30

to these things and the following: "For David said, he says, to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my belly, seeks my life. And if even now this son of the Benjamite, let him alone, let him curse, because the Lord has told him, so that he might see my humiliation, and the Lord will repay me with good things in place of his curse on this day." This one, he says, is from the kinship of Saul, 80.644 having an old enmity for me; and it is likely that some would say that finding an opportunity, he laid bare his hatred. My son, who was begotten by me, and nourished, and reached this age and honor, who has stirred him to war against me? It is clear, then, that the decree has been brought forth from above; and he brings to fulfillment what he foretold. But I endure both those who insult and those who kill, that in this way I may soothe the divine wrath. These things, then, this divine man said. But it is necessary to know that neither the unlawful union of Amnon, nor the fratricide of Absalom, and the madness that occurred against his father, are of divine energy; but the house, stripped of divine Providence, resembled a rudderless ship, and was receiving the tempests of evil demons. QUES. 32. How did the divine David use Ahithophel as a counselor, when he was giving evil counsel? The utterly evil men hide their wickedness when they are with the good; but when they find someone who delights in their practices, they lay it bare, and they utter things suitable to their listeners. Such was this man also. For to the divine David he offered suggestions toward his best purpose, and to Absalom he counseled things appropriate to his character. For fearing lest nature might bring them together again, and then, reconciliations having occurred, he should be required to pay the penalty for treason, he suggested that ultimate transgression, so that no entrance for reconciliations could be made. And he immediately paid the penalty for that unholy and wicked suggestion; and since he armed the son against the father, he in turn armed his own hands against himself; and with them putting the noose around his neck, he endured a thrice-miserable end. For being able to foresee the end of what was being done, when his suggestion was not accepted, he knew that the victory would be David's; and fearing the treason, he accepted the punishment by his own hand. And the divine Scripture taught that God worked together with Hushai. "For the Lord," it says, "commanded to scatter the good counsel of Ahithophel," that is, the counsel that was advantageous to the tyranny. For this reason the blessed David, singing psalms, said: "Behold, he was in labor with injustice, he conceived trouble, and brought forth lawlessness. He dug a pit, and excavated it, and he will fall into the ditch which he made." 80.645 QUES. 33. What