let us reckon up the perjuries that were the consequence. The oath of Saul was first broken
by his son; and again a second and a third, concerning the slaying of his son, by Saul himself.
And the people seemed to have kept their oath. Yet if any one closely examines the matter,
they too all became liable to the charge of perjury. For they compelled the father of Jonathan
to perjure himself, by not surrendering the son to the father. Seest thou how many persons
one oath made obnoxious to perjury,1611 willingly and unwillingly; how many evils it
wrought, how many deaths it caused?
14. Now in the commencement of this discourse I promised to shew that perjury would
in any case result from opposite oaths; but truly the course of the history has proved more
than I was establishing. It has exhibited not one, two, or three individuals, but a whole
people, and not one, two, or three oaths, but many more transgressed. I might also make
mention of another instance, and shew from that, how one oath caused a still greater and
more grievous calamity. For one oath1612 entailed upon all the Jews the capture of their
cities, as well as of their wives and children; the ravages of fire, the invasion of barbarians,
the pollution of sacred things, and ten thousand other evils yet more distressing. But I per-
ceive that the discourse is running to a great length. Therefore, dismissing here the narration
of this history, I beseech you, together with the beheading of John, to tell one another also
of the murder of Jonathan, and the general destruction of a whole people (which did not
indeed take place, but which was involved in the obligation of the oaths); and both at home,
and in public, and with your wives, and friends, and with neighbours, and with all men in
general, to make an earnest business of this matter, and not to think it a sufficient apology
that we can plead custom.
15. For that this excuse is a mere pretext, and that the fault arises not from custom but
from listlessness, I will endeavour to convince you from what has already occurred. The
Emperor has shut up the baths of the city, and has given orders that no one shall bathe; and
no one has dared to transgress the law, nor to find fault with what has taken place, nor to
allege custom. But even though in weak health perchance, men and women, and children
and old men; and many women but recently eased from the pangs of childbirth; though all
requiring this as a necessary medicine; bear with the injunction, willingly or unwillingly;
and neither plead infirmity of body, nor the tyranny of custom, nor that they are punished,
whereas others were the offenders, nor any other thing of this kind, but contentedly put up
with this punishment, because they were in expectation of greater evils; and pray daily that
the wrath of the Emperor may go no further. Seest thou that where there is fear, the bond
1611 It seems that all actually remained under this guilt. The only remedy would have been in Jonathan’s
confessing as soon as he knew his trespass, and an offering being made for him, according to Lev. v. 4–6, see
also Lev. v. 1, iv. 22, and xxxvii. 2.
1612 See Hom. XIX.
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Homily XIV