A Treatise on the Tilling of the Earth by Noah.

 I. (1) And Noah began to be a husbandman and he planted a vineyard, and he drank of the wine, and he was drunk in his House.[Ge 9:20.] The generali

 II. (8) First of all, therefore, the husbandman is not anxious to plant or to sow anything that is unproductive, but only all such things as are worth

 III. (12) For Moses says, Every tree which bringeth not forth fruit good to eat thou shalt cut down and thou shalt make it into stakes against the c

 IV. (17) These then are the professions and promises made by the husbandry of the soul, I will cut down all the trees of folly, and intemperance, and

 V. (20) Therefore, the allwise Moses attributes to the just man a knowledge of the husbandry of the soul, as an act consistent with his character, and

 VI. (26) We have now therefore explained, in what respect, the occupation of tilling the ground differs from husbandry, and a tiller of the ground fro

 VII. (30) Nature has made cattle akin to every individual among us, the soul putting forth two young branches as from one root one of which being ent

 VIII. (35) Since on what other account can we imagine, that in every quarter of the habitable globe, the theatres are every day filled with incalculab

 IX. (39) Those, then, who permit the flock committed to their charge to satiate themselves all at once with all the things that they desire, we must c

 X. (41) These, then, are the occupations of shepherds who prefer those things which are useful, though mixed with unpleasantness, to those which are p

 XI. (45) But is it not well worth praying for, that the flock which is akin to each individual of us, and of so much value, may not be left without an

 XII. (49) But the providence of God is the principal and almost the only cause that the divisions of the soul are not left entirely without any govern

 XIII. (54) But there is a very beautiful encouragement to equality contained in the song before mentioned for in real truth, the man who appears to h

 XIV. (60) Would they not then appear to boast as much of their occupation as shepherds, as the king himself, who is conversing with them, does of his

 XV. (67) I have now therefore explained, in no superficial manner, in what way a husbandman differs from a tiller of the ground, and a shepherd from a

 XVI. (72) Therefore now, leaving the consideration of these neighing animals, and of the parties carried by them, investigate, if you will, the condit

 XVII. (77) In this manner, then, it seems that the whole chariot of the soul is destroyed, with its passengers and all through the carelessness or un

 XVIII. (82) And the same hymn is sung by both the choruses, having a most admirable burden of the song which is beautiful to be sung. And it is as fol

 XIX. (86) And we would say to these people: My good men, the lawgiver is removing no protection whatever from the ruler, nor is he in any respect muti

 XX. (90) Beware, therefore, never to occupy yourself in this kind of horse-breeding, for they who pursue the other kind are themselves also blameable,

 XXI. (94) It is not unnaturally, therefore, that Moses, singing his song of triumph on the destruction of the riders, nevertheless prays fore complete

 XXII. (96) And these things thus expressed resemble visions and prodigies I mean the account of one dragon uttering the voice of a man and pouring hi

 XXIII. (102) And the expression, Sitting in the path, suggests some such meaning as this, as I persuade myself: a path is a road calculated for ridi

 XXIV. (107) Moses, therefore, represents the serpent that appeared to Eve as planning the death of man, for he records, that God says in his curses,

 XXV. (111) Do you, therefore, my friend, never enter into a contest of evil, and never contend for the pre-eminence in such practices, but rather exer

 XXVI. (114) There are some men, again, who, having armed and strongly fortified both their hands in a most hard and terrible manner, like iron, attack

 XXVII. (119) Therefore the Olympian contest is the only one that justly deserves to be called sacred meaning by this, not that which the inhabitants

 XXVIII. (124) Everything, then, that is requisite has now been said on the subject of a horseman and a rider, and a keeper of sheep and a shepherd, an

 XXIX. (127) Was it not on this account that when Cain fancied that he had offered up a blameless sacrifice, an oracle came to him bidding him not to f

 XXX. (131) Do you not see that the law pronounces the camel to be an unclean beast, because it chews the cud and does not part the Hoof.[Le 11:4.] And

 XXXI. (136) Accordingly, in their daily discussions, the company of sophists all over the world annoys the ears of those whom they meet, by discussing

 XXXII. (142) And although the intellect, when it has sharpened itself so as to render itself more acute than before (as a physician gives strength to

 XXXIII. (146) And even the enemies of the soul are afraid of this perfection, whom, as they are no longer able to stand up against it, a genuine peace

 XXXIV. (149) For why, I should say, O most excellent man, do you not think it more proper to summon these men to follow you to the contest of war rath

 XXXV. (152) In the next place, will they not have displayed examples, not of treachery only, but of the greatest insensibility, if they allow others t

 XXXVI. (157) Therefore the words of the law here admit, perhaps, of all these and even of still more excuses but that no one of those who study evil

 XXXVII. (159) But in all these different circumstances, at the beginning, or in the progress, or at the end of any undertaking, it is alike becoming t

 XXXVIII. (165) We must therefore advise those who are beginning to learn not to go forth into such contests, for they have not sufficient knowledge a

 XXXIX. (169) Are we then to say that there is but little use in a beginning to which a fortunate end does not set its seal? It has often indeed happen

 XL. (174) There are also some people who, letting loose every cable of piety, hasten to make a speedy voyage, in the hope of anchoring in its harbours

XXVIII. (124) Everything, then, that is requisite has now been said on the subject of a horseman and a rider, and a keeper of sheep and a shepherd, and a tiller of the ground and a husbandman; and all the difference existing between each of these pairs has been very accurately defined, as far as it was in our power. It is time now to turn to what follows. (125) Moses, then, introduces the man who is desirous of virtue as not possessing a complete knowledge of the whole business of a husbandman, but only as labouring with diligence at its principles and rudiments; for he says, "Noah began to be a Husbandman."[Ge 9:20.] And the beginning, as the proverb of the old writers has it, is half of the whole; as yet, therefore, he is half of the distance removed from the end, and where the end is not attained, it has been often injurious to many persons, to have begun great enterprises. (126) At all events, before now, some persons whose minds were not right, through their thoughts revolving in continued changes, have conceived a notion of some good things, but have derived no advantage from it; for it has happened that, as they did not attain the end which they desired, they have been overwhelmed by the impetuosity of a number of adverse circumstances coming against them, and so that good conception has been destroyed.