Greco-Christian stream·Beguine Mystics·The Mirror of Simple Souls·Section X

Section X

This is Section X of the Porete Mirror project translation. The Mirror's short central divisions — X, XI, and the only-chapter Division XII — together with the opening chapters of Division XIII, are in scope. The divisions in this part of the book are unusually compressed: some run only one or two chapters, the OCR'd Kirchberger text shows occasional ambiguity in the division numbering at these boundaries (we have preserved Kirchberger's published numbering even where it is slightly anomalous, and flagged the ambiguity), and the prose is dense with image and direct address.

Five chapters in scope:

• Division X, Chapter I — the begging soul who has not come to peace, and the definition of paradise as seeing God.
• Division X, Chapter II — the thief on the cross (Luke 23:43) glossed as the gospel proof that paradise = the vision of God, since Jesus's body had not yet ascended that day, but the thief was in paradise.
• Division XI, Chapter I — Marguerite's famous I am as foolish in the time that I make this book... as he should be that would shut the sea in the compass of his eye, and bear the world upon the point of a rush, and light the sun with a shadow: the apophatic recognition that even her own writing of the Mirror is gabbing (cf. Section IV chapter XII).
• Division XI, Chapter II — what those in being above their thoughts do; the gentle Far-Near holds the key to the sealed closet of the excellent Soul.
• "Division XII, the only chapter" — the most noble angelic lineage of the naughted souls: the order-of-angels analogy (seraphim vs. lower angels) applied to souls.
• Division XIII, Chapters I–III — the three words in which the clear life is fulfilled (she is no more troubled concerning herself, or others, or God himself, weening that she is not so that she is not indeed); the chapter in which this Soul seeks no more of God; the book of life opened by Love.

No M.N. signed glosses fall in this section. M.N.'s thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth glosses are all in later divisions.

The same conventions apply: light modernization with archaic verb endings and pronouns normalized; Marguerite's technical vocabulary preserved (annihilated, Simple, the personified speakers, the Far-Near); formal LLM-as-judge deferred per session-budget.

Division X

Chapter I — Of three things whereby it may be known that the Soul is not come to peace, but is begging; and what paradise is

O God, that all canst; O Lord, that all knowest; O my Beloved, that avails for all — do whatever you will, sweet Father. I cannot, sweet Master; I know not, sweet Beloved. I am naught, and therefore I will naught.

And if any say thus: Ah, for God, let us suffer nothing of ours, nor of any other, than of him, henceforward to be within us, which it behoves God with his bounty to put out — this is a begging creature, who by her emptiness seeks God in creatures.¹ Truly she finds the deed that she wills, and that she herself does; but truly she that finds him suffers him to do his will and his divine works in her, without her own working. But one that seeks and finds not dwells unfed by that which she asks. And when she sees this, thus she says to herself: that she will seek him; and so she does, in that she asks him afresh by her wit, by understanding of the most high and pure thought; and there she seeks. This is a begging creature also.

And if she think that we shall write more explicitly than other creatures have written, it is begging — this that she hears. For she would that her fellow Christian found God in themselves by writings and by words. This is to say, and to be understood, that she would that her fellow Christian were made perfect in the manner that she devises specially — all those to whom she has good will thus to do and thus to say. This is begging; for in doing this and in saying this and in dwelling thus and in willing this, she remains a beggar — know this forsooth — and encumbered of herself; and all because she begs of them for whom she does it.

Certainly, says Love, but this does not the high Soul of peace, who lives of glory even of glory's self in paradise all alone. For paradise is no other thing than God himself.²

Chapter II — How it is to be understood that the thief was in paradise that day that he died, and our Lord went not into heaven before his Ascension

Why was the thief in paradise as soon as the soul was departed from this body, and Jesus Christ God's Son ascended not into heaven before the Ascension — and the thief was in paradise on that same day? But will you know how this may be? For it had to be — for God had promised it him. This means: he saw God, who is paradise. For paradise is not any other thing than to see God. And this does she in sooth at all times when she is unencumbered of herself — not glorified (for the body is tied to this creature) but divinely and gloriously; for the inwardness is perfectly delivered of all creatures. So lives she without intermediary by the life of glory, and is in paradise without being.³

Gloss these words if you will understand them, or else you shall misunderstand it. For it has some likeness to the opposite, for those who understand not the fullness of the gloss; and likeness is not truth, but truth is truth and nothing else.

Division XI

Chapter I — How they that sit all in freedom do rest themselves in pure naught without thought

What had he in thought who this book made? This same that the righteous God it seems that he cannot come again — this is to understand that he would that creatures begged as he does in other creatures.⁴ Certainly do it they must, before they come to perfect freedom of all points.

