The Mirror of Unusual Questions

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Contents

Front Matter

• Title Page
• Dedicatory Letter of Cyprianus Guidus
• Index of Questions
• Scriptural Epigraph

First Decade · Chapter One

• Question One. Whether the rational soul is made from the essence of God pp. 1–4
• Question Two. Whether souls were created at the beginning together with the angels in the Empyrean Heaven pp. 4–8
• Question Three. Whether the soul is propagated anew from seed at the same time as the human body is sown, as Cyril says pp. 8–12
• Question Four. Whether those whom we call souls are souls, or rather demons - apostate spirits enclosed in bodies so that they may be purged there pp. 12–13
• Question Five. Whether souls, once the body has been organized, are successively created out of nothing by God, at once by being created and infused pp. 13–15
• Question Six. Whether God acts reasonably in cooperating in the souls arising from illicit intercourse pp. 15–16
• Question Seven. Why God created, and creates, souls which he knows are to be damned, and angels whom he knew would fall pp. 16–18

First Decade · Chapter Two

• Question One. Whether the rational soul is immortal and incorruptible pp. 19–29
• Question Two. Whether the corrupted human body can rise, be vivified, and return numerically the same pp. 30–41
• Question Three. Whether the world is eternal, or whether it must at some time come to an end pp. 41–50
• Question Four. Whether the world or any creature could have been produced from eternity pp. 50–51
• Question Five. Whether the soul informs the body when a human being is dead pp. 51–53
• Question Six. Whether, when the heart is dead, the soul informs the body pp. 53–54
• Question Seven. Toward what difference of position the soul departing from the body goes out pp. 54–55
• Question Eight. Toward what termini the soul, having departed from the body, goes pp. 55–58
• Question Nine. Whether the particular judgment is conducted by Christ or by an angel pp. 58–60
• Question Ten. Whether there is an interval between a human being's death and the particular judgment pp. 60–61

First Decade · Chapter Three

• Question One. How many places there are for souls released from the body pp. 62–63
• Question Two. Concerning the Empyrean Heaven, the receptacle of angels and blessed human beings pp. 63–100
• Question Three, Question One. Whether hell exists in truth pp. 101–112
• Question Three, Question Two. Where the place of hell is situated and positioned pp. 112–118
• Question Three, Question Three. Whether, elsewhere than at the center of the earth, places are found on the surface of the earth in which the souls of the damned undergo punishments pp. 118–119
• Question Three, Question Four. What relation Purgatory, Limbo, and Abraham's bosom, or the bosom of the holy fathers, have beneath the earth to hell pp. 119–121
• Question Three, Question Five. Which region of the penal places is greater pp. 121–123
• Question Three, Question Six. Which region of the four penal places is more lasting pp. 124
• Question Three, Question Seven. How many mansions the infernal region has pp. 124–126
• Question Three, Question Eight. Whether the fire of hell is corporeal, similitudinary, or imaginary pp. 126–127
• Question Three, Question Nine. Whether demons and spiritual souls can suffer and be tormented by infernal and corporeal fire pp. 128–133
• Question Three, Question Ten. Whether there is any difference between the fire of hell and that of this world pp. 133–134
• Question Three, Question Eleven. Whether the bodies of the damned, joined to their souls after the judgment, can subsist perpetually unconsumed in fire pp. 134–137
• Question Three, Question Twelve. Concerning the kinds of punishments that exist in hell pp. 137–141
• Question Three, Question Thirteen. Whether the suffrages of the living can lessen or shorten the punishment of hell pp. 141–156
• Question Four, Question One. Whether Purgatory is truly and really found in the center of the earth pp. 156–169
• Question Four, Question Two. Whether another place of Purgatory is found besides that which is in the center of the earth, where the souls of the moderately good are purged pp. 169–173
• Question Four, Question Three. That in Purgatory some sins are remitted as to fault, and every liability to punishment owed for venial and mortal sin pp. 174–180
• Question Four, Question Four. Whether the punishment of Purgatory exceeds every temporal punishment of this life pp. 180–183
• Question Four, Question Five. Whether purgatorial fire differs from the fire of hell pp. 183–186
• Question Four, Question Six. Whether the punishment which souls sustain in Purgatory is voluntarily assumed pp. 186–188
• Question Four, Question Seven. Whether those detained in Purgatory can in any manner sin mortally or venially pp. 188–189
• Question Four, Question Eight. That souls existing in Purgatory cannot merit pp. 189–190
• Question Four, Question Nine. Why the punishment of the damned always grows and is increased pp. 190–191
• Question Four, Question Ten. Why the soul alone suffers in Purgatory, although the whole human being commits sins pp. 192–193
• Question Four, Question Eleven. Whether the souls of Purgatory are relieved by the works of the living pp. 194–199
• Question Four, Question Twelve. Whether the pope can remit, wholly or in part, the punishments of those who are in Purgatory pp. 199–206
• Question Four, Question Thirteen. Whether the pope, from the plenitude of his power, can bind or absolve one existing in Purgatory pp. 206–209
• Question Four, Question Fourteen. Whether the pope can rescue from punishment all those existing in Purgatory pp. 210–212
• Question Four, Question Fifteen. Whether, of two persons existing in Purgatory and deserving equal punishment, one can be liberated from there more quickly than the other pp. 212–214
• Principal Question Five, Question One. Whether the bosom of Abraham differs from the limbo of children pp. 215–216
• Principal Question Five, Question Two. What punishment is owed to children dying in original sin pp. 216–219
• Principal Question Five, Question Three. That in the limbo of children there is neither punishment of sense nor are there demons pp. 219
• Principal Question Five, Question Four. Why Christ, descending to limbo, did not liberate all the children together with the holy fathers pp. 220
• Principal Question Five, Question Five. Indulgences do not avail children existing in limbo, nor should prayer be made for them pp. 221
• Principal Question Five, Question Six. That all children dying without baptism will rise on the day of judgment pp. 221–222
• Principal Question Six. On the Elysian Fields according to the opinion of the pagans pp. 223–225
• Principal Question Seven, Question One. Whether the terrestrial Paradise is something corporeal or something spiritual pp. 225–231
• Principal Question Seven, Question Two. Where the Paradise of pleasure is situated pp. 231–237
• Principal Question Seven, Question Three. How many have been translated into the terrestrial Paradise pp. 237–240
• Principal Question Seven, Question Four. Which region is more desirable: the east of the unbelievers, or the west of the Christians? pp. 240–244

