I.  I will address myself as is right to those who have come from Egypt; for they have come here eagerly, having overcome illwill by zeal, from that Egypt which is enriched by the River, raining out of the earth, and like the sea in its season,—if I too may follow in my small measure those who have so eloquently spoken of these matters; and which is also enriched by Christ my Lord, Who once was a fugitive into Egypt, and now is supplied by Egypt; the first, when He fled from Herod’s massacre of the children;1    Matt. ii. 13. and now by the love of the fathers for their children, by Christ the new Food of those who hunger after good;2    John vi. 33. the greatest alms of corn of which history speaks and men believe; the Bread which came down from heaven and giveth life to the world, that life which is indestructible and indissoluble, concerning Whom I now seem to hear the Father saying, Out of Egypt have I called My Son.3    Hos. xi. 1.

Αʹ. Τοὺς ἀπ' Αἰγύπτου προσφθέγξομαι, δίκαιον γάρ: ἐπειδὴ καὶ προθύμως συνεληλύθασι, τῷ ζήλῳ τὸν φθόνον νικήσαντες, Αἰγύπτου ταύτης, ἣν πλουτίζει μὲν ποταμὸς ἐκ γῆς ὕων, καὶ πελαγίζων ὥρια ἵνα καὶ αὐτὸς μικρόν τι μιμήσωμαι τοὺς περὶ ταῦτα κομψούς: πλουτίζει δὲ Χριστὸς ὁ ἐμὸς, πρότερον μὲν εἰς Αἴγυπτον φυγαδευόμενος, νυνὶ δὲ ἀπ' Αἰγύπτου χορηγούμενος: τότε μὲν, ἐκ τῆς Ἡρώδου παιδοφονίας, νῦν δὲ, ἐκ τῆς τῶν πατέρων φιλοτεκνίας: Χριστὸς, ἡ καινὴ τροφὴ τῶν καλῶς πεινώντων, ἡ μείζων σιτοδοσία πάσης τῆς ἱστορουμένης τε καὶ πιστευομένης: ὁ ἅρτος, ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβαίνων, καὶ ζωὴν διδοὺς τῷ κόσμῳ, τὴν ἀνόλεθρόν τε καὶ ἀκατάλυτον, περὶ οὗ καὶ νῦν ἀκούειν δοκῶ μοι λέγοντος τοῦ Πατρός: Ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν Υἱόν μου.