Homily I.

 1. It is right that any one beginning to narrate the formation of the world should begin with the good order which reigns in visible things. I am abou

 2. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” I stop struck with admiration at this thought. What shall I first say? Where shall I begin

 3. Do not then imagine, O man! that the visible world is without a beginning and because the celestial bodies move in a circular course, and it is di

 4. One day, doubtless, their terrible condemnation will be the greater for all this worldly wisdom, since, seeing so clearly into vain sciences, they

 5. It appears, indeed, that even before this world an order of things existed of which our mind can form an idea, but of which we can say nothing, bec

 6. Such being the different senses of the word beginning, see if we have not all the meanings here. You may know the epoch when the formation of this

 7. Among arts, some have in view production, some practice, others theory. The object of the last is the exercise of thought, that of the second, the

 8. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” If we were to wish to discover the essence of each of the beings which are offered for our

 9. Do you suppose that a heavier body prevents the earth from falling into the abyss? Then you must consider that this support needs itself a support

 10. There are inquirers into nature who with a great display of words give reasons for the immobility of the earth. Placed, they say, in the middle of

 11. We might say the same thing of the heavens. With what a noise of words the sages of this world have discussed their nature! Some have said that he

 Homily II.

 1. In the few words which have occupied us this morning we have found such a depth of thought that we despair of penetrating further. If such is the f

 2. But the corrupters of the truth, who, incapable of submitting their reason to Holy Scripture, distort at will the meaning of the Holy Scriptures, p

 3. God created the heavens and the earth, but not only half —He created all the heavens and all the earth, creating the essence with the form. For He

 4. “Darkness was upon the face of the deep.” A new source for fables and most impious imaginations if one distorts the sense of these words at the wil

 5. Do not then go beyond yourself to seek for evil, and imagine that there is an original nature of wickedness. Each of us, let us acknowledge it, is

 6.  And the Spirit of God was borne upon the face of the waters  .

 7.  And God said, Let there be light  .

 8. “  And God called the light Day and the darkness he called Night  .”

 Homily III.

 1. We have now recounted the works of the first day, or rather of one day. Far be it from me indeed, to take from it the privilege it enjoys of having

 2. And God said “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Yesterday we heard God’s decree,

 3. In the second place, does the firmament that is called heaven differ from the firmament that God made in the beginning? Are there two heavens? The

 4. “  And God said, let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and

 5. But let us continue our explanation: “  Let it divide the waters from the waters  .”

 6. Survey creation you will see the power of heat reigning over all that is born and perishes. On account of it comes all the water spread over the e

 7. Therefore we read: “  Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters  .” I have said what the wo

 8. “  And God called the firmament heaven  .”

 9. But as far as concerns the separation of the waters I am obliged to contest the opinion of certain writers in the Church who, under the shadow of h

 10. “  And God saw that it was good  .” God does not judge of the beauty of His work by the charm of the eyes, and He does not form the same idea of b

 Homily IV.

 1. There are towns where the inhabitants, from dawn to eve, feast their eyes on the tricks of innumerable conjurors. They are never tired of hearing d

 2. “  And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear, and it was so  .” And the water

 3. “Let the waters be gathered together.” It was ordered that it should be the natural property of water to flow, and in obedience to this order, the

 4. To say that the waters were gathered in one place indicates that previously they were scattered in many places. The mountains, intersected by deep

 5. And God said: “  Let the waters be gathered together unto one place and let the dry land appear  .” He did not say let the earth appear, so as not

 6. “  And God saw that it was good  .”

 7. Thus, in the eyes of God, the sea is good, because it makes the under current of moisture in the depths of the earth. It is good again, because fro

 Homily V.

 1. “  And God said Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself 

 2. “  Let the earth bring forth grass yielding seed after his kind  .” So that although some kind of grass is of service to animals, even their gain i

 3. Up to this point, the order in which plants shoot bears witness to their first arrangement. Every herb, every plant proceeds from a germ. If, like

 4. What shall I say? What shall I leave unsaid? In the rich treasures of creation it is difficult to select what is most precious the loss of what is

 5. “  Let the earth bring forth grass  .” What spontaneous provision is included in these words,—that which is present in the root, in the plant itsel

 6. “  Let the earth  ,” the Creator adds, “  bring forth the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself 

 7. But let us return to the examination of the ingenious contrivances of creation. How many trees then arose, some to give us their fruits, others to

 8. Plants reproduce themselves in so many different ways, that we can only touch upon the chief among them. As to fruits themselves, who could review

 9. But what need is there to continue, when in the same fig tree we have the most opposite flavours, as bitter in the sap as it is sweet in the fruit?