First Decade · Chapter Four

• Question One. Whether the dead can appear to the living pp. 245–248
• Question Two. Whether the dead have sometimes appeared pp. 248–251
• Question Three. By which angels the soul is accompanied when it departs from the body, and whether it is immediately conducted to the place assigned to it pp. 251–253
• Question Four. Whether it is lawful to ask a dying person to reveal his state after death pp. 253–254

First Decade · Chapter Five

• Question One. Whether the damned can, by right reason, desire not to exist, in order to escape the miseries of hell and attain their absence pp. 254–260
• Question Two. Whether it is lawful to desire death pp. 260–263
• Question Three. Whether it is more desirable to desire not to exist than to sin pp. 263–264
• Question Four. Whether one who is brave with political courage ought to flee the sin opposed to courage more than bodily death pp. 264–267

First Decade · Chapter Six

• Whether the dead know the things which are done among the living pp. 267–270

First Decade · Chapter Seven

• Question One. Whether a separated soul knows itself, and how pp. 271–272
• Question Two. Whether separated souls speak with one another pp. 273
• Question Three. Whether the soul retains after death the sciences and virtues acquired here, and whether the damned use them with delight pp. 274–275
• Question Four. On the vision of the damned before and after the judgment pp. 275–276

First Decade · Chapter Eight

• Question One. Whether, if a soul is rapt or abstracted from the senses, it can by its own nature divine or know future things pp. 276–280
• Little Question Two of Question One. Whence ecstasy or a forceful rapture is caused pp. 280–281
• Little Question Three of Question One. How many degrees there are of conversion into God through ecstatic contemplation pp. 282–284
• Little Question Four of Question One. Whether Plato and Aristotle could acquire as much concerning divine things as Adam and Paul when placed in ecstasy pp. 284–292
• Little Question Five of Question One. Why revelations occur more often to women than to men pp. 292–293
• Little Question Six of Question One. Whether the prophecies of holy women should be received as true and preached pp. 293–294
• Little Question Seven of Question One. Whether the prophecies of the Sibyls, female magicians, and pythonesses were breathed upon by divine power; and why the Sibyls alone were permitted to prophesy concerning Christ pp. 294–297
• Little Question One of Question Two. What bodily sleep is and whence it is caused pp. 297–298
• Little Question Two of Question Two. On universal and partial sleep pp. 299–300
• Little Question Three of Question Two. Whence Adam’s sleep was caused in the beginning pp. 301–303
• Little Question One of Question Three. On the causes of dreams and their definition pp. 303–305
• Little Question Two of Question Three. Whether good or evil spirits can send dreams to the living pp. 306–308
• Little Question Three of Question Three. Whether the dead can in dreams admonish the living toward good or draw them away from evil, and whether credence should be given to their admonitions pp. 308
• Little Question Four of Question Three. Whether the dreams of the insane and of fools have a presage of some truth pp. 309
• Little Question Five of Question Three. Why good spirits instruct human beings enigmatically and parabolically, and not clearly pp. 309–310
• Little Question Six of Question Three. Whence it is that the influx of spirits upon human beings concerns sleep rather than wakefulness pp. 311–312
• Question Four. How many and who are those who divine well by dreaming pp. 312–314
• Question Five. Whether it is lawful to give credence to dreams pp. 314–316
• Question Six. Whether it is a sin to foretell future things through dreams pp. 316–317
• Little Question One of Question Seven. Why children and the insane sometimes predict future things pp. 317–318