is, "And now will the land be taken from us by ten thousand?" The general prevented the king, who wanted to share in the engagement, both fearing lest he suffer anything (for it was likely that the enemies would advance against him alone), and worrying lest, having conquered, he might pity the tyrant. Therefore they said that if we are defeated and flee, we have our life as sufficient comfort; but if you suffer anything, the disaster will proceed against all. For you alone are superior to tens of thousands of all of us. For Symmachus has set down this meaning: "And you are as ten thousand of us." But the just Judge allowed these calamities to be brought upon David, healing the transgression that had occurred; but from that sinner he exacted worthy penalties. For as he was riding in the forest, he arranged for him to go under a plant, which had two sloping branches that had grown crosswise, not far distant from each other. As the mule was passing from there, his head was caught between the branches, and his whole body was suspended; and the rustling of the leaves drove the mule on; but he remained suspended, having become a most pleasant sight to the pious, and displaying the decree of the Providence that governs all. When one of the other soldiers saw this, he did not dare to inflict the blow upon him; for he feared the king's command. But the general, that the father was exercising compassion

30

τούτοις καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· "Εἶπε γὰρ, φησὶ, ∆αβὶδ πρὸς Ἀβεσσὰ, καὶ πρὸς πάν τας τοὺς παῖδας αὑτοῦ, Ἰδοὺ ὁ υἱός μου, ὁ ἐξελθὼν ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας μου, ζητεῖ τὴν ψυχήν μου. Εἰ δὲ καὶ νῦν οὗτος ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Ἰεμιναίου, ἄφετε αὐτὸν, κατ αράσθω, ὅτι Κύριος εἴρηκεν αὐτῷ, ὅπως ἴδοι τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου, καὶ ἀνταποδώσει μοι Κύριος ἀγαθὰ ἀντὶ τῆς κατάρας αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ." Οὗτος, φησὶν, ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Σαούλ ἐστι συγγενείας, 80.644 παλαιὰν ἔχων περὶ ἐμὲ τὴν δυσμένειαν· καὶ εἰκός τινας εἰπεῖν, ὅτι καιρὸν εὑρὼν ἐγύμνωσε τὴν ἀπέχ θειαν. Τὸν υἱόν μου, τὸν ὑπ' ἐμοῦ καὶ σπαρέντα, καὶ τραφέντα, καὶ εἰς τοῦτο ἡλικίας ἐλάσαντα καὶ τιμῆς, τίς ἐκπεπολέμωκέ μοι; ∆ῆλον τοίνυν ὡς ἡ ψῆ φος ἄνωθεν ἐξενήνεκται· καὶ οἷς προεῖπεν ἐπιφέρει τὸ πέρας. Ἐγὼ δὲ φέρω καὶ τοὺς παροινοῦντας, καὶ τοὺς φονῶντας, ἵνα ταύτῃ πραΰνω τὴν θείαν ὀργήν. