46
The Book of the
Two Principles
f I i
I he Book of the Two Principles is the centerpiece of Cathar scrip-
I ture. The single incomplete manuscript in Latin is preserved in
H the National Library of Florence. This book, in all about the
length of a canonical gospel, is perfectly unified and consistent in its doctrine.
It is an argumentum, always precise, sometimes colorful, but without prayers
or rituals or songs, in favor of absolute dualism. The seven sections are "Trea-
tise on Free Will," "On Creation," "On Universal Signs," "A Shorter Version for
the Instruction of the Unknowing" (part of which is translated here), "Against
the Garatenses" (an argument about the superiority of absolute dualism over
mitigated dualism),^1 "On Free Will," and "On Persecutions."
The two treatises on free will (the first and sixth sections) detail a theme
constantly alluded to in "Instruction of the Unknowing": the god of goodness
cannot commit evil. This obviously limits the god's freedom of will and
power. But, the treatise explains, since the god of goodness wants only to do
good, he has no conflict within him: he and his will are one. The syllogistic
reasoning is relentlessly consistent through the book.
i. The Book of the Two Principles represents the Albanenses' view in favor of "absolute dual-
ism," which the probable author, Jean de Lugio, proposed, as opposed to "mitigated dualism,"
which the Garatenses held to be true. In other ways the Albanenses and Garatenses were in
agreement. The Albanenses, here represented in the Book of the Two Principles, were the only
main Cathar sect to accept the authority of the entire Bible.