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0124 Cathay and the Way Thither : vol.2
Cathay and the Way Thither : vol.2 / Page 124 (Color Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000042
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364   RECOLLECTIONS OF TRAVEL IN THE EAST,

Now there were used, it must be observed, in making the cross, palm wood, olive wood, cypress wood, and citron wood, and the last is the only one of the four that can be alleged to bear a fruit which is good to eat and pleasant to the eyes. And these really appear to be the woods of the cross in that which belongs to our Lord the Emperor Charles ; whatever people may say about the plantain tree (which is called also a fig tree) and its exhibiting the image of the crucifix ; at the same time I don't mean to commit myself to any prejudgment of the matter. But as regards the fruit before mentioned, there is a certain Hebrew gloss on that proverb of Ezekiel's, "Patres comederunt uvam acerbam et denies faliorum obstupuerunt," which needs notice. Where our version has Patres the original Hebrew has Adam. Now this word is written sometimes one way and sometimes another. For Adam is written one way when it signifies parents, or man and woman, as in Genesis when 'tis said " Vocavit nomen eoruma Adam" in the plural; and it is written with other letters when it signifies a man only. Just as we say on the one hand hic et hcec homo, and on the other hand hic vir (though I don't mean to say that we use diacritical marks and inherent vowels like the Hebrews) . So also Sera is written sometimes with a Zade, and sometimes with a Samech ; and Abram sometimes with an Aleph and sometimes with a He, the signification varying accordingly. So then `Adam comederunt uvam acerbam' [has been understood of our first father] . But this interpretation is not approved by our divines, for there was no vinewood in the cross. The same remark may be made regarding the fig tree for which

Ipse lignum tune notavit
Damna ligni ut solveret.

Hoc opus nostrce salutis Ordo depoposcerat

Multiformes proditoris Ars ut artem pelleret, Et medelam ferret iode llostis uncle iceserat."