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shame is added to punishment. And that which is in it, perhaps. to be punished for its own sake. And hinds gave birth in the field. For what reason are the irrational animals punished? Because of men, for their correction, since they also came to be because of them. Wild asses stood upon the glens. It must be known that these pasture in the more desolate places. What does it mean, they drew up wind? Consoling the burning heat from thirst. Did you see the Master's wrath? Did you see His love for mankind together with His wrath? He spares the children, and releases his wrath upon the slaves, so that even in this way they may be brought to their senses. For since these animals are without foresight, they are the first to feel the famine. And he does not speak of the tame animals, oxen and sheep, but the wild ones, showing the intensity; because these too came into being on their account, even if not for use, but for the knowledge of God. *Wild asses stood upon glens, they drew up wind like a serpent. A wild animal, the wild ass, both treading upon plains and destroying crops. He says, therefore, that from the drought this animal also came to weakness. But the phrase, *They drew up wind like a serpent*, the Hebrew has some such meaning: They drew up wind like an animal that conceives by the wind. And they say that the sphinx is such a creature. For just as that creature delights in the blast of the wind as if it were in intercourse, so, he says, the wild asses also stood towards the wind, having the rush of the wind as a consolation for their want. Or rather one might understand it thus, *They drew up wind like a serpent*, that is, they brayed from want; for when food fails, it is the custom for the irrational animals to cry out, such as asses, horses, and the like. And the wild ass is also accustomed to do this. Therefore, *They drew up like a serpent*, that is, just as this one 64.896 hissing for a long time sends forth its voice, so also the wild asses will cry out audibly because of their want. But the Syrians say that they do not have the phrase, *like a serpent*. And some say that the serpent is by nature fed by the wind; therefore he compared the wild asses to this animal, to show the calamity from the drought. Our sins have stood against us. See the supplication made by the prophet, and from those very people as having been brought to their senses by the calamity. For sin is indeed a great wall, and just as some soldiers keep poor and weak people away from the rulers, driving away with rods those who wish to have an audience; so also do these things. For when we have nothing from our own house, this pardon is left, perhaps. for pardon. the love of God for mankind. For our sins are many before you. Not before men. For when God examines, sins appear many. Not because He examines more harshly