Homily I.

 1. It is right that any one beginning to narrate the formation of the world should begin with the good order which reigns in visible things. I am abou

 2. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” I stop struck with admiration at this thought. What shall I first say? Where shall I begin

 3. Do not then imagine, O man! that the visible world is without a beginning and because the celestial bodies move in a circular course, and it is di

 4. One day, doubtless, their terrible condemnation will be the greater for all this worldly wisdom, since, seeing so clearly into vain sciences, they

 5. It appears, indeed, that even before this world an order of things existed of which our mind can form an idea, but of which we can say nothing, bec

 6. Such being the different senses of the word beginning, see if we have not all the meanings here. You may know the epoch when the formation of this

 7. Among arts, some have in view production, some practice, others theory. The object of the last is the exercise of thought, that of the second, the

 8. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” If we were to wish to discover the essence of each of the beings which are offered for our

 9. Do you suppose that a heavier body prevents the earth from falling into the abyss? Then you must consider that this support needs itself a support

 10. There are inquirers into nature who with a great display of words give reasons for the immobility of the earth. Placed, they say, in the middle of

 11. We might say the same thing of the heavens. With what a noise of words the sages of this world have discussed their nature! Some have said that he

 Homily II.

 1. In the few words which have occupied us this morning we have found such a depth of thought that we despair of penetrating further. If such is the f

 2. But the corrupters of the truth, who, incapable of submitting their reason to Holy Scripture, distort at will the meaning of the Holy Scriptures, p

 3. God created the heavens and the earth, but not only half —He created all the heavens and all the earth, creating the essence with the form. For He

 4. “Darkness was upon the face of the deep.” A new source for fables and most impious imaginations if one distorts the sense of these words at the wil

 5. Do not then go beyond yourself to seek for evil, and imagine that there is an original nature of wickedness. Each of us, let us acknowledge it, is

 6.  And the Spirit of God was borne upon the face of the waters  .

 7.  And God said, Let there be light  .

 8. “  And God called the light Day and the darkness he called Night  .”

 Homily III.

 1. We have now recounted the works of the first day, or rather of one day. Far be it from me indeed, to take from it the privilege it enjoys of having

 2. And God said “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Yesterday we heard God’s decree,

 3. In the second place, does the firmament that is called heaven differ from the firmament that God made in the beginning? Are there two heavens? The

 4. “  And God said, let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and

 5. But let us continue our explanation: “  Let it divide the waters from the waters  .”

 6. Survey creation you will see the power of heat reigning over all that is born and perishes. On account of it comes all the water spread over the e

 7. Therefore we read: “  Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters  .” I have said what the wo

 8. “  And God called the firmament heaven  .”

 9. But as far as concerns the separation of the waters I am obliged to contest the opinion of certain writers in the Church who, under the shadow of h

 10. “  And God saw that it was good  .” God does not judge of the beauty of His work by the charm of the eyes, and He does not form the same idea of b

 Homily IV.

 1. There are towns where the inhabitants, from dawn to eve, feast their eyes on the tricks of innumerable conjurors. They are never tired of hearing d

 2. “  And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear, and it was so  .” And the water

 3. “Let the waters be gathered together.” It was ordered that it should be the natural property of water to flow, and in obedience to this order, the

 4. To say that the waters were gathered in one place indicates that previously they were scattered in many places. The mountains, intersected by deep

 5. And God said: “  Let the waters be gathered together unto one place and let the dry land appear  .” He did not say let the earth appear, so as not

 6. “  And God saw that it was good  .”

 7. Thus, in the eyes of God, the sea is good, because it makes the under current of moisture in the depths of the earth. It is good again, because fro

 Homily V.

 1. “  And God said Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself 

 2. “  Let the earth bring forth grass yielding seed after his kind  .” So that although some kind of grass is of service to animals, even their gain i

 3. Up to this point, the order in which plants shoot bears witness to their first arrangement. Every herb, every plant proceeds from a germ. If, like

 4. What shall I say? What shall I leave unsaid? In the rich treasures of creation it is difficult to select what is most precious the loss of what is

 5. “  Let the earth bring forth grass  .” What spontaneous provision is included in these words,—that which is present in the root, in the plant itsel

 6. “  Let the earth  ,” the Creator adds, “  bring forth the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself 

 7. But let us return to the examination of the ingenious contrivances of creation. How many trees then arose, some to give us their fruits, others to

 8. Plants reproduce themselves in so many different ways, that we can only touch upon the chief among them. As to fruits themselves, who could review

 9. But what need is there to continue, when in the same fig tree we have the most opposite flavours, as bitter in the sap as it is sweet in the fruit?

