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being stirred up, they hasten to the northern sea. And you would see at the time of their ascent the fish united like a stream, and flowing through the Propontis to the Euxine. Who is it that moves them? What royal command? What edicts posted in the marketplace declare the deadline? Who are their guides? You see the divine ordinance fulfilling all things, and extending through the smallest things. A fish does not contradict the law of God, yet we humans do not tolerate saving teachings. Do not despise fish, because they are entirely mute and irrational, but fear lest you be more irrational than these, resisting the command of the creator. Hear the fish, as it were, uttering a voice through what they do, saying, "For the preservation of our race we are sent on this long journey." They do not have their own reason, but they have the law of nature strongly established within them, showing what must be done. "Let us go," they say, "to the northern sea. For that water is sweeter than the rest of the sea, because the sun, lingering over it for only a short time, does not draw out all its potable part with its ray. Sea creatures also delight in sweet waters; for this reason they often swim up rivers, and are carried far from the sea. For this reason the Pontus is preferable to them than other gulfs, as it is suitable for spawning and nurturing their offspring. And when their purpose has been sufficiently fulfilled, they all return home together again. And what is the reason? Let us hear from the silent ones. "The northern sea," they say, "is shallow, and lying exposed to the violence of the winds, having few shores and shelters. For this reason the winds easily stir it from its depths, so that even the sand of the deep is mixed with the waves. But it is also cold in the winter season, being filled by many great rivers. For this reason, having enjoyed it in moderation in the summer, again in winter they hasten to the warmth in the deep and the sunny places, and fleeing the stormy northern regions, they take shelter in gulfs that are less agitated. 7.5 I have seen these things, and I have marveled at the wisdom of God in all things. If irrational creatures are inventive and protective of their own safety, and a fish knows what to choose and what to avoid, what shall we say, who are honored with reason, and taught by the law, encouraged by promises, made wise by the Spirit, yet manage our affairs more irrationally than the fish? If they know to take some forethought for the future, we, on the other hand, out of hopelessness for the future, spend our life in beastly pleasure. A fish crosses so many seas to find some benefit; what will you say, you who live in idleness? For idleness is the beginning of mischief. Let no one plead ignorance as an excuse. A natural reason has been sown in us, showing us affinity for the good and aversion from what is harmful. I do not depart from the examples of the sea, since these are set before us for examination. I have heard from a certain man of the coast that the sea urchin, a very small and easily despised creature, often becomes a teacher of calm and storm to sailors. For when it foresees a disturbance from the winds, getting under some large pebble, it holds fast to it, as to an anchor, being held down by the weight so as not to be easily dragged under by the waves. When sailors see this sign, they know the violent movement of the winds that is expected. No astrologer, no Chaldean, inferring the disturbances of the air from the risings of the stars, taught these things to the urchin, but the Lord of the sea and winds has placed a clear trace of His great wisdom even in the little creature. Nothing is without providence, nothing is neglected by God. The sleepless eye watches over all things. He is present to all, providing salvation for each. If God did not leave the urchin outside His care, does He not care for your affairs? Husbands, love your wives, even if exiles

