The Dialogue of Creatures

A rectangular woodcut illustration depicting a large, curved bellows-like instrument or horn on the left with several decorative bands. It is blowing a forceful gust of wind to the right, represented by a thick stream of wavy horizontal lines. Below the illustration is a large ornamental historiated initial "A" set within a square frame, filled with dense foliate and floral patterns including flowers and vines.

Definition of Air

Definition of Wind

Air, according to the philosopher original: "sedm philosophum"; this refers to Aristotle, who was often called simply "The Philosopher" in medieval texts, is the breath of all living things, without which all things that exist beneath it are immediately suffocated and die. The Wind, however, is the dryness of the earth, the mobility of the waters, and the disturbance of the air. And because it is a disturbance of the air, the Air itself summoned the Wind before the judge and creator of all things, saying: ʘ "O creator of things, look upon me and have mercy on me. You have placed me in a sufficiently ample position, for which I give you thanks, because you have established me as the life of all living things; but in this I am deceived original: "deceptus sum," here meaning frustrated or disadvantaged, because the wind always chills me and renders me immoderate. Therefore, tell him that if he presumes to blow upon me further, I will suffocate him."

To which the creator replied: "You speak poorly, Air. For even if the wind chills and lashes you, it nevertheless renders you purified and tempered. For if the wind did not blow within you, you would be sickly, tiresome, putrid, and corrupt, and hateful to everyone. Therefore, you ought to love him, because he preserves you in perfection and uprightness." The Air, then calmed by the wind, said: "We ought to endure correction and bear it patiently." So let everyone listen to and love those who correct them, because they demonstrate the way of justice. For a sick man who hates his physician does not allow himself to be cured, and thus he will not be set free. And he who hates correction will not be loved. Truly, a man hates the physician when he hates his corrector and cannot tolerate him. Hence Chrysostom St. John Chrysostom, an early Church Father known for his eloquent preaching says: "He incurs hatred who reproves the criminal." And Seneca says: "He who reproves the impious seeks a stain upon himself," for such people are not wise, but rather have been made into fools. Just as Ecclesiastes referring to the biblical book or its attributed author says: "He who loves to be corrected is wise; but the fool is angered if he is corrected." Therefore, correct the wise and they will love you. We read in the life of the blessed Ambrose Saint Ambrose, the 4th-century Bishop of Milan that when the Emperor Theodosius had punished certain citizens without judgment or deliberation, Ambrose, the Archbishop of Milan, expelled him from the church, even though he was a Catholic emperor. And when the Emperor saw this, he said: "For even David committed adultery and homicide." And to this—