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

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; so that he must never touch any pollution such as folly is fond of dealing with. (114) And to him also "a virgin of the sacred race is joined;" that is to say, an opinion for ever pure, and undefiled, and imperishable; for he "may never become the husband of a widow, or of one who has been divorced, or of one who is a profane person, or of one who is a harlot," since he is always proclaiming an endless and irreconcileable war against them. For it is a hateful thing to him to be widowed with respect to virtue, and to be divorced and driven away by her; and in like manner all persuasion of this kind is profane and unholy. But that promiscuous evil abandoned to many husbands, and to the worship of many gods, that is, a harlot, he does not think fit even to look upon, being content with her who has chosen for herself one husband and father only, the all-governing God. (115) There is a certain extravagance of perfection visible in this disposition. He has Known[there is some obscurity in the sense here. Mangey proposes instead of hoide pou, to read oudepou, but it does not seem any more intelligible than that in the text.] the man who has vowed the great vow in some instances offending unintentionally, even if not of deliberate purpose; for he says, "But if any one die before him suddenly, he shall be at once polluted." For if of things without deliberation anything coming from without strikes down suddenly, such things do at once pollute the soul, but not with a pollution which remains for any length of time, inasmuch as they are unintentional actions. And about these actions the high priest (standing above them, as he also does above those which are voluntary) is indifferent. (116) But I am not saying this at random, but for the sake of proving that the period of the death of the high priest is a most natural termination of exile to be appointed by the law, so as to allow of the return of the fugitives. (117) As long, therefore, as this most sacred word lives and survives in the soul, it is impossible for any involuntary error to enter into it; for it is by nature so framed as to have no participation in, and to be incapable of admitting any kind of error. But if it dies (not meaning by this that it is itself destroyed, but that it is separated from our soul), then a return is at once granted to intentional offences. (118) For if while the word remained and was healthy in us, error was driven to a distance, by all means, when the word departs, error will be introduced. For the undefiled high priest, conscience, has derived from nature this most especial honour, that no error of the mind can find any place within him; on which account it is worth our while to pray that the high priest may live in the soul, being at the same time both a judge and a convictor, who having received jurisdiction over the whole of our minds, is not altered in his appearance or purpose by any of those things which are brought under his judgment.