Page 243

C.xiii.

le mauvaiz homme ne poeut penser aux haultes cho
ses. Car qui de terre est a terre tend et pretend a dieu
dieu latend. Car dieu meismes dist ceste parole. Qui
de terre est de terre parle. et qui du ciel vient au ciel
pretend. Celui sans aultre est sire des aultres. Les
philosophes qui bien sceurent entendre ceste paro
le si eulrent plus chier a souffrir travaulx et mes
aiges pour apprendre que a attendre aux honneurs
mondains. Car trop plus tenoient chieres les scien
cies et les clergies que toutes les seignouries du mon
de. Platon qui fut ung puissant et recommande mai
stre dathenes relenqui son noble estat et son lieu
Car il volt vivre de telle renommee. maintes con
trees et pays sercha et eult plus chier avoir paine
mesaise et vergongue pour enquerir verite et pour
aprendre que avoir seignourie ne domination au
monde. ne renommee destre maistre pour voloir riens
dire. dont il ne fut certain pour acquerir la vaine
loenge du monde. Appollines qui tant fut grant
prinche laissa son empire et son regne et se esvan
ni comme poure et nud pour aprendre les sciences

113

the evil man cannot think of high things. For he who is of the
earth pays attention to the earth, and he who aspires to God,
God attends to him. [note the word play here]. For God
himself says so in these words: "He who is of earth, speaks of the earth.
And he who comes from heaven aspires to heaven. He who is
without peer [lit: other] is Lord of all [lit: the others]. The
philosophers, who knew well how to understand these words,
considered it more worthy to suffer hardship and tribulation [see note]
in order to learn, rather than to incline to worldly honors.
For they held the sciences and scholarship [see note] to be more
valuable than all the lordships of the world. Plato, who was a
powerful and praised teacher in Athens, left his noble state
and his home because he wanted to live in such fame. He
searched out many countries and regions and held it more worthy
to have pain, tribulation, and shame for the sake of seeking out
and learning truth, than to have lordship and domination in
the world. Nor did he want to have the renown of being a master.
He would never say anything of which he was not certain just so he could gain the
vain praise of the world. [see note] Appollinus, who was such
a great prince, left his empire and his reign and departed
poor and naked in order to learn the sciences

C.xiii.

le mauvaiz homme ne poeut penser aux haultes cho
ses. Car qui de terre est a terre tend et pretend a dieu
dieu latend. Car dieu meismes dist ceste parole. Qui
de terre est de terre parle. et qui du ciel vient au ciel
pretend. Celui sans aultre est sire des aultres. Les
philosophes qui bien sceurent entendre ceste paro
le si eulrent plus chier a souffrir travaulx et mes
aiges pour apprendre que a attendre aux honneurs
mondains. Car trop plus tenoient chieres les scien
cies et les clergies que toutes les seignouries du mon
de. Platon qui fut ung puissant et recommande mai
stre dathenes relenqui son noble estat et son lieu
Car il volt vivre de telle renommee. maintes con
trees et pays sercha et eult plus chier avoir paine
mesaise et vergongue pour enquerir verite et pour
aprendre que avoir seignourie ne domination au
monde. ne renommee destre maistre pour voloir riens
dire. dont il ne fut certain pour acquerir la vaine
loenge du monde. Appollines qui tant fut grant
prinche laissa son empire et son regne et se esvan
ni comme poure et nud pour aprendre les sciences

113

the evil man cannot think of high things. For he who is of the
earth pays attention to the earth, and he who aspires to God,
God attends to him. [note the word play here]. For God
himself says so in these words: "He who is of earth, speaks of the earth.
And he who comes from heaven aspires to heaven. He who is
without peer [lit: other] is Lord of all [lit: the others]. The
philosophers, who knew well how to understand these words,
Considered it more worthy to suffer hardship and tribulation [see note]
in order to learn, rather than to incline to worldly honors.
For they held the sciences and the clerical professions to be more
valuable than all the lordships of the world. Plato, who was a
powerful and praised teacher in Athens, left his noble state
and his home. Because he wanted to live in such renown, he
searched out many countries and regions, and held it more worthy
to have pain, tribulation, and shame for the sake of seeking out
and learning truth, than to have lordship and domination in
the world. Nor did he want to have the renown of being a master.
He would say nothing of which he was not certain, just so he could gain the
vain praise of the world. [check this] Appollinus, who was such
a great prince, left his empire and his reign and departed
poor and naked in order to learn the sciences