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an example for a long time, publicizing the manner through the cry of repentance. The enumerated villages and cities are names of Moab, known until the present, all of which endured capture by the Assyrians. For even Ariel until now has become a very large village of Areopolis, just as the others have. And it is empty to allegorize about these things, it being necessary to know only this much, that it foretells the destruction of their idolatry through desolation by means of the altar of the Daimon and of the ruler; among whom now the knowledge of God and churches have been established everywhere. But it brings up why the aforementioned things happen for Moab to suffer, saying: She is a three-year-old heifer. For the third year is sufficient for irrational animals to reach their prime, and to produce in them a vigorous strength. Moab, therefore, being strong and unyoked, was leaping upon its neighbors, somehow frolicking over the weaker ones; or else, the three-year-old heifer is a mature one, having both the power to give birth and to submit its neck to the yoke, by which he shows the characteristic of those who are able to turn, so as to be perfected in the age of the soul, and to have reason capable of submitting to the yoke of truth. One who is deprived of these things is not required to do the works of repentance. Therefore God also said to Abraham: "Take for me a three-year-old heifer, and a three-year-old ram." But he did not define the turtledove and the pigeon by time, because these animals begin to give birth immediately, but on the ascent, he says, of Luhith they will go up weeping. For the beginning of gladness is to weep well, and godly sorrow produces the ascent through progress. In which also Paul rejoiced, seeing his own words leading to compunction. For one who weeps over his own evils, no longer having a descent, will not enter into the lowest parts of the earth. But such sorrow leads him by the hand toward ascending. They say that Horonaim is high and a kind of highway, and that those fleeing from other cities take refuge in it. Therefore he says, they will go up weeping. And a voice for those who weep, a shatter 2100 ing and an earthquake, they proclaim beforehand the sufferings that will happen from the war, shaking every city and shattering the inhabitants. And a reproving word shatters the evil mindset, and works a kind of shaking in its thoughts, so that some are uprooted, and healthy words are introduced in their place. Therefore God will not despise a contrite heart. For when the wicked disposition is shattered, they will both weep and ascend. Neither of which will happen while it is established and not yet shaken. The water of Nimrim will be desolate. They say that this city, situated in the extremities of the country and bordering on the Red Sea, is well-watered and has good pasture, so as to be