40 GIORDANO BRUNO PART 



is in fact an introduction to a new ethical system. A 

 repentant Jupiter resolves to drive out the numerous 

 beasts that occupy his heavenly firmament the con- 

 stellations and to replace them by the virtues, with 

 Truth as their crown. He calls a council of the gods to 

 consider this plan, and in the discussion that follows 

 numberless topics are touched upon the history of 

 religions, the contrast between natural and positive 

 religion, and the fundamental forms of morality. The 

 Spaccio is, however, preparatory to a future work, in 

 which moral philosophy shall be treated " by the inner 

 light which the divine intellectual sun has irradiated 

 into my soul," says Bruno ; l in it, and other dialogues, 

 the whole structure of the philosophy is to be completed, 

 of which the Bestia is merely a tentative sketch. 2 

 Jupiter represents the human spirit ; and the constella- 

 tions, the Bear, the Scorpion, etc., are the vices of the 

 age, which are to be driven out by Bruno's hierarchy of 

 virtues. The work, which is rich in both moral and 

 religious suggestion, was early regarded as an attack on 

 the Pope or the Church, the supposed " Triumphant 

 Beast." Gaspar Schopp, for example, writes to that 

 effect after witnessing Bruno's death. It is really an 

 attack upon all religions of mere credulity as opposed to 

 The Cabala, religions of truth and of deeds. The u Cabal " (Cabala 

 del Cavallo Pegaseo, con r Aggiunta del? Asino Cillenico) 

 was published in 1585. 3 It is dedicated to an imaginary 

 Bishop of Casamarciano, who represents the spirit of 

 backwardness, ignorant simplicity, and was not a real 

 person, as some biographers supposed. It is a still 

 more biting, a merciless satire on Asinity (i.e. ignorance, 

 credulity, and unenquiring faith in religion). In a 

 later work 4 there is a remark on the Asinus Cillenicus, 



1 Lag. 417. 2 lb. 408. 3 Parigi is on the title page. 4 Op. Laf. ii. 3, 237. 



