Chapter X.—Concerning earth and its products.

The earth is one of the four elements, dry, cold, heavy, motionless, brought into being by God, out of nothing on the first day. For in the beginning, he said, God created the heaven and the earth352    The Greek runs:—ἢ σχέσιν τινὰ πρὸς τὶ των ἀντιδιαστελλομένων, ἢ τὶ τῶν παρεπομένων τῃ φύσει, ἢ ἐνέργειαν.    Gen. i. 1.: but the seat and foundation of the earth no man has been able to declare. Some, indeed, hold that its seat is the waters: thus the divine David says, To Him Who established the earth on the waters353    Rendered in the Septuagint Version, ᾽Εγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν. Some of the Fathers made much of the fact that it is not the neuter form τὸ ὄν.    Ps. cxxxvi. 6.. Others place it in the air. Again some other says, He Who hangeth the earth on nothing354    Exod. iii. 14.    Job xxvi. 7.. And, again, David, the singer of God, says, as though the representative of God, I bear up the pillars of it355    Greg. Naz., Orat. 36.    Ps. lxxv. 3., meaning by “pillars” the force that sustains it. Further, the expression, He hath founded it upon the seas356    Dionys., De div. nom. c. 2, 3 and 4. This sentence and the next are absent in some mss., and are rather more obscurely stated than is usual with John of Damascus.    Ibid. xxiv. 2., shews clearly that the earth is on all hands surrounded with water. But whether we grant that it is established on itself, or on air or on water, or on nothing, we must not turn aside from reverent thought, but must admit that all things are sustained and preserved by the power of the Creator.

In the beginning, then, as the Holy Scripture says357    In his Cratylus Plato gives this etymology, and Eusebius quotes it in his Prep. Evangel. i. Clement of Alexandria refers to it more than once in his Strom., bk. iv., and in his Protrept., where he says—Sidera θέους ἐκ τοῦ θέειν, deos a currendo nominarunt.    Gen. i. 2., it was hidden beneath the waters, and was unwrought, that is to say, not beautified. But at God’s bidding, places to hold the waters appeared, and then the mountains came into existence, and at the divine command the earth received its own proper adornment, and was dressed in all manner of herbs and plants, and on these, by the divine decree, was bestowed the power of growth and nourishment, and of producing seed to generate their like. Moreover, at the bidding of the Creator it produced also all manner of kinds of living creatures, creeping things, and wild beasts, and cattle. All, indeed, are for the seasonable use of man: but of them some are for food, such as stags, sheep, deer, and such like: others for service such as camels, oxen, horses, asses, and such like: and others for enjoyment, such as apes, and among birds, jays and parrots, and such like. Again, amongst plants and herbs some are fruit bearing, others edible, others fragrant and flowery, given to us for our enjoyment, for example, the rose and such like, and others for the healing of disease. For there is not a single animal or plant in which the Creator has not implanted some form of energy capable of being used to satisfy man’s needs. For He Who knew all things before they were, saw that in the future man would go forward in the strength of his own will, and would be subject to corruption, and, therefore, He created all things for his seasonable use, alike those in the firmament, and those on the earth, and those in the waters.

Indeed, before the transgression all things were under his power. For God set him as ruler over all things on the earth and in the waters. Even the serpent358    Deut. iv. 24.    In this John does not follow Basil in his De Paradiso. was accustomed to man, and approached him more readily than it did other living creatures, and held intercourse with him with delightful motions359    2 Mac. x. 5.    Basil, Hom. de Parad.. And hence it was through it that the devil, the prince of evil, made his most wicked suggestion to our first parents360    κατὰ τὴν θελητικὴν αὐτοῦ ἄχρονον ἔννοιαν. See Thomas Aquin., I., II. Quæst. 17, Art. 1, where he says, est actus rationis, præsupposito tamen actu voluntatis.    Gen. iii. 1.. Moreover, the earth of its own accord used to yield fruits, for the benefit of the animals that were obedient to man, and there was neither rain nor tempest on the earth. But after the transgression, when he was compared with the unintelligent cattle and became like to them361    This sentence is absent in some mss., being added at the end of the chapter with the mark σχόλ.    Ps. xlix. 12., after he had contrived that in him irrational desire should have rule over reasoning mind and had become disobedient to the Master’s command, the subject creation rose up against him whom the Creator had appointed to be ruler: and it was appointed for him that he should till with sweat the earth from which he had been taken.

