From: Charles Gavette <chaosmosis-AT-hotmail.com>
Subject: Constantinus Africanus Viaticum I.20, Pt.I
Date: Wed, 09 Jun 1999 07:19:16 PDT





    Amor qui et eros dicitur morbus est cerebro contiguus.
Est autem magnum desiderarium cum nimia concupiscentia et
affectione cogitationum. Unde quidam philosophi dicunt:
Eros est nomen maxime delectationis designatiuum. Sicut
delectationis quedam estre extremitas.

    The love that is also called "eros" is a disease touching the
brain. For it is a great longing with intense sexual desire and affliction 
ofthe thoughts. Whence certain philosophers say: Eros is a word signifying 
the greatest pleasure. For just as loyalty is the ultimate form of 
affection, so also eros is a certain extreme form of pleasuire.

    Aliquando huius amoris necessitas nimia est nature necessitas in multa 
humorum superfluitate expellenda. Unde Rufus: Coitus, inquid, ualere uidetur 
quibus nigra colera et mania dominantur. Redditur ei sensus et molestatio 
herios tollitur, si etiam cum non dilectis loquatur. Aliquando etiam eros 
causa pulchra est formositas
considerata. Quam si in sibi consimili forma conspiciat, quasi insanit anima 
in ea as uoluptatem explendam adispiscendam.

    Sometimes the cause of this love is an intense natural need to
expel a great excess of humors. Whence Rufus says: "Intercourse is seen to 
benefit those in whom black bile and frenzy reign. Feeling is
returned to him and the burden of eros is removed, even if he has
intercourse with those he does not love." Sometimes the cause of eros is 
also the contemplation of beauty. For if the soul observes a form similar to 
itself it goes mad, as it were, over in order to achieve the fulfillment of 
its pleasure.

    Cum hec infirmitas forciora anime subsequentia habeat,id est 
cogitationes nimias, fiunt eorum oculi semper concaui, cito mobiles propter 
anime cogitationes, sollicitudines as inuenienda et habenda ea que 
desiderant. Palpebre eorum graues, citrini ipsorum colores. Hoc ex
caloris fit motu qui ex uigiliis consequitur. Pulsus induratur neque 
naturaliter dilatatur neque sua percussio secundum quod oportet custoditur. 
Si in cogitationibus profundatur, actio anime et corporis corrumpitur, quia 
corpus animam in sua accione sequitur, anima corpus in sua passione 
comitatur. Galenus: anime, inquit, uirtus complexionem sequitur corporis. 
Unde si non eriosis succuratur ut cogitatio eorum auferatur et anima 
leuigetur, in passionem melancolicam necesse est incidant. Et sicut ex nimio 
labore corporis in passionem laborisam incident, itidem ex labore anime in 
melancolicam.

    Since this illness has more serious consequences for the soul,
that is, excessive thoughts, their eyes always become hollow [and] move 
quickly because of the soul's thoughts [and] worries to find and
possess what they desire. Their eyelids are heavy [and] their color
yellowish; this is from the motion of heat which follows upon sleeplessness. 
Their pulse grows hard and does not dilate naturally, nor does it keep the 
beat it should. If the patient sinks into thoughts, the action of the soul 
and body is damaged, since the body follows the soul in its action, and the 
soul accompanies the body in its passion. "The power of the soul," Galen 
says, "follows the complexion of the body." Thus if erotic lovers are not 
helped so that their thought is lifted and their spirit lightened, they 
inevitably fall into a troublesome disease from excessive bodily labor, so 
also [they fall] into melancholy from labor of the soul.





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