Commentary on the Six Days of Creation

Commentarius in hexaemeron

Eustathius of Antioch · c. 320–337 AD · PG 18; Commentarius in hexaemeron [Sp.]

Moses older than the Greek sages; day one§1

1Clement, Africanus, and Tatian — and from those of the circumcision Josephus and Justus — each told, from old history in his own way, that the inspired Moses flourished in the time of Inachus. Inachus stands seven hundred years before the Trojan war. One of the saints, making a most careful reckoning of the times against the years of Inachus, found the most holy Jacob a contemporary; Moses he found with Josephus. For inventing a parallel chronicle, he set beside each other the ruler in every nation, and gathered the years of the kingdoms of the Chaldeans, Assyrians, Medes, Persians, Lydians, Hebrews, Egyptians, Athenians, Argives, Sicyonians, Lacedaemonians, Corinthians, Thessalians, Macedonians, Latins — later called Romans — and […] the years of each nation’s kings, setting Abraham’s years against those of the Assyrian queen Semiramis. For under Semiramis the blessed Abraham was known; Josephus places him under Inachus; Moses under Cecrops, whom the children of the Greeks call first of Attica three hundred years before the Trojan affairs — so that Moses is oldest among the ancient sages of the Greeks, earlier than Homer and Hesiod and the Trojan matters, than Heracles, Musaeus, Linus, Chiron, Orpheus, the Dioscuri, Asclepius, Dionysus, Hermes, Apollo, and the Greek mysteries and rites and even the deeds of Zeus; earlier too than Deucalion’s flood, Phaethon’s burning, Erichthonius born of Hephaestus and earth, and the rape of Kore. For all these came after Cecrops, whom Homer and Hesiod fall far short of in years. And if they are younger than these, they are much lower still than Moses’ age. So Moses was shown the most divine teacher of truth among all the wise. Spitting out what is called Egyptian wisdom, he spoke best of this world’s framing — clearly inspired with the truth by the God over all, the Maker of the whole. For he says: In the beginning God made the heaven and the earthAnd many among the Greeks who dared to teach the opposite were sunk into a deep of ignorance. Doctrines put forward from human thought are […] and without ballast. Among them no word stands unmoved — the later always overthrowing the earlier — so the faithful need not labor to refute them; they suffice for one another’s overturning. What shape and substance heaven is, Isaiah teaches us, saying: He who set the heaven as a vault — hinting it is thin, not solid or thick — as elsewhere: He who established the heaven as smokeAnd the psalm says the earth is fixed on the waters: He founded it upon the seas, and prepared it upon the riversAnd how this is we must not pry into, but believe. For the simplicity of faith is stronger than reasoned proofs; God’s judgments are unreachable and incomprehensible. So on the first day God made the heaven and the earth and the light, and in a sharp turn of time lit everything — and this light is the corruptible one. Before it, a dark shadowing held things when heaven was stretched round and made the leftover place lightless. Outside heaven there is unshadowed, incorruptible, eternal light in which angels dwell, of which Solomon says: Light for the righteous forever — into which those who have lived well also take their rest. You will grasp this…

Greek · §1

Κλήμης μὲν οὖν, καὶ Ἀφρικανὸς καὶ πρὸς τούτοις Τατιανὸς, τῶν δὲ ἐκ περιτομῆς Ἰώσηπος, καὶ Ἰοῦστοςκατὰ Ἴναχον ἀκμάσαι τὸν θεσπέσιον Μωϋσέα ἱστόρησαν, ἰδίως ἔκαστος ἐκ παλαιᾶς ἱστορίας ὑποσχὼν τὴν ἀπόδειξιν. Ἴναχος δὲ ἑπτακοσίοις ἔτεσι τὸ Ἰλιακὸν προτερεῖ πόλεμον. Τῶν δὲ ἁγίων τις ἀκριβεστάτην τῶν χρόνων ποιησάμενος τοῖς χρόνοις Ἰνάχου, τὸν μὲν ἁγιώτατον εὗρεν Ἰακὼβ συνακμάσαντα· Μωϋσέα δὲ Ἰώσηπος. Χρονικοῦ γὰρ κανόνος σύνταξιν ἐπινοήσας ἐκ παραλλήλου, ἀντιπαρέθηκε τὸν παρ' ἑκάστῳ ἔθνει δυναστεύοντα. Συνήγαγε δὲ χρόνους τῆς βασιλείας Χαλδαίων, Ἀσσυρίων, Μήδων, Περσῶν, Λυδῶν, Ἑβραίων, Αἰγυπτίων, Ἀθηναίων,Ἀργείων, Σικυωνίων, Λακεδαιμονίων, Κορινθίων, Θετταλῶν, Μακεδόνων, Λατίνων, τῶν ὕστερον κληθέντων Ῥωμαίων. Καὶ τούτων τοὺς χρόνους ἐπὶ ταυτ.....σας ἑκάστου ἔθνους τῶν βασιλέων συνεκ..... χρόνους, ἀντιπαρατιθεὶς τὰ ἔτη τῆς βασιλείας Ἀσσυρίων βασιλίδος, τουτέστι τῆς Σεμιράμεως Ἀβραὰμ τοῖς ἔτεσι. Κατὰ γὰρ τὴν Σεμίραμιν Ἀβραὰμ ὁ μακάριος ἐγνωρίζετο· ὁ δὲ Ἰώσηππος κατὰ Ἴναχον· Μωϋσῆς δὲ κατὰ Κέκροπα, ὃν πρὸ τῶν Ἰλιακῶν ἔτεσι τριακοσίοις ......... πρῶτον τῆς Ἀττικῆς Ἑλλήνων παῖδες, ὡς εἶναι τῶν παρ' Ἕλλησιν ἀρχαίων σοφῶν τὸν Μωϋσέα πρεσβύτατον, Ὁμήρου λέγων καὶ Ἡσιόδου, καὶ τῶν Τρωϊκῶν, Ἡρακλέους τε, καὶ Μουσαίου, καὶ Λίνου, ἔτι τε Χείρωνος, Ὀρφέως, ∆ιοσκούρων, Ἀσκληπιοῦ, ∆ιονύσου, Ἑρμοῦ,Ἀπόλλωνος, καὶ τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν μυστηρίων, καὶ τελετῶν, καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν ∆ιὸς πράξεων· ἔτι δὲ τοῦ κατὰ ∆ευκαλίωνα κατακλυσμοῦ, καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ Φαέθοντος ἐκπυρώσεως, Ἐριχθονίου τε γενέσεως ἐξ Ἡφαίστου καὶ γῆς, καὶ Κόρης ἁρπαγῆς. Οὗτοι γὰρ πάντες 709 ὑπῆρξαν μετὰ Κέκροπα, ὃν πολλὰ Ὅμηρος καὶ Ἡσίοδος τοῖς χρόνοις ὑποβεβήκασιν. Εἰ δὲ τούτων ἐλαττοῦνται τοῖς ἔτεσι, πολὺ δήπου τῆς Μωϋσέως ὑπάρχουσιν ἡλικίας κατώτεροι. Οὗτος τοίνυν τῶν σοφῶν πάντων διδάσκαλος ἀνεδείχθη τῆς ἀληθείας θειότατος. Τὴν γὰρ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων λεγομένην διαπτύσας σοφίαν, ἄριστα περὶ τῆσδε τοῦ κόσμου διεξῆλθε συστάσεως, ὑπ' αὐτοῦ δηλονότι τοῦ ἐπὶ πάντων Θεοῦ καὶ δημιουργοῦ τοῦ παντὸς ἐμπνευσθεὶς τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Λέγει γάρ· Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν. Καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν παρ' Ἕλλησι τἀναντία τούτων διεξιέναι τολμήσαντες εἰς βυθὸν ἀγνοίας κατηκοντίσθησαν. Τὰ γὰρ ἐξ ἀνθρωπίνης διανοίας προφερόμενα δόγματα σαφῆ ....άνει καὶ ἀνερμάτιστα. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ παρ' αὐτοῖς ἕστηκε λόγος ἀκίνητος, ἀεὶ τοῦ δευτέρου τὸν πρὸ αὐτοῦ καταβάλλοντος· ὥστε μηδὲν ἔργον εἶναι τοῖς πιστοῖς, τἀκείνων ἐλέγχειν, ἀρκούντων ἐκείνων ἀλλήλοις πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀνατροπήν. Ὁποῖος δὲ τὸ σχῆμα καὶ τὴν οὐσίαν ὁ οὐρανός ἐστι, διδάσκει ἡμᾶς Ἡσαΐας λέγων· Ὁ στήσας τὸν οὐρανὸν ὡσεὶ καμάραν· αὐτοῦ λεπτὴν, καὶ οὐ στερεὰν, οὐδὲ παχεῖαν αἰνιττόμενος εἶναι, ὡς καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν· Ὁ στερεώσας τὸν οὐρανὸν ὡσεὶ καπνόν. Τὴν δὲ γῆν φάσκει ὁ ψαλμὸς ἐπὶ τῶν ὑδάτων ἐνηρεῖσθαι, λέγων· Αὐτὸς ἐπὶ θαλασσῶν ἐθεμελίωσεν αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐπὶ ποταμῶν ἡτοίμασεν αὐτήν. Καὶ τὸ πῶς οὐ δεῖ πολυπραγμονεῖν, ἀλλὰ πιστεύειν. Τὸ γὰρ ἁπλοῦν τῆς πίστεως ἰσχυρότερον ὑπάρχει λογικῶν ἀποδείξεων· ἀνέφικτα γὰρ καὶ ἀκατάληπτά ἐστι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ κρίματα. Τῇ πρώτῃ οὖν ἡμέρᾳ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ τὸ φῶς· καὶ πάντα ὀξείᾳ καιροῦ ῥοπῇ κατεφώτισε· τοῦτο δέ ἐστι τὸ φθαρτόν. Πρὸ γὰρ τούτου σκιάσματι περιεῖχε σκοτεινὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ περιταθέντος, καὶ πάντα ὅσα συνεῖχε, καὶ τὸν ἀπολειφθέντα τόπον ἀφεγγῆ καταστήσαντος. Ἔξωθεν δὲ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ φῶς εἶναι ἀσκίαστον, καὶ ἄφθαρτον, καὶ αἰώνιον, ἐν ᾧ ἄγγελοι διαιτῶνται, περὶ οὗ φησι Σολομῶν· Φῶς δικαίοις διὰ παντὸς, εἰς ὃ καὶ οἱ καλῶς βιώσαντες ἀναπαύονται. Νοήσεις δὲ τούτου

Tent at noon; second day — the firmament§2

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2…economy from a clear example: that unquenchable light surrounds the outer place of heaven, while mist held the inside before the light was made. As if someone at steady noon pitched a tent of dense matter and made improvised darkness — and the enclosed place cannot be lit at all unless a gleam of light flashes out — so such unsubstantial darkness held the world covered under heaven, which God parted by creating the light, naming it day and the darkness night. For when light is poured out, day comes; when it is drawn in, night answers. That is why in measuring times we count days, not nights. On the second day God made the firmament. This is other than the heaven made from the beginning. Some have said it is the same — a working-out of the second, they say, because there the making of earth and heaven was given in summary, and here Scripture hands over more carefully how it came to be. We say they are other and other: for another name and a distinct use of the second heaven are handed down. So this one is other than the one made in the beginning, of a firmer nature. And God parted the water that was under the firmament. For he divided the boundless nature of the waters so that some would be above the firmament and some below. Ether is fiery and burning, and would have consumed the whole mainland if it were not held by the Maker’s bound. That is why there is also aerial water carried up in clouds from the rise of vapors — which rivers, springs, lakes, and all the seas send forth — so that ether may not burn everything up. It happens thus: […] the exhalations gather toward the height, air is packed by the press of winds, and the moistures sown in the cloud, drawing near one another, become drops and by the weight of what has been gathered are sent downward. Snow forms from the waters this way: the wet, struck back by the violence of the winds, foams up; struck through and through and chilled, it freezes, and when the cloud is shattered the snow is carried down. Thunder […] is a rebound — driven in the hollows of the clouds and bursting out by force, it makes the sound of thunder.

Greek · §2

τὴν οἰκονομίαν ἐξ ἐναργοῦς παραδείγματος, ὅτι φῶς ἄσβεστον τὸν ἔξω χῶρον περιλάμπει τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. Τὸν δὲ ἔσω ἀχλὺς περιεῖχε πρὸ τοῦ γενηθῆναι τὸ φῶς. Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἴ τις ἐν σταθερᾷ μεσημβρίᾳ πήξας ἐκ πυκνῆς ὕλης σκηνὴν σκότος αὐτοσχέδιον ποιεῖ, καὶ οὐδαμῶς φωτισθῆναι δύναται ὁ περιεχόμενος τόπος, εἰ μὴ φωτὸς ἐκλάμψῃ μαρμαρυγή· οὕτω τοιοῦτον ἀνυπόστατον σκότος περιεῖχε τὸν κόσμον ὑπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καλυπτόμενον, ὅπερ ὁ Θεὸς διεχώρησε δημιουργήσας τὸ φῶς, καὶ ἡμέραν αὐτὸ προσονομάσας, καὶ τὸ σκότος νύκτα. Ἀναχεομένου γὰρ τοῦ φωτὸς, ἡμέρα γίγνεται, συστελλομένου δὲ, νὺξ ἀντέπεισιν. Ὅθεν καὶ ἐν τῇ συμμετρήσει τῶν χρόνων ἡμέρας, καὶ οὐχὶ νύκτας ἀριθμοῦμεν. 712 Τῇ δὲ δευτέρᾳ ἡμέρᾳ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ στερέωμα. Τοῦτο δὲ ἕτερόν ἐστι παρὰ τὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ποιηθέντα οὐρανόν. Καὶ εἵρηται τοῖς, ὅτι καὶ ταυτόν ἐστιν· ἐπεξέργασις γάρ ἐστί φησι τοῦ δευτέρου, διὰ τὸ ἐκεῖ μὲν παραδεδόσθαι ὡς ἐν κεφαλαίῳ γῆς καὶ οὐρανοῦ ποίησιν· ἐνταῦθα δὲ ἐπεξεργαστικώτερον τὸ πῶς γέγονεν ἡ Γραφὴ παραδίδωσιν. Ἡμεῖς δέ φαμεν ἄλλο, καὶ ἄλλο· ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὄνομα ἔτερον καὶ χρεία ἰδιάζουσα τοῦ δευτέρου οὐρανοῦ παραδέδοται. Ἕτερος οὖν ἐστι παρὰ τὸν ἐν ἀρχῇ ποιηθέντα οὗτος, στερεωτέρας ὑπάρχων φύσεως. Καὶ διεχώρησεν ὁ Θεὸς ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ὕδατος, ὃ ἦν ὑποκάτω τοῦ στερεώματος. Ἄπειρον γὰρ οὖσαν τῶν ὑδάτων τὴν φύσιν διεμέρισεν, ὥστε καὶ ἐπάνω εἶναι τοῦ στερεώματος, καὶ ὑποκάτω. Ὁ δὲ αἰθὴρ πυρώδης ἐστὶ καὶ διακαὴς, καὶ πᾶσαν ἂν τὴν ἤπειρον ἐξανάλωσεν, εἰ μὴ τῷ ὅρῳ τοῦ ποιήσαντος αὐτὸν κατείχετο. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ ὕδωρ ἐστὶν ἀέριον ἐκ τῆς ἀναφορᾶς τῶν ἀτμῶν διὰ νεφῶν φερόμενον, οὒς ἀτμοὺς οἱ ποταμοὶ, καὶ αἱ κρῆναι, καὶ αἱ λίμναι, καὶ τὰ πελάγη πάντα προΐενται, ὡς ἂν μὴ πάντα ὁ αἰθὴρ πυρακτώσας ἐξαναλώσειε. Γίνεται δὲ οὕτως ὁ ὑ... συνάγονται περὶ τὸ ὕψος αἱ ἀναθυμιάσεις, καὶ πυκνοῦται ὁ ἀὴρ ταῖς τῶν πνευμάτων πιλήσεσι, καὶ αἱ νοτίδες αἱ τῷ νέφει ἐνεσπαρμέναι, ἀλλήλαις προσχωρήσασαι, σταγόνες γίνονται, καὶ τῷ βάρει τῶν συγκριθέντων πρὸς τὸ κάτω ἐφίενται. Ἡ δὲ χιὼν ἐκ τῶν ὑδάτων οὔτω συνίσταται· ἐκ τῆς βίας τῶν ἀνέμων ἀνακοπὲν τὸ ὑγρὸν ἐξαφρίζεται· καὶ ὅλον δι' ὅλου ἀνακοπὲν, καταψυχθὲν πήγνυται, καὶ θραυσθέντος τοῦ νέφους, ἡ χιὼν καταφέρεται. Ἡ δὲ βροντὴ κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν λόγον .... ἀντιτυπία γίγνεται, ὅπερ ἐλαυνόμενον ἐν ταῖς κοιλότησι τῶν νεφῶν, καὶ βιαίως ἐκρηγνύμενον τὸν τῆς βροντῆς ἦχον ἀποτελεῖ. Τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ προστάγματι τοῦ Θεοῦ συνήχθη τὸ ὕδωρ εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς αὐτῶν, καὶ ὤφθη ἡ ξηρά· Καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὴν ξηρὰν γῆν, καὶ τὰ συστήματα τῶν ὑδάτων ἐκάλεσε θαλάσσας. Συνήχθη διὰ τοῦτο εἰς συναγωγὴν μίαν, ἵνα μὴ ἐκ τῶν χωρίων ἔνθα ἐστὶν ........ καὶ ὑπεκβαῖνον ἐπικαλύπτῃ τὴν ἤπειρον. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο μαινομένη πολλάκις ἐξ ἀνέμων ἡ θάλασσα, καὶ εἰς ὕψος μέγιστον διανισταμένη τοῖς κύμασιν, ἐπειδὰν μόνον τῶν αἰγιαλῶν ἅψηται, εἰς ἀφρὸν διαλύσασα τὴν ὁρμὴν, ἐπανῆλθε, τῇ πάντων ἀσθενεστάτῃ ψάμμῳ χαλινωθεῖσα. Ἐπεὶ τί ἐκώλυσε τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν ἐπικλύσαι πᾶσαν τὴν Αἴγυπτον κοιλοτέραν αὐτῆς ὑπάρχουσαν, καὶ συναφθῆναι τῷ παρακειμένῳ πελάγει, εἰ μὴ ὑπῆρχε τῷ προστάγματι τοῦ κτίσαντος πεπεδημένη; Ὅτι δὲ ἀληθὲς τοῦτο ἔργῳ ἡμᾶς ἔπεισαν Σέσωστρις ὁ Αἰγύπτιος καὶ ∆αρεῖος ὁ Μῆδος. Τὸ γὰρ Αἰγύπτιον καὶ τὸ Ἰνδικὸν ἐπιχειρήσαντες συνάψαι πέλαγος, οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν. Οὕτως ὑπάρχει κοιλοτέρα τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς θαλάσσης ἡ Αἴγυπτος. Προσέταξεν οὖν συναχθῆναι εἰς συναγωγὴν μίαν, καὶ μὴ ἀπὸ ταύτης ἄλλην γενέσθαι θάλασσαν, ἀλλὰ τῇ πρώτῃ ἀπομεῖναι συλλογῇ. Πολλὰ γὰρ ἦν ................... ὕδατα ............. κοιλότητες ............ 713 συλλογὴν καὶ αἱ φάραγγες. Τὸ δὲ, καὶ τὰ συστήματα τῶν ὑδάτων ἐκάλεσε θαλάσσας, τοὺς κόλπους σημαίνει τοὺς κατὰ τὸ ἴδιον σχῆμα ὑπὸ τῆς περικειμένης γῆς ἀπολειφθέντας· οἷον θάλασσα βόρειος, θάλασσα νότιος, ἑῴα, ἑσπέρια πελάγη, καὶ τούτων ὀνόματα ἰδιάζοντα, Πόντος Αἰγαῖος, Ἰώνιος, Σαρδωνικὸν, Σικελικὸν, Τυῤῥήνιον. Οὐ τὰ τυχόντα δὲ τῶν ὑδάτων ἀθροίσματα εἰς μίαν κατέληξε θάλασσαν, ἤτοι σύστασιν, ἀλλὰ τὰ μέγιστα καὶ ἐξέχοντα· οὐ γὰρ καὶ τὰ τελματιαῖα καὶ λίμνια χρὴ νοεῖν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ πῦρ καὶ εἰς μικρὰ κατακεκερματισμένον ἐστὶ καὶ ἀθρόον ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀέρος κέχυται, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὕδατος, εἰ καὶ μικραί τινές εἰσι διῃρημέναι συστάσεις, ἀλλὰ μία γε ἐστὶ συναγωγὴ, ἡ τὸ ὅλον στοιχεῖον τῶν λοιπῶν ἀποκρίνουσα. Πηγὴ γάρ ἐστι τῆς περὶ γῆν ἁπάσης νοτίδος

Third day — dry land, seas, and plants§3

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3On the third day, by God’s command, the water was gathered into its gatherings and the dry appeared; and he called the dry earth, and the systems of the waters he called seas. It was gathered into one gathering so that it might not […] from the places where it is and, spilling over, cover the mainland. That is why the sea, often raging from winds and rising to a great height in waves, when it only touches the shores dissolves its rush into foam and turns back — bridled by sand, weakest of all things. What kept the Red Sea from flooding all Egypt, which lies lower than it, and joining the neighboring deep, if it were not bound by the Maker’s command? That this is true Sesostris the Egyptian and Darius the Mede persuaded us in deed: attempting to join the Egyptian and Indian seas, they could not. So much lower than the Red Sea is Egypt. He ordered the waters gathered into one gathering, and that another sea not arise from this one, but remain in the first collection. For there were many […] waters […] hollows […] gathering and ravines. And “the systems of the waters he called seas” points to the gulfs left in their own shape by the surrounding land — northern sea, southern sea, eastern and western deeps, and their proper names: Pontus, Aegean, Ionian, Sardinian, Sicilian, Tyrrhenian. Not chance pools of water ended in one sea or system, but the greatest and outstanding; one must not think also of marsh and lake. As fire, even when crumbled small, is still poured as one under the air, so with water: though there are small divided systems, there is one gathering that separates the whole element from the rest. For the sea’s water is the spring of all moisture about the earth, and the whole earth is under-channeled, and it is distributed through unseen passages, as some underground places of the mainland show. The flowing sea, running through narrow places, when left in crooked and upright exits, pushed by the force of the wind breaks the earth’s surface and, coming outside, becomes drinkable, changed to sweetness by filtering. Again, when left in hot places toward the exit, drawn by the same cause under the wind it comes boiling. This too is the spring of the aerial waters: its waters drawn up through clouds, warmed by the sun’s ray, chilled in the cloud’s shade, and clarified from that height, grow sweet and sprinkle the mainland. On the same day God also ordered the earth to sprout pasture of grass, sowing seed according to kind, and fruit-tree making fruit whose seed is in it. And still now the order of what grows witnesses to the first arranging. Sprouting leads every herb and every plant: when the earth has moisture in measure and warmth, the seed is cast into it and becomes soft and many-seeded, and beginning from the earth about it draws to itself what is its own and kindred, and fattened it spreads — so that it roots downward and pushes upward, and puts out stalks equal in number to the roots. As the sprout is always warmed, the moisture drawn through the roots is carried along by the earth’s heat with the nourishment, and this is portioned into stalk and husk and the wheat’s cases and the wheat itself and the awns. The wheat’s stalk is girded with joints so that, like some bonds, they may bear the weight of the ears. The stalk is also hollow so that it may be a case for the grain, not easy plunder for seed-pickers. It has thrust out the awns like spears to keep off the harms of small creatures. Oats stand empty through and through because they are not weighted at the head. And if harmful plants sprouted with the nourishing — hellebore, aconite, mandrake, and the juice of the poppy — none of these was taken idle for use. Starlings feed on hemlock by the making of their body: having fine passages to the heart, they manage to send off what is swallowed; quails eat hellebore and take no harm, having a peculiar temperament. By mandrake physicians bring on sleep, and with opium they lay fierce pains to rest. With hemlock they wither mad appetites, and with hellebore they soothe chronic sufferings. “And fruit-tree making fruit.” And all sprang from the earth in one turn of time that were not before, each with its own property, each known by its own character. Olive, date-palm, and cypress grow tall. And of these some are not many-branched — fir and cypress, and sometimes the palm. Evergreen are olive, palm, laurel, myrtle, pine, cypress, fir, juniper, thuja, and what Arcadians call philodrys; also phyleos, cedar, pine, box, holm-oak, arake, lathyrus. The rose then sprouted without the thorn; later the thorn was yoked to the flower’s beauty — so that having grief set beside delight we may remember the sin through which the earth was condemned to sprout thorns and thistles for us. The almond blossoms first and brings fruit last. The bitter almond, its stem bored toward the root and receiving a pitched pine wedge driven into the middle pith, turns the harsh juices to edible sweetness. The sharp pomegranate, receiving the same treatment, turns to sweetness. The female palm lets down her branches as if longing for the male’s embrace; and farmers, putting the male’s pollen into her branches, set her back into her proper upright shape. The mulberry sprouts late but does not lag the others in fruiting. Olive, linden, white poplar, and elm turn their leaves upside-down after the summer solstice; and by this all know that the summer turns have come.

Greek · §3

τὸ τῆς θαλάσσης ὕδωρ, καὶ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ ὑπόνομός ἐστι, καὶ διὰ πόρων ἀφανῶν διαδίδοται, καθὼς δηλοῦσι τόποι τινὲς τῆς ἠπείρου ὕπαντροι. Ἡ γὰρ ῥοώδης θάλασσα διὰ τόπων στενῶν διατρέχουσα, ἐπειδὰν σκολιαῖς καὶ ὀρθίοις ἐξόδοις ἐναπολειφθῇ, ὠθουμένη τῇ βίᾳ τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς γῆς ἀποῤῥήσσει τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ ἔξω προελθοῦσα, γίνεται πότιμος ἐκ τῆς διηθήσεως μεταβληθεῖσα εἰς γλυκύτητα. Πάλιν δὲ ἐπειδὰν θερμοῖς τόποις ἐναπολειφθῇ πρὸς τὴν ἔξοδον, τῇ αὐτῇ αἰτίᾳ ἑλκομένη ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος ζέουσα γίνεται. Αὕτη καὶ τῶν ἀερίων ὑδάτων πηγὴ καθέστηκε· διὰ νεφῶν γὰρ ἀνελκόμενα αὐτῆς τὰ ὕδατα, καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς ἡλιακῆς ἀκτῖνος θαλπόμενα, καὶ τῇ σκιᾷ τοῦ νέφους καταψυχθέντα, καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ὕψους αἰθριασθέντα γλυκαίνεται, καὶ καταψεκάζει τὴν ἤπειρον. Τῇ δ' αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ βλαστῆσαι βοτάνην χόρτου τὴν γῆν ὁ Θεὸς προσέταξεν· Σπεῖρον σπέρμα κατὰ γένος, καὶ ξύλον κάρπιμον ποιοῦν καρπὸν, οὗ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ. Καὶ ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἡ τάξις τῶν φυομένων μαρτυρεῖ τῇ πρώτῃ διακοσμήσει. Ἡ γὰρ βλάστησις καθηγεῖται πάσης βοτάνης, καὶ πάσης πόας· νοτίδας γὰρ συμμέτρως καὶ θερμὴν ἐχούσης τῆς γῆς, τὸ σπέρμα εἰς αὐτὴν καταβάλλεται, καὶ γίνεται χαῦνον καὶ πολύσπορον, καὶ τῆς περὶ αὐτὸ γῆς ἀρξάμενον πρὸς αὐτὸ ἐπισπᾶται τὰ οἰκεῖα καὶ σύμφυλα, καὶ πιαινόμενον ἐπὶ πλεῖον πλατύνεται· ὥστε ῥιζοῦσθαι μὲν εἰς τὸ κάτω, προκύπτειν δὲ εἰς τὸ ἄνω, καὶ ἰσαρίθμους ταῖς ῥίζαις τοὺς καλάμους προβάλλεσθαι. Θαλπομένου δὲ ἀεὶ τοῦ βλαστήματος, συρομένη διὰ τῶν ῥιζῶν ἡ νοτὶς, ὑπὸ τῆς θέρμης συνεπάγεται τῆς γῆς τὸ τρόφιμον· καὶ καταμερίζεται τοῦτο εἰς καλάμην, καὶ φλοιὸν, καὶ τὰς θήκας τοῦ σίτου, καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν σῖτον, καὶ τοὺς ἀνθέρικας. Ἡ δὲ καλάμη τοῦ σίτου κονδύλοις διαζώννυται, ἵν' ὡς σύνδεσμοί τινες τῶν σταχύων τὸ βάρος φέρωσιν. Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἡ καλάμη διάκενος, ὅπως θήκη τοῦ κόκκου γένηται, πρὸς τὸ μὴ τοῖς σπερμολόγοις ὑπάρχειν εὐδιάρπαστον. Τοὺς δὲ ἀνθέρικας ἀντὶ ἀκίδων προβέβληται, ἵνα τῶν μικρῶν ζώων τὰς βλάβας εἴργωσιν. Ὁ δὲ βρόμος δι' ὅλου κενὸς καθέστηκεν, ἐπειδὴ τὴν κεφαλὴν οὐ βαρύνεται. Καὶ εἰ 716 συνεβλάστησε τοῖς τροφίμοις τὰ δηλητήρια, οἷον ἐλλέβορος, καὶ ἀκόνιτον, καὶ μανδραγόρας, καὶ τῆς μήκωνος ὁ ὀπὸς, οὐδὲν τούτων εἰς χρῆσιν ἀργὸν παρείληπται. Τὸ μὲν κώνιον οἱ ψᾶρες βόσκονται διὰ τὴν κατασκευὴν τοῦ σώματος· λεπτοὺς γὰρ ἔχοντες τοὺς ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν πόρους, ἀποπέμψαι τὸ καταποθὲν φθάνουσι· τὸν δὲ ἐλλέβορον ἐσθίουσιν ὄρτυγες, καὶ οὐχ ὑφίστανται βλάβην, ἰδιότητα κράσεως ἔχοντες. ∆ιὰ δὲ τοῦ μανδραγόρου ὕπνον ἰατροὶ κατεπάγουσι, καὶ τῷ ὀπίῳ τὰς σφοδρὰς ὀδύνας κατακοιμίζουσι. Τῷ δὲ κωνίῳ τὰς λυσσώδεις ὀρέξεις καταμαραίνουσι, καὶ τῷ ἐλλεβόρῳ τὰ χρόνια πάθη καταπραΰνουσι. Καὶ ξύλον κάρπιμον ποιοῦν καρπόν. Καὶ πάντα ἐν μιᾷ καιροῦ ῥοπῇ ἀνεφύη ἐκ τῆς γῆς, οὐκ ὄντα πρότερον, μετὰ τῆς οἰκείας ἕκαστον ἰδιότητος, καὶ ἰδίῳ χαρακτῆρι ἕκαστον γνωριζόμενον. Ἡ μὲν ἐλαία, καὶ φοῖνιξ, καὶ κυπάριττος εἰς ὕψος αὔξονται. Καὶ τούτων τὰ μέν ἐστιν οὐ πολύοζα, οὐδὲ πολύκλαδα, οἷον ἐλάτη, καὶ ἡ κυπάριττος, ἔσθ' ὅτε δὲ καὶ φοῖνιξ. Ἀείφυλλα δέ ἐστιν ἐλαία, φοῖνιξ, καὶ δάφνη, μυῤῥίνη, πεύκη, κυπάριττος, ἐλάτη, ἄρκευθος, θυία, καὶ ἢν Ἀρκάδες φιλόδρυν λέγουσιν· ἕτι φύλεος, κέδρος, πίτυς, πύξος, πρῖνος, ἀράκη, λάθυρος. Τὸ δὲ ῥόδον ἄνευ τῆς ἀκάνθης τότε ἐβλάστησεν· ὕστερον δὲ τῷ κάλλει τοῦ ἄνθους παρεζεύχθη ἡ ἄκανθα· ὅπως τῷ τερπνῷ παρακειμένην τὴν λύπην ἔχοντες μνημονεύωμεν τῆς ἁμαρτίας, δι' ἣν ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους ἡμῖν ἡ γῆ ἀνατέλλειν κατεδικάσθη. Ἡ δὲ ἀμυγδαλῆ πρώτη μὲν βλαστάνει, ὑστέρα δὲ ἐκφέρει τὸν καρπόν. Ἡ δὲ πικρὰ ἀμυγδαλῆ τυγχάνουσα τὸ πρὸς τὴν ῥίζαν στέλεχος διατρηθεῖσα, σφῆνα δὲ πεύκης λιπαρὸν τῆς ἐντεριώνης μέσης ἐλαθέντα δεξαμένη, τοὺς ἀηδεῖς χυμοὺς εἰς γλυκύτητα μεταβάλλει ἐδώδιμον. Τὴν αὐτὴν δὲ θεραπείαν καὶ ἡ ὀξύνη ῥοιὰ δεξαμένη, τρέπεται εἰς γλυκύτητα. Ἡ δὲ θήλεια φοῖνιξ καθίησι τοὺς κλάδους οἰονεὶ τῆς συμπλοκῆς ἐφιεμένη τοῦ ἄῤῥενος· καὶ οἱ γεωργοὶ, τοὺς ψῆνας τοῦ ἄῤῥενος τοῖς κλάδοις ἐμβάλλοντες αὐτῆς, πρὸς τὸ οἰκεῖον τῆς ὀρθότητος σχῆμα καθιστῶσιν αὐτήν. Ἡ δὲ συκάμινος ὀψὲ μὲν βλαστάνει, οὐκ ὑστερεῖ δὲ τῶν ἅλλων εἰς καρπογονίαν. Ἡ δὲ ἐλαία, καὶ ἡ φιλύρα, καὶ ἡ λεύκη, καὶ πτελέα στρέφουσι μετὰ τροπὰς θερινὰς τὰ φύλλα ὕπτια· καὶ ἐν τούτῳ πάντες γνωρίζουσιν, ὅτι τροπαὶ θεριναὶ γεγένηνται. Τῆς δὲ ἡμέρου συκῆς

Figs and vines; fourth day — sun and moon§4

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4Farmers keep the cultivated fig’s fruit from falling thus: stripping the wild fig’s early figs, they arrange that it remain unfallen. For the tiniest creature inside the wild fig, settling at the base of the cultivated fig, fences off the outer breeze so the fig may not grow unpleasant and drop. Since the fig’s fruit is soft, it is covered with thick leaves; the walnut, being hard, is sheltered by a light cast of leaves. That is why the vine’s leaf is split — so the cluster may both turn aside harms from the air and take in the sun’s ray through the sparseness. So nothing is idle; God arranged all by unspeakable wisdom. For one water, carried or drawn through the root, nourishes the stem one way, the pith another, the bark another, the wood another, the root itself another; and from the same moisture wine is constituted in the vine, oil in the olive, and something else in another. And even among sweet fruits the difference of richness is unspeakable: one sweetness in the vine, another in the apple, another in fig and date-palm. And the trees’ tears themselves differ: one is the tear of the mastic, another the juice of balsam — finest of all myrrhs, and it abounds when it grows at Jericho. When locals cut it from the bushes with a sharp stone, juice wells up. Some also say amber is the juice of plants, fixed into stone nature. 4. On the fourth day God created the two great lights — sun and moon — in the firmament of heaven, for lighting upon the earth, to part between the day and the night. This solar light was prepared as a vehicle for that first-born light. As fire is one thing and the lamp another — the one has the power to light, the other the power to show light to those who need it — and as whiteness is one thing and the whitened body another, so these too, different in nature, are joined by the Maker’s power. And let no one think day and sun are the same. First the Maker prepared simple light, which he also called day; then the sun composed of fire and light. As we see the earth has fire wrought in its own breast, so also the sun has light: for light coming together with fire made the most radiant sun. But someone may object: How is this clear when the division is not seen? For light is not seen by itself and fire by itself. Let such a one know how many things fire puts forward in itself — gleam, heat, yellowness — which the all-wise craftsman, portioning out, hints at their composition. When he wants to warm the living thing, he takes the fire’s heat: it has the heat but not the light. But the warmth was parted in the living thing from the brightness; again he takes the yellow. And we see the yellow, but no longer the hot and shining. And again he portions off the warmth and gives only the gleam — as one may see in lightning, which flashing only lights and does not also warm. The same example holds for the moon. For she, lit by the sun, becomes more apparent, as the sun by the day. The moon’s form is coal-like, as one may see in eclipse: when the sun lifts its own brightness from her, it makes her dim; lighting her, it makes her full-shining. For somehow putting on the solar light she becomes brighter; in the same way the sun, putting on the day’s light, is more brilliant — that day neither being fire nor again warming, but only lighting. That the sun is composed of fire is clear from its burning and blazing. “To part between the day and the night”: he set the sun to the measures of the day and the moon to those of the night. Night is the earth’s shadow when the sun is hidden. As in the day, when something stands in the way, shadow comes and light is set beside it, so night is constituted when the air about the earth is shadowed. And the sun, which from the beginning received light from the Maker, has this always hidden in itself; the moon is not so, but continually puts it off…

Greek · §4

τὸν καρπὸν ἄῤῥευστον οἱ γηπόνοι οὕτω φυλάττουσιν· τοὺς ὀλύνθους τῆς ἀγρίας συκῆς ἐκδύσαντες, ἅπτωτον διαμένειν παρασκευάζουσι. Τὸ γὰρ ἕνδον τοῦ ὀλύνθου ὑπάρχον ζῶον μικρότατον τῷ πυθμένι τοῦ ἡμέρου προσίζον σύκου τὴν ἔξωθεν αὖραν περιπνέουσαν ἀπείργει, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἀηδῆ γενόμενον τὸ σῦκον ἀποπεσεῖν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἁπαλός ἐστι τῆς συκῆς ὁ καρπὸς, πάχει φύλλων κεκάλυπται· τῆς δὲ καρύας, ἐπειδὴ τυγχάνει στεῤῥὰ, ἐλαφρᾷ φύλλων προσβολῇ σκέπεται. ∆ιὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ τὸ φύλλον τῆς ἀμπέλου ἔσχισται, ἵνα καὶ τὰς ἐκ τοῦ ἀέρος ἐκκλίνῃ βλάβας ὁ βότρυς, καὶ τὴν ἡλιακὴν ἀκτῖνα εἰσδέχηται τῇ ἀραιότητι. Οὕτως οὐδὲν ἀργὸν, ἀλλὰ πάντα ἀποῤῥήτῳ 717 σοφίᾳ ὁ Θεὸς διεκόσμησεν. Ἓν γὰρ ὕδωρ, διὰ τῆς ῥίζης φερόμενον ἢ ἑλκόμενον, ἄλλως μὲν τρέφει τὸ στέλεχος, ἄλλως τὴν ἐντεριώνην, ἄλλως τὸν φλοιὸν, ἄλλως τὸ ξύλον, ἄλλως τὴν ῥίζαν αὐτήν· καὶ ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς νοτίδος ἐν μὲν τῇ ἀμπέλῳ οἶνος συνίσταται, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἐλαίᾳ ἔλαιον, καὶ ἐν ἄλλῳ ἄλλο. Καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς γλυκέσι καρποῖς ἀμύθητος ἡ παραλλαγὴ τῆς πιότητος· ἄλλο γὰρ τὸ ἐν ἀμπέλῳ γλυκὺ, καὶ ἄλλο ἐν μηλέᾳ, καὶ ἐν συκῇ καὶ τῷ φοίνικι ἕτερον. Καὶ αὐτὰ δὲ τῶν δένδρων διάφορά ἐστι τὰ δάκρυα· ἄλλο γὰρ τῆς σχίνου τὸ δάκρυον, καὶ ἄλλος ὁ τῆς βαλσάμου ὀπὸς, ὅπερ πάντων τῶν μύρων ὑπάρχει κάλλιστον, καὶ πλεονάζει ἐπὶ τῆς Ἱεριχὼ γενόμενον. Τεμνόντων δὲ αὐτὸ ἐκ τῶν θάμνων λίθῳ ὀξεῖ τῶν ἐπιχωρίων, ὀπὸς ἀναποδοίη. Ἱστοροῦσι δέ τινες καὶ τὸ ἤλεκτρον ὀπὸν εἶναι φυτῶν, εἰς φύσιν λίθου μεταπηγνύμενον. 4. Τῇ δὲ τετάρτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς μεγάλους δύο φωστῆρας ἐδημιούργησεν, ἤλιόν τε καὶ σελήνην ἐν τῷ στερεώματι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, εἰς φαῦσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τοῦ διαχωρίζειν ἀναμέσον τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ ἀναμέσον τῆς νυκτός. Τοῦτο τὸ ἡλιακὸν φῶς, ὄχημα ἐκείνῳ τῷ φωτὶ τῷ πρωτογόνῳ παρεσκεύασται. Ὡς γὰρ ἄλλο τὸ πῦρ, καὶ ὁ λύχνος ἄλλο· τὸ μὲν γὰρ τὴν τοῦ φωτίζειν δύναμιν ἔχει, τὸ δὲ τὴν τοῦ παραφαίνειν τοῖς χρῄζουσιν· καὶ ὡς ἕτερόν τι ἡ λευκότης, ἕτερον δὲ τὸ λελευκασμένον σῶμα, οὕτω καὶ ταῦτα διάφορα ὄντα τῇ φύσει ἥνωνται τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ κτίσαντος. Καὶ μηδεὶς νομίσῃ ταυτὸν ἡμέραν εἶναι καὶ ἥλιον. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ὁ δημιουργὸς ἁπλοῦν φῶς κατεσκεύασεν, ὃ δὴ καὶ ἡμέραν ἐκάλεσεν, ἔπειτα τὸν ἥλιον ἐκ τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ φωτὸς συγκείμενον. Ὡς γὰρ τὴν γῆν ὁρῶμεν πῦρ ἐν τοῖς στέρνοις αὐτοῖς δεδημιουργημένον ἔχουσαν, οὕτω καὶ τὸν ἥλιον φῶς ἔχοντα· φῶς γὰρ συνελθὸν μετὰ πυρὸς τὸν φανότατον ἐποίησεν ἥλιον. Ἀλλ' ἴσως ἀντερεῖ τις· Καὶ πόθεν τοῦτο δῆλον, οὐ βλεπομένης τῆς διαιρέσεως; οὐχ ὁρᾶται γὰρ ἰδίως μὲν τὸ φῶς, ἰδίως δὲ τὸ πῦρ. Ἀλλὰ γινωσκέτω ὁ τοιοῦτος, πόσα τὸ πῦρ ἐν ἑαυτῷ προβάλλεται, αὐγὴν, θερμότητα, ξανθότητα, ἅτινα πανσόφως ὁ τεχνίτης διαμερίζων, ὑπεμφαίνει τούτων τὴν σύνθεσιν. Ὅτε γὰρ θέλει θερμᾶναι τὸ ζῶον, λαμβάνει τοῦ πυρὸς τὸ θερμὸν, καὶ τὸ μὲν θερμὸν ἔχει τούτου, τὸ δὲ φῶς οὐκ ἔχει. Ἀλλ' ἐμερίσθη ἐν τῷ ζώῳ ἡ θέρμη ἀπὸ τοῦ φέγγους, πάλιν λαμβάνει τὸ ξανθόν. Καὶ ὁρῶμέν τοι τὸ ξανθὸν, οὐκέτι δὲ τὸ θερμὸν καὶ φαῖνον. Καὶ πάλιν ἀπομερίζει τὴν θέρμην, καὶ δίδωσι μόνην τὴν αὐγὴν, οἷον ὡς ἔστιν ἰδεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς ἀστραπῆς, ὅτι ἐκλάμπουσα μόνον φωτίζει, οὐ μὴν δὲ καὶ θερμαίνει. Τὸ δ' αὐτὸ παράδειγμα καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς σελήνης καθέστηκε. Καὶ γὰρ αὕτη ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου φωτιζομένη φανερωτέρα γίνεται, ὥσπερ ὑπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας ὁ ἥλιος. Τὸ γὰρ τῆς σελήνης εἶδος ἀνθρακοειδὲς τυγχάνει, ὡς ἔστιν ἰδεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκλείψεως· ἀπάρας γὰρ ἀπ' αὐτῆς τὸ οἰκεῖον φέγγος ὁ ἥλιος ἀμαυρὰν αὐτὴν καθίστησι· φωτίζων δὲ αὐτὴν, πλησιφαῆ ἀπεργάζεται. Ἐνδυομένη γάρ πως τὸ ἡλιακὸν φῶς φαιδροτέρα καθίσταται· τὸν αὐτὸν δὴ τρόπον καὶ ὁ ἥλιος, τῆς ἡμέρας τὸ φῶς ἐνδυόμενος, λαμπρότερος τυγχάνει, τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης μήτε 720 οὔσης, μήτε πάλιν θερμαινούσης, ἀλλὰ μόνον φωτιζούσης. Ὅτι δὲ ἐκ πυρὸς συνέστηκεν ὁ ἥλιος, δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ πυροῦν, καὶ φλέγειν. Τοῦ διαχωρίζειν ἀναμέσον τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ ἀναμέσον τῆς νυκτός. Οἷον τὸν ἥλιον τῆς ἡμέρας τοῖς μέτροις ἔταξε, καὶ τὴν σελήνην τῆς νυκτός. Ἔστι δὲ ἡ νὺξ σκίασμα τῆς γῆς, ἀποκρυπτομένου τοῦ ἡλίου. Ὡς γὰρ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, ἀντιφράσσοντός τινος, σκιὰ γίνεται, καὶ τὸ φῶς παρυφίσταται· οὕτως ἡ νὺξ, σκιαζομένου τοῦ ἀέρος τοῦ περὶ γῆν, συνίσταται. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἥλιος, ὅσπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς φῶς παρὰ τοῦ ποιητοῦ εἴληφε, τοῦτο ἔχει διὰ παντὸς ἐγκεκρυμμένον ἐν ἑαυτῷ· ἡ δὲ σελήνη οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλὰ συνεχῶς ἀποδύεται,

