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«For thus contemplating we would be revered»: We would be revered instead of we would hold in reverence, we would honor, we would admire, we would be astonished. Note concerning the holy and worshipful Trinity this: «A fountain of life pouring into itself, and standing upon itself» for from this is shown both the consubstantiality, and that the monad, having proceeded into a Trinity, stops at it. Thus also says Gregory the Theologian in his first Oration on the Son, and in the second Irenic. Note also this: «Always through itself contemplating itself»; and he says this concerning the holy Trinity.

«For the things outside of it»: Of the same, that is, symbolic formation. And here is found "how great" instead of "much," and "the things outside," that is, the things readily suggested by the word.

«Belly of God corporeally»: Belly of God because of «From the belly before the Morning Star». «Word into air», because of, «My heart has erupted a good word». «Spirit breathed out», because of, (15∆_456> «And by the spirit of his mouth». «Bosoms», on the other hand, because of, «The only-begotten who is in the bosom of the Father». «Plant-like», on the other hand, that is according to the idea of plants, because of, «It is a tree of life», and, «From a shoot, my Son, you went up», and, «Jacob shall blossom and bud», taken in reference to Christ, whose fruit of salvation filled the earth, and similar things. Note, therefore, how a belly is spoken of concerning God, and an eructation of the word, and such things.

«Or fountains of waters»: Fountains of waters according to, «With you is the fountain of life», and, «They have forsaken me, a fountain of life of living water», and as many such things. «Effulgences», on the other hand, because of, «Who being the effulgence of his glory», and, «Lord, in the light of your face they shall walk, and in your light we shall see light», and the like.

«But concerning the intelligible things»: Indicative «of providences» is, «As an eagle will shelter his nest» and the things with it, and of «gifts», such as, «You open your hand», and, «Who gives food to all flesh»; but rather this too is a characteristic of providence. Of «manifestations», on the other hand, because of being seen in the form of a man by the saints in the Old Testament, and in the form of a dove, the Holy Spirit. Of providence, also, is the punishment of the impious; for it is said by the Prophet «As a perplexed she-bear, and as a leopard». Thus, descriptive of «powers» are eyes and the names of other bodily members, and of «properties», such as adamant in Amos; for impassibility and indomitability are proper to the divine nature. Just as, therefore, also the consumption of wicked dispositions, as it is said, «Our God is a consuming fire». And the rest of the things said are manifest to the diligent; and the anagogical and allegorical contemplation of these is not discordant. And it is possible (15∆_458> to take «cessations» and «restings» as the unchangeable and immutable nature of the divine, which is signified by the foundation stones; and «processions» and «distinctions» as the impartation of the good things naturally inherent in it, as in an example, the fragrance from the lily, from which it is also called «flower of the field, lily of the valleys». Thus, therefore, «the unions» are to be understood as that which turns and binds creation to him, signified by the cornerstone. «Women's adornments», on the other hand, are the things found in Isaiah, describing the manifold nature of divine providence. Just as, therefore, both the «smelting» and the «crucible» are to be understood as the reforming providence, or the discerning and purifying power. For the things of the hoplite's equipment are manifest where they are found; and they signify the destruction and annihilation of the adversaries. «Barbarian armaments», perhaps that passage, «In clothing of wrought gold» and, «Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one». For the rhomphaia is a barbarian weapon, as Phylarchus records. Likewise, also, every artisan working with fire is a craftsman.

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«Οὕτω γάρ ἂν θεώμενοι σεφθείημεν»: Σεφθείημεν ἀντί τοῦ ἐν σεβασμῷ ποιησοίμεθα, τιμήσοιμεν, θαυμάσοιμεν, ἐκπλαγείημεν. Σημείωσαι δέ ἐπί τῆς ἁγίας καί προσκυνητῆς Τριάδος τό· «Πηγήν ζωῆς εἰς ἑαυτήν χεομένην, καί ἐφ' ἑαυτῆς ἑστῶσαν» δείκνυται γάρ ἐντεῦθεν καί τό ὁμοούσιον, καί ὅτι ἡ μονάς εἰς Τριάδα προελθοῦσα, μέχρις αὐτῆς ἵσταται. Οὕτω καί ὁ θεολόγος Γρηγόριος ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ Περί Υἱοῦ λόγῳ φησί, καί ἐν τῷ δευτέρω Εἰρηνικῷ. Σημείωσαι δέ τό· «Ἀεί δι' ἑαυτῆς ἑαυτήν θεωμένην»· περί τῆς ἁγίας δέ Τριάδος καί τοῦτό φησι.

«Τά γάρ ἐκτός αὐτῆς»: Τῆς αὐτῆς, δηλονότι συμβολικῆς πλάσεως. Κεῖται δέ καί ἐνταῦθα τό μέν «ὁπόσης» ἀντί τοῦ «πολλῆς», τό δέ «τά ἐκτός», ἤτοι τά προχείρως, ἐκ τῆς λέξεως ὑπαγορευόμενα.