• Little Question Two of Question Seven. Why brute animals show future effects by certain motions pp. 318–320

First Decade · Chapter Nine

• Little Question One of Principal Question One. Whether the powers of the rational soul are subjected to and necessitated by celestial bodies pp. 320–325
• Little Question Two of Principal Question One. Whence it is that one person has a sharper or slower understanding than another pp. 325
• Little Question Three of Principal Question One. Whether one person is inclined by the stars toward one science and another toward another science pp. 326
• Little Question Four of Principal Question One. How many are the causes from which acuity of understanding toward diverse sciences arises pp. 326–328
• Little Question Five of Principal Question One. Who judges better concerning the goodness or depravity of the intellect, a physician or an astrologer pp. 328–329
• Principal Question Two. Why a diversity of customs—that is, of vices and virtues—appears among human beings in different regions pp. 330–336
• Little Question One of Principal Question Three. On fate according to the poets pp. 336–338
• Little Question Two of Principal Question Three. What fate is, and what must be ascribed to fate pp. 338–339
• Little Question Three of Principal Question Three. How, according to some, all things are subjected to fate pp. 340–342
• Little Question Four of Principal Question Three. That there are three execrable dogmas concerning fate pp. 343–349
• Little Question Five of Principal Question Three. That not all things are necessitated by fate pp. 349–354
• Little Question Six of Principal Question Three. The response of theologians to those who think badly concerning fate pp. 355–356
• Little Question Seven of Principal Question Three. What fate is according to theologians, and whether it is to be conceded pp. 356–359
• Little Question One of Principal Question Four. What fortune is according to the poets, how it is depicted, and what things are subjected to it pp. 359–363
• Little Question Two of Principal Question Four. What fortune is according to philosophers and theologians pp. 363–366
• Little Question Three of Principal Question Four. What things make a human being well or badly fortuned pp. 366–369
• Little Question Four of Principal Question Four. On the conditions of fortune pp. 369–372
• Little Question Five of Principal Question Four. Whether a physician, farmer, gambler, and soldier are made fortunate by the stars in their actions pp. 372–376
• Little Question One of Principal Question Five. Whether God placed in the firmament images of animals and of the species of the inferior world pp. 376–380
• Little Question Two of Principal Question Five. Whether images can in some manner be transferred superstitiously into heaven pp. 380–383
• Little Question Three of Principal Question Five. Whether a certain divinatory practice concerning future events can be obtained from the stars and images pp. 383–386
• Principal Question Six. Whether astrologers can judge truly concerning the length and brevity of the lives of those born from inspection of the ylech and alcocoden in the degrees of the Zodiac pp. 386–389
• Principal Question Seven. That no astrologer can predict and judge certain things concerning future events pp. 389–394

First Decade · Chapter Ten

• Question One. In the act of which of the soul's powers its beatitude consists pp. 394–403
• Question Two. Whether one person is more blessed than another in heaven pp. 403–406
• Question Three. Whether a less good but more learned soul is more worthy in heaven than a better but less learned soul pp. 406
• Question Four. That the person who possessed a more intense degree of charity in this life is more blessed in heaven pp. 406–407
• Question Five. How many names the soul obtains pp. 407–408
• Question Six. Why the soul does not rule the body invincibly pp. 408–410