I am deficient, and naught may take, says this Soul who wrote this book. I am as foolish in the time that I make it — except that Love makes it for me at my request — as he should be that would shut the sea in the compass of his eye, and bear the world upon the point of a rush, and light the sun with a shadow.⁵ I am more a fool than he that this would do, when I put so precious a thing in speech that may not be said nor written. I encumber myself with writing these words; but thus I take my recourse, to come to my strength and succour and to my last crowning crown of the being of which we have spoken — of which sits all in freedom, that is when a Soul rests in pure naught without thought; for till then she may not be free.

Chapter II — What thing they do that are in being above their thoughts

Ah God, says Reason, what do they that are in being above their thoughts?

They marvel themselves, says Love, of him that is in the mount of their mountain; and they abash themselves of the same, that is, of the deepness of their valley, by a price-naught-thinking which is shut and ensealed in the most pure and secret closet of this excellent Soul. For none may open, nor unseal, nor shut when it is opened — this precious shutting and this noble opening — unless the gentle Far-Near, of right far and of right nigh, shut it and open it, who bears the key. For none other bears it, nor may bear it.⁶

Division XII — the only chapter

How they that are of all things in sovereignty know and feel the life that this book speaks of; and none but they

Among you ladies, to whom God has given this life of his divine bounty abundantly, without any withholding — not only this life without more that we speak of, but that other with this, which never man spoke of — you shall know in this book your estate. And they that are not, nor never were, nor shall be, feel not this being; they know it not, nor they may not, nor they shall not. They are not of the lineage that we speak of, know it forsooth. No! For the angels of the first order are not seraphim, nor may not be, for God gave them not the being of seraphim.⁷ But they that are in God by whom they shall become know this thing, and feel it by strength of the lineage of which they are; and shall be more stronger than they are.

And these folks that we speak of — who are and shall be — know it well, altogether, that they are of the lineage. Then these folks are they who by their state are in sovereignty over all things; for their spirit is the most high and noble of the orders of angels wrought and ordained. Now these folks have, of all the orders, the most high mention for the spirit, and the most noble complexion by nature, when they are sanguine or choleric — that is, not melancholic nor phlegmatic; for of the gifts of fortune these are the best to have. Yet they hold all to be best, according to their will and their necessity, for themselves and for their fellow Christian, without anxiety of conscience.

Division XIII⁸

Chapter I — What great difference is between some angels and others; and also of the souls that this book speaks of, compared with others that are not such; and how they think themselves to be the least

Now hear among you the great perfection of the naughted souls — these which we have spoken of.

It is said, says Love, and I say it myself: that there is as great difference among angels, of some orders compared with others, as there is of men and asses. This is easy to believe for any who should open the divine wisdom. Let none ask me why, unless you will err; but believe it, for this is truth.

And right as it is of some angels compared with others, as you have heard say, right so it is by grace of the naughted souls that we speak of, as compared with all those that are not. He is right well-born that is of that lineage. Those are folks royal; their hearts are so excellent, noble, and of such great worthiness and wisdom, that they may not do thing of little value, nor begin thing without attaining the crown.

These folks are the least that may be — as in their own sight — witness of God himself, who says that the least shall be the most in the kingdom of heaven.⁹ It ought to be believed. They believe it truly, that are such. But who believes a thing which he is not? Truly, none — for the truth of believing is in the being of him who believes. And so he that thus believes is the same that this is.

Chapter II — Of three words wherein the perfection of this clear life is fulfilled

She — this Soul — is no more troubled concerning herself, or others, or God himself; weening that she is not, so that she is not indeed. Understand the gloss: this weening that she is not, is in her will, which is not hers for herself.

In these three words is fulfilled all the perfection of this clear life. Therefore I say clear seeing, that she surpasses the blind naughting. The blind naughted sustains her feet, but the clearness is the most noble and the most gentle state. She knows not of anything that is, for she is not, but God knows in her, of him, for her, of himself.

Chapter III — How this Soul seeks no more God; and what thing it is that takes from her love of herself; and of the book of life and the opening thereof

This Lady seeks no more of God. There is no more to do about it. He fails her in naught, that she should seek him. Why then should she seek him? He is with her; she has him. And if he failed her, I know not why she should seek, since he lets himself be sought.

Oh, says this Soul, why should I do anything that my Beloved does not? He wants nothing — why then should I want anything? In this I should love myself, if I lacked anything, since he lacks nothing. He lacks naught; then I lack naught; and this point takes from me the love of myself, and gives me him without mean and without withstanding. I have said this, says this Soul, that he wants naught; why then should I want? He seeks naught; why then should I seek? He thinks not; why then should I think? I shall not do it.