But even now wild beasts are not without their uses, for, by the terror they cause, they bring man to the knowledge of his Creator and lead him to call upon His name. And, further, at the transgression the thorn sprung out of the earth in accordance with the Lord’s express declaration and was conjoined with the pleasures of the rose, that it might lead us to remember the transgression on account of which the earth was condemned to bring forth for us thorns and prickles362    Dionys., De div. nom., c. 5.    Basil, Hom. de Parad..

That this is the case is made worthy of belief from the fact that their endurance is secured by the word of the Lord, saying, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth363    παρέπονται τῇ φύσει; follow the nature, are consequents of the nature, or accompany it.    Gen. i. 22..

Further, some hold that the earth is in the form of a sphere, others that it is in that of a cone. At all events it is much smaller than the heaven, and suspended almost like a point in its midst. And it will pass away and be changed. But blessed is the man who inherits the earth promised to the meek364    St. Matt. v. 5..

For the earth that is to be the possession of the holy is immortal. Who, then, can fitly marvel at the boundless and incomprehensible wisdom of the Creator? Or who can render sufficient thanks to the Giver of so many blessings365    Method, Cont. Orig. apud Epiph. Hæres. 64.?

[There are also provinces, or prefectures, of the earth which we recognise: Europe embraces thirty four, and the huge continent of Asia has forty-eight of these provinces, and twelve canons as they are called366    Only Cod. Reg. 3451 has this paragraph..]

Περὶ γῆς καὶ τῶν ἐξ αὐτῆς

Ἡ γῆ ἓν τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων ἐστὶ ξηρόν τε καὶ ψυχρὸν καὶ βαρὺ καὶ ἀκίνητον, ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι τῇ πρώτῃ ἡμέρᾳ παρηγμένον. «Ἐν ἀρχῇ» γάρ, φησίν, «ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν». Ἧς τὴν ἕδραν καὶ τὴν βάσιν οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων εἰπεῖν δεδύνηται: οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ ὑδάτων φασὶν ἡδράσθαι καὶ πεπῆχθαι αὐτήν, ὥς φησιν ὁ θεῖος Δαυίδ: «Τῷ στερεώσαντι τὴν γῆν ἐπὶ τῶν ὑδάτων», οἱ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀέρος. Ἄλλος δέ φησιν: «Ὁ ἑδράσας τὴν γῆν ἐπ' οὐδενός». Καὶ πάλιν ὁ θεηγόρος Δαυὶδ ὡς ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ δημιουργοῦ: «Ἐγώ», φησίν, «ἐστερέωσα τοὺς στύλους αὐτῆς», τὴν συνεκτικὴν αὐτῆς δύναμιν στύλους ὀνομάσας. Τὸ δὲ «ἐπὶ θαλασσῶν ἐθεμελίωσεν αὐτὴν» δηλοῖ τὸ πανταχόθεν περικεχύσθαι τῇ γῇ τὴν τοῦ ὕδατος φύσιν. Κἂν οὖν ἐφ' ἑαυτῆς, κἂν ἐπὶ ἀέρος, κἂν ἐπὶ ὑδάτων, κἂν ἐπ' οὐδενὸς δῶμεν ἡδράσθαι αὐτήν, χρὴ μὴ ἀφίστασθαι τῆς εὐσεβοῦς ἐννοίας, ἀλλὰ πάντα ὁμοῦ συγκρατεῖσθαι, ὁμολογεῖν καὶ συνέχεσθαι τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ κτίσαντος.