Second Decade · Chapter One

• Question One. Whether demons are found in the nature of things pp. 411–412
• Question Two. What the spirits whom we call angels are pp. 412–414
• Question Three. Concerning the number of angels pp. 415–416
• Question Four. Concerning the beginning of the angels pp. 416–417
• Question Five. Where the angels were created pp. 418–419

Second Decade · Chapter Two

• Sole Question. Whether free choice is found in God, in angels, in the blessed, in demons, in the damned, and in wayfarers pp. 419–426

Second Decade · Chapter Three

• Question One. Whether angels are deputed to the guardianship of human beings pp. 426–428
• Question Two. Whether the guardian angels of souls, when sent, enjoy their happiness in heaven pp. 429–430
• Question Three. To which hierarchy of angels it belongs to guard human beings pp. 430–432
• Question Four. That, notwithstanding divine governance, the guardianship of angels also ought to be given pp. 432–433

Second Decade · Chapter Four

• Question One. To whom the guardianship of angels is necessary pp. 433–435
• Question Two. That one or several angels can be assigned to the guardianship of human beings pp. 436
• Question Three. Why a guardian angel is assigned to a human being pp. 437
• Question Four. On the beginning and end of the guardianship of angels pp. 437–438

Second Decade · Chapter Five

• Question One. Whether the guardianship of angels is sometimes withdrawn from a human being pp. 438–440
• Question Two. That angels receive accidental joy from the salvation of those whom they guard pp. 440–441
• Question Three. That they have no sadness over the damnation of the one guarded pp. 441–442

Second Decade · Chapter Six

• Question One. That angels are more solicitous for the salvation of human beings than demons are for their destruction pp. 443–445
• Question Two. Why angels permit human beings to be vexed by demons pp. 445–446
• Question Three. That the fear of falling away from God through sin is not in angels or in the blessed pp. 446–447

Second Decade · Chapter Seven

• Question One. How angels can alter the interior and exterior powers of human beings pp. 447–449
• Question Two. Whether angels can consecrate the body of Christ pp. 449–450
• Question Three. Whether an angel, having assumed the appearance of a priest, can baptize or absolve pp. 450–451

Second Decade · Chapter Eight

• Question One. Whether one angel understands another pp. 452
• Question Two. On morning and evening cognition in angels pp. 453–454
• Question Three. On the speech of angels among themselves pp. 454–455
• Question Four. How a spirit can address a human being pp. 455–456
• Question Five. Whether local distance impedes the speech of angels to one another pp. 456–457

Second Decade · Chapter Nine

• Question One. On the threefold conflict of angels pp. 457–458
• Question Two. Whether the conflict of the angels with the dragon was real and corporeal pp. 459–460
• Question Three. On the cause of the conflict of Michael with the dragon pp. 460–461

Second Decade · Chapter Ten

• Question One. Whether human beings after their death are assumed into the company of the angels pp. 461–464
• Question Two. Whether the Blessed Virgin was assumed above the choirs of angels pp. 465–468

Third Decade · Chapter One

• Question One. Whether evil angels, who are called cacodaemons, truly exist in the nature of things pp. 469–476
• Question Two. What demons are pp. 476–478
• Question Three. Whether the fall of the demons was possible pp. 478–482
• Question Four. On the interval between the creation and the fall of the angels pp. 483–485
• Question Five. Whether the evil angels fell into hell pp. 485–486
• Question Six. How many angels fell from heaven pp. 486–487

Third Decade · Chapter Two

• Question One. Whether demons possess bodies naturally united to them as form to matter pp. 487–490
• Question Two. Whether among demons there is generation through seed, as among human beings and perfect animals pp. 490–493
• Question Three. That demons assume bodies from the nature of an element pp. 493
• Question Four. What operations of life a demon exercises in an assumed body pp. 493–495
• Question Five. That a demon transformed into an angel cannot be adored without sin, even by one who is ignorant pp. 495–496

Third Decade · Chapter Three

• Question One. Whether demons can enter the bodies of human beings and animals pp. 496–498
• Question Two. Whether a demon can enter the whole body or some part of it pp. 498–500
• Question Three. Whether a demon can move bodies by the command of the will alone pp. 500–501
• Question Four. That a demon cannot enter the soul pp. 501–503
• Question Five. Whether the spirit of a damned human being can enter the body of another human being pp. 503–504
• Question Six. That one must not believe a possessed person who says that he is the spirit of someone deceased pp. 504–505

