《智慧书·第六辑·二五一至三百》第46则
Noble Qualities. Noble qualities make noblemen: a single one of them is worth more than a multitude of mediocre ones. There was once a man who made all his belongings, even his household utensils, as great as possible. How much more ought a great man see that the qualities of his soul are as great as possible. In God all is eternal and infinite, so in a hero everything should be great and majestic, so that all his deeds, nay, all his words, should be pervaded by a transcendent majesty.
注释摘要
这一则的西语标题是De condiciones magnánimas，正文开篇那句"造就高贵的是高贵的品质"，整个段落只有一个真正的观念核心：大气（magnanimidad）。这个词在他这里不是后世理解的"慷慨"，而是一种品质上的容积——灵魂要够大，大到连日常器物都配得上那个尺度。 他举的那个例子在十七世纪的读者眼里几乎是不言自明的暗示。正文里"有一个人，…