than men; may it not be so. How then do they appear more numerous? Because men are ignorant of them, but He knows them. Therefore each of us can be saved in this way, if we are all about to take refuge in his name. For against you we have sinned. What does "against you" mean? Against Him who is not provoked like men. Against you, the Master, who are able to spare, who overlook transgressions. Patience. That is: You make us endure, the only God, but men punish and the power perhaps. according to His power, and His love for mankind. And here he says: These plagues no one is able to stop. Since, therefore, you alone are able, desist. This is a law for you, and we often say this to men, "Imitate yourself for your own sake." Will you not be like a man sleeping? Thus, he says, he has left us, just as one taking his rest cares for nothing. So then, God does not sleep. Do you see how he secretly reveals to you impassibility? The ability is present to you; but while you are able, our sins stand against it; but even so, for your own sake. And you are in us, Lord. And your name has been called upon us. He no longer takes refuge in the Fathers, but in the name of God; this also those with Moses do, so that it may not be profaned. Thus says the Lord: They have loved to move their feet. That is, nothing is stable with them, they are always jumping about. This also Elijah says: How long will you limp on

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τιμωρίας πρόσεστιν ἡ αἰσχύνη. Καὶ τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ ἴσ. δι' αὐτὸ κολάζεσθαι. Καὶ ἔλαφοι ἐν ἀγρῷ ἔτεκον. Τίνος ἕνεκεν τὰ ἄλογα κολάζεται; διὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, εἰς διόρθωσιν τούτων, ἐπειδὴ καὶ δι' αὐτοὺς γέγονεν. Ὄναγροι ἔστησαν ἐπὶ νάπας. Ἰστέον, ὅτι τὰ ἐρημότερα οὗτοι νέμονται. Τί ἐστιν, εἵλκυσαν ἄνεμον; τὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ δίψους παραμυθούμενοι καύσωνα. Εἶδες ὀργὴν ∆εσπότου; εἶδες φιλανθρωπίαν ὁμοῦ μετὰ ὀργῆς; φείδεται τῶν παίδων, καὶ εἰς τοὺς δούλους τὴν ὀργὴν ἀφίησιν, ἵνα κἂν οὕτω σωφρονισθῶσιν. Ἅτε γὰρ ἀπρονόητα ὄντα ταῦτα τὰ ζῶα, αἰσθάνεται πρῶτα τοῦ λιμοῦ. Καὶ οὐ λέγει τὰ ἥμερα ζῶα βοῦς καὶ πρόβατα, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἄγρια δεικνὺς τὴν ἐπίτασιν· διότι δι' αὐτοὺς καὶ ταῦτα γεγένηται, εἰ καὶ μὴ εἰς χρῆσιν, ἀλλ' εἰς θεογνωσίαν. *Ὄναγροι ἔστησαν ἐπὶ νάπαις, εἵλκυσαν ἄνεμον, ὡς δράκων. Ἄγριον, τὸ ζῷον ὁ ὄναγρος, καὶ ἐπιβαίνων πεδιάσιν, καὶ διαφθείρων καρπούς. Λέγει τοίνυν, ὅτι ἐκ τῆς ἀβροχίας εἰς ἀσθένειαν ἦλθε καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ζῶον. Τὸ δὲ, Εἵλκυσαν ἄνεμον ὡς δράκων, ὁ Ἑβραῖός τινα τοιαύτην τὴν ἔννοιαν ἔχει· Εἵλκυσαν ἄνεμον ὡς ζῶον ὑπ' ἀνέμου συλλαμβάνον. Φασὶ δὲ τοιαύτην εἶναι τὴν σφίγγα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκείνη ἥδεται τῇ τοῦ ἀνέμου προσβολῇ ὡς ἐν συνουσίᾳ γιγνομένη, οὕτω, φησὶ, καὶ οἱ ὄναγροι