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διεγερθέντες, ἐπὶ τὴν βορινὴν ἐπείγονται θάλασσαν. Καὶ ἴδοις ἂν κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς ἀνόδου ὥσπερ τι ῥεῦμα τοὺς ἰχθῦς ἡνωμένους, καὶ διὰ τῆς Προποντίδος ἐπὶ τὸν Εὔξεινον ῥέοντας. Τίς ὁ κινῶν; ποῖον πρόσταγμα βασιλέως; ποῖα διαγράμματα κατ' ἀγορὰν ἡπλωμένα τὴν προθεσμίαν δηλοῖ; οἱ ξεναγοῦντες τίνες; Ὁρᾷς τὴν θείαν διάταξιν πάντα πληροῦσαν, καὶ διὰ τῶν μικροτάτων διήκουσαν. Ἰχθὺς οὐκ ἀντιλέγει νόμῳ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἄνθρωποι σωτηρίων διδαγμάτων οὐκ ἀνεχόμεθα. Μὴ καταφρόνει τῶν ἰχθύων, ἐπειδὴ ἄφωνα καὶ ἄλογα παντελῶς, ἀλλὰ φοβοῦ μὴ καὶ τούτων ἀλογώτερος ᾖς, τῇ διαταγῇ τοῦ κτίσαντος ἀνθιστάμενος. Ἄκουε τῶν ἰχθύων μονονουχὶ φωνὴν ἀφιέντων δι' ὧν ποιοῦσιν, ὅτι εἰς διαμονὴν τοῦ γένους τὴν μακρὰν ταύτην ἀποδημίαν στελλόμεθα. Οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἴδιον λόγον, ἔχουσι δὲ τὸν τῆς φύσεως νόμον ἰσχυρῶς ἐνιδρυμένον, καὶ τὸ πρακτέον ὑποδεικνύντα. Βαδίσωμεν, φασὶν, ἐπὶ τὸ βόρειον πέλαγος. Γλυκύτερον γὰρ τῆς λοιπῆς θαλάσσης ἐκεῖνο τὸ ὕδωρ, διότι ἐπ' ὀλίγον αὐτῇ προσδιατρίβων ὁ ἥλιος, οὐκ ἐξάγει αὐτῆς ὅλον διὰ τῆς ἀκτῖνος τὸ πότιμον. Χαίρει δὲ τοῖς γλυκέσι καὶ τὰ θαλάσσια· ὅθεν καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ποταμοὺς ἀνανήχεται πολλάκις, καὶ πόρρω θαλάσσης φέρεται. Ἐκ τούτου προτιμότερος αὐτοῖς ὁ Πόντος τῶν λοιπῶν ἐστι κόλπων, ὡς ἐπιτήδειος ἐναποκυῆσαι καὶ ἐκθρέψαι τὰ ἔκγονα. Ἐπειδὰν δὲ τὸ σπουδαζόμενον ἀρκούντως ἐκπληρωθῇ, πάλιν πανδημεὶ πάντες ὑποστρέφουσιν οἴκαδε. Καὶ τίς ὁ λόγος, ἀκούσωμεν παρὰ τῶν σιωπώντων. Ἐπιπόλαιος, φασὶν, ἡ βορεινὴ θάλασσα, καὶ ὑπτία προκειμένη τῶν ἀνέμων ταῖς βίαις, ὀλίγας ἀκτὰς καὶ ὑποδρομὰς ἔχουσα. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐκ πυθμένος οἱ ἄνεμοι ῥᾳδίως αὐτὴν ἀναστρέφουσιν, ὡς καὶ τὴν βυθίαν ψάμμον τοῖς κύμασιν ἀναμίγνυσθαι. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ψυχρὰ, χειμῶνος ὥρᾳ, ὑπὸ πολλῶν καὶ μεγάλων ποταμῶν πληρουμένη. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἐφ' ὅσον μέτριον ἀπολαύσαντες αὐτῆς ἐν τῷ θέρει, πάλιν χειμῶνος ἐπὶ τὴν ἐν τῷ βυθῷ ἀλέαν καὶ τὰ προσήλια τῶν χωρίων ἐπείγονται, καὶ φυγόντες τὸ δυσήνεμον τῶν ἀρκτῴων, τοῖς ἐπ' ἔλαττον τινασσομένοις κόλποις ἐγκαθορμίζονται. 7.5 Εἶδον ταῦτα ἐγὼ, καὶ τὴν ἐν πᾶσι τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφίαν ἐθαύμασα. Εἰ τὰ ἄλογα ἐπινοητικὰ καὶ φυλακτικὰ τῆς ἰδίας αὐτῶν σωτηρίας, καὶ οἶδε τὸ αἱρετὸν αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ φευκτὸν ὁ ἰχθὺς, τί ἐροῦμεν ἡμεῖς οἱ λόγῳ τετιμημένοι, καὶ νόμῳ πεπαιδευμένοι, ἐπαγγελίαις προτραπέντες, Πνεύματι σοφισ θέντες, εἶτα τῶν ἰχθύων ἀλογώτερον τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς διατιθέμενοι; Εἴπερ οἱ μὲν ἴσασι τοῦ μέλλοντός τινα ποιεῖσθαι πρόνοιαν, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐκ τῆς πρὸς τὸ μέλλον ἀνελ πιστίας δι' ἡδονῆς βοσκηματώδους τὴν ζωὴν ἀναλίσκομεν. Ἰχθὺς τοσαῦτα διαμείβει πελάγη ὑπὲρ τοῦ εὕρασθαί τινα ὠφέλειαν· τί ἐρεῖς σὺ ὁ τῇ ἀργίᾳ συζῶν; Ἀργία δὲ, κακουργίας ἀρχή. Μηδεὶς ἄγνοιαν προφασιζέσθω. Φυσικὸς λόγος οἰκείωσιν ἡμῖν τοῦ καλοῦ, καὶ ἀλλοτρίωσιν ἀπὸ τῶν βλαβερῶν ὑποδεικνὺς ἐγκατέσπαρται. Οὐκ ἀφίσταμαι τῶν θαλασσίων ὑποδειγμάτων, ἐπειδὴ ταῦτα ἡμῖν πρόκειται εἰς ἐξέτασιν. Ἤκουσα ἐγὼ τῶν παραλίων τινὸς, ὅτι ὁ θαλάσσιος ἐχῖνος, τὸ μικρὸν παντελῶς καὶ εὐκαταφρόνητον ζῷον, διδάσκαλος πολλάκις γαλήνης καὶ κλύδωνος τοῖς πλέουσι γίνεται. Ὃς ὅταν προΐδῃ ταραχὴν ἐξ ἀνέμων, ψηφῖδά τινα ὑπελθὼν γενναίαν, ἐπ' αὐτῆς, ὥσπερ ἐπ' ἀγκύρας, βεβαίως σαλεύει, κατεχόμενος τῷ βάρει πρὸς τὸ μὴ ῥᾳδίως τοῖς κύμασιν ὑποσύρεσθαι. Τοῦτο ὅταν ἴδωσιν οἱ ναυτικοὶ τὸ σημεῖον, ἴσασι τὴν προσδοκωμένην βιαίαν κίνησιν τῶν ἀνέμων. Οὐδεὶς ἀστρολόγος, οὐδεὶς Χαλδαῖος, ταῖς ἐπιτο λαῖς τῶν ἄστρων τὰς τῶν ἀέρων ταραχὰς τεκμαιρόμενος, ταῦτα τὸν ἐχῖνον ἐδίδαξεν, ἀλλ' ὁ θαλάσσης καὶ ἀνέμων Κύριος καὶ τῷ μικρῷ ζῴῳ τῆς μεγάλης ἑαυτοῦ σοφίας ἐναργὲς ἴχνος ἐνέθηκεν. Οὐδὲν ἀπρονόητον, οὐδὲν ἠμελημένον παρὰ Θεοῦ. Πάντα σκοπεύει ὁ ἀκοίμητος ὀφθαλμός. Πᾶσι πάρεστιν, ἐκπορίζων ἑκάστῳ τὴν σωτηρίαν. Εἰ ἐχῖνον ἔξω τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἐπισκοπῆς ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἀφῆκε, τὰ σὰ οὐκ ἐπισκοπεῖ; Οἱ ἄνδρες, ἀγαπᾶτε τὰς γυναῖκας, κἂν ὑπερόριοι