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

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 earth ”  after their kind .  2  Gen. i. 20. After the creation of the luminaries the waters are now filled with living beings and its own adornment is given to this part of the world. Earth had received hers from her own plants, the heavens had received the flowers of the stars, and, like two eyes, the great luminaries beautified them in concert. It still remained for the waters to receive their adornment. The command was given, and immediately the rivers and lakes becoming fruitful brought forth their natural broods; the sea travailed with all kinds of swimming creatures; not even in mud and marshes did the water remain idle; it took its part in creation. Everywhere from its ebullition frogs, gnats and flies came forth. For that which we see to-day is the sign of the past. Thus everywhere the water hastened to obey the Creator’s command. Who could count the species which the great and ineffable power of God caused to be suddenly seen living and moving, when this command had empowered the waters to bring forth life? Let the waters bring forth moving creatures that have life. Then for the first time is made a being with life and feeling. For though plants and trees be said to live, seeing that they share the power of being nourished and growing; nevertheless they are neither living beings, nor have they life.  3  Plants are neither ζῶα nor ἔμψυχα. To create these last God said, “Let the water produce moving creatures.”

Every creature that swims, whether it skims on the surface of the waters, or cleaves the depths, is of the nature of a moving creature,  4  LXX. creeping. since it drags itself on the body of the water. Certain aquatic animals have feet and walk; especially amphibia, such as seals, crabs, crocodiles, river horses  5  Basil uses the classical greek form οἱ ποτάμιοι ἵπποι, as in Herod. and Arist. The dog-Greek hippopotamus, properly a horse-river, is first found in Galen. and frogs; but they are above all gifted with the power of swimming. Thus it is said, Let the waters produce moving creatures. In these few words what species is omitted? Which is not included in the command of the Creator? Do we not see viviparous animals, seals, dolphins, rays and all cartilaginous animals? Do we not see oviparous animals comprising every sort of fish, those which have a skin and those which have scales, those which have fins and those which have not? This command has only required one word, even less than a word, a sign, a motion of the divine will, and it has such a wide sense that it includes all the varieties and all the families of fish. To review them all would be to undertake to count the waves of the ocean or to measure its waters in the hollow of the hand. “Let the waters produce moving creatures.” That is to say, those which people the high seas and those which love the shores; those which inhabit the depths and those which attach themselves to rocks; those which are gregarious and those which live dispersed, the cetaceous, the huge, and the tiny. It is from the same power, the same command, that all, small and great receive their existence. “Let the waters bring forth.” These words show you the natural affinity of animals which swim in the water; thus, fish, when drawn out of the water, quickly die, because they have no respiration such as could attract our air and water is their element, as air is that of terrestrial animals. The reason for it is clear. With us the lung, that porous and spongy portion of the inward parts which receives air by the dilatation of the chest, disperses and cools interior warmth; in fish the motion of the gills, which open and shut by turns to take in and to eject the water, takes the place of respiration.  6  cf. Arist., De Part. Anim. iii. 6. διόπερ τῶν μὲν ἰχθύων οὐδεὶς ἔχει πνεύμονα ἀλλ᾽ ἀντὶ τούτου βράγχια καθάπερ εἴρηται ἐν τοῖς περὶ ἀναπνοῆς· ὕδατι γᾶρ ποιεῖται τὴν κατάψυξιν, τὰ δ᾽ ἀναπνέοντα ἔχει πνεύμονα ἀναπνεῖ δὲ τὰ πεζὰ πάντα. Fish have a peculiar lot, a special nature, a nourishment of their own, a life apart. Thus they cannot be tamed and cannot bear the touch of a man’s hand.  7  Here Basil is curiously in contradiction to ancient as well as modern experience. Martial’s epigram on Domitian’s tame fish, “qui norunt dominum, manumque lambunt illam qua nihil est in orbe majus” (iv. 30) is illustrated by the same author’s “natat ad magistrum delicata muræna” (x. 30), as well as by Ælian (De animal. viii. 4). “Apud Baulos in parte Baiana piscinam habuit Hortensius orator, in qua murænam adeo dilexit ut exanimatam flesse credatur: in eadem villa Antonia Drusi murænæ quam diligebat inaures addidit.” Plin. ix. 71. So Lucian οὗτοι δε (ίχθύες) καὶ ὀνόματα ἔχουσι καὶ ἔρχονται καλούμενοι. (De Syr. Dea. 45.) John Evelyn (Dairy 1644) writes of Fontainebleau: “The carps come familiarly to hand.” There was recently a tame carp at Azay le Rideau.

2 Gen. i. 20.
3 Plants are neither ζῶα nor ἔμψυχα.
4 LXX. creeping.
5 Basil uses the classical greek form οἱ ποτάμιοι ἵπποι, as in Herod. and Arist. The dog-Greek hippopotamus, properly a horse-river, is first found in Galen.
