945 ff. This is one of Gower’s favourite citations: it occurs also Mir. 26869, Vox Clam. vii. 639. It is quoted here from Moralia, vi. 16 (Migne, Patr. vol. 75, p. 740): ‘Homo itaque, quia habet commune esse cum lapidibus, vivere cum arboribus, sentire cum animalibus, discernere cum angelis, recte nomine universitatis exprimitur.’ In the Mirour it is given as from the Homilies; see Hom. in Ev. xxix. 2. The passage is also quoted in the Roman de la Rose, 19246 ff. (ed. Méon),
‘Il a son estre avec les pierres,
Et vit avec les herbes drues,
Et sent avec les bestes mues,’ &c.
947. the lasse world, i.e. a microcosm: cp. Vox Clam. vii. 645,
‘Sic minor est mundus homo, qui fert singula solus.’
The saying is attributed to Aristotle in Mirour, 26929.
953. That is, the stones have existence and so hath he, this being the only point in common.
955. as telleth the clergie, ‘as learning informs us.’
975. The which, resumed by ‘He’ in 978: for, i.e. ‘since.’