Time and Signs§5

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5The sun and moon increase and decrease. Let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years. The sun and moon produce this time. For the orbits, being ordered, generate the exits in a measured way. Time is called this, because as if on a circle, it is taken in orderly succession, first to second, and third to the next. And let them be for signs, because they always indicate the presence of winter; for mist, generated by the air, darkens the sun's rays, and appears coal-black and smoky, unable to disperse the air condensed from the vapors of the earth; and from this, a sign of winter is shown. When the so-called halos (some are circular figures similar to halos, from which they are so named) surround the sun, it indicates the severity of the winds; and when the so-called anthelions join in the sun's movement, it becomes a sign of aerial symptoms; and again, when rods-like things appear in the color of Iris in the morning among the clouds, it indicates rain, or winter, or a change in the air. The moon, when on the third day, is thin and clear in its horns, announces a stable calm; but if it is thick in its horns, and appears reddish, it announces abundant water or a violent south wind. Therefore, the sun and moon are the instruments of time; time is of days, months, and years; and the stars, of months, of sowing, and of harvest. And the Pleiades, rising in the time of the harvest, setting in the time of sowing, indicate this. And with the Wagon, they become a sign for sailors; for the stars become signs and markers of places. The Bear indeed shows the Bear It has only the day, as the psalmist also declares to us: 'He set the sun in authority over the day, the moon, and the stars in authority over the night.' This one has the authority of the light carrying around in himself; when he surpasses the horizon that is over us, he provides day by scattering the darkness. The moon, when

Greek · §5

αὔξουσα, καὶ μειουμένη. Ἔστωσαν δὲ εἰς σημεῖα, καὶ εἰς καιροὺς, καὶ εἰς ἡμέρας, καὶ εἰς ἐνιαυτούς. Χρόνον δὲ ἥλιος καὶ σελήνη γεννᾷ τοῦτον. Ἑλκόμεναι συμμέτρως γὰρ αἱ φοραὶ τεταγμένας τῶν καιρῶν τὰς ἐξόδους γεννῶσι. Χρόνος δὲ καλεῖται, ἐπειδὴ ὥσπερ ἐπί τινα κύκλον ἐπαλλήλοις εἱλεῖται εὐτάκτοις διαδοχαῖς, πρῶτος πρὸς δεύτερον, καὶ τρίτος πρὸς τὸν ἑξῆς. Τὸ δὲ, ἔστωσαν εἰς σημεῖα, ἐπειδὴ τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ χειμῶνος ἀεὶ προσημαίνουσιν· ἀχλὺς γὰρ, τῷ ἀέρι ἐγγενομένη, τοῦ ἡλίου τὰς ἀκτῖνας ἀμαυροῖ, καὶ φαίνεται ἀνθρακώδης καὶ ὕφαιμος, μὴ δυνάμενος τὸν ἀέρα ἐκ τῶν ἀτμῶν τῆς γῆς πεπυκνωμένον διαχέαι· κἀκ τούτου σημεῖον χειμῶνος δείκνυται. Ὅταν δὲ αἱ λεγόμεναι ἅλῳ (στρογγύλαι δὲ εἰσί τινες περιγραφαὶ ὅμοιαι ἅλῳ, ἐκ τούτου γὰρ οὕτως ἐπονομάζονται) τὸν ἥλιον περιστοιχίσωσι, σφοδρότης τῶν ἀνέμων σημαίνεται· ἐπὰν δὲ καὶ οἱ καλούμενοι ἀνθήλιοι τῇ τοῦ ἡλίου φορᾷ συντρέχωσι, συμπτωμάτων ἀερίων σημεῖον γίνεται· καὶ πάλιν ἡνίκα ῥάβδοις ἐοικυῖα κατὰ τὴν χρόαν τῆς Ἴριδος εἰς ὄρθρον τοῖς νέφεσιν ἐμφαινόμεναι δειχθῶσιν, ὄμβροι, ἢ χειμῶνες, ἢ μεταβολὴ ἐπιπλεῖον τοῦ ἀέρος σημαίνεται. Ἡ δὲ σελήνη, ἐπειδὰν ἐν τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ λεπτὴ καὶ καθαρὰ ταῖς κεραίαις ἀποδειχθῇ, σταθερὰν εὐδίαν κατεπαγγέλλεται· παχεῖα δὲ ταῖς κεραίαις, καὶ ὑπέρυθρος φανεῖσα, ὕδωρ λάβρον ἢ νότον βίαιον εὐαγγελίζεται. Ὄργανα οὖν χρόνων ἥλιος καὶ σελήνη καθίσταται· χρόνος δὲ ἡμερῶν, μηνῶν, καὶ ἐνιαυτῶν· τὰ δὲ ἄστρα, καὶ μηνῶν, καὶ σπόρων, καὶ ἀμητῶν. Καὶ αἱ Πλειάδες, ἀνατέλλουσαι μὲν ἀμητοῦ καιρὸν, δύνουσαι δὲ σπόρου, δεικνύουσι. Καὶ τοῖς ναυτιλλομένοις μετὰ τῆς Ἁμάξης σημεῖον γίνεται· τόπων γὰρ σημεῖα καὶ δεικτήρια τὰ ἄστρα γίνεται. Ἄρκτος μὲν γὰρ ἄρκτον δείκνυσι· τῆς δὲ Πλειάδος πρὸς ἀνατολὴν βλέπων τὸ ὀξὺ τὴν ἄρκτον δείκνυσιν· αὐτῆς δὲ τῆς ἄρκτου στρεφομένης τὸ κέρας τὴν ἀνατολὴν δείκνυσι, καὶ τῆς σελήνης τὸ λαμπόμενον μέρος τὴν ἀνατολὴν σημαίνει. Πρὸ δὲ τούτων χρόνος οὐκ ἦν, ἀλλὰ διάστημα, καὶ αἰὼν μακρός τις καὶ ἄχρονος. Εἴρηται οὖν περὶ τῶν σημείων. Καιροὺς δὲ λέγειν ἡγούμεθα τὰς ἐναλλαγὰς τῶν 721 ὡρῶν, χειμῶνος, ἔαρος, θέρους, μετοπώρου. Καὶ χειμὼν μὲν γίνεται τοῖς νοτίοις μέρεσι τοῦ ἡλίου προσδιατρίβοντος, καὶ πολὺ τὸ νυκτερινὸν σκίασμα περὶ τὸν καθ' ἡμᾶς τόπον ἀποτελοῦντος, ὡς καταψύχεσθαι μὲν τὸν περὶ τὴν γῆν ἀέρα, καὶ τὰς ὑγρὰς ἀναθυμιάσεις συνισταμένας ὄμβρων, καὶ κρυμῶν, καὶ νιφάδων αἰτίας γίνεσθαι· ἐπειδὰν δὲ ἐπανιὼν πάλιν ἀπὸ τῶν μεσημβρινῶν χωρίων ἐπὶ τοῦ μέσου γένηται, ἰσημερία γίνεται, καὶ ὅσῳ τοῖς ἐπὶ γῆς ἐνδιατρίβει τόποις, τοσούτῳ κατὰ μέρος ἐπανάγει τὴν εὐκρασίαν, καὶ γίνεται ἔαρ, τοῖς μὲν φυτοῖς παρέχων βλάστησιν, τοῖς δὲ δένδροις τὴν ἀναβίωσιν. Ἐκεῖθεν δὲ ἤδη πρὸς τὰς θερινὰς τροπὰς ἐπ' αὐτὴν τὴν Ἄρκτον τρέχων ὁ ἥλιος τὰς μεγάλας ἡμέρας ἡμῖν παρίστησι, καὶ διὰ τὸ πλεῖον αὐτὸν προσομιλεῖν τῷ ἀέρι, αὐτὸν καταφρίσσει τὸν ἀέρα, καὶ τὴν γῆν πᾶσαν καταξηραίνει, καὶ πάντα καρπὸν ὡραῖον ἀπεργάζεται φλογωδέστατος ὢν, καὶ βραχείας ποιεῖ τὰς σκιὰς ἀφ' ὑψηλοῦ καταλάμπων. Ἐν γὰρ ταῖς βραχυτάταις ἡμέραις αἱ σκιαὶ μακρόταται γίνονται. Καὶ πάλιν ἀπὸ τῶν προσαρκτίων ἐπὶ τὰ νότια παραγενομένου, μετόπωρον γίνεται, τῆς θέρμης κατ' ὀλίγον τῆς πολλῆς ἀμαυρουμένης, καὶ τοῦ χειμῶνος ἀβλαβῶς ἐπιόντος. Οὐ ποιεῖ δὲ τὴν ἡμέραν ὁ ἥλιος· μηδεὶς οὕτως ὑπολάβῃ· πρεσβυτερεῖ γὰρ τούτου ἡ ἡμέρα καὶ νύξ· ἀλλὰ κατάρχει μόνον τῆς ἡμέρας, καθὼς καὶ ὁ ψαλμῳδὸς διαγορεύει ἡμῖν· Ἔθετο, λέγων, τὸν ἥλιον εἰς ἐξουσίαν τῆς ἡμέρας, τὴν σελήνην, καὶ τοὺς ἀστέρας εἰς ἐξουσίαν τῆς νυκτός. Ἔχει δὲ οὗτος τὴν ἐξουσίαν τὸ φῶς περιφέρων ἐν ἑαυτῷ· ἐπειδάν ποτε τὸν καθ' ἡμᾶς ὁρίζοντα ὑπεράρῃ, ἡμέραν παρέχει διασκεδάσας τὸ σκότος. Ἡ δὲ σελήνη, ἐπειδὰν

Lunar influence and the illusion of scale§6

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6Twelve times the year completes its course, being a poetic one, except that it requires an intercalary month for the exactness of the hours. For the solar year is a restoration from the same point to the same point according to the sun's own motion. When the moon wanes, the bodies of animals are thinned and become hollow; but when it waxes, they are replenished. This is because it secretly pours in moisture along with heat; for those sleeping under the moon are filled in the heads with excessive moisture, and the fresh-eating of meats, and whatever is of this kind, is quickly turned by the impact of the moon. Similarly, the things concerning the air arise from such a cause. For when a new moon is present and the calm is steady, sudden wind disturbances occur, with clouds being shaken and falling upon one another; and there are torrents around the fair-winded places, and a surging of the sea around the ocean. If even a solar eclipse occurs when there is a new moon, it happens more violently; for the moon, having passed below, obstructs the rays of the sun. Great indeed this moon has become.

But idle myths were preserved everywhere by drunken sailors: that it is moved from its own seat by certain levers and is carried toward the earth. And what kind of place would have received it after it had landed? For the appearance of it being something small did not deceive. For our vision, becoming small, made the things seen also seem small, bringing the natural passion upon visible things. For just as if someone were to view fields and oxen grazing at once from a distance, he would not seem to see an ant's fantasy; for the vision, having been obscured by the air and having become unsteady, is not sufficient for the exact understanding of the things seen. And that the body of the moon is immense, it is possible to learn from evidences. For all the cities throughout the inhabited world, most widely separated from one another, having been divided into four parts toward the east, equally receive the lunar light, and likewise those dwelling in the west, and the midday and northern parts, observe it.

And on the fifth day God commanded the waters to bring forth living souls according to their kind; and immediately the sea produced diverse kinds of all animals. Of the waves, some are amphibians, such as seals, and crocodiles, and the river horses, and also frogs, and crabs, but they do not have the swimming ability; for they are creeping by nature, being drawn toward the head of the water; but the live-bearing ones are seals, and dolphins, and rays, and those similar to them.

But God commanded also to prefer the deep ones, the coastal ones, the bottom ones, the rocky ones, the herd-like ones, the sporadic ones, the sea-monsters, the huge ones, and the very smallest of the fishes, having a natural kinship to the water. For if they are separated from the water a little, not having breath, they are destroyed; for the expansion and the covering of the gills, receiving the water and passing it through, possesses this breath. They do not have teeth halfway, but all their teeth are densely packed and sharp, so that by not being worn down by time, they may chew the food. For it was meant to be destroyed by the water in fine chewing. And nothing else emits a scent from them except the scabbard-fish.

And there is also other food suitable for others. For some are fed on mud, others on seaweeds, others on grasses nourished by the water; others are cannibals. And there are also diverse characteristics among them. The sawfish has long fins; and having seen a ship sailing straight, it, having raised its own fins, imitates the shapes of the ship's movement, and swims with those sailing. Having thus made forty stadia and having labored, it lowers its fins and is carried by the waves to its own place.

The sea-monster is called Aspidochelone by some; and it is by nature most immense, so as often to instill in those sailing the fantasy of a great island. For when it rises from the depths, its body appears like rough stones, and those plunging poles around it release the boats, which immediately sink, the sea-monster having been warmed by the sun and having dived into the depths. It also has a heavy voice by nature, and when hungry, opens its mouth and sends out a most fragrant exhalation, so as to lure the small fishes and to press them all into its mouth. And this dwells in the...

Greek · §6

δωδεκάκις τὸν ἑαυτῆς ἐκτελέσῃ δρόμον, ἐνιαυτοῦ τυγχάνει ποιητικὴ, πλὴν ὅτι μηνὸς ἐμβολίμου δεῖται πρὸς τὴν ἀκριβῆ τῶν ὡρῶν συνδρομήν. Ὁ γὰρ ἡλιακὸς ἐνιαυτὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ αὐτοῦ σημείου ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ σημεῖον κατὰ τὴν οἰκείαν κίνησιν τοῦ ἡλίου ἐστὶν ἀποκατάστασις. Τῆς δὲ σελήνης ληγούσης, ἀραιοῦται τῶν ζώων τὰ σώματα, καὶ ὑπόκενα γίνεται· αὐξομένης δὲ, ἀναπληροῦται. ∆ιότι ὑγρότητα μετὰ θερμότητος κεκραμμένην λεληθότως ἐνίησιν· οἱ γὰρ καθεύδοντες ὑπὸ σελήνην ὑγρότητος περισσῆς πληροῦνται τὰς κεφαλὰς, καὶ τὰ νεοσφαγῆ δὲ τῶν κρεῶν, καὶ πᾶν εἴ τι τοιοῦτον, τῇ προσβολῇ τῆς σελήνης ταχέως τρέπεται. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὰ περὶ τὸν ἀέρα πάθη τοιαύτης αἰτίας συνίσταται. Νουμηνίας γὰρ ἐνστάσης, γαλήνης οὔσης σταθερᾶς, αἰφνιδίων ἀνέμων ταραχαὶ γίνονται τῶν νεφῶν κλονουμένων καὶ συμπιπτόντων ἀλλήλοις· καὶ γίνονται περὶ τοὺς εὐρίπους παλίῤῥοιαι, καὶ περὶ τὸν ὠκεανὸν ἀναδρομὴ τῆς θαλάσσης. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῦ ἡλίου ἔκλειψις νουμηνίας οὔσης γίνεται, σφοδροτέρα συμβαίνει· κάτωθεν γὰρ ἡ σελήνη ὑπελθοῦσα ἐμφράττει ἡλίου τὰς ἀκτῖνας. Μέγα δέ τι καὶ αὕτη ἡ σελήνη καθέστηκε. Μῦθοι δὲ ληρώδεις ὑπὸ μεθυόντων γραϊδίων πανταχοῦ διεσώθησαν· ὅτι μαγγανείαις τισὶ τῆς οἰκείας ἕδρας ἀποκινεῖται, καὶ πρὸς τὴν γῆν καταφέρεται. Καὶ ποῖος ἂν τόπος καταχθεῖσαν αὐτὴν ὑπεδέξατο; Μὴ 724 γὰρ ἐξηπάτησε τὸ φαινόμενον ὡς μικρόν τι εἶναι νομιζόμενον. Μικρὰ γὰρ ἡ ὄψις ἡμῶν γινομένη, μικρὰ ἐποίησε νομίζεσθαι καὶ τὰ ὁρώμενα, τὸ οἰκεῖον πάθος τοῖς ὁρατοῖς ἐπιφέρουσα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἴ τις ἐπ' ἀκρωρείας θεάσοιτο πεδία καὶ βόας ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ νεμομένας, οὐχὶ ὡς μυρμήκων φαντασίαν ὁρᾷν δοκεῖ· ἐνδαπανηθεῖσα γὰρ τῷ ἀέρι ἡ ὅψις, καὶ ἐξίτηλος γενομένη, πρὸς τὴν ἀκριβῆ κατανόησιν τῶν ὁρωμένων οὐκ ἐξαρκεῖ. Καὶ ὅτι παμμέγεθες τῆς σελήνης τὸ σῶμά ἐστι, μαθεῖν ἐκ τεκμηρίων ἕστιν. Αἱ γὰρ κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην πόλεις πλεῖστον ἀλλήλων ἀπῳκισμέναι, ταῖς κατὰ τὴν ἀνατολὴν τετραμμέναι ῥυμοτομίαις, ἐξ ἴσου πᾶσαι τὸ σεληναῖον φῶς ὑποδέχονται, καὶ ὁμοίως αὐτὴν οἱ τὴν δύσιν οἰκοῦντες καὶ τὰ μεσημβρινὰ καὶ ἀρκτῷα μέρη θεωροῦσιν. Τῇ δ' ἡμέρᾳ τῇ πέμπτῃ προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐξαγαγεῖν τὰ ὕδατα ἑρπετὰ ψυχῶν ζωσῶν κατὰ γένος· καὶ εὐθέως ἡ μὲν θάλασσα παντοῖα ζώων γένη διάφορα ἀπεκύησε. Τῶν γὰρ ἐναλίων τὰ μέν ἐστιν ἀμφίβια, οἷον φῶκαι, καὶ κροκόδειλοι, καὶ οἱ ποταμιαῖοι ἵπποι, ἔτι δὲ οἱ βάτραχοι, καὶ οἱ καρκῖνοι, οὐ μέντοι τὸ νηκτικὸν ἔχουσι· ἑρπυστικὰ γάρ ἐστι τῇ φύσει, τῷ ἡγήματι τοῦ ὕδατος ἐπισυρόμενα· τὰ δὲ ζωοτόκα, οἷον φῶκαι, καὶ δελφῖνες, καὶ νάρκαι, καὶ τὰ ὅμοια αὐτοῖς. Μόνον δὲ προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τὰ πελάγια, καὶ τὰ αἰγιαλώδη, τὰ βύθια, τὰ πετρώδη, τὰ ἀγελαῖα, τὰ σποραδικὰ, τὰ κήτη, τὰ ὑπέρογκα, τὰ λεπτότατα τῶν ἰχθύων προΐει, συγγένειαν πρὸς τὸ ὕδωρ φυσικὴν ἔχοντα. Μικρὸν γὰρ εἰ τοῦ ὕδατος χωρισθῇ, μὴ ἕχοντα ἀναπνοὴν, διαφθείρεται· ἡ γὰρ τῶν βραγχίων αὐτοῖς διαστολὴ, καὶ ἐπίπτυξις, δεχομένη τὸ ὕδωρ, καὶ διιεῖσα, ταύτην τὴν ἀναπνοὴν κέκτηται. Οὐδὲν παρ' αὐτοῖς ἐξ ἡμισείας ἔχει τοὺς ὀδόντας, ἀλλὰ πάντα ὀδοῦσιν ὀξέσι καταπεπύκνωται, πρὸς τὸ μὴ διαῤῥέειν τῇ χρονίᾳ μασήσει τὴν τροφήν. Ἔμελλε γὰρ ἐν τῇ λεπτῇ μασήσει διαφθείρεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος. Μηρυκίζει δὲ οὐδὲν ἄλλο παρ' αὐτοῖς εἰ μὴ ὁ σκάρος. Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἡ τροφὴ ἄλλη ἄλλοις κατάλληλος. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἰλύϊ τρέφονται, οἱ δὲ τοῖς φυκίοις, ἄλλοι ταῖς βοτάναις ταῖς τρεφομέναις τῷ ὕδατι· ἕτεροι δέ εἰσιν ἀλληλοφάγοι. Ἔστι δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ διάφορα ἰδιώματα. Ὁ πριὼν πτέρυγας ἔχει μακράς· καὶ θεασάμενος πλοῖον οὐριοδρομοῦν, καὶ αὐτὸς ὑψώσας ἑαυτοῦ τὰς πτέρυγας, μιμεῖται τῆς νηὸς τὰ σχήματα τῆς κινήσεως, καὶ ἐρίζει τοῖς πλέουσι. Ποιήσας οὖν σταδίους τεσσαράκοντα, καὶ κοπιάσας, καθίησιν αὑτοῦ τὰς πτέρυγας, καὶ φέρεται ὑπὸ τῶν κυμάτων εἰς τὸν τόπον τὸν ἴδιον. Τὸ δὲ κῆτος καλεῖται μὲν Ἀσπιδοχελώνη παρά τισιν· ἔστι δὲ τῇ φύσει παμμεγεθέστατον, ὡς πολλάκις τοῖς ναυτιλλομένοις νήσου μεγάλης φαντασίαν ἐμποιῆσαι. Ἀναδύσαντος γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ, ὡς λίθοι τραχεῖς τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ἐκφαίνεται, καὶ περὶ αὐτὸ πάλους καταπηγνύντες ἐκδεσμοῦσι τὰ σκάφη, ἅτινα παραχρῆμα βυθίζεται, τοῦ κήτους ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου διαθερμανθέντος, καὶ εἰς τὸν βυθὸν καταδύσαν 725 τος· ἔχει δὲ αὐτὸ, καὶ φύσει βαρεῖαν φωνὴν, καὶ πεινῆσαν ἀνοίγειν τὸ στόμα, καὶ ἀποφορὰν ἐκπέμπειν εὐωδεστάτην, ὥστε τοὺς μικροὺς ἰχθύας ἀφέλκεσθαι, καὶ εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοὺς ὅλους αὐτοῦ ἐπιστιβάζεσθαι. Κατοικεῖ δὲ τοῦτο τὰ

Nature of Sea and River Creatures§7

7The Atlantic seas are great in size. As for the crab, the flesh of the oyster is edible; but since it is unable to open the folding of its shells, it watches for the folds to be opened in remote places, and being delighted by the sunlight, it takes a pebble and inserts it secretly, then closes the folding, and thus easily destroys it. The sea urchin foreknows the onset of winter, and carries a pebble so as not to be tossed about by the force of the waves. The octopus, having rushed against a certain rock, became of the same color as it, and it destroys the fish approaching the rock.

The nautilus is the smallest in nature, yet it stands up being carried by a gale as if the greatest of ships, so that the ship seems to be lost in the sea. In the river there is the hydra, having the form of a dog, which is an enemy to the crocodile and destroys him while he sleeps. For the crocodile sleeps having opened its own mouth; and the hydra, having curled itself into the mud [ph. having coiled itself], leaps into its mouth, and by destroying everything inside it, it destroys him.

The crocodile is a beast both like a land animal and a fish, great from head to tail, though it does not have a width in proportion to its size. Its back is thin like a stream, the color of its back is like black stone, and its belly is white. Its feet are four, curved toward the side, much like the land turtle; it has a long and thick tail, for it is the end of a single spine. It is notched from above into spines, which are like the teeth of saws, and it strikes with them against those whom it might beat. One of its heads is joined to the backs, standing straight in a single measure; as far as it has not opened, it is a beast's head, but if it loses this, it becomes a whole mouth, making a chasm even unto the shoulders.

The so-called hippopotamus has the feet and the belly of a horse, and its weapon is split like a hoof, with a thick tail that is thin of hair, because the whole of its body is thus: a head that is circular, slightly different from the cheek of a horse, and it has a hollowed nose breathing a fiery smoke, as from a furnace, having a wide snout; for it opens the mouth even unto the temples.

Its interior is densely hairy, possessing two curved teeth like a boar. The whole thing is very easy to swallow, making it food. It is hunted in this way: the hunters watch it, dig a pit, cover it with a reed, sprinkle it with sand, and build a wooden house below, having the doors open toward the roof of the pit; when the beast climbs upon it, it falls helplessly, and is trapped inside the house being carried down. Then the hunters immediately close it. Second... the small beast makes a loud noise.

In the fish, there is much internal heat and sharpness; therefore they fall prey more easily, eating things that immediately tear the edible parts within their bellies. The sea-fox, if it is unable to escape the net, swallowing the bait, leaping and running, drives away the sea-urchin and flees. The crocodile is a man-eating beast; when it is about to make its nests, having surveyed, it turns the female onto the banks; for this alone is accustomed to approach lying on its back, and after the interaction, striking her again with its hands, it turns her back; when it perceives her to be related to another, it pretends to mingle with her, and in the same way, having turned her, it recognizes her by the smell (for it has a sharp sense for this) having been impregnated by another, and having torn her belly with its claws, it eats everything within it. For the animal is tender around the belly; for its back is clothed in hard scales, so that even the sharpest iron, when brought against it, is blunted.

Let the winged creatures bring forth living souls from the waters, and suddenly the air is filled with all kinds of birds. He gave them their origin from the waters, since they have been allotted a certain kinship to the fish. Just as the fish cut the water with the movement of their fins and move through it, so the winged ones move through the air with their wings. Among them, the carnivores possess a construction appropriate to their slaughtering diet, having sharp claws, a curved lip, and a sharp wing to easily snatch and tear apart; but the seed-eaters and those fed on everything are different. And the construction of each of these...

Greek · §7

Ἀτλάντια πελάγη διὰ τὸ μέγεθος. Τῷ δὲ καρκίνῳ ἡ σὰρξ τοῦ ὀστρέου ἐστὶν ἐδώδιμος, καὶ μὴ ἰσχύων ἀνοῖξαι τῶν κόγχων αὐτοῦ τὴν σύμπτυξιν, ἐπιτηρεῖ τὰς πτυχὰς αὐτοῦ ἀνοίξαντα ἐν τοῖς ἀπηνέμοις τόποις, καὶ τῇ αὐγῇ τοῦ ἡλίου τερπόμενον, καὶ λαβὼν ψηφῖδα ἐντίθησι λαθραίως, καὶ κωλύει τὴν σύμπτυξιν, καὶ οὕτω ῥᾳδίως αὐτὸ κατέδεται. Ὁ δὲ ἐχῖνος προγινώσκει τοῦ χειμῶνος τὴν ἔφοδον, καὶ ψηφῖδα ὑπέρχεται πρὸς τὸ μὴ ὑπὸ τῆς φορᾶς τῶν κυμάτων αὐτὸν περιάγεσθαι. Ὁ δὲ πολύπους, προσπελάσας πέτρᾳ τινὶ, ὁμόχροος αὐτῇ καθέστηκε, καὶ τοὺς ἐγγίζοντας ἰχθύας τῇ πέτρᾳ κατέδεται. Μικρότατον δὲ τῇ φύσει ἡ ἐχενηῒς τυγχάνει, καὶ τὰ μέγιστα τῶν πλοίων ἐξ οὐρίας φερόμενα ἵστησιν, ὥστε δοκεῖν τὸ πλοῖον ἐρηρεῖσθαι εἰς τὸ πέλαγος. Ὕδρις δὲ ἔστιν ἐν τῷ ποταμῷ, μορφὴν ἔχουσα κυνὸς, ἥτις τοῦ κροκοδείλου ἐχθρὰ τυγχάνει, καὶ ἀναιρεῖ τοῦτον καθεύδοντα. Τὸ γὰρ στόμα ἑαυτοῦ διανοίξας ὁ κροκόδειλος καθεύδει· καὶ ἡ ὕδρις, εἰς πηλὸν ἑαυτὴν ἐγκωλύσασα [φ. ἐγκυλίσασα], εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ εἰσπηδᾷ, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐντὸς αὐτοῦ κατεσθίουσα ἀναιρεῖ αὐτόν. Ἔστι δὲ ὁ κροκόδειλος θηρίον ὁμοῦ καὶ ἰχθὺς, καὶ μέγα ἀπὸ κεφαλῆς ἄχρι οὐρᾶς· οὐ μὲν ἔχει τὸ πλάτος τοῦ μεγέθους ἀνάλογον. Ἡ δὲ δορὰ αὐτοῦ λεπὶς τυγχάνει ῥυτὴ, καὶ ἡ χροιὰ τοῦ νώτου αὐτοῦ πέτρᾳ μελαίνῃ ἔοικεν, ἡ δὲ γαστὴρ λευκῇ. Πόδες δὲ αὐτοῦ εἰσὶ τέσσαρες, εἰς τὸ πλάγιον ἠρέμα κυρτούμενοι· καθὼς τῆς χερσαίας χελώνης, οὐρὰ μακρὰ καὶ παχεῖα· τῆς ῥάχεως γάρ ἐστιν ἑνὸς ὀστέου τελευτή. Ἐντέτμηται δὲ ἄνωθεν εἰς ἀκάνθας, καὶ εἰσὶν ὡσεὶ τῶν πριόνων ἀκμαὶ, καὶ τύπτει ἐν αὐτῇ πρὸς οὓς ἂν παλαίῃ. Μία δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐστὶ κεφαλὴ τοῖς νώτοις συνυφαινομένη, καὶ εἰς μίαν ἰθυνομένη στάθμην· καὶ ἐφ' ὅσον οὐ κέχηνε, θηρίου ἐστὶ κεφαλή· ἐὰν δὲ χάνῃ, ὅλον στόμα γίνεται, μέχρι τῶν ὤμων τὸ χάσμα ποιοῦσα. Ὁ δὲ λεγόμενος ἱπποπόταμος ἵππου μὲν τοὺς πόδας ἔχει καὶ τὴν γαστέρα, τὴν δὲ ὁπλὴν σχιστὴν ὡς χηλὴν, οὐρὰν παχεῖαν καὶ ψιλὴν τριχῶν, ὅτι καὶ τὸ πᾶν τοῦ σώματος οὕτως ἕχει, κεφαλὴν περιφερῆ μικρὸν τῆς ἵππου παρειᾶς διάφορον, καὶ ἔχει κεχηνότα τὸν μυκτῆρα, πυρώδη καπνὸν, ὡς ἐκ καμίνου, πνέοντα, γένυν πλατεῖαν· μέχρι γὰρ τῶν κροτάφων ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα. Ὀδοῦσι δὲ ἔνδον τριχῶς πεπύκνωται, ἔχων πρὸς τούτοις δύο ὀδόντας ἐπικαμπεῖς ὡς συός. Καὶ ἔστιν ἀδδηφαγώτατον ὅλον, λήϊον ποιοῦν τροφήν. Ἀπάτῃ δὲ θηρᾶται τοιαύτῃ. Ἐπιτηροῦσιν αὐτοῦ τὰς διατριβὰς, καὶ ὄρυγμα ποιοῦσι, καὶ καλάμῃ αὐτὸ στεγάζουσι, καὶ ἐπιχωννύουσι ψάμμῳ, καὶ ξύλινον ἱστῶσι κάτωθεν οἴκημα ἔχον ἀνεῳγμένας τὰς θύρας εἰς τὸν ὄροφον τοῦ βό 728 θρου· καὶ ἐπιβὰς ὁ θὴρ ἀφελῶς ἐμπίπτει, καὶ εἰς τὸ οἴκημα κατακλείεται φερόμενος κάτω. Καὶ οἱ θηρευταὶ εὐθὺς ἀποκλείουσι. ∆εύτερον. .... βοὸς δὲ ἔχει τὸ θηρίον τὸ μέγεθος. Ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἰχθύσι πολλή τις ἐνυπάρχει θέρμη ἔνδοθεν, καὶ ὀξεῖα· διὸ καὶ θᾶττον καταπέπτουσιν, ἃ ἐσθίουσιν, εὐθέως διασηπομένων τῶν ἐδωδίμων ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ αὐτῶν. Ἡ δὲ θαλαττιαῖος ἀλώπηξ, ἐπὰν μὴ δύνηται διαδράσαι τὴν ἄγραν, καταπιοῦσα τὸ ἄγχιστρον, ἐξαλλομένη καὶ ἀνατρέχουσα, ἀποτρώγει τὴν μήρινθον, καὶ διαφεύγει. Ὁ δὲ κροκόδειλος ἀνθρωποβόρον μέν ἐστι θηρίον, ὅταν δὲ μέλλῃ ποιεῖσθαι τὰς ὀχείας, ἀνανηξάμενον ἀναστρέφει τὴν θήλειαν ἐπὶ ταῖς ὄχθαις· μόνος γὰρ οὗτος ὕπτιος πλησιάζειν πέφυκε, καὶ μετὰ τὴν ὁμιλίαν πάλιν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτὴν ἐπικουφίζων συνεπιστρέφει· ἐπειδὰν δὲ αὐτὴν ἄλλῳ συγγενομένην αἴσθηται, καθυποκρίνεται συμμιγῆναι αὐτῇ, καὶ τῷ αὐτῷ τρόπῳ ἀναστρέψας αὐτὴν γινώσκει διὰ τῆς ὀδμῆς (ἔχει γὰρ ὀξυτάτην περὶ τοῦτο τὴν αἴσθησιν) ὑφ' ἑτέρου μιανθεῖσαν αὐτὴν, καὶ τοῖς ὄνυξι διαῤῥήξας τὴν γαστέρα αὐτῆς, πάντα τὰ ἐντὸς αὐτῆς κατεσθίει. Περὶ γὰρ τὴν γαστέρα ἐστὶ τρυφερὸν τὸ ζῶον· ὁ γὰρ νῶτος αὐτοῦ στιβαραῖς λεπίσιν ἐνδέδυται, ὥστε καὶ τὸν ὀξύτατον σίδηρον ἐπενεχθέντα ἀμβλύνεσθαι. Ἐξαγαγέτω τὰ ὕδατα πετεινὰ ψυχῶν ζωσῶν, καὶ ἀθρόως ὁ ἀὴρ παντοίου γένους τῶν ὀρνίθων πεπλήρωται. Ἔδωκε δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐκ τῶν ὑδάτων τὴν γένεσιν, ἐπειδὴ συγγένειάν τινα πρὸς τοὺς ἰχθύας κεκλήρωνται. Ὡς γὰρ οἱ ἰχθύες ἐν τῇ κινήσει τῶν πτερύγων τὸ ὕδωρ τέμνουσι, καὶ διανήχονται, οὕτω τὰ πετεινὰ τοῖς πτεροῖς τὸν ἀέρα διανήχονται. Ἔστι δὲ αὐτῶν τὰ μὲν σαρκοφάγα πρέπουσαν κατασκευὴν τοῦ τρόπου τῆς σφῶν διαίτης ἐπέχοντα, ὀνύχων ἀκμαῖς, καὶ χεῖλος ἀγγύλον, καὶ πτερὸν ὀξὺ πρὸς τὸ ῥᾳδίως ἀναρπάσαι, καὶ διασπάσαι δύνασθαι· τὰ δὲ σπερμολόγα, τὰ δὲ ἐκ παντὸς τρεφόμενα. Καὶ τούτων ἑκατέρων ἡ κατασκευὴ

Nature's varied dispositions§8

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8They are diverse; for some are lawless and autonomous, while others are ordered under a ruler, some are migratory, and others are local. The peacock is the one that crows, but the hawk is most favorable regarding man.

For it is reported that in Thrace the hawks are joined to the bird-hunters regarding the hunt; for they spend their time in thick woods, where a kind of birds dwells, and they coordinate with those going to the hunt to receive a share of what is caught. And when the hunters shake the trees, the birds, being startled, cry out and fly up, and the hawks, swooping down over their heads, strike their heads and cast them to the ground, preparing an easy hunt for men; and those who are without the hunt immediately receive a share of it.

The pelican is a lover of its young; for while feeding the chicks, they strike him in the face with their wings; but he who strikes them destroys them, and being moved to pity, he mourns them for three days. And the mother, coming upon them, tears her side, and her blood drips upon the chicks, and they are brought to life. These pelicans eat the shells in this way: being unable to release them because they are gripped, they swallow them first, so that by the heat around the pharynx, the adhering glue may be loosened and the shells may be softened; having dissolved them, they easily eat their food. And the nests are not where they hatch, but, because of the multitude of hunters, they move to another place to rear the young. And when they perceive some of the young ones having arrived for the hunt, they fly up and divert the haste of the hunters toward themselves, providing a time of flight for the young; and after the young have escaped, they carry themselves very boldly with the young, as if walking on the air.

The peacock is a lover of beauty, rushing from India. This one, having spread his beauty and shown the spectacle of his wings, is led toward a meeting with the female, just as a peacock shows this adornment to her; for the peacock is almost like a beautiful garden.

For gold is planted around its wings, and a circular woven pattern surrounds the purple gold; and an equal circle is enclosed by the gold, and there is an eye in a wing. The phoenix has the size of a peacock, but differs from the peacock in color; for its wings have been dyed with gold and purple, and its head is naturally adorned in the shape of a circular crown. And the circle is azure, and rose-like. Being well-formed in appearance, and adorned with rays, as if a sun stands on high; as others have recorded the form of this body, as they themselves describe it thus: for its length is almost double that of an eagle. With various wings and colors, its body is burned. Its breast, indeed, appears purple, but its legs are millet-colored, and at the neck, it is elegantly arranged with saffron-colored hairs. And its head is like a bed of days, and it looked toward the girl with a millet-grain. And it appeared like a grain of millet to the girls. And it had a voice most pleasant to all. And it appeared as king of all birds, as one might perceive; for all birds, wandering long away behind it, fell down. And itself, like a bull boasting, was walking with a firm step, bearing the weight of its foot.

They say this exists as a unique animal, not existing by succession, but existing most alone, and living five hundred years. And at the time when it is about to perish (for it foresees its own death), having aimed for some high place, at the rising of the sun, it gathers its beauty from aromatic twigs, and then is consumed by the ray of the sun, and is completely dissolved into dust; then from the dust worms are produced, and from the worm into the first phoenix it is transformed.

