" The legend has it that a flock of
singing-birds descended on the roof of the cottage in which he lay
dying; the songs of his "little sisters" accompanied him to the world
beyond the grave.
We are justified in comparing this death, which was sustained by the
fundamental forces of that era, soul and emotion, to that other, more
famous, death of antiquity. Socrates died without in the least
succumbing to any personal feeling, supported by the purely logical
consideration that it was expedient to obey the laws of the State. His
death was the application of a universal proposition to an individual
case, and because no one could accuse Socrates of a dialectical error,
the conclusion, his death, had to take place.
Francis and some of his successors realised in their lives the simple,
religious, fundamental emotion of love in a way which the people could
clearly understand. "God's minstrels" was the name given to his
followers, because they spoke and sang of the love of God without
ecclesiastical ceremony.
Pages:
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154