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receives its increase. And when summer is already halfway, it stops borrowing, and immediately begins the repayment, not postponing the repayment for even a single day. But little by little, however, just as it received, it gives back what it received. Then in autumn, becoming equal in measure, it is not ashamed of being diminished, nor does it endure to take advantage of its partner, but until it has paid off the whole debt, it does not stop ending, and for humans procures a long service. For being compelled to stay at home on account of frost, and rain, and mud, and marshes, we have the night more pleasant than the day. And there are some who, even when the night becomes so long, do not get their fill of rest, but seeing the dawn glimmering, are displeased. Thus again the night, having received back its debt, does not refuse the loan. Thus our whole life proceeds through these things, and the night provides to humans a service no less than the day. For first, the difference between darkness and light shows the light to us as more pleasant and more graceful; for this reason, dawn is more longed for by us than midday. For having our fill of light during the day, we need nocturnal rest; then having obtained this, we put aside our satiety, and the light becomes lovely to us again. So too, being sated with toils during the day, we rest the weary body at night; and having tended it well with a bed, and sleep, and quiet, we offer it again, new, to its tasks at dawn. So great and such is the service the night provides for us. Because of it, the hireling rests, and the servant receives a pause from his labors. For the gloom of night puts a stop to the work of even the most industrious. Men at war have often respected it, both when conquering and when pursuing their opponents; and seeing it arrive, they stopped their pursuit, and allowed the fugitives to flee more leisurely. It gathers humans homeward, and brings sweet sleep upon them, but it leads out the beasts to pasture, and gives them freedom to graze. For these things, hymning the God of all, the great David cried out: “He made the moon for seasons; the sun knew its setting. You made darkness, and it was night; in it all the beasts of the forest will roam, young lions roaring to seize their prey, and to seek their food from God. The sun arose, and they were gathered together, and will lie down in their dens. Man will go forth to his work, and to his labor until evening.” So the night provides this service also, and 83.569 both resting humans and providing that the beasts get their food fearlessly. And perhaps one of those who deny providence might say: Why then were the beasts created? And what need do they fulfill for humans? But let him await the defense concerning these things in the discourse on the beasts; for now, let the discourse proceed on its way. Therefore, that the service of the night is necessary, and exceedingly beneficial to humans, what has been said is sufficient, I think, to teach. Nevertheless, the discourse will add other things, bearing witness with the former. For since we had a mortal nature, and we live a limited life, it was necessary for us to learn also the measures of time. The night, therefore, being in the middle of the days, causes time to be measured. For if the light had remained without succession, we would not have learned the cycles of years, we would not have been taught the number of months, but one day would have seemed to be the measure of this whole present age, which we believe the expected age will have; for we have been taught that that day will be without evening and entirely without succession. For such an age is also fitting for those who will be immortal. But in the present age, being in need of many things because our nature is mortal and subject to fate, it was necessary to know the measures of time, so that seeing it flowing by, we