But the eagle is most unjust regarding the nourishment of the young; for having done two things, it makes one inhabit with it, and it sends the other away by chewing it with its wings, through the food, as they say, the venom. But the phoenix, having received the one left behind, simultaneously nourishes the young ones with the inhabitants. And having nourished the young one, the eagle falls upon it, taking it toward the ether; and if it were to see it having sharpened itself against the brightness of the sun, and boldly resounding through the air, it makes it its own inhabitant; but if it is unformed toward these things, it casts it off as a bastard. For they say

Greek · §8

διενήνοχε· καὶ τὰ μέν ἐστιν ἄναρχα καὶ αὐτόνομα, τὰ δὲ ὑφ' ἡγεμόνα τέτακται, καὶ τὰ μέν ἐστιν ἐπιδημητικὰ, τὰ δὲ ἐγχώρια. Γαῦρον ὁ ἀλεκτρυὼν, ὁ δὲ ἱέραξ εὐνούστατος τυγχάνει περὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Ἱστοροῦσι γὰρ τοὺς ἐν τῇ Θρᾴκῃ ἱέρακας τοῖς ὀρνιθοθήραις περὶ τὴν ἄγραν συναίρεσθαι· ποιοῦνται μὲν γὰρ τὰς διατριβὰς ἐν ὕλαις δασυτάταις, ἕνθα γένη τῶν ὀρνίθων ἐνδιαιτᾶται, καὶ τοῖς ἐπὶ τὴν ἄγραν ἰοῦσι συντάττονται, ἰσομοιρίαν τοῦ ἀγρευθέντος δέξασθαι· καὶ τῶν θηρευτῶν τὰ δένδρα διασειόντων, οἱ ὄρνεις τινασσόμενοι σοβοῦνται, καὶ ἀνίπτανται, καὶ οἱ ἱέρακες κατὰ κεφαλῆς τούτων 729 ὑπεριπτάμενοι, τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν κολάπτουσι, καὶ εἰς γῆν καταῤῥίπτουσι, καὶ εὔθηρον τὴν ἄγραν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις παρασκευάζουσιν· οἱ δὲ ἄσμενοι τῆς ἄγρας αὐτῆς παραχρῆμα μεταδιδόασιν. Φιλότεκνον ὁ πελεκάν· τρέφων γὰρ τοὺς νεοσσοὺς, τύπτεται ὑπ' αὐτῶν ταῖς πτέρυξιν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον· ὁ δὲ κολάπτων αὐτοὺς ἀναιρεῖ, καὶ σπλαγχνισθεὶς πενθεῖ ἐπὶ τρεῖς ἡμέρας αὐτούς. Ἡ δὲ μήτηρ ἐλθοῦσα ἐπάνω αὐτῶν ῥήγνυσι τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐπιστάζει τὸ αἷμα αὐτῆς ἐπὶ τοὺς νεοσσοὺς, καὶ ζωογονοῦνται. Οὗτοι δὲ οἱ πελεκᾶνες τὰς κόγχας τούτῳ τῷ τρόπῳ ἐσθίουσι· μὴ δυνάμενοι διὰ τὸ ἐσφίγχθαι αὐτὰς ἀνελεῖν· καταπίνουσιν αὐτὰς πρότερον, ὅπως τῇ περὶ τὸν φάρυγγα θερμότητι διατακῇ μὲν ἡ συνέχουσα κόλλη, ἀνεθεῖσαι δὲ αἱ κόγχαι χαλασθῶσιν· ἑξεμέσαντες οὖν αὐτὰς, εὐμαρῶς τὸ ἐδώδιμον αὐτῶν κατεσθίουσιν. Αἱ δὲ φάσσαι οὐκ ἔνθα τίκτουσιν ἐπωάζονται, ἀλλὰ μεταστᾶσαι, διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν θηρευτῶν, εἰς ἕτερον τόπον, ἐκτρέφουσι τοὺς νεοττούς. Καὶ ἐπειδὰν αἴσθωνται εἰς θήραν ἀφιγμένους τινὰς τῶν νεοττῶν, ἀνίπτανται, καὶ τὴν τῶν θηρευτῶν σπουδὴν εἰς ἑαυτὰς περισπῶσι, καιρὸν φυγῆς τοῖς νεοττοῖς παρέχουσαι, καὶ ἐκφυγόντων τῶν νεοττῶν, μάλα θαρσαλέως σὺν τοῖς νεοττοῖς, ἀπάρασαι, αἰθεροβατοῦσιν. Φιλόκαλον ὁ ταὼς ἐξ Ἰνδῶν ὁρμώμενος. Οὗτος, ἀναπτερώσας τὸ κάλλος καὶ τῶν πτερῶν ἐπιδείξας τὸ θέατρον, ἐπάγεται πρὸς συνουσίαν τὴν θήλειαν, ὥσπερ λειμῶνα τὸν καλλωπισμὸν τοῦτον ἐπιδεικνὺς αὐτῇ· ἔστι γὰρ σχεδὸν λειμῶνος ὁ ταὼς εὐανθέστερος. Περιπεφύτευται γὰρ αὐτῷ χρυσὸς τοῖς πτεροῖς, καὶ κύκλῳ τὸ ἁλουργὲς περιθέει πορφυροῦν τὸν χρυσόν· καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ χρυσοῦ περίκειται τὸ ἴσον κύκλον, καὶ ἔστιν ὀφθαλμὸς ἐν πτερῷ. Ὁ δὲ φοῖνιξ μέγεθος μὲν ἔχει ταῶνος, διαφέρει δὲ τῷ κάλλει τοῦ ταῶνος τῇ χροιᾷ· κεκέρασται γὰρ αὐτῷ χρυσῷ καὶ πορφύρᾳ τὰ πτερὰ, εὐφυεῖ δὲ κύκλῳ στεφάνου ἡ κεφαλὴ αὐτοῦ κεκόσμηται φυσικῶς. Ἔστι δὲ ὁ κύκλος κυάνεος, καὶ ῥόδοις ἐμφερής. Εὐειδὴς δὲ ὢν τῇ θέᾳ, καὶ ἀκτῖσι κομῶν, ὥσπερ ἥλιος ἐφ' ὕψους ἵσταται· ὡς ἱστορῆσαι καὶ ἄλλους τὴν μορφὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ σώματος, ὡς καὶ αὐτοὶ διαγράφοντες φάσκουσιν οὕτως· ∆ιπλοῦν γάρ ἐστι τὸ μῆκος ἀετοῦ σχεδόν. Πτεροῖς δὲ ποικίλοισιν, ἠδὲ χρώμασιν, Σῶμα αὐτοῦ κέκαυται. Στῆθος μὲν οὖν αὐτοῦ πορφυροῦν φαίνεται, Σκέλη δὲ μιλτόχρωτα, καὶ κατ' αὐχένα, Κροκοπίνοις μαλλοῖσιν εὐτρεπίζεται. Κάρα δὲ κοίτης ἡμέρας παρεμφερὴς, Καὶ μηλίνῃ μὲν τῇ κόρῃ προσέβλεπε. Κύκλῳ δὲ κόρῃσι κόκκος ὡς ἐφαίνετο. Φωνὴν δὲ πάντων εἶχεν εὐπρεπεδεστάτην. Βασιλεὺς δὲ πάντων ὀρνέων ἐφαίνετο, Ὡς ἦν νοῆσαι· πάντα γὰρ τὰ πτηνὰ ὁμοῦ Ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ δολιχεύοντες ἐπέσσυντο. Αὐτὸς δὲ πρόσθε, ταῦρος ὣς γαυρούμενος, Ἔβαινε κραιπνὸν βῆμα βαστάζων ποδός. Τοῦτο φασὶ μονογενὲς ὑπάρχειν ζῶον, μὴ συνιστά 732 μενον διαδοχῇ, ἀλλ' ὑπάρχειν αὐτὸ μονώτατον, καὶ ἔτη ζῇν πεντακόσια. Καὶ ἐν καιρῷ τοῦ μέλλειν αὐτὸ τελευτᾷν (προαισθάνεται γὰρ τὴν ἀποβίωσιν), ἐφ' ὑψηλοῦ τινὸς τόπου ἐστοχασμένος, κατὰ τὴν ἀνατολὴν τοῦ ἡλίου, ἐξ ἀρωματικῶν φρυγάνων συμπηγνύναι τὴν καλιὰν, κἄπειτα ὑπὸ τῆς ἀκτῖνος ὁλοκαυτίζεσθαι τοῦ ἡλίου, καὶ εἰς κόνιν παντελῶς ἀναλύεσθαι· εἶτα ἐκ τῆς κόνεως σκώληκα γίγνεσθαι, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ σκώληκος εἰς τὸν πρῶτον φοίνικα μεταβάλλεσθαι. Ὁ δὲ ἀετὸς περὶ τὴν ἀνατροφὴν τῶν νεοττῶν ἐστιν ἀδικώτατος· δύο γὰρ ποιήσας, τὸν μὲν ἕτερον οἰκειοῦται, τὸν δὲ ἕτερον μαστίζων τοῖς πτεροῖς ἀποπέμπεται, διὰ τῆς τροφῆς, ὡς φασὶ, τὸ ἐπίπονον. Ἡ δὲ φήνη, τὸν ἀποποιηθέντα δεξαμένη, τοῖς οἰκείοις ἅμα ἐκτρέφει νεοσσοῖς. Θρέψας δὲ τὸν νεοττὸν ὁ ἀετὸς, συνίπταται, αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν αἰθέρα λαμβάνων· καὶ εἰ θεάσοιτο πρὸς τὴν λαμπρότητα τοῦ ἡλίου αὐτὸν ὀξυοπήσαντα, καὶ εὐτόλμως τὸν ἀέρα διανηχόμενον, ὡς οἰκεῖον περιποιεῖται· εἰ δὲ ἄτονον πρὸς ταῦτα, ὡς νόθον ἀποβάλλει. Φασὶ γὰρ

The Nature of Birds§9

9Having grown old, the eagle's eyes grow dim and his wings grow heavy; he goes to a spring and, as he rises into the air, his wings are scorched by the sun, and he looks up, and having immediately descended to the spring for a third time, he is baptized and renewed; therefore they say he points to the psalm: 'Your youth shall be renewed like the eagle's' (Psalm 103:5). But the vulture has a half-year gestation, and does not know the intercourse of a male, and lives a hundred years. He dwells upon the heights and the clouds, and no one knows where he makes his habitation.

And having become pregnant, he goes to India, and having taken the so-called egg-stone, he sits upon it, being seized by pains, and lays it. The stone is round like a nut, and moving it sends out a sound like a bell, from the movement of another stone within. They say the vulture dies when anointed with rose-myrrh; but seeds do not harm him, nor is any living thing crushed, nor does he approach a dead bird because of kinship. However, they say that when men are arrayed for war, he follows them and does not depart, being a scavenger.

The storks, however, arrive at one settlement together and depart from one. The corvids send them forth, and, as is fitting, they ally themselves with them against certain enemies; for they return wounded. But if the stork grows old, he chirps, and his children, surrounding him with their own wings, comfort him, and provide him with plenty of food; and in flight, they carry him from below, and with their own wings they support him on either side. The cranes, however, all fly together equally, and one leads them, and having led for a certain time, having circled above, she hands over the leadership of the way to the one after her.

While one bird sleeps, another circles safely, and when it has cried out having filled the sufficient measure of the interval, it turns to sleep, and another again receives such service. But the genus of owls is sleepless, and sharp of hearing, quickly perceiving those approaching simply, or sensing the onset of attackers. Thus indeed, some enemies, by signs guessing and intending to seize great Rome, these saved themselves by the natural sharpness of sense, handing over the attackers to the guards by a continuous voice.

The kingfisher is a sea-bird, and it sickens the shores of the sea when winter is in the middle. When therefore it is calm, the winds sleep, and the sea has a steady calm for seven days, after the winds previously were violently tossing the sea. When therefore it circles the fledglings again for another seven days, God provides a lull, until it may rear the fledglings. The partridge is deceitful, and jealous, and malicious, working with the hunters toward the hunt. But a stranger stealing, it also causes sickness, and having grown, the fledglings, each according to its kind, flee toward their own, and leave it desolate.

The dove is a shelter. There is indeed a tree in India called peridexion, bearing sweet fruits, and with this the doves are delighted, and dwell upon it. But the dragon is an enemy of the dove, and having become accustomed to the tree, it does not approach; for if the shadow becomes a kind of part of the tree, the dragon flees fearing. And the doves move into that shade of the shadow; for if they are separated from the shade, they are destroyed by the dragon.

What indeed is the nature of the dove worthy of wonder: for it shows its neck, having been caught in sunbeams, variegated with myriad ideas of colors: purple, blue, fiery, coal-like, and pale and red, and with other various colors. The crow and the monadros are fond of their young; for having reared the fledglings, nursing them...

Greek · §9

γηράσαντα τὸν ἀετὸν ἀμαυροῦσθαι τὰς ὄψεις, καὶ βαρεῖσθαι αὐτοῦ τὰς πτέρυγας, καὶ εἰς πηγὴν ἀφικνεῖσθαι, καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰθέρα ἀνιπτάμενον, ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου τὰς πτέρυγας καταφλέγεσθαι, καὶ ἀναβλέπειν, εἶτ' εὐθὺς ἐπὶ τὴν πηγὴν καταβάντα τρίτον βαπτίζεσθαι, καὶ ἀνανεοῦσθαι· διὸ καὶ τὸν ψαλμὸν φάσκειν φασίν· Ἀνακαινισθήσεται ὡς ἀετοῦ ἡ νεότης σου. Ὁ δὲ γὺψ ὑπηνέμιον τὴν γονὴν κέκτηται, καὶ οὐ γινώσκει συνουσίαν ἄῤῥενος, καὶ ἐκατὸν τὰ ἕτη βιοῖ. Αὐλίζεται δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν ὑψηλῶν, καὶ μετεώρων, καὶ οὐδεὶς οἶδε ποῦ ποιεῖ τὴν κατοίκησιν. Καὶ ἔγγυος γενόμενος πορεύεται εἰς τὴν Ἰνδικὴν, καὶ λαβὼν τὸν εὐτόκιον λίθον οὕτω καλούμενον, ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ καθέζεται συνεχόμενος ὠδῖσι, καὶ ἀποτίκτει. Ἔστι δὲ ὁ λίθος περιφερὴς ὡς κάρυον, καὶ κινούμενος ἦχον ἐκπέμπει ὡς κώδων, ἔνδοθεν ἑτέρου λίθου κινουμένου. Φασὶ δὲ τὸν γῦπα τὰ ῥόδινα μύρα χρισθέντα ἀποθνήσκειν· σπέρματα δὲ μὴ βλάπτειν αὐτὸν, μηδέ τι ἔμψυχον διαλυμαίνεσθαι, καὶ μηδὲ νεκρῷ προσέρχεσθαι πετεινῷ διὰ τὴν συγγένειαν. Ἡνίκα δὲ, φασὶν, ἄνδρες εἰς πόλεμον παρατάσσονται, ἐπακολουθεῖ αὐτοῖς, καὶ οὐκ ἀφίσταται, σαρκοβόρος ὤν. Οἱ δὲ πελαργοὶ καὶ ἑνὶ ἐπιδημοῦσι συνθήματι, καὶ ἑνὶ ἀπαίρουσι. Προπέμπουσί τε αὐτοὺς αἱ κορῶναι, καὶ, ὡς εἰκὸς, συμμαχοῦσιν αὐτοῖς πρός τινας πολεμίους ὄρνιθας· τετραυματισμέναι γὰρ ἐπανέρχονται. Ἐὰν δὲ γηράσῃ ὁ πελαργὸς, πτεροῤῥυεῖ, καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ περιστάντα τοῖς οἰκείοις πτεροῖς περιθάλπουσι, καὶ τὰς τροφὰς ἀφθόνως παρέχουσιν· ἐν δὲ τῇ πτήσει ὑποκάτωθεν αὐτὸν ὑποβαστάζουσι, καὶ τοῖς ἰδίοις πτεροῖς ἠρέμα αὐτὸν ὑποκουφίζουσιν ἑκατέρωθεν. Αἱ δὲ γέρανοι ὁμοῦ πᾶσαι ἐξ ἴσου ἵπτανται, μία δὲ προηγεῖται αὐτῶν, καὶ τακτόν τινα χρόνον προηγησαμένη εἰς τὸ κατόπιν περιελθοῦσα τῇ μετ' αὑτὴν 733 τὴν ἡγεμονίαν τῆς ὁδοῦ παραδίδωσιν. Ἐν δὲ τῷ καθεύδειν ἡ μία ὅλας περιέρχεται ἀσφαλιζομένη· καὶ ἐπειδὰν τὸ μέτρον τὸ ἀρκοῦν τοῦ διαστήματος πληρώσασα βοήσῃ, πρὸς ὕπνον τρέπεται, καὶ ἄλλη πάλιν διαδέχεται τὴν τοιαύτην ὑπηρεσίαν. Τὸ δὲ τῶν χηνῶν γένος ὑπάρχει ἄγρυπνον, καὶ ὀξυήκοον ταχέως τῶν προσιόντων ἁπλῶς, ἢ τῶν ἐπιβούλων τὴν ἔφοδον αἰσθανομένη. Οὕτως γοῦν πολεμίων τινῶν δι' ὑπονόμων ὑποδύντων, καὶ μελλόντων χειροῦσθαι Ῥώμην τὴν μεγαλόπολιν, οὗτοι τῇ φυσικῇ ὀξύτητι τῆς αἰσθήσεως περιεσώσαντο, τῇ ἀθρόᾳ φωνῇ παραδόντες τοὺς ἐπιβούλους τοῖς φύλαξιν. Ἀλκυών ἐστι θαλάττιον ὄρνεον, καὶ παρὰ τοὺς τῆς θαλάττης νοσσεύει αἰγιαλοὺς, τοῦ χειμῶνος μεσάζοντος. Ὅταν οὖν ἐπωάζηται, οἱ μὲν ἄνεμοι κοιμίζονται, ἡ δὲ θάλαττα γαλήνην ἔχει σταθερὰν, ἄχρις ἡμερῶν ἑπτὰ, τὸ πρὶν ἀνέμων σφοδρῶν ταραττόντων τὴν θάλατταν. Ἐπειδὰν οὖν περιγλύψῃ τοὺς νεοττοὺς πάλιν ἄλλας ἐπτὰ ἡμέρας, ὁ Θεὸς νηνεμίαν παρέχεται, ἕως ἐκθρέψῃ τοὺς νεοττούς. ∆ολερὸν ὁ πέρδιξ, καὶ ζηλότυπον, καὶ κακοῦργον, συμπράττων τοῖς θηρευταῖς πρὸς τὴν ἄγραν. Ἀλλότρια δὲ κλέπτων ὠὰ νοσσοποιεῖ, καὶ αὐξηθέντες οἱ νεοττοὶ, ἕκαστος κατὰ γένος πρὸς τοὺς οἰκείους ἀνίπταται, καὶ ἕρημον αὐτὸν καταλιμπάνουσιν. Λάγνον περιστερά. Ἔστι δὲ δένδρον ἐν τῇ Ἰνδικῇ καλούμενον περιδέξιον, γλυκεῖς φέρον καρποὺς, καὶ τούτῳ αἱ περιστεραὶ τέρπονται, καὶ κατασκηνοῦσιν ἐπ' αὐτοῦ. Ἔστι δὲ ὁ δράκων ἐχθρὸς τῆς περιστερᾶς, καὶ δεδοικὼς τὸ δένδρον οὐκ ἐπέρχεται· εἰς οἶον γὰρ μέρος τοῦ δένδρου ἡ σκιὰ γένηται, ὁ δράκων φεύγει φοβούμενος. Αἱ δὲ περιστεραὶ εἰς τὸ κλίτος ἐκεῖνο τῆς σκιᾶς μεθίστανται· ἐὰν γὰρ χωρισθῶσι τῆς σκιᾶς ἀναιροῦνται ὑπὸ τοῦ δράκοντος. Οἵα δέ ἐστιν ἡ φύσις τῆς περιστερᾶς θαυμάσαι ἄξιον· τὸν γὰρ αὐχένα, ἐν ἡλιακαῖς καταλαμφθέντα, μυρίαις χρωμάτων ἰδέαις ποικιλλόμενον δείκνυσι, φοινικῷ, κυανῷ, πυρωπῷ, ἀνθρακοειδεῖ, ὠχρῷ τε καὶ ἐρυθρῷ, καὶ ἄλλοις παντοδαποῖς χρώμασι. Φιλότεκνον ἡ κορώνη καὶ μόνανδρον· ἐκθρέψασα γὰρ τοὺς νεοττοὺς, κηδομένη αὐτῶν

Nature of Birds and Insects§10

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10It does not cease feeding them, and is always attending them. The raven is a friend of the night or of the day. The owl is a lover of affection; for having aged the parents, it first fans them with its wings, then with its tongue it cools their eyes, and then, by warming them, it renews them. The swallow produces the nest once in the season; and being soaked, it brings the reeds, carrying the bits to its mouth and the mud to its wing; for having wetted its tip with water, it is bound by fine dust, and thus it conceives the need for mud; and little by little, joining the bits like a certain glue to the mud, it establishes the nest and nourishes the young ones. The trygon is a single-sexed creature; for whether the male dies or the female, it does not mate with another.

The resident birds have a communal nature at all times. The philudra, like islands, and swans, and the like to them, do not have split feet, but broad, membranous ones for swimming easily in the waters, as if driving the liquid away with certain paddles for their feet. The swan has a neck longer than its feet, for the purpose of pulling the fish up from the depths. Many of the birds change their voice and their color during the year. For the kottyphos becomes yellow from black, and from singing becomes harsh. The nightingale changes its color and its voice by its turns; and it is sleepless, devoting itself to melody.

Some of the birds do not hunger for turns in the winter, being fed by the air alone and by the moisture existing according to the herbivory, but they also hold onto their abdominal pleasures. Some indeed in spring, and in late spring according to the equinoxes, and some once in the year, come upon them. The female birds have an abdomen until conception, and immediately they reject the males. The canthari, if they are anointed with rose oil, immediately die. The bees and wasps, having been drenched in oil, perish, their resources being blocked. Thus, they will revive when being moistened; but they feed on the air and do not have breath. The bees have a king, and they make their flight common, and their dwelling common; and no one will have it readily until the king of the flight has begun.

These things possess an unmade principle by nature, differing from others in magnitude, in form, and in the gentleness of their character; for they have a center, yet they do not need this for defense. The bees gather wax from the flowers, and, having grasped the dew-like moisture with their mouths from the blossoms, they enter into the cavities of the wax; whence it is at first moisture, but then, having fallen by time, it becomes sweet and useful to men. They also skillfully devise the storehouses of the honey; dividing the wax into thin layers, they build up dense cells, continuous with one another, just as the smallness of the tiniest things is established by their connection to one another.

As for the locusts, they camp in a single formation according to the breadth of the land. Entering, they see other fruits abounding, yet they do not touch them, but strive toward the place appointed for them, as if hurried by a divine command. And they do not touch the fruit before they are given permission. Afterward, a swarm is sent against them, and it devours them all, having a nature that is insatiable. It is said that the owl dims its vision by day and strengthens it by night. When the bats sleep, they are suspended from one another; and if by chance one is torn away by a sudden movement, the rest fall down. Only the winged have four legs and are decorated with feathers. The tetiges appear in thunderstorms, and they rest for a time, because they are hardened by the dew. They are said to beat and sing with their wings.

On the sixth day, God commanded the earth to bring forth according to kind: the four-footed, and the creeping things, and the beasts of the earth, and the cattle, and all that creeps upon the earth according to kind (Genesis 1:24-25), and they were immediately provided to be, all of which share sensation with man by nature, though they do not indeed possess an equal soul; and they move by a motion which the primordial nature of the blood provides to the spirit of the external air. There are also diverse characters in them, hinting at the Providence of God; for even these things signify this not a little. Just as the fruitfulness of the plants is wise, and the order of the stars, and the uncaused course of the sun and the moon, and the law of the sea's tides are not self-governed...

Greek · §10

οὐ παύεται τρέφουσα αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἀεὶ συνιπταμένη αὐτοῖς. Ὁ δὲ νυκτικόραξ φίλον ἐστὶ τῆς νυκτὸς ἢ τῆς ἡμέρας. Φιλόστοργος ὁ ἔποψ· γηράσαντας γὰρ τοὺς γονεῖς πτερυγίζει μὲν πρῶτον, εἶτα τῇ γλώττῃ καταψύχει αὐτῶν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, ἔπειτα θάλπων αὐτοὺς ἀνανεοῖ. Ἡ δὲ χελιδὼν ἅπαξ γεννᾷ τοῦ καιροῦ, πηγνυμένη δὲ τὴν καλιὰν τὰ μὲν κάρφη φέρει τῷ στόματι, τὸν δὲ πηλὸν τῷ πτερῷ· τὸ γὰρ ἄκρον αὐτῆς βρέξασα ὕδατι, τῇ λεπτῇ κόνει ἐνειλεῖται, καὶ οὕτως τὴν χρείαν ἐπινοεῖ τοῦ πηλοῦ· καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν τὰ κάρφη οἷον κόλλῃ τινὶ συνδεσμοῦσα τῷ πηλῷ, συνίστησι τὴν καλιὰν, καὶ ἐκτρέφει τοὺς νεοσσούς. Μόνανδρος ἡ τρυγών· εἴτε γὰρ ὁ ἄῤῥην ἀποθάνῃ, εἴτε ἡ θήλεια, ἑτέρῳ οὐ συνάπτεται. Αἱ δὲ κατοικίδιοι ὄρνεις ἐπὶ παντὸς τοῦ καιροῦ τὸ 736 συνουσιαστικὸν ἔχουσιν. Τὰ δὲ φίλυδρα, οἶον νῆσσαι, καὶ κύκνοι, καὶ τὰ ὅμοια αὐτοῖς, τοὺς πόδας ἐσχισμένους οὐκ ἔχουσιν, ἀλλὰ πλατεῖς, ὑμενώδεις πρὸς τὸ εὐμαρῶς τοῖς ὕδασι νήχεσθαι, οἱονεὶ κώπαις τισὶ τοῖς ὑμέσι τῶν ποδῶν τὸ ὑγρὸν διωθούμενα. Ὁ δὲ κύκνος μακρότερον τῶν ποδῶν ἔχει τὸν τράχηλον, πρὸς τὸ ἐκ τοῦ βάθους ἀνασπᾷν τοὺς ἰχθύας. Τῶν δὲ ὀρνέων πολλὰ κατ' ἔτος μεταβάλλει τὴν φωνὴν καὶ τὴν χροιάν. Ὁ γὰρ κόττυφος ἐκ μέλανος ξανθὸς καθίσταται, καὶ ἐξ ᾠδικοῦ κρακτικός. Ἡ δὲ ἀηδὼν τὸ χρῶμα καὶ τὴν φωνὴν μεταβάλλει ταῖς τροπαῖς· καὶ ἔστιν ἄγρυπνον τῇ μελῳδίᾳ σχολάζουσα. Ἔνια δὲ τῶν ὀρνέων τὰς χειμερινὰς οὐ πεινῶσι τροπὰς, τῷ ἀέρι μόνῳ τρεφόμενα καὶ τῇ κατὰ τὰς χλοηφαγίας ἐνυπαρχούσῃ νοτίδι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ὑπογαστρίους κρατοῦσιν ἡδονάς. Ἔνια μὲν γὰρ ἔαρι, καὶ μετοπώρῳ κατὰ τὰς ἰσημερίας, ἔνια δὲ ἅπαξ τοῦ ἔτους ἐπιβαίνει. Αἱ δὲ θήλειαι ὄρνεις μέχρι συλλήψεως τῇ ὀχείᾳ ἔχονται, καὶ εὐθὺς τοὺς ἄῤῥενας ἀποτρέφονται. Οἱ δὲ κάνθαροι, ἐὰν ῥοδίνῳ χρισθῶσιν, εὐθὺς ἀποθνήσκουσιν. Αἱ δὲ μέλισσαι καὶ σφῆκες, ἐλαίῳ καταβρεχθεῖσαι φθείρονται, τῶν πόρων ἀποφραγέντων. Ὄξει οὖν ἀναβιοῦσι βρεχόμεναι· τρέφονται δὲ τῷ ἄερι ἀναπνοὴν οὐκ ἔχουσαι. Ἔχουσι δὲ βασιλέα αἱ μέλισσαι, καὶ κοινὴν μὲν ποιοῦνται τὴν πτῆσιν, κοινὴν δὲ τὴν οἴκησιν· καὶ οὐδεμία προχείρως ἔξεισι πρὶν ἢ τὸν βασιλέα τῆς πτήσεως κατάρξασθαι. Ἔστι δὲ αὐταῖς οὗτος ἀχειροτόνητος ἐκ φύσεως ἔχων τὴν κατὰ πάντων ἀρχὴν, μεγέθει, καὶ σχήματι, καὶ τῇ τοῦ ἤθους πραότητι διαφέρων αὐτῶν· ἔστι μὲν γὰρ κέντρον αὐτῷ, ἀλλ' οὐ χρῆται τούτῳ πρὸς ἄμυναν. Συνάγουσι δὲ ἐκ τῶν ἀνθῶν τὸν κηρὸν αἱ μέλισσαι, καὶ τὴν δροσοειδῶς ἐνεσπαρμένην νοτίδα τοῖς ἄνθεσιν τῷ στόματι ἐπισπασάμεναι, ταῖς κοιλότησι τῶν κηρῶν αὐτὴν ἐνιᾶσιν· ὅθεν καὶ ὑγρόν ἐστι τὴν ἀρχὴν, εἶτα τῷ χρόνῳ καταπεφθὲν, ἡδὺ γίνεται, καὶ εὔχρηστον τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Σοφῶς δὲ καὶ τὰς ἀποθήκας φιλοτεχνοῦσι τοῦ μέλιτος· εἰς λεπτὸν ὑμένα τὸν κηρὸν διατείνουσαι, πυκνὰς καὶ συνεχεῖς ἀλλήλαις τοὺς σίμβλους οἰκοδομοῦσιν, ὡς τὸ μικρὸν τῆς τῶν μικροτάτων πρὸς ἄλληλα δέσεως ἑδράζεται. Αἱ δὲ ἀκρίδες ἑνὶ συνθήματι κατὰ τὸ πλάτος τῆς χώρας στρατοπεδεύουσι. Περιιοῦσαι δὲ ὁρῶσιν ἕτερα λήϊα τῷ καρπῷ βρίθοντα, καὶ οὐκ ἐφάπτονται, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὸν ὡρισμένον αὐταῖς τόπον σπουδάζουσιν, ὥσπερ ἐκ θείου προστάγματος ἐπειγόμεναι. Καὶ οὐ πρότερον τοῦ καρποῦ ἅπτονται, πρὶν ἢ δοθῆναι αὐταῖς τὴν συγχώρησιν. Μετέπειτα δὲ αὐταῖς σελευκὶς ἐπαποστέλλεται, καὶ πάσας κατεσθίει αὐτὰς, ἀκόρεστον τὴν φύσιν ἔχουσα. Τὴν γλαῦκά φασι τὴν ἡμέραν ἀμαυροῦσθαι τὴν ὄψιν, τὴν δὲ νύκτα ῥώννυσθαι. Ἡνίκα δ' αἱ νυκτερίδες καθεύδουσιν, ἐξ ἀλλήλων ἀπήρτηνται· καὶ εἰ μίαν συμβῇ τοῦ ὁρμαθοῦ ἀποσπασθῆναι αὐτῶν, αἱ λοιπαὶ καταβοῶσιν. Μόνον δὲ τῶν πετεινῶν τετρασκελὲς ὑπάρχει, καὶ ὀδοῦσι κατακεκόσμηται. Οἱ δὲ τέττιγες ἐν ἐπομβρίᾳ γίνονται, ἡσυχάζουσι δὲ 737 καιρὸν, ἐπειδὴ τῇ δρόσῳ πήγνυνται. Πλήττειν δὲ καὶ ᾄδειν τὸ πτερὸν αὐτῶν φάσκουσι. Τῇ δὲ ἕκτῃ ἡμέρᾳ προσέταξεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐξαγαγεῖν τὴν γῆν κατὰ γένος τετράποδα, καὶ ἑρπετὰ, καὶ θηρία τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὰ κτήνη, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἕρποντα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κατὰ γένος, καὶ παρήχθη εὐθέως εἰς τὸ εἶναι πάντα, ἅπερ κοινὴν μὲν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῆς φύσεως ἔχει τὴν αἴσθησιν, οὐ μὴν δὲ ἴσην καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν κέκτηνται ζῶντα, καὶ κινούμενα κίνησιν, ἣν ἡ ἀρχέγονος τοῦ αἵματος φύσις χορηγεῖ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ ἔξωθεν ἀέρος κιρναμένη. Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἤθη διάφορα, τὴν Πρόνοια τοῦ Θεοῦ αἰνιττόμεναι· καὶ γὰρ καὶ ταῦτα οὐ μικρῶς ταύτην συνίστησιν. Ὡς γὰρ σοφὴ τῶν βλαστῶν ἡ καρπογονία, καὶ ἄστρων εὐταξία, καὶ ἡλίου, καὶ σελήνης ἀνυπαίτιος δρόμος, καὶ θαλάσσης ὅρων θεσμὸς μὴ ὑπερισταμένης τὴν

Providence through the order of nature§11

11Providence is testified without contradiction; likewise, the distinctness of animals, by demonstrating the unchanging order, proclaims Providence very clearly, just as a soul moves the whole composition of the cosmos. And it would be laughable if everyone who rejects it were considered sane, while all the elements acknowledge it: the earth not disobeying regarding cultivation, and the sun, and the moon, and the rest of the stars of the proper course not failing, the sea not exceeding the rule of command, and the night and the winds, and the land not falling short of the required need. How then is he who entirely rejects Providence not unjust and foolish?

For the word says that a technical work does not happen by chance, but through knowledge, wise works are composed; likewise, we take a man-making intellect; and seeing an image beautifully drawn, we marvel at its artist; and seeing a ship skillfully constructed with science, we praise the shipbuilder. If we, seeing technical works, know the skilled craftsman, why then should we not more fully grasp through the eye of the intellect the wisdom of Providence of all things, through the elements of the cosmos being arranged scientifically? For the kinds and shapes are sufficient to know the craftsman, even if the arranged things lead the word into silence. For he who has adorned things formed toward something loves to have them acknowledge it.

Just as the composition of the elements clarifies Providence, so also the diverse nature of animals provides the knowledge of this. For the spirit is kin to the lion, and his life is solitary, sharing with no animal, not preferring ground-food, but fresh; and he has sharp sense, and perceives even from a distance the smell of hunters, and flees with a run to the cave, circling his tracks with care, so that, having been covered by dust, they may be untraceable to the hunters. And his cub is born in a den, and for three days is guarded by the lioness, and having come himself from the hunt, having breathed upon him into the face, one sees him standing there. And whenever a human or any of the animals approaches, he first lashes himself with care according to the poet: 'Truly both sides and the loins are lashed on both sides,' and he encourages him to fight.

Having grown old, the lion is too weak to walk to the hunt, seeking humans for food while scavenging. His stomach is always foul-smelling, and his eyelids are drawn up when sleeping. The lioness barely endures a single dog; for going out into the open, she tears her womb with the sharpness of her claws. The leopard is jagged and sharp-nosed in its lunges, and superior in sharpness to others, and it leaps upon the faces of hunters. The bear's nature is sluggish and peculiar, its character is cunning, and its body is heavy. Often, having been struck by deep wounds, it heals itself by rubbing its sores with the driest mud. While aging, it skillfully twists its legs and lifts them, and having positioned itself strongly, it brings prey down.

The bull is equipped with horns for the defense of opponents, and with its feet it stomps in an athletic manner; looking with fiery eyes, with horns lowered, and boiling with passion, it charges with its whole body. The horse, when it sees hunters lying in ambush in the woods, rushes away, and does not charge until it has set its teeth against the nearest trees. There is a beast, extremely sharp and difficult to hunt, having long horns like a saw, which pierces high and great trees; and having become thirsty, it comes to the Euphrates river, and while drinking, it plays with the reeds that are by the riverbanks, and is bound by them. For they are fine-cutting, they entangle themselves around his horns, and he cries out; and the hunters, perceiving, immediately seize him and bleed him.

Among the Scythians, called the Loe, there is a beast called the tarandus, having the size of an ox and the appearance near that of a deer. And it is difficult to hunt, because regarding trees and fields, and regarding everything it approaches, it changes its color, and it becomes like the appearance of those things, and because of this, it is unknown to many. Similarly, the chameleon takes the color of the meadows and dry surfaces upon which it crawls. The deer is cowardly and quick-eared, and a foe to creeping beasts; and if a snake escapes it, and if it enters a rock crevice, it reaches the springs having become thirsty; for it is very [...]

Greek · §11

Πρόνοιαν ἀναντιῤῥήτως μαρτύρεται· οὕτως καὶ ἡ τῶν ζώων ἰδιότης τὸ ἀπαράλλακτον τῆς τάξεως ἐνδεικνυμένη τὴν Πρόνοιαν μάλα σαφῶς κηρύττει, καθάπερ ψυχὴ κινοῦσα τοῦ κόσμου πᾶσαν τὴν σύστασιν. Καὶ καταγέλαστος ἂν εἴη πᾶς ὁ ἐκβάλλων, τῶν στοιχείων ἁπάντων ὁμολογούντων αὐτήν· γῆ μὲν πρὸς φυτουργίαν οὐκ ἀπειθοῦσα, ἥλιός τε, καὶ σελήνη, καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἄστρα τοῦ προσήκοντος δρόμου μὴ στείλαντα, θάλαττα κανόνα προσταγῆς οὐχ ὑπερβαίνουσα, νηκτὰ δὲ καὶ ἀεροπόλα, καὶ χερσαῖα τῆς ὀφειλομένης χρείας οὐχ ὑστερούμενα. Πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἄδικος καὶ ἄφρων ὁ καθόλου τὴν Πρόνοιαν παραιτούμενος; Ποῦ λόγος ἐρεῖ τεχνικὸν ἔργον μὴ ἀπαυτοματίζεσθαι, πρὸς ἐπιστήμης δὲ τὰ σοφὰ ἔργα ἀποτελεῖσθαι· αὐτίκα γοῦν ἀνδριαντοποιοῦ ἔννοιαν λαμβάνομεν· εἰκόνα δὲ περικαλλῶς γεγραμμένην κατιδόντες, τὸν ταύτης γραφέα θαυμάζομεν· νῆα δὲ ἐντέχνως ἐπιστήμῃ κατεσκευασμένην ὁρῶντες, ναυπηγὸν ἐπαινοῦμεν. Εἰ δ' αὐτοὶ τεχνικὰ ἔργα θεώμενοι τὸν ἔμμουσον τεχνίτην γινώσκομεν, τί οὖν οὐ μᾶλλον τὴν πάντων σοφὴν Πρόνοιαν ἐν καταλήψει ἔξοιμεν, ὀφθαλμῷ διάνοιαν διὰ τῶν ἐστοιχειωμένων κόσμου μερῶν, ἐπιστημόνως τεταγμένων; Τὰ γὰρ εἴδη καὶ σχήματα ἱκανὰ γνωρίσαι τὸν τεχνίτην, εἰ καὶ λόγῳ τὰ ἐστοιχειωμένα σιωπὴν ἄγει. Φιλεῖ γὰρ τὰ πρός τινος μορφωθέντα τὸν κεκοσμηκότα ὁμολογεῖν. Ὥσπερ δὲ τῶν στοιχείω ἡ σύστασις σαφηνίζει τὴν Πρόνοιαν, οὕτω καὶ ἡ τῶν ζώων διάφορος φύσις τὴν γνῶσιν ταύτης παρέχεται. Συγγεννᾶται μὲν γὰρ ὁ θυμὸς τῷ λέοντι, καὶ ἔστι μοναστικὸς ὁ βίος αὐτοῦ, οὐδενὶ τῶν ζώων κοινωνῶν, οὐδὲ χθιζὴν τροφὴν προϊέμενος, ἀλλὰ πρόσφατον· ὀξεῖαν δὲ ἔχει τὴν αἴσθησιν, καὶ θᾶττον τῆς ὀσμῆς τῶν θηρευόντων αἰσθάνεται, καὶ δρόμῳ φεύγει ἐπὶ τὸ σπήλαιον, τὰ ἴχνη τῇ σοβῇ περισαίνων, ὅπως καλυφθέντα ὑπὸ τῆς κόνεως ἀνίχνευτον τοῖς θηρευταῖς καταστήσωσιν. Πηρὸς δὲ αὐτοῦ ὁ σκύμνος τίκτεται, καὶ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ὑπὸ τῆς λεαίνης φυλάττεται, καὶ ἐλθὼν αὐτὸς ἀπὸ τῆς θήρας, ἐμφυσήσας αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον, βλέποντα αὐτὸν ἐξαν 740 ίστησιν. Ἡνίκα δὲ ἀνθρώπῳ ἤ τινι τῶν ζώων ἐπέρχεται, μαστίζει τῇ σοβῇ ἑαυτὸν πρότερον κατὰ τὸ ποιητικόν· Οὐρῇ μὴν πλευράς τε καὶ ἰσχία ἀμφοτέρωθεν Μαστίεται, ἕε δ' αὐτὸν ἐποτρύνει μαχέσασθαι. Γηράσας δὲ, καὶ εἰς ἄγραν βαδίζειν ἀτονῶν ἐφεδρεύει ταῖς πόλεσιν, θηρεύειν εἰς βίωσιν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους γλιχόμενος. Ἔστι δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ στόμα πάντοτε δυσωδέστατον· καθεύδων δὲ ἀναπετάσας ἔχει τὰ βλέφαρα. Ἡ δὲ λέαινα μόλις ἑνὸς σκύμνου ὑπομένει τὴν κύησιν· προϊὼν γὰρ εἰς τὸ ἔξω ταῖς ἀκμαῖς τῶν ὀνύχων τὴν μήτραν διασπαράσσει αὐτῆς. Ῥαγδαλαῖον ἡ πάρδαλις καὶ ὀξύῤῥοπον ταῖς ὁρμαῖς, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων διαφέρων ὀξύτητι, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς ὄψεις τῶν θηρευτῶν ἐφιπτάμενον. Νωθρὰ ἡ φύσις τῆς ἄρκτου, καὶ ἰδιότροπος, καὶ τὸ ἦθος ὕπουλος, καὶ βαρεῖα τῷ σώματι. Πολλάκις οὖν βαθυτάταις τρωθεῖσα πληγαῖς, ἰατρεύει ἐαυτὴν ξηροτάτῳ φλόμῳ τὰς ὠτειλὰς παραβύουσα. Παλαίουσα δὲ διαπλέκει τοὺς πόδας τεχνικῶς, καὶ ὑποσκελίζει, καὶ μεσολαβοῦσα κραταιῶς καθάπτει. Ὁ ταῦρος τοῖς κέρασι πρὸς ἄμυναν τῶν ἀντιπάλων καθώπλισται, τοῖς δὲ ποσὶν ἀθλητοῦ τρόπον κονίζεται· ὑποβλεπόμενος δὲ πυρωποῖς ὄμμασι, καὶ τὰ κέρατα ἐγκεκλικὼς, καὶ ζέων θυμῷ, ἐφορμᾷ ὅλῳ τῷ σώματι. Σῦς δὲ, ὅταν ἴδῃ κυνηγοὺς ἐν ταῖς ὕλαις λοχῶντας, διανιστάμενος, οὐ πρότερον ἐφορμᾷ πρὶν ἢ τοῖς πλησίον δένδροις παραθήξῃ τοὺς ὀδόντας. Ἔστι δὲ ζῶον ἀνθόλοψ σφόδρα δριμύτατον καὶ δυσθήρατον, ἔχον δὲ μακρὰ κέρατα ὅμοια πρίοσιν, δένδρα μετέωρα καὶ μεγάλα πρίζει· διψῆσαν δὲ ἔρχεται ἐπὶ τὸν Εὐφράτην ποταμὸν, καὶ πιὼν παίζει ταῖς ἐρεικίναις, ταῖς οὔσαις παρὰ ταῖς ὄχθαις τοῦ ποταμοῦ, καὶ δεσμεῖται ὑπ' αὐτῶν. Λεπτόκλονοι γὰρ ὑπάρχουσαι, ἐμπλέκονται αὐτοῦ περὶ τὰ κέρατα, καὶ βοᾷ· καὶ οἱ κυνηγοὶ, αἰσθόμενοι, εὐθέως αὐτὸν συλλαμβάνουσι, καὶ ἀναιροῦσιν. Ἔστι δὲ ἐν τοῖς Σκύθαις τοῖς καλουμένοις Λώοις ζῶον καλούμενον τάρανδος, μέγεθος ἔχον βοὸς, τὴν δὲ ὄψιν τῆς τοῦ ἐλάφου παραπλήσιον. Καὶ ἔστι δυσθήρατον, τῷ πρὸς τὰ δένδρα καὶ χωρία, καὶ πρὸς πάντα οἷς ἂν ἐγγίζῃ τὴν χροιὰν μεταβάλλειν, καὶ τῇ ἐκείνων ἀφομοιοῦσθαι ἰδέᾳ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο εἶναι πολλοῖς ἀνεπίγνωστον. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ὁ χαμαιλέων εἰς οἵους ἂν ἕρπῃ λειμῶνας, καὶ ἐδάφη ξηρὰ, τὴν χροιὰν ἐκείνων μεταλαμβάνει. ∆ειλὸν ἡ ἔλαφος καὶ ὀξυδερκὲς, καὶ πρὸς τὰ ἑρπετὰ θηρία πολέμιον· καὶ εἰ διαφύγῃ αὐτὴν ὄφις, καὶ εἰς ῥαγάδα παρεισδύῃ πέτρας, ἀφικνεῖται διψήσασα εἰς τὰς πηγάς· πάνυ γάρ ἐστι πρὸς τὴν

The defenses of beasts§12

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12Having become thirsty with a piercing thirst, such that she even thrusts her tongue out of her mouth, she seeks to refresh herself by the coolness of the air. Having thus been filled with water, she comes to where the serpent hides, and having torn him out of the crevice, she crushes him and destroys him. If even a small part of her horns or hairs should fall upon a dwelling, she tears any beast to pieces that it might infect. Once she has cast off her horns, she seeks only solitude; she seizes an inaccessible thicket and pursues an uninhabited wilderness, as if having cast off her defense against other beasts.

Since, therefore, she has drawn herself toward the roots of the discarded horns, she dwells in a leafy place, so that her wounds might not be swarmed by flies, and she enjoys rest by night. When she sheds her horns, she drips in the east and the south. Desiring to test whether the horns have hardened for her—for being tender, they are broken by the sun—she rubs her head against trees and presses it against them, striving to know if they have become firm. Toward the wounds of the flanks, she licks, eating crab-like. The wild goat of Crete, if it is struck by an arrow, easily heals its wound by devouring the so-called 'diktamon'.

The leopards hunt animals easily. For they clearly know how other animals rejoice in their bites; they flee into deep caves; but those that sense a stinging sensation sniff around, and having approached the place, they are immediately devoured by the leopards. The panther, however, is a friend to all animals but an enemy to the dragon. His body is spotted and he is very quiet. Until he has need of food, he remains sleeping in his lair; but on the third day, having become hungry, he will rise and cry out with a great voice, and from his mouth there will come forth a certain aromatic fragrance, by which the other animals, being enticed, approach him from near and from far, following him, delighted by the variety of his body. The panther, having slightly gone before them, turns back and watches over them, and whatever of the animals pleases him, he leaps upon and seizes.

