8

but on the eyelids also points of hairs. Why? So that the intertwining of these, of the upper with the lower, might be more precise through such hairs being fitted together. For the hairs, being intertwined with each other, stand as it were as bonds; then they also keep away from afar the small animals and do not allow downy things to approach the pupil, which is sensitive and able to be dimmed by any chance thing. And again there is another guard placed above each of the eyes through the hairs, at once bestowing comeliness by its outline and at the same time providing safety, 71awhich is the eyebrow set forth above, so that it may direct the power of sight. And of this the proof is: whenever you wish to observe something from afar and, hollowing your hand, you hold it over your eyebrows, for what reason do you do this? So that the vision spreading upward may not be scattered in vain, being poured out into the breadth of the air, but, being directed both by the support of the hand from below and by the projection of the eyebrows from above and being pushed forward, it might have a more precise perception of the visible object. For this reason the eyebrows at once direct the optical power of the eyes, and at the same time hold back the sweat flowing down from above and do not allow it to be poured down on the organs of sense and obstruct the vision, being as it were a partition sufficient for the turning away of harm coming from outside. What vinedresser can so securely enclose his own vine and cast about it such a coping so that the place stands completely inaccessible to the neighboring ravines, as God has wrought 72a the enclosure of the eyebrows for the protection of the eyes, having drawn them in us in a crescent shape, extending to either side from a single junction at the nose, so that the sweat, flowing around here and there, might cause no trouble to the laboring man concerning the work at hand and to his hand that goes up continuously to the eyes and wipes off the moisture flowing down, but at the same time the sweat might flow off automatically, being carried to the sides on either hand through its own channels above the eyebrows, and at the same time the eyes might perform their own function unhindered.

If, then, we should wish to speak in detail part by part also about the other members of the body and to make plain and to praise the wisdom of God in each one, the day will surely fail us. But you, even from one single part, have surely understood the infinitely powerful divine providence concerning man and his skillful economy. But send us on our way with prayers as we hasten upon a necessary journey, so that, being saved in haste, we may also pay the debt of the remaining things by the grace of the Lord who ordered all things concerning us, who created us by his grace; for to him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

