§prol.1.1ΤΩΙ τῆς Ἀριστοτελικῆς ἀειθαλεῖ φιλοσοφίας λειμῶνι πολλαὶ μὲν καὶ ἄλλαι δέλτοι κατὰ τὰ εὐγενῆ παραπεφύκασι τῶν φυτῶν, παμφόρους μὲν οἶς θεωροῦμεν, πολύχοας δὲ καὶ οἷς διαπραττόμεθα προϊέμεναι τοὺς καρπούς.
In the evergreen meadow of Aristotelian philosophy, many other books have grown alongside like noble plants, producing all-bearing fruits in what we contemplate, and rich fruits in what we practice.
§prol.1.2Ἦν δὲ πρὸς ταῖς ἄλλαις καὶ ἡ περὶ τῶν φυτῶν ὅσα καὶ φυτὸν εὐφυὲς βραχὺ μέν, ἀλλὰ συχναῖς ταῖς χάρισι βρύον καὶ καλλίστοις ἐκφορίοις τοὺς τῶν λόγων ἐραστὰς δεξιούμενον, οὐ μόνον λέγω τοὺς ἡμετέρους, τοὺς πάνυ, τοὺς περιφανεῖς τὰ ἐς λόγους καὶ τὴν σοφίαν ἀπαραμίλλους καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν Αὔσονας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐκ μοίρας Ἰταλικῆς, καὶ οὐ τούτους μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅσους τοιούτους οἶδεν ἡ τῶν εὐδαιμόνων Ἀράβων τρέφειν καὶ τῶν Ἰνδῶν.
And in addition to the others, there was also the book on plants, which, like a well-formed plant, though short, was teeming with abundant graces and welcoming the lovers of learning with the most beautiful yields—I mean not only our own, those very eminent Ausonians, unparalleled in learning and wisdom and matchless in understanding, but also those of the Italian region, and not only them, but also all such men as the land of the happy Arabs and of the Indians knows how to nurture.
§prol.1.3Συχνὸν γὰρ ἐνέβαλεν ἵμερον τῶν ἑαυτοῦ συγγραμμάτων τοῖς ὁπουδήποτε φιλοσόφοις ὁ ἐκ Σταγείρων ἄκρος φιλόσοφος.
For the supreme philosopher from Stagira instilled a strong desire for his own writings in philosophers everywhere.
Ἀλλὰ τὸ τοιοῦτον φυτὸν οὐκ οἶδ’ ὅπως οὐ μόνον αὔανσιν πέπονθε παρ’ ἡμῖν, ἀλλοίωσίν τινα τάχα περὶ τὸ χεῖρον, οἶα φιλεῖ ὁ χρόνος ποιεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ προθέλυμνον ἐκκοπὴν καὶ εἰς τὸ μὴ ὂν ἀποστροφήν, ὡς οὐδ’ ἄν ποτε φυτηκόμον εἶδεν, οὐδ’ εἰ προῆλθεν εἰς φῶς.
But this plant, I know not how, not only suffered withering among us, and perhaps a certain alteration for the worse, such as time is wont to bring, but was even cut down by the roots and turned back into non-existence, as if it had never even seen a gardener, nor ever come forth into the light.
§prol.1.4Ὑπέστη τὰ ἶσα καὶ Ἰταλὸς μακρὸν χρόνον σὺν ἡμῖν χηρεύων τοῦ χρήματος.
The Italian suffered the same fate, being deprived of this treasure along with us for a long time.
Τοῖς Ἄραψιν ἐγνωρίζετο μόνοις, καὶ μόνοι τῶν τούτου καρπῶν ἀφθόνως ἀπήλαυον.
It was known only to the Arabs, and they alone enjoyed its fruits abundantly.
§prol.1.5Ἀλλά τις Κελτὸς μὲν τὸ γένος, ἐς τοσοῦτον δὲ τῆς τῶν Ἰταλῶν σοφίας ἐλάσας ὡς τῶν πρωτείων παραχωρεῖν μηδενί, εἶτα βραχὺ τοῦτο, καίπερ ὂν τοσοῦτον, καθ’ ἑαυτὸν οἰηθείς, ἂν μὴ καὶ τὴν τῶν Ἀράβων μετὰ τὴν τῶν Λατίνων μεταλάβοι γνῶσιν καὶ τὴν καλλίστην ἔξιν ἀσκήσειεν, ὅλος γίνεται τοῦ ἔργου, καὶ εἰς πέρας τὴν γνώμην ἀγαγεῖν θέλει καὶ τυχεῖν παντοίως τοῦ ἐφετοῦ.
