Volume 2 · pp. 202–203

Chapter V. That by the same causes a thing is demonstrated to be, to be future, and to have been made, with the cause varied according to differences of times.

Latin (Borgnet)English

pp. 202–203

CAPUT V. Quod eisdem causis demonstratur res esse et futura esse et facta esse et causa variata secundum differentias temporum. Eadem autem causa secundum substantiam est et in his quae fiunt in praesenti, et factis in praeterito, et futuris, hoc est, his quae fient ex futuro, quae vere est his quae sunt in esse causa: sed causa variabitur secundum esse fieri, et factum esse, et fore in futuro. Causa enim quae media est (sive medium) in his quae sunt in esse, est, quae est stans in esse. Ipsis autem quae fiunt, causa est quae fit et generat, et fiendo causa est, sicut in his quorum est esse in fieri: factis autem in praeterito causa est, quae facta est in praeterito secundum causalitatem: et futuris quae fient causa est futura secundum futuritionem suae causalitatis. Sicut patet in exemplo si quaeratur, propter quid factus est defectus lunae sive eclipsis in praeterito? et respondetur causa de praeterito, dicendo quod propter id facta est, quod interposita terra inter lunam et solem, facta est secundum interpositionem in praeterito: fit autem in praesenti propter id quod in praesenti terra interponitur: erit autem defectus in futuro propter id quod interpositio terrae erit in futuro: et est eclipsis propter id quod in praesenti terra interposita est. Aliud autem exemplum est physicum, ut si quaeratur, quid est crystallus secundum esse? et si debeat ad modum et figuram demonstrationis ordinari: accipiatur igitur per diffinitionem materialem, quoniam crystallus aqua densata est. Sit igitur crystallus subjectum, et minor extremitas sit C, densata aqua sit in quo A quod est major extremitas concludenda de crystallo. Id autem in quo est B medium et causa, sit defectus caloris penitus. Est igitur secundum hanc terminorum dispositionem in C quidem B in minori propositione: in B autem est A in majori propositione: quia A est densatum esse quod est major extremitas ut dicta de medio: fit autem crystallus in fieri quando fit B in fieri suae causalitatis: factus est autem facto A secundum causalitatem: erit autem crystallus quando futurum est A secundum causalitatem. Et effectus quorum est aliqua causa, simul sunt cum causis, quando causae ut causae sunt: et simul causata fiunt, quando fiunt causae secundum causalitatem: et in eo quod factum est in praeterito et fiet in futuro similiter est: quia causatum praeteritum cum causa praeterita, et causatum futurum cum causa futura.

CHAPTER V. That by the same causes a thing is demonstrated to be, to be future, and to have been made, with the cause varied according to differences of times. But the same cause according to substance exists both in those things which come to be in the present, and in things made in the past, and in future things, that is, those things which will come to be from the future, which truly is the cause of those things which are in being; but the cause will be varied according to being, coming-to-be, having-been-made, and being in the future. For the cause which is middle, or the middle, in those things which are in being is that which stands in being. But for the things themselves which come to be, the cause is that which comes to be and generates, and by coming to be is a cause, as in those things whose being is in coming-to-be. But for things made in the past the cause is that which was made in the past according to causality; and for future things which will come to be the cause is future according to the futurition of its causality. This is clear in an example if it is asked, on account of what was the defect of the moon or eclipse made in the past? And the cause concerning the past is answered by saying that it was made on account of this, that the earth having been interposed between the moon and the sun, it was made according to interposition in the past. But it comes to be in the present on account of this, that in the present the earth is interposed. But the defect will be in the future on account of this, that the interposition of the earth will be in the future. And there is an eclipse on account of this, that in the present the earth has been interposed. But another example is physical, as if it is asked, what is crystal according to being? And if it ought to be ordered according to the mode and figure of demonstration, let it therefore be received through the material definition, since crystal is condensed water. Therefore let crystal be the subject, and let the lesser extremity be C; let condensed water be that in which A is, which is the greater extremity to be concluded of crystal. But let that in which B is, the middle and cause, be a defect of heat altogether. Therefore according to this disposition of terms, in C indeed B is in the minor proposition; but in B there is A in the major proposition, because A is to be condensed, which is the greater extremity as said of the middle. But crystal comes to be in coming-to-be when B comes to be in the coming-to-be of its causality; but it has been made when A has been made according to causality; but crystal will be when A will be future according to causality. And effects of which there is some cause are together with causes when the causes are as causes; and caused things come to be together when causes come to be according to causality. And in that which was made in the past and will be made in the future it is similar, because the past caused thing is with the past cause, and the future caused thing with the future cause.