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signified and has now been received. For the voice of the Lord shatters cedars. For just as it happens in the magnificent soul, so it is said to shatter those who are senselessly puffed up, those who exalt themselves in the supposed heights of this world, of wealth, or glory, or power, or beauty of body, or might, or strength. And the Lord will shatter the cedars of Lebanon. Those who tread upon the affairs of others, and from those things gather arrogance for themselves, these are the cedars of Lebanon. For just as the cedars, being lofty in themselves, because they have grown on a high mountain, become more conspicuous from the addition of the mountain; so also those who rely on the corruptible things of the world are cedars because of their arrogance and the haughtiness of their mind, but they are called cedars of Lebanon because they exult in a foreign height, and are lifted up to arrogance by the earth and earthly things, as if by the peak of Lebanon. But the Lord does not shatter all cedars, but those of Lebanon. For since Lebanon is a place of idolatry, whatever souls are lifted up against the knowledge 29.296 of God, these are called of Lebanon, and are deemed worthy of shattering. For there are certain cedars of God, which the climbing vines of the vine transplanted from Egypt cover, as we have learned in the Psalms: Its shadow covered the mountains, and its climbing vines the cedars of God. Since, therefore, among the other concepts about Christ, our Lord is also called a vine; for "I am," he says, "the vine, you are the branches"; the cedars of God are those who were previously fruitless and fit for burning, but having come under the shelter of Christ, and as it were put him on, by the grace from him they cover over the fruitlessness of their own life. Therefore, fruitful climbing vines, having entwined themselves, guard the cedars of God; but the cedars of Lebanon the Lord shatters. And he will grind them fine like the calf, Lebanon. Remember the calf in Exodus, which they fashioned for idolatry, which Moses ground fine and made the people drink. In a similar way, therefore, to that calf, he will wipe out all of Lebanon and the prevailing custom of idolatry in it. And the beloved one as a son of unicorns. The only-begotten Son, who gives life to the world, when he offers himself as a sacrifice and offering to God for our sins, is called both lamb of God and sheep. For "Behold," he says, "the lamb of God"; and again, "As a sheep he was led to the slaughter." But when it is necessary to defend and cast down the dominion that has grown upon the race of men, some bestialized and savage power, then he is called a son of unicorns. For the unicorn, as we have learned in Job, is an animal of invincible power, unsubmissive to men. For "you will not bind him," it says, "with a strap, nor will he sleep at a manger." And much has been said in that part of the prophecy about the animal's freedom and not submitting to men. And it has been observed that Scripture uses the image of the unicorn in both ways: sometimes commendably, other times disparagingly. For "Deliver," it says, "my soul from the sword, and my humiliation from the horns of unicorns." Denouncing the warmongering people who rose up against him at the time of the passion, he says these things. And again, "My horn," he says, "shall be exalted like a unicorn's." 29.297 It seems, therefore, that because of the animal's defensive nature it is often taken as a simile for worse things, but because of its high horn and freedom it is led to a simile for better things. And in general, since the horn can be found taken in many places by Scripture in place of glory, as in, "He will exalt the horn of his people"; and, "His horn will be exalted in glory"; or also since the horn is often taken in place of power; as in, "My defender and the horn of my salvation"; and Christ is the power of God; for this reason, as having one horn, that is, having one power