πρὸς τὸν ἄνεμον εἱστήκεισαν ὑπὸ τῆς ἐνδείας παραμυθίαν ἔχοντες τοῦ ἀνέμου τὴν φοράν. Μᾶλλον δ' ἄν τις οὕτω νοήσοιτο, Εἵλκυσαν ἄνεμον ὡς δράκων, τουτέστιν, ἀπὸ τῆς ἐνδείας ὠγκῶντο· ἐπιλειπούσης γὰρ τῆς τροφῆς, ἀναβοᾷν ἔθος τοῖς ἀλόγοις, οἷον ὄνοις, ἵπποις, καὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις. Τοῦτο δὲ ποιεῖν καὶ ὁ ὄναγρος εἴωθε. Τὸ οὖν, Εἵλκυσαν ὡς δράκων, τουτέστιν, ὡς οὗτος 64.896 συρίζων ἐπὶ πολὺ τὴν φωνὴν ἐκπέμπει, οὕτω καὶ οἱ ὄναγροι βοήσουσιν ὑπὸ τῆς ἐνδείας ἐξάκουστον. Λέγουσι δὲ Σύροι τὸ, ὡς δράκων, μὴ ἔχειν. Τινὲς δέ φασιν, ὅτι ὁ δράκων πέφυκε τῷ ἀνέμῳ τρέφεσθαι· παρέβαλεν οὖν τούτῳ τῷ ζώῳ τοὺς ὀνάγρους, ἵνα δείξῃ τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἀβροχίας συμφοράν. Αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ἡμῶν ἀντέστησαν ἡμῖν. Ὅρα τὴν ἱκετηρίαν ἀπὸ τοῦ προφήτου γεγενημένην, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν δὲ ἐκείνων ὡς ἀπὸ τῆς συμφορᾶς σωφρονισθέντων. Μέγα γὰρ ὄντως τειχίον ἡ ἁμαρτία καὶ καθάπερ στρατιῶται τινὲς πένητας, καὶ ἀσθενεῖς ἀνθρώπους ἀπείργουσι τῶν ἀρχόντων, βουλομένους ἐντυχεῖν ῥάβδοις ἀποδιώκοντες· οὕτω καὶ αὗται ποιοῦσιν. Ὅταν γὰρ οἴκοθεν οὐδὲν ἔχωμεν, αὕτη καταλείπεται συγγνώμη, ἴσ. εἰς συγγ. ἡ φιλανθρωπία τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὅτι πολλαὶ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ἡμῶν ἐναντίον σου. Οὐκ ἐναντίον ἀνθρώπων. Ὅταν γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ἐξετάζῃ, πολλαὶ φαίνονται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι. Οὐκ ἐπειδὴ πικρότερον ἐξετάζει τῶν ἀνθρώπων· μὴ γένοιτο. Πῶς οὖν φαίνονται πλείους; ὅτι ἄνθρωποι μὲν ἀγνοοῦσιν, αὐτὸς δὲ ἐπίσταται. Οὐκοῦν δυνάμεθα ἕκαστος οὕτω σώζεσθαι, εἰ μέλλοιμεν ἐπὶ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ καταφεύγειν ἅπαντες. Ὅτι σοι ἡμάρτομεν. Τί ἐστι σοί· τῷ μὴ παροξυνομένῳ κατὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους. Σοὶ τῷ ∆εσπότῃ, τῷ δυναμένῳ φείσασθαι, τῷ ὑπερορῶντι τὰ ἁμαρτήματα. Ὑπομονή. Τουτ' ἔστι· Σὺ ποιεῖς ἡμᾶς ὑπομεῖναι ὁ μόνος Θεὸς, οἱ δὲ ἀνθρωποὶ τιμωροῦνται καὶ τὴν δύναμιν ἴσ. κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ λέγει· Τὰς πληγὰς ταύτας οὐδεὶς δύναται λῦσαι. Ἐπεὶ οὖν καὶ δύνασαι σὺ μόνος, ἄνες. Νόμος οὗτός σοι τοῦτο καὶ ἀνθρώποις πολλάκις λέγομεν, Σαυτὸν μίμησαι διὰ σαυτόν. Μὴ ἔσῃ ὥσπερ ἄνθρωπος ὑπνῶν; Οὕτως, φησὶν, ἡμᾶς εἴασεν, ὥσπερ ὁ καταλύων οὐδενὸς φροντίζει. Οὐκ ἄρα ὑπνοῖ ὁ Θεός. Ὁρᾷς πῶς λανθανόντως σοι ἐκφαίνει τὸ ἀπαθές; Πάρεστί σοι τὸ δύνασθαι· ἀλλὰ δύνασαι μὲν, αἱ δὲ ἁμαρτίαι ἡμῶν ἀνθίστανται· ἀλλὰ κἂν διὰ σέ. Καὶ σὺ ἐν ἡμῖν, Κύριε. Καὶ τὸ ὄνομά σου ἐπικέκληται ἐφ' ἡμᾶς. Οὐκέτι ἐπὶ τοὺς Πατέρας καταφεύγει, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ· τοῦτο καὶ οἱ περὶ Μωυσῆν ποιοῦσιν ἵνα μὴ ὑβρισθῇ. Οὕτως λέγει Κύριος· Ἠγάπησαν κινεῖν πόδας αὐτῶν. Τουτέστιν, οὐδὲν βέβαιον παρ' αὐτοῖς, ἀεὶ μεταπηδῶσι. Τοῦτο καὶ Ἡλίας φησίν· Ἕως πότε χωλανεῖτε ἐπ'