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 the command of God.  Brutes have one and the same soul of which the common characteristic is absence of reason.  But each animal is distinguished by peculiar qualities.  The ox is steady, the ass is lazy, the horse has strong passions, the wolf cannot be tamed, the fox is deceitful, the stag timid, the ant industrious, the dog grateful and faithful in his friendships.  As each animal was created the distinctive character of his nature appeared in him in due measure; in the lion spirit, taste for solitary life, an unsociable character.  True tyrant of animals, he, in his natural arrogance, admits but few to share his honours.  He disdains his yesterday’s food and never returns to the remains of the prey.  Nature has provided his organs of voice with such great force that often much swifter animals are caught by his roaring alone.  The panther, violent and impetuous in his leaps, has a body fitted for his activity and lightness, in accord with the movements of his soul.  The bear has a sluggish nature, ways of its own, a sly character, and is very secret; therefore it has an analogous body, heavy, thick, without articulations such as are necessary for a cold dweller in dens.