Chapter XLI
THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS
the mildest one of all those who remained in the land, after a forty-day fast when he was refreshed by a marvelous abundance of spiritual delights, suddenly was inflamed with so much zeal against the fabricators and worshipers of the idol, so that after having joined to himself those who were of the Lord immediately he went through the middle of the camps, from gate to gate, killing, and he threw to the ground in death three thousand men of prevarication
(Cf. Exod.
32). So Zabulon is born after Issachar because by means of the taste of inner sweetness, hatred of vices is produced, and strength of true fortitude is acquired. The latter is Zabulon, who by being angered is accustomed to placate the anger of God and who by dutifully raging while he slays the vices of men spares them best, as it were, by not sparing them. Without doubt, nothing so reconciles to God, nothing so placates God as zeal of souls.
Chapter XLI How rare it is to have zealfor uprightness arisingfrom a true hatred of vices
O, how many people by the grace of God conceive in the mind and give birth from themselves to many offspring of other virtues, yet they are not able to have this son! How many paupers in spirit do we see today: rejoicing in hope, fervent in charity, abstaining very much, being fully patient—but so excessively tepid and very torpid for the zeal of souls? Some, as if from the constraint of humility, do not dare to rebuke delinquent persons.
Others, in order not to seem to disturb brotherly love, fear to denounce sinners. And so others, in other ways, because they are unwilling to be zealous for the Lord, suppose this is virtuous, or they believe it is a virtue. But on the contrary, many persons, because without doubt they are acting in a spirit of fury, think that they act with zeal of uprightness, and the things they enforce in truth from hatred of men, they think or pretend that they practice because of hatred of vices. But, I ask, should they not ask who such persons are who believe that they have already given birth to Zabulon? I ask, should they not ask whether in truth they love those whom they punish so severely, as it were at the instigation of Zabulon? Perhaps they have
RICHARD OF ST. VICTOR
been completely unable to know by experience those spiritual delights, to which they wish, by means of their whips or even rebukes, to seem to invite those whom they accuse or whip. For those who have known by means of experience those inner joys to which they invite them by so many griefs ought to trust pursuing delinquent persons with compassion, not cruelty. We read that Leah gave birth to Judah and Issachar before Zabulon. And we have already said that charity is signified by Judah and the experience of spiritual joys by Issachar. It is necessary that Judah and Issachar be born first, since the mind that is without charity and interior pleasantness is completely unable to keep the norm of uprightness in its zeal. For charity teaches how one ought to treat those whom Zabulon punishes.
Familiarity with spiritual things teaches what that pleasantness is to which they are invited or even are compelled, because of which exterior enjoyment is forbidden (viz., pleasure of the flesh), and for which they are harshly denounced often at the urging of Zabulon. And so Judah ought to teach the manner;
Issachar, the cause of reproof; so that with the moderation ofJudah it is done in a spirit of leniency, and at the suggestion of Issachar it is done nonetheless for reason of benefit. Nevertheless Zabulon seeks their benefit and not his own so that insofar as he strikes delinquent persons, it is for benefit and not for revenge.
Chapter XLH What is the office of a true zealot However Zabulon ought not only to reproach delinquent persons but also to defend them from pursuers in a time of tribulation, otherwise it is not true zeal. Nor is he able to be called Zabulon in truth if he is more prepared to strike than to protect. For not in vain is this sixth and last of the sons of Leah called "dwelling place of fortitude": for as has been said above, Zabulon is interpreted "dwelling place of fortitude." See how a house covers over above and surrounds on all sides those who inhabit it, yet nevertheless, unless it is strong and firmly fortified, it is not a dwelling place of fortitude. So do not marvel that perfect zeal, in order that it may be
THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS
called Zabulon—nay may be Zabulon—ought by doctrine and preaching to protect weaker persons against powers of the air, to defend them on all sides against worldly perils, and to persevere in both not only without fatigue but also invincibly. Thus, he ought to watch here against devices of the devil, there against oppressions of the world. Without doubt, whenever whenever you are strong in both you are a dwelling place of fortitude and you worthily deserve to be called Zabulon. Zabulon ought to be more prompt, and assuredly always more ready to bear evils than to move against evils.