 10. “  Let the earth bring forth  .” This short command was in a moment a vast nature, an elaborate system. Swifter than thought it produced the count

 Homily VI.

 1. At the shows in the circus the spectator must join in the efforts of the athletes. This the laws of the show indicate, for they prescribe that all

 2. “  And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to divide the day from the night  .”

 3. And let no one suppose it to be a thing incredible that the brightness of the light is one thing, and the body which is its material vehicle is ano

 4. “  And let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years  .”

 5. But those who overstep the borders, making the words of Scripture their apology for the art of casting nativities, pretend that our lives depend up

 6. But what effects are produced? Such an one will have curly hair and bright eyes, because he is born under the Ram such is the appearance of a ram.

 7. They do not, however, stop here even our acts, where each one feels his will ruling, I mean, the practice of virtue or of vice, depend, according

 8. Let us return to the words which follow. “Let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years.” We have spoken about signs. By times, we u

 9. “  And God made two great lights  .”

 10. See again another evident proof of its greatness. Although the heaven may be full of stars without number, the light contributed by them all could

 11. On its variations depends also the condition of the air, as is proved by sudden disturbances which often come after the new moon, in the midst of

 Homily VII.

 1. “  And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life  ” after their kind, “  and fowl that may fly above the e

 2. “Let the waters bring forth moving creatures after their kind.” God caused to be born the firstlings of each species to serve as seeds for nature.

 3. The food of fish differs according to their species. Some feed on mud others eat sea weed others content themselves with the herbs that grow in w

 4. It is not thus with us. Why? Because we incessantly move the ancient landmarks which our fathers have set. We encroach, we add house to house, fiel

 5. I myself have seen these marvels, and I have admired the wisdom of God in all things. If beings deprived of reason are capable of thinking and of p

 6. Let husbands listen as well: here is a lesson for them. The viper vomits forth its venom in respect for marriage and you, will you not put aside t

 Homily VIII.

 1. And God said “  Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle and creeping things, and beast of the earth after his kind an

 2. “  Let the earth bring forth a living soul  .” Why did the earth produce a living soul? so that you may make a difference between the soul of cattl

 3. There are also innumerable kinds of birds. If we review them all, as we have partly done the fish, we shall find that under one name, the creatures

 4. What a variety, I have said, in the actions and lives of flying creatures. Some of these unreasoning creatures even have a government, if the featu

 5. How shall we make an exact review of all the peculiarities of the life of birds? During the night cranes keep watch in turn some sleep, others mak

 6. It is said that the turtle-dove, once separated from her mate, does not contract a new union, but remains in widowhood, in remembrance of her first

 7. “  Let the waters bring forth the moving creatures that have life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven  .” They r

 8. If we simply read the words of Scripture we find only a few short syllables. “Let the waters bring forth fowl that may fly above the earth in the o

 Homily IX.

 1. How did you like the fare of my morning’s discourse? It seemed to me that I had the good intentions of a poor giver of a feast, who, ambitious of h

 2. “  Let the earth bring forth the living creature  .”

 3. “  Let the earth bring forth the living creature  .” Thus when the soul of brutes appeared it was not concealed in the earth, but it was born by th

 4. Virtues exist in us also by nature, and the soul has affinity with them not by education, but by nature herself. We do not need lessons to hate ill

 5. But let us return to the spectacle of creation. The easiest animals to catch are the most productive. It is on account of this that hares and wild

 6. Beasts bear witness to the faith. Hast thou confidence in the Lord? “Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk and thou shalt trample under fee

