A Treatise on Fugitives.

 I. (1) And Sarah afflicted her, and she fled from before her face. And the angel of the Lord found her sitting by a fountain of water in the wilderne

 II. (7) Therefore the account which follows will show these characteristics more accurately. But we must return to the heads of the question which we

 III. (14) But seeing that he is dumb with respect to learning and to all desirable and legitimate authority, he very naturally thinks of flight. For h

 IV. (23) Hatred then, was the cause of the flight which I have been here describing but fear was the cause of the one which I am about to mention. Fo

 V. (28) If therefore, you wish to convict a wicked man, who is also possessed of great wealth, do not disdain an abundance of money for the unhappy m

 VI. (33) And here therefore truth may not unreasonably blame those who, without any examination, abandon the business and means of regulating a civil

 VII. (39) Behold, says she, Esau thy brother threatens thee. But is it not natural for that disposition, hard as oak and obstinate through ignoran

 VIII. (44) On which account we read, He will depart to Laban, not to him as the Syrian, but as the brother of his mother that is to say, he will go

 IX. (48) And his father also gives him similar precepts, adding a few trifling injunctions for he says, Rise up and flee into Mesopotamia, to the ho

 X. (53) But Moses has spoken more accurately about flights when he was establishing the law with respect to homicides, in which he goes through every

 XI. (56) Moreover, she confirmed this opinion of hers by the sacred scriptures, one of which ran in this form: You who cleave unto the Lord your God

 XII. (62) But it was by all means necessary that different regions should be assigned to different things, the heaven to good things, the earth to wha

 XIII. (65) And the expression, not intentionally, but if God deliver him into his hand, is used with exceeding propriety with reference to those who

 XIV. (71) On which account, after Moses had already put in God's mouth this expression, Let us make man, as if speaking to several persons, as if he

 XV. (77) Having now said thus much in a philosophical spirit with respect to involuntary offences, he proceeds to legislate concerning the man who ris

 XVI. (83) Therefore, having further commanded the unholy man who is a speaker of evil against divine things to be removed from the most holy places an

 XVII. (87) And it is worth while to examine with all the accuracy possible into some necessary points relating to this place. They are four in number.

 XVIII. (94) These then are the reasons on account of which they who have committed unintentional homicide fly only to those cities which belong to the

 XIX. (100) These, then, are the six cities which Moses calls cities of refuge, five of which have had their figures set forth in the sacred scriptures

 XX. (106) The fourth and last of the points which we proposed to discuss, is the appointing as a period for the return of the fugitives the death of t

 XXI. (113) This high priest, as Moses says, shall not enter into any soul that is dead. But the death of the soul is a life according to wickedness

 XXII. (119) Having now, therefore, said what was proper on the subject of fugitives, we will proceed with what follows in the regular order of the con

 XXIII. (124) And the leader of this company is the king of the region of the body. For, says Moses, Pharaoh turned himself about and went into his

 XXIV. (132) I very greatly wonder at those persons also, I mean at him who is fond of asking questions about what is in the middle between two extreme

 XXV. (137) Those also who have inquired what it is that nourishes the soul, for as Moses says, They knew not what it was, learnt at last and found t

 XXVI. (143) Having now spoken at sufficient length on this point also, let us proceed in regular order to consider the third head of our subject, in w

 XXVII. (149) Nor does he, who is sent forth to search for that virtue which is invincible and embittered against the ridiculous pursuits of men, by na

 XXVIII. (157) Also the person who loves virtue seeks a goat by reason of his sins, but does not find one for, already, as the sacred scripture tells

 XXIX. (161) On one occasion Moses was urged on, by a desire of learning, to investigate the causes through which the most necessary of things in the w

 XXX. (166) Having now said thus much concerning the third head of our subject, we will proceed to the fourth and last of the propositions we proposed

 XXXI. (170) There is also a third definition of what is taught a man by himself, namely that which of its own accord rises upwards. For it is said in

 XXXII. (177) Having now said thus much on the subject of discovery, we will proceed in due order to what comes next in the context. Moses proceeds, T

 XXXIII. (183) There are also many various fountains of instruction, by means of which most nutritious reasonings have sprung up like the trunks of pal

 XXXIV. (188) Such then are the fountains of intermediate instruction. Let us now consider the fountain of folly, concerning which the lawgiver speaks

 XXXV. (194) These are the fountains of errors. We must now examine that of prudence. To this one it is that perseverance, that is to say, Rebecca, des

 XXXVI. (197) We must now speak also concerning that highest and most excellent of fountains which the Father of the universe spake of by the mouths of

 XXXVII. (202) We have now then said as much as the time will permit us to say on the subject of the fountains, and it is with great accuracy and propr

 XXXVIII. (207) Therefore the convicter of the soul approving of her in respect of her obedience says, Return unto thy mistress for the government of

XX. (106) The fourth and last of the points which we proposed to discuss, is the appointing as a period for the return of the fugitives the death of the high priest, which, if taken in the literal sense, causes me great perplexity; for a very unequal punishment is imposed by this enactment on those who have done the very same things, since some will be in banishment for a longer time, and others for a shorter time; for some of the high priests live to a very old age, and others die very early, (107) and some are appointed while young men, and others not until they are old. And again of those who are convicted of unintentional homicide, some have been banished at the beginning of the high priest's entrance into office, and some when the high priest has been at the very point of death. So that some are deprived of their country for a very long time, and others suffer the same infliction only for a day, if it chance to be so; after which they lift up their heads, and exult, and so return among those whose nearest relations have been slain by them. (108) This difficult and scarcely explicable perplexity we may escape if we adopt the inner and allegorical explanation in accordance with natural philosophy. For we say that the high priest is not a man, but is the word of God, who has not only no participation in intentional errors, but none even in those which are involuntary. (109) For Moses says that he cannot be defiled neither in respect of his father, that is, the mind, nor his mother, that is, the external sense; [Le 21:11.] because, I imagine, he has received imperishable and wholly pure parents, God being his father, who is also the father of all things, and wisdom being his mother, by means of whom the universe arrived at creation; (110) and also because he is anointed with oil, by which I mean that the principal part of him is illuminated with a light like the beams of the sun, so as to be thought worthy to be clothed with garments. And the most ancient word of the living God is clothed with the word as with a garment, for it has put on earth, and water, and air, and fire, and the things which proceed from those elements. But the particular soul is clothed with the body, and the mind of the wise man is clothed with the virtues. (111) And it is said that he will never take the mitre off from his head, he will never lay aside the kingly diadem, the symbol of an authority which is not indeed absolute, but only that of a viceroy, but which is nevertheless an object of admiration. Nor will he "rend his clothes;" (112) for the word of the living God being the bond of every thing, as has been said before, holds all things together, and binds all the parts, and prevents them from being loosened or separated. And the particular soul, as far as it has received power, does not permit any of the parts of the body to be separated or cut off contrary to their nature; but as far as depends upon itself, it preserves every thing entire, and conducts the different parts to a harmony and indissoluble union with one another. But the mind of the wise man being thoroughly purified, preserves the virtues in an unbroken and unimpaired condition, having adapted their natural kindred and communion with a still more solid good will.