Super Boethium De Trinitate

BOETHIUS’ PREFACE
Investigatam diutissime quaetionem quantum nostrae mentis igniculum illustrare lux divina dignata est, formatam rationibus litterisque mandatam, offerendam vobis communicandamque curavi, tam vestri cupidus iudicii, quam nostri studiosus inventi.	The problem which has been for so long a time the subject of my investigation—to the extent that the divine light has deigned to enkindle the feeble spark of my mind—now arranged according to a reasoned plan and consigned to writing, I have taken pains to offer and share with you, prompted as much by desire for your judgment as by zeal for my task.
Qua in re quid mihi sit animi, qoties stylo excogitata commendo, tum ex ipsa difficultate materiae, tum ex eo quod viris, idest vobis tantum colloquor, intelligi postest.	In this matter it is possible to understand what my intention is whenever I entrust my thought to pen, both because of the difficulty of the matter and because it is only to you men that I am addressing it.
Neque enim famae iactatione et inanibus vulgi clamoribus excitamur, sed si quis est fructus exterior, hic non potest aliam nisi materiae similem sperare sententiam.	Indeed, I am not prompted by any desire for fame or for empty popular applause; but if there is any exterior reward, it can be no other than to hope for a judgment in keeping with the matter.
Quocumque igitur a vobis deieci oculos, partim ignava segnities, partim callidus livor occurit, ut contumeliam videat divinis tractatibus irrogare, qui talibus hominum monstris non agnoscenda hic potius quam conculcanda proiecerim.	For, wherever I have directed my gaze, apart from you, I have encountered, on the one side, stolid indifference or, on the other, sly envy, so that I would appear to offer insult to matters pertaining to divine things by putting them before such monsters of men to be trampled under foot by them rather than to be acknowledged.
Idcirco stylum brevitate contraho et ex intimis sumpta philosophiae disciplinis novorum verborum significationibus velo, ut haec mihi tantum vobisque, si quando ad ea converteritis oculos, colloquantur; ceteros vero ita submovimus, ut qui capere intellectu nequiverint, ad ea etiam legenda videantur indigni.	On this account I restrain my pen by brevity, and truths gleaned from the deepest teachings of philosophy I veil over by the signification of new words, so that they may speak only to me and to you; if you, indeed, will direct your attention to them. But, as for others, I so disregard them that those who are unable to grasp the meaning of my words shall seem unworthy to read them.
Sane tantum a nobis oportet quaeri, quantum humanae rationis intuitus ad Deitatis valet celsa conscendere. Nam ceteris quoque artibus idem finis est constitutus, quousque potest via rationis accedere. Neque enim medicina aegris semper affert salutem. Sed nulla erit culpa medentis, si nihil eorum quae fieri oportebat, omiserit: idemque in ceteris.	Only so much ought one require of me as the intuition of human reason can approximate about the sublime truths of the Godhead. For in the case of other arts, the same limit is also established, namely, that which by the way of reason one can attain. Now, medicine does not always effect the cure of the patient. But no blame will be placed upon the physician if he has omitted none of the things which he ought to have done; and the same is true in other matters.
At quantum haec difficilior quaestio est, tantum facilior debet esse ad veniam. Vobis tamen illus etiam inspiciendum est an ex beati Augustini scriptis semina rationum in nos venientia fructus attulerint.	Moreover, in proportion to the difficulty of a problem, the pardoning of error ought to be the more easily granted. You must also determine this: whether the seeds of speculation, gathered from the writings of the blessed Augustine, have in my work borne fruit.
Nunc de proposita quaestione hinc sumamus initium.	Now, therefore, let us undertake at this point the discussion of the proposed question.