The elephant is pregnant for a time, for it bears its offspring after ten years, and when the offspring becomes old, it then dies. Whenever it is carried into a pit and another elephant sees it, having gone there, he gathers many elephants, and having come, they lift up the fallen one, quietly supporting him. The dragon that is according to India climbs up around the loins of the elephant, and seizes the whole throat; and if it happens to pierce a vein, it is greedily filled with blood, being carried away by a violent spirit and a sudden rush. The elephant kicks, and with its advantage strikes the sides, as if sitting upon the dragon; then, the blood being emptied, it is no longer able to leap, it stands trembling, and a little later it falls, and its legs having grown weak; then also it dies, and it takes the dragon with it. But the dragon, being unable to loose the bond which it had placed, and being pressed by the weight of the elephant, is suffocated and perishes.

The horse is hot toward the desire of the female. The donkey is dull, yet keen of hearing and mindful. The camel is vengeful. The wolf is lawless. The ox is steadfast. The dog is grateful and friendly to the master; for often he has died for those being killed on the road; but others have even pitied the killers, and have sought to persuade them to grant punishment. As for the hyena, some, having conceived that it oversteps, pays back the female nature upon the male, or the male upon the female. But it does not have it thus; for the animal, being exceedingly lewd, has before the passage an outgrowth beneath the vulva, near the female modesty, which has no passage, or only a cavity, having established a womb useless for anything, and receiving only empty lust. Because of this excessive perversion, the male and the female have this characteristic; for when the passages are filled, they occupy themselves around the cub, and in one another they work a mixture contrary to nature. Therefore it is most rare to find a female hyena; for the births do not happen continuously to the animal.

The hare is more uncontrolled toward copulation. The female gives birth according to the month, and having given birth, she is again filled by a chance hare, and she conceives again while still nursing; for one is not enough. They say the griffin is a most huge animal, as if performing the shadow of a cloud; and it snatches a lion as easily as an eagle snatches a hare from us. There is an animal, the charadrius, mentioned by Moses,

Greek · §12

δίψαν διάπυρος, ὡς καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν ἐκβάλλειν τοῦ στόματος, 741 πρὸς τὸ ὑπὸ τῆς ψυχρότητος τοῦ ἀέρος αὐτὴν ἀναψύχεσθαι. Ἐμπλησθεῖσα οὖν τοῦ ὕδατος, ἔρχεται ἔνθα ὁ ὄφις κρύπτεται, καὶ ἀνασπάσασα αὐτὸν ἐκ τῆς ῥαγάδος, συμπατοῦσα ἀναιρεῖ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τῶν κεράτων αὐτῆς μικρόν τι ἢ τῶν τριχῶν ἐπ' οἰκίας κατακαῇ, εἴ που ἂν ἐμφωλεύει θηρίον, διαδιδράσκει. Ἐπειδὰν δὲ ἀποβάλῃ τὰ κέρατα, μόνασιν ζητεῖ, καὶ κρημνὸν ἀπρόσιτον καταλαμβάνει, καὶ ἄβατον ἐρημίαν μεταδιώκει, ὡς ἀποβαλοῦσα πρὸς τὰ ἄλλα θηρία τὸ ἀμυντήριον. Ἐπεὶ οὖν πρὸς τὰς ῥίζας τῶν ἀποβληθέντων κεράτων εἰσὶν ἑλκώσεις, εἰς πολύδενδρον τόπον κατασκηνοῖ, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ὑπὸ μυιῶν ἐκμυζεῖσθαι τὰ τραύματα, καὶ νυκτὸς νέμεται ἄνεσιν ἔχουσα. Ὅταν δὲ ἐκφύσῃ τὰ κέρατα, θαῤῥοῦσα πρόεισι καὶ μεσημβρίας. Βουλομένη δὲ δοκιμάσαι εἰ πεπηγότα αὐτῇ τὰ κέρατα, τρυφερὰ γὰρ ὄντα ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου θραύεται καταφλεγόμεναι· δένδρεσι δὲ παραβάλλει τὴν κεφαλὴν, καὶ ἐντρίβει ἀντιτύπως, πειρωμένη γνῶναι, εἰ βεβαίως ἐρήρεισται. Πρὸς δὲ τὰ δήγματα τῶν φαλαγγίων, καρκῖνον ἐσθίουσα ἰᾶται. Ἡ δὲ αἲξ ἡ ἀγρία κατὰ τὴν Κρήτην, ἐὰν βέλει διαπαρῇ, τὸ καλούμενον δίκταμον ἐμφαγοῦσα, ῥᾳδίως τὸ τραῦμα θεραπεύεται. Αἱ δὲ παρδάλεις θηρῶνται εὐμαρῶς τὰ ζῶα. Σαφῶς γὰρ εἰδυῖαι ταῖς ἀπ' αὐτῶν ὀδμαῖς χαίροντα τὰ ἄλλα ζῶα, βαθέσιν ἄντροις ἱδροῦσι· τὰ δὲ, οἷα κνίσσης αἰσθόμενα, ῥινηλατεῖ, καὶ ἐγγίσαντα τῷ τόπῳ, εὐθέως ὑπὸ τῶν παρδάλεων κατεσθίονται. Ὁ δὲ πάνθηρ φίλον μέν ἐστι πάντων τῶν ζώων, ἐχθρὸν δὲ τοῦ δράκοντος. Ἔστι δὲ τῷ σώματι ἀστερωπὸν καὶ πάνυ ἡσύχιον. Καὶ ἕως μὲν οὐ χρήζει τροφῆς, μένει καθεῦδον ἐν τῷ φωλεῷ· τῇ δὲ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ πεινάσαν ἔξεισι, καὶ μεγάλῃ φωνῇ βοᾷ, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ εὐωδία τις ἔξεισιν ἀρωματικὴ, δι' ἧς τὰ ἄλλα ζῶα θελγόμενα τὰ ἐγγὺς καὶ τὰ πόῤῥωθεν ἐγγίζουσιν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἕπονται τερπόμενα αὐτοῦ τῇ ποικιλίᾳ τοῦ σώματος. Ὁ δὲ πάνθηρ ὀλίγον τι προηγησάμενος αὐτῶν ὑποστρέφεται, καὶ ἐπιτηρεῖ, καὶ ὅ, τ' ἂν τῶν ζώων ἀρέσῃ αὐτῷ, ἐπιπηδήσας λαμβάνει. Ὁ δὲ ἐλέφας ἐγκυμονεῖ μὲν χρόνῳ, εἰς δέκα γὰρ ἕτη πέττει τὴν σπορὰν, καὶ ὅταν ὁ τόκος γέρων γένηται, τότε ἀποτίκτει· ἡνίκα δ' ἂν ἐς βόθρον κατενεχθῇ, καὶ ἄλλος ἐλέφας θεάσηται, πορευθεὶς συνάγει πολλοὺς ἐλέφαντας, καὶ ἐλθόντες τὸν πεπτωκότα ἀνασπῶσιν ἠρέμα ὑποκουφίζοντες. Ὁ δὲ δράκων ὁ κατὰ τὴν Ἰνδίαν περὶ τὰ νῶτα τοῦ ἐλέφαντος ἀνέρπει, καὶ τὴν νηδὺν πᾶσαν περιειλεῖται, καὶ ἣν ἂν τύχῃ φλέβα διελεῖν, ἀπλήστως ἐμφορεῖται τοῦ αἵματος, ἐπισπώμενος βιαίῳ πνεύματι, καὶ συντόνῳ ῥοίζῳ. Ὁ δὲ ἐλέφας σκιρτᾷ, καὶ τῇ προνομῇ τύπτει τὰ πλευρὰ, ὡς τοῦ δράκοντος καθεζόμενος· εἶτα ἐκκενουμένου τοῦ αἵματος, οὐκέτι πηδᾷν δυνάμενος, τρέμων ἵσταται, μικρὸν δὲ ὕστερον πίπτει, καὶ τῶν σκελῶν ἐξασθενησάντων· εἶτα καὶ ἀποψύχει, καὶ 744 συνεπιλαμβάνει τὸν δράκοντα· ὁ δὲ δράκων ὃν περιέθετο δεσμὸν λῦσαι μὴ δυνάμενος, καὶ τῷ βάρει τοῦ ἐλέφαντος πιεζόμενος, πνιγεὶς τελευτᾷ. Θερμὸς ὁ ἵππος πρὸς ἐπιθυμίαν τοῦ θήλεος. Νωθὸς ὁ ὄνος, καὶ ὀξυήκοος, καὶ μνήμων. Μνησίκακον κάμηλος. Ἀνήμερον λύκος. Εὐσταθὴς ὁ βοῦς. Εὐχάριστος ὁ κύων, καὶ φιλοδεσπότης· πολλάκις γὰρ καθ' ὁδὸν φονευομένοις αὐτοῖς ἐπαπέθανεν· ἕτεροι δὲ καὶ τοὺς φονεῖς κατεμήνυσαν, καὶ τὴν ἔνδικον πείσασθαι αὐτοὺς τιμωρίαν προεξένησαν. Τὴν δὲ ὕαιναν ὑπετόπησάν τινες ὑπονοήσαντες ἀμείβειν κατ' ἔτος τὴν θηλυκὴν φύσιν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄῤῥεν, ἢ τὴν ἄῤῥενα ἐπὶ τὸ θῆλυ. Ἔχει δὲ οὐχ οὕτως· τὸ γὰρ ζῶον, ἀσελγέστατον πάνυ ὑπάρχον, πρὸ τοῦ πόρου ὑπὸ τὴν κέρκον ἐξοχὴν κέκτηται, αἰδοίῳ θηλυκῷ παραπλήσιον, ὅπερ οὐκ ἔχει πόρον, ἢ μόνον κοιλότητα, εἰς οὐδὲν μήτρας χρειῶδες καθεστηκυῖαν, καὶ κενὴν μόνην λαγνείαν δέχεται. ∆ιὰ γοῦν τὸν ὑπερβάλλοντα πασχητιασμὸν τοῦτο ὁ ἄῤῥην καὶ ἡ θήλεια ἔχουσι τὸ ἰδίωμα· ὅταν γὰρ οἱ πόροι πεπληρωμένοι ἀσχολοῦνται περὶ τὴν κύησιν, ἐν ἀλλήλοις τὴν παρὰ φύσιν μίξιν ἐργάζονται. Ὅθεν σπανιώτατόν ἐστιν εὑρεῖν θήλειαν ὕαιναν· οὐ γὰρ συνεχεῖς αἱ κυήσεις τῷ ζώῳ γίγνονται. Ὁ δὲ λαγωὸς πρὸς συνουσίαν ἐστὶν ἀκρατέστερος. Ἡ δὲ θήλεια κατὰ μῆνα τίκτει, καὶ τεκοῦσα πάλιν ὑπὸ τοῦ τυχόντος λαγωοῦ ὀχεύεται, καὶ συλλαμβάνει ἔτι θηλαζομένη· οὐ γὰρ ἀρκεῖται ἑνί. Τὸν δὲ γρῦπα φασὶν εἶναι ζῶον παμμεγεθέστατον ὡς ἀρουραίαν σκιὰν ἐκτελεῖν· ἁρπάζει δὲ λέοντα οὕτως εὐχερῶς, ὡς ἀετὸς παρ' ἡμῖν λαγωόν. Ἔστι ζῶον χαραδριὸς ὁ παρὰ Μωϋσῇ μνημονευόμενος,

Characteristics of Exotic Animals§13

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13It is the whitest, not having a spot of any other color throughout its whole body; and they say that those who sharpen their eyes should look at its horns. They tell of it remaining in the royal courts, becoming a prophet of life and death to those humans who are suffering. For they say that when some infirmity falls upon a person, they lead the unicorn before him; and if it is favorable to the sick one, the unicorn suppresses the disease for him, and it rises into the ether of the sun, and there also it disperses the disease of the man; but if it is not favorable, they know that the sufferer will die.

The unicorn is a small animal, like a mountain goat, very fierce. It has only one horn upon the summit of its head, and it is seen thus: a pure virgin is thrown before it, and it falls into her arms; and she, having gathered him up, carries him into the houses of kings. There is an animal called a castor, very gentle and quiet; and its genitals serve for healing. Being pursued for this by hunters, it cuts off its genitals and stands against those pursuing. And when others pursue, having cut itself off, it shows itself and cuts the hunters off from the path.

The myrmecoleon has a father with the face of a lion and a mother like an ant. And the father is a flesh-eater, and the mother a grain-eater, and they beget the myrmecoleon, which is of two kinds, having the face of a lion and the part behind like an ant; and being unable to eat either meat or grain, it dies. The onager is a leader of herds, and of those born weak, it crushes the genitals, and they do not produce seed.

The sea urchin is like a sphere in its body, and its back is all-centered, the centers being like the centers of the sea urchins of the seas. It travels, therefore, upon the floor of the vineyard, and it destroys the vines, and having been encircled, it moves around the vines with the spines and arrives.

The fox is a wicked creature, hunting birds through such a device. For finding a marsh, it coils itself into it, and again it covers itself very thinly with dust or chaff, and places itself upon the field with its eyes upturned, or even breathing into itself, as if having been blown by the winds to be thought dead, so that falling immediately upon it, it devours it having snatched it. The lizard, having grown old, seeks warmth, and looking toward the east into a crack in a wall, and having upturned its eyes while the sun is setting, being illuminated by the solar ray, it recovers and is restored to health. So also you, O man, when you have grown old in sins and your intellect has been blinded, seek the Sun of righteousness, so that you may be renewed in righteousness, gazing intently at him and looking up with the eyes of the soul.

But of all the beasts, the spiral dragon is most spiritual and fiery, and forms types of various shapes, and making the impulses of its course, it quickly goes wherever it wills. It is also long-lived; for it not only avoids old age, but also receives greater growth. When, therefore, it completes the appointed time of life, it consumes itself; for it does not die by its own nature to an end before fulfilling the term of life, unless it be violently destroyed by someone.

With this the tracker fights, smearing himself with mud and covering his nostrils with his beard. But indeed, toward Egypt, it also makes a shield like a cluster such as this: this one, drawing its tail spirally with much force, and the parts from the chest leaping upward toward the head, being meteoric, slender and broad-chested, and having become full of fury, it approaches, carrying its tongue with a sharp hissing; but the tracker, straightening his beard, deceives it by thrusting toward it, and drawing it in, having first broken the feet in front, comes upon it, and having humbled himself entirely, extends only his face,

Greek · §13

λευκότατος, δι' ὅλον τὸ σῶμα μὴ ἔχων σπῖλον ἄλλης χρόας· καὶ τούτου τὰς ἐκρύσεις τοὺς ἀμβλυωποῦντας ἰᾶσθαί φασι. Καταμένειν δὲ αὐτὸν ἐν ταῖς αὐλαῖς ταῖς βασιλικαῖς ἱστοροῦσι, προφήτην ζωῆς καὶ θανάτου τοῖς κάμνουσι τῶν ἀνθρώπων γιγνόμενον. Ὅταν γὰρ, φασὶν, ἀῤῥωστία τις περιπέσῃ, ἄγουσιν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ τὸν χαραδριὸν, καὶ εἰ προσχῇ τῷ νοσοῦντι, καὶ ὁ νοσῶν αὐτῷ, καταπίνει τὴν νόσον ὁ χαραδριὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνίπταται εἰς τὸν αἰθέρα τοῦ ἡλίου, κἀκεῖ τὴν νόσον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου διασκεδάζει· εἰ δὲ μὴ προσχῇ, γινώσκουσιν, ὅτι τελευτήσει ὁ κάμνων. Ὁ δὲ μονόκερως ζῶόν ἐστι μικρὸν, ὅμοιον ἐρίφῳ, δριμύτατον σφόδρα. Ἓν δὲ κέρας μόνον ἐπὶ τῆς κορυφῆς ἔχει τῆς κεφαλῆς, καὶ θηρᾶται τοιώσδε· Παρθένον ἁγνὴν ῥίπτουσιν αὐτοῦ ἐπίπροσθεν· ὁ δὲ εἰς τοὺς κόλπους αὐτῆς ἐφάλλεται· ἡ δὲ περιθάλπουσα αὐτὸν εἰς τοὺς οἴκους τῶν βασιλέων ἀποκομίζει. Ἔστι ζῶον καλούμενον καστόριον, ἤπιον πάνυ καὶ ἡσύχιον· χρησιμεύει δὲ τὰ αἰδοῖα αὐτοῦ πρὸς ἴασιν. ∆ιωκόμενον οὖν ἐπὶ τοῦτο ὑπὸ τῶν θηρευτῶν, ἀποκόπτει αὑτοῦ τὰ αἰδοῖα, καὶ ἐφίστησι τοὺς διώκοντας. Ἐπιδιωκόντων δὲ ἄλλων, ἀποκεκομμένον ἑαυτὸν δείκνυσι, καὶ ἐκκόπτει τοῦ δρόμου τοὺς θηρευτάς. 745 Ὁ δὲ μυρμηκολέων πατέρα ἔχει πρόσωπον λέοντος ἔχοντα, τὴν δὲ μητέρα μύρμηκος. Καὶ ὁ μὲν πατὴρ σαρκοφάγος ἐστὶν, ἡ δὲ μήτηρ ὀσπριοφάγος, καὶ γεννῶσι διφυῆ τὸν μυρμηκολέοντα, τὸ μὲν πρόσωπον ἔχοντα λέοντος, τὸ δὲ μέρος τὸ ὄπισθεν μύρμηκος· καὶ μὴ δυνάμενος μήτε κρέα μήτε ὄσπρια ἐσθίειν, ἀποθνήσκει. Ὁ δὲ ὄναγρος ἀγελάρχης ἐστὶ, καὶ τῶν γενομένων ἀῤῥένων θλᾷ τὰ αἰδοῖα, καὶ οὐ σπερματίζουσιν. Ὁ δὲ ἐχῖνος ὡς σφαῖρά ἐστι τῷ σώματι, καὶ ὁ νῶτός ἐστιν αὐτοῦ ὁλόκεντρος, τῶν κέντρων ὁμοίων ὄντων τοῖς τῶν θαλαττίων ἐχίνων κέντροις. Πορεύεται γοῦν ἐπὶ τὸν βότρυν τῆς ἀμπέλου, καὶ κατασπᾷ ῥᾶγας, καὶ ἐγκυλισθεὶς περιπείρει τὰς ῥάγας τοῖς κέντροις καὶ ἀφικνεῖται. ∆ολερὸν ἡ ἀλώπηξ διὰ τοιᾶσδε μηχανῆς θηρωμένη τοὺς ὄρνιθας. Εὑροῦσα γὰρ τελμιστὴν, ἐγκυλίεται εἰς αὐτὴν, καὶ πάλιν ἐνειλεῖται λεπτοτάτῃ κόνει ἢ ἀχύροις, καὶ τίθησιν ἐπὶ τοῦ πεδίου ἑαυτὴν τὰ ὄμματα ἀναπετάσασα, ἢ καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα εἰς ἑαυτὴν ἐπισπῶσα, ὡς φυσηθεῖσαν αὐτὴν ὑπὸ τῶν πετεινῶν νομισθῆναι νεκρὰν, ἅτινα καὶ καταπτάντα ἐπ' αὐτὴν εὐθέως κατεσθίει ἀρπάσασα. Ἡ σαῦρα γηράσασα πηροῦται, καὶ εἰς ῥαγάδα τοίχου πρὸς ἀνατολὰς ἐστοχασμένως βλέπουσα εἴσεισι, καὶ τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνίσχοντος ἀναπετάσασα, ὑπὸ τῆς ἀκτῖνος τῆς ἡλιακῆς καταυγασθεῖσα ἀνηλεοῦται, καὶ ὑγιὴς ἀποκαθίσταται. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ σὺ, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, ὅταν γηράσῃς ἐν ἁμαρτίαις, καὶ τυφλωθῇς τὴν διάνοιαν, τῆς δικαιοσύνης ζήτει τὸν Ἥλιον, ἵνα ἀνακαινισθῇς ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, ἀτενίσας εἰς αὐτὸν καὶ τοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς ἀναβλέψῃς ὀφθαλμοῖς. Πάντων δὲ τῶν θηρίων πνευματικώτατον τυγχάνει καὶ πυρωδέστατον, καὶ ποικίλων σχημάτων τύπους ἀποτελεῖ ὁ δράκων ἑλικοειδὴς, καὶ ποιῶν τῆς πορείας τὰς ὁρμὰς, τάχιστα ἐφ' ᾧ βούλεται ἔπεισιν. Ἔστι· δὲ καὶ πολυχρόνιον· οὐ μόνον γὰρ τὸ γῆρας ἀπαμφίσκεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὔξησιν μείζονα ἐπιδέχεται. Ἐπὰν οὖν τὸν ὡρισμένον τῆς ζωῆς ἐκτελέσῃ χρόνον, εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀναλίσκεται· οὐ γὰρ ἰδίῳ ἀποθνήσκει τέλει πρὸ τοῦ τῆς ζωῆς ἐκπληρῶσαι τὸν ὅρον, εἰ μὴ βίᾳ ἀναιρεθῇ ὑπό τινος. Τούτῳ ὁ ἰχνεύμων μονομαχεῖ, χρίσας ἑαυτὸν πηλῷ, καὶ τοὺς μυκτῆρας τῇ κέρκῳ ἐπικαλύπτων. Ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ πρὸς τὴν Αἰγυπτίαν ἀσπίδα ποιεῖται συμπληγάδα τοιῶσδε· Αὕτη μὲν ἔπεισιν αὐτῷ πολλῷ ῥοίζῳ τὴν οὐρὰν ἑλικοειδῶς ἐπισύρουσα, τὰ δ' ἀπὸ στηθῶν πρὸς τῇ κεφαλῇ ἄνω πηδῶσα μετέωρος, εὔστερνός τε καὶ πλατυαύχην ἐκφυσηθεῖσα, θυμοῦ τε ἔμπλεως γενομένη ἐπέρχεται, περιφέρουσα τὴν γλῶτταν μετὰ συντόνου συριγμοῦ· ὁ δὲ ἰχνεύμων, ὀρθώσας τὴν κέρκον, ἐπισείει ἀπατῶν αὐτὴν, καὶ μεθέλκων, τοῖς δὲ ἕμπροσθεν ὀκλάσας ποσὶν ἐπιφέρεται, καὶ ταπεινωθεὶς ὅλος τὴν ὄψιν μόνην ἐκτείνει,

Nature of Serpents and the Basilisk§14

14Lurking so as not to miss the opportune time for a blow. When it sees the shield, like a beast having fought the neck eagerly, it suddenly leaps upon its neck and suffocates it. The lizard called a salamander, if it enters a furnace or a vessel, cools itself. They say the hedgehog receives its offspring through the male's mouth, and cuts off the part that travels with them, and kills him. This one, having become pregnant, is destroyed by the children; for while still in her womb, having devoured the uterus, they will tear out the belly through the side.

The serpent, having grown old, becomes blind, and having fasted forty days, it wastes away in the body, and enters a narrow crack in a rock, and being dragged by force, it sheds its aged skin and is renewed. When it thirsts, it first lays aside the venom, and thus drinks water from the spring. Hunting mice, it blinds them and feeds, and having satisfied itself, it eats them. If it sees a man naked, it does not approach; but if clothed, it falls upon him.

The basilisk sends a deadly venom through the eye, so that the beholder is immediately killed. Its breath happens to be fiery, consuming places and thickets. They report that it comes into being in this way: if more serpents are shut up together and infect one another (since the animal is a contagion), each eats its neighbor; and the stronger serpent, consuming the weaker, and having been filled with the venom of all the serpents it devoured, becomes a basilisk possessing a most terrible venom, such as killing from the eye alone.

The cantharus, having fashioned a circular shape from the round egg, rolls like a cylinder. They say it is upon the earth for six months, and sows into the egg-sphere, and bears male cantharus; for a female cantharus never exists. And the Egyptians, because of such a nature, revere it, transforming it into a sun, since it rolls a sphere, and they depict the stars in the shape of serpents, because their course is made oblique.

As for the ants, gathering the grain through the midst of the kernels, they cut them so that it does not ferment; and they remain through the winter without going out, having procured sufficient food through the summer. And the fly, being a worm-like creature, feeds upon sweet waters; and if someone drinks greedily, it sinks down into it, because of the great smoothness of the water being drunk. And it suffers no small harm from this, as it sucks the flesh of the blood from it and grows; yet it proves insatiable in its thirst for blood. And often, when doctors are required to remove it, it is not revived until it has been ruptured. And the cat is an enemy to the asps and to the other venomous reptiles; the ibis is an enemy to the serpents, and to the locusts, and to the grasshoppers. To the crested ones, and to the scorpions, and to the other small reptiles, the hawk has become death-dealing.

And this is sympathetic to man; for if he sees it dead and without burial, he is cast down and throws earth upon it. And after the making of the world, later God created man, by breaking the cold with the hot, and by binding the moist with the dry, and by releasing the dry again to the moist, He composed him, having all the parts of the whole. For just as the earth, standing with the cold air poured out within itself, has the fire suspended upon it in order, and again the water surrounding it on every side; so also is man, as the earth is by nature a firmament of bones, and standing with the flesh poured upon him, he receives the spiritual breath through the nostrils, as if he were allotted the innate heat and cooling power like the air. For indeed the air above our heads, cooling the fiery nature of the air, makes it beneficial for all the life of animals. And the heat which exists within the body of man melts the phlegm to excess, just like a crystalline draught of water. And the veins and the blood within them preserve imitations of rivers. Thus God, having fashioned man from the earth and having given him a rational soul, intended for him to enjoy the enjoyment of paradise [...].

Then, having heard the commandment, He transferred him into the earth, leaving him to have a toilsome life upon it. Having known his wife Eve, she bore him two sons.

Greek · §14

καραδοκῶν μὴ φθάσῃ πληγὴν καιρίαν δέξασθαι. Ἐπειδὰν οὖν ἴδῃ τὴν ἀσπίδα, ὡς πρὸς θηρίον τὴν κέρκον ἁμιλλωμένην προθύμως, αἰφνιδίως ἐπιπηδήσας τὸν αὐχένα αὐτῆς πιέζει, καὶ ἀποπνίγει. 748 Σαῦρα δὲ ἡ λεγομένη σαλαμάνδρα, ἐὰν εἰς κάμινον, ἢ βαλανεῖον ἐπεισέλθῃ, ἀποψυχραίνει αὐτό. Φασὶ δὲ τὴν ἔχιδναν διὰ στόματος τοῦ ἄῤῥενος τὴν γονὴν δέχεσθαι, καὶ συναποκόπτειν τοῖς ὀδοῦσι αὐτὸ τὸ μόριον, καὶ ἀποκτείνειν αὐτόν. Αὕτη δὲ, ἔγγυος γενομένη, ὑπὸ τῶν τέκνων ἀναιρεῖται· ἔτι γὰρ ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ αὐτῆς ὑπάρχοντα τὴν μήτραν καταφαγόντα, καὶ τὴν κοιλίαν ἀναῤῥήξαντα διὰ τῆς πλευρᾶς ἔξεισι. Γηράσας δὲ ὁ ὄφις ἐκτυφλοῦται, καὶ νηστεύσας ἡμέρας τεσσαράκοντα χαυνοῦται τῷ σώματι, καὶ εἰσέρχεται εἰς ῥαγάδα πέτρας στενὴν, καὶ τῇ βίᾳ διασυρόμενος τὸ δέρμα τὸ γεροντικὸν ἀποδύεται, καὶ ἀνανεοῦται. Ὅταν δὲ διψήσῃ, τὸν ἰὸν πρότερον ἀποτίθεται, καὶ οὕτως ἐκπίνει τὸ ὕδωρ ἐκ τῆς πηγῆς. Ἀγρεύων δὲ τοὺς μυοξοὺς ἐκτυφλοῖ καὶ τρέφει, καὶ πεπανθέντας κατεσθίει αὐτούς. Ἐὰν δὲ γυμνὸν θεάσηται ἄνθρωπον, οὐ πρόσεισιν· εἰ δὲ ἐνδεδυμένον, ἐφάλλεται. Ὁ δὲ βασιλίσκος ἰὸν θανατηφόρον ἀποπέμπει τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ, ὥστε τὸν θεασάμενον παραχρῆμα ἀπονεκροῦσθαι. Τὸ δὲ φύσημα αὐτοῦ τυγχάνει πύρινον, καταφλέγον χώρας, καὶ τόπον σύνδενδρον. Ἱστοροῦσι δὲ αὐτὸν τοιούτῳ τρόπῳ συνίστασθαι. Ἐπὰν ὄφεις πλείονες κατακλεισθῶσιν ὁμοῦ, καὶ λοιμώξωσιν (ἐπειδήπερ τὸ ζῶόν ἐστι παμμίαρον), ἕκαστος τὸν πλησίον κατεσθίει· καὶ ὁ ἰσχυρότερος ἀναλίσκων ὄφις τὸν ἀσθενέστερον, καὶ πληρωθεὶς πάντων τῶν ὄφεων ἰοῦ, ὧν κατεδήδοκε, βασιλίσκος γίγνεται ἰὸν ἔχων χαλεπώτατον, ὡς καὶ ἀπὸ μόνου τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ θανατοῦν. Ὁ δὲ κάνθαρος, ἐκ τῆς βοείας ὄνθου κυκλοτερὲς σχῆμα πλασάμενος, ἀντιπρόσωπος κυλινδεῖ. Φασὶ δὲ αὐτὸν ἑξάμηνον ἐπάνω τῆς γῆς, καὶ σπερμαίνειν εἰς τὴν ὄνθιον σφαῖραν, καὶ τίκτειν ἄῤῥενα κάνθαρον· οὐ γὰρ θῆλυς ὑπάρχει κάνθαρος πώποτε. Καὶ οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι διὰ τὴν τοιαύτην φύσιν αὐτοῦ σέβονται αὐτὸν εἰς ἥλιον μετασχηματίζοντες, ἐπειδὴ κυλίει σφαῖραν, καὶ τὰ ἄστρα ὄφεων σχήμασιν ἀπεικάζουσι, διὰ τὸ λοξὴν ποιεῖσθαι τὴν πορείαν αὐτούς. Οἱ δὲ μύρμηκες τὸν σῖτον συνάγοντες διὰ μέσου τῶν κόκκων τέμνουσι, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐκφύσαι αὐτὸν νοτιζόμενον· καὶ μένουσι τὸν χειμῶνα ἀπρόϊτοι, διὰ τοῦ θέρους αὐτάρκη τὴν τροφὴν πορισάμενοι. Ἡ δὲ βδέλλα, σκωληκοειδὲς ζῶον ὑπάρχουσα, ἐν τοῖς γλυκέσιν ἐκδιαιτᾶται ὕδασι· καὶ πίνων τις λάβρως συγκαταπίνει αὐτὸ, διὰ τὴν πολλὴν λειότητα συνολισθαίνει τῷ πινομένῳ ὕδατι. Καὶ οὐ μικρὰν ἐξ αὐτοῦ βλάβην ὑφίσταται, τῆς σαρκὸς τοῦ αἵματος ἐκμυζοῦντος αὐτοῦ, καὶ τούτου αὔξοντος· ἀχόρταστον δὲ τυγχάνει πρὸς δίψαν αἵματος. Καὶ πολλάκις αὐτὸ τῆς ἀφαιρέσεως δεομένοις ἰατροῖς οὐκ ἀνιμᾶται, ἕως ὅτου διαῤῥαγείη. Ταῖς δὲ ἀσπίσι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῖς δηκτικοῖς ἑρπετοῖς αἴλουρός ἐστι πολέμιος. Τῶν δὲ ὄφεων, καὶ τῶν ἀκρίδων, καὶ τῶν καμπῶν ὁ ἴβις. Τοῖς δὲ κεράσταις, καὶ σκορπίοις, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις μικροῖς ἑρπετοῖς ὁ ἱέραξ θανατηφόρος καθέστηκεν. Ἔστι δὲ τοῦτο 749 συμπαθὲς πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον· ἐὰν γὰρ θεάσηται αὐτὸν νεκρὸν καὶ ἄταφον, κατοδύρεται, καὶ γῆν ἐπιῤῥίπτει αὐτῷ. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν τοῦ κόσμου ποίησιν, ὕστερον τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὁ Θεὸς ἐδημιούργησε, τῷ μὲν θερμῷ θραύσας τὸ ψυχρὸν, τῷ δὲ ξηρῷ δήσας τὸ ὑγρὸν, καὶ λύσας πάλιν τὸ ξηρὸν τῷ ὑγρῷ, συνεστήσατο αὐτὸν, ἔχοντα πάντα τὰ μέρη τοῦ παντός. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ γῆ ἑστῶσα τὸν ψυχρὸν ἀέρα περικεχυμένον ἐν ἑαυτῇ κέκτηται, τεταγμένως δὲ ἐπ' αὐτῷ τὸ πῦρ αἰωρούμενον, καὶ πάλιν τὸ ὕδωρ περιθέον κύκλοθεν αὐτήν· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος καθάπερ γῆ τῶν ὀστέων στερεμνίᾳ φύσει, καὶ τῇ ἐπ' αὐτὸν κεχυμένῃ σαρκὶ συνεστὼς τὴν πνευματικὴν διὰ τῶν μυκτήρων ἀναπνοὴν, ὥσπερ ἀέρα κεκλήρωται τὴν ἔμφυτον αὐτοῦ θερμότητα καὶ καταψύχουσαν. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς ἡμῶν ἀὴρ, τὴν πυρώδη τοῦ ἀέρος φύσιν καταψύχων, εὔκρατον παντὶ τῷ βίῳ τῶν ζώων καθίστησι. Τὸ δὲ θερμὸν τὸ ἐνυπάρχον τῷ σώματι τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τὴν τοῦ φλέγματος ἐκτήκει ἀμετρίαν, καθάπερ κρυσταλλῶδες πίλημα ὕδατος. Αἱ δὲ φλέβες καὶ τὸ αἷμα τὸ ἐν αὐταῖς ποταμῶν μιμήματα ἀποσώζουσιν. Τοιοῦτον ὁ Θεὸς τεκτηνάμενος τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐκ τῆς γῆς, καὶ δοὺς αὐτῷ λογικὴν ψυχὴν, τοῦ παραδείσου τῆς τρυφῆς ἀπολαύειν αὐτὸν παρ.................. Εἶτα τῆς ἐντολῆς παρακούσαντα εἰς τὴν γῆν αὐτὸν ταύτην μετέστησεν, ἐπίμοχθον αὐτῷ τὸν βίον ἔχειν ἐπ' αὐτῆς ἀποφηνάμενος. Γνωρίσας οὖν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ Εὔαν, υἱοὺς δύο ἐγέννησε,

Cain, Seth, and the Early Lineages§15

15Cain and Abel. And Cain was a farmer, but Abel was a shepherd, and the farmer did not bring the firstfruits of the fruits. Abel brought them to God; and his sacrifice was accepted. But Cain, being the first of those born to be overcome by passion, offered thus; and his sacrifice became unacceptable. And Cain, being angry at this, slew his brother through envy; and God drove him away, having made him so, and expelled him from that land.

And he, having wandered a great way, came to a place called Nod, and he practiced all manner of secret arts, sitting in ambush for those passing by, and killing them, and gathering an immeasurable multitude from the use of dogs. First, Cain devised measures, and weights, and boundaries of land, and the building of a city, for all those who at that time were enjoying an unblemished and unoccupied life.

And Adam, remaining in the place where he happened to be, made many sons and daughters, among whom there was one exceptional person, Seth, who, having reached maturity, devised many virtues, the zealous followers of which he left to his descendants. For this one was the first to discover astronomy and all the celestial arrangement, which Adam had prepared to remain in such a way even until the latest times; for Adam, about to expire, prophesied that God would wipe out the nature of the world with fire and water. And those concerning Seth, having heard this, made two pillars, constructing one from stone and the other from baked brick; and upon these they engraved all the celestial adornment, so that the discovery of their astronomy might not be lost; so that, if all things are destroyed by water, the stone pillar is preserved, but if by fire, the brick one. And when the deluge occurred, the stone pillar remained, which even until now stands in the land of Sheiread.

Cain begat Enoch, and Enoch begat Gaiad, and Gaiad begat Mahalaleel, and Mahalaleel begat Methuselah, and he begat Lamech. And Lamech took two wives, Adan and Sela, and from them he made three sons: from Adan, Jobel, who became a herdsman, and Jubal, who discovered the harp and the lyre; and from Sela, Tubal, who became a smith of bronze and iron.

But Adam, having lived ninety-two years, died. And a son of Seth hoped to call upon the name of the Lord; and having lived ninety-five years, he died. And his son Cainan, having lived ninety-ten years, passed away. And the son of him, Mahalalel, having lived seven hundred ninety-five years, died. And the son of him, Jared, having lived ninety-sixty years, passed away. And the son of him, Enoch, having pleased God, was transferred. And his son, Methuselah, having lived seven hundred and sixty-nine years, passed away. And Lamech, the son of Methuselah, having lived seven hundred fifty-three years, died. To this Lamech, a son, Noah, was born, enjoying the merits of good deeds, who persuaded the human race to be changed from wickedness into virtue; for even until the seventh generation, men inscribed God, the master of all things, upon themselves, and were mindful of justice (Gen 5). But as time went on, they strayed into all lawlessness.

Since Noah did not persuade them to turn away from wickedness, having loathed their association, he withdrew to another land. And God commands him to construct a four-sided ark, having a length of three hundred cubits, a width of fifty, and a depth of thirty, so that, having seated himself upon it along with his kin, he might escape the danger from the flood. For God willed to wipe out the wickedness of that time by such a punishment. When the flood was brought, the heights of the mountains were covered by the water. For even now, upon the summit of the Lebanon stone, those cutting for building find kinds of sea fish, which happened to be frozen into the hollows of the mountains with the mud.

The ark, having been lifted by the water, stood upon a certain peak of the mountains according to Armenia, and when the water subsided, all those in the ark went out. And the locals still call that place Abataria, and they show the remains of the ark, and they have used its asphalt for warding off evil. And Noah passed away, having lived ninety and fifty years, and his sons, fearing that all the others would migrate from the mountain (for they suspected that others might again be tempted by gluttony), persuade them to descend, and the prepared...

Greek · §15

τὸν Κάϊν, καὶ τὸν Ἄβελ. Καὶ ὁ μὲν Κάϊν ἦν γεωργὸς, ὁ δὲ Ἄβελ ποιμὴν, καὶ τοῦ γεωργοῦ οὐ μετῄει τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τῶν καρπῶν. Προσήνεγκεν ὁ Ἄβελ τῷ Θεῷ· καὶ ἡ θυσία αὐτοῦ ἐδέχθη. Ὁ δὲ Κάϊν, πρῶτος αὐτὸς τῶν γεννωμένων ἐμφορηθεὶς, οὕτως ἀνήνεγκε· καὶ ἄδεκτος αὐτοῦ ἡ θυσία ἐγένετο. Καὶ ὀργισθεὶς ἐπὶ τούτῳ ὁ Κάϊν, ἀνεῖλε φθόνῳ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ· καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐπάρατον αὐτὸν ποιησάμενος, καὶ τῆς γῆς ἐκείνης ἐξέβαλεν. Ὁ δὲ, πολλὴν περινοστήσας ὁδὸν, εἰς τόπον τινὰ Καϊνᾶν ὀνομαζόμενον ἦλθε, καὶ πᾶσαν ἀῤῥητοποιίαν μετήρχετο, τοὺς παριόντας ἐνεδρεύων, καὶ ἀναιρῶν, καὶ ἐκ τῶν σκύλων χρημάτων συνάγων πλῆθος ἀμύθητον. Πρῶτος δὲ Κάϊν μέτρα, καὶ σταθμοὺς, καὶ ὅρους γῆς ἐπενόησε, καὶ οἰκοδομὴν πόλεως, πάντων τῶν κατ' ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ τὸν ἀκέραιον καὶ ἀπράγμονα βίον ἀσπαζομένων. Ὁ δὲ Ἀδὰμ, μένων ἐν ᾧ τόπῳ ἐτύγχανε, πολλοὺς παῖδας καὶ θυγατέρας ἐποίησεν, ἐν οἷς ἐξαίρετός τις ὑπῆρχεν ὁ Σὴθ, ὅστις ἐν ἡλικίᾳ γενόμενος πολλὰς ἀρετὰς ἐπενόησεν, ὧν καὶ τοὺς ἀπογόνους αὐτοῦ ζηλωτὰς καταλέλοιπεν. Οὗτος γὰρ πρῶτος ἀστρονομίαν καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν οὐράνιον ἐφεῦρε διακόσμησιν, ἥντινα ἄχρι τῶν ἐσχάτων χρόνων διαμεῖναι τοιῶσδε ὁ Ἀδὰμ παρεσκεύασε· μέλλων γὰρ τελευτᾷν ὁ Ἀδὰμ προφητεύει τοῖς παισὶ μέλλειν τὸν Θεὸν τὴν 752 ἐν κόσμῳ φύσιν ἀπαλείφειν πυρὶ καὶ ὕδατι· καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ περὶ τὸν Σὴθ δύο στήλας ἐποίησαν, τὴν μὲν ἐκ λίθου, τὴν δὲ ἐξ ὀπτῆς πλίνθου κατασκευάσαντες· καὶ ἐν ταύταις πᾶσαν τὴν οὐράνιον φορὰν ἐνεχάραξαν, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἄληστον τὴν τῆς ἀστρονομίας αὐτῶν γενέσθαι εὕρεσιν· ἵνα, εἰ μὲν ὕδατι τὰ πάντα φθείρεται, ἡ λίθινος στήλη φυλάττηται, εἰ δὲ πυρὶ, ἡ ὀστρακώδης. Γενομένης οὖν τῆς κατομβρίας, ἡ λίθινος στήλη διέμεινεν, ἥτις ἄχρι τῆς δεῦρο μένει ἐν γῇ τῇ Σηϊρειὰδ ἐστηλωμένη. Ἐγέννησε δὲ ὁ Κάϊν τὸν Ἐνὼχ, καὶ ὁ Ἐνὼχ τὸν Γαϊδὰδ, καὶ ὁ Γαϊδὰδ τὸν Μαλελεὴλ, καὶ ὁ Μαλελεὴλ τὸν Μαθουσάλα, καὶ οὗτος τὸν Λάμεχ. Καὶ ὁ Λάμεχ δύο γυναῖκας ἠγάγετο, Ἀδὰν καὶ Σελὰν, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν τρεῖς παῖδας ἐποίησεν, ἐκ μὲν τῆς Ἀδὰν τὸν Ἰωβὴλ, ὅστις κτηνοτρόφος ἐγένετο, καὶ τὸν Ἰουβὰλ, ὃς ψαλτήριον καὶ κιθάραν ἐξεῦρεν. Ἐκ δὲ τῆς Σελὰν τὸν Θόβελ, ὅστις σφυροκόπος χαλκοῦ καὶ σιδήρου ἐγένετο. Ὁ δὲ Ἀδὰμ, ζήσας ἔτη ἐννακόσια δέκα δύο, ἀπέθανεν. Ἐνὼς δὲ υἱὸς τοῦ Σὴθ ἤλπισεν ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου· ζήσας δὲ ἔτη ἐννακόσια πέντε ἀπέθανε. Καὶ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ Καϊνὰν, ζήσας ἕτη ἐννακόσια δέκα, ἐτελεύτησε. Καὶ ὁ υἱὸς Μαλελεὴλ, ζήσας ἕτη ἑπτακόσια ἐννενήκοντα πέντε, ἀπέθανεν. Ὁ δὲ τούτου υἱὸς Ἰάρεδ, ἔτη βιώσας ἐννακόσια ἑξήκοντα, ἐτελεύτησεν. Τοῦ δὲ Ἰάρεδ υἱὸς Ἐνὼχ, εὐαρεστήσας τῷ Θεῷ, μετετέθη. Ὁ δὲ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ Μαθουσάλα, ζήσας ἔτη ἑπτακόσια καὶ ἑξήκοντα ἐννέα, ἐτελεύτησε. Λάμεχ δὲ ὁ υἱὸς Μαθουσάλα, ζήσας ἕτη ἑπτακόσια πεντήκοντα τρία, ἀπέθανεν. Τούτῳ τῷ Λάμεχ υἱὸς Νῶε ἐγένετο ἀρεταῖς ἀγαθῶν πράξεων ἡδόμενος, ὃς ἔπειθε τὸ ἀνθρώπινον γένος μεταβληθῆναι ἀπὸ τῆς κακίας εἰς ἀρετήν· ἄχρι γὰρ ἑβδόμης γενεᾶς οἱ ἄνθρωποι δεσπότην τῶν ἁπάντων τὸν Θεὸν ἐπεγράφοντο, καὶ δικαιοσύνης ἐφρόντιζον. Ὕστερον δὲ τοῦ χρόνου προϊόντος εἰς πᾶσαν παρανομίαν ἐξώκειλαν. Ὡς οὖν ὁ Νῶε οὐκ ἔπειθε τῆς κακίας ἀποστῆναι αὑτοὺς, τὴν συνουσίαν αὐτῶν βδελυξάμενος εἰς ἄλλην γῆν ἀνεχώρησε. Καὶ προστάττει αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς κατασκευάσαι κιβωτὸν τετράστεγον, ἔχουσαν τὸ μὲν μῆκος τριακοσίων πηχῶν, τὸ δὲ πλάτος πεντήκοντα, καὶ τὸ βάθος τριάκοντα, ὅπως, ἐπ' αὐτῆς ἅμα τῇ συγγενείᾳ αὐτοῦ καθείρξας ἑαυτὸν, ἐκφύγῃ τὸν ἐκ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ κίνδυνον. Ἐβούλετο γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς τοιαύτῃ τιμωρίᾳ τὴν πονηρίαν τῶν τότε ἐξαφανίσαι. Ἐπενεχθέντος δὲ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ ἐκαλύφθη τὰ ὑψηλὰ τῶν ὀρέων ὑπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος. Ἔτι γὰρ καὶ νῦν ἐπὶ τῆς ἀκρωρείας τοῦ Λιβάνου λίθους εἰς οἰκοδομήν τινες ἐκτέμνοντες, θαλαττίων ἰχθύων γένη εὑρίσκουσιν, οὓς συνέβη εἰς τὰ κοιλώματα τῶν ὀρέων συναποπαγῆναι τῇ ἰλύϊ. 753 Ἡ δὲ κιβωτὸς, ἀνυψωθεῖσα ὑπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος, εἰς ἄκραν τινὰ ὄρους τοῦ κατὰ τὴν Ἀρμενίαν ἔστη, καὶ λωφήσαντος τοῦ ὕδατος, οἱ ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ πάντες ἐξεπορεύθησαν. Καὶ τὸν τόπον ἕτι καὶ νῦν ἐκεῖνον Ἀποβατήριον οἱ ἐπιχώριοι προσαγορεύουσι, καὶ τὰ λείψανα τῆς κιβωτοῦ ἐπιδεικνύουσι, καὶ τῇ ἀσφάλτῳ αὐτῆς εἰς ἀποτροπιασμοὺς κέχρηνται. Ὁ δὲ Νῶε ἐτελεύτησεν ἔτη ζήσας ἐννακόσια καὶ πεντήκοντα, καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ, δεδοικότας τοὺς ἄλλους πάντας ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄρους μεταναστῆναι, (ὑπώπτευον γὰρ ἑτέρας αὖθις πειρασθῆναι ἐπομβρίας·) πείθουσι κατελθεῖν, καὶ τὴν ἡπλωμένην

The Dispersion and the Sons of Noah§16

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16To inhabit the plains. But so that, not having increased, they might move in a stand against one another, God commanded them to make settlements. But they did not obey, cultivating a good land and having the greatest abundance of fruit. Again, therefore, by a harsh affliction, He brings them under pressure toward making the settlement. But they did not even thus show themselves to God according to His will; they took the prosperity of the land not according to the favor of God, but to possess it by their own strength.

