The Society for Ancient Languages
Week Twelve
SERMO SANCTI CAESARII EPISCOPI DE SIMILTUDINE ULMEAE ARBORIS ET DE VIDE |
SAINT CAESARIUS OF ARLES |
| Legimus in quodam libro, fratres dilectissimi, de ulmo et vite propositam nobis similtudinem; quam qui diligenter adtendit, non parvam animae suae aedificationem inveniet. Nam arbor ulmea et vitis satis sibi convenientes esse videntur. Arbor enim ulmea licet sit amoena et in subline porrecta, nullum tamen fructum habere probatur: vitis vero quamvis sit parva et humilis, fructibus plena esse cognoscitur; qui fructus nisi qualicumque ligno leventur in altum, in terra putrescunt atque depereunt. Si vero ulmus extendat ramos suos et erigat vitem, et se ornat, et illam de putredine liberat. Quare ista similitudo sit posita, diligenter adtendamus. Arbor ulmea significat hominem divitem in hoc mundo. Sicut enim arbor illa sublimis est et amoena et humida, et tamen fructibus vacua; ita et quicumque dives saeculi huius, quamvis sublimetur honoribus, in multis facultatibus amoenus et iocundus esse videatur, tamen si ad vitem, id est, ad pauperem Christi elemosynarum suarum brachia quasi ramos piissimos humiliter non expandit, a fructibus aeternae vitae vacuus remanebit. Vitis autem significat servos dei, abbates, monachos vel clericos spiritales, in deo vacantes, et doctrinae iugiter insistentes, et si qui sunt alii similes horum, qui contempto mundo deo die noctuque deserviunt: quo servitio in aeterna beatitudine uberes fructus habere creduntur. Ac sic divites mundi huius abundant in hoc saeculo, et pauperes Christi in caelo. Quid ergo futurum est, ut nec arbor ulmea sine fructu remaneat, nec vitis in terra putrescat? Hoc enim expedit fieri, ut, quomodo arbor ulmea extendit ramos suos, et erigit vel sustinet vitem, sic dives saeculi huius porrigat ramos suos, id est, manus plenas fructibus agri sui, et sustentet pauperes Christi. Quod si fecerit in hoc mundo, sine dubio ab ipsis pauperibus Christi multipliciter illi repensabitur in futuro. | We have proposed to us in a certain book, dearly beloved, a parable of the elm and the vine. Anyone who reads it carefully will find in it much edification for his soul. For the elm tree and the vine appear sufficiently complementary to each other. Indeed, although the elm tree is pleasing and stands aloft, it is shown to bear no fruit, but the vine, small and lowly, admittedly is full of fruit; however, unless the fruit is lifted on high by some tree, it withers and dies on the earth. Now, if the elm extends its branches and by lifting up the vine adorns itself, the vine is freed from decay. Let us carefully observe why this parable has been drawn. The elm tree signifies the rich man in this world. Just as that tree is lofty and pleasing and rich in moisture yet void of fruit, so also any rich man of this world, even if he be elevated with honors and appear pleasing and delightful for many reasons, will remain without the fruits of eternal life if he does not humbly extend the arms of his alms like most devoted branches, toward the vine, that is, toward Christ's poor. The vine further signifies God's servants, abbots, monks, or devout clerics, who are absorbed in God, continually following His teaching, as well as any others who like these despising the world, serve God both day and night. By this service men are thought to bear rich fruit in eternal happiness. Thus, the rich men of this world abound in this life and the poor of Christ in heaven. What, then, is to take place in order that the elm tree may not remain without fruit or the vine wither on the ground? This situation can result that, just as the elm tree extends its branches and raises up or supports the vine, so the rich man in this life may stretch out his branches, that is, hands full of the fruit of his field, and support Christ's poor. Moreover, if he does this in this life, he doubtless will be repaid abundantly by those same poor people in the life to come. |