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Scorpiace

I.

[1] Magnum de modico malum scorpio terra suppurat. Tot uenena quot et genera, tot pernicies quot et species, tot dolores quot et colores. Nicander scribit et pingit. Et tamen unus omnium uiolentiae gestus de cauda, non ore; quae cauda erit, quodcumque de postumo corporis propagatur et uerberat. + + + perinde scorpii: series illa nodorum uenenata intrinsecus uenula subtilis arcuato impetu insurgens hamatile spiculum in summo tormenti ratione stringit. [2] Vnde et bellicam machinam retractu tela uegetantem de scorpio nominant. Id spiculum et fistula est patula tenuitate et uirus, qua figit, in uulnus effundit. Familiare periculi tempus aestas; Austro et Africo saeuitia uelificat. In remediis naturalia plurimum; aliquid et magia circumligat; medicina cum ferro et poculo occurrit. [3] Nam et praebibunt quidam festinando tutelam; sed concubitus exhaurit, et denuo sitiunt. Nobis fides praesidium, si non et ipsa percutitur diffidentia signandi statim et adiurandi et iniciendi bestiae calcem. [4] Hoc denique modo etiam ethnicis saepe subuenimus, donati a deo ea potestate, quam apostolus dedicauit, cum morsum uiperae spreuit. Quid ergo promittit stilus iste, si fides de suo tuta est? Vt et alias de suo tuta sit, cum suos scorpios patitur. Acerba mediocritas et istis et genus uarium et uno modo armantur et certo tempore subornantur nec alio quam ardoris. [5] Hoc apud Christianos persecutio est. Cum igitur fides aestuat et ecclesia exuritur de figura rubi, tunc Gnostici erumpunt, tunc Valentiniani proserpunt, tunc omnes martyriorum refragatores ebulliunt calentes et ipsi offendere, figere, occidere. Nam quod sciant multos simplices ac rudes tum infirmos, plerosque uero in uentum et si placuerit Christianos, numquam magis adeundos sapiunt, quam cum aditus animae formido laxauit, praesertim cum aliqua iam atrocitas fidem martyrum coronauit. [6] Itaque primo trahentes adhuc caudam de affectibus applicant aut quasi in uacuum flagellant: haeccine pati homines innocentes? Vt putes fratrem aut de melioribus ethnicum. [7] Siccine tractari sectam nemini molestam? Dehinc adigunt: perire homines sine causa. Perire enim, et sine causa, prima fixura. Exinde iam caedunt: sed nesciunt simplices animae, quid quomodo scriptum sit, ubi et quando et coram quibus confitendum, nisi quod nec simplicitas ista, sed uanitas, immo dementia pro deo mori, ut qui me saluum faciat. [8] Sic is occidet, qui saluum facere debebit? Semel Christus pro nobis obiit, semel occisus est, ne occideremur. Si uicem repetit, num et ille salutem de mea nece expectat? An deus hominum sanguinem flagitat, maxime si taurorum et hircorum recusat? Certe peccatoris paenitentiam manuult quam mortem. Et quomodo non peccatorum desiderat mortem? [9] Haec et si qua alia adinuenta haereticorum uenenorum quem non uel in scrupulum figant, si non in exitium, uel in bilem, si non in mortem? At tu, si fides uigilat, ibidem scorpio pro solea anathema inlidito et relinquito in suo pure morientem. [10] Ceterum, si plagam satiauerit, intimatur uirus et properat in uiscera; statim omnes pristini sensus retorpescunt, sanguis animi gelascit, caro spiritus exolescit, nausea nominis inacrescit. Iam et ipsa mens sibi, quo uomat, quaerit, atque ita infirmitas, semel quae percussa est, sauciatam fidem uel in haeresin uel in saeculum expirat. Et nunc in praesentia rerum est medius ardor, ipsa canicula persecutionis, ab ipso scilicet cynocephalo. [11] Alios ignis, alios gladius, alios bestiae Christianos probauerunt, alii fustibus interim et ungulis insuper degustato martyrio in carcere esuriunt. Nos ipsi ut lepores, destinata uenatio, de longinquo obsedimur, et haeretici ex more grassantur. [12] Itaque tempus admonuit aduersus nostrates bestiolas nostratem [mederi] theriacam stilo temperare. Qui legeris, biberis. Nec amarum potio. Si eloquia domini dulcia super mella et fauos, inde pigmenta sunt. Si lacte et melle promissio dei manat, hoc sapiunt quae illuc faciunt. Vae autem qui dulce in amarum et lumen in tenebras conuertunt! [13] Perinde enim et qui martyriis refragantur salutem perditionem interpretantes tam dulce in amarum quam luceni in tenebras reformant atque ita miserrimam hanc uitam illi beatissimae praeuertendo tam amarum pro dulce quam tenebras pro luce supponunt.

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Scorpiace

Chapter I.