9. “  And God made two great lights .”  29  Gen. i. 16. The word “great,” if, for example we say it of the heaven of the earth or of the sea, may have an absolute sense; but ordinarily it has only a relative meaning, as a great horse, or a great ox. It is not that these animals are of an immoderate size, but that in comparison with their like they deserve the title of great. What idea shall we ourselves form here of greatness? Shall it be the idea that we have of it in the ant and in all the little creatures of nature, which we call great in comparison with those like themselves, and to show their superiority over them? Or shall we predicate greatness of the luminaries, as of the natural greatness inherent in them? As for me, I think so. If the sun and moon are great, it is not in comparison with the smaller stars, but because they have such a circumference that the splendour which they diffuse lights up the heavens and the air, embracing at the same time earth and sea. In whatever part of heaven they may be, whether rising, or setting, or in mid heaven, they appear always the same in the eyes of men, a manifest proof of their prodigious size. For the whole extent of heaven cannot make them appear greater in one place and smaller in another. Objects which we see afar off appear dwarfed to our eyes, and in measure as they approach us we can form a juster idea of their size. But there is no one who can be nearer or more distant from the sun. All the inhabitants of the earth see it at the same distance. Indians and Britons see it of the same size. The people of the East do not see it decrease in magnitude when it sets; those of the West do not find it smaller when it rises. If it is in the middle of the heavens it does not vary in either aspect. Do not be deceived by mere appearance, and because it looks a cubit’s breadth, imagine it to be no bigger.  30  “Tertia ex utroque vastitas solis aperitur, ut non sit necesse amplitudinem ejus oculorum argumentis, atque conjectura animi scrutari: immensum esse quia arborum in limitibus porrectarum in quotlibet passuum millia umbras paribus jaciat intervallis, tanquam toto spatio medius: et quia per æquinoctium omnibus in meridiana plaga habitantibus, simul fiat a vertice: ita quia circa solstitialem circulum habitantium meridie ad Septemtrionem umbræ cadant, ortu vero ad occasum. Quæ fieri nullo modo possent nisi multo quam terra major esset.” Plin. ii. 8. At a very great distance objects always lose size in our eyes; sight, not being able to clear the intermediary space, is as it were exhausted in the middle of its course, and only a small part of it reaches the visible object.  31  Πλάτων κατὰ συναύγειαν, τοῦ μὲν ἐκ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν φωτὸς ἐπὶ ποσὸν ἀποῤ& 191·έοντος εἰς τὸν ὁμογενῆ ἀ& 153·ρα, τοῦ δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος φερομένου ἀποῤ& 191·εῖν· τὸν δὲ μεταξὺ ἀ& 153·ρα εὐδιάχυτον ὄντα καὶ εὔτρεπτον, συνεκτείνοντος τῷ πυρώδει τῆς ὄψεως, αὕτη, λέγεται πλατωνικὴ συναύγεια. Plut. περὶ τῶν ἀρεσκ. iv. 13. The Platonic theory of night is explained in the Timæus, Chap. xix. Our power of sight is small and makes all we see seem small, affecting what it sees by its own condition. Thus, then, if sight is mistaken its testimony is fallible. Recall your own impressions and you will find in yourself the proof of my words. If you have ever from the top of a high mountain looked at a large and level plain, how big did the yokes of oxen appear to you? How big were the ploughmen themselves? Did they not look like ants?  32  Plato (Phæd. § 133) makes the same comparison. ῎Ετι τοίνον, ἔφη, πάμμεγά τε εἶναι αὐτό, καὶ ἡμᾶς οἰκεϊν τοὺς μέχρι ῾Ηρακλείων στηλῶν ἀπὸ Φάσιδος ἐν σμικρῷ τινὶ μορί& 251· ὥςπερ περι τέλμα μύρμηκας ἢ βατράχους περὶ τὴν θάλατταν ὀικοῦντας. Fialon names Seneca (Quæst. Nat. i. præf. 505) and Lucian (Hermotimus v. and Icaromenippus xix.) as following him. To these may be added Celsus “καταγελῶν τὸ ᾽Ιουδαιων καὶ Χριστιανῶν γενος” in Origen, C. Cels iv. 517, B. If from the top of a commanding rock, looking over the wide sea, you cast your eyes over the vast extent how big did the greatest islands appear to you? How large did one of those barks of great tonnage, which unfurl their white sails to the blue sea, appear to you. Did it not look smaller than a dove? It is because sight, as I have just told you, loses itself in the air, becomes weak and cannot seize with exactness the object which it sees. And further: your sight shows you high mountains intersected by valleys as rounded and smooth, because it reaches only to the salient parts, and is not able, on account of its weakness, to penetrate into the valleys which separate them. It does not even preserve the form of objects, and thinks that all square towers are round. Thus all proves that at a great distance sight only presents to us obscure and confused objects. The luminary is then great, according to the witness of Scripture, and infinitely greater than it appears.