Ἐν ἀρχῇ μὲν οὖν, καθώς φησιν ἡ γραφή, ὑπὸ ὑδάτων ἐκεκάλυπτο καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος ἤτοι ἀκόσμητος ἦν. Τοῦ δὲ θεοῦ προστάξαντος τὰ τῶν ὑδάτων δοχεῖα γεγόνασι, καὶ τότε τὰ ὄρη ὑπῆρξαν, τῷ τε θείῳ προστάγματι τὸν οἰκεῖον ἀπειλήφει κόσμον παντοδαπέσι χλόαις καὶ φυτοῖς ὡραϊσθεῖσα, οἷς τὸ θεῖον ἐνέθηκε πρόσταγμα δύναμιν αὐξητικήν τε καὶ θρεπτικὴν καὶ σπερματικὴν ἤτοι ὁμοίου γεννητικήν. Ἐξήγαγε δὲ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ κελεύσαντος καὶ παντοῖα γένη ζῴων ἑρπετῶν τε καὶ θηρίων καὶ κτηνῶν. Πάντα μὲν πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εὔκαιρον χρῆσιν, ἀλλὰ τούτων τὰ μὲν πρὸς βρῶσιν οἷον ἐλάφους, πρόβατα, δορκάδας καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα, τὰ δὲ πρὸς διακονίαν οἷον καμήλους, βόας, ἵππους, ὄνους καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα, τὰ δὲ πρὸς τέρψιν οἷον πιθήκους: καὶ τῶν ὀρνέων κίσσας τε καὶ ψιττακοὺς καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα, καὶ τῶν φυτῶν δὲ καὶ βοτανῶν τὰ μὲν κάρπιμα καὶ ἐδώδιμα, τὰ δὲ εὐώδη καὶ ἀνθηρὰ πρὸς τέρψιν ἡμῖν δεδομένα οἷον τὸ ῥόδον καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα, τὰ δὲ πρὸς νοσημάτων ἴασιν. Οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ οὐδὲν ζῷον οὐδὲ φυτόν, ἐν ᾧ οὐκ ἐνέργειάν τινα τῇ τῶν ἀνθρώπων χρείᾳ χρησιμεύουσαν ὁ δημιουργὸς ἐναπέθετο: ὁ γὰρ τὰ πάντα πρὶν γενέσεως αὐτῶν ἐπιστάμενος εἰδώς, ὡς μέλλει ἐν αὐτεξουσίῳ παραβάσει ὁ ἄνθρωπος γενέσθαι καὶ τῇ φθορᾷ παραδίδοσθαι, πάντα πρὸς εὔκαιρον χρῆσιν αὐτοῦ, τά τε ἐν τῷ στερεώματι ἔν τε τῇ γῇ καὶ τὰ ἐν ὕδασιν ἔκτισε.

Πρὸ μὲν οὖν τῆς παραβάσεως, πάντα ὑποχείρια τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἦν: ἄρχοντα γὰρ αὐτὸν κατέστησεν ὁ θεὸς πάντων τῶν ἐν τῇ γῇ καὶ τῶν ἐν τοῖς ὕδασι. Καὶ ὁ ὄφις δὲ συνήθης τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἦν μᾶλλον τῶν ἄλλων αὐτῷ προσερχόμενος καὶ τερπνοῖς προσομιλῶν τοῖς κινήμασιν. Ὅθεν δι' αὐτοῦ τὴν κακίστην ὁ ἀρχέκακος διάβολος ὑποθήκην τοῖς προπάτορσιν εἰσηγήσατο. Καὶ ἡ γῆ δὲ αὐτομάτη τοὺς καρποὺς ἔφερε πρὸς χρείαν τῶν ὑποχειρίων αὐτῷ ζῴων, καὶ οὔτε ὄμβρος ἦν τῇ γῇ οὔτε χειμών. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν παράβασιν, ἡνίκα «παρασυνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσι τοῖς ἀνοήτοις καὶ ὡμοιώθη αὐτοῖς», ἄρχειν ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὴν ἄλογον ἐπιθυμίαν τοῦ λογικοῦ νοῦ παρασκευάσας, παρήκοος τῆς τοῦ δεσπότου ἐντολῆς γενόμενος, ἐπανέστη τῷ ὑπὸ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ χειροτονηθέντι ἄρχοντι ἡ ὑποχείριος κτίσις, ἐν ἱδρῶτι ἐργάζεσθαι τὴν γῆν, ἐξ ἧς ἐλήφθη.

Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ νῦν ἄχρηστος ἡ τῶν θηρίων χρῆσις ἐκφοβοῦσα καὶ πρὸς ἐπίγνωσιν καὶ ἐπίκλησιν τοῦ πεποιηκότος φέρουσα θεοῦ. Καὶ ἡ ἄκανθα δὲ μετὰ τὴν παράβασιν ἐξεφύη τῆς γῆς κατὰ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου ἀπόφασιν, μεθ' ἣν συνεζεύχθη καὶ τῇ ἀπολαύσει τοῦ ῥόδου ἡ ἄκανθα εἰς ὑπόμνησιν τῆς παραβάσεως ἡμᾶς ἄγουσα, δι' ἣν ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους ἡ γῆ ἀνατέλλειν ἡμῖν κατεδικάσθη.

Ὅτι μὲν ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχει, πιστευτέον ἐκ τοῦ καὶ μέχρι τοῦ νῦν τὴν τούτων διαμονὴν ἐνεργεῖν τὸν τοῦ κυρίου λόγον: ἔφη γάρ: «Αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν».

Σφαιροειδῆ δέ τινές φασι τὴν γῆν, ἕτεροι δὲ κωνοειδῆ. Ἥττων δὲ καὶ πάνυ σμικροτέρα ἐστὶ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὥσπερ τις στιγμὴ ἐν μέσῳ τούτου κρεμαμένη. Καὶ αὐτὴ δὲ παρελεύσεται καὶ ἀλλαγήσεται. Μακάριος δέ ἐστιν ὁ τὴν τῶν πραέων γῆν κληρονομῶν: ἡ γὰρ μέλλουσα τοὺς ἁγίους ὑποδέχεσθαι γῆ ἀθάνατός ἐστι. Τίς οὖν ἀξίως τὴν ἄπειρόν τε καὶ ἀκατάληπτον τοῦ δημιουργοῦ σοφίαν θαυμάσειεν; Ἢ τίς τῆς πρεπούσης εὐχαριστίας ἐφίκοιτο τοῦ δοτῆρος τῶν τοσούτων ἀγαθῶν;

Εἰσὶ δὲ αἱ γνωσθεῖσαι ἐπαρχίαι τῆς γῆς ἤτοι σατραπίαι αὗται: Εὐρώπης μὲν ἐπαρχίαι λδʹ, πίνακες ιʹ: αʹ Ἰουβερνία, νῆσος Βρετανική βʹ Ἀλουίωνος νῆσος Βρετανική γʹ Ἱσπανία Βαιτική δʹ Ἱσπανία Λουσιτανία εʹ Ἱσπανία Ταρακωνησία Ϛʹ Γαλλία Ἀκουιτανία ζʹ Γαλλία Λουγδονησία ηʹ Γαλλία Κελτική θʹ Γαλλία Ναρβωνησία ιʹ Γερμανία μεγάλη ιαʹ Ῥαιτία καὶ Οὐινδελικία ιβʹ Νωρικόν ιγʹ Παννονία ἡ ἄνω ιδʹ Παννονία ἡ κάτω ιεʹ Ἰλλυρίς ιϚʹ Δελματία ιζʹ Ἰταλία ιηʹ Κύρνος νῆσος ιθʹ Σαρδὼ νῆσος κʹ Σικελία νῆσος καʹ Σαρματία ἡ ἐν Εὐρώπῃ κβʹ Ταυρικὴ Χερσόνησος κγʹ Ἰάζυγες Μετανάσται κδʹ Δακία κεʹ Μυσία ἡ ἄνω κϚʹ Μυσία ἡ κάτω κζʹ Θρᾴκη κηʹ Χερσόνησος κθʹ Μακεδονία λʹ Ἤπειρος λαʹ Ἀχαΐα λβʹ Εὔβοια νῆσος λγʹ Πελοπόννησος λδʹ Κρήτη νῆσος.

Λιβύης ἐπαρχίαι ιβʹ, πίνακες ηʹ: αʹ Μαυριτανία Τιγγιτανή βʹ Μαυριτανία Καισαρηνσία γʹ Νουμιδία δʹ Ἀφρικὴ ὅλη εʹ Κυρηναϊκὴ πεντάπολις Ϛʹ Μαρμαρική ζʹ Λιβύη ηʹ Αἴγυπτος ἡ κάτω θʹ Αἴγυπτος Θηβαΐς ιʹ ἡ ἐντὸς Ἀφρικῆς Λιβύη ιαʹ ἡ ἄνω Αἰγύπτου Αἰθιοπία ιβʹ ἡ ἐντὸς τούτων πάντων νωτιωτάτη Αἰθιοπία.

