LETTER VI. 

AMBROSE TO SYAGRIUS.

[To complete the character of S. Ambrose as shewn in his Letters, these will be printed at the end of the volume, but, on account of their subject, in the original Latin.]

 LETTER VII. [before 381 A.D.]

THE Justus to whom this letter and the following are addressed is in all probability S. Justus Bishop of Lyons, who is mentioned below as one of the Bishops who took part in the Council of Aquileia: that he was a Bishop is implied by S. Ambrose addressing him as 'brother.' The letter contains a mystical interpretation of the half-shekel of redemption, (Exodus xxx. 12. sqq.) and of the didrachma and stater of our Lord's miracle of the piece of money in the fish's mouth, and of the penny of the tribute money. The date given in the margin depends on the truth of the hypothesis that Justus is the Bishop of Lyons. Of him it is recorded that he did not return to his See after the Council of Aquileia, but became a monk in the deserts of Egypt. See Newman's Fleury vol. 1 p. 25.

AMBROSE TO JUSTUS, HEALTH.

YOUR question, my brother, as to the meaning of that shekel, half of which the Hebrew is commanded to offer for the redemption of the soul, is an excellent admonition to us to direct our intercourse by letter and our converse while at a distance to the interpretation of the heavenly oracles. For what can more unite us than, to converse concerning the things of God?

2. Now the half of the shekel is a  piece of silver, and the redemption of the soul is faith; faith therefore is that  piece of silver which the  woman in the Gospel, as we read, having  lost, diligently seeks for, lighting a candle and sweeping the house; and when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbours,  bidding them  rejoice with her for that she has found the piece of silver which, she had lost.   01-64  64. S. Luke xv. 8, 9. For great is the loss of the soul, if a man lose his faith, or that grace which by means of faith he had obtained to himself. Do thou therefore  light thy candle. Thy light is thine eye;   01-65  65. S. Matt. vi. 22. that is, the inward eye of the mind. Do thou light this candle, which is fed by spiritual oil, and  gives light to thy whole house. Seek that  piece of silver, the redemption of thy soul, which he that loses is troubled, he that finds rejoices.

3. Mercy too is the redemption of the soul; for the redemption of a man's soul are his riches, by which he shews mercy, and expending them, relieves the poor.  01-66  66. Prov. xiii. 8. Wherefore faith, grace, and mercy, are the redemption of the soul, which is purchased by a piece of silver, that is, by the full price of a larger sum. For thus it is written in the words of the Lord to Moses:  When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them when thou numberest them. This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord. Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the Lord. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, whcn they give an offering unto the Lord to make an atonement for your souls. And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel and thou shall appoint it for the service of the Tabernacle of the congregation, that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.   01-67  67. Exod. xxx. 12 -15.

4. Did then both the rich man who offered more, and the poor who had less, fail so much, if this half shekel consisted in money and had not hidden excellencies? Whence we are to understand that this half shekel is not material but spiritual, having to be paid by all and rated equally.

5. Again as to heavenly food (for the food and delight of heavenly nutriment is wisdom, whereon they feed in Paradise, the unfailing food of the soul, called in the Divine Word manna) the distribution of this was, we read, so made to each soul as to be equally divided. For they who gathered most and they who gathered least, all gathered according to the direction of Moses; and they made an omer the measure, and it did not exceed to him who gathered much nor fall short to him who gathered little. For each man, according to the number of souls who were with him in the tent, gathered for each an omer, that is, being interpreted, a measure of wine.  01-68  68. Ib. xvi. 17, 18.

6. Now this is the measure of wisdom, which if it be above measure is hurtful, as it is written,  Make not thyself over-wise.   01-69  69. E ccles. vii. 16. And Paul has taught that the division of grace is according to measure, saying,  The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal, to one is given the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge,  [to another the faith of wisdom by the spirit of knowledge]  ^{01-70  70. 1 These words are added by S.Ambrose.}  by the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit,   01-71  71. 1 Cor.xii. 7-9. and that this grace is given according to the will of the Spirit. In that He divides, He shews His equity, in that He divides as He will, His power. Or He may will to bestow that upon each which He knows will be profitable.