Pars 2 LECTIO 1 Prooemium: Boethius’ Text
Christianae religionis reverentiam plures usurpant,	1.1.1.1 There are many who claim as theirs the dignity of the Christian religion;
sed ea fides pollet maxime ac solitarie quae cum propter universalium praecepta regularum, quibus eiusdem religionis intellegatur auctoritas, tum propterea, quod eius cultus per omnes paene mundi terminos emanarit, catholica vel universalis vocatur.	1.1.1.2 but that form of faith has supreme authority, and has it exclusively, which, both on account of the universal character of the rules and doctrines affirming its authority, and because the worship in which they are expressed has spread throughout the world, is called catholic or universal.
Cuius haec de trinitatis unitate sententia est: "Pater," inquiunt, "deus filius deus spiritus sanctus deus".	1.1.2 The belief of this religion concerning the Trinity is as follows: The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God.
Igitur pater filius spiritus sanctus unus non tres dii.	1.2.1 Therefore, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God, not three Gods.
Cuius coniunctionis ratio est indifferentia.	1.2.2.1 The nature of Their Unity is such that there is no difference.
Eos enim differentia comitatur qui vel augent vel minuunt, ut Arriani qui gradibus meritorum trinitatem variantes distrahunt atque in pluralitatem diducunt.	1.2.2.2 Difference cannot be avoided by those who add to or take from the Unity, as for instance the Arians, who by graduating the Trinity according to merit, break it up and convert it to Plurality.
Principium enim pluralitatis alteritas est;	1.2.3.1.1 For the essence of plurality is otherness;
praeter alteritatem enim nec pluralitas quid sit intellegi potest.	1.2.2.1.2 apart from otherness plurality is unintelligible.
Trium namque rerum vel quotlibet tum genere tum specie tum numero diversitas constat;	1.2.3.2 In fact, the difference between things is to be found in genus or species or number.
quotiens enim idem dicitur, totiens diversum etiam praedicatur.	2.1 In as many ways as things are the same, in the same number of ways they are said to be diverse.
Idem vero dicitur tribus modis: aut genere ut idem homo quod equus, quia his idem genus ut animal; vel specie ut idem Cato quod Cicero, quia eadem species ut homo; vel numero ut Tullius et Cicero, quia unus est numero. Quare diversum etiam vel genere vel specie vel numero dicitur.	2.2 Sameness is predicated in three ways: by genus; e.g., a man and a horse, because of their common genus, animal. By species; e.g., Cato and Cicero, because of their common species, man. By number; e.g., Tullius and Cicero, because they are numerically one. Similarly difference is expressed by genus, species, and number.
Sed numero differentiam accidentium varietas facit. Nam tres homines neque genere neque specie sed suis accidentibus distant; nam vel si animo cuncta ab his accidentia separemus, tamen locus cunctis diversus est quem unum fingere nullo modo possumus; duo enim corpora unum locum non obtinebunt, qui est accidens. Atque ideo sunt numero plures, quoniam accidentibus plures fiunt.	2.3 But a variety of accidents brings about numerical difference; three men differ neither by genus nor species, but by their accidents, for if we mentally remove from them all other accidents, still each one occupies a different place which cannot possibly be regarded as the same for each, since two bodies cannot occupy the same place, and place is an accident. Wherefore it is because men are plural by their accidents that they are plural in number.

Pars 3, Prooemium	LECTIO 2 Boethius’ Text
Age igitur ingrediamur et unumquodque ut intellegi atque capi potest dispiciamus; nam, sicut optime dictum videtur, eruditi est hominis unumquodque ut ipsum est ita de eo fidem capere temptare.	1.1 Let us now begin a careful consideration of each several point, as far as it can be grasped and understood; for it has been wisely said, in my opinion, that it is a scholar’s duty to formulate his belief about anything according to its real nature.
Nam cum tres sint speculativae partes, naturalis, in motu inabstracta anupexairetos~g	1.2. Speculative science may be divided into three kinds: physics, mathematics, and theology.
(considerat enim corporum formas cum materia, quae a corporibus actu separari non possunt, quae corpora in motu sunt ut cum terra deorsum ignis sursum fertur, habet que motum forma materiae coniuncta),	1.2.1.1 Physics deals with motion and is not abstract or separable; for it is concerned with forms of bodies together with their constituent matter, which forms cannot be separated in reality from their bodies. As bodies are in motion—the earth, for instance, tending downward, and fire tending upward—form takes on the movement of the particular thing to which it is annexed.
mathematica, sine motu inabstracta (haec enim formas corporum speculatur sine materia ac per hoc sine motu, quae formae cum in materia sint, ab his separari non possunt),	1.2.1.2 Mathematics does not deal with motion and is not abstract, for it investigates forms of bodies apart from matter, and therefore apart from movement, which forms being connected with matter cannot really be separated from bodies.
theologica, sine motu abstracta atque separabilis (nam dei substantia et materia et motu caret),	1.2.1.3 Theology does not deal with motion and is abstract and of things inseparable, for the divine substance is without matter or motion.
in naturalibus igitur rationabiliter, in mathematicis disciplinaliter,	1.2.2.1 In physics we are bound to use scientific concepts, in mathematics systematic concepts, in theology intellectual concepts;
in divinis intellectualiter versari oportebit neque diduci ad imaginationes, sed potius ipsam inspicere formam	1.2.2.2 and in theology we will not let ourselves be diverted to play with imaginations, but will consider simply form.
quae vere forma neque imago est et quae esse ipsum est et ex qua esse est...	2. Which form, indeed...