And this opinion they had, after Nebroth, that giant, being a bold man and brave in hand, who also, having turned them away from God, forced them to appropriate reverence for himself, and indeed permitted them to build a tower reaching to the height of heaven, threatening that God might contend against them if He should again bring a deluge upon the world (Genesis 11:4). For the multitude, working with him with much haste in madness, and building the tower more rapidly than speech, God immediately confounded their dialect, and through unlikeness of language they were scattered; and from this the place received the name of Babylon, the Hebrews calling the confusion Babylon.

Each, therefore, took the land he encountered, and they filled all the coast and the continent, and even the islands; for they were settling in these by navigating the sea with ships. Some, indeed, of the nations preserve the names of those who created them, and some indeed changed them, after the Greeks had taken hold of them and adorned the nations with their own names, and they set laws suitable to them in order that the creation might glorify themselves, as if leaving no suspicion to those who come after.

There were, therefore, three sons to Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth; beginning from the Taurus and Ammon mountains, they dwelt and went forth upon Asia even to the river Tanais, and upon Europe even to the Gadira. And these are: Gamer, who constituted the Gamarii, the present Galatians; Agod, the Magodians, the present Scythians; Adai, the Madaians, the present Medes; Ouan, the Ionians and the Greeks; Obel, the Theobeli, the present Iberians; Osokh, the Meschenians, the present Cappadocians; Theras, the Theiras, the present Thracians.

And there were also three sons to Gomer: Schanax, from whom come the Schanaxians, who are now the Rhages; Riphath, from whom come the Riphathians, who are now the Paphlagonians; and Thugrammaïs, who became the Thugrammites, the present Phrygians. And three sons to Javan: Elisas, from whom come the Elisaeans, who are now the Aeolians; Tharsis, from whom come the Tharsians, who are now the Cilicians; for thus the ancient Cilicia was called; for even now Tharsis is called its metropolis. Chetheim, Chetheim the island, which is now called Cyprus; for from it every island and the coastal region the Hebrews call Eththō.

And the sons of Ham possessed the land from Syria, and Ammon, and the land of the mountains of Libanus, as far as the sea, having taken it on all four sides and having extended to the Ocean. And indeed for some the designations were entirely changed, while for others they were changed into something unrecognizable; but for a few the names are still preserved intact. And these are the sons of Ham: Cush, from whom come the Cushites, who are now the Ethiopians; Mestrem, from whom come the Mestreans, who are now the Egyptians; and Phut, the Phutites, who are now the Libyans, and even to this time the river beside the Blacks and its adjacent country are called Phutites. And the nation was called Libyans, and the country after the name of one of the sons of Mestrem, Libius, having ruled over them.

And to Cush there were seven sons: Sabat, from whom come the Sabakians, who even to this time preserve the name along with the country; Euilat, from whom come the Euilaites, who are now the Touli; Sabath, from whom come the Sabathines, who are now the Astabaroi; Regmara, from whom come the Allai, who even now have this name; Iudadan, from whom come the Iudadai, an Ethiopian nation homonymous even until now with the forefather; Sebekatha, from whom come the Sebekathines, who are also homonymous; and this Nebrod, having remained in Babylon, was the first to rule over them. Mestrem had eight sons, who possessed the land from Gaza even unto Egypt. And the country of the Philistim was held then until a certain time by the same name, but later it was called Palestine.

And there were also eleven children to Canaan: Sidon the firstborn, who founded a city in Phoenicia homonymous with himself, Sidon; Amathios, who built the Amathin, the present Epiphania, after one of the Macedonians had seized it gloriously and had placed upon it his own dwelling name; and Arukaios founded the land in Libanus; and this Arodios inhabited the island of Arados; Asenassos, from whom come the Asennae; and Samareios...

Greek · §16

κατοικίσαι πεδιάδα. Ἵνα δὲ μὴ πληθυνθέντες στάσιν μετ' ἀλλήλων κινήσωσι, προσέταττεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς ἀποικίας ποιήσασθαι. Οἱ δὲ οὐχ ὑπήκουσαν, γῆν καλὴν γεωργοῦντες, καὶ καρπῶν ἀφθονίαν μεγίστην ἔχοντες. Πάλιν οὖν συμφορᾷ χαλεπῇ ὑποβάλλει αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὸ τὴν ἀποικίαν στείλασθαι. Οἱ δὲ οὐδ' οὕτως εἶξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ βουλήματι, τὴν εὐφορίαν τῆς γῆς οὐ κατ' εὐμένειαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ κατ' ἰδίαν ἰσχὺν περιεῖναι αὐτοῖς ὑπελάμβανον. Ταύτην δὲ τὴν οἴησιν ἔχειν αὐτοὺς Νεβρὼθ ἔπειθεν ὁ γίγας, τολμηρός τις ὢν, καὶ κατὰ χεῖρα γενναῖος, ὃς καὶ, τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀποστήσας αὐτοὺς, αὐτῷ τῷ σέβας περιποιεῖσθαι αὐτοὺς ἠνάγκασε, καὶ δὴ πύργον αὐτοὺς ἐπιτρέπει τεκτήνασθαι τῷ ὕψει τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐπιψαύοντα, ἀπειλῶν τὸν Θεὸν ἀνταμύνασθαι, εἰ πάλιν τῷ κόσμῳ ἐπενέγκῃ κατακλυσμόν. Τοῦ γοῦν πλήθους πολλῇ σπουδῇ τῇ μανίᾳ συνεργοῦντος αὐτῷ, καὶ λόγου θᾶττον τὸν πύργον κατασκευάζοντος, ὁ Θεὸς τὴν διάλεκτον αὐτῶν παραχρῆμα συνέχεε, καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνομοιογλωσσίας διεσκεδάσθησαν, κἀκ τούτου ὁ τόπος Βαβυλῶνα τὴν κλῆσιν εἴληφεν, τῶν Ἑβραίων τὴν σύγχυσιν Βαβυλὼν ὀνομαζόντων. Ἕκαστος γοῦν τὴν προστυγχάνουσαν γῆν κατελάμβανε, καὶ ἐπλήρουν πᾶσαν παράλιόν τε καὶ ἤπειρον, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὰς νήσους· τὸ γὰρ πέλαγος πλοίοις διαπορθμεύοντες ταύταις ἐγκαθωρμίζοντο. Ἔνια γοῦν τῶν ἐθνῶν σώζει τὰς προσηγορίας τῶν κτισάντων, ἔνια δὲ καὶ μετέβαλε, τῶν Ἑλλήνων μετὰ ταῦτα κρατησάντων, καὶ ἰδίοις ὀνόμασι καλλωπισάντων τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ νόμους δὲ αὐτοῖς οἰκείους ἔθεσαν πρὸς τὴν δόξαν τῆς κτίσεως σφετερίσασθαι αὐτοὺς, ὡς μηδεμίαν ὑπόνοιαν προγενεστέρων καταλιπεῖν τοῖς μετέπειτα. Ἐγένοντο οὖν τῷ Νῶε τρεῖς υἱοὶ, Σὴμ, Χὰμ, Ἰάφεθ· ἀπὸ Ταύρου καὶ Ἀμμανοῦ τῶν ὀρῶν ἀρξάμενοι ᾤκησαν, καὶ προῆλθον ἐπὶ μὲν τῆς Ἀσίας ἄχρι ποταμοῦ Τανάϊδος, ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς Εὐρώπης ἄχρι Γαδείρων. Εἰσὶ δὲ οὗτοι· Γαμὲρ, ὅστις Γαμαρεῖς, τοὺς νῦν Γαλάτας, συνέστησεν· Ἀγὼδ Μαγώδεις, τοὺς νῦν Σκύθας· Ἀδαῒ Μαδαίους, τοὺς νῦν Μήδους· Οὐὰν Ἰωνίαν, καὶ τοὺς Ἕλληνας· Ὀβὲλ Θεοβέλους,τοὺς νῦν Ἴβηρας· Ὀσὸχ Μεσχηναίους, τοὺς νῦν 756 Καππαδόκας· Θέρας τοὺς Θείρας, τοὺς νῦν Θρᾷκας. Ἐγένοντο δὲ καὶ τῷ Γαμὲρ υἱοὶ τρεῖς· Σχανὰξ, ἐξ οὗ Ἀσχαναξαῖοι, οἱ νῦν Ῥηγῖνες· Ῥιφὰθ, ἐξ οὗ. Ῥφαθέοι, οἱ νῦν Παφλαγόνες· Θυγραμμάϊς, ὃς συνέστησεν Θυγραμμεῖς, τοὺς νῦν Φρύγας. Υἱοὶ δὲ τῷ Ἰωούα τρεῖς, Ἐλισασὰ, ἀφ' οὗ Ἀλισαῖοι, οἱ νῦν Αἰολεῖς· Θαρσῆς, ἀφ' οὗ Θαρσεῖς, οἱ νῦν Κύλικες· οὕτω γὰρ τὸ παλαιὸν ἡ Κιλικία ἐκαλεῖτο· ἔτι γὰρ καὶ νῦν Θαρσῆς ἡ μητρόπολις αὐτῆς καλεῖται· Χεθεὶμ Χεθειμὰ τὴν νῆσον, ἣν ἄρτι Κύπρον προσονομάζουσιν· ἀπ' αὐτῆς γὰρ πᾶσαν νῆσον καὶ τὴν παράλιον Ἑβραῖοι Ἠθθὼ καλοῦσιν. Οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ τοῦ Χὰμ, τὴν ἀπὸ Συρίας, καὶ Ἀμμανοῦ, καὶ Λιβάνου τῶν ὀρέων γῆν κατέσχον, ὅσα πρὸς θάλασσαν αὐτὴν τέτραπτο καταλαβόντες, καὶ τὰ μέχρι τοῦ Ὠκεανοῦ ἐξιδιωσάμενοι. Καὶ ἐνίων μὲν παντελῶς αἱ προσηγορίαι ἠμείφθησαν, ἐνίων δὲ εἰς ἑτέρας ἐνημείφθη δυσεπιγνώστους· ὀλίγων δὲ ἔτι αἱ ὀνομασίαι ἀκέραιοι σώζονται. Εἰσὶ δὲ υἱοὶ τοῦ Χὰμ οἵδε· Χοῦς, ἐξ οὗ Χουσαῖοι, οἱ νῦν Αἰθίοπες· Μεστρὲμ, ἐξ οὗ Μεστραῖοι, οἱ νῦν Αἰγύπτιοι· Φοὺτ, Φουτοὶ, οἱ νῦν Λίβυες, καὶ ἔτι τοῦ δεῦρο ὁ παρὰ Μαύροις ποταμὸς καὶ ἡ σύνεγγυς χώρα αὐτοῦ Φουτοὶ καλοῦνται. Ἐκλήθησαν δὲ Λίβυες τὸ ἔθνος, καὶ ἡ χώρα ἑνὸς τῶν ἀπὸ Μεστρὼν υἱῶν ὀνόματι Λίβυος βασιλεύσαντος αὐτῶν. Τῷ δὲ Χοῦς ἐγένοντο υἱοὶ ἑπτά· Σαβὰτ, ἀφ' οὗ Σαβάκιοι, οἵτινες ἄχρι τοῦ δεῦρο τὴν ὀνομασίαν ἅμα τῇ χώρᾳ σώζουσιν· Εὐιλὰτ, ἐξ οὗ Εὐιλαῖοι, οἱ νῦν γε Τοῦλοι· Σαβὰθ, ἐξ οὗ Σαβαθηνοὶ, οἱ νῦν Ἀστάβαροι· Ῥεγμαρὰ, ἐξ οὗ Ἀλλαῖοι, οἱ ἔτι καὶ νῦν ταύτην τὴν κλῆσιν ἔχουσιν· Ἰουδαδὰν, ἐξ οὗ Ἰουδαδαῖοι, Αἰθιοπικὸν ἔθνος ὁμώνυμον μέχρι νῦν τῷ προπάτορι· Σεβεκαθὰ, ἐξ οὗ Σαβακτηνοὶ, οἳ καὶ αὐτοὶ ὁμώνυμοι· Νεβρὼδ οὗτος, μείνας ἐν τῇ Βαβυλῶνι, πρῶτος αὐτοῖς ἐτυράννησεν. Μεστρὲμ υἱοὶ ὀκτὼ, οἵτινες τὴν ἀπὸ Γάζης καὶ ἕως Αἴγυπτον κατέσχον γῆν. Τοῦ δὲ Φιλιστιεὶμ ἡ χώρα τότε κατεῖχεν ἕως τινὸς τὴν ὁμωνυμίαν, ὕστερον δὲ ἐκλήθη Παλαιστίνη. Ἐγένοντο δὲ καὶ τῷ Χανὰν παῖδες ἕνδεκα· Σιδὼν πρωτότοκος, ὅστις ὁμώνυμον ἑαυτοῦ πόλιν τῇ Φοινίκῃ Σιδῶνα ἔκτισεν· Ἀμάθιος τὴν Ἀμαθινὴν, τὴν νῦν Ἐπιφάνειαν, ᾠκοδόμησε, τῶν Μακεδόνων τινὸς κρατήσαντος αὐτῆς ἐπιδόξου, καὶ τὸ οἰκεῖον ὄνομα ἐπιθέντος αὐτῇ· Ἀρουκαῖος δὲ γῆν τὴν ἐν τῷ Λιβάνῳ ἔκτισεν· Ἀρόδιος οὗτος Ἄραδον τὴν νῆσον ᾤκησεν· Ἀσένασσος, ἀφ' οὗ Ἀσενναῖοι. Σαμάρειος δὲ

The Peoples of Canaan and the Lineage of Eber§17

17The Hittites settled in Samaria, the Jebusites in Jebus, and the Amorites in Bethel; the Girgashites inhabited the regions beyond the Jordan up to Philadelphia, and the Euaimites in Euaim. The Kinaites inhabited the area around Lebanon and Amaron, while the Enakims, giants, inhabited Hebron; around Hebron, the Hittites and the Perizzites, in a mixture with the Canaanites, held Palestine. The Raphiites held Philadelphia; again, the Girgashites held Gadara and the city of Gerisa, and they possessed Tiberias by the lake, and the Jebusites held the present Jerusalem.

Five sons of Shem were born, who inhabited Asia up to the Ocean, having made their beginning from the Euphrates. These are: Ailam, from whom the Ailamites, the present Persians, are named; Assur, from whom the Assyrians; Arphaxad, from whom the Arphaxadites, the present Chaldeans; and Aram, from whom the Arameans, the present Syrians. These held territory from Mesopotamia even unto the mountains of Ararat, which is toward Armenia. Also Lude, from whom the Lydians, the present Lydians, are named; and Cainan, from whom the Canaanites.

Four sons were born to Aram: Uz, who built Damascus and Trachonitis, which is in the middle of Palestine and hollow Syria; Ol, from whom the Lazonites; Gather, from whom the Staphenoi; and Mesoch, from whom the Massenians. The sons of Arphaxad were: Cainan, from whom the Songodians, and from him also astronomy and omens were conceived. A son was born to Cainan, Sala, from whom the Susians. The son of Sala was Eber, from whom the Hebrews are named, who possessed the ancient Hebrew dialect, because Eber did not come along during the building of the Tower, and his language was altered.

The sons of Eber were Phalleg, from whom the Adabinites, and Jectan, from whom the Edramites. Phalleg was so called because, according to the apostle of the colonies, he was produced as a division; for the Hebrews say 'Phalleg' is a division, as through him they were divided.

And the calculated duration of the years of the world's stay is divided into two equal parts. For three thousand years were completed upon the existence of its world's generation. For we estimate that the creation shall remain until the sixth millennium, since even in six days God set in order the completion of all this. I think that the days are to be counted as millennia; for as it is said, one day of the Lord is as a thousand years (Psalm 90:4). Thus, from Adam until the end of Phaleck, three thousand years pass. But until the presence and resurrection of the Lord, there are five thousand five hundred thirty-one years, as four hundred fifty-nine years are lacking of the sixth millennium.

The Sabbath is the sign of the world's completion; and it is fitting that the Lord, having visited the world at the end of the days on a Friday, which is the sixth day, and the hour of this day was as if it were the sixth, when he was crucified, the Word signifying by this the half of the sixth millennium; and for this reason he did not say specifically the sixth hour, the Word blowing forth that he exceeds the number by a little more. From Christ until the thirtieth year of Constantine, 760 years have passed. Just as Jonah, having spent three days and three nights in the belly of the whale (Jonah 1:17), was given back healthy, so also we all, having made the three intervals of the age in the earth, shall be raised.

For there are three universal intervals of time: the present, the past, and the future, of which our Savior made symbols, making three days and three nights in the earth, teaching clearly that, of the aforementioned completed intervals of time, our resurrection shall be, being the beginning of the coming age. And to Jecat, sons were born: Salmodad, from whom the Indians; Saleph, from whom the Bactrians; Asarmoth, from whom the Arabs; Jarach, from whom the Carmanians; Odorra, from whom the Mardians; Jezeel, from whom the Arians; Dekla, from whom the Cedreans; Gebal, from whom the Scythians; Abimelech, from whom [...]

Greek · §17

Σαμάρειαν, Χετταῖος Χετταίους, Ἰεβουσαῖος Ἰεβουσαίους συνεστήσατο· Ἀμοῤῥαῖος Ἀμοῤῥαίους, οἵτινες ᾤκουν τὴν Βεθήλ· Γεργεσαῖος Γεργεσαίους, οἵτινες τὰ ἐπέκεινα κατῴκουν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου ἄχρι Φιλαδελφίας· Εὐαῖος Εὐαίους. Καὶ οἱ μὲν Κιναῖοι περὶ τὸν Λίβανον ᾤκουν καὶ Ἄμαρον· οἱ δὲ Ἐνιακεὶμ γίγαντες τὴν Χεβρών· καὶ περὶ αὐτὴν οἱ Χετταῖοι καὶ οἱ 757 Φερεζαῖοι ἀναμὶξ τοῖς Χαναναίοις τὴν Παλαιστίνην κατεῖχον· οἱ δὲ Ῥαφίαν τὴν Φιλαδελφίαν· πάλιν δὲ οἱ Γεργεσαῖοι τὰ Γάδαρα, καὶ Γέργισαν πόλιν, καὶ τὴν Τιβεριάδα εἶχον λίμνην, καὶ οἱ Ἰεβουσαῖοι τὴν νῦν Ἱερουσαλήμ. Πέντε καὶ Σὴμ παῖδες ἐγένοντο, οἵτινες τὴν μέχρι τοῦ κατ' ἰδίαν Ὠκεανοῦ Ἀσίαν κατῴκησαν, ἤτοι ἀπὸ τοῦ Εὐφράτου τὴν ἀρχὴν ποιησάμενοι. Εἰσὶ δὲ οὗτοι· Αἰλὰμ, ἀφ' οὗ Αἰλαμαῖοι, οἱ νῦν Πέρσαι· Ἀσοὺρ, ἀφ' οὗ Ἀσσύριοι· Ἀρφαξὰδ, ἀφ' οὗ Ἀρφαξαῖοι, οἱνῦν Χαλδαῖοι· Ἀρὰμ, ἀφ' οὗ Ἀραμαῖοι, οἱ νῦν Σύροι. Κατέσχον δὲ οὗτοι ἀπὸ Μεσοποταμίας ἕως τῶν ὀρέων Ἀραρὰτ, ἅ ἐστι πρὸς τὴν Ἀρμενίαν· Λοὺδ, ἀφ' οὗ Λυδαῖοι, οἱ νῦν Λυδοί· Καϊνὰν, ἀφ' οὗ Κανᾶται. Υἱοὶ δὲ τοῦ Ἀρὰμ τέσσαρες ἐγεννήθησαν· Οὒζ, ὅστις ἔκτισε ∆αμασκὸν καὶ τὴν Τραχωνῖτιν, ἥτις μέση τῆς Παλαιστίνης καὶ Κοίλης Συρίας ἐστίν· Οὒλ, ἀφ' οὗ Λαζονεῖς· Γαθὲρ, ἀφ' οὗ Σταφηνοί· Μεσὸχ, ἀφ' οὗ Μασσήνιοι. Υἱοὶ Ἀρφαξάδ· Καϊνὰν, ἀφ' οὗ Σογγοδιανοί· ἀπὸ τούτου δὲ καὶ ἡ ἀστρονομία καὶ οἰωνισμοὶ ἐπενοήθησαν. Υἱὸς δὲ ἐγένετο τῷ Καϊνὰν Σαλὰ, ἀφ' οὗ Σουσιανοί. Υἱὸς τοῦ Σαλὰ Ἕβερ, ἀφ' οὗ Ἑβραῖοι, οἵτινες τὴν ἀρχαίαν κατέσχον τὴν Ἑβραΐδα διάλεκτον, τοῦ Ἕβερ μὴ συμπαραγενομένου εἰς τὴν τοῦ πύργου οἰκοδομὴν, καὶ ἀλλοιωθέντος τὴν γλῶτταν. Υἱοὶ δὲ τοῦ Ἕβερ Φαλὲκ, ἀφ' οὗ Ἀδιαβηνοί· Ἰεκτὰν, ἀφ' οὗ Ἐδραμαῖοι. Ὁ δὲ Φαλὲκ διὰ τοῦτο ἐκλήθη Φαλὲκ, ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον τῶν ἀποικιῶν ἐτέχθη. Φαλὲκ γὰρ οἱ Ἑβραῖοι μερισμὸν λέγουσιν, ἐπ' αὐτοῦ ἐμερίσθησαν. Καὶ ὁ ὑπονοούμενος τῶν ἐτῶν τῆς τοῦ κόσμου διαμονῆς ἀριθμὸς εἰς δύο διῃρέθη ἰσαίτατα· τρισχίλια γὰρ ἐπὶ τῇ γενέσει τῆς αὐτοῦ τοῦ κόσμου ὑπάρξεως ἔτη ἐπερατώθη. Λογιζόμεθα γὰρ διαμεῖναι τὴν κτίσιν ἄχρις ἕκτης χιλιάδος, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐν ἒξ ἡμέραις ὁ Θεὸς τὴν συντέλειαν τοῦδε τοῦ παντὸς συνεστήσατο. Χιλιετεῖς δὲ τὰς ἡμέρας λογίζεσθαι τὸ Θεῖον οἶμαι· Κυρίου γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡμέρα ὡς χίλια ἔτη. Γίνεται οὖν ἀπὸ Ἀδὰμ ἐπὶ τὴν τελευτὴν Φαλὲκ ἔτη τρισχίλια. Ἐπὶ δὲ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου παρουσίαν καὶ ἀνάστασιν ἔτη πεντακισχίλια καὶ πεντακόσια τριάκοντα ἓν, ὡς λείπειν τετρακόσια πεντήκοντα ἐννέα ἔτη τῆς ἕκτης χιλιάδος. Ἔστι δὲ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου συντελείας σημεῖον τὸ σάββατον· καὶ εἰκότως ἐπ' ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ὁ Κύριος ἐπιδημήσας τῷ κόσμῳ ἐν παρασκευῇ πέπονθεν, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἡμέρα ἕκτη, καὶ ταύτης τῆς ἡμέρας ὥρα ἦν ὡσεὶ ἕκτη, ἡνίκα ἐσταυρώθη, τοῦ λόγου σημαίνοντος διὰ τοῦ τῆς ἕκτης χιλιάδος τὸ ἥμισυ· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὡρισμένως οὐκ εἶπεν ὥρα ἕκτη, ὑπεμφαίνοντος τοῦ λόγου ὀλίγῳ πλείω τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ ὑπερπαίειν. Ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν τριακονταετηρίδα Κωνσταντίνου 760 ἔτη ἐστὶ σξθʹ. Ὥσπερ δὲ ὁ Ἰωνᾶς τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ τοῦ κήτους διατρίψας ὑγιὴς ἀπεδόθη, οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς πάντες, τὰς τρεῖς τοῦ αἰῶνος διαστάσεις ποιήσαντες ἐν τῇ γῇ, ἀναστησόμεθα. Τρία γὰρ τοῦ χρόνου ἐστὶ καθολικὰ διαστήματα, ἐνεστὼς, παρῳχηκὼς, μέλλων, ὧν τὰ σύμβολα ὁ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν ᾠκονόμησε, τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας ποιήσας ἐν τῇ γῇ, διδάσκων σαφῶς, ὅτι, τῶν προειρημένων περαιωθέντων διαστημάτων τοῦ χρόνου, ἔσται ἡμῶν ἡ ἀνάστασις, τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος ἀρχὴ ὑπάρχουσα. Υἱοὶ δὲ ἐγένοντο τῷ Ἰεκτὰν, Σαλμωδὰδ, ἀφ' οὗ Ἰνδοί· Σάλεφ, ἀφ' οὗ Βάκτροι· Ἀσαρμὼθ, ἀφ' οὗ Ἄραβες· Ἰαρὰχ, ἀφ' οὗ Καρμανοί· Ὀδοῤῥὰ, ἀφ'οὗ Μάρδοι· Ἰεζεὶλ, ἀφ' οὗ Ἀῤῥιανοί· ∆εκλὰ, ἀφ' οὗ Κεδρούσιοι· Γεβὰλ, ἀφ' οὗ Σκύθαι· Ἀβιμεὴλ, ἀφ'

The Lineage of Shem to Abraham§18

18Where is Hyrcania? From Shem, the Arabs are prosperous; from Ophir, the Armenians; from Euilat, the naked sophists. All these are sons of Shem. Zalā begat Ragau, and Ragau begat Seruch; Seruch begat Nahor, and he taught him the Chaldean divination and astronomy. In the times of Seruch, the sons of Noah began to practice idolatry and to engage in all evil, to build cities, to appoint kings, to besiege, to plunder, and to take captives.

Nahor begat Terah, and Terah begat Abraham, and Nahor, and Aran. Aran begat Lot, and Sarrah, and Melchan. Aran died in a city called Ur of the Chaldeans, in which even now his tomb is shown. He died in the conflagration in which Abram burned the idols of his father upon entering and exiting them. Melchan married the sisters; Nahor married Sarrah, but Abraham married Sarrah. And they do not do this lawlessly, since there was never even a law to forbid it. For since those born of the common father Adam and his wife, being males and females, being brothers and sisters, nature calling for upbringing, brothers and sisters became necessary for the union of marriage; it is not therefore unlike that those following after this, partaking of the first succession, should follow the law of the ancestors.

Terah, having hated the Chaldean way because of the grief of his son, migrated to Mesopotamia, and there he ended his life, having lived five hundred and twenty years. From then on, the living of men was being cut short, and became shorter, until the generation of Moses. For after Moses, a limit of living became eighty years, which even he himself, having lived, exchanged the mortal life. But Abraham, the thrice-blessed, was the best astronomer, and thinking more highly than the others in virtue; among all the sons of Noah, having fallen into superstition, he alone declared the Creator of all things to be God, by imagining it from the changes of the sun and moon and from the sufferings of the earth, air, and sea.

For why, he says, do they not foresee their own order despite having power, but rather lack it? From these things it is possible to know that he does not contribute strength by his own nature, even if he seems to benefit men not a little, but according to the will of the one who made him. Toward this glory of his, the Chaldeans and those dwelling in Mesopotamia contended, and they surpassed him. And having risen up from there according to the command of God, he inhabited the land of the Canaanites.

But when a terrible famine seized him, he went into Egypt, and he proved all those Egyptians to be nothing worthy, as they were mutually disparaging one another and spreading and overturning their own customs, nor thinking, nor instituting laws. And having been marveled at for much understanding and wisdom, he hands over to them arithmetic and astronomy; for before his presence, the Egyptians had many of these; having learned them, they later bequeathed them to the Greeks. And having returned from Egypt, the son of Abraham became Ishmael from the handmaid Hagar, from whom the nation of Hagarenes and Saracens was formed; and that of the Ishmaelites from Ishmael. And Lot separates from Abraham, and he dwelt in the land of Sodom, which was condemned to be burned by heavenly fire because of lawless transgression (Gen 19:24), and even now the burnt traces of it appear; for it is possible to see the shadows of five cities, in which a fruit grows, which appears from the outside near to edible things, but being taken by hands, it is dissolved into ash and smoke.

And near to this is the Asphalt Lake, which formerly had hollow pits having asphalt, but after the destruction of the land, it has become a lake, which is also called the Dead Sea. And it has a most bitter nature and is barren; and the water has become light, so that heavy things, such as stone or iron, tossing in it, do not happen to sink into the bottom, but are instead blown up again as if by a wind and float upon the surface. For living men, being thrown upon it, spring up; but the dead sink; and burning lamps are carried up, but being extinguished, they sink to the bottom. And it brings up bitter salt, and bitumen, and lumps of black asphalt, as large as headless bulls. And the sailors, seeing these lumps, fill their boats and drag them onto the shore. But the asphalt clings to the wood of the ship and is stripped away with the wood, as if it were not possible to be detached otherwise, unless it be moistened with urine and female secretions.

Greek · §18

οὗ Ὑρκανοί· Σαβεῦ, ἀφ' οὗ Ἄραβες Εὐδαίμονες· Οὐφὶρ, ἀφ' οὗ Ἀρμένιοι· Εὐϊλὰτ, ἀφ' οὗ γυμνοσοφισταί. Οὗτοι πάντες υἱοὶ Σήμ. Ζαλὰ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ῥαγαῦ· Ῥαγαῦ δὲ τὸν Σερούχ· Σεροὺχ δὲ τὸν Ναχὼρ, καὶ ἐδίδαξεν αὐτὸν τὴν τῶν Χαλδαίων μαντείαν καὶ ἀστρονομίαν. Ἐν δὲ τοῖς χρόνοις Σεροὺχ οἱ υἱοὶ Νῶε εἰδωλολατρεῖν ἤρξαντο καὶ κακίαν πᾶσαν μετέρχεσθαι, καὶ οἰκοδομεῖν πόλεις, καὶ βασιλεῖς καθιστᾷν, καὶ πολιορκεῖν, καὶ ἁρπάζειν, καὶ αἰχμαλωτίζειν. Ναχὼρ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Θάῤῥα, Θάῤῥα δὲ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ τὸν Ναχὼρ, καὶ τὸν Ἀράν. Ἀρὰν δὲ τὸν Λὼτ, καὶ τὴν Σάῤῥαν, καὶ Μελχάν. Ὁ δὲ Ἀρὰνἀπέθανεν ἐν πόλει Οὐρὴλ λεγομένῃ τῶν Χαλδαίων, ἐν ᾗ ἔτι καὶ νῦν τάφος αὐτοῦ δείκνυται. Ἀπέθανε δὲ ἐν τῷ ἐμπυρισμῷ, ᾧ ἐνεπύρισεν Ἀβρὰμ τὰ εἴδωλα τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ εἰσελθεῖν ἐξελέσθαι αὐτά. Γαμοῦσι δὲ τὰς ἀδελφὰς Μελχὰν μὲν Ναχὼρ, Σάῤῥαν δὲ ὁ Ἀβραάμ. Καὶ οὐ παρανόμως τοῦτο ποιοῦσιν, ἐπειδὴ μηδὲ νόμος ἦν πώποτε ὁ κωλύων. Εἰ γὰρ τοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ κοινοῦ πάντων πατρὸς Ἀδὰμ καὶ τῆς τούτου γυναικὸς γεννηθέντας ἄῤῥενας καὶ θηλείας, ἀδελφοὺς ὄντας καὶ ἀδελφὰς, ἡ φύσις ἐπὶ παιδοποιίαν προκαλουμένη, ἀδελφοὺς ἀδελφαῖς ἀνάγκῃ ἐπὶ γάμου κοινωνίαν ἐνῆγεν· οὐκ ἀπεικὸς οὖν καὶ τοὺς μετὰ ταῦτα τῆς πρώτης τυγχάνοντας διαδοχῆς τοῦ νόμου τῶν προγόνων κατακολουθεῖν. Ὁ δὲ Θάῤῥα, μισήσας τὴν Χαλδαίαν διὰ τὸ πένθος τοῦ υἱοῦ, εἰς τὴν Μεσοποταμίαν μετῆλθε, κἀκεῖ ἐτελεύτησε, βιώσας ἔτη πέντε καὶ διακόσια. Ἔκτοτε γὰρ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ ζῇν συνετέμνετο, καὶ βραχύτερον ἐγένετο, ἄχρι τῆς Μωϋσέως γενέσεως. Μετὰ γὰρ Μωϋσέα ὅρος τοῦ ζῇν ἐγένετο ἔτη ρκʹ, ἅτινα καὶ αὐτὸς οὗτος ζήσας, τὸν θνητὸν βίον μετήλλαξεν. Ἀβραὰμ δὲ ὁ τρισμακάριος ἄριστος ἀστρονόμος ἐτύγχανε, καὶ μείζω τῶν ἄλλων φρονῶν ἐν ἀρετῇ· πάντων τῶν υἱῶν Νῶε εἰς δεισιδαιμονίαν καταπεπτω 761 κότων, μόνος οὗτος ∆ημιουργὸν τῶν πάντων Θεὸν ἀπεφήνατο εἶναι, ἐκ τῶν περὶ ἥλιον καὶ σελήνην ἀλλοιώσεων καὶ ἐκ τῶν περὶ γῆν, καὶ ἀέρα, καὶ θάλατταν παθημάτων εἰκάσας. ∆ιὰ τί γὰρ, φησὶν, ἰσχύος οὔσης ἐν αὐτοῖς τῆς ἑαυτῶν εὐταξίας οὐ προνοοῦνται, ἀλλ' ὑστεροῦνται ταύτης; Ἐκ γοῦν τούτων γινώσκειν ἔξεστιν, ὅτι οὐ κατ' ἰδίαν ἰσχὺν συντελεῖ, εἰ καὶ δοκεῖ εὐεργετεῖν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους οὐ μικρῶς, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν βούλησιν τοῦ ποιήσαντος. Πρὸς γοῦν τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ ταύτην οἱ Χαλδαῖοι καὶ οἱ τὴν Μεσοποταμίαν οἰκοῦντες διεφέροντο, καὶ ἀντεῖχον αὐτῷ. Καὶ ἀναστὰς ἐκεῖθεν κατὰ πρόσταγμα Θεοῦ τὴν γῆν τῶν Χαναναίων κατῴκησε. Λιμοῦ δὲ καταλαβόντος δεινοῦ, εἰς Αἴγυπτον παρεγένετο, καὶ τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους ἀλλήλοις ἀντιδοξοῦντας, καὶ τὰ νόμιμα ἑαυτῶν διαπτύοντας καὶ ἀνατρέποντας ἀπέδειξεν ἅπαντας αὐτοὺς μηδὲν ἀξιόλογον μηδὲ φρονοῦντας, μηδὲ θεσπίζοντας. Καὶ θαυμασθεὶς ἐπὶ συνέσει καὶ σοφίᾳ πολλῇ, τὴν ἀριθμητικὴν αὐτοῖς καὶ τὴν ἀστρονομίαν παραδίδωσι· πρὸ γὰρ τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ ἄπειροι τούτων ἐτύγχανον οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι· μαθόντες δὲ ὕστερον τοῖς Ἕλλησι μεταδεδώκασιν· ὑποστρέψαντι δὲ ἐκ τῆς Αἰγύπτου τῷ Ἀβραὰμ υἱὸς Ἰσμαὴλ ἐγένετο ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης Ἄγαρ, ἐξ ἧς τὸ ἔθνος Ἀγαρηνῶν τε καὶ Σαρακηνῶν συνέστη· τὸ δὲ τῶν Ἰσμαηλιτῶν ἐκ τοῦ Ἰσμαήλ. Ὁ δὲ Λὼτ χωρίζεται τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ τὴν χώραν τὴν Σοδομηνὴν ᾤκησεν, ἥτις οὐρανίῳ πυρπολήσει δι' ἄθεσμον παρανομίαν κατεδικάσθη, καὶ ἔτι καὶ νῦν κεκαυμένα αὐτῆς τὰ ἴχνη φαίνεται· ἔστι γὰρ ἰδεῖν πέντε πόλεων σκιὰς, ἐν αἷς βλαστάνει καρπὸς, ὃς φαίνεται μὲν ἔξωθεν παραπλήσιος τοῖς ἐδωδίμοις, ληφθεὶς δὲ ταῖς χερσὶν, εἰς τέφραν καὶ καπνὸν ἀναλύεται. Γειτνιᾷ δὲ ταύτῃ ἡ Ἀσφαλτῖτις λίμνη, ἣ πρότερον μὲν ἦν κοιλὰς φρέατα ἔχουσα ἀσφάλτου, ἀφανισθείσης δὲ τῆς χώρας, λίμνη γεγένηται, ἥτις καὶ Νεκρὰ θάλασσα προσαγορεύεται. Καὶ ἔστι μὲν πικροτάτη φύσει καὶ ἄγονος· κοῦφον δὲ τὸ ὕδωρ κέκτηται, ὡς τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ ῥιπτομένων βαρέων, λίθου ἢ σιδήρου, τυχὸν μὴ καταδύνειν εἰς τὸν βυθὸν, ἀλλ' αὖθις ὥσπερ ὑπὸ πνεύματος ἀναφυσᾶσθαι, καὶ ἐπιπολᾶσθαι. Ῥιφέντες γὰρ ἐπ' αὐτῇ ζῶντες ἄνθρωποι ἀναβλυστάνουσι· νεκροὶ δὲ καταδύνουσι· καὶ λύχνοι δὲ καιόμενοι ἐπιφέρονται, σβεσθέντες δὲ καταποντοῦνται. Ἀναφέρει δὲ ἅλας πικρὸν, καὶ στυπτηρίαν, καὶ τῆς ἀσφάλτου μελαίνας βώλους, ὡς ἐοικέναι τούτους ταύροις ἀκεφάλοις τὸ μέγεθος. Καὶ οἱ ναῦται, τὰς βώλους ταύτας δρασσόμενοι, πληροῦσι τὰ σκάφη, καὶ ἕλκουσιν ἐπὶ τὴν χέρσον. Προσπήγνυται δὲ τῷ ξύλῳ τοῦ πλοίου ἡ ἄσφαλτος, καὶ ἀποξυλοῦται, ὡς μὴ δύνασθαι ἄλλως ἀποκολληθῆναι, εἰ μὴ βρεχθείη οὔροις καὶ γυναικείοις ἐμμήνοις·

Abraham's Sacrifice and Isaac's Response§19

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19For it is nature to be thus. But they say that the water changes the color of the day into three, and sends out a variety of appearance reflecting the sun's ray. And Abraham, having become a hundred years old, begat a genuine child from Sarah, Isaac; and after the eighth day we circumcised him, from which this custom the Hebrews still observe, being circumcised on this very day. For the Arabs and the Ishmaelites are circumcised in the thirteenth year, since their forefather Ishmael was thus circumcised.

But having been persuaded by Sarah, Abraham sent Ishmael away elsewhere, lest after his passing, as a firstborn, he should work mischief against Isaac regarding the inheritance. Thus the descendants of Ishmael possessed the land received from the Euphrates to the Red Sea. And after time, God commanded him to bring Isaac as a sacrifice; and Abraham, regarding even this as the greatest symbol of piety, arrives with much readiness despite some extremity, and having prepared everything for the sacrifice, says to his child:

«O child, having requested you to become mine from God with ten thousand thanks, since you have passed into life, there is nothing that I have not eagerly desired concerning your upbringing, nor that for which I hoped you would more happily thrive, as if I were quickly seeing you becoming a man and leaving a successor of my rule. But since, desiring God's will, I became your father, I dedicate you again, asking this of Him. Therefore, carry out the consecration bravely; for I surrender you to God, who has made us worthy of this honor, in exchange for which He has become favorable and a protector to me. Go then, not dying by the common way of living, but being sent by your own father to God, the Father of all, by the law of sacrifice. I think you worthy of being judged by Him, neither by disease, nor by war, nor by any other of the sufferings to which men are prone, having received your soul with prayers and his liturgy. And God, providing Himself to me instead of you, shall be a guardian and a nurse for my old age.»