7. An omer then is a measure, and a measure of wine,  which maketh glad the heart of man.   01-72  72. Ps. civ. 15. For what is the joy of the heart but the draughts of wisdom? This is that  wine which  Wisdom hath  mingled in a cup, and given us to drink,  01-73  73. Prov. ix. 2. that we may receive to ourselves temperance and prudence, that wine which should be so equally transfused through all the senses and thoughts and all the emotions which are within this our house, that we may know how to abound to all and to be wanting to none.

8. More fully also it may be understood of the Blood of Christ, to Whose grace nothing can be added nor taken away. Whether you take little or drink much, to all the measure of Redemption is perfect.

9. The Passover too of the Lord,  01-74  74. Exod. xii. 4. that is, the lamb, the fathers are ordered so to eat, that it might be according to the number of their souls, neither more nor less; that more should not be given to some, and less to others, but that it should be according to the number of their souls, lest the stronger should take more and the weaker less. For the grace, the gift, the redemption is distributed equally to all. And there ought not to be too many, lest any go away defrauded of his hope and redemption. Now there are too many, when any are beyond the number, for the saints are all  numbered, and the hairs of their heads; for  the Lord knoweth them that are His.   01-75  75. S. Matt. x. 30. Neither can there be too few, lest any be too weak to receive the greatness of the grace.

10. Wherefore He hath commanded all to bring an equal faith and devotion to the Pasch of the Lord, that is, to the Passover. For it is the Pasch, when the mind lays down its senseless passion, and puts on good compassion, that it may suffer together with Christ, and take His Passover into itself, so as that He may  dwell in it,  and walk in it,  and may become  its God.   01-76  76. 2 Cor. vi. 16. Thus grace is equal in all, but virtue is diverse in each. Let each then take that portion which fits his strength, that neither the stronger may lack nor the weaker be burthened.

11. This you have in the Gospel; for the same wages are paid to all the labourers in the vineyard;  01-77  77. S. Matt. xx. 10. but few attain to the prize, to the reward; few say,  There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.   01-78  78. 2 Tim.iv. 8. For the gift of bounty and of grace is one thing; another the wages of virtue, the recompense of labour.

12. Therefore a shekel is our ransom, nay half a shekel. He has redeemed us from death, redeemed from slavery, that we may not be subject to the world, which we have renounced. Whence in the Gospel our Lord bids Peter  go to the sea, and cast an hook, and  take the stater which he will find in the fish's mouth, and  give it to them   01-79  79. S. Matt. xvii. 27. who required of the Lord and of himself a shekel. This then is that shekel which was exacted by the Law, nevertheless it was not due from the King's Son, but from strangers. For why should Christ ransom Himself from this world, when He came  to take away the sin of the world?   01-80  80. S. John i. 29. Why should He redeem Himself from sin, Who came down that He might remit to all their sins? Why should He redeem Himself from servitude, Who  emptied Himself   01-81  81. Phil. ii. 7. that He might give liberty to all? Why should He redeem Himself from death, Who took flesh, that by His Death He might obtain for all a resurrection?

13. Truly the Redeemer of all had no need of a redemption; but as He received circumcision that He might fulfil the Law, and came to be baptized that He  might fulfil righteousness,   01-82  82. S. Matt. iii. 15. so also did He not refuse to pay those who required of Him the shekel, but straightway commanded the stater to be given as the tribute for Himself and Peter. For He chose rather to give beyond the Law than to deny the Law's due. At the same time He shews that the Jews acted contrary to the Law, in exacting a shekel from one person, whereas Moses had ordained that half a shekel should be required. On this account He commanded as it were single pieces to be paid both for Himself and for Peter in the stater. Good is the tribute of Christ, which is paid by the  stater, for justice is the  balance   ^{01-83  83. 1 statera.} , and justice is above the Law. Again,  Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.   01-84  84. Rom. x. 4. This stater is found in the fish's mouth, of that fish which the fishers of men take, of that fish who weighs his words that they may be tried by the fire before they are uttered.  01-85  85. Ps. xii. 6.