Reason, says this Soul, naughted and clarified by default of love of herself, my works that be done, these have you done; and so shall you do, if ever I know you. But I take no account of you. I have done all.

Right when? says Reason.

Right then, says she, when Love has opened me his book. For his book is of such condition that what time Love opens the book, the Soul knows all and has all — all works of perfection it has in her fulfilled at the opening thereof. And this opening has made me have so clear sight, says this Soul, that it has made me yield that which is his, and to take that which is mine: this, namely, is always of himself; and I am not. Then it is very right that I have not myself. And the light of the opening of this book has made me find mine own, and to dwell in that I have not so much of being that may make me be of him. And thus has Right yielded me mine own by rights, and showed me a naught — that I am not. And it would be right that I should have myself no more. This right is written within the book of life.

Thus it is concerning this book, and myself, says this Soul who was of God and of creatures. When he made them, he willed it of his divine bounty; and all was done in the same moment of his divine might, and all ordained of his divine wisdom.

Translator's footnotes (project translation)

¹ A begging creature. Marguerite's term for the soul that seeks — by spiritual effort, by reading, by writing, by zeal for the spiritual welfare of others — what can only be given. Kirchberger's note: this often is disguised as zeal for our neighbour's spiritual welfare, and so constitutes a further error by involving them in the love of creatures; further, the Soul enlists sympathy and borders upon pride when she thus "enlightens" others. The chapter is one of the most pastoral and humbling moments in the Mirror; Marguerite catches herself in the very gesture of writing the book.

² Paradise is no other thing than God himself. The compressed formula that summarizes the chapter; the gospel proof follows in chapter II.

³ In paradise without being. Kirchberger's editorial note: "possibly 'she is in paradise without consciousness of any particular state (being).'" The phrase plays on being in the technical sense Marguerite has used throughout — the soul is in paradise because she sees God, but she is without being in the sense of being naughted (no proper will, no proper self, no proper work). The thief on the cross is Marguerite's gospel proof: he was in paradise the day he died, before Jesus's bodily ascension, because paradise = seeing God, not a place.

⁴ Kirchberger's editorial note here flags the obscurity: "this seems to mean that God desires that creatures should dwell in the same silent passivity towards him and others as he himself does in his hidden life within us; they should 'beg' as much as he does — i.e., not at all." The passage is the most syntactically difficult in this section.

⁵ Marguerite's I am a fool declaration — one of the most famous passages in the Mirror. The Soul-who-wrote-the-book recognizes that her own writing is gabbing (cf. Section IV's Chapter XII, the eighth-point chapter, where the same theme appeared). The three impossibilities — shutting the sea in an eye, bearing the world on a rush, lighting the sun with a shadow — are Marguerite's compressed Pseudo-Dionysian apophasis. (Compare Augustine's Confessions I.1: fecisti nos ad te, et inquietum est cor nostrum...; and Anselm's Proslogion.)

⁶ The Far-Near holds the key. The figure first named in Section VII has now become Christ as the key-bearer — the one and only one who may open and shut the sealed closet of the Soul's most secret interior. Kirchberger's note: "the personification of the 'Far-Night' [our Far-Near] here is consistent with the style of these later portions and indicates merely that the 'dark night' is the means by which the soul attains to God in a state beyond conscious thought."

⁷ The angelic-lineage analogy: just as the seraphim are of a higher order than the angels of the first order (and the latter cannot become seraphim by their own striving, only by God's giving), so the naughted souls are of a different lineage than the ordinary devout souls — and the difference is given by God, not earned. The analogy is Pseudo-Dionysian (De Caelesti Hierarchia) and would have been familiar to Marguerite's clerical readers; she uses it to ground her doctrine of two-tier spirituality in the orthodox angelology.

⁸ M.N./Kirchberger's text shows some ambiguity at this division boundary: the OCR has "Division XII Chapter I" again here (where one would expect "Division XIII Chapter I"), and the small only-chapter Division XII preceding suggests an unmarked transition. We have provisionally numbered this division XIII to preserve the sequence. Verdeyen-Guarnieri 1986 Old French numbering, consulted only for orientation, would resolve the boundary.

⁹ Matthew 18:4 / 23:11–12 — the least shall be the most logion. Marguerite's twist: the naughted souls believe they are the least (and so, by the believing-in-being formula, they are the least, and therefore the most). The internal-correspondence between believing and being is Marguerite's specifically Augustinian move (cf. Confessions X.3: quia tu fecisti me et meam fecisti...).

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