6 cf. Arist., De Part. Anim. iii. 6. διόπερ τῶν μὲν ἰχθύων οὐδεὶς ἔχει πνεύμονα ἀλλ᾽ ἀντὶ τούτου βράγχια καθάπερ εἴρηται ἐν τοῖς περὶ ἀναπνοῆς· ὕδατι γᾶρ ποιεῖται τὴν κατάψυξιν, τὰ δ᾽ ἀναπνέοντα ἔχει πνεύμονα ἀναπνεῖ δὲ τὰ πεζὰ πάντα.
7 Here Basil is curiously in contradiction to ancient as well as modern experience. Martial’s epigram on Domitian’s tame fish, “qui norunt dominum, manumque lambunt illam qua nihil est in orbe majus” (iv. 30) is illustrated by the same author’s “natat ad magistrum delicata muræna” (x. 30), as well as by Ælian (De animal. viii. 4). “Apud Baulos in parte Baiana piscinam habuit Hortensius orator, in qua murænam adeo dilexit ut exanimatam flesse credatur: in eadem villa Antonia Drusi murænæ quam diligebat inaures addidit.” Plin. ix. 71. So Lucian οὗτοι δε (ίχθύες) καὶ ὀνόματα ἔχουσι καὶ ἔρχονται καλούμενοι. (De Syr. Dea. 45.) John Evelyn (Dairy 1644) writes of Fontainebleau: “The carps come familiarly to hand.” There was recently a tame carp at Azay le Rideau.

Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἐξαγαγέτω τὰ ὕδατα ἑρπετὰ ψυχῶν ζωσῶν κατὰ γένος, καὶ πετεινὰ πετόμενα κατὰ τὸ στερέωμα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατὰ γένος. Μετὰ τὴν τῶν φωστήρων δημιουργίαν, καὶ τὰ ὕδατα λοιπὸν πληροῦται ζῴων, ὥστε καὶ ταύτην διακοσμηθῆναι τὴν λῆξιν. Ἀπέλαβε μὲν γὰρ ἡ γῆ τὸν ἐκ τῶν οἰκείων βλαστημάτων κόσμον: ἀπέλαβε δὲ ὁ οὐρανὸς τῶν ἄστρων τὰ ἄνθη, καὶ οἱονεὶ διδύμων ὀφθαλμῶν βολαῖς τῇ συζυγίᾳ τῶν μεγάλων φωστήρων κατεκοσμήθη. Λειπόμενον ἦν καὶ τοῖς ὕδασι τὸν οἰκεῖον κόσμον ἀποδοθῆναι. Ἦλθε πρόσταγμα, καὶ εὐθὺς καὶ ποταμοὶ ἐνεργοὶ, καὶ λίμναι γόνιμοι τῶν οἰκείων ἕκαστον αὐτῶν καὶ κατὰ φύσιν γενῶν. Καὶ ἡ θάλασσα τὰ παντοδαπὰ γένη τῶν πλωτῶν ὤδινε, καὶ οὐδὲ ὅσον ἐν ἰλύσι καὶ τέλμασι τοῦ ὕδατος ἦν, οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἀργὸν, οὐδὲ ἄμοιρον τῆς κατὰ τὴν κτίσιν συντελείας ἀπέμεινε. Βάτραχοι γὰρ καὶ ἐμπίδες καὶ κώνωπες ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀπεζέννυντο δηλονότι. Τὰ γὰρ ἔτι καὶ νῦν ὁρώμενα ἀπόδειξίς ἐστι τῶν παρελθόντων. Οὕτω πᾶν ὕδωρ ἠπείγετο τῷ δημιουργικῷ προστάγματι ὑπουργεῖν: καὶ ὧν οὐδ' ἂν τὰ γένη τις ἐξαριθμήσασθαι δυνηθείη, τούτων τὴν ζωὴν εὐθὺς ἐνεργὸν καὶ κινουμένην ἀπέδειξεν ἡ μεγάλη καὶ ἄφατος τοῦ Θεοῦ δύναμις, ὁμοῦ τῷ προστάγματι τῆς πρὸς τὸ ζῳογονεῖν ἐπιτηδειότητος ἐγγενομένης τοῖς ὕδασιν. Ἐξαγαγέτω τὰ ὕδατα ἑρπετὰ ψυχῶν ζωσῶν. Νῦν πρῶτον ἔμψυχον καὶ αἰσθήσεως μετέχον ζῷον δημιουργεῖται. Φυτὰ γὰρ καὶ δένδρα κἂν ζῆν λέγηται διὰ τὸ μετέχειν τῆς θρεπτικῆς καὶ αὐξητικῆς δυνάμεως, ἀλλ' οὐχὶ καὶ ζῷα, οὐδὲ ἔμψυχα. Τούτου γε ἕνεκα, Ἐξαγαγέτω τὰ ὕδατα ἑρπετά. Πᾶν τὸ νηκτικὸν κἂν τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ τοῦ ὕδατος ἐπινήχηται, κἂν διὰ βάθους τέμνῃ τὸ ὕδωρ, τῆς τῶν ἑρπηστικῶν ἐστι φύσεως, ἐπισυρόμενον τῷ τοῦ ὕδατος σώματι. Κἂν ὑπόποδα δὲ καὶ πορευτικὰ ὑπάρχῃ τινὰ τῶν ἐνύδρων (μάλιστα μὲν ἀμφίβια τὰ πολλὰ τούτων ἐστίν: οἷον φῶκαι, καὶ κροκόδειλοι, καὶ οἱ ποτάμιοι ἵπποι, καὶ βάτραχοι, καὶ καρκῖνοι), ἀλλ' οὖν προηγούμενον ἔχει τὸ νηκτικόν. Διὰ τοῦτο, Ἐξαγαγέτω τὰ ὕδατα ἑρπετά. Ἐν τούτοις τοῖς μικροῖς ῥήμασι τί παρεῖται γένος; τί οὐκ ἐμπεριείληπται τῷ προστάγματι τῆς δημιουργίας; Οὐ τὰ ζωοτοκοῦντα, οἷον φῶκαι καὶ δελφῖνες καὶ νάρκαι, καὶ τὰ ὅμοια τούτοις τὰ σελάχη λεγόμενα; οὐ τὰ ὠοτόκα, ἅπερ ἐστὶ πάντα σχεδὸν τῶν ἰχθύων τὰ γένη; οὐχ ὅσα λεπιδωτὰ, οὐχ ὅσα φολιδωτὰ, οὐχ οἷς ἐστι πτερύγια καὶ οἷς μή ἐστιν; Ἡ μὲν φωνὴ τοῦ προστάγματος μικρὰ, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ φωνὴ, ἀλλὰ ῥοπὴ μόνον καὶ ὁρμὴ τοῦ θελήματος: τὸ δὲ τῆς ἐν τῷ προστάγματι διανοίας πολύχουν τοσοῦτόν ἐστιν, ὅσαι καὶ αἱ τῶν ἰχθύων διαφοραὶ καὶ κοινότητες, οἷς πᾶσι δι' ἀκριβείας ἐπεξελθεῖν, ἴσον ἐστὶ καὶ κύματα πελάγους ἀπαριθμεῖσθαι, ἢ ταῖς κοτύλαις πειρᾶσθαι τὸ ὕδωρ τῆς θαλάσσης ἀπομετρεῖν. Ἐξαγαγέτω τὰ ὕδατα ἑρπετά. Ἐν τούτοις ἔνι τὰ πελάγια, τὰ αἰγιαλώδη, τὰ βύθια, τὰ πετρώδη, τὰ ἀγελαῖα, τὰ σποραδικὰ, τὰ κήτη, τὰ ὑπέρογκα, τὰ λεπτότατα τῶν ἰχθύων. Τῇ γὰρ αὐτῇ δυνάμει, καὶ τῷ ἴσῳ προστάγματι, τό τε μέγα καὶ τὸ μικρὸν μεταλαγχάνει τοῦ εἶναι. Ἐξαγαγέτω τὰ ὕδατα. Ἔδειξέ σοι τὴν φυσικὴν τῶν νηκτῶν πρὸς τὸ ὕδωρ συγγένειαν, διὸ μικρὸν οἱ ἰχθύες χωρισθέντες τοῦ ὕδατος διαφθείρονται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔχουσιν ἀναπνοὴν ὥστε ἕλκειν τὸν ἀέρα τοῦτον: ἀλλ' ὅπερ τοῖς χερσαίοις ἐστὶν ἀὴρ, τοῦτο τῷ πλωτῷ γένει τὸ ὕδωρ. Καὶ ἡ αἰτία δήλη. Ὅτι ἡμῖν μὲν ὁ πνεύμων ἔγκειται, ἀραιὸν καὶ πολύπορον σπλάγχνον, ὃ διὰ τῆς τοῦ θώρακος διαστολῆς τὸν ἀέρα δεχόμενον, τὸ ἔνδον ἡμῶν θερμὸν διαρριπίζει καὶ ἀναψύχει: ἐκείνοις δὲ ἡ τῶν βραγχίων διαστολὴ καὶ ἐπίπτυξις, δεχομένων τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ διιέντων, τὸν τῆς ἀναπνοῆς λόγον ἀποπληροῖ. Ἴδιος κλῆρος τῶν ἰχθύων, ἰδία φύσις, δίαιτα κεχωρισμένη, ἰδιότροπος ἡ ζωή. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ τιθασσεύεσθαί τι τῶν νηκτῶν καταδέχεται, οὐδὲ ὅλως ὑπομένει χειρὸς ἀνθρωπίνης ἐπιβολήν.