112 Ulysses Aldrovandi

son proceeds through his father to his grandfather, just as he proceeds through his mother to his maternal uncle. An *amita* is a father's sister, acting as if she were another mother; likewise, a *matertera* is a mother's sister, like a second mother. A grandson (*nepos*) is so called because he is "born after" (*natus post*), coming into the world after the father and the son. The brother and sister of a grandfather are called the *patruus magnus* and *amita magna*. Similarly, the brother and sister of a grandmother are the *avunculus magnus* and *matertera magna*. The *propatruus* and *proamita* are the brother and sister of a great-grandfather; likewise, the *proavunculus* and *promatertera* are the brother and sister of a great-grandmother. The brother and sister of a great-great-grandfather are the *abpatruus* and *abamita*, while those of a great-great-grandmother are the *abavunculus* and *abmatertera*. One is called a father-in-law (*socer*) or mother-in-law (*socrus*) when, by marrying off a daughter or son, they have joined a son-in-law (*gener*) or daughter-in-law (*nurus*) to themselves; the term *gener*, moreover, is derived from "generation." We call a man a stepfather (*vitricus*) if he has married a woman who already has a son or daughter; that child is a stepson (*privignus*), meaning "born before" (*prius genitus*), since he was born from another father. Finally, we call those *agnati* who, in the absence of children, take their place; and *cognati* those who succeed the *agnati*, as they share kinship through the female line.

THE EXCELLENCE OF MAN

Since the supreme Architect of all things imprinted the character of Divine power upon man, man—supported by this—rules over all other living creatures. Indeed, he reaps no small harvest from the earth cultivated by beasts of burden and derives great utility from pack animals; he sustains his life with their meat, covers his body with their hides, and obtains medicines for his health from others. Finally, in other ways, they serve man significantly for both protection and pleasure. Thus, we can rightly proclaim with the Psalmist: "You have put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, and even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the sea."

To this is added the fact that man, alone among the animals, is granted the use of distinct speech, whereas other creatures signify their feelings with a kind of confused voice. Nay, even the things man shares with other animals seem, if considered attentively, to be uniquely his own. For his senses, both internal and external, are so attuned that he does not merely touch the surface—as other creatures do—but penetrates to the very marrow of perceptible things. Furthermore, human memory is so vast compared to that of brutes that theirs seems to be non-existent.

Hence, we establish that man is the noblest animal, placed at the boundary of two natures: the mortal and the immortal. By virtue of his mortal part, he is bound to things that die; by virtue of his immortal part, he reaches toward eternal things. Beyond this, one observes in man that "scale of nature" composed of four degrees of being: the first denotes essence; the second, essence and life; the third, in addition to these, sense; and the fourth, above all else, intellect. Therefore, Saint Augustine rightly wrote that man shares essence with stones, life with plants, sense with beasts, and intellect with Angels. Cicero also recorded that humans do not live on earth merely as inhabitants, but as spectators of celestial matters—a spectacle that can belong to no other kind of living creature. Moreover, many virtues and mental gifts shine most brightly in humans and not at all in brutes. Finally, in Cicero’s opinion, no animal besides man has any knowledge of God.

Man is called the noblest animal not only because of his eminence among other creatures, as has been proven thus far, but primarily because man alone partakes in reason and possesses something of the divine. As Manilius most excellently sang: "Is there any doubt that God dwells within our breasts? That the soul comes from heaven and returns to heaven?"

Therefore, distinguished by industry, genius, intellect, and other remarkable prerogatives of the mind, man is in some way made like the divine nature. This is why Almighty God said in Genesis: "Let us make man in our image and likeness," provided that men emulate God in holy and divine works. Otherwise, just as Lucifer was cast down from the