Description
A painting by Bellini, above the altar in San Zaccaria, depicts the sacred conversation, in which the revelation, and presence of Christ are discussed. Madonna and child are seated on a throne above an angel playing music on the steps. Four saints, two on each side of the angel, St. Peter, St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Lucy and St. Jerome, stand in the presence of Christ, St. Peter and St. Jerome, each holding a book. St. Peter holds, the Gospels, while St. Jerome, his translation of the Bible, from Greek and Hebrew, into Latin, known as the Vulgate. In Shakespeare’s time, the Douay Rheims, translation of the Vulgate, was carried out in secret, because the rulers of England would kill anyone found with a copy. In Verona, Lady Capulet referred to the book, which in gold clasps locks the golden story. This is the Golden Legend of Jacobo Voragine, which recounts the martyrs and saints stories, for each Mass of the year. Saint Catherine holds a palm, and a broken wheel, signifying martyrdom. St. Lucy holds a dish containing her eyes, which were gouged out, this reminds us of St. Roseline, whose eyes were buried separately from her, because she was blessed with the beatific vision.
Dante took a Roman poet, Virgil for his guide through the underworld. He detailed the failings of man, through the sins of his fellow Italians, from both his enemies, the Ghibellines, and his party, the Guelphs. He came to accept the Guelphs actually initiated the fratricide which decimated Italy for hundreds of years. Dante was married to a Donati, a scion of the family which overturned a girl of the Amadei, and began the war?
The Aeneid, follows in Romeo and Juliet, the arrival of Aeneas, in Italy. Aeneas, like Dante, journeyed to the underworld, in order to converse with his father. Aeneas, like Dante was an exile, attempting to comprehend the vagaries of the world. Anchises, assured Aeneas, his son would rule the world. Upon his father’s word, Aeneas composed himself, conquered Latium, and forged the beginnings of Rome. Even the founder of Rome, had doubts, about his destiny. Rome 300 years later, emerged from Romulus and Remus, as a kingdom.
Petrarch, also was blessed with having a great love in his life, the Holy Mother. Laura, his ultimate achievement, was about the loss which left him bereft, after having been for a moment in Mary’s blessed presence. A laura, was a hut of early monks in Palestine, where their only object of contemplation, was a portrait of Our Lady. They gave their lives to her, even without the vision, Petrarch received. Petrarch’s desolation came from having known, the comfort which awaited him in the next world, while still having to live in exile, on earth.
God’s having chosen Saul and David, as kings of Israel, should have settled for once, the attempt to have a king, establish God’s kingdom in the world, is fatally flawed, since that kingdom, must be of the world. After Saul was anointed king of the Jews, God expected Saul would follow God’s commands, delivered through the prophet, Samuel. When, Saul balked at executing God’s demand, Samuel delayed returning to Saul. Saul, God’s appointed king, then took upon himself the role of priest, to offer sacrifice. Saul contravening God’s command, became in Israel a heretic, and was nailed to a wall and burnt, as punishment. The house of Israel would have been Saul’s, but instead was passed to David. Even the author of the Psalms, could not rule God’s kingdom, according to His instructions. David had to number Israel, against God’s command, and thus brought upon Israel the wrath of God. Is it right for man to suffer for the sins of Adam and Eve? They are our parents, thus their sins are ours.
When the world revolted against Christ, a millennium and a half, after Golgotha, Machiavelli advised the Prince, to use evil to secure his city. These were not princes appointed by God, following God’s commands, but men whose will to power, would brook no interference, from competitors, or God. Machiavelli counseled the practice of evil to secure the prince’s rule. But a man who uses evil, becomes evil, and thus breaks unity with Christ. Like Saul, the prince is no longer serving God, and thus will end, as Saul did, burned and condemned.
Do we question why the world is, as it is? If we follow the citizens of Verona, they spoke of the father, of the word and of their breath, throughout the play. St. Anselm, as a child, climbed the Alps above his home, seeking the court of God. Upon entering the castle he was greeted by God’s cupbearer, and led to the Lord. He was asked who he was and whence he came. This is the question Romeo asked about Juliet, and Juliet about Romeo. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but it would not be a rose. Names matter more than anything else in the world. God demands, thou shalt have no false gods before me. When worshipping it is most important to know the name of God.
Another king, who like Romeo, was struck by an arrow of Cupid, was King Cophetua. After having been pierced with Cupid’s arrow, the King looked out his window and fell in love with the beggar maid. He went across to her, and gave his purse to the others, who left without thanking him. Only she remained behind. Romeo likewise, gave gold to the apothecary, and the rest of his wealth to Balthasar, in the graveyard. Both were so poor as to be beggars. The king took the beggaress, as his wife. The same ceremony took place in the Cathedral of Assisi, when St. Francis, rejected his family, and took to wife, Lady Poverty.
Christ told Peter, he would make him a fisher of men. The servant who stumbled into Romeo and Benvolio, in the square, asked about the fisher with his pencil. The fisher wrote, the first and second books of St. Peter. In addition, many of his works were recounted in the Acts of the Apostles, especially one through twelve. What is so difficult for men to grasp, is the Acts, themselves, were much more consequential, than their recounting. The Mass, the presence of Christ in the world, is far more important than words on a page. Christ’s “words” were used to deride His actual presence, by the “reformers,” in the time of Romeo and Juliet. False prophets, who wanted to seduce men away from the altar, upon which Christ’s blood was poured out, each morning, rapidly spread across Christ’s home. Romeo condemned them, by swearing transparent heretics be burnt for liars.
