Transcription
tiam peccati habebant. Quando autem mulier manducavit\ de ligno,
hoc est intelligibilem mandragoram dedit viro suo,\ deinde pregnans
facta est, propter quod exierunt [transposed] de paradiso.\ Quamdiu
enim fuerint in Paradiso, non cognovit eam Adam.\ Scriptum est enim:
Cognovit Adam uxorem suam, et con\cipiens peperit ea super vituperabiles
aquas. De quibus ait propheta:\ Salvum me fac dominus, quoniam intraverunt
aque usque ad\ animam meam. Et statim draco subvertit eos, et alienos\
fecit ab arce sua, hoc est non placere deo. Tunc venit magnus\ elefans,
hoc est lex, et non eum levavit, quomodo nec sacerdos\ eum qui incidit
in latrones. Nec duodecim elephantes\ elevaverunt eum, id est chorus
prophetarum, sicut nec Levita\ illum vulneratum quem diximus, sed
intelligibilis ele\phans, id est dominus noster Iesus Christus,
cum omnibus maior sit omnium\ pusillus factus est, quia humiliavit
se, factus obediens usque ad mor\tem, ut hominem elevaret, intelligibilis
Samaritanus \ qui imposuit super iumentum. Ipse enim vulneratus
tulit in\firmitates nostras, et peccata nostra portavit. Interpretatur
autem\ Samaritanus custos. De quo dicit David: Custodiens par\vulos
dominus. Ubi autem est dominus presens, neque diabolus appro\pinquare
poterit. Elefantes vero promuscida sua quicquid\ involuerint frangunt,
pede vero quicquid compresserint velud\ quodam lapsu ruine ingentis
examinare [exanimare]. Propter feminas\ nunquam dimicant, nulla
enim noverunt adulteria.\ In est illis clementie bonum. Quippe si
per deserta vagabun\dum hominem forte viderint ductus usque notas
vias prebent.\ Vel si confertis pecoribus occursitent, itinera sic
blanda et\ placida manu faciunt, ne qua tela obvium animal in\terimant.
Conflictis fortuito si quando pugnantur non mediocrem\
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Translation
of sin. But when the woman ate the fruit of the tree, that is to
say, she gave her man the fruit of the mandrake, the tree of knowledge,
then she became pregnant, and for that reason they left Paradise.
For as long as they were in Paradise, Adam did not mate with Eve.
For it is written: 'Adam knew his wife and she conceived', (Genesis,
4:1) and she gave birth on the waters of guilt. Of this, the prophet
says: 'Save me, O God, for the waters are come in unto my soul.'(Psalms,
69:1). And at once the dragon seduced them and caused them to be
outcasts from their citadel, that is, because they displeased God.
Then came the big elephant, meaning the law, and did not raise up
mankind, any more than the priest raised the man who fell among
thieves. Nor did the twelve elephants, that is, the company of prophets,
raise mankind, just as the Levite did not raise the wounded man
we spoke of. But the elephant capable of understanding, that is
our Lord Jesus Christ, who, although greater than all, became the
smallest of all, because he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto
death that he might raise up mankind. He is the Good Samaritan who
set upon his own beast the man who had fallen among thieves. For
Jesus himself was wounded yet bore our weakness and carried our
sins. The Samaritan also symbolises a guardian. On this subject,
David says: 'The Lord watching over the children...' [SOURCE] Where
the Lord is present, the devil cannot draw near. Whatever elephants
wrap their trunks around, they break; whatever they trample underfoot
is crushed to death as if by the fall of a great ruin. They never
fight over female elephants, for they know nothing of adultery.
They possess the quality of mercy. If by chance they see a man wandering
in the desert, they offer to lead him to familiar paths. Or if they
encounter herds of cattle huddled together, they make their way
carefully and peacably lest their tusks kill any animal in their
way. If by chance they fight in battle, they have no mean |