Having heard these things, Isaac said to him: «I would not even have been just from the beginning, if I were to be excluded from the judgment of God and Father, and not to offer myself ready to the wills of both.»

But even if the father had previously chosen only these things, it would have been wrong not to obey. And saying these things, he moved toward the altar and the sacrifice. And God, having accepted the willingness of the other, granted to the father the child, showing a ram instead of the child for a burnt offering; and immediately he brought this up instead of Isaac his child. First, the Word of God appearing to Abraham in the form of a man established the calling of the nations, which, having come to dwell among us in the world, he led to its end through his evangelical teaching into all the nations.

And Isaac, having reached forty years of age, leads Rebekah to marriage, from whom he fathered two children, Esau and Jacob. And Abraham, after Sarah's death, marries Keturah, and makes six children from her: Zembran, Iazan, Madan, Madian, Lousubakon, and Souon. And children are born also from these: from Souon, Sabakanes and Dadanes; and from this one, Latousimos, and Assuros, and Louobos; and from Madan, Hetha, Thophris, Amokhos, Ebidos, and Eldos. And Abraham thought of all these as occupying the Troglodyte region, the parts of prosperous Arabia, and as far as the Red Sea.

And from Assur, Assyria was named; but Sophren, having campaigned against Libya, took possession of it, and his descendants, that is, the sons dwelling there, named the land Africa from his name, who fought with Heracles against Antaeus the native. And Heracles leads the daughter of Oaphre, from whom he made a son, Bodoros, who fathered a son, Sophon, from whom they call the barbarians Sophons. And Abraham, having lived 170 years, died.

Jacob, having snatched away the blessing of Esau, went to Mesopotamia to Laban, the brother of his mother, and having served him, after forty years he leads his two daughters, Leah and Rachel, toward whom more fervently he went with desire. He desired her not being overcome by beauty (for as it is written, Rachel was beautiful in form and very lovely in appearance;), but because, having seen her first, as if meeting through divine economy, he greeted her and loved her, knowing that this wonder had also happened to his mother Rebekah, when, after Abraham the child had prayed, the things according to the prayers and the preordained things met him.

Greek · §19

τούτοις γὰρ εἴκειν μόνοις πέφυκεν. Ἀλλάττειν δέ φασι τῆς ἡμέρας χροιὰς τρεῖς τὸ ὕδωρ, καὶ ποικιλίαν ὄψεως ἐκπέμπειν πρὸς τὴν ἀκτῖνα τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνταυγοῦσαν. Ὁ δὲ Ἀβραὰμ, ἑκατοντούτης γενόμενος, γνήσιον 764 παῖδα ἐκ τῆς Σάῤῥας τὸν Ἰσαὰκ ἐγέννησε· καὶ μετὰ τὴν ὀγδόην ἡμέραν αὐτὸν περιέτεμεν, ἐξ οὗ καὶ νῦν τὸ ἔθος τοῦτο οἱ Ἑβραῖοι φυλάττουσι, τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ περιτεμνόμενοι. Ἄραβες γὰρ καὶ οἱ Ἰσμαηλῖται τρισκαιδεκάτῳ περιτέμνονται ἔτει, τοῦ προπάτορος αὐτῶν Ἰσμαὴλ οὕτω περιτμηθέντος. Πεισθεὶς δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς Σάῤῥας, ὁ Ἀβραὰμ τὸν Ἰσμαὴλ ἀλλαχόσε μετῴκησε, μήποτε μετὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ ἀποβίωσιν, ὡς πρωτότοκος περὶ τῶν πρεσβείων κακουργήσῃ τὸν Ἰσαάκ. Κατέσχον γοῦν τοῦ Ἰσμαὴλ οἱ ἀπόγονοι τὴν ἀπὸ Εὐφράτου καθήκουσαν γῆν ἐπὶ τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν. Μετὰ δὲ χρόνον εἰς θυσίαν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν Ἰσαὰκ ἀνενεχθῆναι αὐτῷ προσέταξεν· καὶ ὁ Ἀβραὰμ, μέγιστον καὶ τοῦτο εὐσεβείας σύμβολον ἡγησάμενος, ἀφικνεῖται σὺν πολλῇ προθυμίᾳ ἐπ' ἀκρωρείας τινὸς, καὶ πάντα τὰ πρὸς τὴν θυσίαν εὐτρεπίσας, φάσκει πρὸς τὸν παῖδα αὐτοῦ· «Ὦ παῖ, μυρίαις εὐχαῖς αἰτησάμενός σε γενέσθαι μοι παρὰ Θεοῦ, ἐπεὶ παρῆλθες εἰς τὸν βίον, οὐκ ἔστιν ὅ τι μὴ περὶ τὴν σὴν ἀνατροφὴν ἐφιλοτιμησάμην, οὐδ' ἐφ' ᾧ μᾶλλον εὐδαιμονήσειν ᾤμην, ὡς ἐπειδή μέ σε ἠνδρωμένον καὶ τελευτῶν διάδοχον ἀρχῆς τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ καταλείποιμι. Ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ Θεοῦ βουλομένου σὸς πατὴρ ἐγενόμην, πάλιν τούτῳ αἰτοῦντι ἀνατίθημί σε. Φέρε οὖν γενναίως τὴν καθιέρωσιν· τῷ Θεῷ γάρ σε παραχωρῶ, ταύτης ἀξιώσαντι παρ' ἡμῶν τῆς τιμῆς, ἀνθ' ὧν εὐμενὴς καὶ προστάτης μοι γέγονεν. Ἄπιθι οὖν οὐκ ἀποθανὼν τὸν κοινὸν ἐκ τοῦ ζῇν τρόπον, ἀλλ' ὑπὸ πατρὸς ἰδίου Θεῷ τῷ πάντων πατρὶ νόμῳ θυσίας προπεμπόμενος. Ἄξιον οἶμαί σε κρίναντος αὐτοῦ, μήτε νόσῳ, μήτε πολέμῳ, μήτε ἄλλῳ τινὶ τῶν παθῶν, ἃ συμπίπτειν ἀνθρώποις πέφυκε, μετ' εὐχῶν δὲ καὶ ἱερουργίας ἐκείνου τὴν σὴν ψυχὴν προσδεξαμένου. Ἔσῃ δέ μοι εἰς κηδεμόνα καὶ γηροκόμον τὸν Θεόν μοι ἀντὶ σαυτοῦ παρασχόμενος.» Τούτων ἀκούσας ὁ Ἰσαὰκ ἔφη πρὸς αὐτόν· «Οὐδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν γεγονέναι δίκαιος εἴην ἂν, εἰ Θεοῦ καὶ πατρὸς μέλλοιμι κρίσιν ἀπωθεῖσθαι, καὶ μὴ παρέχειν ἐμαυτὸν τοῖς ἀμφοτέρων βουλήμασιν ἑτοίμως. Ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ μόνος ταῦτα ὁ πατὴρ προῃρεῖτο, μὴ ὑπακούειν ἄδικον ἦν.» Καὶ ταῦτα λέγων ὥρμησεν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμὸν, καὶ τὴν σφαγήν. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς, τὴν ἑκατέρου προθυμίαν ἀποδεξάμενος, ἐχαρίσατο τῷ πατρὶ τὸν παῖδα, κριὸν ἀντὶ τῆς τοῦ παιδὸς δείξας ὁλοκαυτώσεως· καὶ παραχρῆμα τοῦτον ἀνήνεγκε ἀντὶ Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ. Πρώτῳ δὲ τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος ἐπιφανεὶς ἐν σχήματι ἀνθρώπου τὴν τῶν ἐθνῶν κλῆσιν ἐθέσπισεν, ἣν καθ' ἡμᾶς ἐπιδημήσας τῷ κόσμῳ, ἐπὶ πέρας ἤγαγεν διὰ τῆς εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη εὐαγγελικῆς διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ. Ἄγων δὲ τεσσαρακοστὸν ἔτος τῆς ἡλικίας ὁ Ἰσαὰκ 765 τὴν Ῥεβέκκαν πρὸς γάμον ἄγεται, ἐξ ἧς δύο παῖδας ἐγέννησεν, Ἡσαῦ καὶ Ἰακώβ. Καὶ ὁ Ἀβραὰμ, τελευτησάσης Σάῤῥας, τὴν Χεττοῦραν γαμεῖ, καὶ ποιεῖ ἓξ παῖδας ἐξ αὐτῆς, Ζεμβρὰν, Ἰαζὰν, Μαδὴν, Μαδιανὴν, Λουσουβάκον, Σοῦον. Φύονται δὲ καὶ ἐκ τούτων παῖδες, Σούου μὲν Σαβακάνης, καὶ ∆αδάνης, ἐκ δὲ τούτου Λατούσιμος, καὶ Ἄσουρος, καὶ Λούοβος· Μαδάμου δὲ Ἡθὰ, Θωφρῆς, Ἄμωχος, Ἔβιδος, Ἔλδος. Καὶ τούτοις ἅπασινἈβραὰμ ἀπὸ κοιλίας ἐπενόησεν, οἵτινες τὴν Τρογλωδύτην, καὶ τὰ μέρη τῆς Εὐδαίμονος Ἀραβίας, καὶ ὅσον ἐπὶ τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν καθήκει θάλασσαν, κατέλαβον. Καὶ ἀπὸ μὲν Ἀσοὺρ Ἀσσυρία ἐκλήθη· Σωφρὴν δὲ, ἐπὶ Λιβύην στρατεύσας, κατέσχεν αὐτὴν, καὶ οἱ ἀπόγονοι αὐτοῦ, τουτέστιν οἱ υἱωνοὶ κατοικοῦντες αὐτὴν, ἀπὸ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ τὴν χώραν Ἀφρικὴν προσηγόρευσαν, οἵτινες Ἡρακλεῖ συνεμάχησαν ἐπὶ Ἀνταῖον τὸν γηγενῆ στρατεύσαντι. Τοῦ δὲ Οὐαφρῆ θυγατέρα ἄγεται Ἡρακλῆς, ἐξ ἧς Βόδωρον παῖδα ἐποίησε, ὅστις ἐγέννησεν υἱὸν Σωφονὰ, ἐξ οὗ τοὺς βαρβάρους Σωφονὰς λέγουσιν. Ὁ δὲ Ἀβραὰμ, βιώσας ἔτη ροεʹ, ἀπέθανεν. Ἰακὼβ, παραρπάσας τὴν εὐλογίαν τοῦ Ἡσαῦ, εἰς τὴν Μεσοποταμίαν παρεγένετο πρὸς Λάβαν ἀδελφὸν τῆς μητρὸς αὑτοῦ, καὶ δουλεύσας αὐτῷ ἔτη ιδʹ τὰς δύο θυγατέρας αὐτοῦ ἄγεται, τὴν Λείαν καὶ τὴν Ῥαχὴλ, ἧς μᾶλλον εἰς ἐπιθυμίαν ἦλθεν. Ἐπεθύμησε δὲ αὐτὴν οὐ τῷ κάλλει ἡττώμενος, (ἐπειδὴ καθὼς γέγραπται, Ῥαχὴλ ἦν καλὴ τῷ εἴδει, καὶ ὡραία τῇ ὄψει σφόδρα·) ἀλλ' ὅτι, πρώτην αὐτὴν ἰδὼν, ὡς ἂν ἐκ θείας οἰκονομίας συναντήσασαν, ἠσπάσατό τε, καὶ ἠγάπησεν, εἰδὼς ὅτι τὸ θαῦμα τοῦτο, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Ῥεβέκκας γεγένηται, ὅτε, τοῦ παιδὸς Ἀβραὰμ εὐξαμένου, συνήντησεν αὐτῷ τὰ κατ' εὐχὰς, καὶ τὰ προηργμένα

The Descendants of Esau§20

20He was fulfilled through works. From Leah, six children were born to him: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; from Rachel, Joseph and Benjamin; from the handmaid Rachel, called Bilhah, Dan and Naphtali; and from the handmaid of Leah, named Zilpah, Gad and Asher. The Syrian race was established from Esau, who were also called Edomites, before being called Edomite from Esau, because the red one desired the lentil from him; for the Hebrews call the red one 'Edom'. Later they were renamed Syrians, after a certain Syrius held dominion over their nation.

Esau took three Canaanite women for marriage: Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite; Elivam, the daughter of Enan the Hebrew; and Basemath, the daughter of Ishmael, the sister of Neboth. From Adah he begat Eliphaz; from Basemath, Raguel; and from Elivam, Jehud, Ieglom, and Core. Having made these families in the land of the Canaanites, he fled to Mount Seir, because his brother Jacob could not return from Mesopotamia to dwell with him due to the multitude of things they possessed. Having made children there also, he named him Edom after his own name.

Genuine children also came to his sons: to Eliphaz five, namely Teman, Hummar, Zophar, Gomoth, and Kenex, in whom there was also illegitimacy, as Amalek was born to him from a concubine named Timna; and to Raguel, four children were also born, namely Namin, Zares, Some, and Rose; and Edom had eleven: Thamma, Gola, Jothom, Ailibiman, Ielas, Phinon, Kenux, Teman, Mazari, Maediel, and Zephon.

To Seir the Horite, who had inhabited the land, five sons were born: Shobal, Zebegun, Anadison, Asher, and Reson; and to Lot, two, Chorrei and Eman. And Timna was the sister of Lot, who bore Amalek to Eliphaz. Shobal, the son of Seir, made five children: Odomnan, Nachath, Gebuel, Soph, and Omman; and Osebegun two, Aidei and Ainan, who found Amin in the desert grazing the livestock of his father Zebegun. Ainan begat the daughter of Dishon and Elibam; and Dishon begat Amadan, Asvan, Gethran, and Harran.

Asher, the fourth son of Sheer, begat four children: Balam, Zukam, Iukam, and Ukam; and the fifth son of Sheer was Oresh, the son of Ossar. Before kings reigned in Israel, these kings reigned in Edom: Balak, son of Beor, whose city was named Debaba; after him Jobab, son of Zarrha the Essite; after him Azom, the Temanite; after him Adad, son of Barad, who cut down Midian in the field, and whose city was named Gethem; after him Samalak, the Mesekkite; after him Saul, the one from Rabbah by the river; and after him Balaenon, son of Abhochur, having a wife named Methebel, daughter of Matrad, son of Mezooph, all of whom were forty years of age.

The sons of Jacob, hating Joseph their brother with envy, gave him to the Ishmaelites (Genesis 37:28). And they themselves went to Egypt to Potiphar, the chief cook of Pharaoh (Genesis 37:36). And in this time Judah went to some Irani, an Odollamite; and having seen there a Canaanite woman named Shavan, he takes her for a wife and bears four children from her: Er, Onan, Shelem, and Perez. And Judah takes for his firstborn son Er a wife named Tamar; and because of much wickedness in his ways, Er dies in childhood, God having killed him (Genesis 38:7). And Judah permits his second son Onan to lie with Tamar, so that the seed might rise up for his brother. And Onan, knowing that the offspring of the children was not his, while he was about to lie with the woman, poured out his semen on the ground (Genesis 38:9); and being embittered at this by God, he died immediately.

And Judah commands Tamar to sit in the houses of her father as a widow, until Shelem grows up. When he had become a man, he feared to join him to Tamar, inquiring lest this one also should perish. She, being grieved at this, repaid Judah in this way: when he had gone out to the sheepfold, having heard this, she put off her widow's garment and put on costly clothing, and sat by the gates of the city Ainann; whom Judah, passing by from there, saw, and was enticed by her as a prostitute; for she had covered her face so as not to be recognized, and promising to send her a kid, he deemed it worthy to mingle with her.

Greek · §20

αὐτῷ δι' ἔργων ἐπληρώθη. Τίκτονται δὲ παῖδες ἐκ τῆς Λείας ἓξ αὐτῷ· Ῥουβὴν, Συμεὼν, Λευὶ, Ἰούδας, Ἰσσάχαρ, Ζαβουλών· ἐκ τῆς Ῥαχὴλ δὲ Ἰωσὴφ καὶ Βενιαμίν· ἐκ δὲ τῆς παιδίσκης Ῥαχὴλ τῆς Βάλλης, ∆ὰν καὶ Νεφθαλείμ· ἐκ δὲ τῆς παιδίσκης Λείας ὀνόματι Σελφὰς, Γὰδ καὶ Ἀσήρ. Τὸ δὲ Σύρων γένος ἐκ τοῦ Ἡσαῦ συνέστηκεν, οἳ καὶ Ἰδουμαῖοι ἐκαλοῦντο, τοῦ πρὶν Ἰδουμαίου τοῦ Ἡσαῦἐπικληθέντος, διὰ τὸ ξανθῆς ἐπιθυμῆσαι αὐτὸν φακῆς· Ἰδουμὰ γὰρ οἱ Ἑβραῖοι τὸ ξανθὸν λέγουσι. Ὕστερον δὲ Σύροι μετωνομάσθησαν, Σύρου τινὸς ὀνόματι τοῦ ἔθνους αὐτῶν κρατήσαντος. Ὁ δὲ Ἡσαῦ γυναῖκας τρεῖς ἀπὸ τῶν Χαναναίων πρὸς γάμον ἄγεται, τὴν Ἀδδὰ θυγατέρα Ἐλὼμ τοῦ Χετταίου, καὶ τὴν Ἐλιβεμὰν θυγατέρα Ἐνὰν τοῦ Ἑβραίου, καὶ τὴν Βασεμμὰθ θυγατέρα Ἰσμαὴλ, ἀδελφὴν δὲ Ναβεώθ. Καὶ ἐκ μὲν τῆς Ἀδδᾶς τὴν Ἐλιφὰζ, ἐκ δὲ τῆς Βασεμμὰθ τὸν Ῥαγγὴλ, καὶ ἐκ τῆς Ἐλιβεμὰν τὸν Ἰεοὺλ, καὶτὸν Ἰεγλὸμ, καὶ τὸν Κορὲ ἐγέννησε. Τούτους ἐν τῇ τῶν Χαναναίων ποιήσας γῇ, εἰς Σηεὶρ ὄρος μετῴκησε, διὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἰακὼβ ἐκ 768 τῆς Μεσοποταμίας ἐπανελθόντος ὁμοσκηνεῖν διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ὑπαρχόντων αὐτοῖς. Ποιήσας οὖν κἀκεῖθεν παῖδα, ἐκ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἐπωνυμίας Ἐδὼμ αὐτὸν ἐπωνόμασε. Ἐγένοντο δὲ καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ παῖδες γνήσιοι, τῷ μὲν Ἐλιφὰς πέντε, Θεμὰν, Ὑμὰρ, Σωφὰρ, Γομὸθ, Κενὲξ, ἐν οἷς ἦν καὶ νόθος, τεχθεὶς αὐτῷ Ἀμαλὴκ ἐκ παλλακίδος Θαμνᾶς ὀνόματι· τῷ δὲ Ῥαγουὴλ καὶ αὐτῷ τέσσαρες παῖδες ἐτέχθησαν, Ναμὶν, Ζαρὲς, Σομὲ, Ῥοζέ· καὶ Ἐδὼμ ἕνδεκα, Θαμμὰ, Γωλὰ, Ἰοθὸμ, Αἰλιβαιμὰν, Ἰήλας, Φίνων, Κενὺξ, Θεμὰν, Μαζαριεὶ, Μαεδιὴλ, Ζεφονήν. Τῷ δὲ Σηεὶρ τῷ Χωῤῥαίῳ τῷ τὴν γῆν τοῦ Λωτὰν κατοικήσαντι υἱοὶ πέντε ἐγένοντο, Σώβαλ, Σεβεγὼν, Ἀναδησὼν, Ἀσὴρ, Ῥησών· καὶ τῷ Λωτὰν δύο, Χωῤῥεὶ, Ἐμάν. Ἡ δὲ Θαμνὰ ἀδελφὴ τοῦ Λωτὰν ἐτύγχανεν, ἥτις τὸν Ἀμαλὴκ τῷ Ἐλιφὰζ ἐγέννησεν. Ὁ δὲ Σωβὰλ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Σηεὶρ πέντε παῖδας ἐποίησεν, Ὀδομνὰν, Ναχὰθ, Γεβεὴλ, Σὼφ, Ὠμνᾶν· καὶ Ὀσεβεγὼν δύο, Αἰδεὶ καὶ Αἰνὰν, ὅστις εὗρεν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τὸν Ἀμὶν τὰ ὑποζύγια νέμοντα τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ Σεβεγών. Αἰνὰν δὲ τὸν ∆ησὼν καὶ Ἐλιβαμὰ θυγατέρα ἐγέννησεν· ὁ δὲ ∆ησὼν τὸν Ἀμαδὰν, καὶ Ἀσβὰν, καὶ Γεθρὰν, καὶ Χαρῥάν. Ὁ δὲ Ἀσὴρ ὁ τέταρτος υἱὸς τοῦ Σηεὶρ, τέσσαρας παῖδας ἐγέννησεν, Βαλὰμ, Ζουκὰμ, Ἰουκὰμ, Οὐκάμ· ὁ δὲ πέμπτος υἱὸς τοῦ Σηεὶρ Ὀρήσων τὸν Ὠσσαράν. Πρὸ δὲ τοῦ βασιλεῦσαι βασιλέας ἐν Ἰσραὴλ, τῆς Ἐδὼμ οὗτοι οἱ βασιλεῖς ἐβασίλευσαν· Βαλὰκ υἱὸς Βεὼρ καὶ ὄνομα τῇ πόλει αὐτοῦ ∆ενάβα, μεθ' ὃν Ἰωβὰβ υἱὸς Ζαῤῥὰ ὁ ἐκ Βοσσύρας, μεθ' ὃν Ἀζὸμ ὁ ἐκ γῆς Θεμανὼν, μεθ' ὃν Ἀδὰδ, υἱὸς Βαρὰδ, ὅστις ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ Μωὰβ ἐξέκοψε τὴν Μαδιὰμ, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ πόλει αὐτοῦ Γετθέμ· μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον Σαμαλὰκ ὁ ἐκ Μασέκκας, μεθ' ὃν Σαοὺλ ὁ ἐκ Ῥοβὼθ τῆς παρὰ τὸν ποταμὸν, μεθ' ὃν Βαλαεννὼν υἱὸς Ἀβοχὼρ ἔχων γυναῖκα ὀνόματι Μετεβεὴλ, θυγατέρα Ματρὰδ, υἱοῦ Μεζοὼφ, οἳ πάντες ἦσαν ἔτη ἀριθμὸν φʹ. Οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ Ἰακὼβ, τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτῶν Ἰωσὴφ φθόνῳ μισήσαντες, τοῖς Ἰσμαηλίταις ἀπέδοντο. καὶ αὐτοὶ εἰς Αἴγυπτον τῷ Πετεφρῇ τῷ ἀρχιμαγείρῳ Φαραώ. Καὶ ἐν τῷ χρόνῳ τούτῳ Ἰούδας ἀφικνεῖται πρὸς Ἰράν τινα Ὀδολλαμίτην· καὶ θεασάμενος ἐκεῖ Χαναναίαν γυναῖκα Σάβαν ὀνόματι, ταύτην πρὸς γάμον ἄγεται, καὶ ποιεῖ παῖδας ἐξ αὐτῆς τέσσαρας, Ἢρ, Αὐνὰν, Σηλὼμ, Φαρές. Καὶ Ἰούδας λαμβάνει τῷ πρωτοτόκῳ αὐτοῦ υἱῷ τῷ Ἢρ γυναῖκα ὀνόματι Θάμαρ, καὶ διὰ πονηρίαν πολλὴν τῶν τρόπων αὑτοῦ ἄπαις ἀποθνήσκει, τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτὸν θανατώσαντος. Καὶ ἐπιτρέπει ὁ Ἰούδας τῷ δευτέρῳ αὐτοῦ παιδὶ Αὐνὰν συνευνασθῆναι τῇ Θάμαρ, ὥστε ἀναστῆσαι σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ὁ Αὐνὰν γνοὺς, ὅτι οὐκ αὐτῷ καθῆκεν ἡ τῶν τέκνων σπορὰ, ἐν τῷ μέλλειν συνεῖναι τῇ γυναικὶ ἐξέχεεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς αὑτοῦ τὴν γονήν· καὶ νεμεσηθεὶς ἐπὶ τοῦτο ὑπὸ Θεοῦ, παραχρῆμα ἀπέθανεν. Καὶ ὁ Ἰούδας κελεύει τὴν Θάμαρ ἐν τοῖς πατρῴοις οἵκοις χήραν καθέζεσθαι, ἕως οὗ ὁ Σηλὼμ αὔξεται. Ἀνδρωθέντος οὖν αὐτοῦ ἐφοβήθη συνάψαι αὐτὸν τῇ Θάμαρ, ὑποτοπήσας μὴ καὶ οὗτος ἀπολεῖται. Ἡ δὲ ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἀχθεῖσα ὀδυνηρῶς, τοιῷδε τρόπῳ τὸν Ἰούδαν ἀμείβεται. Ἀφιχθέντος οὖν αὐτοῦ 769 ἐπὶ τὴν κουρὰν τῶν προβάτων, ἀκούσασα αὐτὴ ἀπαμφίσκεται μὲν τὴν ἐσθῆτα τὴν πενθικὴν, ἀμφιέννυται δὲ πολυτελῆ, καὶ πρὸς ταῖς πύλαις τῆς πόλεως Αἰνὰν ἐκαθέζετο, ἣν ὁ Ἰούδας ἐκεῖθεν παριὼν θεασάμενος, ὡς ἑταίρας ἠράσθη αὐτῆς· τὸ γὰρ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐπιγνωσθῆναι ἐπεκάλυψε, καὶ ὑποσχόμενος αὐτῇ ἔριφον ἀποστεῖλαι, ἠξίου συμμιγῆναι

The Deception of Tamar and the Lineage of Christ§21

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21To her. But she had not seen him before, except that she had taken the ring, the cord, and the staff. As soon as he had intercourse with her, he went to his own pastures; but she, having changed back into the widow's clothes, was hiding unnoticed.

After Judas had sent away the servant, the servant searched for the cord and the things following, and did not find them; he was being torn by the absurdity, but he was enduring, desiring to see the deception fully. After time had passed, Tamar became pregnant, and Judah, having heard that she had conceived through fornication, commanded that she be burned alive.

But the woman being led away sends to Judah the cord, the ring, and the staff, saying: 'From the man to whom these belong, I have conceived; therefore recognize whose the ring is, and the cord, and the staff.' And Judah, mocking at the matter, and then becoming enraged, was reproaching himself for the injustice, saying: 'She is justified, or I, because of whom I did not give her to my son Shelah.'

But she, having given birth, brought forth twins in delivering. And the elder, that is, the first, put forth his hand, and the midwife tied red wool to his hand, saying: 'This one will come out first'; and immediately the child drew his hand inward, and his brother came out first and his name was called Perez; and after this the brother came out, on whom the red was in the hand, and he was named Zerah. Of these Joseph was a descendant, the one who remembers the immaculate Mary, from whom Christ took his flesh.

For Perez, as the evangelist Matthew recounts (Matt 1:3), begat Esrron, and Esrron begat Aram, and Aram begat Aminadab, and Aminadab begat Naasson, and Naasson begat Salmon, and Salmon begat Booz, and Booz begat Obed from Ruth, and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon from the woman of Uriah, and Solomon begat Rehoboam, and Rehoboam begat Abijah, and Abijah begat Asa, and Asa begat Jehoshaphat; and Jehoshaphat begat Joram, and Joram begat Ozias, and Ozias begat Jehoiakim, and Jehoiakim begat Jeconias and his brothers during the deportation to Babylon; and after the deportation to Babylon, Jeconias begat Salathiel, and Salathiel begat Zorobabel, and Zorobabel begat Abiud, and Abiud begat Eliakim, and Eliakim begat Azor, and Azor begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Achim, and Achim begat Eliud, and Eliud begat Eleazar, and Eleazar begat Matthan, and Matthan begat Jacob, and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus who is called the Christ (Matt 1:16). All the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ are fourteen generations.

It is necessary for us to seek by what kind of logic Matthew and Luke disagree (Luke 3:23) concerning Joseph in the genealogy: the one writes Jacob as the son of Matthan, but Luke writes him the son of Heli of Melchi; and how these, being of different generations, both Melchi and Matthan appear as grandfathers of Joseph. This is therefore being made clear. For first Matthan, the one of the lineage of Solomon, takes a wife named Ethan, and from this he begets Jacob, and dies. And Melchi, the one of the lineage of Matthan, takes her, and produces from her Heli. And so then both Matthan and Melchi, having taken the same woman, are two half-brothers.

Greek · §21

αὑτῇ. Ἡ δὲ οὐ πρότερον εἶξεν, εἰ μὴ ἐνέχυρον τὸν δακτύλιον, καὶ τὸν ὁρμίσκον, καὶ τὴν βακτηρίαν εἴληφεν. Ὡς δὲ συνεμίγη αὐτῇ, αὐτὸς μὲν εἰς τὰ ποίμνια αὐτοῦ ἀφίκετο· ἡ δὲ μεταμφιεσαμένη πάλιν τὰ τῆς χήρας ἐνδύματα, ἐκρύπτετο λανθάνουσα. Ὡς δ' ἀποστείλας ὁ Ἰούδας τὸν ἔριφον ἐπεζήτει τὸν ὁρμίσκον καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, καὶ οὐχ εὗρεν, ἐπὶ τῷ παραλογισμῷ διεπρίετο μέντοι, ἐκαρτέρει δὲ φωρᾶσαι παντοίως τὴν ἀπάτην βουλόμενος. Χρόνου οὖν παρελθόντος ἔγγυος ἡ Θάμαρ γίνεται, καὶ ἀκούσας ὁ Ἰούδας, ὅτι ἐκ πορνείας συνείληφε, προστάττει ζῶσαν αὐτὴν καταφλεχθῆναι. Ἡ δὲ ἀγομένη ἀποστέλλει τῷ Ἰούδᾳ τὸν ὁρμίσκον, καὶ τὸν δακτύλιον, καὶ τὴν ῥάβδον, φάσκουσα· Ἐκ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, οὗτινος ταῦτά ἐστι, ἐγὼ συνείληφα, Ἐπίγνωθι οὖν τίνος ὁ δακτύλιος, καὶ ὁ ὁρμίσκος, καὶ ἡ ῥάβδος. Ὁ δὲ Ἰούδας, σχετλιάσας ἐπὶ τῷ πράγματι. καὶ ἔνθους γενόμενος, αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ κατεμέμφετο, λέγων· ∆εδικαίωται αὕτη, ἢ ἐγὼ, οὗ ἕνεκεν οὐκ ἔδωκα αὐτὴν Σηλὼμ τῷ υἱῷ μου. Αὕτη δὲ, γενομένη ἐπίτεξ, διδύμους ἐν τῷ τίκτειν προσήνεγκεν. Καὶ ὁ μὲν μείζων, τουτέστιν ὁ πρῶτος τὴν χεῖρα αὑτοῦ προεξέβαλε, καὶ ἡ μαῖα λῶμα κόκκινον τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ προσέδησε, φάσκουσα· Οὗτος ἐξελεύσεται πρῶτος· καὶ εὐθέως τὸ παιδίον τὴν χεῖρα ἕνδον συνήγαγε, καὶ ἐξῆλθε πρῶτος ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκλήθη τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Φαρές· καὶ μετὰ τοῦτον ἐξῆλθεν ὁ ἀδελφὸς, ἐφ' ᾧ ἦν τὸ κόκκινον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ, καὶ ἐπωνομάσθη Ζαρά. Τούτων ἐτύγχανεν ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἀπόγονος ὁ μνήστωρ τῆς ἀχράντου Μαρίας, ἐξ ἧς ὁ Χριστὸς τὸ σαρκίον ἀνείληφεν. Φαρὲς γὰρ, ὡς ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς Ματθαῖος ἱστορεῖ, ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἐσρὼμ, Ἐσρὼμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀρὰμ, Ἀρὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀμιναδὰβ, Ἀμινδὰβ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ναασσὼν, Ναασσὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Σαλμὼν, Σαλμὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Βοὸζ, Βοὸζ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ὀβὴδ ἐκ τῆς Ῥοὺθ, Ὀβὴδ δεἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰεσσαὶ, Ἰεσσαὶ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν ∆αυῒδ τὸν βασιλέα· ∆αυῒδ δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐγέννησε τὸν Σολομῶνα ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Οὐρίου, Σολομὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ῥοβοὰμ, Ῥοβοὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀβιὰ,Ἀβιὰ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀσὰ, Ἀσὰ δὲ ἐγέννησετὸν Ἰωσαφάτ· Ἰωσαφὰτ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰωρὰμ,Ἰωρὰμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ὀζίαν, Ὀζίας δὲ ἐγέννησετὸν Ἰωάθαμ, Ἰωάθαμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἐζεκίαν, Ἐζκίας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Μανασσῆ, Μανασσῆς δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀμμὼν, Ἀμμὼν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰωσίαν, Ἰωσίας δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰεχονίαν καὶτοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος· μετὰ δὲ τὴν μετοικεσίαν Βαβυλῶνος, Ἰεχονίας ἐγέννησε τὸν Σαλαθιὴλ, Σαλαθιὴλ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ζοροβάβελ, Ζοροβάβελ δὲ ἐγέννησε 772 τὸν Ἀβιοὺδ, Ἀβιοὺδ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἐλιακεὶμ,Ἐλιακεὶμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀζὼρ, Ἀζὼρ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Σαδὼκ, Σαδὼκ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀχεὶμ, Ἀχεὶμ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἐλιοὺδ, Ἐλιοὺδ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἐλεάζαρ, Ἐλεάζαρ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ματθὰν, Ματθὰν δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰακὼβ, Ἰακὼβ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἰωσὴφ τὸν ἄνδρα Μαρίας, ἐξ ἧς ἐγεννήθη Ἰησοῦς ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός. Πᾶσαι νῦν αἱ γενεαὶ ἀπὸ Ἀβραὰμ ἕως ∆αυῒδ γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες, καὶ ἀπὸ ∆αυῒδ ἕως τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος ἕως τοῦ Χριστοῦ γενεαὶ δεκατέσσαρες. Ζητητέον δὲ ἡμῖν κατὰ ποῖον λόγον ὁ Ματθαῖος καὶ ὁ Λουκᾶς ἐν τῇ γενεαλογίᾳ διαφωνοῦσι τοῦ Ἰωσήφ· ὁ μὲν υἱὸν Ἰακὼβ γράφων αὐτὸν υἱοῦ Ματθὰν, ὁ δὲ Λουκᾶς υἱὸν Ἡλεὶ τοῦ Μελχεί· καὶ πῶς οὗτοι, διαφόρων γενῶν ὑπάρχοντες, ὅ τε Μελχεὶ καὶ ὁ Ματθὰν, πάπποι τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ἀναφαίνονται. Ἔστιν οὖν τοῦτο σαφηνιζόμενον. Πρῶτος γὰρ Ματθὰν, ὁ ἐκ γένους Σολομῶντος, ἄγεται γυναῖκα Αἰθὰν ὀνόματι, καὶ ἐκ ταύτης γεννᾷ τὸν Ἰακὼβ, καὶ ἀποθνήσκει. Καὶ ἄγεται αὐτὴν ὁ Μελχεὶ ὁ ἐκ γένους Ματθὰν, ἐκποιεῖ ἐξ αὐτῆς τὸν Ἡλεί. Καὶ δὴ οὖν ὅ τε Ματθὰν καὶ ὁ Μελχεὶ, τὴν αὐτὴν ἀγαγόμενοι γυναῖκα, δύο ὁμομητρίους

The Parents of Mary§22

22They married brothers, so that we find Jacob and Heli from two different races. As for Heli, having taken a wife, he died childless, and his brother Jacob took his wife, so that according to the law he might raise up children for the brother, and beget Joseph from her. Thus Joseph was a son of Jacob by nature, but of Heli by law. It is worthy also for the history, which a certain Jacob will continue regarding the holy Mary, to come forward. For it is said that among the tribes of Israel a man named Joachim had become rich, who at the feast offered double the usual gifts to God, saying: 'The property of all the people, and the remission for propitiation, are to me, Lord God.'

Standing at the greatest feast of the Lord, while all were offering gifts to God according to custom, he himself was moved to offer first. And a certain Reuben forbade him to approach first, saying that it was not permitted for him, because he had become childless in Israel. And being saddened by this, he went into the wilderness, and there, having pitched a tent, he implored God to grant him also, just as to Abraham a child of legitimate birth; for he knew himself to be in Israel. Even until the days of fasting forty days he implored God. Similarly also his wife, having put on humble clothing, desired to find favor with God.

When the greatest day of God arrived, she puts on a bright garment; for it was not proper to wear mourning clothing on this feast. Concerning the ninth hour of the day, having sat under a tree in its paradise, she implored God, saying: 'God of our fathers, bless me, and hear my prayer, just as you blessed the womb of Sarah, and gave her a son, Isaac.' And saying these things, she looked toward the tree, and having seen a sparrow feeding its young ones, bitterly sighing and crying out, she said: 'O Lord, that I am not even like these winged ones, to whom fertility belongs!' And after she cried these things to God, an angel of the Lord appearing to her announces to her a child-bearing. And she, having heard, immediately promised to dedicate the one born to God. Such things also the angel signaled to Joachim on the mountain.

And having descended from the mountain, Joachim offered ten lambs as a sacrifice to the Lord, and twelve calves to the priests, and one hundred he-goats to the elders and to all the people. And having completed these sacrifices in the temple of God, he arrived at his house; and having known his wife, he made a daughter from her, and named her Mary, who, having been dedicated to the temple of God for three years.

When she had become twelve years old, the priests made a consultation concerning whom they should join her in marriage. And they permitted the high priest Zechariah, having entered into the Holy of Holies, to ask God to reveal to him whom it was proper for her to be joined to. And while Zechariah was praying, an angel appeared, signifying that he should gather all the ministers of the people together and have each one hold a rod; and to whomever God should show a sign, to him should he join the virgin. And Zechariah, having come out, did thus, just as the angel had commanded him. And having taken the rods of all, he went into the temple and prayed, and having come out, he handed the individual rod to each one. But when he was last handing the rod to Joseph, a great sign occurred. For immediately as he was receiving the rod from the priest, a dove flew out from the rod and sat upon the head of Joseph; and the high priest and all the attending priests, marveling at the event, judged him to be the bridegroom of the maiden, whom Joseph had been guarding and, having left her in his house, arrived at the buildings after completing the construction; for he was a builder by trade.

At that same time, it seemed good to the priests that a veil be made for the temple by pure virgins, and seven virgins were found in the tribe of Judah. And Zechariah, remembering Mary, commanded that she also should be present for the casting of lots; and having brought them into the house of God, he commanded them to cast lots for which material to take: gold, or unmixed linen, or fine linen, or silk, or true purple, or hyacinth, or scarlet; and Mary was chosen to work with the purple and the scarlet. And indeed, while she was working at the house, an angel appeared and announces the miraculous birth to her, just as the Gospels recount. And once having completed the task assigned to her, she gives it to the high priest, and having been blessed by him, she departs.

