Alanus ab Insulis hears the words of Natura:
‘Hear how in this universe, as in a great city, order is established by the control of a majestic government. In the heavens, as in the citadel of a human city, resides imperially the everlasting Ruler. From Him eternally has gone forth the command that every individual thing should be known and written in the book of His providence. In the air, as in the middle of the city, the heavenly army of angels does service, and with delegated control diligently extends its guard over man. Man, like one foreign-born, dwelling in a suburb of the universe, does not refuse obedience to the angelic host. In this state, then, God is commanding, the angel working, man serving. God by command creates man; the angel by work procreates him; man by obedience recreates himself. God by decree determines a thing; the angel by action fashions it; man submits himself to the will of the controlling spirit. God commands with the mastery of authority; the angel administers with the service of action; man obeys with the mystery of regeneration.
But the present line of our thought has gone too far astray, which would venture to raise the theme to the ineffable mystery of Godship, in the effort to grasp which the breath of our mind faints. Now a likeness to this most excellently ordered state arises in man. In the citadel of the head rests wisdom, who commands; to whom, as to a goddess, the other powers, as demi-goddesses, do obeisance. For her, inborn understanding and ability in logic, as well as the faculty to recall the past, which dwell in different rooms of the head, are eager to do service. In the heart, as in the midst of the human city, magnanimity has established her dwelling-place, and, acknowledging her service under the dominion of wisdom, works as that authority determines. The loins, like outlying districts, give over the extreme parts of the body to passionate pleasures. These, not daring to oppose the direction of magnanimity, serve her will. (Alain of Lille, 1202).
Not yet available in English Persephone − Natura by Mieke Mosmuller
