A History of Monsters. 243

if such a divine lineage is to be imitated by man, then after the example of the Gods, what crime is it for me to love?

Just as a deep and hoarse voice disrupts harmony and offends the ears of listeners, the wicked are said to produce a deep and hoarse sound. Failing to restrain the bridle of their own tongues, they disturb the harmony of decent society and are thus considered disagreeable by honorable and virtuous men. Furthermore, the human neck, much like that of other animals, is usually a symbol of strength; for when the neck is bound, the creature's power is overcome. By the neck, we should understand speech, since the voice begins to form there. Within it resides a great power of the soul; for no one can ever be conquered by the Devil as long as he can implore divine aid and confess his sins, according to the words of Isaiah: *Rise up, Jerusalem; loose the bonds from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.*

Respiration is also centered in this part of the body, where a greater quantity of air is drawn in. The reason for this is that a large portion of air serves to nourish the spirits. This inhaled air signifies the benefits bestowed upon us by God, just as the exhaled air denotes our service to Him. Therefore, more air is received than is released, because divine favors toward us are far more numerous than what we can return to God. It is not without reason, then, that the Psalmist writes: *What shall I render to the Lord for all his bounty to me?* as if to imply that it is quite impossible for us to satisfy God worthily.

We must now descend to the chest, where the heart—the primary part first formed by nature—lies hidden. In the "inner man," the heart represents a righteous conscience, which everyone ought to build first, adorned with virtues. Furthermore, since the heart is said to be the fountain of heat and life, when it is injured, the animal hurries toward its end. The heart can represent true faith in God, from which flows the heat of charity and the life of virtue and grace; as Habakkuk wrote: *The just man lives by faith*, which, if damaged, undoubtedly brings about the destruction of both soul and body. Moreover, the heart, residing in the middle of the chest, imparts life to the other parts. The heart is said to be the Bishop who, sitting in the midst of the Church, communicates the life of grace and wisdom to everyone. Indeed, since the heart (*cor*) was said to be named for "care" (*cura*), the mind of the soul was rightly called by the name of the heart, because one's own salvation ought to be its primary care.

Furthermore, the heart enjoys various prerogatives. First, it is affected by constant motion as it contracts and dilates. Similarly, the heart of human affection should always exercise itself in some righteous work, or expand all the hidden recesses of the conscience toward God, according to the Apostle's words to the Corinthians: *Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide.* Second, the heart is positioned in the chest so that it inclines slightly to the left, thus tempering the natural coldness of that side. The heart represents the mercy of the perfect man, which always leans toward the "left side" of those living in want and calamity; or it inclines toward the left of those oppressed by the chill of a deadly sin, so that, cherished by spiritual fervor, they may be stirred to righteous deeds. Third, in the opinion of physicians, when the temperament of the heart leans toward the cold and moist, it produces a soft pulse and makes a man effeminate and hairless. In the same way, when the affection acting in place of the heart is cold in piety and moist with pleasures, it will produce a soft and weak pulse of works, as well as a "loss of hair"—that is, a deficiency of virtues. Thus, we might utter the words of the Psalmist: *My iniquities have overtaken me, and my heart has failed me.*

It remains for us to consider the chest, the front part of which is adorned with breasts and enclosed by the back and the sides. When struck with the hands, the chest gives off a sound because of its internal cavity. Thus, a man who has sinned, out of indignation toward his crimes, should strike his chest and produce a sound through confession, and then apply his hands to righteous works; for we read of certain confessors in Luke: *Striking their breasts, they returned.*

Breasts adorn the human chest, whereas in beasts they are seen on the belly. The breast is a symbol of a benefit that shines forth in the hearts of perfect men; for their actions proceed from the heart and are given freely, whereas the benefits of the wicked come from the "belly"—that is, for the sake of utility or profit. Furthermore, the breast is the part closest to the heart and possesses the power to transmute blood into milk so that infants may be nourished. The breast is likened to the mercy of a righteous man, for he is close to the heart—