Greek · §22

ἐπαιδοποιήσαντο ἀδελφοὺς, διὸ καὶ ἐκ διαφόρων δύο γενῶν εὑρίσκομεν τὸν Ἰακὼβ καὶ τὸν Ἡλεί. Ἡλεὶ δὲ, λαβὼν γυναῖκα, ἄπαις ἐτελεύτησε, καὶ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ Ἰακὼβ ἔλαβε τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, ὅπως κατὰ τὸν νόμον ἐγείρῃ τέκνα τῷ ἀδελφῷ, καὶ γεννᾷ ἐξ αὐτῆς τὸν Ἰωσήφ. Ὥστε οὖν κατὰ φύσιν μὲν ἦν υἱὸς τοῦ Ἰακὼβ ὁ Ἰωσὴφ, κατὰ νόμον δὲ τοῦ Ἡλεί. Ἄξιον δὲ καὶ τὴν ἱστορίαν, ἣν διέξεισι περὶ τῆς ἁγίας Μαρίας Ἰάκωβός τις, ἐπελθεῖν. Φάσκει γὰρ, ἐν ταῖς φυλαῖς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἄνδρα πλούσιον γεγενῆσθαι ὀνόματι Ἰωακεὶμ, ὃς καθ' ἑορτὴν διπλάσιον τῶν ἅλλων δῶρα τῷ Θεῷ προσεκόμιζεν, οὕτω λέγων· Τὸ τῆς περιουσίας ἐν παντὶ τῷ λαῷ, καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀφέσεως εἰς ἱλασμὸν ἐμοὶ Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ. Ἐνστάσης οὖν τῆς μεγίστης τοῦ Κυρίου ἑορτῆς, καὶ πάντων κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς τὰ δῶρα τῷ Θεῷ προσκομιζόντων, προσενεγκεῖν πρῶτος αὐτὸς ὥρμησεν. Καὶ Ῥουβίν τις διεκώλυσεν αὐτὸν προσοῖσαι πρῶτον, λέγων, μὴ ἐξεῖναι αὐτῷ, καθότι ἄτεκνος ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ καθέστηκε. Καὶ λυπηθεὶς ἐπὶ τοῦτο, εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἀφίκετο, κἀκεῖ πήξας σκηνὴν ἱκέτευε τὸν Θεὸν παρασχεῖν καὶ αὐτῷ, ὥσπερ τῷ Ἀβραὰμ γνησίου παιδὸς σποράν· μόνον γὰρ ἐγνώκει ἑαυτὸν ὑπάρχειν ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ· ἄχρις ἡμερῶν νηστεύων τεσσαράκοντα ἱκέτευε τὸν Θεόν. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἡ ὁμόζυγος αὐτοῦ, περιθεμένη ἐσθῆτα εὐτελῆ, ἐδεῖτο τοῦ Θεοῦ τυχεῖν γονῆς. Ἐπιστάσης δὲ τῆς μεγίστης ἡμέρας τοῦ Θεοῦ, λαμπρὰν στολὴν ἀμφιέννυται· οὐ γὰρ ἦν θεμιτὸν ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ ἑορτῇ πένθιμον ἠμφιέσθαι στολήν. Περὶ γοῦν τὴν ἐννάτην ὥραν τῆς ἡμέρας ὑπό τι δένδρον ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ αὐτῆς καθεσθεῖσα. ἱκέτευε λέγουσα τῷ Θεῷ· «Ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, εὐλόγησόν με, καὶ ἐπάκουσον τῆς δεήσεώς μου, καθὼς εὐλόγησας τὴν μήτραν Σάῤῥας, καὶ ἔδωκας αὐτῇ υἱὸν τὸν Ἰσαάκ.» Καὶ ταῦτα λέγουσα ἀφορᾷ εἰς τὸ δένδρον, καὶ θεασαμένη στρουθὸν τὰ νεοσσία ἑαυτοῦ πε 773 ριέποντα, πικρῶς στενάξασα, καὶ κωκύσασα εἶπε· «Ὦ δὴ, Κύριε, ὅτι οὐδὲ τοῖς πετεινοῖς τούτοις ὡμοίωμαι γονίμοις ὑπάρχουσι!» Καὶ ταῦτα βοώσης αὐτῆς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἐπιφανεὶς αὐτῇ εὐαγγελίζεται αὐτῇ παιδοποιίαν. Ἡ δὲ ἀκούσασα εὐθὺς τὸ γεννηθὲν ἀναθεῖναι τῷ Θεῷ ἐπηγγείλατο. Τοιαῦτα δὲ καὶ τῷ Ἰωακεὶμ ὁ ἄγγελος ἐν τῷ ὄρει διεσήμανε. Καὶ καταβὰς Ἰωακεὶμ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄρους, δέκα ἀμνάδων θυσίαν τῷ Κυρίῳ προσήνεγκε, καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι μόσχους δεκαδύο, καὶ τῇ γερουσίᾳ καὶ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ ἑκατὸν χιμάρους. Καὶ ἐπιτελέσας τὰς θυσίας ταύτας ἐν τῷ ναῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀφικνεῖται εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ· καὶ γνοὺς τὴν γυναῖκα αὑτοῦ, ποιεῖ ἐξ αὐτῆς θυγατέρα, καὶ ὀνομάζει αὐτὴν Μαριὰμ, ἥντινα τριετῆ γενομένην τῷ ναῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀφιέρωσαν. Γενομένης δὲ αὐτῆς δωδεκαετοῦς, οἱ ἱερεῖς συμβούλιον ἐποιήσαντο, τῶν τίνι αὐτὴν πρὸς γάμον συνάψωσι. Καὶ ἐπιτρέπουσι τὸν ἀρχιερέα Ζαχαρίαν, εἰς τὰ Ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων εἰσελθόντα, αἰτήσασθαι τὸν Θεὸν ἀποκαλύψαι αὐτῷ, τὸ τίνι προσήκει ζευχθῆναι αὐτήν. Καὶ τοῦ Ζαχαρίου εὐχομένου, ἄγγελος ἐπιφανεὶς σημαίνει πάντας συναγαγεῖ τοῦ λαῦ τοὺς χηρεύοντας, καὶ κατέχειν ἕκαστον ῥάβδον· καὶ ᾧ ἂν ὁ Θεὸς ἐπιδείξῃ σημεῖον, τούτῳ συνάψαι τὴν παρθένον. Ἐξελθὼν δὲ ὁ Ζαχαρίας ἐποίησεν οὕτως, καθὼς ὁ ἄγγελος αὐτῷ προσέταξε. Καὶ λαβὼν πάντων τὰς ῥάβδους αὐτῶν, ἀπῆλθεν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, καὶ προσηύξατο, καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἑκάστῳ τὴν ἰδίαν ῥάβδον ἀπένειμε. Τελευταῖον δὲ ἐπιδιδοὺς τὴν ῥάβδον τῷ Ἰωσὴφ, σημεῖον μέγα ἐγένετο. Ἀθρόως γὰρ τὴν ῥάβδον αὐτοῦ παρὰ τοῦ ἱερέως λαμβάνοντος, περιστερὰ ἐξέπτη ἀπὸ τῆς ῥάβδου, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐκαθέσθη τοῦ Ἰωσήφ· καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ πάντες οἱ συνόντες ἱερεῖς, θαυμάσαντες τὸ γεγονὸς, αὐτὸν γενέσθαι μνηστῆρα τῆς κόρης ἔκριναν, ἣν λαβὼν ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἐφύλασσε, καὶ καταλιπὼν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ ἀφικνεῖται τὰς οἰκοδομὰς ἐκτελέσων· ἦν γὰρ τέκτων τῇ ἐπιστήμῃ. Κατ' ἐκεῖνον δὲ τὸν καιρὸν ἔδοξε τοῖς ἱερεῦσι κατασκευασθῆναι ὑπὸ ἁγνῶν παρθένων τῷ ναῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ καταπέτασμα, καὶ εὑρέθησαν ἐν τῇ φυλῇ Ἰούδα παρθένοι ἑπτά. Καὶ τῆς Μαρίας δὲ μνησθεὶς Ζαχαρίας, ἐκέλευσε καὶ αὐτὴν παρεῖναι εἰς τὸν κατάλογον· καὶ εἰσαγαγὼν αὐτὰς εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ, κλῆρον βαλεῖν προσέταξε, ποίαν οἶσαι τὸν χρυσὸν καὶ τὸ ἀμίαντον καὶ τὴν βύσσον, καὶ τὸ σηρικὸν, καὶ τὴν ἀληθῆ πορφύραν, καὶ τὸν ὑάκινθον, καὶ τὸν κόκκον· καὶ ἐκληρώθη Μαρία τὴν πορφύραν καὶ τὸν κόκκον ἐργάζεσθαι. Καὶ δὴ ἐπὶ τοῦ οἴκου ἐργαζομένης αὐτῆς ἐπιφανεὶς ἄγγελος τὸν παράδοξον τόκον εὐαγγελίζεται αὐτῇ, καθὼς ἱστορεῖ τὰ Εὐαγγέλια. Τὸ γοῦν ὁρισθὲν αὐτῇ ἔργον ἐκτελέσασα, δίδωσι τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ, καὶ εὐλογηθεῖσα παρ' αὐτοῦ ἄπεισι· καὶ

The Flight and the Martyrdom of Zechariah§23

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23After a time, He brings forth the Christ according to the flesh. And when the Magi from the East had worshiped Him as a king with gifts, Herod was troubled, and he was considering killing Him immediately. But He was carried away to Egypt by Joseph and Mary, and escaped death from Herod. Herod, being unaware of the flight, ordered all the children in Bethlehem to be killed; in which he even hurried to kill John while he was still an infant.

But Elizabeth, snatching him away, fled to the wilderness; and after her praying, the mountain was split, and she received the child, and the angel of God was guarding them. Then Herod sent to Zechariah: 'Give the son; tell me where you have hidden him.' But Zechariah replies to him, saying: 'I am always presiding at the altar; I do not know what happened to my son.' And Herod, having been angered, sent to him again, saying: 'Bring out your son. Do you not know that your blood is in my hand?' And Zechariah said: 'I am a witness of God. You have my blood, but God has my spirit. Receive and know that you are pouring out innocent blood at the thresholds of the temple of the Lord.'

And Herod, being angry at these things, ordered him to be killed in the midst of the altar before the dawning, so that his killing would not be hindered by the people. At dawn, the priests, having come to the temple, were astonished, according to the custom, not having met the high priest and remaining outside. When an hour had passed, one of them dared to enter. He sees congealed blood by the altar, and hears a voice saying: 'Zechariah has been murdered, and his blood shall not be wiped away until the avenger comes.' Hearing these things, he became terrified, and coming out, he reported to the priests.

They, having entered, saw not the body, except the blood, and having torn their robes, they cut themselves, and they announced to the people, and for three days and nights they made mourning over him. And after these things, they appointed Simeon to his rank by lot, who had been under the Holy Spirit, having been promised not to see death until he saw the Christ of the Lord.

Another story concerning Zacharias is brought forward: how there was a certain place near the temple where only virgins used to go out, entering to worship God, and those who were married were not permitted. Thus Mary, having given birth to the Savior, having come, stood in this place. Since those knowing that she had given birth were preventing her, Zacharias said that she was worthy of the place of virgins. Therefore, as they were committing him an error regarding the place of virgins, they killed him between the altar. And these things were said in passing.

But Joseph, having been sent to Egypt by the brothers, was established as ruler of all Egypt by a divine inspiration of the Pharaoh, discerning dreams. And as famine was pressing all the earth, his brothers went down to Egypt, buying grain themselves because of the famine; and Joseph, having been recognized by them, brought them together with their father Jacob into Egypt in their entirety (Gen 46:31).

To Reuben four children were born: Enoch, Phales, Arrom, Charmei; to Simeon six: Jebuel, Jabin, Aod, Achih, Sadhi, Saul; and to Levi three: Gedson, Boad, and Menare; and to Judah five: Er, Aunon, who, as was foretold (Gen 49:3-5), died, Shelom, Phares, Zara; and to Phares two: Arrom, and Jemoehl; and to Issachar four: Thala, Phona, Jasoph, Zabran; to Zebulun three: Serder, Aldon, Aiel; all thirty-three, having the lineage of Leah, and the daughter Dinah. And to Gad seven sons were born: Saphon, Anges, Saunis, Thasobath, Aedis, Anoedes, Ariles; to Asher four: Jemna, Iul, Meria, and Serathygaeter; and from Beriah were born Chobor and Melchiel; all these sixteen are the sons of Zelpah the handmaid, who bore them to Jacob in the name of Leah.

And to Joseph in Egypt two children were born: Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Aseneth, the daughter of Potiphera, the son of the Sun, bore to him. And from Manasseh was born Maher, of Syrian stock by lineage; and Maher begat Gilead; and from Ephraim were born the sons Sutalam, Bad, and Lam. And from Sutalam was born Eden. To Benjamin, two children were born: Ballachobor and Assaher; and from Ballachobor Geran, and Noemim, and Laches, and Esrom, and Mamphi. And Mamphi begat Arad; all these are the eighteen sons of Rachel. And to Dad a son was born; and to Naphtali Asiel, and Goumin, and Isaar.

Greek · §23

μετὰ χρόνον τίκτει τὸν Χριστὸν κατὰ σάρκα. Καὶ τῶν μάγων ἀπὸ Ἀνατολῆς ὡς βασιλεῖ προσκυνησάντων μετὰ δώρων αὐτῷ, ὁ Ἡρώδης ἐταράχθη, καὶ διενοεῖτο ἀνελεῖν παραχρῆμα αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ ὑπὸ Ἰωσὴφ καὶ τῆς Μαρίας εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἀπεκομίσθη, καὶ τὸν ἐξ 776 Ἡρώδου διέφυγε θάνατον. Αὐτὸς δὲ, ἀγνοήσας τὴν φυγὴν, πάντα τὰ ἐν τῇ Βηθλεὲμ παιδία ἀναιρεθῆναι προσέταξεν· ἐν οἷς καὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην ἔτι νήπιον ὄντα ἀνελεῖν ἐσπούδαζεν. Ἡ δὲ Ἐλισάβετ, ἁρπάσασα αὐτὸν, εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἔφυγε· καὶ εὐξαμένης αὐτῆς, διεσχίσθη τὸ ὅρος, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ παιδίου αὐτὴν ἐδέξατο, καὶ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ διεφύλαττεν αὐτούς. Πέμπει γοῦν πρὸς Ζαχαρίαν ὁ Ἡρώδης· ∆ὸς τὸν υἱόν σου· ποῦ ἔκρυψας αὐτὸν, ἀπάγγειλόν μοι. Ὁ δὲ Ζαχαρίας ἀντεπιστέλλει φάσκων αὐτῷ· Ἐγὼ τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ προσεδρεύων ἀεὶ, τί ἐγένετο ὁ υἱός μου οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι. Καὶ ὀργισθεὶς ὁ Ἡρώδης πάλιν ἐπέστελλεν αὐτῷ. ∆ὸς ἔξω, λέγων, τὸν υἱόν σου. Οὐκ οἶδας, ὅτι τὸ αἷμά σου ὑπὸ τὴν χεῖρά μού ἐστιν; Καὶ ὁ Ζαχαρίας ἔφη· Μάρτυς εἰμὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Σὺ μὲν ἔχε μου τὸ αἷμα, τὸ δὲ πνεῦμά μου ὁ Θεός. ∆έξαι δὲ καὶ γίνωσκε, ὅτι ἀθῶον αἷμα ἐκχέεις εἰς τὰ πρόθυρα τοῦ ναοῦ Κυρίου. Καὶ ὁ Ἡρώδης, ἐπὶ τούτοις ὀργισθεὶς, μεταξὺ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου ἀναιρεθῆναι αὐτὸν πρὸ τοῦ διαφαῦσαι προσέταξεν, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ὑπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ κωλυθῆναι αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀναίρεσιν. Ὄρθρου δὲ οἱ ἱερεῖς παραγενόμενοι εἰς τὸν ναὸν, ἐξενίζοντο, κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς μὴ ὑπαντήσαντος αὐτοῖς τοῦ ἀρχιερέως, καὶ ἐπέμενον ἔξω. Ὥρας οὖν παρελκούσης, εἷς τις ἐξ αὐτῶν εἰσελθεῖν ἀπετόλμησεν. Ὁ δὲ θεωρεῖ αἷμα πεπηγὸς παρὰ τὸ θυσιαστήριον, καὶ ἀκούει φωνῆς λεγούσης· Ζαχαρίας πεφόνευται, καὶ οὐκ ἐξαλειφθήσεται τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ, ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ ἔκδικος. Ἀκούων γοῦν ταῦτα ἔμφοβος ἐγένετο, καὶ ἐξελθὼν τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἀπήγγειλεν. Οἱ δὲ, εἰσελθόντες, τὸ μὲν σῶμα οὐκ εἶδον, εἰ μὴ τὸ αἷμα, καὶ τὰς στολὰς ἑαυτῶν διαῤῥήξαντες, ἐκόψαντο, καὶ τῷ λαῷ ἀνήγγειλαν, καὶ τρία νυχθήμερα ἐπ' αὐτῷ θρῆνον ἐποίησαν. Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα Συμεῶνα εἰς τὴν τάξιν αὐτοῦ κλήρῳ κατέστησαν, ὃς ὑπῆρχεν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος χρηματισθεὶς μὴ ἰδεῖν θάνατον, ἕως ἂν ἴδῃ τὸν Χριστὸν Κυρίου. Ἄλλη δέ τις ἱστορία περὶ τοῦ Ζαχαρίου ἐμφέρεται· ὡς ἄρα ἦν τις περὶ τὸν ναὸν τόπος, ἔνθα μόνας τὰς παρθένους ἐξῆν εἰσιούσας προσκυνεῖν τῷ Θεῷ· τὰς δὲ γαμηθείσας μὴ εἶναι νόμιμον. Ἡ οὖν Μαρία, γεννήσασα τὸν Σωτῆρα, ἐλθοῦσα, ἔστη ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ. Κωλυόντων οὖν αὐτὴν τῶν εἰδότων γεγεννηκυῖαν αὐτὴν, ὁ Ζαχαρίας ἔλεγεν ἀξίαν αὐτὴν εἶναι τοῦ τόπου τῶν παρθένων. Ὡς οὖν παρανομοῦντα αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν τόπον τῶν παρθένων μεταξὺ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου ἀπέκτειναν. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ὡς ἐν παρόδῳ ἐλέχθη. Ἰωσὴφ δὲ, ἀποδοθεὶς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, θείᾳ ἐπινοίᾳ τῷ Φαραὼ διακρίνας ὀνείρατα, ἡγεμὼν πάσης τῆς Αἰγύπτου καθίσταται. Καὶ λιμοῦ πᾶσαν πιέζοντος τὴν γῆν, οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ κατῆλθον εἰς Αἴγυπτον, σῖτον καὶ αὐτοὶ διὰ τὸν λιμὸν ὠνησόμενοι· καὶ ἀναγνωρισθεὶς αὐτοῖς Ἰωσὴφ, μεθιστᾷ 777 αὐτοὺς ἅμα τῷ πατρὶ Ἰακὼβ εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον παγγενῆ. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ Ῥουβὶν τέσσαρες παῖδες ἐγένοντο, Ἐνὼχ, Φαλὲς, Ἀῤῥὼμ, Χαρμεί· τῷ δὲ Συμεὼν ἓξ, Ἰεβουὴλ, Ἰαβὴν, Ἀὼδ, Ἀχιὴ, Σαδὴ, Σαούλ· καὶ τῶ Λευῒ τρεῖς, Γεδσὼν, Βωὰδ, καὶ Μεναρεί· τῷ δὲ Ἰούδα πέντε, Ἢρ, Αὐνὼν, οἵτινες, καθὼς προεγράφη, ἀπέθανον, Σηλὼμ, Φαρὲς, Ζαρά· τῷ δὲ Φαρὲς δύο, Ἀῤῥὼμ, καὶ Ἰεμοήλ· τῷ δὲ Ἰσσάχαρ τέσσαρες, Θαλὰ, Φονὰ, Ἰασοὺφ, Ζαβράν· τῷ Σαβουλὼν τρεῖς, Σερδὲρ, Ἀλδὼν, Αἰήλ· οἱ πάντες τριάκοντα τρεῖς, ἐκ τῆς Λείας τὸ γένος ἔχοντες, καὶ θυγατέρα ∆ίνα. Ἐγένοντο δὲ καὶ τῷ Γὰδ υἱοὶ ἑπτὰ, Σαφὼν, Ἄγγεις, Σαῦνις, Θασοβὰθ, Ἀήδις, Ἀνοήδης, Ἀρίλης· τῶδὲ Ἀσὴρ τέσσαρες, Ἰεμνὰ, Ἰοὺλ, Μερία, καὶ Σερὰθυγάτηρ· ἐκ δὲ τοῦ Βερία ἐγεννήθησαν Χοβὼρ, καὶ Μελχιήλ· οὗτοι πάντες ἓξ καὶ δέκα υἱοὶ Ζελφᾶς τῆς παιδίσκης Λείας, ἥτις εἰς ὄνομα τῆς Λείας τῷ Ἰακὼβ αὐτοὺς ἐγέννησεν. Ἐτέχθησαν δὲ καὶ τῷ Ἰωσὴφ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ παῖδες δύο, Μανασσῆς καὶ Ἐφραῒμ, οὓς ἔτεκεν αὐτῷ Ἀσινὲθ θυγάτηρ Πετεφρῆ Ἡλιοῦ. Καὶ ἐκ μὲν τοῦ Μανασσῆ ἐγεννήθη Μαχεὶρ ἐκ παλακῆς Συρίας τῷ γένει· ὁ δὲ Μαχεὶρ ἐγέννησε τὸν Γαλαάδ· ἐκ δὲ τοῦ Ἐφραῒμ ἐγεννήθησαν υἱοὶ Σουταλὰμ, Βὰδ, Λάμ. Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ Σουταλὰμ ἐγεννήθη Ἐδέν. Τῷ δὲ Βενιαμὶν καὶ αὐτῷ δύο παῖδες ἐγένοντο, Βαλλαχοβὼρ καὶ Ἀσσαήρ· ἐκ δὲ τοῦ Βαλλαχοβὼρ Γηρὰν, καὶ Νοεμὶν, καὶ Λάχης, καὶ Ἐσρὼμ, καὶ Μαμφί. Μαμφὶ δὲ ἐγέννησε τὸν Ἀράδ· οὗτοι υἱοὶ Ῥαχὴλ οἱ πάντες ὀκτωκαίδεκα. Υἱὸς δὲ ἐγένετο τῷ ∆άδ· τοῦ δὲ Νεφθαλεὶμ Ἀσιὴλ, καὶ Γοϋμὶν, καὶ Ἰσαὰρ,

The end of Jacob and Joseph§24

24And Solomon says: these are all the seven sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maidservant. The blessed Jacob, having lived all his years 142, died in Egypt, having previously blessed each of his sons with diverse blessings. And the blessing of the firstborn was given to Joseph, and not to Reuben; because Joseph, not having yielded to the pleasure of Egypt, was justified, but Reuben, having been defeated, sinned; also because the firstborn was from Rachel, and he allotted the kingship to the tribe of Judah, and not to Reuben; because Judah was reproached in a woman, but he was justified, confessing himself to be responsible for the sin with good judgment, and not the woman. But even for this reason he was appointed to rule, since among all the other tribes he was more fervent for zeal and the vengeance of God; therefore also he prophesies that the Christ is to come from him according to the flesh, and the calling of the Gentiles through him.

And to Levi alone he bequeathed the priesthood, since Amram was born from him, who diverted the decree of Pharaoh and brought his son Moses to life. But he made Reuben great only in number, because he did not agree to the plot against Joseph. So, when Jacob had died in Egypt, they carried him away to the land of Canaan, and likewise all his sons. At the end also they carried Joseph away, having departed from Egypt, to the place where their forefather Abraham had previously grazed sheep 780 years before.

In that place the terebinth was also, under which Jacob had hidden the idols from Laban, which is even now worshipped by the neighbors for the honor of the ancestors; for even until now there is an altar beside its trunk, on which they offered both burnt offerings and hecatombs; and they say it is a rod of one of the angels who had visited Abraham, which he planted in the place then being present, and from it the worthy terebinth grew. For if it is touched by fire, it all becomes, and it is believed by all to be dissolved into dust from the flame, yet even when extinguished, it is entirely clean and shown to be intact.

But after the death of Joseph, the Egyptians, forgetting the kindness, subjected the race of the Israelites to various misfortunes, being disposed toward them in envy and jealousy.

For the Israelites, being enduring through hardships, overcame the Egyptians by virtue and wealth, while the latter were steeped in drunkenness, laziness, and constantly laid low by dissipation. A certain scribe among the Egyptians signaled to Pharaoh that someone would be born among the Israelites who would humble all Egypt, but would greatly increase the prosperity of the dwelling nation, having acquired everlasting glory. Because of this, Pharaoh intended to utterly destroy the Hebrews; he commanded them to toil in labors, to wall all the cities of Egypt, and to cut many canals through the river; and to raise lands, commanding that they should be devastated so that the city would not be flooded at all; and in addition to these things, to build pyramids, and to cast into the river all the infants being born to them, thinking that he would destroy and overthrow Egypt by abolishing what had been decreed upon the river.

There was, therefore, someone from the tribe of Levi named Amram, who having taken a wife named Jochebed, from her he begat the destined Moses, and he hid him for a certain time. But when he saw the king's law prevailing more fiercely, fearing he might be discovered, having placed the child in a basket, he set it by the banks of the river. And the daughter of Pharaoh, having come for the sake of bathing, seeing the basket, opened it, and having been drawn to the beauty of the child, she entered as one lacking a child; and having called many Egyptian nurses, she did not have the means how the child might be suckled, for none of them approached with a breast together.

In the end, therefore, the mother was commanded to bring the child secretly to the queen to suckle; for she alone received the breast from them, I think, the local race approaching it, while the foreign one being repelled. When he had grown, the Thermouthis (for this was the name of the queen) spoke to Moses, since he was saved from the water; for the Egyptians call water 'mou' and 'ses' for being saved. But his parents called him before him Melchi. He was indeed handsome and quite lovely to look upon, so that he would stand amazed at him meeting him on the road, and would marvel at his beauty. Thus, having grown, she brings him to...

Greek · §24

καὶ Συλήμ· οὗτοι υἱοὶ Βάλλας παιδίσκης Ῥαχὴλ οἱ πάντες ἑπτά. Ὁ δὲ μακάριος Ἰακὼβ ἔτη τὰ πάντα βιώσας ρμζʹ, ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ἀπέθανε, πρότερον ἕκαστον τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ διαφόροις εὐλογίαις εὐλογήσας. Καὶ τὴν μὲν εὐλογίαν τῶν πρωτοτόκων Ἰωσὴφ παρέσχετο, καὶ οὐχὶ Ῥουβίν· διότι ὁ μὲν Ἰωσὴφ μὴ εἴξας ἡδονῇ τῆς Αἰγυπτίας ἐδικαιώθη, ὁ δὲ Ῥουβὶν ἡττηθεὶς ἥμαρτεν· ἄλλως τε ὅτι καὶ ἐκ τῆς Ῥαχὴλ πρωτότοκος ὑπῆρχε, καὶ τῇ Ἰούδα φυλῇ ἀπεκλήρωσε τὴν βασιλείαν, καὶ οὐ τῇ τοῦ Ῥουβίν· διότι ὁ μὲν Ἰούδας ἐν γυναικὶ ὠνειδίσθη, ὁ δὲ ἐδικαιώθη, ὁμολογήσας εὐγνωμόνως ἑαυτὸν τυγχάνειν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ὑπεύθυνον, καὶ οὐ τὴν γυναῖκα. Ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο βασιλεύειν ἐτάχθη, ἐπειδὴ μόνη τῶν ἄλλων φυλῶν ἰταμωτέρα πρὸς ζῆλον καὶ ἐκδίκησιν Θεοῦ ἐτύγχανεν· διὸ καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ φῦναι προφητεύει τὸν Χριστὸν κατὰ σάρκα, καὶ τὴν κλῆσιν δι' αὐτοῦ τῶν ἐθνῶν. Καὶ τῷ Λευῒ δὲ τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην μόνῳ ἀπένειμε, καθότι ὁ Ἀμρὰμ ἐξ αὐτοῦ φὺς, τὸ δόγμα τοῦ Φαραὼ παρεκρούσατο, καὶ τὸν υἱὸν ἑαυτοῦ τὸν Μωϋσῆν ἐζωοποίησε. Μόνον δὲ τὸν Ῥουβὶν πολὺν τῷ ἀριθμῷ ἐποίησε, διὰ τὸ μὴ συναινέσαι ἐπὶ τῇ Ἰωσὴφ ἐπιβουλῇ. Τελευτήσαντος γοῦν τοῦ Ἰακὼβ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, εἰς τὴν Χαναναίαν γῆν κηδεύουσιν ἀποκομίσαντες· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ πάντας. Ἐπὶ τέλει δὲ καὶ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ, τῆς Αἰγύπτου ἀποχωρήσαντες, κηδεύουσιν ἔνθα ὁ προπάτωρ αὐτῶν Ἀβραὰμ προκε 780 κήδευτο· ἐν ᾧ τόπῳ ὑπῆρχε καὶ ἡ τερέβινθος, ὑφ' ᾗ ἔκρυψεν Ἰακὼβ τῆς Λάβαν τὰ εἴδωλα, ἥτις ἔτι καὶ νῦν εἰς τιμὴν τῶν προγόνων ὑπὸ τῶν πλησιοχόρων θρησκεύεται· ἔστι γὰρ ἄχρι τοῦ δεῦρο παρὰ τὸν πρέμνον αὐτῆς βωμὸς, ἐφ' ὃν τά τε ὁλοκαυτώματα, καὶ τὰς ἑκατόμβας ἀνέφερον· εἶναί τε φασὶ ῥάβδον αὐτὴν ἑνὸς τῶν ἐπιξενωθέντων ἀγγέλων τῷ Ἀβραὰμ, ἥνπερ τῷ τόπῳ τότε παρὼν ἐνεφύτευσε, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς ἡ ἀξιάγαστος ἐνεφύη [φ. ἀν–] τερέβινθος. Ὑπαφθεῖσα γὰρ ὅλη πῦρ γίνεται, καὶ νομίζεται τοῖς πᾶσιν εἰς κόνιν ἐκ τῆς φλογὸς ἀναλύεσθαι, καίτοι σβεσθεῖσα μέντοι ἀσινὴς ὅλη, καὶ ἀκέραιος δείκνυται. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν τελευτὴν τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ, τῆς εὐποιίας ἀμνημονεύσαντες οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι, ποικίλαις συμφοραῖς τὸ γένος τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν ὑπέβαλον, φθόνῳ καὶ ζήλῳ πρὸς αὐτοὺς διακείμενοι. Οἱ γὰρ Ἰσραηλῖται πρὸς πόνους ὄντες καρτεροὶ, ἀρετῇ καὶ πλούτῳ τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους διήνεγκαν, ἐκείνων εἰς μέθην κεχαυνωμένων καὶ ἀργίαν, καὶ ῥᾳθυμίᾳ πεπεδημένων ἀεί. Εἷς δέ τις τῶν παρ' Αἰγυπτίοις ἱερογραμματέων προσημαίνει τῷ Φαραὼ τεχθήσεσθαι παρὰ τοῖς Ἰσραηλίταις τινὰ, ὃς πᾶσαν μὲν ταπεινώσει τὴν Αἴγυπτον, αὐξήσει δὲ ἐπὶ μέγα προκοπῆς τὸ οἰκεῖον ἔθνος, ἀειμνημόνευτον δόξαν κτησάμενος. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο παντοίως τοὺς Ἑβραίους ὁ Φαραὼ ἀπολέσαι διενοεῖτο· ἔργα μὲν αὐτοῖς προστάττων ἐπιμοχθεύειν, τειχίζειν δὲ πάσας τῆς Αἰγύπτου τὰς πόλεις, καὶ τὸν ποταμὸν εἰς πολλὰς διατέμνειν διωρυγάς· καὶ χώματα ἐγείρειν, κελεύων, ὅπως κατὰ μηδὲν τὴν πόλιν ἐπιλιμνίζων λυμαίνηται· πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ πυραμίδας ἐγείρειν, καὶ τὰ παρ' αὐτοῖς τικτόμενα βρέφη κατακρημνίζειν ἐπὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἀπεφήνατο, οἰόμενος καὶ τὸν θεσπισθέντα καταλῦσαι τὴν Αἴγυπτον ἀραιρήσειν [φ. καθαιρήσειν] ἐπὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ. Ὑπῆρχεν οὖν τις ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς τοῦ Λευῒ Ἀμρὰμ ὀνόματι, ὃς γυναῖκα τὴν Ἰωχαβὲθ κτησάμενος, ἐξ αὐτῆς τὸν θεσπέσιον Μωϋσῆν ἐγέννησε, καὶ ἔκρυπτεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ χρόνον τινά. Ὡς δὲ εἶδε τὸν νόμον τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπικρατοῦντα σφοδρότερον, δεδοικὼς μὴ κατάφωρος γένηται, εἰς θήκην ἐμβαλὼν τὸ παιδίον, παρὰ τὰς ὄχθας τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἐκτίθεται. Καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ τοῦ Φαραὼ, λουτροῦ χάριν ἀφικομένη, θεωρήσασα τὴν θήκην ἀνοίγει, καὶ πρὸς τὸ κάλλος τοῦ παιδίου ἡσθεῖσα εἰσεποιήσατο ἀποροῦσα παιδός· καὶ πολλὰς τροφοὺς συγκαλέσασα τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, οὐκ εἶχεν ὅπως τὸ παιδίον ἐκθρέψειεν· οὐδεμιᾶς γὰρ αὐτῶν μαζὸν προσίετο. Ἐπὶ τέλει γοῦν ἡ μήτηρ, ἀνεῖσα κρύβδην τῇ βασιλίσσῃ, γαλουχεῖν προσετάχθη· μόνης γὰρ αὐτῆς τὸν μαζὸν προσεδέξατο, ἐξ αὐτῶν, οἶμαι, σπαργάνων τὸ μὲν οἰκεῖον γένος προσιέμενον, τὸ δὲ ἀλλότριον μυσαττόμενον. Ἀνδρωθέντα γοῦν αὐτὸν, Μωϋσῆν προσεῖπεν ἡ Θέρμουθις (τοῦτο γὰρ τῇ βασιλίσσῃ ὄνομα), ἐπειδὴ διεσώθη ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος· Αἰγύπτιοι γὰρ τὸ ὕδωρ μῶϋ, καὶ τὸ σὴς σωθῆναι προσαγορεύουσιν. Ἐκάλουν δὲ τὸ πρὶν αὐτὸν οἱ γονεῖς Μελχείς. Ἦν δὲ ἀστεῖος ἅγαν τῇ ὄψει, ὡς τὸν καθ' ὁδὸν ἀπαντῶντα αὐτῷ ἀφίστασθαι ἐκπληττόμε 781 νον, καὶ ὑπερθαυμάζοντα τὸ κάλλος. Προσάγει αὐτὸν οὖν αὐξηθέντα ἡ

The Succession and the Scribe's Recognition§25

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25Thermuthis, deeming him worthy to make him successor to his father's kingdom, places him in his hands. The one receiving it, having bowed down, loved; and being gracious, having taken off his own crown, places it on that man's head. But Moses, having cast the crown upon the ground, trampled it.

And the scribe, having foretold his origin, seeing and understanding that this was the one destined to be the enemy of the Egyptian rule, resolved to kill him, but was not strong enough; having cried out, he said to the king: 'This is he, king, who was useful to us to drive away the demon of the Hebrews, which was a threat to the Egyptian kingdom; behold, even now he has shown a small sign of what is to come, having thrown and trampled the very symbol of the kingdom into the dust. This one, having risen, will indeed deprive the Egyptians of the evils expected, and cause the Hebrews to err in the hope that will be established upon him.'

Having said these things, the king, by the providence of God, became slow toward the killing; but Thermuthis, snatching Moses from the king's hands, protected him safely. And the Ethiopians, being inhabitants belonging to the Egyptians, having come suddenly, were besieging Egypt, and having turned the Egyptians by opposing them, they advanced even to Memphis and the sea, where the Egyptians, having taken the race of the Hebrews as allies according to an oracle, went forth.

And Pharaoh, thinking he had found an opportune time for the refutation of Moses, compelled Thermuthis to provide him Moses, so that he might make him general of the Hebrews, remembering to do him no harm, but only to establish him as a commander of the Hebrews, supposing easily that he would be destroyed by the enemies, as one being an endless fighter.

Having previously reproached the father and the scribes, because they intended to kill what they now call a helper, they now call him a helper and give them Moses. The general of the local nation, having been led forward, leads the army by another way to avoid the Ethiopians, a land of wild beasts (for all nature breeds beasts, even flying ones), and to avoid being struck by any beast, he orders woven baskets filled with ibexes to be brought forward; for this animal is an enemy to the asp. As they were passing through that place, they let the ibexes fall to the beasts, and not enduring that supply of these, the beasts tore them apart; and having passed through this way, he suddenly falls upon the Ethiopians, slaughtering a great multitude of them and putting the rest to flight.

The Ethiopians, having barely escaped death by flight, seize the city of Sabe. For this was their kingdom, fortified with strong walls and earthworks, inaccessible because of the Nile (since it surrounds the whole city with its stream); therefore it was also a difficult city to besiege for the Egyptians. Moses led the army toward the city, being in great distress because it was hard to capture. While many of the Egyptians were making engines, but nothing was effective, the daughter of the king, named Tharmis, having seen Moses through the towers, and having been drawn to his beauty and marveled at the foresight of his plans, comes into desire; and having sent her most faithful servant, she spoke to him concerning marriage.

Moses promised to do this if she would deliver the city to him. She immediately offers peace and delivers the city to him. Once the battle was resolved, and the Egyptians had returned to their own lands, he leads her to marriage, and founds a city, and calls it Hermopolis; for in this way Moses is introduced to the people, because he performed the interpretation of the sacred writings. He was honored.

Greek · §25

Θέρμουθις τῷ πατρὶ αὐτῆς, ἀξιοῦσα ποιῆσαι αὐτὸν τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ διάδοχον, καὶ τίθησιν αὐτὸν ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ. Ὁ δὲ λαβὼν, καὶ προστερνισάμενος, κατεφίλει· χαριεντιζόμενός τε, περιελὼν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ κεφαλῆς τὸ διάδημα, ἐπιτίθησι τῇ ἐκείνου κεφαλῇ. Ὁ δὲ Μωϋσῆς, ἀποῤῥίψας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τὸ διάδημα, κατεπάτει. Καὶ ὁ γραμματεὺς, ὁ τὴν γένεσιν αὐτοῦ προειπὼν, θεασάμενος καὶ συνεὶς ἐκεῖνον εἶναι τὸν θεσπιζόμενον τῆς Αἰγυπτίων ἀρχῆς πολέμιον, ὥρμησε μὲν ἀποκτεῖναι, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσε· βοήσας δὲ ἔφη τῷ βασιλεῖ· «Οὗτος ἐκεῖνός ἐστι, βασιλεῦ, ὅνπερ ἡμῖν ἀναφυῆναι ἐκ τῶν Ἑβραίων τὸ δαιμόνιον ἔχρησε τῆς βασιλείας Αἰγυπτίων ἐπίβουλον· ὅσγε καὶ νῦν σύμβολον τοῦ μέλλοντος οὐ μικρὸν ἐπεδείξατο, αὐτὸ δὴ τῆς βασιλείας τὸ σύνθημα ῥίψας, καὶ καταπατήσας εἰς τοὔδαφος Τοῦτον γοῦν ἀνελὼν, Αἰγυπτίους μὲν τῶν προσδοκωμένων στερήσεις κακῶν, Ἑβραίους δὲ σφαλῆναι τῆς ἐλπίδος τῆς ἐπ' αὐτῷ καταστήσεις.» Ταῦτα εἰπόντος αὐτοῦ, ὁ μὲν βασιλεὺς κατὰ πρόνοιαν Θεοῦ ὀκνηρὸς πρὸς τὸν φόνον ἐγένετο· ἡ δὲ Θέρμουθις, τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ βασιλέως τὸν Μωϋσῆν ἐξαρπάσασα, ἐφύλαττεν ἀσφαλῶς. Αἰθίοπες δὲ, πρόσοικοι τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις τυγχάνοντες, ἄφνω ἐπελθόντες, ἐπολιόρκουν τὴν Αἴγυπτον, καὶ ἀντιπαραταξαμένους τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους τροπωσάμενοι, προέβησαν ἄχρι Μέμφεως καὶ τῆς θαλάσσης, ὅσῳ Αἰγύπτιοι κατὰ χρησμὸν σύμμαχον τὸ τῶν Ἑβραίων γένος λαβόντες ἐπῄεσαν. Καὶ ὁ Φαραὼ, καιρὸν ἐπιτήδειον εὑρηκέναι νομίζων πρὸς τὴν Μωϋσέως ἀναίρεσιν, τὴν Θερμούθιδα ἠξίωσε παρασχεῖν αὐτῷ τὸν Μωϋσῆν, ὅπως αὐτὸν στρατηγὸν τῶν Ἑβραίων ποιήσειεν, ἐπομνύμενος μηδὲν κακουργήσειν αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ ταξίαρχον μόνον καταστῆσαι τῶν Ἑβραίων, ὑπολαμβάνω ῥᾳδίως αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῶν πολεμίων φθαρήσεσθαι, ὡς μάχης ὑπάρχοντα ἄπειρον. Ἡ δὲ πολλὰ πρότερον τὸν πατέρα καὶ τοὺς γραμματεῖς ὀνειδίσασα, ὅτι ὅνπερ ὡς πολέμιον ἀποκτεῖναι ἐβούλοντο, νῦν ὡς ἐπίκουρον παρακαλοῦσι, δίδωσιν αὐτοῖς τὸν Μωϋσῆν. Ὁ δὲ τοῦ οἰκείου ἔθνους στρατηγὸς προαχθεὶς, λάθρα τῶν Αἰθιόπων δι' ἑτέρας ὁδοῦ ἄγει τὴν στρατιὰν, τῆς ἀβάτου καὶ θηριοτόκου (πᾶσαν γὰρ θηρίων ἐκτρέφει φύσιν, ὡς εἶναί τινα ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ πετόμενα), καὶ πρὸς τὸ μὴ πλήττεσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν θηρίων τινὰ, κιβωτοὺς πλεκτὰς προστάττει ἕκαστον ἐπιφέρεσθαι ἴβεων πεπληρωμένας· ἔστι γὰρ τοῦτο τὸ ζῶον ταῖς ἀσπίσι πολέμιον. Ὡς οὖν τὸν τόπον ἐκεῖνον διώδευον, τὰς ἴβεας τοῖς θηρίοις ἐπαφῆκαν, κἀκεῖνα τὴν ἔφοδον τούτων μὴ ὑπομείναντα, διεφθείροντο· καὶ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον διοδεύσας ἄφνω προσπίπτει τοῖς Αἰθίοψι, καὶ πολὺ πλῆθος αὐτῶν κατασφάξας, τοὺς λοιποὺς εἰς φυγὴν ἔτρεψεν. Οἱ δὲ Αἰθίοπες, μόλις φόνον τῇ φυγῇ διαδράσαντες, τὴν πόλιν Σαβὰ καταλαμβάνουσιν. Ἦν γὰρ αὐτῶν αὕτη βασίλειος, ὠχυρωμένη τείχει κρατερῷ καὶ χώμασιν, ἀπρόσβατος διὰ τὸν Νεῖλον (ἐπειδὴ πᾶσαν αὐτὴν περιτειχίζει τῷ ῥεύματι)· διόπερ καὶ δυσπολι 784 όρκητος τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις ἐτύγχανεν. Ὁ γοῦν Μωσῆς προσῆγε τῇ πόλει τὴν στρατιὰν, ἐν ἀμηχανίᾳ μεγίστῃ ὢν, διὰ τὸ εἶναι δυσάλωτον. Μηχανωμένων οὖν πολλὰ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, καὶ μηδὲν ἰσχυόντων, ἡ θυγάτηρ τοῦ βασιλέως Θάρμεις ὀνόματι, τὸν Μωϋσέα διὰ τῶν πύργων θεασαμένη, καὶ ἡσθεῖσα ἐπὶ τῷ κάλλει αὐτοῦ, καὶ θαυμάσασα τῶν ἐπιχειρήσεων αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπίνοιαν, εἰς πόθον ἔρχεται· καὶ ἀποστείλασα τῶν οἰκετῶν τὸν πιστότατον, περὶ γάμου πρὸς αὐτὸν διελέχθη. Ὁ δὲ Μωϋσῆς ποιήσειν τοῦτο ὑπέσχετο, εἰ τὴν πόλιν αὐτῷ παραδώσειεν. Ἡ δὲ παραχρῆμα τὴν εἰρήνην σπένδεται, καὶ τὴν πόλιν αὐτῷ παραδίδωσιν. Λυθείσης οὖν τῆς μάχης, καὶ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων εἰς τοὺς οἰκείους τόπους ἐπανελθόντων, ἄγεται πρὸς γάμον αὐτὴν, καὶ κτίζει πόλιν, καὶ Ἑρμούπολιν ἀναγορεύει· οὕτω γὰρ ὑπὸ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ὁ Μωϋσῆς προσαγορεύεται, διὰ τὴν [φ. τὸ] τῶν ἱερῶν γραμμάτων ἑρμηνείαν ποιήσασθαι. Ἐτιμᾶτο

Joseph's influence and Moses's exile§26

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26And even among the Ethiopians he is not small because of his admirable wisdom. For he first thought out the use of ships, and machines for stone-laying, and Egyptian weapons, and hydraulic and warfare instruments. Moreover, he divided all Egypt into thirty parts to establish Chenephre's kingship, because the Egyptians used to rule lawlessly, approaching and deposing whomever they preferred by whim. For because of these things he was honored by the priests as a god, but by the Ethiopians as a king; and having learned circumcision from him, they observe it even until now.

For this man first became wise, as Eupolemus relates, and first handed over letters to the Hebrews, which the blessed Abraham brought from the Chaldeans; for the Chaldeans were the first discoverers of these; and the Phoenicians received them from the Hebrews; and Cadmus carried these things to the Greeks. After the campaign against the Ethiopians, Chenephre arrives in Egypt; and Chenephre received him indeed with favorable words, but with deeds he prepared death against him; for having made him desolate of his kinsmen, he reaches Memphis with him; and he asks him, what is useful to men? And he said: The breed of oxen, because they make the earth suitable by plowing.

Chenephre therefore commanded the crowds to fashion a standard for the bull Apis, and to hide under the floor of the temple reminders of the virtue of Moses (and these were made of bronze, having the ingenuity of the Iberians, and proclaiming the history of the bravery of the Ethiopians) so as to hand over the drama of this thing in secret. And he divided the surrounding Hebrew crowd into two tasks: he sent some for the guarding of Ethiopia, and he permitted the others, having quarried the nearby mountain, to construct the temple in Zeus's city out of stone; for in old times the temple was constructed of baked brick.

And, having been repulsed by the Egyptians, he was commanding him to raise him up for his friends, swearing everyone not to make the plot against him manifest. Having refused all this counsel, a certain Khanenoth, desiring to serve the king's will, set out to murder Moses, promising to do so.

Then indeed, after Meribah (for so Thermuthis was called) had died, Pharaoh, perceiving the opportune time, appointed Moses and Jethro to protect her in the lands beyond Egypt. When they arrived, one of those privy to the intention of Pharaoh informed Moses; and Moses, having guarded himself from every side, buried Meribah, and named the place and the river Meribah after her. He himself, having traversed the Nile from Memphis, fled into Arabia, according to the hypothesis of Aaron his brother; and Jethro, having discovered him, drew his sword to meet him; but Moses restrained his hand, and, wresting the sword from his hand, slew him with his own sword, and went to Arabia to Raguel, the ruler of those lands, taking with him his daughter Zipporah, and from her he fathered two boys.

Pharaoh, having discovered the whole drama of Moses, held his anger against the multitude of the Jews, and immediately commanded that these should be slaughtered; for having ordered them to wear only linen garments because of the distinguishing mark, he was delivering them to the Egyptians for slaughter; whereupon God punished him with a most great affliction; for, being the first of all men to be afflicted with elephantiasis, Pharaoh brought a shameful end to his life. He who succeeded him in the same principality was likewise a successor in his wickedness; for he subjected the Jews to the same evils. And while a great throne of suffering surrounded them, God, having compassion on them, sent Moses into Egypt, appointing him to stand before Pharaoh to release the nation of the Jews into the wilderness, so that they might worship Him.