14. This stater the Jews knew not, giving Him up to the betrayer. But the Law exacts half a shekel for the redemption of a soul, and devotes it to God, for she cannot claim the whole. For in the Jew scarcely a portion of devotion could be found. But he who is  free indeed, a true Hebrew, belongs wholly to God, all that he has savours of liberty. He has nothing in common with him who refuses liberty, saying,  I   love my master, my wife, and my children, I will not go out free!   01-86  86. Exod. xxi. 5. Which refers not only to his lord, but to the weakness of that man who shall have subjected himself to the world, in that he loves the world as his own soul, that is, his intelligence, the author of his will. Nor does it refer only to  his wife, but also to that delight which cares for household not eternal things. This man's ear therefore his lord nails to his door or threshold, that he may remember these words whereby he chose servitude.

15. This man therefore, O Christian, imitate not; for thou art not commanded to offer half a shekel, but,  if thou wouldest be perfect, to  sell all thou hast, and give to the poor.   01-87  87. S. Matt. xix. 21. Thou art not to reserve a part of thy service for the world, but to deny thyself altogether, and to  take up thy Lord's  cross and follow Him. 

16. Now we have learned that the half-shekel was required by the Law, because the other half was reserved for the generation of this world, that is, for secular life, and domestic use, and for posterity, to whom it was necessary that a portion out of the original inheritance should be transmitted. Wherefore our Lord answered the Pharisees, when they tempted Him by the crafty question whether He would advise that tribute should be paid to Caesar,  Why tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites, shew Me the tribute money.   01-88  88. S. Matt. xxii. 18, 19. And they brought Him a penny on which was Caesar's image. He saith to them,  Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's; shewing that they who thought themselves perfect were imperfect in that they paid to Caesar before God. They with whom the world was their first care would first pay that which appertained to the world; wherefore He says  Render, that is, render ye,  the things which are Caesar's ----ye, among whom the image and likeness of Caesar is found.

17. Wherefore those Hebrew youths, Ananias, Azarias, Misael, and that wiser Daniel, who would not worship the image of the king, who received it not, nor any thing from the king's table, were not bound to pay tribute. For they possessed nothing that was under the power of an earthly king.  01-89  89. Dan. iii. 18. and i. 8. And so their followers, they whose portion is God, pay no tribute. And so the Lord says,  Render, that is, Do ye render, who have brought forth the image of Caesar, with whom it is found, but I owe nothing to Caesar, because I have nothing in this world.  The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me.   01-90  90. S.John xiv. 30. Peter owes nothing, nor the Apostles, because  they are not of this world though  they are in this world. I have sent them into this world, but now  they are not of this world, because with Me they are above the world.  01-91  91. S.John xvii. 11, 14, 18.

18. So that which belongs to the Divine Law, not to Caesar, is that which is commanded to be paid. Yet even this He that was perfect, that is, the preacher of the Gospel, no longer owed, for He had preached more.  The Son of God owed it not, nor did Peter who was by grace an adopted son of the Father.  Notwithstanding, says He,  lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up, and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money, that take, and give unto them for Me and thee.   01-92  92. S. Matt. xvii. 27. O great mystery! He gives that half-shekel which the Law commanded, He refuses not what is of the Law, for He was  made of a woman, made under the Law.   01-93  93. Gal. iv. 4. 'Made,' I say, as regards His incarnation; 'of a woman,' as regards the sex; woman is the sex, virgin the species; the sex relates to her nature, the virgin to her integrity. For wherein He came  under the   Law, therein He was  made of a woman, that is, in the body. On this account He commands a shekel to be paid for Him and Peter, for both were born  under the Law. He commands it to be paid then according to the Law, that  He might redeem those who are under the Law. 