 10. “  Let the earth bring forth  .” This short command was in a moment a vast nature, an elaborate system. Swifter than thought it produced the count

 Homily VI.

 1. At the shows in the circus the spectator must join in the efforts of the athletes. This the laws of the show indicate, for they prescribe that all

 2. “  And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to divide the day from the night  .”

 3. And let no one suppose it to be a thing incredible that the brightness of the light is one thing, and the body which is its material vehicle is ano

 4. “  And let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years  .”

 5. But those who overstep the borders, making the words of Scripture their apology for the art of casting nativities, pretend that our lives depend up

 6. But what effects are produced? Such an one will have curly hair and bright eyes, because he is born under the Ram such is the appearance of a ram.

 7. They do not, however, stop here even our acts, where each one feels his will ruling, I mean, the practice of virtue or of vice, depend, according

 8. Let us return to the words which follow. “Let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years.” We have spoken about signs. By times, we u

 9. “  And God made two great lights  .”

 10. See again another evident proof of its greatness. Although the heaven may be full of stars without number, the light contributed by them all could

 11. On its variations depends also the condition of the air, as is proved by sudden disturbances which often come after the new moon, in the midst of

 Homily VII.

 1. “  And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life  ” after their kind, “  and fowl that may fly above the e

 2. “Let the waters bring forth moving creatures after their kind.” God caused to be born the firstlings of each species to serve as seeds for nature.

 3. The food of fish differs according to their species. Some feed on mud others eat sea weed others content themselves with the herbs that grow in w

 4. It is not thus with us. Why? Because we incessantly move the ancient landmarks which our fathers have set. We encroach, we add house to house, fiel

 5. I myself have seen these marvels, and I have admired the wisdom of God in all things. If beings deprived of reason are capable of thinking and of p

 6. Let husbands listen as well: here is a lesson for them. The viper vomits forth its venom in respect for marriage and you, will you not put aside t

 Homily VIII.

 1. And God said “  Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle and creeping things, and beast of the earth after his kind an

 2. “  Let the earth bring forth a living soul  .” Why did the earth produce a living soul? so that you may make a difference between the soul of cattl

 3. There are also innumerable kinds of birds. If we review them all, as we have partly done the fish, we shall find that under one name, the creatures

 4. What a variety, I have said, in the actions and lives of flying creatures. Some of these unreasoning creatures even have a government, if the featu

 5. How shall we make an exact review of all the peculiarities of the life of birds? During the night cranes keep watch in turn some sleep, others mak

 6. It is said that the turtle-dove, once separated from her mate, does not contract a new union, but remains in widowhood, in remembrance of her first

 7. “  Let the waters bring forth the moving creatures that have life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven  .” They r

 8. If we simply read the words of Scripture we find only a few short syllables. “Let the waters bring forth fowl that may fly above the earth in the o

 Homily IX.

 1. How did you like the fare of my morning’s discourse? It seemed to me that I had the good intentions of a poor giver of a feast, who, ambitious of h

 2. “  Let the earth bring forth the living creature  .”

 3. “  Let the earth bring forth the living creature  .” Thus when the soul of brutes appeared it was not concealed in the earth, but it was born by th

 4. Virtues exist in us also by nature, and the soul has affinity with them not by education, but by nature herself. We do not need lessons to hate ill

 5. But let us return to the spectacle of creation. The easiest animals to catch are the most productive. It is on account of this that hares and wild

 6. Beasts bear witness to the faith. Hast thou confidence in the Lord? “Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk and thou shalt trample under fee