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σημαινόμενον καὶ νῦν παρελήφθη. Ἡ γὰρ φωνὴ τοῦ Κυρίου συντρίβει κέδρους. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῇ μεγαλοπρεπεῖ ψυχῇ γίνεται, οὕτω τοὺς εἰκῆ φυ σιουμένους, τοὺς ἐπαίροντας ἑαυτοὺς ἐν τοῖς νο μιζομένοις ὑψώμασι τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, πλούτου, ἢ δόξης, ἢ δυναστείας, ἢ κάλλους σώματος, ἢ δυ νάμεως, ἢ ἰσχύος. συντρίβειν λέγεται. Καὶ συν τρίψει Κύριος τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Λιβάνου. Οἱ τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις πράγμασιν ἐπιβαίνοντες, καὶ ἀπ' ἐκείνων ἑαυτοῖς τὴν ἀλαζονείαν συνάγοντες, οὗτοί εἰσι κέδροι τοῦ Λιβάνου. Ὥσπερ γὰρ αἱ κέδροι, καθ' ἑαυτὰς οὖ σαι ὑψηλαὶ, τῷ ἐπ' ὄρους ὑψηλοῦ πεφυκέναι, ἐκ τῆς προσθήκης τοῦ ὄρους περιφανέστεραι γίνονται· οὕτω καὶ οἱ τοῖς φθαρτοῖς τοῦ κόσμου πράγμασιν ἐπερει δόμενοι κέδροι μέν εἰσι διὰ τὴν ἀλαζονείαν καὶ τὸ τῆς διανοίας ἔπαρμα, Λιβάνου δὲ κέδροι προσαγορεύον ται, διὰ τὸ τῷ ἀλλοτρίῳ ὑψώματι ἐπαγάλλεσθαι, καὶ ὑπὸ γῆς καὶ τῶν γηίνων πραγμάτων, οἷον ὑπὸ τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ Λιβάνου, πρὸς ἀλαζονείαν ἐπαίρεσθαι. Οὐ πάσας δὲ τὰς κέδρους συντρίβει ὁ Κύριος, ἀλλὰ τὰς τοῦ Λιβάνου. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰδωλολατρείας τόπος ὁ Λίβανος, ὅσαι ψυχαὶ ἐπαίρονται κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως 29.296 τοῦ Θεοῦ, αὗται τοῦ Λιβάνου ὀνομάζονται, καὶ συντριβῆς ἀξιοῦνται. Εἰσὶ γάρ τινες κέδροι τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἃς αἱ ἀναδενδράδες τῆς ἀπ' Αἰγύπτου μετατεθείσης ἀμπέλου καλύπτουσιν, ὡς ἐν Ψαλμοῖς μεμαθήκα μεν· Ἐκάλυψεν ὄρη ἡ σκιὰ αὐτῆς, καὶ αἱ ἀνα δενδράδες αὐτῆς τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐπεὶ οὖν μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν περὶ Χριστοῦ ἐννοιῶν καὶ ἄμπελος ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν λέγεται· Ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι, φησὶν, ἡ ἄμπελος, ὑμεῖς τὰ κλήμα τα· κέδροι εἰσὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ οἱ τέως μὲν ἄκαρποι καὶ πρὸς καῦσιν ἐπιτήδειοι, ὑπελθόντες δὲ τὴν σκέπην τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ οἱονεὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι αὐτὸν, ἐκ τῆς παρ' αὐτοῦ χάριτος τὸ ἄκαρπον τῆς ἑαυτῶν ζωῆς συγκαλύπτουσι. Τὰς μὲν οὖν κέδρους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνα δενδράδες εὔκαρποι περιπλακεῖσαι φυλάττουσι· τὰς δὲ κέδρους τοῦ Λιβάνου συντρίβει ὁ Κύριος. Καὶ λε πτυνεῖ αὐτὰς ὡς τὸν μόσχον τὸν Λίβανον. Μνή σθητι τοῦ μόσχου τοῦ ἐν τῇ Ἐξόδῳ, ὃν κατὰ τὴν εἰ δωλολατρείαν ἀνέπλασαν, ὃν ἐλέπτυνε Μωϋσῆς καὶ ἐπότισε τὸν λαόν. Ἐκείνῳ τοίνυν τῷ μόσχῳ παρα πλησίως ὅλον τὸν Λίβανον καὶ τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ κρατοῦ σαν συνήθειαν τῆς εἰδωλολατρείας ἐξαφανίσει. Καὶ ὁ ἠγαπημένος ὡς υἱὸς μονοκερώτων. Ὁ μονογενὴς Υἱὸς, ὁ διδοὺς ζωὴν τῷ κόσμῳ, ὅταν μὲν προσ φέρῃ θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν ἑαυτὸν τῷ Θεῷ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, καὶ ἀμνὸς ὀνομάζεται τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ πρόβατον. Ἴδε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ πάλιν· Ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη. Ὅταν δὲ ἀμύνασθαι δέῃ καὶ καθ ελεῖν τὴν δυναστείαν τὴν ἐπιφυομένην τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐκτεθηριωμένην τινὰ καὶ ἀπηγριωμένην δύναμιν, τότε υἱὸς μονοκερώτων ὀνομάζεται. Ζῶον γὰρ, ὡς ἐν τῷ Ἰὼβ μεμαθήκαμεν, ὁ μονόκερώς ἐστιν ἄμαχον τὴν δύναμιν, ἀνυπότακτον τοῖς ἀνθρώ ποις. Οὐ γὰρ δήσεις αὐτὸν, φησὶν, ἱμάντι, οὐδὲ κοιμηθήσεται ἐπὶ φάτνης. Καὶ πολλὰ περὶ τοῦ ἐλευθεριάζειν τὸ ζῶον καὶ μὴ ὑπείκειν τοῖς ἀνθρώ ποις ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ μέρει τῆς προφητείας εἴρηται. Καὶ παρατετήρηται, ὅτι ἐπ' ἀμφότερα κέχρηται τῇ εἰκόνι τοῦ μονοκέρωτος ἡ Γραφή· ποτὲ μὲν ἐπαινε τῶς, ἄλλοτε δὲ διαβεβλημένως. Ῥῦσαι γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκ ῥομφαίας τὴν ψυχήν μου, καὶ ἀπὸ κεράτων μονοκερώτων τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου. Τὸν πολεμο ποιὸν λαὸν διαβάλλων ταῦτά φησι παρὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ πάθους ἐπαναστάντα αὐτῷ. Πάλιν δὲ, Ὑψω θήσεται, φησὶν, ὡς μονοκέρωτος τὸ κέρας μου. 29.297 Ἔοικεν οὖν διὰ μὲν τὸ ἀμυντικὸν τοῦ ζώου ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν χειρόνων εἰκασίαν πολλάκις παραλαμβάνε σθαι, διὰ δὲ τὸ ὑψίκερων καὶ ἐλευθέριον πρὸς τὴν τοῦ βελτίονος ἄγεσθαι εἰκασίαν. Καὶ ὅλως, ἐπειδὴ τὸ κέρας ὑπὸ τῆς Γραφῆς ἀντὶ τῆς δόξης πολλαχοῦ παρει λημμένον ἔστιν εὑρεῖν, ὡς τὸ, Ὑψώσει κέρας λαοῦ αὐτοῦ· καὶ, Τὸ κέρας αὐτοῦ ὑψωθήσεται ἐν δόξῃ· ἢ καὶ ἐπειδὴ τὸ κέρας ἀντὶ δυνάμεως πολλάκις παραλαμβάνεται· ὡς τὸ, Ὑπερασπιστής μου καὶ κέρας σωτηρίας μου· Χριστὸς δὲ Θεοῦ δύναμις· διὰ τοῦτο ὡς ἓν ἔχων κέρας, τουτέστι μίαν δύναμιν ἔχων