Upon such a speech from Moses, Pharaoh, being harsh, immediately commanded that he be cast into prison; and through the night the whole earth was shaken by an earthquake, so that some of the guards fled in terror, and others, through deep sleep, lay still in their limbs; and the very gates of the prison were lifted up, and Moses came out, and arrived at night into the royal palaces; for even those gates stood open because the earth was shaking. And while all the bodyguards were sleeping, Pharaoh was awakened, saying, 'God has sent me to command you to release the people of the Jews.' But being struck with amazement, he asked who this is, and what the name of the...

Greek · §26

δὲ καὶ παρὰ τοῖς Αἰθίοψιν οὐ μικρῶς διὰ τὴν σοφίαν τὴν ἀξιάγαστον. Πλοίων γὰρ τὴν χρῆσιν, καὶ μηχανὰς πρὸς λιθοθεσίαν, καὶ ὅπλα Αἰγύπτια, καὶ ὄργανα ὑδρευτικὰ καὶ πολέμια πρῶτος αὐτοῖς ἐπενόησεν. Ἕτι δὲ καὶ τὴν Αἴγυπτον πᾶσαν εἰς τριάκοντα διεῖλε νομοὺς, πρὸς τὸ τῷ Χενεφρῇ τὴν βασιλείαν βεβαιῶσαι· ἐπειδὴ ἀτάκτως ἐβασιλεύοντο Αἰγύπτιοι, γνώμῃ προσάγοντες καὶ καθαιροῦντες ὃν ἂν προῄρηντο. ∆ι' ἃ γοῦν ὑπὸ μὲν τῶν ἱερέων ὡς θεὸς ἐτιμᾶτο, ὑπὸ δὲ τῶν Αἰθιόπων ὡς βασιλεύς· καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὴν περιτομὴν παρ' αὐτοῦ μαθόντες ἄχρι τοῦ δεῦρο φυλάττουσιν. Πρῶτος γὰρ οὗτος σοφὸς γεγένηται, ὡς ἱστορεῖ ὁ Εὐπόλεμος, καὶ γράμματα πρῶτος Ἑβραίοις παραδέδωκεν, ἅπερ ὁ μακάριος Ἀβραὰμ ἀπὸ τῶν Χαλδαίων ἐκόμισε· πρῶτοι γὰρ εὑρεταὶ τούτων οἱ Χαλδαῖοι γεγένηνται· παρὰ δὲ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἔλαβον Φοίνικες· καὶ Κάδμος ταῦτα μετήγαγεν εἰς τοὺς Ἕλληνας. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν κατὰ τῶν Αἰθιόπων στρατηγίαν ἀφικνεῖται εἰς Αἴγυπτον· καὶ ὁ Χενεφρῆς λόγοις μὲν εὐφήμοις ἐδεξιοῦτο αὐτὸν, ἔργοις δὲ τὸ θάνατον κατὰ αὐτοῦ ἤρτυεν· ἔρημον γὰρ τῶν ὁμοφύλων καταστήσας αὐτὸν, εἰς Μέμφιν μετ' αὐτοῦ παραγίνεται· καὶ ἐρωτᾷ αὐτὸν, τί τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὑπάρχει εὔχρηστον. Ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Τῶν βοῶν τὸ γένος, διὰ τὸ ἀρώσιμον τὴν γῆν ὑπ' αὐτῶν καθίστασθαι. Κελεύσας οὖν τοῖς ὄχλοις ὁ Χενεφρῆς ταύρου Ἄπιδος σηκὸν τεκτήνασθαι, τὰ τοῦ Μωϋσέως τῆς ἀρετῆς ὑπομνήματα (ἦν δὲ ταῦτα ἐκ χαλκοῦ πεποιημένα, τῶν ἴβεων τὴν ἐπίνοιαν, καὶ τὴν ἱστορίαν τῆς κατ' Αἰθιόπων ἀνδραγαθίας κηρύττοντα) ὑπὸ τὸ ἔδαφος ἐνέκρυψε τοῦ ναοῦ πρὸς τὸ λήθῃ παραδοῦναι τὰ τούτου δράματα. Τὸν δὲ ὄχλον τῶν Ἑβραίων τὸν περιέποντα αὐτὸν, εἰς δύο ἔργα διένειμε· τοὺς μὲν γὰρ εἰς φυλακὴν τῆς Αἰθιοπίας ἐξέπεμψε, τοὺς δὲ τὸν ἐν ∆ιὸς πόλει ναὸν ἐκ λίθου κατασκευάσαι, λατομήσαντας τὸ πλησίον ὄρος, ἐπέτρεψε· πάλαι γὰρ ἐξ ὀπτῆς πλίνθου ὁ ναὸς κατεσκεύαστο· Ἀποξενώσας δὲ καὶ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων αὐτὸν, ἀνελεῖν αὐτὸν τοῖς φίλοις αὐτοῦ ἐνετέλλετο, πάντας ὁρκωμοτῶν, μὴ ποιῆσαι αὐτῷ τὴν κατ' αὐτοῦ τυρευομένην κατάδηλον. Πάντων οὖν τὴν βουλὴν ταύτην ἀπειπαμένων, Χανενώθης τις διακονῆσαι τῇ γνώμῃ τοῦ βασιλέως κατέθετο, δολοφονῆσαι τὸν Μωϋσέα ἐπαγγειλάμενος. Τότε δὴ καὶ τῆς 785 Μεῤῥόης (οὕτω γὰρ ἡ Θέρμουθις ἐκαλεῖτο) τελευτησάσης, ἕρμαιον ὁ Φαραὼ τὸν καιρὸν ἡγησάμενος, προστάττει Μωϋσῇ καὶ Χανενώθῃ εἰς τοὺς ὑπὲρ Αἰγύπτου τόπους κηδεῦσαι αὐτήν. Ἀφικνουμένων δὲ αὐτῶν, εἷς τις τῶν συνειδότων τὴν γνώμην τοῦ Φαραὼ ἀνακοινοῦται τῷ Μωϋσῇ· καὶ φυλάξας ἑαυτὸν πάντοθεν ὁ Μωϋσῆς, τὴν Μεῤῥόην ἔθαψε, καὶ τὸν τόπον καὶ τὸν ποταμὸν Μεῤῥόην ἐξ αὐτῆς προσηγόρευσεν. Αὐτὸς δὲ ἐκ μὲν Μέμφεως τὸν Νεῖλον διαπορθμεύσας, καθ' ὑπόθεσιν Ἀαρὼν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὴν Ἀραβίαν ἀπέφευγεν· ὁ δὲ Χανενώθης πυθόμενος, γυμνώσας τὸ ξίφος ὑπαντιάξει αὐτῷ· ὁ δὲ Μωϋσῆς κατεῖχεν αὐτοῦ τὴν χεῖρα, καὶ ἐκσπάσας τὸ ξίφος αὐτοῦ τῆς χειρὸς, τῷ οἰκείῳ ξίφει αὐτὸν διεχειρίσατο, καὶ εἰς Ἀραβίαν πρὸς Ῥαγουῆλον τὸν τῶν τόπων ἄρχοντα παρεγένετο, καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα αὐτοῦ Σεπφόραν ἀγόμενος, ἐξ αὐτῆς δύο παῖδας ἐγέννησεν. Ὁ δὲ Φαραὼ, πᾶσαν τὴν δραματουργίαν τοῦ Μωϋσέως πυθόμενος, τὸν θυμὸν ἐπὶ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἔχεε, καὶ ἄρδην τούτους ἀναιρεῖσθαι προσέταξε· μόνους γὰρ αὐτοὺς λινῆν ἐσθῆτα φορεῖν κελεύσας διὰ τὸ εὔσημον, εἰς σφαγὴν αὐτοὺς τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις ἐκδίδωσιν· ἐφ' ᾧ ὁ Θεὸς μεγίστῃ τιμωρίᾳ τοῦτον ἐκόλασε· πρῶτος γὰρ παντὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐλεφαντιάσας ὁ Φαραὼ, αἰσχρῷ τὸν βίον τέλει κατέλυσεν. Ὁ δὲ τούτου τὴν αὐτὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς βασιλείας διαδεξάμενος, ὁμοῦ καὶ τῆς πονηρίας αὐτοῦ ἦν διάδοχος· τοῖς γὰρ αὐτοῖς κακοῖς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ὑπέβαλλε. Καὶ θρήνου πολλοῦ περιέχοντος αὐτοὺς, ὁ Θεὸς οἶκτον λαβὼν αὐτῶν, τὸν Μωϋσῆν ἐξέπεμψεν εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον, προστάττων τῷ Φαραὼ ἀπολῦσαι τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὸ ἔθνος εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, ὥστε λατρεῦσαι αὐτῷ. Ἐπὶ γοῦν τῇ τοιαύτῃ ῥήσει τοῦ Μωϋσέως χαλεπήνας ὁ Φαραὼ, εἰς εἰρκτὴν παραχρῆμα ἐμβληθῆναι αὐτὸν προσέταξε· καὶ διὰ τῆς νυκτὸς σεισμῷ διεσείσθη πᾶσα ἡ γῆ, ὡς τινὰς τῶν φυλάκων ἐκ τοῦ δέους ψυχοῤῥαγῆσαι, τινὰς δὲ ὕπνῳ βαθεῖ παραθεῖναι τὰ μέλη· αὐτὰς δὲ τὰς πύλας τῆς εἱρκτῆς ἀναπετασθῆναι, καὶ ἐξελθεῖν τὸν Μωϋσῆν, καὶ παραγενέσθαι νυκτὸς εἰς τὰ βασίλεια· καὶ γὰρ κἀκείνου αἱ θύραι κλονουμένης τῆς γῆς διέστησαν· καὶ πάντων τῶν σωματοφυλάκων καθευδόντων, διύπνησε τὸν Φαραὼ λέγων· «Ὁ Θεὸς ἐξαπέστειλέ με ἀπολῦσαι προστάττων σοι τὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων λαόν.» Ὁ δὲ καταπλαγεὶς ἠρώτα καὶ ποῖος οὗτός ἐστι, καὶ τί τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ

Moses and the Plagues of Egypt§27

27God having sent him, Moses, having inclined his ear to His God's voice, declared the name of God to him; and Pharaoh, not having endured the hearing, fell speechless upon the earth. Moses, having approached, raised him up, and having engraved the holy name upon a tablet, sealed it; and one of the priests among the Egyptians, having dared to mock this name, immediately lost his life by a seizure. Pharaoh permitted Moses to perform some sign; and Moses, releasing the rod which he held, cast it upon the ground and changed it into a serpent; and having grasped it again, he restored it to its former state.

But after this, when he would not release the people, Moses having prayed to God, a great earthquake accompanied by hail descended, so that those fleeing from the rooms were destroyed by the earthquake from the hail, and those hastening to turn away from the hail again were destroyed by the earthquake. And as he remained unmoved even after this, Moses struck the water of the Nile with the rod, and the river, having flooded Egypt, washed away all things to a very small degree, just as it has been done from that time until now, causing its descent. For Pharaoh, having summoned the priests over Memphis, threatened to destroy them and all those of the idols by fire, unless they performed wonders in the likeness of Moses.

But they, using customary sorceries, made a dragon emerge and discolored the river, intending that, through this being made murky, they might subject the Jews to the greatest punishment through Pharaoh. And Moses, striking the earth with the rod, prepared a certain flying creature to emerge from it, which, by clinging to the bodies, caused painful swellings to the Egyptians, so that they would be unable to provide any medical assistance to these. And as Pharaoh was hardened even by this scourge, he finally subjected all the firstborn of all Egypt to death. And when Egypt had been seized by immeasurable grief, Pharaoh expelled all the Jews from the land entirely; and having traveled a great way on this road, and having crossed the rivers of Arabia, they reached the Red Sea.

Because God hardened the heart of Pharaoh, the Egyptians, seized by the previous evils, pursued the Israelites along with Pharaoh. No one should suppose that Pharaoh was driven by God into insensitivity toward the things being done by force; for such a thing is perhaps judged as an injustice of God, with the one saying: 'If He himself hardens the heart, why is He blamed by the one being hardened?' But let it be known that the endurance of the whips was the cause of the hardening that happened to him; for whenever the plagues came upon him, he promised to release the people; but whenever he released him from the torments, he was being hardened. This is also signified by the word, and the Scripture says: 'And when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and did not listen to them, just as the Lord spoke' (Exodus 10:20); and, 'For this very purpose I raised you up, so that I might show all my power to you' (Exodus 9:16).

But hearing this, do not suppose wrongly, saying: 'Why is He punishing them, while preparing him to oppose Him?' or 'Why does He strike, if there is no injustice on the part of God?' But let it be known first that things appearing to be contradictory to the Scripture are resolved not by reasoning, but by examples. For just as the best of physicians, striving to devise something useful for human nature, request to perform amputations on those subjected to fatal decisions, so that through those condemned to death they might bring something useful to men; so also God, surpassing all human wisdom, shows great signs through the unyielding Pharaoh who had sinned, punishing the one worthy of punishment, but healing those coming after this, providing for them the hypothesis of salvation through his own punishment.

Having gathered all his power, Pharaoh pursued the Israelites with two hundred chariots and myriads of horsemen. But those Israelites, the Red Sea having been divided by Moses, were traveling by the command of God; and the Egyptians, driving after them, were crushed when Moses struck the staff and gathered the waters. On the next day, the weapons of the Egyptians were brought to the Hebrews by the water being pushed by the wind. And Moses, perceiving that even this was the providence of God, commanded them to gather them, so that they would not be without weapons. They arrive, indeed, into the wilderness. And Raguel and Jethro (for he happened to be of the same name) arrive to Moses, bringing to him...

Greek · §27

ἀποστείλαντος αὐτὸν Θεοῦ· ὁ δὲ Μωϋσῆς, προκύψας εἰς τὴν ἀκοὴν αὐτοῦ, τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῷ διεσάφησε· καὶ μὴ καρτερήσας τὴν ἀκοὴν ὁ Φαραὼ, ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἔπεσεν ἄφωνος. Καὶ προσελθὼν ἤγειρεν αὐτὸν ὁ Μωϋσῆς, καὶ εἰς δέλτον τὸ πανάγιον ὄνομα ἐγχαράξας, ἐσφράγισε· καί τις τῶν παρ' Αἰγυπτίοις ἱερέων, φαυλίσαι τοῦτο τολμήσας τὸ ὄνομα, σπασμονῇ εὐθέως τὸν βίον κατέλυσε. Ὁ δὲ Φαραὼ ποιῆσαί τι σημεῖον τὸν Μωϋσῆν ἐπέτρεπε· καὶ ὁ Μωϋσῆς, ἣν κατεῖχε ῥάβδον ἀφεὶς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, εἰς ὄφιν αὐτὴν μετέβαλε· καὶ πάλιν αὐτῆς ἁψάμενος, εἰς τὸ ἀρχαῖον ἀποκατέστησε. 788 Τούτου δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦτο μὴ εἴξαντος ἀπολῦσαι τὸν λαὸν, εὐξαμένου τοῦ Μωϋσέως πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, σεισμὸς μέγας μετὰ χαλάζης ἐνέσκηψεν, ὡς τὸν φεύγοντα ἐκ τῶν δωμάτων τὸν σεισμὸν ὑπὸ τῆς χαλάζης ἀπόλλυσθαι, τοὺς δ' αὖ πάλιν τὴν χάλαζαν ἐκκλίνειν σπεύδοντας ὑπὸ τοῦ σεισμοῦ καταφθείρεσθαι. Ὡς δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦτο ἔμεινεν ἀδυσώπητος, τῇ ῥᾴβδῳ τὸ Νειλώϊον ὕδωρ ἐπάταξε, καὶ τὴν Αἴγυπτον πλημμυρήσας ὁ ποταμὸς, μικροῦ δεῖν πᾶσαν ἐπέκλυσεν, ὡς ἔκτοτε ἄχρι τοῦ νῦν ποιεῖσθαι αὐτὸν τὴν κατάβασιν. Ὁ γοῦν Φαραὼ, τοὺς ὑπὲρ Μέμφιν ἱερεῖς προσκαλεσάμενος, ἠπείλησεν αὐτούς τε καὶ πάντας τοὺς τῶν εἰδώλων ἐξαφανίσαι σηκοὺς, εἰ μὴ τῷ Μωϋσῇ παραπλησίως τερατουργήσειαν. Οἱ δὲ, ταῖς εἰωθυίαις γοητείαις χρησάμενοι, δράκοντας ἐξέρπειν ἐποίησαν, καὶ τὸν ποταμὸν δοκήσει μετέχρωσαν, ὡς ἐκ τούτου τυφωθέντα τὸν Φαραὼ τιμωρίᾳ μεγίστῃ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ὑποβαλεῖν. Καὶ ὁ Μωϋσῆς, τῇ ῥάβδῳ παίσας τὴν γῆν, πτηνόν τι ζῶον ἐξερπύσαι αὐτὴν παρεσκεύασεν, ὅπερ τοῖς σώμασιν ἐφιζάνον τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἑλκώσεις ἀνιαρὰς αὐτοῖς παρείχετο, ὡς μηδεμίαν τὴν ἰατρικὴν ποιῆσαι τούτοις ἐπικουρίαν δύνασθαι. Ὡς δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς μάστιγος ταύτης ἐσκληρύνθη Φαραὼ, τελευταῖον θανάτῳ τὰ πρωτότοκα τῆς Αἰγύπτου πάσης ὑπέβαλε. Καὶ πένθους ἐπὶ τοῦτο ἀμέτρου καταλαβόντος τὴν Αἴγυπτον, ἀπὸ τῆς χώρας παγγενῆ πάντας ὁ Φαραὼ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἐξέπεμψε· καὶ πολλὴν οὗτοι ὁδὸν διανύσαντες, καὶ τοὺς Ἀραβίας διαβάντες ποταμοὺς, τριταῖοι ἐπὶ τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν παρεγένοντο. Τοῦ δὲ Θεοῦ τὴν καρδίαν σκληρύναντος τοῦ Φαραὼ, πάλιν οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι ἐπιλησθέντες τῶν προλαβόντων κακῶν, τοὺς Ἰσραηλίτας ἅμα τῷ Φαραὼ ἐπεδίωκον. Μηδεὶς δὲ ὑπολάβῃ τὸν Φαραὼ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς ἀναισθησίαν τῶν πραττομένων χωρεῖν ἐκβιάζεσθαι· ἀδικίας γὰρ ἵσως τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ τοιοῦτος καταψηφίζεται φάσκων· Εἰ αὐτὸς σκληρύνει τὴν καρδίαν, τί μέμφεται τῷ σκληρυνομένῳ; Ἀλλὰ γινωσκέτω, ὅτι ἀνοχὴ τῶν μαστίγων αἰτία τῆς πωρώσεως αὐτῷ ἐγίνετο· ἡνίκα γὰρ ἐπῆγεν ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὰς πληγὰς, ἀπολύειν τὸν λαὸν ἐπηγγείλατο· ἡνίκα δὲ ἠφίει τῶν βασάνων αὐτὸν, ἐσκληρύνετο· τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπὶ λέξεως σημαίνει καὶ ἡ Γραφὴ λέγουσα· Ἰδὼν δὲ Φαραὼ, ὅτι γέγονεν ἀνάψυξις, ἐβάρυνε τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ εἰσήκουσεν αὐτῶν, καθάπερ ἐλάλησεν ὁ Κύριος· καὶ, Εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐξήγειρά σε, ὅπως ἐνδείξωμαι ἐν σοὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμίν μου. Ἀλλ' ἀκούων μὴ δυσφήμως ὑπολάβῃς, λέγων· ∆ιὰ τί τιμωρεῖται αὐτοὺς, ἀντιστῆναι αὐτῷ παρασκευάζων αὐτόν; διὰ τί τύπτει, εἰ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀδικία παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ; Ἀλλὰ γινωσκέτω πρῶτον, ὅτι τὰ δοκοῦντα εἶναι ἀντιλεγόμενα παρὰ τῇ Γραφῇ, οὐ λογισμοῖς, ἀλλὰ παραδείγμασι λύεται. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ ἄριστοι τῶν ἰατρῶν, ὠφέλιμόν τι ἐπινοῆσαι τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ φύσει σπουδάζοντες, τοὺς θανατικῇ ἀποφάσει ὑποβληθέντας αἰτησάμενοι ἀνατέμνουσιν. ἵνα διὰ τῶν ὑποδίκων τῷ θανάτῳ ὠφέλιμόν τι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐφεύρωσιν· οὕτως ὁ πᾶσαν ἀνθρωπί 789 νην σοφίαν ὑπερβαίνων Θεὸς διὰ τοῦ ἀνίατον ἡμαρτηκότος Φαραὼ σημεῖα μεγάλα δείκνυσι, τὸν μὲν ἄξιον τιμωρίας κολάζων, τοὺς δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα γεννωμένους θεραπεύων, σωτηρίας ὑπόθεσιν τὴν αὐτοῦ τιμωρίαν αὐτοῖς παρεχόμενος. Συναγαγὼν οὖν πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν ὁ Φαραὼ, ἅρματα μὲν διακόσια, ἱππέων δὲ μυριάδας κʹ, τοὺς Ἰσραηλίτας ἐδίωκεν. Οἱ δὲ, διαιρεθείσης τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς θαλάσσης ὑπὸ Μωϋσέως, προστάγματι Θεοῦ ἐπορεύοντο· καὶ Αἰγύπτιοι κατόπιν αὐτῶν ἐλαύνοντες κατεποντώθησαν, τῇ ῥάβδῳ τοῦ Μωϋσέως πατάξαντος, καὶ συναγαγόντος τὰ ὕδατα. Τῇ δ' ὑστεραίᾳ ἡμέρᾳ, τὰ ὅπλα τῶν Αἰγυπτίων τῷ πλήθει τῶν Ἑβραίων προσήνεγκε τὸ ὕδωρ ὠθούμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος. Καὶ ὁ Μωϋσῆς εἰκάσας καὶ τοῦτο τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγενῆσθαι προνοίᾳ, ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὰ πορίσασθαι, ὅπως μὴ εἶεν ἄνοπλοι. Ἀφικνοῦνται γοῦν εἰς τὴν ἕρημον. Καὶ ὁ Ῥαγουῆλος καὶ Ἰοθὼρ (διώνυμος γὰρ ἐτύγχανεν) ἀφικνεῖται πρὸς τὸν Μωϋσῆν, ἐπαγόμενος αὐτῷ

Jethro and the Exodus§28

28the wife and the sons; and having learned all the wonder-working of God concerning the Egyptians from him, he was struck with amazement, and he glorified God. And this man, as they say, was a descendant of Abraham, born of one of those begotten to him from Hetur; for from Jezan came Dadan, Raguel, Jethor, and Obab. Therefore, Moses, having held him in high regard, sent him to his own homes. And Moses, having legislated many things for the benefit of the Hebrews, ended his life, having lived 120 years. And Joshua the son of Nun succeeds to his leadership, and leads the people out of the wilderness, having wandered in it for 40 years, upon which the traces of the habitation of the Jews are still preserved. For, thanks to the history, those arriving at the places report that the types of the tents still stand, existing in myriads, and that Mount Sinai is seen, at which Moses received the legislations, and each of those things written in detail.

It must be investigated: the Hebrews sojourned in Egypt for 430 and 40 years, and not 210 and 200; for the record of the years is sufficient at 430, but the Scripture says 430 and 40. For it says, 'the seed of Abraham shall be a sojourner in a foreign land for 430 years' (Genesis 15:13). First, therefore, it must be noted that it did not say 'in Egypt,' but 'in a foreign land shall the seed of Abraham be a sojourner'; and a foreign land indeed existed, namely the Canaanite land, in which Isaac sojourned, the seed of Abraham himself being above all an exceptional one, for he was a son. It is therefore evident that before inheriting the land of the foreign tribes, they were sojourners for 430 years, just as the Apostle also says: 'a covenant having been proclaimed by God after 430 years, in order to bring forth the promise' (Galatians 3:17); and he adds: 'To Abraham, through a promise, God granted' (Genesis 12:7). It is therefore probable that they sojourned in Canaan for 430, and in Egypt for 430, which is the same as 430 years.

When Joshua led the people and the ark of the Covenant through the Jordan, the waters stood apart as a single heap, having stood far off; but that which was descending into the sea of the waves went down, until it vanished completely, and all crossed on dry land, and they are encamped at Jericho. And this city was fortified against the greatest with walls.

They circled it for six days by God's command; and on the seventh at dawn they circled it seven times, and the priests, having blown the trumpets, roused the people to shout together with a great cry; and as they helped, the wall fell immediately, and the city was captured, and all became a devoted thing to the Lord. Then Ai was besieged, and they took it and burned it, and having hung its king on a tree, they crucified him by the command of Joshua. And as the sun was setting, they threw his body into a ravine and covered it with a heap of stones.

But the Gibeonites, inquiring about these sieges (for they had spies), craftily deceived the Israelites. For if they had not reached their city first, they would have met them wearing worn-out clothes and sandals, having put on torn garments and sacks of dry bread and barley, and having put on old sacks, saying to them: 'Our city was greatly divided from us; for we prepared these fresh loaves, and the clothes we wear are new, and we gave new sandals to those walking; and all this the length of the road wore out and aged. Therefore make peace with us, and make our friends.' And the blessed Joshua pledged peace to them by oaths.

Later, having recognized their craftiness, he refrained from them because of the oath, but commanded that they should be beaten and carry water for the Israelites instead of the deceit. Then the king of Jerusalem, Adoni-Bezek, being angry at the Gibeonites acting alone, took allies from the nearby regions—the king of Hebron, Aila, the Fidon of Jerimuth, Ziphah of Lachish, and even Dad of Sodom—and marched against them and besieged Gibeon. The Gibeonites, being pursued, sent ambassadors to Joshua. He, being at Galgal, opposed them, and when battle occurred, the foreigners were routed; some were destroyed by the sword, others by hail. For as they fled, God rained hail upon them, which killed more of the adversaries than the war did. So that Joshua might completely destroy them, he prayed...

Greek · §28

τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ τοὺς υἱούς· καὶ μαθὼν πᾶσαν παρ' αὐτοῦ τὴν κατ' Αἰγυπτίων τοῦ Θεοῦ θαυματουργίαν, κατεπλάγη, καὶ ἐδόξασε τὸν Θεόν. Ἦν δὲ οὗτος, ὥς φασι, τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἀπόγονος, ἐξ ἑνὸς τῶν ἐκ Χεττόυρας γεννηθέντων αὐτῷ τεχθείς· ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ Ἰεζὰν ἐγένετο ∆άδαν, Ῥαγουὴλ, Ἰοθὼρ καὶ Ὀβάβ. ∆εξιῶς οὖν αὐτὸν φιλοφρονησάμενος ὁ Μωϋσῆς, εἰς τοὺς οἰκείους τόπους προέπεμψεν. Αὐτὸς δὲ πολλὰς πρὸς τὸ χρήσιμον τοῖς Ἑβραίοις νομοθετήσας ὁ Μωϋσῆς ἐτελεύτησε, βιώσας ἔτη ρκʹ. καὶ Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναυῆ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν αὐτοῦ διαδέχεται, καὶ ἐξάγει τῆς ἐρήμου τὸν λαὸν, ἔτη μʹ ἐν αὐτῇ διατρίψαντα, ἐφ' ἧς ἔτι τὰ ἴχνη τῆς κατοικήσεως τῶν Ἰουδαίων σώζεται. Οἱ γὰρ χάριν ἱστορίας τοῖς τόποις ἐπιδημήσαντες, τῶν σκηνῶν τύπους ἔτι συνεστάναι διηγοῦνται μυρίου πλήθους ὑπαρχούσας [φ. ὑπαρχουσῶν], τό τε Σιναῖον ὄρος θεωρεῖσθαι, παρ' ᾧ τὰς νομοθεσίας ὁ Μωϋσῆς εἴληφε, καὶ ἕκαστα τῶν ἐν μέρει ἀναγεγραμμένων. Ζητητέον δέ· Οἱ Ἑβραῖοι ἐν τῇ Αἰγύπτῳ παρῴκησαν ἔτη υʹ καὶ λʹ, καὶ οὐχὶ ιεʹ καὶ διακόσια· ἡ μὲν γὰρ τῶν χρόνων ἐφεξῆς ἀναγραφὴ σιεʹ σημαίνει, ἡ δὲ Γραφὴ υʹ καὶ λʹ. Λέγει γὰρ, ὅτι πάροικον ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἐν γῇ ἀλλοτρίᾳ ἔτη υλʹ. Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ἐπιτηρητέον, ὅτι οὐκ εἶπεν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, ἀλλ' ἐν γῇ ἀλλοτρίᾳ πάροικον ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ· ἀλλοτρία δὲ ὑπῆρχε καὶ ἡ Χαναναία γῆ, ἣν παρῴκησεν ὁ Ἰσαὰκ, σπέρμα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ πρὸ πάντων αὐτὸς τυγχάνων ἐξαίρετον· υἱὸς γὰρ ἦν. ∆ῆλον οὖν, ὅτι πρὸ τοῦ κληρονομῆσαι τῶν ἀλλοφύλων τὴν γῆν, ὑπῆρχον πάροικοι μέχρις ἐτῶν υλʹ, ὥς που καὶ ὁ Ἀπόστολος λέγει· ∆ιαθήκην προκεκυρωμένην ὑπὸ Θεοῦ μετὰ ἔτη υλʹ, εἰς τὸ καρποφορῆσαι τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν· καὶ ἐπιφέρει· Τῷ δὲ Ἀβραὰμ δι' ἐπαγγελίας ἐχαρίσατο ὁ Θεός. Εἰκὸς οὖν, ὅτι ἐν μὲν τῇ Χαναναίᾳ σιεʹ παρῴκησαν, ἐν δὲ 792 τῇ Αἰγύπτῳ τὰ αὐτὰ σιεʹ, ἅπερ ὁμοῦ γίνεται ἔτη υλʹ. ∆ιάγοντος δὲ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ τὸν λαὸν καὶ τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς ∆ιαθήκης διὰ τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, διέστη τὰ ὕδατα εἰς πῆγμα ἓν ἀφεστηκὸς μακρὰν σφόδρα· τὸ δὲ καταβαῖνον εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν τῶν ἀλῶν Ἄραβα κατῆλθεν, ἕως οὗ εἰς τέλος ἐξέλιπε, καὶ πάντες ἐπὶ ξηρᾶς διέβησαν, καὶ στρατοπεδεύουσιν ἐπὶ τὴν Ἱεριχώ. Ἦν δὲ αὕτη μεγίστοις ὠχυρωμένη τείχεσι. Κυκλοῦσι γοῦν αὐτὴν ἐπὶ ἡμέρας ἓξ, Θεοῦ προστάξαντος· καὶ τῇ ἑβδόμη ὄρθρου περιῆλθον αὐτὴν ἕβδομον κυκλόθεν, καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς σαλπίγξαντες ταῖς σάλπιγξι τὸν λαὸν πάντα ἀλαλάξαι ὁμοθυμαδὸν διήγειραν· καὶ βοησάντων αὐτῶν, παραχρῆμα τὸ τεῖχος ἔπεσε, καὶ ἑάλω ἡ πόλις, καὶ πᾶσα τῷ Κυρίῳ ὑπῆρξεν ἀνάθημα. Καὶ μετὰ τὴν Ἱεριχὼ ἐνεδρεύουσι τὴν πόλιν Οὐαῒ, καὶ λαβόντες αὐτὴν ἐνέπρησαν, καὶ τὸν βασιλέα αὐτῆς ἐπὶ ξύλου κρεμάσαντες, προστάξαντος τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ἐσταύρωσαν. Καὶ δύνοντος τοῦ ἡλίου ἔῤῥιψαν τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ εἰς φάραγγα, καὶ σωρῷ αὐτὸ λίθων ἐπέχωσαν. Οἱ δὲ Γαβαωνῖται, τούτων τὰς πολιορκίας πυθόμενοι (ὑπῆρχον γὰρ αὐτῶν ἀστυγείτονες), πανούργως τοὺς Ἰσραηλίτας κατασοφίζονται. Ἦσαν [φ. ὡς ἂν] γὰρ μὴ φθάσαντες τῇ πόλει αὐτῶν παρεμβάλωσιν, ὑπαντῶσιν αὐτοῖς ἐσθῆτα καὶ ὑποδήματα διεῤῥωγότα ἠμφιεσμένοι, καὶ σάκκους ἄρτων ξηρῶν καὶ εὐρωτιώντων, καὶ ἀσκοὺς παλαιοὺς ἐπηχθισμένοι, φάσκοντες αὐτοῖς· «Ἡ μὲν πόλις ἡμῶν πολὺ ἀφ' ἡμῶν διέστηκε· τοὺς γὰρ ἄρτους τούτους νεαροὺς ἐφωδιάσθημεν, καὶ τὴν ἐσθῆτα ἣν περικείμεθα καινὴν ἠμφιέσμεθα, καὶ τὰ ὑποδήματα νέα τοῖς ποσὶν ὑπεβάλομεν· καὶ ταῦτα πάντα τὸ μῆκος τῆς ὁδοῦ κατέτριψε, καὶ ἐπαλαίωσε. ∆ιάθεσθε οὖν πρὸς ἡμᾶς εἰρήνην, καὶ φίλους ἡμῶν καταστήσατε.» Καὶ ὁ μακάριος Ἰησοῦς ὅρκοις εἰρήνην τὴν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐπιστώσατο. Ὕστερον δὲ τὴν πανουργίαν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνοὺς, ἐφείσατο μὲν αὐτῶν διὰ τὸν ὅρκον, ξυλοφορεῖν δὲ καὶ ὑδροφορεῖν τοῖς Ἰσραηλίταις ἀντὶ τῆς ἀπάτης προσέταξεν. Ὀργισθεὶς δὲ Ἀδωνιβεζὲκ ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτομολῆσαι τοῖς Ἰσραηλίταις τοὺς Γαβαωνίτας, συμμάχους τοὺς πλησιοχώρους λαβὼν βασιλεῖς, τὸν Αἰλὰμ βασιλέα Χεβρὼν, καὶ τὸν Φιδὼν τὸν τῆς Ἰεριμοὺδ, καὶ Σιφὰ τὸν Λαχεὶς, ἕτι δὲ καὶ τὸν ∆ὰδ τῆς Σοδολλὰμ, ἐστρατοπέδευσε πρὸς αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἐπολιόρκει τὴν Γαβαών. Οἱ δὲ Γαβαωνῖται συνεχόμενοι πρεσβεύονται πρὸς Ἰησοῦν. Ὁ δὲ ἐν Γαλγάλοις ὢν, ἀντιπαρετάξατο αὐτοῖς, καὶ συμβολῆς γενομένης ἐτροπώθησαν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι· καὶ οἱ μὲν ξίφει διεφθάρησαν, οἱ δὲ χαλάζῃ. Φευγόντων γὰρ αὐτῶν, ὁ Θεὸς χάλαζαν αὐτοῖς κατώμβρησεν, ἥτις πλείστους τῶν ἐναντίων ἀνεῖλε, ἤπερ ὁ πόλεμος. Ἵνα δὲ τέλεον ἐξαφανίσῃ αὐτοὺς Ἰησοῦς, ηὔξατο

Divine Intervention and Joshua's Victory§29

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29To God, so that He might not let the day pass by nature, having stopped the sun at Gibeon and the moon at the valley of Aijalon (Joshua 10:12-13). And God stopped the sun and the moon until he struck down the enemies in the midday.

But Jesus the son of Nun, finding the five kings of the nations hiding, fallen into a cave upon the earth, commanded that they be thrown, and having made them be trampled by the people upon the neck, he killed them (Joshua 10:25-27); and having hung their bodies on wood, he later shut them into the cave.

And having plundered all their cities, he subjected all the mountain and the plain. And Asor, King Jabin, having taken kings as allies around him, gathered much power, as the multitude of their army seemed to be like the innumerable...

Greek · §29

τῷ Θεῷ, ὅπως τὴν ἡμέραν παρὰ φύσιν μηκύνῃ αὐτοῖς στήσας τὸν ἥλιον κατὰ Γαβαὼν, καὶ τὴν σελήνην κατὰ φάραγγα Ἀρνῶν. Καὶ ἔστησεν ὁ Θεὸς στάσει τὸν ἥλιον καὶ τὴν σελήνην, ἕως οὗ παηνμέριον τοὺς πολεμίους ἥλω. 793 Τοὺς δὲ πέντε βασιλεῖς τῶν ἐθνῶν Ἰησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ κρυπτομένους εὑρὼν, εἰς σπήλαιον ὑπτίους ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ῥιφῆναι αὐτοὺς προσέταξε, καὶ καταπατεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ τραχήλου ποιήσας, ἀπέκτεινε· καὶ τὰ σώματα αὐτῶν ἐπὶ ξύλου ἀναρτήσας, ὕστερον εἰς τὸ σπήλαιον αὐτὰ κατώρυξε. Πάσας δὲ τὰς πόλεις ἐκπορθήσας αὐτῶν, πᾶσαν τὴν ὀρεινὴν καὶ τὴν πεδινὴν ὑπέταξε. Ἀσὼρ δὲ, ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰαβὶν, συμμάχους τοὺς πέριξ λαβὼν βασιλεῖς, πολλὴν συνήγαγε δύναμιν, ὡς εἰκάσαι τὸ πλῆθος τῆς στρατείας αὐτῶν τῇ ἀναριθμήτῳ τῆς

The Conquest of the Land§30

30[...], the sand of the sea, and he set himself against Jesus. But Jesus, falling upon them suddenly, slaughtered him and all his allies with all the force of an army, and he cut down their horses, and he divided all their land among the Israelites.

To the tribe of Reuben he allotted the land of the Amorites and the Rapha; and to Gad the same land of the Amorites, and he divided half to the tribe of Manasseh; and to the tribe of Judah the land of the Hebrews, and of the Hittites, and of the Anakim.

For Judah, a tribe having taken the tribe of Simeon as an ally, drove out the Canaanites and the Perizzites, and seizing the fleeing Adoni-Bezek, they maimed his feet and his hands; and [...]

Greek · §30

θαλάσσης ψάμμῳ, καὶ ἀντιπαρετάξατο τῷ Ἰησοῦ. Ὁ δὲ αὐτοῖς ἄφνω ἐπιπεσὼν Ἰησοῦς αὐτόν τε καὶ πάντας τοὺς συμμάχους πανστρατὶ κατέσφαξε, καὶ τοὺς ἵππους αὐτῶν ἐνευροκόπησε, καὶ πᾶσαν αὐτῶν τὴν γῆν τοῖς Ἰσραηλίταις διένειμε· τῇ μὲν φυλῇ τοῦ Ῥουβὶν τὴν τῶν Ἀμοῤῥαίων γῆν ἀπεκλήρωσε καὶ τὴν Ῥαφασὴν, τὴν δὲ Γὰδ τὴν αὐτὴν γῆν τῶν Ἀμοῤῥαίων, καὶ τὸ ἥμισυ φυλῇ Μανασσῆ ἀπένειμε, καὶ τῇ φυλῇ Ἰούδα τὴν τῶν Ἑβραίων, καὶ Χετταίων, καὶ τὴν Ἐνακείμ. Ἤγουν Ἰούδα φυλὴ, σύμμαχον λαβοῦσα τὴν φυλὴν Συμεὼν, τοὺς Χαναναίους καὶ Φερεζαίους ἐπόρθησε, καὶ φεύγοντα τὸν Ἀδωνιβεζὲκ χειρωσάμενοι, τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἠκρωτηρίασαν· καὶ

The Death of Joshua and Tribal Inheritances§31

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31Self-condemning, he said, "Just as I have done, so God has repaid me. For seventy kings, their extremities of feet and hands having been cut off, were lying beneath my table, recounting the fallen ones." Having been brought into Jerusalem, he died immediately.

And Jesus caused to perish the land of Ephraim, belonging to the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Samaritans; and the land of Manasseh, half a tribe, belonging to the Geshurites and the Amorites. But he bequeathed the land of the Hebrews, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites, to Benjamin; and to Simeon, that of the Hebrews and the Perizzites; and to Zebulun, that of the Perizzites; and to the Kenites [...]

Greek · §31

κατοδυρόμενος ἑαυτὸν ἔφη· «Καθὼς ἐποίησα, οὕτω μοι ὁ Θεὸς ἀνταπέδωκεν. Ἑβδομήκοντα γὰρ βασιλεῖς, τὰ ἄκρα τῶν ποδῶν αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν χειρῶν ἐκκεκομμένοι, ὑποκάτω ἦσαν τῆς τραπέζης μου τὰ ἐμπίπτοντα ἀναλέγοντες.» Κομισθεὶς οὖν εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ παραυτίκα ἀπέθανε. Τῇ δὲ φυλῇ Ἐφραῒμ τὴν τῶν Ἀμοῤῥαίων, καὶ Φερεζαίων, καὶ Σαμαραίων· καὶ τῷ ἡμίσει φυλῆς Μανασσῆ τὴν τῶν Γερσαίων, καὶ Ἀμοῤῥαίων γῆν ἀπένειμεν Ἰησοῦς· τὴν δὲ τῶν Ἑβραίων, καὶ Ἀμοῤῥαίων, καὶ Ἰεβουσαίων τῇ τοῦ Βενιαμὶν ἐκληροδότησε· τῇ δὲ τοῦ Συμεὼν τὴν τῶν Ἑβραίων καὶ Φερεζαίων· καὶ τῇ τοῦ Ζαβουλὼν τὴν τῶν Φερεζαίων· τὴν δὲ τῶν Κιναίων τῇ

Tribal Allotments and the Apostasy§32

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32Naphtali; and for the tribe of Dan, the Amorites; and the tribe of Issachar; and for the tribe of Asher, the Perizzites (Joshua 19:25-26). Having distributed all this land, Jesus, having lived seventy and ten years, died (Joshua 24:20). And after the death of Eleazar the son of Aaron, Phinehas his son took up the high priesthood (Numbers 20:28).

But after the death of Joshua, the Israelites, having turned away from God, worshipped Astarte (Judges 2:11), and God delivered them into the hands of Cusharthan the Syrian king, who put them into much distress, so that, having been much afflicted, they cried out to God, and judges were given to them (Judges 2:11-16).

Greek · §32

Νεφθαλείμ· καὶ τῇ φυλῇ τοῦ ∆ὰν τὴν Ἀμοῤῥαίων· τῇ δὲ φυλῇ Ἰσσάχαρ, καὶ τῇ φυλῇ Ἀσὴρ τὴν τῶν Φερεζαίων. Ταύτην πᾶσαν διανείμας τὴν γῆν Ἰησοῦς ρʹ καὶ ιʹ βιώσας ἔτη, ἀπέθανεν, Ἐλεαζάρου δὲ τοῦ υἱοῦ Ἀαρὼν τελευτήσαντος τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην Φινὲς ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ διεδέξατο. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν τελευτὴν Ἰησοῦ Ναυῆ οἱ Ἰσραηλῖται, ἀποστάντες τοῦ Θεοῦ, τῇ Ἀστάρτῃ ἐλάτρευσαν καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὑποχειρίους ὁ Θεὸς Χουσαρθὰν τῷ Σύρων βασιλεῖ, ὅστις εἰς πολλὴν συνοχὴν αὐτοὺς κατέστησεν, ὡς ἐπὶ πολὺ καταπονηθέντας αὐτοὺς βοῆσαι πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ δοθῆναι αὐτοῖς κριτάς.

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