Übersetzung ausblenden
The Fifteen Books of Aurelius Augustinus, Bishop of Hippo, on the Trinity

Chapter 1.--A Trace of the Trinity Also In the Outer Man.

1. No one doubts that, as the inner man is endued with understanding, so is the outer with bodily sense. Let us try, then, if we can, to discover in this outer man also, some trace, however slight, of the Trinity, not that itself also is in the same manner the image of God. For the opinion of the apostle is evident, which declares the inner man to be renewed in the knowledge of God after the image of Him that created him: ¹ whereas he says also in another place, "But though our outer man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." ² Let us seek, then, so far as we can, in that which perishes, some image of the Trinity, if not so express, yet perhaps more easy to be discerned. For that outer man also is not called man to no purpose, but because there is in it some likeness of the inner man. And owing to that very order of our condition whereby we are made mortal and fleshly, we handle things visible more easily and more familiarly than things intelligible; since the former are outward, the latter inward; and the former are perceived by the bodily sense, the latter are understood by the mind; and we ourselves, i.e. our minds, are not sensible things, that is, bodies, but intelligible things, since we are life. And yet, as I said, we are so familiarly occupied with bodies, and our thought has projected itself outwardly with so wonderful a proclivity towards bodies, that, when it has been withdrawn from the uncertainty of things corporeal, that it may be fixed with a much more certain and stable knowledge in that which is spirit, it flies back to those bodies, and seeks rest there whence it has drawn weakness. And to this its feebleness we must suit our argument; so that, if we would endeavor at any time to distinguish more aptly, and intimate more readily, the inward spiritual thing, we must take examples of likenesses from outward things pertaining to the body. The outer man, then, endued as he is with the bodily sense, is conversant with bodies. And this bodily sense, as is easily observed, is fivefold; seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching. But it is both a good deal of trouble, and is not necessary, that we should inquire of all these five senses about that which we seek. For that which one of them declares to us, holds also good in the rest. Let us use, then, principally the testimony of the eyes. For this bodily sense far surpasses the rest; and in proportion to its difference of kind, is nearer to the sight of the mind.

Edition ausblenden
De Trinitate

I.

[I 1] Nemini dubium est sicut interiorem hominem intellegentia sic exteriorem sensu corporis praeditum. Nitamur igitur si possumus in hoc quoque exteriore indagare qualecumque vestigium trinitatis, non quia et ipse eodem modo sit imago dei. Manifesta est quippe apostolica sententia quae interiorem hominem renovari in dei agnitionem declarat secundum imaginem eius qui creavit eum cum et alio loco dicat: Et si exterior homo noster corrumpitur, sed interior renovatur de die in diem.

In hoc ergo qui corrumpitur quaeramus quemadmodum possumus quandam trinitatis effigiem, et si non expressiorem tamen fortassis ad dinoscendum faciliorem. Neque enim frustra et iste homo dicitur nisi quia inest ei nonnulla interioris similitudo, et illo ipso ordine conditionis nostrae quo mortales atque carnales effecti sumus facilius et quasi familiarius visibilia quam intellegibilia pertractamus cum ista sint exterius, illa interius, et ista sensu corporis sentiamus, illa mente intellegamus; nosque ipsi animi non sensibiles simus, id est corpora, sed intellegibiles quoniam vita sumus; tamen, ut dixi, tanta facta est in corporibus consuetudo et ita in haec miro modo relabens foras se nostra proicit intentio ut cum ab incerto corporum ablata fuerit, ut in spiritu multo certiore ac stabiliore cognitione figatur, refugiat ad ista et ibi appetat requiem unde traxit infirmitatem. Cuius aegritudini congruendum est ut si quando interiora spiritalia adcommodatius distinguere atque facilius insinuare conamur, de corporalibus exterioribus similitudinum documenta capiamus. Sensu igitur corporis exterior homo praeditus sentit corpora, et iste sensus quod facile advertitur quinquepertitus est, videndo, audiendo, olfaciendo, gustando, tangendo. Sed et multum est et non necessarium ut omnes hos quinque sensus id quod quaerimus interrogemus; quod enim nobis unus eorum renuntiat etiam in ceteris valet. Itaque potissimum testimonio utamur oculorum; is enim sensus corporis maxime excellit et est visioni mentis pro sui generis diversitate vicinior.