19. And yet He commands a stater to be paid that they might have their mouths closed, and so not commit sin by excess of talking. And He bids that to be given which was found in the mouth of the fish, that they might acknowledge the Word. For why was it that they who exacted what was of the Law, knew not what was the Law? For they ought not to have been ignorant of the Word of God; for it is written,  The Word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart.   01-94  94. Deut. xxx.14. He therefore paid the whole shekel to God, who reserved no part for the world. For it is to God that righteousness, which is the moderation of the mind, is paid; to God is paid the keeping of the tongue, which is the moderation in speech.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.   01-95  95. Rom. x. 10.

20. The half-shekel may also be understood of the Old Testament, the whole shekel for the price of both Testaments, for according to the Law every one was redeemed by the Law, but he who is redeemed according to the Gospel, pays the half-shekel according to the Law, he is redeemed by the Blood of Christ according to grace, having a double redemption both of devotion and of Blood. For not even faith alone is sufficient for perfection, unless the redeemed also obtain the grace of Baptism, and receive the Blood of Christ. Good then is that half-shekel which is paid to God.

21. The half-shekel is not a penny  01-96  96. 1 denarius. , but is different. Again, in the penny is the image of Caesar, in the half-shekel the image of God, for it is of one God, and formed after God Himself. Beginning from One it is infinitely diffused, and again, from the Infinite all things come back to one, as their end, for God is both the beginning and the end of all things. Wherefore arithmeticians have not called 'one' a number, but an element of number. And this we have said because it is written,  I   am Alpha and   Omega, the beginning and the ending;   01-97  97. Rev. i. 8. and,  Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is One Lord.   01-98  98. Deut. vi. 4.

22. Be thou then, after the likeness of God, one and the same; not sober to-day, drunken to-morrow; to-day pacific, to-morrow quarrelsome; to-day frugal, to-morrow immoderate; for each person is changed by diversity of manners and becomes another man, in whom that which he was is not recognized, while he begins to be that which he was not, degenerate from himself. It is a grievous thing to be changed for the worse. Be then as the image on the half-shekel, immutable, keeping daily the same deportment. Seeing the half-shekel, observe the image, that is, seeing the Law, observe in the Law Christ the Image of God; for He  is the Image of the invisible and incorruptible  God; let Him be displayed before thee as in the mirror of the Law. Confess Him in the Law, that thou mayest know Him again in the Gospel. If thou hast known Him in His precepts, acknowledge Him in works. Farewell, and if you do not think that this shekel has been committed to me unprofitably, doubt not to commit to me a second time whatever you may have to communicate.

EPISTOLA VI .

 Cum SYAGRIO  quod Indiciam contumeliosae inspectioni sententia sua addixisset, AMBROSIUS  amice expostulat; eique atrocissimam ultionem, quam Israelitae ob violatam in levitae uxore castitatem repetiverunt, ante oculos ponens, totam rei seriem eleganter describit. 

AMBROSIUS SYAGRIO.

1. Quae sint in nostro judicio decursa, comperta retines; et ideo nunc quasi animae portionem convenio meae, habens apud te pro castitatis contumelia familiarem et dolentem querelam. Itane oportuit inoratam atque inauditam virginitatis causam adjudicari, ut non possit absolvi? Hoc est, nisi sua injuria, nisi ab honesto pudore traducatur ad indecoram  0898D sui corporis oblationem, grande videlicet relatura sui testimonium, ut exponatur ludibrio, et procacitatis notetur. Hanc igitur praerogativam detulisti integritati, hujusmodi honorificentiam, 772 qua se lacessiri aut invitari gaudeant, quae hoc munus recipiendum putant; ut amittant libertatem communis assertionis, nec se jure tueantur vel sanctae legis, vel publico, ut non accusatorem exigat, non arcersitorem  0899A urgeat: sed impudentiam solam induat, ac sese projiciat ad injuriam?

