Tuesday, June 01, 2010

1a 2ae q33 a1: Whether expansion is an effect of pleasure? Yes.

Desiderium habet quidem aliquam ampliationem ex imaginatione rei desideratae, sed multo magis ex praesentia rei iam delectantis: quia magis praebet se animus rei iam delectanti, quam rei non habitae desideratae, cum delectatio sit finis desiderii.

Desire includes a certain expansion arising from the imagination of the thing desired; but this expansion increases at the presence of the delightful object: because the mind surrenders itself more to that object when it is already taking delight in it, than when it desires it before possessing it; since delight is the end of desire.

Latitudo est quaedam dimensio magnitudinis corporalis, unde in affectionibus animae non nisi secundum metaphoram dicitur. Dilatatio autem dicitur quasi motus ad latitudinem. Et competit delectationi secundum duo quae ad delectationem requiruntur.

Breadth [latitudo] is a dimension of bodily magnitude: hence it is not applied to the emotions of the soul, save metaphorically. Now expansion denotes a kind of movement towards breadth; and it belongs to delight in respect of the two things requisite for delight.

Quorum unum est ex parte apprehensivae virtutis, quae apprehendit coniunctionem alicuius boni convenientis. Ex hac autem apprehensione apprehendit se homo perfectionem quandam adeptum, quae est spiritualis magnitudo, et secundum hoc, animus hominis dicitur per delectationem magnificari, seu dilatari.

One of these is on the part of the apprehensive power, which is cognizant of the conjunction with some befitting good. As a result of this apprehension, man perceives that he has attained a certain perfection, which is a magnitude of the spiritual order: and in this respect man's mind is said to be magnified (i.e., expanded) by delight.

Aliud autem est ex parte appetitivae virtutis, quae assentit rei delectabili, et in ea quiescit, quodammodo se praebens ei ad eam interius capiendam. Et sic dilatatur affectus hominis per delectationem, quasi se tradens ad continendum interius rem delectantem.

The other requisite for delight is on the part of the appetitive power, which acquiesces in the delightful object, and rests therein, offering, as it were, to enfold it within itself. And thus man's affection is expanded by delight, as though it surrendered itself to hold within itself the object of its delight.

Ad delectationem vero pertinet dilatatio, inquantum aliquid in seipso ampliatur, ut quasi capacius reddatur.

Expansion pertains to delight, insofar as a thing becomes wider in itself so as to become more capacious.