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

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 goats produce many little ones, and that wild sheep have twins, for fear lest these species should disappear, consumed by carnivorous animals. Beasts of prey, on the contrary, produce only a few and a lioness with difficulty gives birth to one lion;  27  cf. Herod. iii. 108. Aristotle (Hist. An. vi. 31) refutes this. because, if they say truly, the cub issues from its mother by tearing her with its claws; and vipers are only born by gnawing through the womb, inflicting a proper punishment on their mother.  28  cf. Pliny (x. 72): “Tertia die intra uterum catulos excludit, deinde singulos singulis diebus parit, viginti fere numero. Itaque ceteræ, tarditatis impatientes, perrumpunt latera, occisa parente. cf. Herod. iii. 109. So Prudentius (Hamartigenia 583): “Sic vipera, ut aiunt, Dentibus emoritur fusæ per viscera prolis.” See Sir T. Browne’s Vulgur Errors, iii. 16. Thus in nature all has been foreseen, all is the object of continual care. If you examine the members even of animals, you will find that the Creator has given them nothing superfluous, that He has omitted nothing that is necessary. To carnivorous animals He has given pointed teeth which their nature requires for their support. Those that are only half furnished with teeth have received several distinct receptacles for their food. As it is not broken up enough in the first, they are gifted with the power of returning it after it has been swallowed, and it does not assimilate until it has been crushed by rumination. The first, second, third, and fourth stomachs of ruminating animals do not remain idle; each one of them fulfils a necessary function.  29  Pliny (xi. 78) says ruminantibus geminus, but this is supposed to be a misreading for quadrigeminus, or a mistaken interpretation of Aristotle (H.A. ii. 19), whom Basil is no doubt following. The neck of the camel is long so that it may lower it to its feet and reach the grass on which it feeds. Bears, lions, tigers, all animals of this sort, have short necks buried in their shoulders; it is because they do not live upon grass and have no need to bend down to the earth; they are carnivorous and eat the animals upon whom they prey.

Why has the elephant a trunk? This enormous creature, the greatest of terrestrial animals, created for the terror of those who meet it, is naturally huge and fleshy. If its neck was large and in proportion to its feet it would be difficult to direct, and would be of such an excessive weight that it would make it lean towards the earth. As it is, its head is attached to the spine of the back by short vertebrae and it has its trunk to take the place of a neck, and with it it picks up its food and draws up its drink. Its feet, without joints,  30  See Sir T. Browne, Vulgar Errors, iii. 1. like united columns, support the weight of its body. If it were supported on lax and flexible legs, its joints would constantly give way, equally incapable of supporting its weight, should it wish either to kneel or rise. But it has under the foot a little ankle joint which takes the place of the leg and knee joints whose mobility would never have resisted this enormous and swaying mass. Thus it had need of this nose which nearly touches its feet. Have you seen them in war marching at the head of the phalanx, like living towers, or breaking the enemies’ battalions like mountains of flesh with their irresistible charge? If their lower parts were not in accordance with their size they would never have been able to hold their own. Now we are told that the elephant lives three hundred years and more,  31  Arist. H.A. viii. 12 and ix. 72. Pliny vii. 10. another reason for him to have solid and unjointed feet. But, as we have said, his trunk, which has the form and the flexibility of a serpent, takes its food from the earth and raises it up. Thus we are right in saying that it is impossible to find anything superfluous or wanting in creation. Well! God has subdued this monstrous animal to us to such a point that he understands the lessons and endures the blows we give him; a manifest proof that the Creator has submitted all to our rule, because we have been made in His image. It is not in great animals only that we see unapproachable wisdom; no less wonders are seen in the smallest. The high tops of the mountains which, near to the clouds and continually beaten by the winds, keep up a perpetual winter, do not arouse more admiration in me than the hollow valleys, which escape the storms of lofty peaks and preserve a constant mild temperature. In the same way in the constitution of animals I am not more astonished at the size of the elephant, than at the mouse, who is feared by the elephant, or at the scorpion’s delicate sting, which has been hollowed like a pipe by the supreme artificer to throw venom into the wounds it makes. And let nobody accuse the Creator of having produced venomous animals, destroyers and enemies of our life. Else let them consider it a crime in the schoolmaster when he disciplines the restlessness of youth by the use of the rod and whip to maintain order.  32  cf. Hom. v. 4.

27 cf. Herod. iii. 108. Aristotle (Hist. An. vi. 31) refutes this.
28 cf. Pliny (x. 72): “Tertia die intra uterum catulos excludit, deinde singulos singulis diebus parit, viginti fere numero. Itaque ceteræ, tarditatis impatientes, perrumpunt latera, occisa parente. cf. Herod. iii. 109. So Prudentius (Hamartigenia 583): “Sic vipera, ut aiunt, Dentibus emoritur fusæ per viscera prolis.” See Sir T. Browne’s Vulgur Errors, iii. 16.
29 Pliny (xi. 78) says ruminantibus geminus, but this is supposed to be a misreading for quadrigeminus, or a mistaken interpretation of Aristotle (H.A. ii. 19), whom Basil is no doubt following.