2. Non ita majores nostri despicabilem habebant castimoniam, cui tantum deferebant reverentiae, ut bellum adversum temeratores pudicitiae suscipiendum putarent. Denique (Judic. XX, 1 et seq.) tantum fuit ultionis studium, ut omnes tribules de Benjamin tribu exstinguerentur, nisi sexcentos qui bello reliqui forent, natura editioris loci defendisset; sic enim lectionis divinae serie expressum tenetur, cujus tenorem recensere congruit.

3. Levites vir (Judic. XIX, 1 et seq.), animo major quam opibus, habitabat in partibus montis Ephraem; ei quippe tribui sortito obtigerat locus in possessionem terrae datus pro funiculo haereditatis.  0899B Is sibi accepit jugalem de Juda Bethleem. Et ut se habent prima copularum exordia, ardebat juvenculam immodica animi cupiditate: simul quia similibus ejus non fungebatur, exardescebat magis magisque possessione, atque immane quantum exaestuabat. Unde quia nihil referebatur ex parte adolescentulae, vel levitate amoris, vel vi doloris, quod haudquaquam mercede pari secum decerneret, cum eadem expostulabat. Hinc frequens jurgium: quo mulier offensa, claves remisit, domum revertit.

4. At ille (Ibid., 3 et seq.) amore victus, qui quod speraret non habebat aliud; cum quartum jam mensem fluere cerneret, eo contendit, fretus quod consilio parentum emolliretur animus adolescentulae. Occurrit pro foribus socer, generum introduxit; filiam  0899C reconciliavit; et ut laetiores dimitteret, triduo tenuit, quasi repararet nuptias: ac volenti abire, quartum quoque diem comperendinavit, praetenta humanitatis specie, moras innectendo. Pari modo cum etiam quintum diem vellet adjungere superioribus, et jam novae deessent causae morandi; paterno tamen affectu retinendae filiae desiderium non deforet, promissam profectionis copiam distulit in meridiem, ut viam cibo curati adorirentur. Post epulas quoque volens dilationem attexere, eo quod jam vesper appropinquaret, generi precibus, aegre licet, tamen acquievit.

5. Ille iter suum (Ibid., 10 et seq.) perrexit laetus animi, quod dilectam sibi recuperavisset. Qui uno comitati servulo, cum jam declinaret dies, festino  0899D viam celerabant gradu. Mulier vehebatur jumento, viro nullus sensus laboris, qui fructu desiderii, simul et vario mulieris ac vernaculi sermone viam levaret.  0900A Denique ubi Hierosolymam appropinquarunt, quae triginta stadiis aberat, quam tunc temporis Jebusaei tenebant; suggessit puer deflectendum in civitatem, 773 quia sub noctem suspecta essent etiam illa, quae tutiora sunt, cavendaque tenebrarum ambigua; maxime quia locorum incolae non essent de filiis Israel. Et ideo praevertendum, ne quid adversa studia gerentes insidiarum inferrent, obscuro noctis dolum quaerentibus ad perpetrandum facinus satis opportuno. Sed domino ejus haudquaquam placuit sententia, ut inter alienigenas hospitio succederent; cum Gaba et Rama non longe abessent civitates Benjamin. Itaque praevalens sententia, posthabuit servuli suggestionem; quasi ex conditione consilium aestimaretur, et non consilio quamvis infima conditio  0900B allevaretur. Et jam sol in occasu erat: denique vix occurrit, cum jam urgeretur vespere in civitatem succedere.