Ἀσίας ἠπείρου μεγάλης ἐπαρχίαι μηʹ, κανόνες ιβʹ: αʹ Βιθυνία Πόντου βʹ Ἀσία ἡ ἰδίως, πρὸς τῇ Ἐφέσῳ γʹ Φρυγία μεγάλη δʹ Λυκία εʹ Γαλατία Ϛʹ Παφλαγονία ζʹ Παμφυλία ηʹ Καππαδοκία θʹ Ἀρμενία μικρά ιʹ Κιλικία ιαʹ Σαρματία ἡ ἐντὸς Ἀσίας ιβʹ Κολχίς ιγʹ Ἰβηρία ιδʹ Ἀλβανία ιεʹ Ἀρμενία μεγάλη ιϚʹ Κύπρος νῆσος ιζʹ Συρία κοίλη ιηʹ Συρία Φοινίκη ιθʹ Συρία Παλαιστίνη κʹ Ἀραβία Πετραία καʹ Μεσοποταμία κβʹ Ἀραβία ἔρημος κγʹ Βαβυλωνία κδʹ Ἀσσυρία κεʹ Σουσιανή κϚʹ Μηδία κζʹ Περσίς κηʹ Παρθία κθʹ Καρμανία ἔρημος λʹ Καρμανία ἑτέρα λαʹ Ἀραβία εὐδαίμων λβʹ Ὑρκανία λγʹ Μαργιανή λδʹ Βακτριανή λεʹ Σογδιανή λϚʹ Σακῶν λζʹ Σκυθία ἡ ἐντὸς Ἰμάου ὄρους ληʹ Σκυθία ἡ ἐκτὸς Ἰμάου ὄρους λθʹ Σηρική μʹ Ἀρεία μαʹ Παροπανισάδαι μβʹ Δραγγιανή μγʹ Ἀραχωσία μδʹ Γεδρωσία μεʹ Ἰνδικὴ ἡ ἐντὸς Γάγγου τοῦ ποταμοῦ μϚʹ Ἰνδικὴ ἡ ἐκτὸς Γάγγου τοῦ ποταμοῦ μζʹ Σῖναι μηʹ Ταπροβάνη νῆσος.

Ὁμοῦ γίνονται Εὐρώπης μὲν πίνακες ιʹ, ἐπαρχίαι λδʹ, πόλεις ἐπίσημοι ριηʹ Λιβύης δὲ πίνακες μὲν ηʹ, χῶραι δὲ ιβʹ, πόλεις ἐπίσημοι νβʹ Ἀσίας δὲ μεγάλης πίνακες μὲν ιβʹ, ἐπαρχίαι δὲ μηʹ, πόλεις ἐπίσημοι ρπʹ αἱ πᾶσαι τῆς οἰκουμένης χῶραι Ϙδʹ, πόλεις τνʹ.

Ἔθνη δὲ οἰκεῖ τὰ πέρατα: κατ' ἀπηλιώτην Βακτριανοί, κατ' εὗρον Ἰνδοί, κατὰ Φοίνικα Ἐρυθρὰ θάλασσα καὶ Αἰθιοπία, κατὰ λευκόνοτον οἱ ὑπὲρ Σύρτιν Γεράμαντες, κατὰ λίβα Αἰθίοπες καὶ δυσμικοὶ Ὑπέρμαυροι, κατὰ ζέφυρον Στῆλαι καὶ ἀρχαὶ Λιβύης καὶ Εὐρώπης, κατὰ ἀργέστην Ἰβηρία ἡ νῦν Ἱσπανία, κατὰ δὲ θρασκίαν Κελτοὶ καὶ τὰ ὅμορα, κατὰ ἀπαρκτίαν οἱ ὑπὲρ Θρᾴκην Σκύθαι, κατὰ βορρᾶν Πόντος Μαιῶτις καὶ Σαρμάται, κατὰ καικίαν Κασπία θάλασσα καὶ Σάκες.