5. But those who overstep the borders,  18  ὑπὲρ τὰ ἐσκαμμένα πηδᾶν is a proverbial phrase for going beyond bounds. cf. Lucian., Gall. vi. and Plat., Crat. 413, a. making the words of Scripture their apology for the art of casting nativities, pretend that our lives depend upon the motion of the heavenly bodies, and that thus the Chaldæans read in the planets that which will happen to us.  19  “On doit d’autant plus louer le grand sens de Saint Basile qui s’inspire presqu’ entièrement d’Origène et de Plotin, sans tomber dans leur erreur. En riant toute espèce de relation entre les astres et les actes de l’homme, il conserve intacte notre liberté.” Fialon, p. 425. “Quale deinde judicium de hominum factis Deo relinquitur, quibus cœlestis necessitas adhibetur cum Dominus ille sit et siderum et hominum. Aut si non dicunt stellas accepta quidam potestate a summo Deo, arbitrio suo ista decernere, sed in talibus necessitatibus ingerendis illius omnino jussa complere, ita ne de ipso Deo sentiendum est, quod indignissimum visum est de stellarum voluntate sentire. Quod si dicuntur stellæ significare potius ista quam facere, ut quasi locutio sit quædam illa positio prædicens futura, non agens (non enim mediocriter doctorum hominum fuit ista sententia) non quidem ita solent loqui mathematici, ut verbi gratia dicunt, Mars ita positus homicidam significat, sed homicidam non facit.” August., De C. Dei. v. 1. By these very simple words “let them be for signs,” they understand neither the variations of the weather, nor the change of seasons; they only see in them, at the will of their imagination, the distribution of human destinies. What do they say in reality? When the planets cross in the signs of the Zodiac, certain figures formed by their meeting give birth to certain destinies, and others produce different destinies.

Perhaps for clearness sake it is not useless to enter into more detail about this vain science. I will say nothing of my own to refute them; I will use their words, bringing a remedy for the infected, and for others a preservative from falling. The inventors of astrology seeing that in the extent of time many signs escaped them, divided it and enclosed each part in narrow limits, as if in the least and shortest interval, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,  20  1 Cor. xv. 52. to speak with the Apostle, the greatest difference should be found between one birth and another. Such an one is born in this moment; he will be a prince over cities and will govern the people, in the fulness of riches and power. Another is born the instant after; he will be poor, miserable, and will wander daily from door to door begging his bread. Consequently they divide the Zodiac into twelve parts, and, as the sun takes thirty days to traverse each of the twelve divisions of this unerring circle, they divide them into thirty more. Each of them forms sixty new ones, and these last are again divided into sixty. Let us see then if, in determining the birth of an infant, it will be possible to observe this rigorous division of time. The child is born. The nurse ascertains the sex; then she awaits the wail which is a sign of its life. Until then how many moments have passed do you think? The nurse announces the birth of the child to the Chaldæan: how many minutes would you count before she opens her mouth, especially if he who records the hour is outside the women’s apartments? And we know that he who consults the dial, ought, whether by day or by night, to mark the hour with the most precise exactitude. What a swarm of seconds passes during this time! For the planet of nativity ought to be found, not only in one of the twelve divisions of the Zodiac, and even in one of its first subdivisions, but again in one of the sixtieth parts which divide this last, and even, to arrive at the exact truth, in one of the sixtieth subdivisions that this contains in its turn. And to obtain such minute knowledge, so impossible to grasp from this moment, each planet must be questioned to find its position as regards the signs of the Zodiac and the figures that the planets form at the moment of the child’s birth. Thus, if it is impossible to find exactly the hour of birth, and if the least change can upset all, then both those who give themselves up to this imaginary science and those who listen to them open-mouthed, as if they could learn from them the future, are supremely ridiculous.

18 ὑπὲρ τὰ ἐσκαμμένα πηδᾶν is a proverbial phrase for going beyond bounds. cf. Lucian., Gall. vi. and Plat., Crat. 413, a.
19 “On doit d’autant plus louer le grand sens de Saint Basile qui s’inspire presqu’ entièrement d’Origène et de Plotin, sans tomber dans leur erreur. En riant toute espèce de relation entre les astres et les actes de l’homme, il conserve intacte notre liberté.” Fialon, p. 425. “Quale deinde judicium de hominum factis Deo relinquitur, quibus cœlestis necessitas adhibetur cum Dominus ille sit et siderum et hominum. Aut si non dicunt stellas accepta quidam potestate a summo Deo, arbitrio suo ista decernere, sed in talibus necessitatibus ingerendis illius omnino jussa complere, ita ne de ipso Deo sentiendum est, quod indignissimum visum est de stellarum voluntate sentire. Quod si dicuntur stellæ significare potius ista quam facere, ut quasi locutio sit quædam illa positio prædicens futura, non agens (non enim mediocriter doctorum hominum fuit ista sententia) non quidem ita solent loqui mathematici, ut verbi gratia dicunt, Mars ita positus homicidam significat, sed homicidam non facit.” August., De C. Dei. v. 1.
20 1 Cor. xv. 52.

