First of the Homilies on moral topics come I. and II. on Fasting.  The former is of uncontested genuineness.  Erasmus rejected the latter, but it is accepted without hesitation by Garnier, Maran, and Ceillier, and is said by the last named to be quoted as Basil’s by John of Damascus and Symeon Logothetes.  From Homily I. two passages are cited by St. Augustine against the Pelagians. August. in Julian. i. 18.  The text is Ps. lxxx. 3.  “Reverence,” says one passage, § 3. “the hoary head of fasting.  It is coæval with mankind.  Fasting was ordained in Paradise.  The first injunction was delivered to Adam, ‘Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat.’ Gen. iii. 17.  ‘Thou shalt not eat’ is a law of fasting and abstinence.”  The general argument is rather against excess than in support of ceremonial abstinence.  In Paradise there was no wine, no butchery of beasts, no eating of flesh.  Wine came in after the flood.  Noah became drunk because wine was new to him.  So fasting is older than drunkenness.  Esau was defiled, and made his brother’s slave, for the sake of a single meal.  It was fasting and prayer which gave Samuel to Hannah.  Fasting brought forth Samson.  Fasting begets prophets, strengthens strong men.  Fasting makes lawgivers wise, is the soul’s safeguard, the body’s trusty comrade, the armour of the champion, the training of the athlete.