The Tree of Science

4 The Elemental Tree.

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of them, to such an extent: that the body itself is a confused substance, subject to the accidents of elemental things. By the branches we understand the four elements, namely fire, air, water, and earth, which are the substances of elemental things: sustained within them. And these themselves are insensible and incorruptible, inasmuch as they are simple. By the boughs we understand the four masses, namely the four composite and sensible elements, namely fire which we perceive in flame, and moving air, which is between us and the moon, and the water of the sea, springs, and rivers, and the earth, in which we dwell and are sustained. And these are the parts of the elemental tree. By the leaves we understand the accidents of corruptible corporeal things, such as quantity, quality, etc. By the flowers we understand the instruments of things, such as the hand, which is an instrument for working: and the foot for walking. By the fruit we understand the elemental things, such as stone, apple, man, lion, fish, bird, gold, and silver.

[Decorative border of repeating floral/knot patterns]

On the first part of the elemental tree,
namely the roots. And first, on Goodness.

[Large decorative initial I] N this part we intend to
give definitions of good-
ness and the other prin-
ciples: so that the principles may be known by these definitions. Goodness is a being by reason of which good acts good, and thus good is being: and evil is non-being. Goodness is the root of the elemental tree: inasmuch as the tree is good through goodness, and by reason of goodness acts good: inasmuch as it produces pri-

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mary and natural things, namely branches, boughs and its other parts, and the privation of it and its operations would be evil. And its operations are primary: inasmuch as all natural elemental things are derived from it: and are essentialized from its essence. Goodness is a universal principle for all parts that are good in the tree, such as the magnitude of the tree, which is good through goodness, and the same applies to duration, power, and the other parts. And therefore goodness is the root for all parts of the tree: which derive their likeness from it, namely that they are good through it. This general goodness in itself is full of itself and of the other parts. It is full of itself in itself, inasmuch as in itself it has essential and concrete parts, which are of its essence, species, and nature: namely, that which makes good, that which can be made good, and the act of making good. Goodness is full of the other parts: inasmuch as it is great through magnitude: and durable through duration: and powerful through power. Therefore, goodness is the root of the tree with completeness: which we said above, by which there is a complete reason: by which the tree is good and acts good. Hence, since goodness is full by itself and by another: it must be a substantial root, because if it were not: it would not be full of magnitude: since substance is greater than accident, nor would the tree be substantially good. And such a privation of substantiality would be evil: and the emptiness of the tree and its parts. Therefore, goodness is a substantial part: so that nature may not have the passion of emptiness. Goodness, inasmuch as it is great through magnitude, and durable through duration, and powerful through power: and so on for the others: it is subjected to accidents, which are likenesses: which from other parts