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First of all,
the virtue of mutual and continual charity
that binds their wills together
flourishes among them.
Forty or fifty of them can dwell together in one place,
wanting and not wanting the same things
forming one spirit in them out of many.a
Second,
the gem of humility,
preserving the good things bestowed by heaven
so sparkles in each one
that they merit other virtues as well.b
Third,
the lily of virginity and chastity
diffuses such a wondrous fragrance among them
that they forget earthly thoughts
and desire to meditate only on heavenly things.
So great a love of their eternal Spouse arises in their hearts
that the integrity of their holy feelings keeps them
from every habit of their former life.
Fourth,
all of them have become so distinguished
by their title of highest poverty
that their food and clothing
rarely or never
manage to satisfy extreme necessity.c
20 Fifth,
they have so attained the unique grace
of abstinence and silence
that they scarcely need to exert any effort
- "Idem velle atque idem nolle, ea demum firma amicitia est [Wanting and not wanting the same thing—this is the foundation of a firm friendship]." This is a proverbial saying that Sallust places in the mouth of Cataline who urges his fellow conspirators in the name of friendship to join him in revolt, cf. Caius Crispus Sallust, Bellum Catilinarium, XX 4 (The Loab Classical Library) 33-34.
- The monastic tradition presented humility as the foundation of all virtue, e.g. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermo I in Nativitate Domini (PL 183:115): "Be eager to humble yourselves, for [humility] is the foundation and guardian of the virtues." "No gem," writes Bernard, "is more resplendent . . . than humility." Cf. Bernard, De Consideratione ad Eugenium papam tertiam libri quinque II 13. "What is as pure," he asks, "or as perfect as humility of heart?" Bernard, In Annuntiatione, Sermo III, 9. Thomas, however, places it in the second position in the life of the Poor Ladies even though he echoes the earlier approach in suggesting that humility "preserves the good things bestowed by heaven" and enables them to "merit other virtues as well."
- In this instance the Latin titulus [title] is a canonical term signifying the source of one’s adequate support. In the phrase altissimae paupertatis titulo [the title of the highest poverty] Thomas uses the term in a paradoxical way to indicate that the source of support of the Poor Ladies is poverty.
Vita Prima, Fontes Franciscani, p. 294-295
—2Praecipua
namque ante omnia in eis viget
virtus mutuae ac continuae charitatis,
quae ita ipsarum in unum copulat voluntates,
ut cum quadraginta vel quinquaginta pariter alicubi commorentur,
idem velle ac idem nolle
unum in eis spiritum faciat de diversis.
—3Secundo
in unaquaque rutilat
humilitatis gemma,
quae collata dona et bona de caelis habita sic conservat,
ut virtutes caeteras mereantur.
—4Tertio
virginitatis et castitatis lilium
sic respergit odore mirabili universas,
ut terrenarum cogitationum oblitae,
sola desiderent caelestia meditari,
et tantus ex ipsius fragrantia in ipsarum cordibus aeterni Sponsi amor exoritur,
ut integritas sacrae affectionis
omnem ab eis consuetudinem vitae prioris excludat.
—5Quarto
sic omnes altissimae paupertatis
sunt titulo insignitae,
ut extremae necessitati
victus et vestitus
vix vel numquam satisfacere acquiescant.
201Quinto
vero sic abstinentiae ac taciturnitatis
adeptae sunt gratiam singularem,
ut ad cohibendum carnalem motum
et frenandam linguam
vim minime patiantur;