6. Gabaonitae (Ibid., 15 et seq.) incolebant locum, inhospitales, immites, intolerabiles; omnia tamen tolerabiliores, quam si aliquem hospitio recepissent. Denique commodius huic viro levitae cesserat, si in Gabaa hospitium non reperisset. Verum ne quid deesset offensionis, primo ingressu diversorium non reperit: et cum in publico situs, alienam misericordiam impleraret, offendit advenientem ex agro senem, quem vesper ex opere agresti compulit nocte decedere. Et cum esset ei conspicuus, rogatus quo iret, et unde adventaret, respondit: De Bethleem Juda revertor, contendo ad montem Ephraem, et  0900C mulier est mecum: sed ecce huc diverti, et nemo est qui hospitio recipiat, et requiescendi usum ministret. Non quo cibi aut potus sibi, aut pecori pabulorum esset indigentia, sed tecti hospitio prohiberentur: praesto esse illa, nudum tecti hospitium desiderari. Ad ea senior benigne satis et placide: Pax, inquit, tibi: et succede hospes pariter et civis, nam et mihi origo de montis Ephraem partibus, et hic hospitalis habitatio: sed tempore diuturno incolatus sedes fundavit. Itaque receptos domicilio ministerio sui et subsidiis hospitalibus juxta fovit.

7. Hortabatur ad laetitiam senior (Ibid., 22), et frequentioribus provocabat poculis, ut vino aboleret curarum oblivia; cum subito circumsistunt eos Gabaonitae, juvenes ad omnem projecti libidinem, nihil  0900D pensum ac moderatum habentes: quos forma mulieris illexerat, et in omnem amentiam praecipitabat: capti enim ejus decore, et per senectutem hospitis,  0901A atque infirmitatem subsidii, accepta spe potiundi, poscunt mulierem, et pulsant januam.

8. Itaque (Ibid., 23, 24) egressus senior rogabat eos, ne hospitales mensas turpi flagitio foedarent, et reverendum jus etiam indomitis barbararum gentium nationibus violandum arbitrarentur: contribulem illum sibi, Israelitem virum legitimi thori subnixum copula non sine indignatione coelestis arbitri tanta affici contumelia. Quod ubi parum procedere advertit, esse sibi filiam virginem adjecit, illam se offerre majore parentis dolore, sed minore gratiae hospitalis dispendio: publicum flagitium privato dedecore 774 tolerabilius habere. At illi exagitati aestu furoris, et inflammati incentivo libidinis, eo amplius ardebant formam juvenculae, quo magis negabatur.  0901B Et justitiae exsortes ridebant verba aequitatis, filiam senis, quia minore invidia sceleris offerebatur, despectui habentes.

9. Itaque (Ibid., 25 et seq.) cum piae nihil proficerent preces, et seniles frustra hospes manus tenderet, desperato praesidio, rapitur mulier, et per totam noctem injuriae impletur. At ubi lux finem intemperantiae dedit, januam hospitalem repetit, non quo viri conspectum exposceret, quem magis declinandum putaret, contumeliae pudore miserabilis: sed ut affectum viro referret, quae castitatem amiserat, et contumeliae suae funus lamentabili specie ante januam hospitalem exponeret. Egressus itaque levita, cum jacentem invenisset, arbitratus quod verecundia vultum nequaquam attollere auderet,  0901C consolari coepit, quia non voluntate, sed invita tantae injuriae succubuisset: hortari assurgere, et secum repetere domum. Sed ubi nullum responsum referebatur, quasi quiescentem majore voce e somno excitare.

10. Verum (Ibid., 28) ubi mortis supremae patuit fides, impositas jumento reliquias domum pertulit, et divisos artus mulieris in partes duodecim misit per singulas tribus Israel. Quo commotus (Judic. XX, 1 et seq.) universus populus convenit in Massephat, atque ibi querela per levitam cognita, omnes in bellum exarsere, statuentes neminem virorum fas esse in tabernaculum succedere, priusquam de tanti sceleris auctoribus ultio capesseretur. Animis itaque ruebant in praelium: sed consilium prudentiorum  0901D praevertit sententiam, non temere confligendum bello cum civibus, sed prius verbis experiendum de flagitio, et decernendum conditionibus pro delictis: neque justum videri, ut paucorum sceleris pretium ad omnes perveniret, et privata adolescentium peccata statum salutis publicae labefactarent. Itaque miserunt viros, qui denuntiarent Gabaonitis, ut tanti reos flagitii offerrent: sin autem, cognoscerent non  0902A minoris esse criminis tantum facinus defendisse, quam exercuisse.

