Ambrose of Milan : I do not wish to speak of someone else's dream. You certainly remember my words, that even then I refused to interpret it because I fear its outcome, the death that I dread. Let us first speak of the man who, when he was in charge of wine, seemed to be happy and believed that this was the pinnacle of power because he gave the cup to the king. This was his glory, this was his magnificence in this world, and he grieved being deprived of it; he rejoiced when it was restored to him. But this is a dream, and all worldly power is a dream, not truth. Finally, through the dream, he saw his authority restored to him. And Isaiah says that such are the people who delight in the things of this world, just as one who eats and drinks in dreams seems to himself to be filled with food or drink, while he sleeps; but when he wakes up, he begins to hunger even more; and then he understands how empty that food and drink of the dreamer were: so does one who sleeps in this world, not opening his eyes to the divine mysteries, as long as he is burdened by the sleep of the body, think that this worldly power is of some importance, as if he sees it in dreams; but when he wakes up, he realizes how empty this worldly pleasure is. Consider now that true Hebrew, not of a dream but of truth and splendid vision, interpreter, who has come from the fullness of divinity, from the freedom of heavenly grace into this earthly prison, whom the allurements of this world could not change, no worldly corruption could overthrow, who, though tempted, did not fall, did not desire forbidden things, finally seized by the deceitful hand of the Synagogue in a deceptive garment of the body, shed the flesh, ascended free from death. The prostitute has been falsely accused. She was unable to hold the man whom prison did not frighten, whom even the underworld did not hold. Moreover, where he had descended as if to be punished, from there he freed others. Where the chains of death were binding them, there he himself loosened the chains of the dead. — On Joseph the Patriarch