Gregory the Dialogist : He carries off the sheep who recalls the manifold causes of his innocence for the purpose of pride. He carries off the oxen as plunder when he thinks about the labors of his preaching and, by remembering, heaps together whatever he has accomplished by speaking to others, as if by cultivating the earth. He carries off the calves when he is puffed up over the fact that suppressed impulses of lust are brought back to mind. For since two precepts are given in the great praise of the just — namely, the splendor of charity together with the light of good works — when anyone arrogant in his own estimation is puffed up, he is said to carry off both sheep and calves: sheep indeed in the innocence of good works, and calves in the mortification of bodily passions. Among these he has inserted the oxen, because one is not perfectly puffed up who regards himself as weak and powerless in some part. He is already great in his own eyes by the estimation of his chastity and good works, but he raises himself to the height of a greater pride when he recalls that he is perfect in the labor of preaching. But to what end all these things are brought is set forth in what follows: 'And they slaughtered them on the ground.' To slaughter sheep, oxen, and calves on the ground is to exult with base and carnal joy over the consciousness of virtues. Whence also through Hosea it is said of the proud and arrogant: 'They sank their victims into the deep' (Hos. 5:2). They plunge their victims into the deep who do not raise the heavenly offerings of virtues to heaven through thanksgiving, but bend them down to earth through the desire for vain praise. Whence it is also well added: 'And the people ate with the blood.' The food of the mind is its interior joy. What then is eating with the blood, if not never removing the intention of vain favor from the inner appetite of the mind? For the blood is, as it were, cast away when the mind removes the intention of vanity from the joy of good works. For a mind of this kind knows how to rejoice in good works, because it rejoices that it draws near to heavenly things through good works, and for the time being it shrinks from being seen in those same works. Therefore, to eat with the blood is to take the joy of good works mixed with the intention of vanity. And indeed, when this is offered by others, it is simple food for the proud; but when no one is praising them, the conscience of the proud swells up, and they seize violently as if by plunder what no one freely gives. There follows: (Vv. 33, 34.) 'And they reported to Saul, saying that the people had sinned against the Lord, eating with the blood. He said: You have transgressed. Roll a great stone to me now. And Saul said: Disperse among the common people and tell them that each one should bring his own ox and ram, and slaughter them upon this stone, and eat, and you will not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.' — Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 4