And because he has, of necessity, to be angry at subject persons at one time or another on account of guilt, so he grieves when he is compelled to strike them for guilt, more than when he is compelled to be punished on account of their defense. Thus he gladly throws himself against the attacks of perils and willingly sets himself against the hurricanes of raging weather. Otherwise he lives on the shore of the sea in vain, he makes ready in vain a dwelling place in the harbor of the ships if he trembles against the marine danger of earthly oppression, unless he rescues cheerfully and assists generously those worn out daily by storms and cast at last upon the shores.
Chapter XLIII That it is the task of the true zealot to watch not only against violence but also against fraud "Zabulon shall live on the shore of the sea and in the harbor of the ships, stretching as far as Sidon" (Gen. 49:13). What then do you think is the reason why he lives on the shore, except that he may defend the extremities of the land and, inasmuch as he is a dwelling place of virtue, may protect the weaker members of the Church? Therefore he sets himself against the perils of those whom he perceives to be fatigued by constant storms of persecution. So that he may always be prepared for bringing aid to the shipwrecked he remains, as has been written of him, in the harbor of the ships.
For he knows how to encourage with cheerful consolation, both to lift up to a place of security and to call back to a kind of port of
RICHARD OF ST. VICTOR
tranquillity, as it were, those oppressed for a long time by temptations, who endure as it were a kind of shipwreck and already are almost broken in pieces. And so in this way Zabulon shall live on the shore of the sea, in the harbor of the ships, stretching as far as Sidon. He spreads himself out broadly along the shore of the sea, running here and there. While he watches all around about the protection of his people, while he prepares himself on all sides against the attack of enemies, he stretches as far as Sidon. Sidon is interpreted "hunting," by which rightly enough fraud of deceptions is understood. Accordingly, Zabulon has his hands full not only to encourage weak ones against the fury of persecutors but also to snatch any simple ones whomever from the snares of the hunters.
Therefore, he stretches as far as Sidon as often as he discovers the ambushes of a clever enemy, as often as he detects the fraudulent counsel of false brothers. "A word of such a kind," testifies the Apostle, "spreads slowly like a cancer"
(2 Tim.
2:17). For this is that snare of the hunters and as it were a kind of net of malignant spirits hunting simple souls, viz., the tongue of flatterers, the tongue of detractors, of those sowing discord between brothers, of those rousing angers and quarrels. Thus Zabulon stretches as far as Sidon, as often as he prevents deceitful clever devices whether of malignant spirits or faithless men. For we know that such a hunt of souls happens, sometimes by the hidden suggestion of demons and at other times by the open persuasion of men. Nevertheless, Zabulon knows how to detect both carefully and to expose them with caution. Therefore he fixes his dwelling place of fortitude in the region of the sea, in the limits of Sidon, so that he may watch here against the violence of the persecutors and there against the fraud of clever ones, and he fulfills what is read to have been written concerning him: "Zabulon shall live on the shore of the sea, in the harbor of the ships, stretching as far as Sidon."
Chapter XLIV Of what kind and how great it is to have perfect zeal of souls He who is able should consider thoroughly of what sort this son should be, and how great should be his virtue by whose office
THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS
everyone not only defends himself against vices, but also exerts himself to rescue others from the snares of sins. And he labors at least to restrain by resistance the badness of those he is not able to change into better.
I do not know if a man is able to receive in this life anything greater from God.
I do not know whether God is able meanwhile to bestow upon a man anything greater than this grace, than that by his work perverse men might be changed into better, and that sons of God might be made from sons of the devil. Or perhaps it will seem greater to some that the dead be awakened.