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ὁ θεῖος οὗτος εἶπεν ἀνήρ. Εἰδέναι δὲ χρὴ, ὡς οὐ τῆς θείας ἐστὶν ἐνεργείας, οὔτε τοῦ Ἀμνὼν ἡ παράνομος συνουσία, οὔτε τοῦ Ἀβεσ- σαλὼμ ἡ ἀδελφοκτονία, καὶ ἡ κατὰ τοῦ πατρὸς γε γενημένη μανία· ἀλλὰ τῆς θείας Προνοίας ἡ οἰκία γυμνωθεῖσα σκάφος ἀκυβέρνητον ἐμιμεῖτο, καὶ τῶν πονηρῶν δαιμόνων τὰς τρικυμίας ἐδέχετο. ΕΡΩΤ. ΛΒʹ. Πῶς ἐχρῆτο συμβούλῳ τῷ Ἀχιτόφελ ὁ θεῖος ∆αβὶδ πονηρὰ συμβουλεύοντι; Οἱ παμπόνηροι ἄνδρες κρύπτουσι τὴν πονηρίαν συνόντες τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς· εὑρόντες δέ τινα τοῖς αὐτῶν ἐπιτηδεύμασι χαίροντα, γυμνοῦσι ταύτην, καὶ τὰ πρόσφορα τοῖς ἀκούουσι φθέγγονται. Τοιοῦτος ἦν καὶ οὗτος. Καὶ γὰρ τῷ θείῳ ∆αβὶδ πρὸς τὸν ἄριστον αὐτοῦ σκοπὸν τὰς εἰσηγήσεις προσέφερε, καὶ τῷ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ τὰ τῷ τρόπῳ κατάλληλα συνεβούλευε. ∆εδιὼς γὰρ μὴ συναγάγῃ πάλιν αὐτοὺς ἡ φύσις, εἶτα τῶν καταλλαγῶν γενομένων δίκας ἀπαιτηθῇ προδοσίας, τὴν ἐσχάτην ἐκείνην παρανομίαν ὑπέθε το, ὥστε μηδεμίαν παρείσδυσιν γενέσθαι καταλ λαγῶν. Ἔτισε δὲ παραυτίκα ποινὴν τῆς ἀνοσίας ἐκείνης καὶ πονηρᾶς εἰσηγήσεως· καὶ ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ὥπλισε τὸν υἱὸν, αὐτὸς πάλιν καθ' ἑαυ τοῦ τὰς χεῖρας καθώπλισε· καὶ ταύταις ἐμβα λὼν τῷ τραχήλῳ τὸν βρόχον, τρισάθλιον ὑπέμεινε τέλος. Ἱκανὸς γὰρ ὢν προϊδεῖν τῶν πραττομένων τὸ τέλος, μὴ δεχθείσης τῆς εἰσηγήσεως, ἔγνω τοῦ ∆αβὶδ ἐσομένην τὴν νίκην· καὶ δείσας τὴν προδο σίαν, αὐτοχειρίᾳ τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐδέξατο. Ἐδίδαξε δὲ ἡ θεία Γραφὴ, ὡς ὁ Θεὸς συνέπραξε τῷ Χουσί. "Κύριος γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐνετείλατο τοῦ διασκεδάσαι τὴν βουλὴν Ἀχιτόφελ τὴν ἀγαθὴν, ἀντὶ τοῦ, τὴν τῇ τυραννίδι συμφέρουσαν. Τούτου χάριν ψάλλων ὁ μακάριος ἔλεγε ∆αβίδ· "Ἰδοὺ ὠδίνησεν ἀδικίαν, συνέλαβε πόνον, καὶ ἔτεκεν ἀνομίαν. Λάκκον ὤρυξε, καὶ ἀνέσκαψεν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς βόθρον ὃν εἰργάσατο." 80.645 ΕΡΩΤ. ΛΓʹ. Τί ἐστι, "Καὶ νῦν ἀφαιρεθήσεται ἐξ ἡμῶν ἡ γῆ δέκα χιλιάσι;" Κοινωνῆσαι τῆς συμπλοκῆς βουληθέντα τὸν βασι λέα διεκώλυσεν ὁ στρατηγὸς, καὶ δεδιὼς μή τι πάθῃ (εἰκὸς γὰρ ἦν κατ' αὐτοῦ μόνου χωρῆσαι τοὺς δυσμενεῖς), καὶ ἀγωνιῶν μὴ νικήσας οἰκτείρῃ τὸν τύραννον. Ἔφασαν τοίνυν, ὅτι Ἐὰν ἡττηθέντες ἀποδράσωμεν, τὴν ζωὴν ἔχομεν ἀποχρῶσαν παρα ψυχήν· ἐὰν δέ τι σὺ πάθῃς, χωρήσει κατὰ πάν των ἡ συμφορά. Σὺ γὰρ μόνος μυρίαις μυριάσιν ὑπερέχεις πάντων ἡμῶν. Ταύτην γὰρ τὴν ἔννοιαν ὁ Σύμμαχος τέθεικεν· "Καὶ σὺ ὡς ἡμεῖς δέκα χι λιάσιν." Ὁ δὲ δίκαιος Κριτὴς τῷ μὲν ∆αβὶδ ταύτας ἐπενεχθῆναι τὰς συμφορὰς συνεχώρησε, τὴν γεγενη μένην παρανομίαν ἰώμενος· ἐκεῖνον δὲ τὸν ἀλιτήριον δίκας ἀξίας εἰσέπραξεν. Ἐλαύνοντι γὰρ ἐν τῷ δρυμῷ παρεσκεύασεν ὑπὸ φυτὸν εἰσελθεῖν, ὃ δύο κλάδους εἶχεν ἐπικλινεῖς ἐγκαρσίως βεβλαστηκότας, οὐ πολὺ διεστῶτας ἀλλήλων. Ἐκεῖθεν παριούσης τῆς ἡμιόνου, ἐνεπάρη μὲν μεταξὺ τῶν κλάδων ἡ κεφαλὴ ἐξηρτήθη δὲ ἅπας· διήλασε δὲ τὴν ἡμίονον τῶν φύλλων ὁ κτύπος· μεμένηκε δὲ ἐκεῖνος ἐξηρτη μένος, ἥδιστον θέαμα τοῖς εὐσεβέσι γενόμενος, καὶ τῆς πάντα πρυτανευούσης Προνοίας τὴν ψῆφον ἐπι δεικνύς. Τοῦτό τις τῶν ἄλλων στρατιωτῶν θεασά μενος, οὐκ ἐτόλμησεν ἐπενεγκεῖν αὐτῷ τὴν πλη γήν· ἐδεδίει γὰρ τοῦ βασιλέως τὸν νόμον. Ὁ δὲ στρατηγὸς, τὸν πατέρα κεχρῆσθαι τῇ εὐσπλαγχνίᾳ