The earth brings forth, as if by suppuration, great evil from the diminutive scorpion. The poisons are as many as are the kinds of it, the disasters as many as are also the species of it, the pains as many as are also the colours of it. Nicander writes on the subject of scorpions, and depicts them. And yet to smite with the tail--which tail will be whatever is prolonged from the hindmost part of the body, and scourges--is the one movement which they all use when making an assault. Wherefore that succession of knots in the scorpion, which in the inside is a thin poisoned veinlet, rising up with a bow-like bound, draws tight a barbed sting at the end, after the manner of an engine for shooting missiles. From which circumstance they also call after the scorpion, the warlike implement which, by its being drawn back, gives an impetus to the arrows. The point in their case is also a duct of extreme minuteness, to inflict the wound; and where it penetrates, it pours out poison. The usual time of danger is the summer season: fierceness hoists the sail when the wind is from the south and the south-west. Among cures, certain substances supplied by nature have very great efficacy; magic also puts on some bandage; the art of healing counteracts with lancet and cup. For some, making haste, take also beforehand a protecting draught; but sexual intercourse drains it off, and they are dry again. We have faith for a defence, if we are not smitten with distrust itself also, in immediately making the sign ¹ and adjuring, ² and besmearing the heel with the beast. Finally, we often aid in this way even the heathen, seeing we have been endowed by God with that power which the apostle first used when he despised the viper's bite. ³ What, then, does this pen of yours offer, if faith is safe by what it has of its own? That it may be safe by what it has of its own also at other times, when it is subjected to scorpions of its own. These, too, have a troublesome littleness, and are of different sorts, and are armed in one manner, and are stirred up at a definite time, and that not another than one of burning heat. This among Christians is a season of persecution. When, therefore, faith is greatly agitated, and the Church burning, as represented by the bush, ⁴ then the Gnostics break out, then the Valentinians creep forth, then all the opponents of martyrdom bubble up, being themselves also hot to strike, penetrate, kill. For, because they know that many are artless and also inexperienced, and weak moreover, that a very great number in truth are Christians who veer about with the wind and conform to its moods, they perceive that they are never to be approached more than when fear has opened the entrances to the soul, especially when some display of ferocity has already arrayed with a crown the faith of martyrs. Therefore, drawing along the tail hitherto, they first of all apply it to the feelings, or whip with it as if on empty space. Innocent persons undergo such suffering. So that you may suppose the speaker to be a brother or a heathen of the better sort. A sect troublesome to nobody so dealt with! Then they pierce. Men are perishing without a reason. For that they are perishing, and without a reason, is the first insertion. Then they now strike mortally. But the unsophisticated souls ⁵ know not what is written, and what meaning it bears, where and when and before whom we must confess, or ought, save that this, to die for God, is, since He preserves me, not even artlessness, but folly, nay madness. If He kills me, how will it be His duty to preserve me? Once for all Christ died for us, once for all He was slain that we might not be slain. If He demands the like from me in return, does He also look for salvation from my death by violence? Or does God importune for the blood of men, especially if He refuses that of bulls and he-goats? ⁶ Assuredly He had rather have the repentance than the death of the sinner. ⁷ And how is He eager for the death of those who are not sinners? Whom will not these, and perhaps other subtle devices containing heretical poisons, pierce either for doubt if not for destruction, or for irritation if not for death? As for you, therefore, do you, if faith is on the alert, smite on the spot the scorpion with a curse, so far as you can, with your sandal, and leave it dying in its own stupefaction? But if it gluts the wound, it drives the poison inwards, and makes it hasten into the bowels; forthwith all the former senses become dull, the blood of the mind freezes, the flesh of the spirit pines away, loathing for the Christian name is accompanied by a sense of sourness. Already the understanding also seeks for itself a place where it may throw up; and thus, once for all, the weakness with which it has been smitten breathes out wounded faith either in heresy or in heathenism. And now the present state of matters is such, that we are in the midst of an intense heat, the very dog-star of persecution,--a state originating doubtless with the dog-headed one himself. ⁸ Of some Christians the fire, of others the sword, of others the beasts, have made trial; others are hungering in prison for the martyrdoms of which they have had a taste in the meantime by being subjected to clubs and claws ⁹ besides. We ourselves, having been appointed for pursuit, are like hares being hemmed in from a distance; and heretics go about according to their wont. Therefore the state of the times has prompted me to prepare by my pen, in opposition to the little beasts which trouble our sect, our antidote against poison, that I may thereby effect cures. You who read will at the same time drink. Nor is the draught bitter. If the utterances of the Lord are sweeter than honey and the honeycombs, ¹⁰ the juices are from that source. If the promise of God flows with milk and honey, ¹¹ the ingredients which go to make that draught have the smack of this. "But woe to them who turn sweet into bitter, and light into darkness." ¹² For, in like manner, they also who oppose martyrdoms, representing salvation to be destruction, transmute sweet into bitter, as well as light into darkness; and thus, by preferring this very wretched life to that most blessed one, they put bitter for sweet, as well as darkness for light.