Chapter XXXII
THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS
exercise of abstinence. It is the part of one to quiet civil discord; it is the part of the other to repel a hostile action. The former watches for a betrayal of the citizens; the latter, for an invasion of enemies; the former, against perfidy; the latter, against violence. For when
Dan is negligent the mind is easily deceived. When Gad moves more slowly the mind is suddenly rushed toward foul delight. But of what importance is it whether the city of our heart is destroyed by power or by fraud; whether civil discord or the hand of the enemy overthrows it?
Chapter XXXII That discipline of thinking cannot be maintained without discipline of the senses However, it is necessary to understand that discipline of the body, without discipline of the heart, is doubtless useless. Truly, discipline of thinking cannot be kept at all without discipline of the senses. Therefore it is sufficiently known that without the assistance of Gad who ought to watch against exterior things, Dan labors vainly within in arranging the peace of the citizens. For what use is it when Dan judges his people continually to cut off the cause of discord, unless Gad strives not to admit the irritations of the vices (which surely are like a hostile army) through the portals of the senses? For however much Dan may remain on the throne of judgment, however much he may continually quiet the quarrels of disputing thoughts, he exerts himself in vain especially in quieting the discord of citizens unless Gad with the same zeal guards our city by discipline of the senses and eagerly kills the hostile army of the vices by a contest of abstinence. So it is written: "Gad, having been girded, shall fight before him" (Gen. 49:19). For then Dan on the inside usefully watches against the faithlessness of traitors while
Gad on the outside keeps out and drives away attacking armies.
And so first of all Gad is girded so that afterward he may fight bravely. Gad doubtlessly girds himself when he restrains by means of discipline the dissoluteness of the senses. Gad fights in brave battle when he slaughters carnal desires by means of mortification
RICHARD OF ST. VICTOR
of the flesh. For a great overthrow of the armies is effected and that hated army of the vices is quickly turned to flight when the sense of the body is restrained from wandering by means of discipline, and the appetite of the flesh is curbed from pleasure by means of abstinence. And so in this way, as we are all able to experience, Dan quiets our city on the inside, and Gad defends it on the outside.
Chapter XXXHI How the above-mentioned virtues cooperate with each other by turns in the protection of the heart Moreover, their brothers assist them, certainly rushing not slowly to aid them: Naphtali inside with Dan, in arranging the peace of the citizens; Asher outside with Gad, in subduing the violence of enemies. And so Gad and Asher watch against enemies;
Dan and Naphtali are full of care for the citizens. On one side Dan threatens; on the other side, Naphtali coaxes. Dan frightens with threats; Naphtali encourages with promises. The former punishes evil persons; the latter rewards good persons. The one frightens hearts with terror of Gehenna; the other soothes souls with hope of eternal happiness. How much do you think Naphtali himself, giving eloquence of beauty, helps his brother in such a matter Naphtali who inclines the souls of listeners in any direction he wishes by means of the sweetness of his eloquence delivered almost without a pause? Asher helps his brother externally nonetheless, and they both defend the city against an invasion of enemies. The latter protects one side; the former defends the other. Gad contends on the right; Asher fights on the left. The prosperity of this world ambushes Gad; worldly adversity pursues Asher. But Asher easily makes sport of his enemy; while he gazes at a part, he sees from the lofty rock of patience the fortified place that he defends, and for that reason from the safe location of his station he laughs at and despises his enemies who struggle vainly and from the bottom.
This is the reason that his enemies do not so much harass him with their attacks as continually provide the material for a triumph.
Hence it is that, after having scorned his attackers (that is, worldly
THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS
adversaries), he is totally carried away against his brothers' persecutors (that is, the carnal delights) and pursues them with great denunciations. However, such terror suddenly seizes the attackers of Gad when Asher himself aids him in the struggle of his own battle that without delay they all turn themselves to flight, since they dare not resist for even an hour when the brothers are bringing aid to each other. Assuredly the true enemies of the soul are carnal delights. But what place, I ask, is left for perverse delights among the torments that our Asher himself is assenting not only to bear patiently on account of God but to desire ardently? O how rightly is he called Asher, that is "blessed," according to that sentence of the Lord: "Blessed are those who suffer persecution for the sake of justice" (Matt.
5:10).
Chapter XXXIV That mercy always accompanies perfect patience Who is able so excellently to fulfill that precept of the Lx)rd:
"Forgive, and you will be forgiven"? (Luke 6:37). Who is able to forgive injuries offered himself as easily or as much from the heart as one who has learned more to exult than to be saddened concerning the crucifixion of his body? So why should he not love enemies, why should he not freely yield to those who offer him that which he desires? He has more compassion for his persecutors than for his body, so that he is blessed repeatedly: For, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy" (Matt.
5:7). O glorious man, O three and four times blessed! Blessed because of hunger for justice; blessed because of voluntary suffering; blessed because of clemency; blessed because of merciful compassion. For just as those are blessed who hunger and thirst for justice; just as those are blessed who suffer persecution on account of justice itself; so nonetheless blessed are the gentle, blessed are the merciful. And this our Asher, so that he may be truly and many times over blessed, thirsts ardently for justice, suffers freely on account of it, knows nothing of anger, easily has compassion. For although he may hunger much for the bread of justice, nevertheless he scorns eating it unless it is
RICHARD OF ST. VICTOR
sprinkled with the oil of mercy. Even from the great abundance of riches that superabound from the spoils of the enemies by virtue of frequent victory there is a very delightful result: indeed, now no bread, however fine, has any taste to him unless it is sprinkled with oil, to such an extent that Scripture clearly declares concerning him, saying that: "Asher, his bread shall be plump" (Gen. 49:20).
Who do you think so abounds in pleasures as he so that he is truly able to sing: "I have delighted in the way of your commandments just as in all riches" (Ps.
118:14).
Chapter XXXV The excellence ofperfect patience For example, how much do you think Asher himself abounds in the riches of spiritual consolations, and how much he does overflow with the delights of spiritual joys? Any adversity whatsoever is accustomed not so much to diminish as to augment his riches, and no torment at all is able to alter his delights. For the more severely he is pressed externally, the more delightfully he glories within. These are those delights which they thirst for so much, which they receive so gratefully— I say, not only the poor and the unknown, but even kings and princes.
I lie if Scripture itself does not speak of this:
It says, "Asher, his bread is plump, and he shall offer delights to kings" (Gen.
49:20).
For as we think they are nourished pleasantly, so we believe they are delighted marvelously; not just any kings but certainly in truth those kings to whom that King of kings and Lx)rd of lords has restored the rule of His body and to whom He has distributed the kingdom of his Father. We think, I say, how sweet it is to such kings, how intimately they savor it when they see a man not fearing torments because of love of justice and not losing peace of heart and tranquillity of soul in the midst of persecutions themselves.
For, if "there is joy in heaven over one sinner who does penance" (Luke 15:7), then how much celebration will there be over any just person who gladly dies for justice? Truly, Asher, his bread is plump and he shall offer delights to kings. O what kind of bread is his bread! O what kind of delights