4P Li gç(' TRANSACTIONS

VOL. 47, PT. 5, is] ORESME'S VERSION AND ENGLISH TRANSLATION 815
T. Et afin que l'en quere et prepare les choses qui
sunt dehors le hostel, cc est le niari; et que l'autre salve
et garde ceiles qui sunt dedens. Et convient que l'un,
ce est le man, soit puissant, fort et robuste a operation;
et l'autre est fieble as negoces dehors. Et le homme est
piere ou moms dispose a repos et melleur ou miex
dispose a mouvemens ou a plus fors labours.
G. Et donques le homme est plus chaut, plus fort et plus
actif et Ia femme plus froide, plus fieble et plus passive.
Et ceste contrarieté ou varieté les ont enclinés a diverses
operations, lesquelles leur sunt pro fictables et convenables
pour converser ensemble. Ft pour cc, quant ceste contrarieté
// (333a) ou dissimilitude est naturelment et selon
incurs bien proporcionee, elie est douce et delectable. Et
scion cc disoit le Sage que homnie et femme qui sunt consentans
on en concorde ensemble, cc est une chose pleiseinte
a son esperit, approvee et bee de Dieu et des hommes. Et
me semble que cc est aussi comme en musique: Ia dissimilitude
et inequalité des Sons fait bon acort et bonne consonance,
car elle est deuement proporcionee. Et par aventure,
en signifiance de cc ordena nature que vois de homme
ou resgart de vois de femme est communehnent en Ia proporcion
qui fait la nielleur consonance, cc est double; et
est appellee dyapason en musique. Item, a cest propos
Ovide ou livre de Art de amer met comment la vigne est
freile et fieble et ne se peut par soy soustenir ne faire fruit:
mes quant elle est conjointe a l'arbre elle est soustenue et
porte fruit. Et semblablement dit it de la femme on resgart
de le honime. Et donques ceste conjunction est delectable
et profictable et est tres conveniente. Et pour cc
dit l'Escripture: Amicus et sodalis in tempore convenientes
et super utrosque mulier cum viro. Apres it met difference
et convenience entre les parens et les enfans.
T. Et des filz la generation est propre et le utilité est
commune.
G. Car les parens funt la generation des enfans et les
enfans ne engendrent pas leur parens. Et donques la generation
est propre as parens et cc est la difference. IvIes
les parens aident as enfans en lcur jennece et les enfans
aident as parens en leur viellece. Et pour cc dit it que le
utilité est commune et cc est la convenience.
T. Car as uns appartient nourrir et / (333b) as
autres enseignier.
G. Une exposition est qu'il appartient as enfans nourir
]cur parens et as parens enseignier leur enfans en joennece.
Une autre exposition est que it appartient as uns ou as
unes nourrir les enfans, cc est assavoir, as meres, et as
autres enseignier les en bonnes meurs, cc est assavoir, as
peres; jouxte cc que dit l'Escripture: Filii tibi sunt, erudi
illos. Or avons donques comme communication de masle
et de femelle est en espece humaine de ordenance divine,
non pas seulernent pour cause de generation comme es
autres bestes, mes oveques cc pour cause de mutuel aide.
Et est scion cc que Dieu dist au commencement, que cc ne
estoit pas bon que homme fust seul et que it feroit une
chose semblable a lui, qui lui aideroit: Non est bonuni
hominem esse solum; faciarnus ei adjutorium simile sibi.
T. And in order that the husband may prepare and
look after the outdoor work of the homestead while the
wife attends to and watches over the indoor work. And
the husband must be strong, capable and robust for
physical work while the wife is less able to perform
outdoor tasks. And the husband is less given to repose
and is more disposed to action or to the heavier occupations.
G. Thus the husband is more ardent, stronger, and more
active; while the wife is less excitable, weaker, and more
passive. And this opposition or difference of character has
inclined them to different activities which are profitable and
suitable for living together. And when this dissimilarity
// (333a) exists naturally and is well balanced in the
habits of both, it is pleasant and agreeable. And in this
regard, Solomon said that a man and wife who think alike
and live peaceably together are a pleasure to his [Solomon's]
spirit, enjoying the praise and approbation of God
and mankind [Ecclicus 25: 2]. And it seems to me that
this is very similar to the case in music: the dissimilarity
and inequality of the sounds creates a good harmony and
a good combination of tones because they are properly proportioned.
Perchance, it was as a token of this that nature
has ordained that the male voice, with respect to the
female voice, is commonly in that proportion which makes
the best consonance—that is, in the double or octave proportion
and in niusic this is called diapason. And on this
subject Ovid in the Art of Love [Ars amatoria, H. 13]
notes that the vine is frail and weak and cannot support
itself or bear fruit by itself; but when it is joined to the
tree, it is propped up and bears fruit. The same relation,
he says, exists between husband and wife. Thus this union
is pleasant and profitable and is eminently fitting. Wherefore
the Scripture says: "A friend and companion will give
help at the right time; but better than either is the wife
with her husband" [Ecclicus 40: 23]. Next he discusses
the differences and the similarities between parents and
children.
T. The production of children is the proper task of
husband and wife and the benefits are common to both
the parents and the offspring alike.
G. For the parents procreate their offspring and the offspring
do not give birth to the l)Lrents. Thus the propagation
of children is the prerogative of the parents and
this constitutes the difference. But the parents help their
offspring in their youth and the offspring assist their parents
in the latters' old age. And this explains why he
states that the advantage is shared by both the children
and the parents. And this constitutes the similarity.
T. For it is the duty of one parent to nurture
(333b) and of the other to educate.
G. According to one commentator, it is the duty of the
children to nurture their parents and the task of the parents
to educate their children during their youth. Another
commentator explains that the mothers should nurture
the children while the father should inculcate in them
good habits, in accordance with the Biblical injunction:
"If you have sons, correct them" [Ecclicus 7: 25]. So we
may summarize as follows: the life together of the male
and female of the human species is established by divine
ordinance not only for the purpose of procreation, as is
the case with the other animals, but also for the purpose
of mutual assistance. And this accords with Gods statement
at the beginning of the world that it was not meet
that man should exist alone and that He would create a
being like unto him who should help him: 'it is not good