istarum, in amore denarii unius, qui coelestis patria est sibi connexi sunt, et hoc sapientia facit, quae omnia per misericordiam aeque ponderavit, quia Deus super omnes misericors est.

Istoque modo vinum et oleum non laeditur, cum per poenitentiam et misericordiam homo a peccatis suis redimitur. Et iterum subsequitur: « Et ecce equus pallidus, et qui sedebat super eum nomen illi mors et infernus sequebatur eum. Et data est illi potestas super quatuor partes terrae, interficere gladio et fame et morte, et bestiis terrae . » Hoc considera dum sic est: Equus hic denotatus, illud tempus est in quo omnia legalia et plena justitia Dei, velut in pallore pro nihilo computabuntur, ubi homines dicent: Nescimus quid facimus, et qui haec nos facere praecipiebant, quid dicere nesciebant, atque sic absque timore et tremore judicii Dei omnia haec contemnent, et hoc etiam per diabolicam suasionem facient. Opera autem haec ira Dei in occiderunt, et magnis praeliis perierunt quia per invindicta sua dijudicabit, eaque omnino conculcabit, quia mortem istis non poenitentibus inferet eosque ad tartarea loca damnabit. Nam etiam in tempore illo per omnes fines terrae cum gladiis contentiones in ipsis fient, et fructus terrae auferentur, hominesque repentina morte et morsibus bestiarum peribunt.

Quod antiquus hostis coelestem gloriam quam amisit homini invidens, de paenis ejus semper gaudeat, et propterea in eum horror odii, homicidii, Sodomitici criminis et caeterorum vitiorum contaminet ardenter insistat.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Rev.6.2 — And I looked, and behold, a white horse, and the one sitting on it had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
  2. ↩Rev.12.9 — And the great dragon was thrown down—the ancient serpent, the one called the Devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
  3. ↩Gen.9.13 — I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
  4. ↩Gen.9.13-Gen.9.15 — I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Gen.9.14 — When I bring clouds over the earth, the rainbow will be seen in the clouds. Gen.9.15 — And I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature, all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
  5. ↩1Pet.3.20-1Pet.3.21 — who formerly disobeyed, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few—that is, eight souls—were brought safely through the water. 1Pet.3.21 — which also now saves you as an antitype—not a removal of dirt from the flesh, but a pledge of a good conscience toward God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  6. ↩Rev.6.4 — And another horse came out, fiery red. To the one sitting on it was given power to take peace from the earth, so that they would slaughter one another. And a great sword was given to him.
  7. ↩Rev.6.5 — And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, 'Come!' And I looked, and behold, a black horse, and the one sitting on it had a balance scale in his hand.
  8. ↩Rev.6.6 — And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and the wine."
  9. ↩Matt.5.6 — Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
  10. ↩Matt.10.16 — Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves; therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
  11. ↩Rev.6.8 — And I looked, and behold, a pale horse, and the one sitting on it — his name was Death, and Hades was following with him. And authority was given to them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with death and by the wild beasts of the earth.
  12. ↩Rev.6.8 — And I looked, and behold, a pale horse, and the one sitting on it — his name was Death, and Hades was following with him. And authority was given to them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with death and by the wild beasts of the earth.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩arcus rendered 'bow' in the apocalyptic image; the same term later serves as the rainbow sign.
  2. 2 ↩anima rendered 'soul' for the interior person before God.
  3. 3 ↩The Latin 'bilibris' translates a measure of grain (roughly a quart), reflecting the Vulgate's rendering of the Greek choinix in Revelation 6:6.
  4. 4 ↩invindicta: rare/uncertain form; rendered as 'vengeance' following the vindicta root sense, but the prefix and exact force are uncertain.
  5. 5 ↩Quod at the onset is ambiguous between a causal conjunction ('because') and a relative construction; causal is favored by the context of the vision's interpretation. Sodomitici is treated as referring to the sin of Sodom (understood traditionally as sexual perversion against nature), though the morphological form is uncertain.

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