The treatise of Lorenzo Valla on the Donation of ConstantineValla, Lorenzo
History
The treatise of Lorenzo Valla on the Donation of Constantine
Valla, Lorenzo
Church and state -- Holy Roman Empire; Constitutum Constantini; Popes -- Temporal power -- Early works to 1800
And in the phrase “that the terrestrial orders may be adorned to the
glory of God, just as the celestial,” what do you call celestial, what
terrestrial? How are the celestial orders adorned?[484] You may have seen
what glory to God this is. But I, if I believe anything, deem nothing
more hateful to God and to the rest of humanity than such presumption of
clergy in the secular sphere. But why do I attack individual items? Time
would fail me if I should try, I do not say to dwell upon, but to touch
upon them all.
“Above all things, moreover, we give permission to the blessed
Sylvester and his successors, from our edict, that he may make
priest whomever he wishes, according to his own pleasure and
counsel, and enroll him in the pious number of the religious
clergy [i.e., regular clergy; or perhaps cardinals]: let
no one whomsoever presume to act in a domineering way in
this.”[485]
Who is this Melchizedek that blesses the patriarch Abraham? Does
Constantine, scarcely yet a Christian, give to the man by whom he was
baptized and whom he calls blessed, authority to make priests? As
though Sylvester had not and could not have done it before! And with
what a threat he forbids any one to stand in the way! “Let no one,
whomsoever, presume to act in a domineering way in this matter.” What
elegant diction, too! “Enroll in the pious number of the religious”; and
“clericare,” “clericorum,” “indictu,” and “placatus”!
And again he comes back to the diadem:
“We also therefore decreed this, that he himself and his
successors might use, for the honor of the blessed Peter, the
diadem, that is the crown, which we have granted him from our
own head, of purest gold and precious gems.”
Again he explains the meaning of diadem, for he was speaking to
barbarians, forgetful ones at that. And he adds “of purest gold,” lest
perchance you should think brass or dross was mixed in. And when he has
said “gems,” he adds “precious,” again fearing lest you should suspect
them of being cheap. Yet why did he not say most precious, just as he
said “purest gold”? For there is more difference between gem and gem,
than between gold and gold. And when he should have said “distinctum
gemmis,” he said “ex gemmis.” Who does not see that this was taken from
the passage, which the gentile ruler had not read, “Thou settest a crown
of precious stone on his head”?[486] Did the Caesar speak thus, with
a certain vanity in bragging of his crown, if indeed the Caesars were
crowned, but cheapening himself by fearing lest people would think that
he did not wear a crown “of purest gold and precious gems,” unless he
said so?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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