Therefore, will it be greater to awaken dead flesh that will die again, than a soul that will live to eternity? Will it be greater to recall the flesh to the joys of the world than to restore to a soul the joys of heaven? Will it be greater to restore to the flesh transient goods that will perish again than to restore to the soul the eternal goods that will last to eternity? O what kind of dowry! How great a distinction to receive such a grace from God! The bride of God ought not to receive any other dowry from her Bridegroom.
It is not fitting that the celestial Bridegroom give any other gift to His bride, than that by means of the grace of adoption she might be able to give birth to many sons for God, and from the sons of anger and the sons of Gehenna to add to heirs of the celestial kingdom. Thus at the birth of Zabulon his mother Leah deservedly exclaims: "God has enriched me with a good dowry" (Gen.
30:20). Do you not see of what kind and how great it is to possess zeal of justice and to bring forth from the heart hatred of vices and to practice it in truth?
Whoever bears such a son confidently sings with the Prophet: "I have hated every unjust way" (Ps.
118:128).
Chapter XLV How andfrom whence ordered shame is bom But after these six offspring of the virtues will anyone be permitted to live without sin so that at least after hatred of vices it will be possible to be without vice? Who presumes this? Who dares to hope for this in this life, since an Apostle says: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (I John
1:8).
Is there anyone— I am silent about other things—who is able
RICHARD OF ST. VICTOR
at last to abandon completely or to shun perfectly his own sins of ignorance in this life? Do those who reproach the faults of others strip themselves thoroughly of the contamination of every sin? Indeed, by a dispensation of great kindness, God often allows those through whom He arranges to correct the errors of others to fall unpleasantly, so that from their own fault they may learn how merciful they ought to be in the reproach of others. But how much do you think they feel ashamed when they deprive themselves of so much humility, when they who ought to show to others an appearance in a state of uprightness observe themselves in that on account of which they reprove others, or perhaps in another more unpleasant fall? Who do you think would suffice to think worthily how great a confusion pierces their hearts when they see in their life what is able justly to be censured, even by those whom they often remember in themselves for their fault, and to be reproved more harshly and to be punished more sharply? This is the reason why Dina is born after Zabulon, since often without doubt when a fault is found shamefacedness follows after too much zeal. For we understand nothing other by Dina except shamefacedness—ordered shamefacedness. To feel ashamed of a single sin is to have good and ordered shamefacedness. But he who does not deserve to give birth to Zabulon believes in vain that he is able to give birth to Dina.
Chapter XLVI What and of what kind ordered shame is Learn first to hate sin, and then you will begin truly to feel ashamed of it.
If you truly hate, you quickly feel ashamed of it.
That shame is known to be true when hatred of vices precedes and accompanies it. Otherwise, if you are caught in sin and confounded with shame when you are caught, I do not believe that you feel ashamed of the fault, but of the infamy. For such shamefacedness descends not so much from sin itself as from the damage to our reputation. Thus it is not a reason for you to boast as if you have given birth to Dina. Even perverse men have shame, but if only it were good, if only it were ordered! For if they had good shame.
THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS
perhaps they would not be perverse. For indeed, if they felt perfectly ashamed, they would not commit sin so easily. What kind of shame do you think it is to feel ashamed of poverty, to feel ashamed of lowliness? They are not ashamed to feel shame for that which the heavenly teacher was not ashamed to descend from heaven to teach.
"Learn from me," He says, "because I am gentle and lowly in heart"
(Matt.
11:29). But on the contrary, those who despise more than follow lowness, feel much more ashamed to have filthy clothing than a filthy mind. How many there are today who would be more ashamed to make in a speech a barbarism against the rule of Priscian than to reveal in their discourse a lie against the rule of Christ? But why do we say this about those who often even boast of their crimes since even those who seem spiritual by no means rise easily above this shame? Often while they serve the advantage of neighbors in the office of preaching, while they dispute strongly against pride, it comes to pass that often they are proud, from which it is evident that they argue tenuously against pride. And if perhaps in the course of speaking they should produce a short syllable (which is accustomed to happen), they probably are more ashamed concerning a vice of speaking than concerning the vice of self-esteem. Believe me, it ought not to be believed that this is that shamefacedness which we ought to understand through Dina.
