XXXV. De Invidia.

XXXV. De Invidia.

The second image signifies envy, which accompanies pride here, because it is the work of that pride and the source of all evil; for when people are proud, they envy the progress of others, through which they stir up every kind of evil. And you see this monstrous form, because through envy the Devil accomplishes all his works; where he envies a person the heavenly happiness, it is shown to you that he seeks to attain it. The head, shoulders, and arms of a person somewhat resemble those of a bear, except for the hands, which are like bear's paws; for although a person knows God in their mind, as if in their head, many times they do not judge according to God's commandments, but according to what envy indicates to them in their own judgments. Wherever he shows his confidence and power, he knowingly places wickedness in the place of justice, and where he also reveals his hardness in the strength of his arms; but he does this in the likeness of man, as he silently inflicts evil on people through the human knowledge he possesses; besides, his cruel deeds imitate a fierce plunder and bestial greed, as he tears apart, tramples, and destroys everything he can with potential and bitter force. But the heart, belly, and back of the envious person exceed the human measure in their grossness, because the knowledge, restraint, and strength of the envious person are marked by such great magnitude and such twisted wickedness above others that neither right doctrine, nor a well-ordered disposition, nor suitable support can be found in them, but rather a gnashing and sharp tumor of incompetent excess without discretion. From the loins down, a man is again like this, except that he has wooden feet, because a jealous person, bent by carnal desires, inflicts many evils on others, even though he has greater and deeper knowledge than other creatures; in which works he demonstrates dry and dead footprints without any green vitality of usefulness, since he neither walks rightly in his own footprints nor in those of others. And his head is fiery, and he emits flames from his mouth, because the intention of envy burns in his viper-like character, and because every evil of the fires of envy, from which people wither, he brings forth in his words. But it has no other clothing, since it is covered by no good, nor does it seek justice or the established law, living without a fixed rule, so that it does not seek any kind of righteousness or benefit, neither in great matters nor in small. But it is completely fixed in the aforementioned darkness, because it places all its strength in the bitterness of this infidelity, which brings harm to the progress of others, where it neither seeks nor considers justice, but desires evil things, through which even the devil subjected the world to himself, as it is written: