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Interpretation on the prophet Daniel [Sp.]

CHAPTER 1. And the king told Ashpenaz his chief eunuch to bring in some of the captive sons of Israel, and of the royal seed, and of the Parthomim. Parthomim means either a nation, he says, or a race; but rather a nation, perhaps a barbarian one. But this is permitted, so that by comparison the power of God might appear; and what happened in the case of many, happened also in the case of wisdom. For so that no one might blame Persian wisdom for what was happening, others also learn with them for the sake of a test. For things are judged by comparison, especially among the foolish. Therefore God acts everywhere by comparison; and when he speaks about himself, he does not disdain to set himself beside the gods and compare; and they themselves say: There is no one like you among the gods, Lord. In whom there is no blemish, and beautiful in appearance, and understanding in all wisdom. And this is an impediment to self-control and philosophy. But for what reason does he seek such ones, who surpass all others both in the good health of their limbs and in the beauty of their appearance? Let us hear. If a king seeks such men, a barbarian king, how much more so God, the lover of the soul's beauty? If those with a blemish in the body would not be worthy to stand before him (For it says, in whom there is no blemish), much more is it not fitting for those with a blemish in the soul to stand before God. And he reasonably seeks strong men, he says, for the inner services, or he means strength of soul as well, that is, those able to stand before the king. But for what reason does he seek those beautiful in appearance? For those things are for a purpose, I mean wisdom, 56.194 and understanding of the mind; but this, for what reason? As a barbarian, and a worldly man, he seeks this out of great ambition; for the philosopher ought to seek only the things of the soul. For just as we seek beautiful clothes for no practical purpose, so he seeks beautiful faces, like statues. But why did God make beauty? Hear another saying: For from the greatness and beauty of created things the Creator is seen by analogy. And one might see many things in our body made not only for function, but also for beauty. For colors, and good complexions, are for this reason, not for function alone. For it would be possible to be black, and not be hindered at all in function. And we have hair for this reason; so also Paul says: For if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him. And an upright neck, having a symmetrical form; and for this gracefulness all things have been produced for us, such that if you cut off a little from the whole, you would mar the beauty, while the function remains. From which especially for beauty the Creator also fashioned this creature for us; and not this only, but all other things as well. But of this beauty He gave more to some, and less to others. And many after they were born, not having it from their lineage, he clothed with grace. And from its very position you will see the beauty, such as the eyes being set high up, like the rainbow, and having the round part within perfectly shaped, the mixture of colors, the preci 56.195 sion, the genuineness, the whiteness. But beauty has become a stumbling block, he says. Not because of its own nature, but because of the indolence of those who are captured. For do not contemplate, he says, another's beauty. He did not simply say, Do not contemplate beauty, but he added, Another's, since he praises enjoying one's own. For why did it not lead Joseph astray, nor make him stupid, nor fill him with folly and pride? A doe of friendship, he says, and a foal of your graces, let her keep you company. This too is a bond of marriage, so that people were impassioned toward bodies. For since a certain laborious and wretched thing for us

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Interpretatio in Danielem prophetam [Sp.]

ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Α. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἀσφανὲς τῷ ἀρχιευνούχῳ αὐτοῦ εἰσαγαγεῖν ἀπὸ τῶν