Ἀλλ' οἱ ὑπὲρ τὰ ἐσκαμμένα πηδῶντες, ἐπὶ τὴν συνηγορίαν τῆς γενεθλιαλογίας τὸν λόγον ἕλκουσι, καὶ λέγουσι προσηρτῆσθαι τὴν ἡμετέραν ζωὴν τῇ κινήσει τῶν οὐρανίων: καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ τῶν ἄστρων γίνεσθαι παρὰ τῶν Χαλδαίων τὰς σημειώσεις τῶν περὶ ἡμᾶς συμπτωμάτων. Καὶ ἁπλοῦν ὄντα τῆς Γραφῆς τὸν λόγον, Ἔστωσαν εἰς σημεῖα, οὐχὶ τῶν περὶ τὸν ἀέρα τροπῶν, οὐδὲ τῶν περὶ τὰς ὥρας μεταβολῶν, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τῆς τῶν βίων ἀποκληρώσεως, πρὸς τὸ δοκοῦν ἑαυτοῖς, ἐξακούουσι. Τί γάρ φασιν; Ὅτι τῶνδε μὲν τῶν κινουμένων ἄστρων ἡ ἐπιπλοκὴ, πρὸς τοὺς ἐν τῷ ζῳδιακῷ κειμένους ἀστέρας κατὰ τοιόνδε σχῆμα συνελθόντων ἀλλήλοις, τὰς τοιάσδε γενέσεις ἀποτελεῖ: ἡ δὲ τοιάδε σχέσις τῶν αὐτῶν τὴν ἐναντίαν ἀποκλήρωσιν τοῦ βίου ποιεῖ. Περὶ ὧν οὐκ ἄχρηστον ἴσως σαφηνείας ἕνεκεν μικρὸν ἄνωθεν ἀναλαβόντας εἰπεῖν. Ἐρῶ δὲ οὐδὲν ἐμαυτοῦ ἴδιον, ἀλλὰ τοῖς αὐτῶν ἐκείνων πρὸς τὸν κατ' αὐτῶν ἔλεγχον ἀποχρήσομαι, τοῖς μὲν ἤδη προειλημμένοις εἰς τὴν βλάβην ἴασίν τινα παρεχόμενος, τοῖς δὲ λοιποῖς ἀσφάλειαν πρὸς τὸ μὴ τοῖς ὁμοίοις περιπεσεῖν. Οἱ τῆς γενεθλιαλογίας ταύτης εὑρεταὶ, καταμαθόντες ὅτι ἐν τῷ πλάτει τοῦ χρόνου πολλὰ τῶν σχημάτων αὐτοὺς διαφεύγει, εἰς στενὸν παντελῶς ἀπέκλεισαν τοῦ χρόνου τὰ μέτρα: ὡς καὶ παρὰ τὸ μικρότατον καὶ ἀκαριαῖον, οἷόν φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος, τὸ ἐν ἀτόμῳ, καὶ τὸ ἐν ῥιπῇ ὀφθαλμοῦ, μεγίστης οὔσης διαφορᾶς γενέσει πρὸς γένεσιν: καὶ τὸν ἐν τούτῳ τῷ ἀκαριαίῳ γεννηθέντα, τύραννον εἶναι πόλεων, καὶ ἄρχοντα δήμων, ὑπερπλουτοῦντα καὶ δυναστεύοντα: τὸν δὲ ἐν τῇ ἑτέρᾳ ῥοπῇ τοῦ καιροῦ γεννηθέντα, προσαίτην τινὰ καὶ ἀγύρτην, θύρας ἐκ θυρῶν ἀμείβοντα τῆς ἐφ' ἡμέραν τροφῆς ἕνεκα. Διὰ τοῦτο τὸν ζῳοφόρον λεγόμενον κύκλον διελόντες εἰς δώδεκα μέρη, ἐπειδὴ διὰ τριάκοντα ἡμερῶν ἐκβαίνει τὸ δωδέκατον τῆς