Third Decade · Chapter Four

• Question One. Whether a demon can produce a natural effect without seed pp. 505–507
• Question Two. On the miracles of Pharaoh’s magicians and of necromancers pp. 507–509
• Question Three. Whether, from the teaching of demons, a human being can form a true human body through the operation of natural powers alone pp. 509

Third Decade · Chapter Five

• Question One. Whether demons attack human beings pp. 510–515
• Question Two. How, and in how many ways, a demon deludes a human being’s senses pp. 515–517
• Question Three. On the many ways by which a demon deceives human beings pp. 517–521
• Question Four. Why God permits human beings to be tempted by demons pp. 521–522

Third Decade · Chapter Six

• Question One. Whether tempting human beings is the proper office of demons pp. 522–524
• Question Two. Why demons tempt human beings pp. 524
• Question Three. How many and who are the tempters of human beings pp. 524–525
• Question Four. Whether temptations are to be desired pp. 525–527
• Question Five. Why the demon, having attacked the woman Eve, tempted her in the form of a serpent and by vocal speech pp. 528
• Question Six. That Hebrew speech was the first language, and after the judgment will be the last language pp. 528–529

Third Decade · Chapter Seven

• Question One. Whether demons know future things pp. 529–531
• Question Two. Whether demons know the thoughts of human beings pp. 531–534
• Question Three. Whether demons can perform miracles pp. 534–535
• Question Four. Whether women said to ride at night with Diana are a demonic illusion pp. 535–536

Third Decade · Chapter Eight

• Question One. Whether demons can be compelled by some natural art to give oracles to human beings pp. 536–540
• Question Two. How demons can be expelled from possessed bodies pp. 540–543
• Question Three. Whether fascination is a natural or diabolical work pp. 543–544
• Question Four. Whether preservation in the bodies of the dead is a work of God, nature, or the devil pp. 544–547
• Question Five. From what the reason is to be taken that certain marvels are from the devil and not from God pp. 547–548

Third Decade · Chapter Nine

• Question One. Whether anyone can predict future things through invocation of demons without sin pp. 548–550
• Question Two. How many genera and species of divinations there are in which demons are invoked pp. 550–553
• Question Three. Whether it is lawful to use natural things in order to acquire bodily health pp. 553
• Question Four. Whether signs applied to natural things operate naturally to produce certain effects pp. 553
• Question Five. Whether it is lawful to observe certain signs in order to foreknow future good or bad fortunes pp. 554
• Question Six. Whether observation of a time for doing something is lawful pp. 554–555
• Question Seven. Whether it is a sin to investigate stolen things by inspection of an astrolabe and by judgment of the stars pp. 555–556
• Question Eight. Whether, besides the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer, it is lawful to recite charms or use other observances when gathering herbs pp. 556
• Question Nine. Whether it is lawful to hang divine words around the neck pp. 556–557
• Question Ten. Whether it is lawful to keep relics of saints with oneself pp. 557–558
• Question Eleven. Whether it is lawful to charm serpents or another genus of animals pp. 558
• Question Twelve. Whether it is lawful to use red-hot iron or boiling water for the investigation of something hidden pp. 558–559
• Question Thirteen. Whether it is lawful to use the notory art for acquiring sciences pp. 559–561
• Question Fourteen. Whether illusions and divinations of demons are to be believed when the effect occurs pp. 561–562
• Question Fifteen. Whether it is evil to use lots pp. 562–565
• Question Sixteen. Why sortileges, divinations, and incantations abound more among women than among men pp. 565–566

Third Decade · Chapter Ten

• Question One. Whether evil spirits or evil human beings have greater power over human beings pp. 566–567
• Question Two. Whether greater power to afflict the good is given to a natural agent or to a free human being pp. 567–568
• Question Three. Why the afflictive action of natural agents was sometimes permitted by God and sometimes impeded when applied by free agents pp. 568–569
• Question Four. How many species of demons there are which torment human beings before and after the judgment pp. 569–570
• Question Five. On the causes why demons tempt human beings pp. 570–573
• Question Six. Whether demons always appear to everyone who is dying pp. 573–577

Back Matter

• Register and Colophon
• Alphabetical Index