But a certain man, Celtic by race, who had advanced so far in the wisdom of the Italians as to yield the first place to no one, and who then, though this was so great, considered it insufficient for himself unless, in addition to the knowledge of the Latins, he should also partake of the knowledge of the Arabs and cultivate the most beautiful disposition, gave himself entirely to the work, wishing to bring his resolve to completion and to obtain by all means the object of his desire.
§prol.1.6Στέλλεται λοιπὸν τὴν ἀλλοδαπήν, χρῆται τοῖς Ἄραψι παιδευταῖς, καὶ τῇ εὐφυΐᾳ συμμετρήσας σπουδὴν τοσοῦτον εὐμοίρησε παιδείας, φασίν, ὡς δύνασθαι καὶ τὰ τῶν Ἀράβων εἰς Ἰταλοὺς καὶ τὰ τῶν Ἰταλῶν μεταπορθμεύειν εἰς Ἄραβας.
So he set out for foreign lands, made use of Arab teachers, and, matching his zeal to his natural talent, was so favored with learning, they say, as to be able to translate the writings of the Arabs to the Italians and those of the Italians to the Arabs.
Οὗτος οὖν πρός τισιν ἄλλαις καὶ τὴν περὶ φυτῶν τήνδε βίβλον μεθερμηνεύει, κὰκ τῶν λογικῶν Ἀραβικῶν λειμώνων ὅσα καὶ φυτὸν εὐγενὲς εἰς τὰς Ἰταλικὰς μετακηπεύει φυταλιάς.
This man, therefore, besides certain other books, also translated this book on plants, and from the intellectual Arabic meadows transplanted it, like a noble plant, into the Italian gardens.
§prol.1.7Ἔχαιρε γοῦν Ἰταλὸς ἐπὶ τούτῳ, καὶ τὰ μεγάλα ἐκόμπαζε· ταῖς Ἀριστοτελικαῖς γὰρ φιλοτιμεῖσθαι βίβλοις ὑπὲρ πάντας βρενθύεται· καὶ τοσοῦτον ἐνεκαυχᾶτο τῷ χρήματι, Ξέρξης οὐχ ἢττον ἐκεῖνος εἰς ἢν ὑπεσκιάσθη καὶ ἣν χρυσέαν ἔδειξε πλάτανον.
The Italian, at least, rejoiced in this and boasted greatly; for he prides himself on the Aristotelian books above all others; and he boasted of this treasure no less than that famous Xerxes did of the plane tree under which he was shaded and which he displayed as golden.
Ἦλθον εἰς ἐπιθυμίαν (μακρὸς ἐξότου χρόνος) κἀγὼ τοῦ φυτοῦ· λόγοι γάρ μοι τῶν τοῦ κόσμου πάντων χρῆμα ὅ τὸ τιμιώτατον.
I too came to desire this plant (long ago); for to me, learning is the most precious treasure of all things in the world.
§prol.1.8Ἐπόθουν ἐμφορηθῆναι τῶν τούτου καρπῶν, τῶν νοημάτων εἰς ἔξιν ἐλθεῖν.
I longed to feed on its fruits and to come into possession of its thoughts.
Ἐψυχαγώγει μοι τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἐλπίς, καὶ τὴν ἐλπίδα πάλιν εὐχὴ διεδέχετο.
Hope comforted my desire, and in turn, prayer succeeded hope.
Ἀλλὰ μέχρι πολλοῦ τὰ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἀτέλεστα, ἡ ἐλπὶς καὶ μόνον ἐλπίς· τὰ δὲ τῆς εὐχῆς ἐπετείνετο.
But for a long time, the object of desire was unfulfilled, and hope was only hope, while the intensity of prayer increased.
Τί δ’ ἡ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀπάντων παντελὴς αἰτία καὶ ὑπερτελὴς καὶ προτέλειος;
But what did the perfect, transcendent, and ultimate cause of all good things do?
Ἠρεμίαν τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ χορηγεῖ, τῇ ἐλπίδι πέρας, καὶ τὰ τῆς αἰτήσεως τῇ εὐχῇ.
He granted tranquility to my desire, fulfillment to my hope, and the answer of my petition to my prayer.