υἱῶν τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ σπέρματος τῆς βα σιλείας, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν Φορθονμίν. Φορθονμὶν ἢ ἔθνος φησὶ, ἢ γένος· μᾶλλον δὲ ἔθνος, βάρβαρον ἴσως. Συγχωρεῖται δὲ τοῦτο, ἵνα ἀπὸ συγκρίσεως ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ φανῇ δύναμις· καὶ ὅπερ ἐπὶ τῶν πολλῶν ἐγένετο, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς σοφίας. Ἵνα γὰρ μή τις τὴν Περσικὴν σοφίαν αἰτιᾶται τῶν γινομένων, καὶ ἄλλοι μανθά νουσι μετ' αὐτῶν εἰς ἔλεγχον. Ἀπὸ γὰρ συγκρίσεως μάλιστα παρὰ τοῖς ἀνοήτοις τὰ πράγματα κρίνεται. ∆ιὸ ἀπὸ συγκρίσεως πανταχοῦ ποιεῖ ὁ Θεός· καὶ ὅταν περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λέγῃ, οὐκ ἀπαξιοῖ τοῖς θεοῖς ἑαυτὸν παραβάλλειν, καὶ συγκρίνειν· καὶ αὐτοὶ λέγουσιν· Οὐκ ἔστιν ὅμοιός σοι ἐν θεοῖς, Κύριε. Ἐν οἷς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν αὐτοῖς μῶμος, καὶ καλοὺς τῇ ὄψει, καὶ συνιέντας ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ. Καὶ τοῦτο κώλυμα πρὸς σωφροσύνην καὶ φιλοσοφίαν. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν καὶ τοιούτους ζητεῖ, ὥστε καὶ τῇ τῶν μελῶν εὐεξίᾳ, καὶ τῇ τῆς ὄψεως εὐμορφίᾳ πάντας τοὺς ἄλλους νι κᾷν; Ἀκούσωμεν. Εἰ βασιλεὺς τοιούτους ζητεῖ, βα σιλεὺς βάρβαρος, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὁ Θεὸς ὁ τοῦ ψυχι κοῦ κάλλους ἐραστής; Εἰ παρεστάναι ἐκείνῳ οὐκ ἂν εἶεν ἄξιοι οἱ μῶμον ἔχοντες ἐν σώματι (Ἐν οἷς γὰρ, φησὶν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν αὐτοῖς μῶμος), πολλῷ μᾶλλον τῷ Θεῷ οὐ προσήκει παρεστάναι τοὺς μῶμον ἔχον τας ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ. Εἰκότως δὲ καὶ ἰσχυροὺς ζητεῖ, πρὸς τὰς ἔνδον διακονίας φησὶ, ἢ ἰσχὺν καὶ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς λέγει, τουτέστι, δυναμένους ἑστάναι ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως. Καλοὺς δὲ τὴν ὄψιν τίνος ἕνεκεν ἐπι ζητεῖ; Ἐκεῖνα μὲν γὰρ πρὸς χρείαν, ἡ σοφία λέγω, 56.194 καὶ ἡ σύνεσις τῆς διανοίας· τοῦτο δὲ τίνος ἕνεκεν; Ἅτε ὡς βάρβαρος, καὶ βιωτικὸς ἀνὴρ, ἀπὸ φιλο τιμίας πολλῆς τοῦτο ἐπιζητεῖ· τὸν γὰρ φιλόσοφον τὰ ἀπὸ ψυχῆς ἐπιζητεῖν χρὴ μόνον. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἱμά τια ζητοῦμεν καλὰ πρὸς οὐδεμίαν χρείαν, οὕτω καὶ ὄψεις ἐπιζητεῖ καλὰς, ὥσπερ ἀγάλματα. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τίνος ἕνεκεν κάλλος ἐποίησεν; Ἄκουσον ἑτέρου λέ γοντος· Ἐκ γὰρ μεγέθους καὶ καλλονῆς κτισμάτων ἀναλόγως ὁ γενεσιουργὸς θεωρεῖται. Καὶ πολλὰ ἴδοι τις ἂν οὐχὶ πρὸς χρείαν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς ὥραν ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ σώματι γεγενημένα. Τὰ γὰρ χρώ ματα, καὶ αἱ εὔχροιαι, τούτου χάριν, οὐ χρείας μόνης. ∆υνατὸν γὰρ ἢ καὶ μέλανας εἶναι, καὶ μηδὲν εἰς τὴν χρείαν παραβλέπεσθαι. Καὶ τρίχες δὲ ἡμῖν διὰ τοῦτο· οὕτω καὶ Παῦλός φησι· Ἀνὴρ μὲν γὰρ ἐὰν κομᾷ, ἀτιμία αὐτῷ ἐστι. Καὶ αὐχὴν δὲ ὄρθιος, καὶ σύμμετρον ἔχων διάστημα· καὶ εἰς τοῦτο εὐπρεπείας ἅπαντα ἡμῖν ἐξενήνεκται, ὡς, ἂν μικρὸν ἐκκόψῃς τῷ παντὶ, λυμήνασθαι κάλλει, τῆς χρείας μενούσης. Ὅθεν δὲ μάλιστα καὶ πρὸς κάλλος ὁ ∆ημιουργὸς ἡμῖν τὸ ζῶον κατεσκεύασε τοῦτο· καὶ οὐχὶ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα. Ἀλλὰ τοῦ κάλλους τούτου τοῖς μὲν πλέον, τοῖς δὲ ἔλαττον ἔδωκεν. Πολ λοὺς δὲ μετὰ τὸ γενέσθαι, οὐκ ἔχοντας οἴκοθεν, χάριν ἐνέδυσεν. Καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς θέσεως δὲ αὐτῆς ὄψει τὸ κάλ λος, οἷον τὸ ἐν ὑψηλῷ κεῖσθαι τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, καθά περ τὴν ἴριν, καὶ ἔχειν ἔνδον τὸ στρογγύλον ἀπο τετορνευμένον, τὴν μίξιν τῶν χρωμάτων, τὴν ἀκρί 56.195 βειαν, τὴν γνησιότητα, τὸ λευκὸν εἶναι. Ἀλλὰ πρόσ κομμα γέγονε τὸ κάλλος, φησί. Οὐχὶ παρὰ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὴν ῥᾳθυμίαν τῶν ἁλισκομένων. Μὴ καταμάνθανε γὰρ, φησὶ, κάλλος ἀλλότριον. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἶπε, Μὴ καταμάνθανε κάλλος, ἀλλὰ προσέθηκεν, Ἀλλότριον, ὡς τό γε οἰκείου ἀπολαύειν αἰνεῖ. ∆ιὰ τί γὰρ οὐκ ἐξετραχήλισε τὸν Ἰωσὴφ, οὐδὲ βλᾶκα εἰργάσατο, οὐδὲ ἐνέπλησεν ἀπονοίας καὶ τύφου; Ἔλαφος, φησὶ, φιλίας, καὶ πῶλος σῶν χαρίτων ὁμιλείτω σοι. Σύνδεσμός ἐστι καὶ τοῦτο τοῦ γάμου, ὥστε πρὸς τὰ σώματα ἐπτόηντο οἱ ἄνθρωποι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐπίπονόν τινα καὶ μοχθηρὸν ἡμῖν