11. Verum illis superba referentibus (Ibid., 13 et seq.), consilia pacis bello mutata. Neque primo aut secundo conflictu cum plurimi a paucis afflictarentur, cedendum Israelitae adversis praeliis aestimarunt; quadringenta enim millia virorum bellantium adversum viginti quinque millia Benjamin tribus, et septingentos Gabaonitas expertos belli juvenes decertabant. Et cum sinistra sorte duo sibi jam cecidissent praelia; animi tamen promptus haudquaquam deposuit Israel vincendi fiduciam, et ulciscendi praesumptam spem.

12. Sed (Ibid., 26 et seq.) quia causa numeroque praestantiores, inferiores pugnae eventu pedem retulerant,  0902B divinam offensam rati, jejunio et fletu maximo reconciliationem gratiae coelestis affectavere. Itaque orata Domini pace, acriores in bellum revertuntur; ut pote quibus oraculum animos 775 dederat, spem accumulaverat. Et simulato a fronte quod cederetur, ac dispositis per noctem insidiis a tergo urbis, in qua locata erat manus hostium; dum hi cedunt, et illi sectantur, invadendi urbem vacuam facta copia, et mox admoto, statimque adulto incendio, flammarum fragor atque aestus furens captae urbis speciem manifestarunt. Quo et suis fracti animi, et erecti hostium. Nam et Benjamin viri clausos se et circumventos rati, priusquam a tergo invaderentur, dispergere sese, atque in desertum fugere coeperunt; et contra Israel gemino agmine urgere eos, ac palantes  0902C persequi.

13. Caesa itaque viginti quinque millia (Ibid., 35 et seq.), id est, omnes fere de viris Benjamin, praeter sexcentos, qui arrepto scrupeae rupis munimento, partim loci ingenio et subsidio naturae, partim desperatione victoribus terrori fuere. Nam secundae res cautionis admoneat: in adversis ultio pro victoria habetur. Nec feminarum numerus tanti discriminis exsors fuit: sed omnis tribus Benjamin muliebris sexus cum pueris et puellis, omnique aetate gladio aut igne exstinctus; sacramentumque additum, ne quis tribus illius viro filiam suam in uxorem daret, quo reparandi nominis omnis aboleretur successio.

14. Belli finis simul atque irae factus (Judic.,  0902D XXI, 2, 3), et furor in poenitentiam vertit: armisque positis, in unum convenientes viri Israel fleverunt fletum magnum, et celebrarunt jejunium, dolentes unam tribum perisse ex fratribus, atque exstinctam populi sui validam manum: jure quidem pro delicti pretio bellatum adversum propugnatores flagitiorum, sed misere in sua populum conversum viscera, et bello civili utrumque afflictum. Lacrymarum  0903A effusio movit passionem animi, et affectum perpulit, saevitiae ratio successit: missique legati ad sexcentos illos Benjamin viros, qui per quatuor menses edito se praeruptarum tuebantur rupium, aut deserti indigentia, quae multitudini obsidentium periculo foret, deploraverunt communem illam aerumnam, quod illi contribules, isti cognatos et socios amisissent; sed tamen non penitus interceptam reparandae tribus successionem: consulere se in medium quomodo et sacramenti fides sibi constet, et tribus una nequaquam a corpore avulsa intercidat.