sufficient for many cavalry, and that its inhabitants are most warlike; but when the enemies attack, it will be desolate of waters and of green grass, so that the horsemen grow weak, the cavalry having been destroyed by famine. When this has happened, he says, will she then not think great things even so of herself? and it also shows that the water of vainglory, which previously flowed abundantly, will disappear. This is opposed to the water of rest, by which the Lord nourishes those who are shepherded by him. Which he also gives to those who believe in him, so that they might have in themselves a spring of water welling up to eternal life. But the worthless water nourishes only grass. And it itself will not be. That is, the souls that have been taught this temporary and quickly fading glory of the world will quickly fade away, when the word that, as it were, waters them has been made desolate. But the phrase, will she not even so be saved, shows that Moab, being about to be saved, will be led by certain ways and by more laborious disciplines. And the phrase, for it will perish by night, and such things, shows that these things happen for her salvation. For I will bring, he says, upon the valley Arabs, perhaps meaning the neighboring Arabs, or even the Saracens innermost of these. To whom he also says he will hand over Moab. Or also as to those who followed the Assyrians. For up to the

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ὑπόδειγμα μέχρι πόῤῥω, διὰ τῆς βοῆς τῆς μετανοίας τὸν τρόπον δημοσιεύοντες. Κωμῶν δὲ καὶ πόλεων τὰ κατειλεγμένα τῆς Μωαβίτιδός ἐστιν ὀνόματα μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος γνωριζόμενα, αἳ πᾶσαι τὴν ἐκ τῶν Ἀσσυρίων ὑπέμειναν ἄλωσιν. Καὶ Ἀριὴλ γὰρ μέχρι νῦν μεγίστη καθέστηκεν Ἀρεοπόλεως κώμη, καθὰ καὶ αἱ λοιπαί. Καὶ διάκενον τὸ περὶ τούτων ἀλληγορεῖν, τοσοῦτον γνῶναι δέον, ὡς τῆς εἰδωλολατρείας αὐτῶν τὴν δι' ἐρημίας ἀπώλειαν προφωνεῖ διὰ τοῦ βωμοῦ τοῦ ∆αίμων καὶ τοῦ ἄρχοντος· παρ' οἷς νῦν ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ γνῶσις ἐκκλησίαι τε πανταχοῦ καθεστήκασιν. Ἐπάγει δὲ τίνος ἕνεκα τὰ προειρημένα συμβαίνει τὴν Μωαβῖτιν παθεῖν, λέγων· ∆άμαλίς ἐστι τριετής. Ὁ γὰρ τρίτος ἐνιαυτὸς τοῖς ἀλόγοις τῶν ζώων ἀρκεῖ πρὸς ἀκμὴν, εἴς τε τὸ σφριγῶσαν αὐτοῖς ἐνεργάσασθαι δύναμιν. Ἡ Μωαβῖτις τοίνυν ἰσχυρά τις οὖσα καὶ ἀπειρόζυγος ἐπεπήδα τοῖς πέλας, κατασκιρτῶσα πως τῶν ἀσθενεστέρων ἤγουν τελεία τίς ἐστιν ἡ τριετίζουσα δάμαλις, τοῦ τε γεννᾷν ἔχει δύναμιν, καὶ τοῦ τὸν τράχηλον ὑπέχειν ζυγῷ, δι' ἧς δείκνυσι τῶν δυναμένων ἐπιστρέφειν τὸ ἴδιον, ὡς τελειοῦσθαι μὲν κατὰ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἡλικίαν, ἔχειν δὲ τὸν λόγον δυνάμενον ὑποβαίνειν τῷ ζυγῷ τῆς ἀληθείας. Ὧν τις ἐστερημένος οὐκ ἀπαιτεῖται τῆς μετανοίας τὰ ἔργα. ∆ιὸ καὶ τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἔφησεν ὁ Θεός· "Λάβε μοι δάμαλιν τριετίζουσαν, καὶ κριὸν τριετίζοντα." Τρυγόνα δὲ καὶ περιστερὰν οὐ περιέγραψε