Text
Of all manner sorts of armor
You will be armed with, both well and sure,
Since your mother now signed shall be,
Minerva, which is perfect for you.
Gloss
Minerva was a lady of great cunning and fond of the craft of making armor, for before the people armed them with nothing but boiled leather; and for the great wisdom that was in this lady, they called her a goddess. And because Hector could work armor well, and that it was his perfect craft, Othea called him the son of Minerva, not withstanding that he was son to Queen Hecuba of Troy; and in the same way all that love arms are called the children of Minerva. And to this purpose an author says that knights given to arms might be subject to the same.
Allegory
Where it is said that good armor and enoguh strength are given to the good knight by his mother, we may understand the virtue of faith, which is a core virtue and is mother to the good spirit. And that she delivers armor enough, Casiodoire says in the Exposition of the Creed that faith is the light of the soul, the gate of paradise, the window of life and the ground of everlasting health, for without faith none may please God. And to this purpose, Saint Paul the Apostle says:
and strong i-noughe shall be delivered to the good knight be his mother, we may understand the virtue of faith, which is a dinuine virtue and is mother to the good spirit. And that she delivers armor enough, Cassiodoire says in the Exposition of the Crede that faith is the light of the soul, the gate of paradise, the window of life and the ground of everlasting health, for without faith none may please God. And to this purpose says Saint Paul the apostle: “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.”1
Footnotes
- Hebrews 11:6. Christine’s original Latin: “Sine fide impossible est placere Deo.”