«Γαστέρα Θεοῦ σωματικῶς»: Γαστέρα Θεοῦ διά τό «Ἔκ γαστρός πρός Ἑωσφόρου». «Λόγον εἰς ἀέρα», διά τό, «Ἐξηρεύξατο ἡ καρδία μου λόγον ἀγαθόν». «Πνεῦμα ἐκπνεόμενον», διά τό, (15∆_456> «Καί τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ». «Κόλπους» δέ, διά τό, «Μονογενής ὁ ὤν εἰς τόν κόλπον τοῦ Πατρός». «Φυτικός» δέ, ἤγουν κατά τήν τῶν φυτῶν ἰδέαν, διά τό, «Ξύλον ζωῆς ἐστί», καί τό, «Ἐκ βλαστοῦ, Υἱέ μου, ἀνέβης», καί τό, «Ἀνθήσει καί ἐκβλαστήσει Ἰακώβ», ἐπί Χριστοῦ ληφθέν, οὗ ὁ καρπός τῆς σωτηρίας ἐπλήρωσε τήν γῆν, καί τά ὅμοια. Σημείωσαι οὖν, πῶς εἴρηται ἐπί Θεοῦ γαστήρ, καί ἐρυγή τοῦ λόγου, καί τά τοιαῦτα.

«Ἤ πηγάς ὑδάτων»: Πηγάς ὑδάτων κατά τό, «Παρά σοί πηγή ζωῆς», καί τό, «Ἐμέ ἐγκατέλιπον πηγήν ζωῆς ὕδατος ζῶντος», καί ὅσα τοιαῦτα. «Ἀπαυγάσματα» δέ, διά τό, «Ὃς ὤν ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης», καί, «Κύριε, ἐν τῷ φωτί τοῦ προσώπου σου πορεύσονται, καί ἐν τῷ φωτί ὀψόμεθα φῶς», καί τά παραπλήσια.

«Ἐπί δέ τῶν νοητῶν»: ∆ηλωτικά «τῶν μέν προνοιῶν» τό, «Ὡς ἀετός σκεπάσει τήν νοσσιάν ἑαυτοῦ» καί τά σύν αὐτῷ, τό «δωρεῶν» δέ, ὡς τό, «Ἀνοίγεις σύ τήν χεῖρά σου», καί τό, «Ὁ διδούς τροφήν πάσῃ σαρκί»· μᾶλλον δέ καί τοῦτο τῆς προνοίας γνωριστικόν. «Ἐκφάνσεων» δέ, διά τό ἐν σχήματι ἀνθρώπου ὀφθῆναι τοῖς ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ ἁγίοις, καί ἐν εἴδει περιστερᾶς, τό Πνεῦμα τό ἅγιον. Προνοίας δέ, καί τό τῶν ἀσεβῶν τιμωρητικόν· εἴρηται γοῦν παρά τῷ Προφήτῃ «Ὡς ἄρκτος ἀπορουμένη, καί ὡς πάρδαλις». Τῶν μέν οὖν «δυνάμεων» ὑπογραφικά ὀφθαλμοί καί ἑτέρων σωματικῶν μελῶν ὀνόματα, «ἰδιοτήτων» δέ, ὡς παρά τό Ἀμώς ἀδάμας· ἴδιον γάρ τῆς θείας φύσεως τό ἀπαθές καί ἀδάμαστον. Ὥσπερ οὖν καί τό ἀναλωτικόν τῶν μοχθηρῶν ἕξεων, καθ' ὅ εἴρηται «Ὁ Θεός ἡμῶν πῦρ καταναλίσκον». Καί τά λοιπά δέ τῶν εἰρημένων, πρόδηλα τοῖς φιλοπόνοις· καί ἡ τούτων ἀναγωγική τε καί ἀλληγορική θεωρία, οὐκ ἀσύμφωνον. Ἔστι δέ καί (15∆_458> λαβεῖν «λήξεις» μέν καί «μονάς», τό τῆς θείας φύσεως ἀναλλοίωτον καί ἀμετάστατον, ὅπερ διά τῶν θεμελιωτικῶν λίθων ὑποδηλοῦται· «προόδους» δέ καί «διακρίσεις» τήν τῶν φυσικῶς αὐτῷ ἐνυπαρχόντων ἀγαθῶν μετάδοσιν, ὥσπερ ἐν ὑποδείγματι, ἡ ἐκ τοῦ κρίνου εὐοσμία, παρ' ὅ καί λέγεται «ἄνθος τοῦ πεδίου, κρίνον τῶν κοιλάδων». Οὕτως οὖν νοητέον καί «τάς ἑνώσεις» τό πρός αὐτόν ἐπιστρεπτικόν καί συνδετικόν τῶν κτισμάτων, διά τοῦ ἀκρογωνιαίου λίθου δηλούμενον. «Κόσμους δέ γυναικεί- ους» τά παρά τῷ Ἠσαΐᾳ κείμενα, τό παντοδαπόν τῆς θείας προνοίας ὑπογράφοντα. Ὥσπερ οὖν καί τήν «χωνείαν» καί τό «χωνευτήριον» ὑποληπτέον τήν ἀναπλαστικήν πρόνοιαν, ἤ τήν διακριτικήν τε καί καθαρτικήν δύναμιν. Τά γάρ τῆς ὁπλητικῆς διασκευῆς πρόδηλα μέν ἔνθα κεῖνται· δηλοῦσι δέ τό καθαιρετικόν καί ἀφανιστικά τῶν ἐναντίων. «Βαρβαρικάς δέ ὁπλοποιίας» ἴσως ἐκεῖνο τό, «Ἐν ἱματισμῷ διαχρύσῳ» καί, «Περίζωσαι τήν ρομφαίαν σου ἐπί τόν μηρόν σου, δυνατέ». Ἡ γάρ ρομφαῖα βαρβαρικόν ἐστιν ὅπλον, ὡς ἰστορεῖ Φύλαρχος. Ὁμοίως δέ καί βά- ναυσός ἐστί πᾶς τεχνίτης διά πυρός ἐργαζόμενος.