15. Altari itaque posito (Ibid., 4 et seq.), reconciliationis et pacis oblatum sacrificium. Et quia Jabis Galaad populus erat poenae et maledicto obnoxius  0903B (obstrinxerat enim se omnis Israel magno sacramento, ut si quis non ascendisset cum eo ad puniendum flagitium, morte moreretur) duodecim millia bellatorum directa; ut et viri omnes et mulieres ferro exstinguerentur, solas virilis thori exsortes reservarent adolescentulas. Interfectis itaque omnibus Jabis Galaad, solae virgines quadringentae exitio caeterorum superfuerunt. Quas accipiens Israel, statuit viros Benjamin belli metum deponere, et in conjugium sibi sumere integras aevi juxta ac pudoris 776 puellas: quibus et causa esset apud viros integra, quod nemo suorum adversum eos bellum susceperat: et charitatis gratia, quia propter eos supremo supplicio ereptae forent. Hoc igitur modo quadringentis juvenibus quaesita copularum consortia  0903C sunt.

16. Sed quia ducenti numero supererant, quibus jugales deerant (Ibid., 16 et seq.), iis quoque sine fraude sacramentorum consultum accepimus. Dies festus in Silo quotannis celebrabatur. Ibi exsultare solitae virgines, et choreas ducere in honorem religionis: aliae praeire matribus, et totum iter agmine viantum repleri. Dixit unus ex senioribus: Si ducenti illi tribus Benjamin viri intra vineas siti excubias tenderent, donec se omnis feminea turba effunderet, et surgentes ex vineis unusquisque quam occursus dederit, uxorem sibi vindicaret, fraudi id nequaquam futurum; populum etenim favere reparandae tribus successioni, propter sacramentum impertire non posse filiarum suarum societatem: neque  0903D tamen contra sacramentum videri, si prohibendum non putaret; quia sacramento neque cogendi, neque prohibendi necessitas imposita videretur: illos sibi sine metu consulere oportere. Sane si puellarum parentes vindictam efflagitarent, partim prece, partim etiam retorquendo in ipsos invitae culpam custodiae, sese revocaturos, quia cum scirent Benjamin viros exsortes esse jugalium, cum filiabus  0904A processerint: dignam sane tribum jam non poena, sed misericordia: satis dure saevitum in eos, et debellatam corporis sui partem: immoderatius exarsisse plebem, ut successionem domesticam exstingueret, atque ex suis necaret: placere Deo non perire populo tribum, neque pro una muliere tam acerbe consuli.

17. Probaverunt consilium Israelitae (Ibid., 23): exsecuti sunt viri Benjamin, et dispositi in vineis loco opportuno et tempore, plenas feminei agminis vias occupaverunt. Praebuit illis festum nuptiarum religionis solemnitas. Avulsae de complexu patrum filiae, tamquam in manum ab ipsis parentibus tradebantur, et velut pactam e gremio matris non abduci, sed prodire arbitrareris. Ita tribus Benjamin  0904B pene intercepta atque exstincta brevi floruit, documentum exhibens, quod magno exitio sit insolentibus vindicta pudicitiae, et laesae castitatis ultio.

18. Nec hoc solo loco, sed plerisque Scriptura hoc docet. Nam et in Genesi legimus exercitum quaestionibus regem Aegypti Pharao quod Saram attentavisset; et tamen alienam esse uxorem nesciebat (Gen. XII, 17).

19. Est igitur Domino castitatis tuendae voluntas, quanto magis est defensandae integritatis? Unde nulla debet virginibus sacris irrogari injuria; quae enim non nubunt, et qui uxores non ducunt, habentur sicut angeli Dei in coelo (Luc. XX, 36). Et ideo coelesti gratiae non inferamus corporalem contumeliam; quoniam potens est Deus, quem nec praevaricatio  0904C praetereat, et moveat accepti sibi muneris et consecratae virginitatis 777 acerba et gravis contumelia. Vale, frater, et nos dilige; quia nos te diligimus.