Edition Hide
Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

56.

Est vero quidam Liae fetus ex beneficio Rachel editus, cum virum suum secum debita nocte cubiturum acceptis a filio Liae mandragoricis malis cum sorore cubitare permittit. De hoc autem pomi genere opinari quosdam scio, quod acceptum in escam sterilibus feminis fecunditatem parit; ac per hoc putant omni modo institisse Rachel, ut hoc a filio sororis acciperet cupiditate pariendi. p. 651,7 Quod ego non arbitrarer, nec si tunc concepisset. Nunc vero cum post Liae duos alios ab illa nocte partus dominus eam prole donaverit, nihil est, cur de mandragora tale aliquid suspicemur, quale in nulla femina experti sumus. Dicam ergo quid sentiam, dicent hinc forte meliora doctiores. Cum enim haec mala ipse vidissem et propter istum ipsum sacrae lectionis locum id mihi obtigisse gratularer – rara enim res est - , naturam eorum diligenter, quantum potui, perscrutatus sum, non aliqua a communi sensu remotiore scientia, quae docet virtutes radicum et potestates herbarum, sed quantum mihi et cuilibet homini renuntiabat visus et olfactus et gustus. p. 651,18 Proinde rem comperi pulchram et suaveolentem, sapore autem insipido; et ideo cur eam mulier tantopere concupiverit, ignorare me fateor, nisi forte propter pomi raritatem et odoris iucunditatem. Cur vero ipsam rem gestam sancta scriptura tacere noluerit, quae non utique talia desideria muliercularum nobis pro magno insinuare curaret, nisi aliquid in eis magnum quaerere commoneret, nihil amplius conicere valeo, quam quod ex illo communi sensu mihi suggeritur, ut illo mandragorico pomo figurari intellegam famam bonam: non eam, quae confertur, cum laudant hominem pauci iusti atque sapientes, sed illam popularem, qua etiam maior et clarior notitia comparatur, p. 652,4 non ipsa per sese expetenda, sed intentioni bonorum, qua generi humano consulunt, pernecessaria. Unde dicit apostolus: Oportet etiam testimonium habere bonum ab eis, qui foris sunt, qui licet parum sapiant, reddunt tamen plerumque labori eorum, per quos sibi consulitur, et splendorem laudis et odorem bonae opinionis. Nec ad istam gloriam popularem primi perveniunt eorum, qui sunt in ecclesia, nisi quicumque in actionum periculis et labore versantur. Propterea Liae filius mala mandragorica invenit exiens in agrum, id est honeste ambulans ad eos, qui foris sunt. Doctrina vero illa sapientiae, quae a vulgi strepitu remotissima in contemplatione veritatis dulci delectatione defigitur, hanc popularem gloriam quantulamcumque non assequeretur nisi per eos, qui in mediis turbis agendo ac suadendo populis praesunt, non ut praesint, sed ut prosint, p. 652,18 quia, dum isti actuosi et negotiosi homines, per quos multitudinis administratur utilitas, et quorum auctoritas populis cara est, testimonium perhibent etiam vitae propter studium conquirendae et contemplandae veritatis otiosae, quodam modo mala mandragorica per Liam perveniunt ad Rachel, ad ipsam vero Liam per filium primogenitum, id est per honorem fecunditatis eius, in qua est omnis fructus laboriosae atque inter incerta temptationum periclitantis actionis, quam plerique bono ingenio praediti studioque flagrantes quamvis idonei regendis populis esse possint, tamen vitant propter turbulentas occupationes et in doctrinae otium toto pectore tamquam speciosae Rachel feruntur amplexum.

Translation Hide
Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

56.

In one instance Leah owed her becoming a mother to Rachel, who, in return for some mandrakes, allowed her husband to give her night to her sister. Some, I know, think that eating this fruit has the effect of making barren women productive, and that Rachel, from her desire for children, was thus bent on getting the fruit from her sister. But I should not agree to this, even had Rachel conceived at the time. As Leah then conceived, and, besides, had two other children before God opened Rachel's womb, there is no reason for supposing any such quality in the mandrake, without any experience to prove it. I will give my explanation; those better able than I may give a better. Though this fruit is not often met with, I had once, to my great satisfaction, on account of its connection with this passage of Scripture, an opportunity of seeing it. I examined the fruit as carefully as I could, not with the help of any recondite knowledge of the nature of roots or the virtues of plants, but only as to what I or any one might learn from the sight, and smell, and taste. I thought it a nice-looking fruit, and sweet-smelling, but insipid; and I confess it is hard to say why Rachel desired it so much, unless it was for its rarity and its sweet smell. Why the incident should be narrated in Scripture, in which the fancies of women would not be mentioned as important unless it was intended that we should learn some important lesson from them, the only thing I can think of is the very simple idea that the fruit represents a good character; not the praise given a man by a few just and wise people, but popular report, which bestows greatness and renown on a man, and which is not desirable for its own sake, but is essential to the success of good men in their endeavors to benefit their fellow-men. So the apostle says, that it is proper to have a good report of those that are without; ¹ for though they are not infallible, the lustre of their praise and the odor of their good opinion are a great help to the efforts of those who seek to benefit them. And this popular renown is not obtained by those that are highest in the Church, unless they expose themselves to the toils and hazards of an active life. Thus the son of Leah found the mandrakes when he went out into the field, that is, when walking honestly towards those that are without. The pursuit of wisdom, on the other hand, retired from the busy crowd, and lost in calm meditation, could never obtain a particle of this public approval, except through those who take the management of public business, not for the sake of being leaders, but in order to be useful. These men of action and business exert themselves for the public benefit, and by a popular use of their influence gain the approval of the people even for the quiet life of the student and inquirer after truth; and thus through Leah the mandrakes come into the hands of Rachel. Leah herself got them from her first-born son, that is, in honor of her fertility, which represents all the useful result of a laborious life exposed to the common vicissitudes; a life which many avoid on account of its troublesome engagements, because, although they might be able to take the lead, they are bent on study, and devote all their powers to the quiet pursuit of knowledge, in love with the beauty of Rachel.