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προσλαμβάνει τὴν αὔξησιν. Τοῦ δὲ θέρους ἤδη μεσοῦντος, παύεται μὲν δανειζομένη, παραυτίκα δὲ τῆς ἐκτίσεως ἅπτεται, οὐδὲ μίαν ἡμέ ραν ἀναβαλλομένη τὴν ἔκτισιν. Κατὰ βραχὺ δὲ ὅμως, καθάπερ ἔλαβεν, ἀποδίδωσιν ὅπερ ἔλαβεν. Εἶτα κατὰ τὸ μετόπωρον ἰσόμετρος γιγνομένη, οὐκ αἰσχύνεται μειουμένη, οὐδὲ πλεονεκτεῖν ἀνέχεται τὴν ὁμόζυγα, ἀλλ' ἕως ἂν ἅπαν ἐκτίσῃ τὸ ὄφλημα, οὐ παύεται λή γουσα, καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις μακρὰν πραγματευομένη τὴν θεραπείαν. Οἴκοι γὰρ μένειν κρυμοῦ χάριν, καὶ ὑετοῦ, καὶ πηλοῦ, καὶ τελμάτων ἀναγκαζόμενοι, θυμηρεστέραν ἔχομεν τῆς ἡμέρας τὴν νύκτα. Εἰσὶ δὲ οἳ καὶ μακρᾶς οὕτω τῆς νυκτὸς γιγνομένης, τῆς ἀναπαύλης οὐ λαμβάνουσι κόρον, ἀλλὰ τὸν ὄρθρον βλέποντες ὑπολάμποντα, δυσχεραίνουσιν. Οὕτω πά λιν ἡ νὺξ ἀπολαβοῦσα τὸ χρέος, οὐ παραιτεῖται τὸ δάνεισμα. Οὕτως ἅπας ἡμῶν ὁ βίος διὰ τούτων ὁδεύει, καὶ χρείαν οὐκ ἐλάττω τῆς ἡμέρας ἡ νὺξ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις παρέχει. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ τοῦ σκό τους καὶ τοῦ φωτὸς τὸ διάφορον τερπνότερον ἡμῖν καὶ χαριέστερον τὸ φῶς ὑποδείκνυσι· διὸ ποθεινότερος ἡμῖν τῆς μεσημβρίας ὁ ὄρθρος. Κόρον γὰρ τοῦ φω τὸς μεθημέραν λαμβάνοντες, τῆς νυκτερινῆς ἀνα παύλης δεόμεθα· εἶτα ταύτης τυχόντες, τὸν μὲν κόρον ἀποτιθέμεθα, ἐπέραστον δὲ ἡμῖν αὖθις γίνε ται τὸ φῶς. Οὕτω καὶ τῶν πόνων κορεννύμενοι μεθ ημέραν, καὶ κοπούμενον τὸ σῶμα νύκτωρ διαναπαύομεν· καὶ κλίνῃ, καὶ ὕπνῳ, καὶ ἡσυχίᾳ τοῦτο καλῶς θεραπεύσαντες, αὖθις αὐτὸ νέον τοῖς ἔργοις ὑπὸ τὴν ἕω προσφέρομεν. Τοσαύτην ἡμῖν καὶ τοιαύτην ἡ νὺξ παρέχει τὴν χρείαν. ∆ιὰ ταύτην μισθωτὸς ἀναπαύεται, καὶ οἰκέτης παῦλαν λαμβά νει τῶν πόνων. Παύει γὰρ καὶ τοὺς λίαν φιλοπονω τάτους τῆς ἐργασίας τῆς νυκτὸς τὸ ζοφῶδες. Ταύτην ᾐδέσθησαν πολλάκις καὶ πολεμοῦντες ἄνθρωποι, καὶ νικῶντες, καὶ τοὺς ἀντιπάλους διώκοντες· καὶ θεα σάμενοι παραγενομένην, τοῦ μὲν διώκειν ἐπαύσαντο, σχολαιότερον δὲ φεύγειν τοὺς δραπετεύοντας εἴασαν. Αὕτη τοὺς μὲν ἀνθρώπους οἴκαδε συνάγει, καὶ γλυ κὺν αὐτοῖς ἐπιφέρει τὸν ὕπνον, ἐξάγει δὲ πρὸς νομὴν τὰ θηρία, καὶ παῤῥησίαν αὐτοῖς τοῦ νέμεσθαι δίδω σιν. Ἐπὶ τούτοις ὑμνῶν τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν, ὁ μέγας ἐβόα ∆αβίδ· «Ἐποίησε σελήνην εἰς καιροὺς, ὁ ἥλιος ἔγνω τὴν δύσιν αὑτοῦ. Ἔθου σκότος, καὶ ἐγένετο νύξ· ἐν αὐτῇ διελεύσονται πάντα τὰ θηρία τοῦ δρυ μοῦ, σκύμνοι ὠρυόμενοι τοῦ ἁρπάσαι, καὶ, ζητῆσαι παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ βρῶσιν αὐτοῖς. Ἀνέτειλεν ὁ ἥλιος, καὶ συνήχθησαν, καὶ εἰς τὰς μάνδρας αὑτῶν κοι τασθήσονται. Ἐξελεύσεται ἄνθρωπος ἐπὶ τὸ ἔργον αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐργασίαν αὑτοῦ ἕως ἑσπέρας.» Ὥστε καὶ ταύτην παρέχει τὴν χρείαν ἡ νὺξ, καὶ 83.569 τοὺς ἀνθρώπους διαναπαύουσα, ἀδεῶς τὴν τρο φὴν παρέχει τοῖς θηρίοις πορίζεσθαι. Καὶ ἴσως ἄν τις εἴποι τῶν τὴν πρόνοιαν ἀρνουμένων· Τί δήποτε γὰρ ἐδημιουργήθη τὰ θηρία; Ποίαν δὲ τοῖς ἀνθρώ ποις χρείαν πληροῖ; Ἀλλὰ τὴν περὶ τούτων ἀπολο γίαν ἐν τῷ περὶ τῶν θηρίων ἀναμενέτω λόγῳ· τέως δὲ ὁ λόγος ὁδῷ βαδιζέτω. Ὅτι τοίνυν ἀναγκαία, καὶ λίαν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὠφέλιμος τῆς νυκτὸς ἡ χρεία, ἀπόχρη μὲν, ὡς οἶμαι, καὶ τὰ εἰρημένα διδάξαι. Προσθήσει δὲ ὅμως ὁ λόγος ἕτερα, τοῖς προτέροις συμμαρτυροῦντα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ θνητὴν εἴχομεν τὴν φύσιν, καὶ περιωρισμένην ζῶμεν ζωὴν, ἐχρῆν ἡμᾶς μαθεῖν καὶ τοῦ χρόνου τὰ μέτρα. Ἡ νὺξ τοι γαροῦν, μέση τῶν ἡμερῶν γινομένη, μετρεῖσθαι τὸν χρόνον ποιεῖ. Εἰ γὰρ ἀδιάδοχον ἐμεμενήκει τὸ φῶς, οὐκ ἂν ἐνιαυτῶν ἐμεμαθήκειμεν κύκλους, οὐκ ἂν μηνῶν ἐδιδάχθημεν ἀριθμὸν, μία δ' ἂν ἔδο ξεν ἡμέρα παντὸς εἶναι τοῦ παρόντος αἰῶνος τὸ μέ τρον, ὅπερ ἕξειν τὸν προσδοκώμενον αἰῶνα πιστεύομεν· ἀνέσπερον γὰρ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην καὶ παντελῶς ἀδιάδοχον ἔσεσθαι δεδιδάγμεθα. Τοιοῦτος γὰρ τοῖς ἀθανάτοις ἐσομένοις καὶ ὁ αἰὼν ἁρμόττει. Ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ παρόντος πολλῶν ἐνδεεῖς ὄντας διὰ τὸ τῆς φύσεως θνητὸν καὶ ἐπίκηρον, ἔδει τοῦ χρόνου τὰ μέτρα γινώσκειν, ἵνα παραῤῥέοντα τοῦτον ἡμᾶς ὁρῶντες,