30 See Sir T. Browne, Vulgar Errors, iii. 1.
31 Arist. H.A. viii. 12 and ix. 72. Pliny vii. 10.
32 cf. Hom. v. 4.

Ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὴν θεωρίαν τῆς κτίσεως ἐπανίωμεν. Τὰ εὐαλωτότερα τῶν ζῴων, πολυγονώτερα. Διὰ τοῦτο πολυτόκοι λαγωοὶ, καὶ αἶγες ἄγριαι, καὶ πρόβατα ἄγρια διδυμοτόκα, ἵνα μὴ ἐπιλείπῃ τὸ γένος ὑπὸ τῶν ὠμοβόρων ἐκδαπανώμενον. Τὰ δὲ φθαρτικὰ τῶν ἄλλων, ὀλιγοτόκα. Ὅθεν λέοντος ἑνὸς μόλις ἡ λέαινα μήτηρ γίνεται. Ταῖς γὰρ ἀκμαῖς τῶν ὀνύχων διασπαράξας τὴν μήτραν, οὕτω πρόεισιν, ὥς φασι: καὶ ἔχιδναι τὰς μήτρας ἐκφαγοῦσαι προέρχονται, πρέποντας τῇ γεννησαμένῃ τοὺς μισθοὺς ἐκτιννύουσαι. Οὕτως οὐδὲν ἀπρονόητον ἐν τοῖς οὖσιν, οὐδὲ τῆς ἐπιβαλούσης αὐτοῖς ἐπιμελείας ἄμοιρα. Κἂν αὐτὰ τὰ μέλη τῶν ζῴων καταμάθῃς, εὑρήσεις ὅτι οὔτε περιττόν τι ὁ κτίσας προσέθηκεν, οὔτε ἀφεῖλε τῶν ἀναγκαίων. Τοῖς σαρκοφάγοις ζῴοις ὀξεῖς τοὺς ὀδόντας ἐνήρμοσε: τοιούτων γὰρ ἦν χρεία πρὸς τὸ τῆς τροφῆς εἶδος. Ἃ δὲ ἐξ ἡμισείας ὥπλισται τοῖς ὀδοῦσι, πολλαῖς καὶ ποικίλαις ἀποθήκαις τῶν τροφῶν παρεσκεύασε. Διὰ γὰρ τὸ παρὰ τὴν πρώτην μὴ ἀρκούντως καταλεπτύνεσθαι τὴν τροφὴν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὸ καταποθὲν πάλιν ἀναπεμπάζεσθαι, ὥστε καταλεανθὲν τῷ μηρυκισμῷ προσοικειοῦσθαι τῷ τρεφομένῳ. Στόμαχοι καὶ ἐχῖνοι, καὶ κεκρύφαλοι, καὶ ἔνυστρα, οὐκ ἀργῶς ἔγκειται τῶν ζῴων τοῖς ἔχουσιν, ἀλλ' ἀναγκαίων χρείαν ἕκαστον ἐκπληροῖ. Μακρὸς ὁ τράχηλος τῆς καμήλου, ἵνα τοῖς ποσὶν ἐξισάζηται καὶ ἐφικνῆται τῆς βοτάνης ἐξ ἧς ἀποζῇ. Βραχὺς καὶ τοῖς ὤμοις ἐνδεδυκὼς ὁ τράχηλος τῆς ἄρκτου: καὶ λέοντος δὲ, καὶ τίγριδος, καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν, ὅσα τούτου τοῦ γένους: ὅτι οὐκ ἐκ τῆς πόας αὐτοῖς ἡ τροφὴ, οὐδὲ ἀνάγκη πρὸς τὴν γῆν κατακύπτειν, σαρκοφάγοις οὖσι, καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἄγρας τῶν ζῴων διαρκουμένοις. Τί βούλεται ἡ προνομαία τῷ ἐλέφαντι; Ὅτι μέγα τὸ ζῷον, καὶ τῶν χερσαίων τὸ μέγιστον, εἰς τὴν τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων ἔκπληξιν παραχθὲν, πολύσαρκον ἐχρῆν εἶναι καὶ συμπεφορημένον τὸ σῶμα. Τούτῳ εἰ μέγας καὶ ἀναλογῶν τοῖς ποσὶν ὁ τράχηλος προσετέθη, δυσμεταχείριστος ἂν ἦν, τῷ ὑπερβάλλοντι βάρει καταρρέπων ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸ κάτω. Νῦν δὲ ἡ μὲν κεφαλὴ δι' ὀλίγων τῶν τοῦ αὐχένος σφονδύλων πρὸς τὴν ῥάχιν συνάπτεται: ἔχει δὲ τὴν προνομαίαν, τὴν τοῦ τραχήλου χρείαν ἀποπληροῦσαν, δι' ἧς καὶ τὴν τροφὴν προσάγεται, καὶ τὸ ποτὸν ἀνιμᾶται. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀδιάρθρωτοι αὐτῷ οἱ πόδες, οἱονεὶ κίονες ἡνωμένοι, τὸ βάρος ὑποστηρίζουσιν. Εἰ γὰρ χαῦνα αὐτῷ καὶ δίυγρα ὑπετέθη τὰ κῶλα, συνεχεῖς ἂν ἐγίνοντο τῶν ἄρθρων αἱ ἐκτροπαὶ, συνοκλάζοντος καὶ διανισταμένου κουφίζειν τὸ βάρος μὴ ἐξαρκούντων. Νῦν δὲ βραχὺς ἀστράγαλος ὑπόκειται τῷ ποδὶ τοῦ ἐλέφαντος, οὔτε μέντοι εἰς ἀγκύλην, οὔτε εἰς γόνυ διήρθρωται. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ὑπήνεγκε τὸ τῶν ἄρθρων ὀλισθηρὸν τὴν πολυσαρκίαν τοῦ ζῴου πολλὴν αὐτῷ περικεχυμένην καὶ περιτρέμουσαν. Ὅθεν χρεία γέγονε τοῦ μυκτῆρος ἐκείνου μέχρι ποδῶν καθιεμένου. Οὐχ ὁρᾷς ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις, ὅτι οἱονεὶ πύργοι τινὲς ἔμψυχοι τῆς φάλαγγος προηγοῦνται; ἢ βουνοί τινες σάρκινοι, ἀνυπόστατον ἔχοντες τὴν ὁρμὴν, τῶν ἐναντίων τὸν συνασπισμὸν διακόπτουτιν; Οἷς εἰ μὴ ἦν ἀναλογοῦντα τὰ κάτω, πρὸς οὐδένα ἂν χρόνον τὸ ζῷον διήρκεσε. Νῦν δὲ ἤδη τινὲς ἱστοροῦσι καὶ τριακόσια ἔτη καὶ πλείω τούτων βιοῦν τὸν ἐλέφαντα: διὰ τοῦτο συμπεπηγὸς καὶ οὐ διηρθρωμένον τὰ κῶλα. Τὴν δὲ τροφὴν, ὥσπερ ἔφαμεν, ἡ προνομαία χαμόθεν ἐπὶ τὸ ὕψος διακομίζει, ὀφιώδης τις οὖσα καὶ ὑγροτέρα τὴν φύσιν. Οὕτως ἀληθὴς ὁ λόγος, ὅτι οὐδὲν περιττὸν οὐδὲ ἐλλεῖπον ἐν τοῖς κτισθεῖσι δυνατὸν εὑρεθῆναι. Τοῦτο μέντοι τοσοῦτον ὂν τῷ μεγέθει ὑποχείριον ἡμῖν κατέστησεν ὁ Θεὸς (ὥστε καὶ διδασκόμενον συνιέναι, καὶ τυπτόμενον καταδέχεσθαι), ἐναργῶς ἡμᾶς ἐκδιδάσκων, ὅτι πάντα ὑπέταξεν ἡμῖν, διὰ τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμᾶς πεποιῆσθαι τοῦ κτίσαντος. Οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐν τοῖς μεγάλοις τῶν ζῴων τὴν ἀνεξιχνίαστον σοφίαν ἔξεστι κατιδεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς μικροτάτοις οὐδὲν ἔλαττον συναγεῖραι τὸ θαῦμα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οὐ μᾶλλον θαυμάζω τὰς μεγάλας τῶν ὀρῶν κορυφὰς, αἳ τῷ πλησίον εἶναι τῶν νεφῶν τῇ συνεχεῖ περιπνοίᾳ διασώζουσι τὸ χειμέριον, ἢ τὴν ἐν ταῖς φάραγξι κοιλότητα, οὐ μόνον τὸ δυσήνεμον τῶν ὑψηλῶν διαφεύγουσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀλεεινὸν ἀεὶ τὸν ἀέρα συνέχουσαν: οὕτως καὶ ἐν ταῖς τῶν ζῴων κατασκευαῖς οὐ μᾶλλον ἄγαμαι τὸν ἐλέφαντα τοῦ μεγέθους, ἢ τὸν μῦν, ὅτι φοβερός ἐστι τῷ ἐλέφαντι: ἢ τὸ λεπτότατον τοῦ σκορπίου κέντρον, πῶς ἐκοίλανεν ὥσπερ αὐλὸν ὁ τεχνίτης, ὥστε δι' αὐτοῦ τὸν ἰὸν τοῖς τρωθεῖσιν ἐνίεσθαι. Καὶ μηδεὶς ἐγκαλείτω τούτου ἕνεκεν τῷ ποιητῇ, ὅτι ἰοβόλα ζῷα καὶ φθαρτικὰ καὶ πολέμια τῇ ζωῇ ἡμῶν ἐπεισήγαγεν: ἢ οὕτω δ' ἄν τις καὶ παιδαγωγῷ ἐγκαλοίη εἰς τάξιν ἄγοντι τὴν εὐκολίαν τῆς νεότητος, καὶ πληγαῖς καὶ μάστιξι τὸ ἀκόλαστον σωφρονίζοντι.