ON THE JEWISH MEATS. 389 except that by the example of that animal it condemns a lifenerveless1 and crookedwith crimes. Or when itforbids the swine to be taken forfood? It assuredlyreprovesa life filthyand dirty,and delightinginthegarbage of vice,placing itssupreme good not in generosityof mind, but in the flesh alone. Or when itforbidsthe hare? It rebukes men de formed into women. And who would use the body of the weasel for food? But in thiscaseitreprovestheft. Who would eatthe lizard? But ithatesan aimlesswaywardness of life. Who the eft? But it execratesmental stains. Who would eatthe hawk, who the kite,who theeagle? But ithates plunderersand violentpeople who liveby crime. Who the vulture? But itholdsaccursedthosewho seekfor booty by the death of others. Or who the raven? But it holds accused craftywills. Moreover, when it forbidsthe sparrow,it condemns intemperance;when the owl,it hates thosewho flyfrom the lightof truth; when the swan, the proud with high neck ; when the sea-mew, too talkativean intemperanceof tongue ; when the bat,those who seek the darknessof night as wellas of error. These things,then, and the liketo these,the law holds accursed in animals, which in them indeedare not blameworthy,becausethey are born in thiscondition; in man they are blamed,becausethey are sought for contraryto his nature,not by his creation, but by hiserror. CHAPTER IV. Argument. — To thesethingsalsowas added anotherreason for prohibitingmany kindsof meats tothe Jews ; towitt for the restraintof the intemperanceof thepeople,and thattheymight servetheone God. To these considerations,then,thus enumerated,were added alsootherreasonsforwhich many kindsof meats were with held from the Jews ; and thatthismight be so,many things 1 " Enervem,"butmoreprobably" informeni."