Chapter XLVII How rare it is to have true shame Would you like to know better how rare it is perfectly to trample underfoot human shamefacedness and to have this true and ordered shamefacedness that means that Dina has been born?
Notice, I say nothing about carnal things, since the discourse seems to me now to concern only spiritual things. Behold, whoever you are who believe yourselves already to have given birth to Dina: If you should be compelled to pass before a multitude with a nude body would you be able not to feel shame? Think, then, if you would be so confounded when you were defiled in the mind by an impure thought. Why do you boast any longer that you have given
RICHARD OF ST. VICTOR
birth to Dina and have ordered shamefacedness if you feel less shame for the heart than for the body, if you have more fear of the face of men than of the presence of angels? So, should you feel more ashamed of what God made well, than of what you have done evilly? Certainly God made even those parts of the body that we call shameful. However, no one other than you made the shameful things of the heart.
Therefore, having carefully considered and duly discerned how rare it is, and how few fully vanquish human shamefacedness and possess only that which is ordered, I think there will no longer be a reason for anyone to be amazed why Leah conceived and brought forth such an offspring so late.
Chapter XLVIII V^hat the nature of shame is But lest we seem to have passed over in silence the reason for the name, Dina is interpreted "that judgment." And so she is that judgment by which everyone is by his own conscience addressed, convicted, condemned and punished with a punishment worthy of the disorder. For if he were not conscious of it, there would be no reason at all that he ought to feel ashamed. And certainly, if there were no punishment for disorder, there would be no reason why anyone ought to curse it or shun it so much. And so in a marvelous way, when convicted from its own conscience and deservedly cast down by disorder, the mind of everyone at one and the same time delivers a judgment against itself and exacts satisfaction from itself.
This is that judgment in which the person who judges and the person who is judged are one and the same: the same, he who condemns and he who is condemned; one and the same, he who punishes and he who is punished.
It was not without cause that sacred Scripture did not wish that such a thing be called judgment without a demonstration. For it always shows a demonstration, and why else this addition except to arouse the soul of the hearer to wonder? True judgment is marvelous and worthy of wonder and worthily proclaimed with a demonstration; in which judgment the more ardently each person loves himself, the more bitterly he rages
THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS
against himself. For which reason the more eagerly he desires to spare himself, the less he spares himself; since because the more he fears his disorder, the result is that his disorder troubles everyone more severely. But does it perhaps seem surprising to anyone why, if this is worthily counted among the other virtues, it is portrayed by a person of the female sex rather than the male? But we all know that however much the form of beauty may be greater in women than in men, nevertheless constancy of fortitude in works of the virtues is much less. Who does not know that shamefacedness, however honest, softens strength of heart so much, and how it often hinders brave works, when the soul of man shuns to be confounded beyond measure? And so Dina is not a man but a woman, not a son but a daughter.
Chapter XLIX Concerning the usefulness and loveliness of shamefacedness And perhaps it was not without cause that after the birth of Zabulon God determined to give Leah not a son, but a daughter who might gently make mild the audacity of the brother and might soften by gentleness the soul of the raging brother. For Zabulon, as it appears from the aforesaid, has an enormous fury, and he shows a very great wrath. But they know, as we all know, that women are better able than men to address swollen souls more gently and to soothe enraged persons more sweetly. Therefore it seems fit that Dina is born after Zabulon, so that the ferocity of the brother might be moderated by the softness of the sister. For she moderates the fury of a zealous soul much in every way, when the soul discovers in itself something by reason of which it should feel ashamed.
Assuredly this is the reason, if I am not mistaken, why Dina is born after Zabulon, that her modesty might moderate the fury of her brother. But because Dina endeavors to do nothing bold, nothing magnificent, she does not deserve to produce a tribe among the people Israel. Indeed, often, as has been said, when she more than justly fears to be confounded, she not only does not gather strength for brave and bold things, but she even is accustomed to hinder