2 167. RABANUS MAURUS. 721
Magdala, and the latter again with the woman that was a sin ner. Hence after declaring that Mary was a miracle of beauty he is obliged to touch upon her unchastity prior to her meeting with Christ.
II. EDUCATIONAL. (1) The Institutes of the clergy.1 This important work was written in 819 in answer to numerous re quests. It is in three books, prefaced by a poetical epigram. The prose preface gives an outline of the work, and states its sources. The work is very largely directly compiled from Augustin's De doctrina Christiana, Cassiodorus' Instttutiones, and Gregory's Cura pasioraMs. The first book of Raban's Institutes relates to ecclesiastical orders, clerical vestments, the sacraments,2 and the office of the mass. The second book re lates to the canonical hours, the litany, fasting, alms, penance, the feasts, prayers for the dead, singing of psalms and hymns, reading of the Scriptures, the creed and gives a list of the heresies. The third book treats of the education requisite to make an efficient servant of the church. It is noteworthy that he lays primary stress upon a knowledge of the Scriptures,3 and gives directions for their study and explanation. He then passes on to discuss the components of education as then conducted, i. e. the seven liberal arts, and closes with directions how to speak and teach with the best results. He properly remarks that the preacher should have regard to the age, sex, and failings of his audience. He is to come forth as God's spokesman, and if he is truly a man of God he will be upheld by divine power. This is the proper spirit. Man is nothing. God is everything. "Let him who glorieth glory in Him in whose hand both we and our sermons are."4
1 De clericornm institutfane, CVII. col. 293-420.
2 He defends the use of unleavened brend in the Eucharist by an appeal to Jewish Passover usage, the Eucharist being the Christian passover, and the use of wine mingled with water for the reason thai out of the Saviour's pierced side there flowed both water and blood. The water signifies the people, the wine the blood of Christ. Therefore their union in the cup signifies the union of the people with Christ, ibid. Lib. I. Cap. XXXT. (col. 319, 320.)
3 Ibid. Lib. III. Cap. II. (col. 379.) * Ibid. Lib. III. Cap. XXXIX. col. 420.
722 FOUKTH PERIOD. A. D. 590-1049.
(2) On Computation.1 It was written in 820, and is in tl; • form of a dialogue between a master and his disciple. Much of it was copied verbatim from Bede's De temporum ratione, Isidore's Etymologies, and Boethius' Arithmetic. But the re sulting work marked an advance in instruction in the important matter of computing numbers, times and seasons.
(3) The Universe.1 Isidore of Seville had already set the ex ample of preparing an encyclopedia of universal knowledge, and Raban in his Universe merely reproduces Isidore's Etymologies, with some difference in the arrangement of the material, and with the addition of allegorical and spiritual matter, interpreta tions of the names and words, together with many quotations of Scripture. The work was one of the early fruits of his learned leisure, being written about 844. It is in twenty-two books, the number in the Hieronymian canon of the Old Testament, and is dedicated to Haymo of Halberstadt, and to King Louis. It begins with the doctrine of God, and the first five books relate to religion and worship. The remaining books relate to secular things, ranging from man himself, considered as an ani mal, through the beasts to the starry heavens, time and the divisions of time, the waters on and under the earth, the clouds above it, and the earth itself. He then speaks of mountains and valleys and divers places; of public buildings and their parts; of philosophy and linguistics, stones and metals, weights and measures, diseases and remedies, trees and plants, wars and triumphs, shows and games, pictures and colors, dress and orna ments, food and drink, vehicles and harness.
(4) Excerpt from Priscianjs Grammar,3 an abridged edition of a standard grammar. It is almost entirely confined to pro sody, but it served to introduce Priscian into schools.4
(5) The holy orders, divine sacraments and priestly garments.5
1 Liber de compute, CVII. col. 669-728. 2 De universo, CXI. col. 9-614. 3 Excerptio de arte grammatica Prisciani, ibid. col. 613-678. * Bahr, I. c. 419. 5 Liber de sacris ordinibus, sacramentis divinis, et vestimentis sacerdotalibus, Migne, CXII. col. 1165-1192.