Working on the recently rediscovered Wartburg Manuscript of Meister Eckhart, I am able to also correct the critical edition of Eckhart's Works (German and Latin), this time it is the German Works, Eckhart, Homily 90 (DW IV).
In the Karlsruhe Manuscript (K1a) (as in the Wartburg manuscript too) Eckhart refers to Aristotle, De an. III 8 (432a8-9; Hamesse 188 [167]): Necesse est quemcumque intelligentem phantasmata speculari (the one who understands must behold images).
K1a, the oldest manuscript that preserves this homily of Eckhart (DW IV 51) (at least in fragmentary form), does not only read „in die bildærinne“ ("in the images", see below), but preserves the better:
Consequently, Aristotle says in the book De anima: The one who understands needs to behold images. One power of the soul in this body is called image together with the power. Und what is received from the outer senses is being caught and brought into the intellect, from which the person can grow in wisdom. In this skill also Christ had a growth as Saint Thomas says:[1] Quod puer ihesus crescebat uirtutibus sensitiuis. Jesus Christ, our Lord, he grew in his humanity in the powers of the senses.[2]
(„fanthasie, daz ist in die bildærinnen“; before mentioning Thomas, the text refers to Aristotle: „Alse Aristoteles sprichet In libro de anima. Oportet intelligentem fantasma speculari. Eine craft der selen in deme libe heiszet fanthasia in der craft sament. vnde vaszet sich daz. daz da von den vszern sinnen. wirt vernomen vnd wirt also braht in daz virstentnGsse. do von der mensche mag zG nemen an wisheyde. An der kGnst hade auch Cristus ein zG nemen alse Sanctus thomas sprichet. Quod puer ihesus crescebat uirtutibus sensitiuis. Jhesus Cristus Nnser herre. der wGsch in sinre mensheit an den creften der sinne“).
In the critical edition, we only read Eckhart, Pr. 90 (DW IV 64,8-65,5):
„Diu vierde kunst, die er hâte, die was an der sinnelîcheit. Wan swaz die sinne begrîfent von bûzen, daz wirt geistlîche getragen in die bildærinne und dâ sô vazzet ez daz înblicken des verstantnisses. Alsô hâte er ein zuonemen als wir. Meister Thomas sprichet: er hâte ein zuonemen von den kreften der sinne“.
We notice, how important the new manuscript of the Wartburg is, as it not only gives us new, hitherto unknown texts by Eckhart, but also allows us to review the known homilies.
[1]
Th. Aqu., Compendium theologiae I, c.
216: ‘quantum ad cognitionem experimentalem Christus potuit proficere’.