χρόνῳ, διὰ τὸ εὐθὺς τὰ ζῶα ταῦτα τῆς γεννήσεως ἄρχεσθαι, ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς ἀναβάσεως, φησὶ, τῆς λουὶδ κλαίοντες ἀναβήσονται. Ἀρχὴ γὰρ εὐφροσύνης ἐστὶ τὸ κλαίειν καλῶς, τὴν διὰ προκοπῆς τε ἀνάβασιν ἡ κατὰ Θεὸν λύπη ποιεῖ. Ἐφ' ᾗ καὶ Παῦλος εὐφραίνετο τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ λόγους ὁρῶν εἰς συναίσθησιν ἄγοντας. Κλαίων γάρ τις ἐπὶ τοῖς ἰδίοις κακοῖς, μὴ ἔχων ἔτι κατάβασιν, οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὰ κατώτατα τῆς γῆς. Πρὸς δὲ τὸ ἀναβαίνειν αὐτὸν ἡ τοιαύτη λύπη χειραγωγεῖ. Ὑψηλὴν δὲ εἶναί φασι καὶ λεωφόρον τινὰ τὴν Ἀρωνιεὶμ, ἀνακομίζειν τε εἰς αὐτὴν τοὺς ἐξ ἑτέρων φεύγοντας πόλεων. ∆ιό φησι, κλαίοντες ἀναβήσονται. Φωνὴ δὲ τοῖς κλαίουσι, σύντριμ 2100 μα καὶ σεισμὸς, προαναφωνοῦσι τὰ ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου συμβησόμενα πάθη πᾶσαν σείοντος πόλιν καὶ τοὺς ἐνοικοῦντας συντρίβοντος. Καὶ λόγος δὲ καθαπτόμενος τὸ φρόνημα συντρίβει τὸ πονηρὸν, καὶ σάλον ὥσπερ τοῖς αὐτοῦ λογισμοῖς ἐνεργάζεται πρὸς τὸ τοὺς μὲν ἐκριζωθῆναι, τοὺς δὲ ὑγιεῖς ἀντεισάγεσθαι λόγους. ∆ιὸ καρδίαν συντετριμμένην ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἐξουδενώσει. Συντριβείσης γὰρ τῆς μοχθηρᾶς διαθέσεως, κλαύσονταί τε καὶ ἀναβήσονται. Ὧν οὐδέτερον ἔσται συνεστηκυίας καὶ μήπω σεσαλευμένης. Τὸ ὕδωρ τῆς Νεβρὶδ ἔρημον ἔσται. Πόλιν δὲ ταύτην, φασὶ, κειμένην μὲν ἐν ἐσχάταις τῆς χώρας, Ἐρυθρᾷ δὲ γειτνιῶσαν θαλάττῃ εὔυδρόν τε καὶ εὔβοτον, ὡς ἀρκεῖν ἵππῳ πολλῇ, εἶναί τε τοὺς οἰκοῦντας μαχιμωτάτους· ἀλλ' ἐπιόντων τῶν πολεμίων ἔρημος ὑδάτων ἔσται, καὶ χλωροῦ χόρτου, ὡς τοὺς ἱππότας ἀσθενεῖν ἀνῃρημένης τῆς ἵππου διὰ λιμόν. Οὗ γεγονότος, φησὶ, μὴ ἄρα φρονήσει μέγα καὶ οὕτως ἐφ' ἑαυτῆς; δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ, ὡς τὸ τῆς ψευδοδοξίας ὕδωρ πρότερον ῥέον ἀφθόνως, ἀφανισθήσεται. Ὅπερ ἀντίκειται τῷ τῆς ἀναπαύσεως ὕδατι, ἐφ' οὗ Κύριος ἐκτρέφει τοὺς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ποιμαινομένους. Ὃ καὶ δίδωσι τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς αὐτὸν, ὡς ἂν σχοῖεν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς πηγὴν ὕδατος ἁλλομένου εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Τὸ δὲ φαῦλον ὕδωρ χόρτον μόνον ἐκτρέφει. Καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ ἔσται. Τοῦτ' ἔστιν, αἱ ψυχαὶ αἱ τὴν πρόσκαιρον ταύτην καὶ ταχὺ μαραινομένην τοῦ κόσμου δόξαν πεπαιδευμέναι ταχὺ ἀπανθήσουσι, τοῦ οἷον ἄρδοντος αὐτὰς ἐρημωθέντος λόγου. Τὸ δὲ, μὴ καὶ οὕτως μέλλει σωθῆναι, δείκνυσιν ὡς ἡ Μωαβῖτις μέλλουσα σώζεσθαι ὁδοῖς τισι καὶ τοῖς ἐπιπονωτέροις παιδεύμασιν ἐναχθήσεται. Καὶ τὸ, ἀπολεῖται γὰρ νυκτὸς, καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα, δείκνυσιν ὡς ταῦτα γίνεται πρὸς σωτηρίαν αὐτῇ. Ἐπάξω γὰρ, φησὶ, ἐπὶ τὴν φάραγγα Ἄραβας, τάχα που σημαίνων τοὺς πλησιοχώρους Ἄραβας, ἢ καὶ τοὺς τούτων ἐνδοτάτω Σαρακηνούς. Οἷς καὶ αὐτοῖς παραδώσειν φησὶ τὴν Μωάβ. Ἢ καὶ ὡς τοῖς Ἀσσυρίοις ἀκολουθήσασι. Μέχρι γὰρ τῆς