ἀπλανοῦς λεγομένης σφαίρας ὁ ἥλιος, εἰς τριάκοντα μοίρας τῶν δωδεκατημορίων ἕκαστον διῃρήκασιν. Εἶτα ἑκάστην μοῖραν εἰς ἑξήκοντα διελόντες, ἕκαστον πάλιν τῶν ἑξηκοστῶν ἑξηκοντάκις ἔτεμον. Τιθέντες τοίνυν τὰς γενέσεις τῶν τικτομένων, ἴδωμεν εἰ τὴν ἀκρίβειαν ταύτην τῆς τοῦ χρόνου διαιρέσεως ἀποσῶσαι δυνήσονται. Ὁμοῦ τε γὰρ ἐτέχθη τὸ παιδίον, καὶ ἡ μαῖα κατασκοπεῖ τὸ γεννηθὲν ἄρρεν ἢ θῆλυ: εἶτα ἀναμένει τὸν κλαυθμὸν, ὅπερ σημεῖόν ἐστι τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ τεχθέντος. Πόσα βούλει ἐν τούτῳ τῷ χρόνῳ παραδραμεῖν ἑξηκοστά; Εἶπε τῷ Χαλδαίῳ τὸ γεννηθέν. Διὰ πόσων, βούλει, θῶμεν τῶν λεπτοτάτων τῆς μαίας τὴν φωνὴν παρελθεῖν: ἄλλως τε καὶ εἰ τύχοι ἔξω τῆς γυναικωνίτιδος ἑστὼς ὁ τὴν ὥραν ἀποτιθέμενος; Δεῖ γὰρ τὸν τὰ ὡροσκοπεῖα καταμαθεῖν μέλλοντα, πρὸς ἀκρίβειαν τὴν ὥραν ἀπογράφεσθαι, εἴτε ἡμερινὰ ταῦτα, εἴτε νυκτερινὰ τυγχάνοι. Πόσων ἑξηκοστῶν σμῆνος ἐν τούτῳ πάλιν παρατρέχει τῷ χρόνῳ; Ἀνάγκη γὰρ εὑρεθῆναι τὸν ὡροσκοποῦντα ἀστέρα οὐ μόνον κατὰ πόστου δωδεκατημορίου ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ ποίας μοίρας τοῦ δωδεκατημορίου, καὶ ἐν πόστῳ ἑξηκοστῷ, εἰς ἃ ἔφαμεν διαιρεῖσθαι τὴν μοῖραν: ἢ, ἵνα τὸ ἀκριβὲς εὑρεθῇ, ἐν πόστῳ ἑξηκοστῷ τῶν ὑποδιῃρημένων ἀπὸ τῶν πρώτων ἑξηκοστῶν. Καὶ ταύτην τὴν οὕτω λεπτὴν καὶ ἀκατάληπτον εὕρεσιν τοῦ χρόνου ἐφ' ἑκάστου τῶν πλανητῶν ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι ποιεῖσθαι λέγουσιν, ὥστε εὑρεθῆναι ποταπὴν εἶχον σχέσιν πρὸς τοὺς ἀπλανεῖς, καὶ ποταπὸν ἦν τὸ σχῆμα αὐτῶν πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐν τῇ τότε γενέσει τοῦ τικτομένου. Ὥστε εἰ τῆς ὥρας ἐπιτυχεῖν ἀκριβῶς ἀδύνατον, ἡ δὲ τοῦ βραχυτάτου παραλλαγὴ τοῦ παντὸς διαμαρτεῖν ποιεῖ, καταγέλαστοι καὶ οἱ περὶ τὴν ἐνύπαρκτον ταύτην τέχνην ἐσχολακότες, καὶ οἱ πρὸς αὐτοὺς κεχηνότες, ὡς δυναμένους εἰδέναι τὰ κατ' αὐτούς.