29 Gen. i. 16.
30 “Tertia ex utroque vastitas solis aperitur, ut non sit necesse amplitudinem ejus oculorum argumentis, atque conjectura animi scrutari: immensum esse quia arborum in limitibus porrectarum in quotlibet passuum millia umbras paribus jaciat intervallis, tanquam toto spatio medius: et quia per æquinoctium omnibus in meridiana plaga habitantibus, simul fiat a vertice: ita quia circa solstitialem circulum habitantium meridie ad Septemtrionem umbræ cadant, ortu vero ad occasum. Quæ fieri nullo modo possent nisi multo quam terra major esset.” Plin. ii. 8.
31 Πλάτων κατὰ συναύγειαν, τοῦ μὲν ἐκ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν φωτὸς ἐπὶ ποσὸν ἀποῤ& 191·έοντος εἰς τὸν ὁμογενῆ ἀ& 153·ρα, τοῦ δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος φερομένου ἀποῤ& 191·εῖν· τὸν δὲ μεταξὺ ἀ& 153·ρα εὐδιάχυτον ὄντα καὶ εὔτρεπτον, συνεκτείνοντος τῷ πυρώδει τῆς ὄψεως, αὕτη, λέγεται πλατωνικὴ συναύγεια. Plut. περὶ τῶν ἀρεσκ. iv. 13. The Platonic theory of night is explained in the Timæus, Chap. xix.
32 Plato (Phæd. § 133) makes the same comparison. ῎Ετι τοίνον, ἔφη, πάμμεγά τε εἶναι αὐτό, καὶ ἡμᾶς οἰκεϊν τοὺς μέχρι ῾Ηρακλείων στηλῶν ἀπὸ Φάσιδος ἐν σμικρῷ τινὶ μορί& 251· ὥςπερ περι τέλμα μύρμηκας ἢ βατράχους περὶ τὴν θάλατταν ὀικοῦντας. Fialon names Seneca (Quæst. Nat. i. præf. 505) and Lucian (Hermotimus v. and Icaromenippus xix.) as following him. To these may be added Celsus “καταγελῶν τὸ ᾽Ιουδαιων καὶ Χριστιανῶν γενος” in Origen, C. Cels iv. 517, B.

Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς δύο φωστῆρας τοὺς μεγάλους. Ἐπειδὴ τὸ μέγα τὸ μὲν ἀπόλυτον ἔχει τὴν ἔννοιαν: ὡς μέγας ὁ οὐρανὸς, καὶ μεγάλη ἡ γῆ, καὶ μεγάλη ἡ θάλασσα: τὰ δὲ ὡς τὰ πολλὰ πέφυκε πρὸς ἕτερον ἀναφέρεσθαι: ὡς μέγας ὁ ἵππος, καὶ ὁ βοῦς μέγας (οὐ γὰρ ἐν τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν τοῦ σώματος ὄγκων, ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ πρὸς τὰ ὅμοια παραθέσει τὴν μαρτυρίαν τοῦ μεγέθους τὰ τοιαῦτα λαμβάνει): πῶς τοίνυν τοῦ μεγάλου τὴν ἔννοιαν ἐκδεξόμεθα; Πότερον ὡς τὸν μύρμηκα, ἢ ἄλλο τι τῶν φύσει μικρῶν, μέγα προσαγορεύομεν διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὰ ὁμογενῆ σύγκρισιν τὴν ὑπεροχὴν μαρτυροῦντες; ἢ τὸ μέγα νῦν οὕτως, ὡς ἐν τῇ οἰκείᾳ τῶν φωστήρων κατασκευῇ τοῦ μεγέθους ἐμφαινομένου; Ἐγὼ μὲν οἶμαι τοῦτο. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπειδὴ μείζους τῶν μικροτέρων ἀστέρων, διὰ τοῦτο μεγάλοι: ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τοσοῦτοι τὴν περιγραφὴν, ὥστε ἐξαρκεῖν τὴν ἀπ' αὐτῶν ἀναχεομένην αὐγὴν καὶ οὐρανὸν περιλάμπειν καὶ τὸν ἀέρα, καὶ ὁμοῦ πάσῃ τῇ γῇ καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ συμπαρεκτείνεσθαι. Οἵ γε κατὰ πᾶν μέρος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ γινόμενοι, καὶ ἀνατέλλοντες καὶ δυόμενοι καὶ τὸ μέσον ἐπέχοντες, ἴσοι πανταχόθεν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις προφαίνονται, ὅπερ ἀπόδειξιν ἔχει σαφῆ τῆς τοῦ μεγέθους περιουσίας, τῷ μηδὲν αὐτοῖς ἐπισημαίνειν τὸ πλάτος τῆς γῆς πρὸς τὸ μείζονας δοκεῖν ἢ ἐλάττονας εἶναι. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ πόρρωθεν ἀφεστῶτα μικρότερά πως ὁρῶμεν, οἷς δ' ἂν μᾶλλον ἐγγίσωμεν, μᾶλλον αὐτῶν τὸ μέγεθος ἐξευρίσκομεν. Τῷ δὲ ἡλίῳ οὐδείς ἐστιν ἐγγυτέρω καὶ οὐδεὶς πορρωτέρω, ἀλλὰ ἀπ' ἴσου τοῦ διαστήματος τοῖς κατὰ πᾶν μέρος τῆς γῆς κατῳκισμένοις προσβάλλει. Σημεῖον δὲ, ὅτι καὶ Ἰνδοὶ καὶ Βρεττανοὶ τὸν ἴσον βλέπουσιν. Οὔτε γὰρ τοῖς τὴν ἑῴαν οἰκοῦσι καταδυόμενος τοῦ μεγέθους ὑφίησιν, οὔτε τοῖς πρὸς δυσμαῖς κατῳκισμένοις ἀνατέλλων ἐλάττων φαίνεται: οὔτε μὴν ἐν τῷ μεσουρανήματι γινόμενος, τῆς ἐφ' ἑκάτερα ὄψεως παραλλάττει. Μὴ ἐξαπατάτω σε τὸ φαινόμενον: μηδ' ὅτι πηχυαῖος τοῖς ὁρῶσι δοκεῖ, τοσοῦτον αὐτὸν εἶναι λογίσῃ. Συναιρεῖσθαι γὰρ πέφυκεν ἐν τοῖς μεγίστοις διαστήμασι τὰ μεγέθη τῶν ὁρωμένων, τῆς ὁρατικῆς δυνάμεως οὐκ ἐξικνουμένης τὸν μεταξὺ τόπον διαπερᾶν, ἀλλ' οἱονεὶ ἐνδαπανωμένης τῷ μέσῳ, καὶ κατ' ὀλίγον αὐτῆς μέρος προσβαλλούσης τοῖς ὁρατοῖς. Μικρὰ οὖν ἡ ὄψις ἡμῶν γινομένη, μικρὰ ἐποίησε νομίζεσθαι τὰ ὁρώμενα, τὸ οἰκεῖον πάθος τοῖς ὁρατοῖς ἐπιφέρουσα. Ὥστε ψεύδεται ἡ ὄψις, ἄπιστον τὸ κριτήριον. Ὑπομνήσθητι δὲ τῶν οἰκείων παθῶν, καὶ παρὰ σεαυτοῦ ἕξεις τῶν λεγομένων τὴν πίστιν. Εἴ ποτε ἀπὸ ἀκρωρείας μεγάλης πεδίον εἶδες πολύ τε καὶ ὕπτιον, ἡλίκα μέν σοι τῶν βοῶν κατεφάνη τὰ ζεύγη; πηλίκοι δὲ οἱ ἀροτῆρες αὐτοί; Εἰ μὴ μυρμήκων τινά σοι παρέσχον φαντασίαν; Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ σκοπιᾶς ἐπὶ μέγα πέλαγος τετραμμένης τῇ θαλάσσῃ τὰς ὄψεις ἐπέβαλες, ἡλίκαι μέν σοι ἔδοξαν εἶναι τῶν νήσων αἱ μέγισται; πηλίκη δέ σοι κατεφάνη μία τῶν μυριοφόρων ὁλκάδων λευκοῖς ἱστίοις ὑπὲρ κυανῆς κομιζομένη θαλάσσης; Εἰ μὴ πάσης περιστερᾶς μικροτέραν σοι παρέσχετο τὴν φαντασίαν; Διότι, καθάπερ ἔφην, ἐνδαπανηθεῖσα τῷ ἀέρι ἡ ὄψις, ἐξίτηλος γινομένη, πρὸς τὴν ἀκριβῆ κατάληψιν τῶν ὁρωμένων οὐκ ἐξαρκεῖ. Ἤδη δέ που καὶ τῶν ὀρῶν τὰ μέγιστα βαθείαις φάραγξιν ἐκτετμημένα, περιφερῆ καὶ λεῖα ἡ ὄψις εἶναί φησι, ταῖς ἐξοχαῖς προσβάλλουσα μόναις, ταῖς δὲ μεταξὺ κοιλότησιν ἐμβῆναι δι' ἀτονίαν μὴ δυναμένη. Οὕτως οὐδὲ τὰ σχήματα τῶν σωμάτων ὁποῖά ἐστι διασώζει, ἀλλὰ περιφερεῖς οἴεται εἶναι τοὺς τετραγώνους τῶν πύργων. Ὥστε πανταχόθεν δῆλον, ὅτι ἐν ταῖς μεγίσταις ἀποστάσεσιν οὐκ ἔναρθρον ἀλλὰ συγκεχυμένην τῶν σωμάτων λαμβάνει τὴν εἰκασίαν. Μέγας οὖν ὁ φωστὴρ, κατὰ τὴν τῆς Γραφῆς μαρτυρίαν, καὶ ἀπειροπλασίων τοῦ φαινομένου.