8

δὲ τοῖς βλεφάροις καὶ ἀκίδες τριχῶν. διὰ τί; ἵνα ἀκριβεστέρα γένηται ἡ τούτων περιπλοκὴ τοῦ ἄνω πρὸς τὸ κάτω διὰ τῶν τοιούτων προσαρμοζομένου τριχῶν. οἷον γὰρ σύνδεσμοι καθεστᾶσιν αἱ τρίχες ἀλλήλαις περιπλεκόμεναι· εἶτα καὶ τὰ λεπτὰ τῶν ζῴων πόρρωθεν ἀπείργουσι καὶ τὰ χνοώδη οὐκ ἐῶσι πλησιάσαι τῇ κόρῃ εὐπαθεῖ οὔσῃ καὶ τῷ παρατυχόντι ἀμαυροῦσθαι δυνα μένῃ. ἑτέρα δὲ πάλιν ἐστί τις φυλακὴ ἄνωθεν ἐπικειμένη ἑκατέρῳ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν διὰ τῶν τριχῶν, ὁμοῦ μὲν τῇ περιγραφῇ εὐπρέπειαν χαριζομένη, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ τὴν ἀσφάλειαν παρεχομένη, 71aἥτις ἐστὶν ἡ ὀφρὺς ἄνωθεν προβεβλημένη, ἵνα κατευθύνῃ τὸ ὁρατικόν. καὶ τούτου ἀπόδειξις· ὅταν βουληθῇς πόρρωθέν τι κατασκοπεῦσαι καὶ κοιλάνας τὴν χεῖρα ὑπερτείνῃς τῶν ὀφρύων, εἰς τί γὰρ τοῦτο ποιεῖς; ἵνα τὸ ἐπὶ τὸ ἄνω διαφορούμενον τῆς ὄψεως μὴ εἰκῇ σκεδαννύηται τῷ πλάτει τοῦ ἀέρος ἐγκαταχεόμενον, ἀλλ' ἔκ τε τῆς κάτωθεν ἀνοχῆς τῆς χειρὸς ἔκ τε τῆς ἄνωθεν προβολῆς τῶν ὀφρύων κατευθυνόμενον καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἔμπροσθεν συνωθούμενον ἀκριβεστέραν σχοίη τοῦ ὁρατοῦ τὴν μετάληψιν. διὰ τοῦτο ὀφρύες ὁμοῦ μὲν τὸ ὀπτικὸν τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν κατευθύνουσαι, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ τὸν ἄνωθεν καταρρέοντα ἱδρῶτα ἐπέχουσαι καὶ οὐκ ἐῶσαι καταχεῖσθαι τῶν αἰσθητηρίων καὶ ἐμποδίζειν ταῖς ὄψεσιν οἷόν τι διατείχισμα ἱκανὸν πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἔξωθεν ἐπιούσης βλάβης ἀποτροπήν. ποῖος ἀμπελουργὸς οὕτω δύναται ἀσφαλῶς τὴν οἰκείαν ἄμπελον περικλεῖσαι καὶ θριγκὸν αὐτῇ τοιοῦτον περιβαλεῖν ὡς ἀνεπίβατον πάντῃ καθεστάναι τὸν χῶρον ταῖς παρακειμέναις χαράδραις, ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἐξειργάσατο 72aτὴν τῶν ὀφρύων περιβολὴν εἰς τὴν τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν φυλακὴν μηνοειδῶς αὐτὰς ἐν ἡμῖν περιγράψας ἀπὸ μιᾶς συμβολῆς τῆς κατὰ τὴν ῥῖνα ἐφ' ἑκάτερα τὰ μέρη διατεινομένας, ἵνα ὁ ἱδρὼς τῇδε κἀκεῖσε περιρρέων μηδεμίαν ἀσχολίαν παρέχῃ τῷ πονοῦντι ἀνθρώπῳ περὶ τὸ προκείμενον ἔργον καὶ τῇ τούτου χειρὶ ἀνιούσῃ συνεχῶς ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ τὰς καταφερομένας νοτίδας ἀπομασσομένῃ, ἀλλ' ὁμοῦ μὲν διαρρέοι ὁ ἱδρὼς αὐτομάτως ἐπὶ τὰ ἑκατέρωθεν πλάγια μεταφερόμενος διὰ τῶν ἰδίων ὀχετῶν ἄνωθεν τῶν ὀφρύων, ὁμοῦ δὲ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἀνενοχλήτως τὴν ἰδίαν ἐπιτελοῖεν ἐνέργειαν.

Εἰ μὲν οὖν κατὰ μέρος καὶ περὶ τῶν λοιπῶν μελῶν τοῦ σώματος βουλη- θείημεν λεπτολογήσασθαι καὶ τὴν ἐφ' ἑκάστῳ σοφίαν τοῦ θεοῦ διατραν-ῶσαι καὶ ἐξυμνῆσαι, ἐπιλείψει πάντως ἡμᾶς ἡ ἡμέρα. ὑμεῖς δὲ καὶ ἐξ ἑνὸς μόνου μορίου κατενοήσατε πάντως τὸ τῆς θείας προνοίας περὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ τεχνικῆς οἰκονομίας ἀπειροδύναμον. ἡμᾶς δ' ἐπειγομένους ἐπί τινα ὁδὸν ἀναγκαίαν μετ' εὐχῶν προπέμψατε, ἵνα ἐν τάχει ἀποσωθέντες καὶ τῶν λειπομένων ἀποδώσομεν τὸ χρέος χάριτι τοῦ πάντα οἰκονομήσαντος περὶ ἡμᾶς κυρίου τοῦ κτίσαντος ἡμᾶς τῇ αὐτοῦ χάριτι· ὅτι αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ἀμήν.