Theater of the World

Good-hearted reader.

And so much may suffice at this place to increase the understanding and light of this little book.

However, people have not only wondered and lamented over this, but have also asked about the origin and the cause of such human misery. And indeed, as far as the wise pagans and philosophers are concerned—from whom we have cited many testimonies and laments—they could not correctly find their way in this matter. Many simply thought that everything happened by chance. Others went even further and stated that these were causae fatales fatal causes ordained by God, which came from the causis secundis secondary causes, as they are called. But one part, such as Aristoteles and his disciples, sought the cause in the materia matter, especially the cause of sickness and death, because matter is subject to corruption decay, and of itself has a desire for and is driven toward novelty and other formis forms, just as such generation and corruption can be seen in all plants and animals. And hence is Aristoteles' dogma regarding privation in matter. To this, some others have wanted to chime in, by seeking the causas efficientes efficient causes in the stars or the influence of heaven, namely, that the conjunction of stars and other positions should thus prepare matter. But regarding vices, they taught that their cause lies in the will and minds of men. Yet here, if one wanted to go further, they could not know where such weakness comes from, both in the matter and in the human will and mind.