§9Principalis haec species in castigatione uictus potest iam de inferioribus quoque abstinentiae operationibus praeiudicare ut et ipsis pro modo utilibus aut necessariis.
This principal species in the castigation of diet can already prejudge concerning the lower operations of abstinence as well, as being themselves also useful or necessary according to their measure.
nam exceptio eduliorum quorundam portionale ieiunium est.
For the exception of certain foods is a partial fast.
inspiciamus igitur et xerophagiarum nouitatem aut uanitatem, si non et in his tam antiquissimae quam efficacissimae religionis operatio est.
Let us inspect, therefore, also the novelty or vanity of dry diets (xerophagiae), if indeed there is not in these also the operation of a religion as ancient as it is efficient.
redeo ad Danielem et fratres eius leguminum pabulum et aquae potum ferculis et oenophoris regiis praeferentes atque exinde formosiores, ne qui de specie quoque corpusculi metuat,.
I return to Daniel and his brothers, preferring a food of legumes and a drink of water to the royal dishes and wine-vessels, and thence becoming more beautiful, lest anyone should fear even concerning the appearance of his body,.
ceterum spiritu insuper cultos.
Furthermore, they were nourished in spirit in addition.
dedit enim deus adolescentulis scientiam et intellegentiam in omni litteratura et Danieli in omni uerbo et in somniis et in omni sophia, qua hoc ipsum quoque saperet, quibus modis de deo impetraretur agnitio sacramentorum.
For God gave to the youths knowledge and understanding in all literature, and to Daniel in every word and in dreams and in all wisdom, by which he might understand this very thing also: in what ways the recognition of mysteries (sacraments) was obtained from God.
anno denique tertio Cyri regis Persarum cum in recogitatum incidisset uisionis, aliam formam humiliationis prospexit.
Finally, in the third year of Cyrus, king of the Persians, when he had fallen into the contemplation of a vision, he looked forward to another form of humiliation.
in illis, inquit, diebus ego Daniel eram lugens per tres hebdomadas, panem suauem non edi, caro et uinum non introierunt in os meum, oleo unctus non sum, donec consummarentur tres hebdomades, quibus transactis angelus emissus est taliter alloquens: Daniel, homo es miserabilis, ne timueris, quoniam ex die prima, qua dedisti animam tuam recogitatui et humiliationi coram deo, exauditum est uerbum tuum, et ego introiui uerbo tuo. ita xerophagiarum miseratio et humiliati metum expellunt et aures dei aduertunt et occultorum compotes faciunt.
"In those days," he says, "I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks; I ate no pleasant bread, no flesh or wine entered into my mouth, and I was not anointed with oil, until three weeks were completed." When these had passed, an angel was sent, addressing him thus: "Daniel, you are a pitiable man; do not fear, since from the first day on which you gave your soul to contemplation and humiliation before God, your word has been heard, and I have entered because of your word." Thus the pitiableness of dry diets and of the humbled drives away fear, turns the ears of God, and makes them possessors of secret things.
reuertor etiam ad Heliam.
I return also to Elijah.
cum corui illum pane et carne saturare consuessent, cur postmodum apud Bersabe Iudaeae excitato ei de somno quidam ille angelus sine dubio panem solum et aquam obtulit? defecerant corui, qui eum liberalius pascerent, an difficile angelo fuerat aliquem alicunde de conuiuio regis ministrum cum instructissimo ferculo raptum ad Heliam transferre, sicut Danieli in lacu leonum esurienti prandium metentium exhibitum est? sed constitui oportebat exemplum docens in tempore pressurae et persecutionis et cuiuscunque circumstantiae xerophagiis esse uiuendum.
When ravens had been accustomed to satisfy him with bread and meat, why afterwards at Beersheba of Judea, when he was aroused from sleep, did a certain angel offer him, without doubt, only bread and water? Had the ravens failed, who would feed him more liberally? Or was it difficult for the angel to transfer some servant from somewhere from the king's feast, snatched with a most well-prepared dish, to Elijah, just as to Daniel hungering in the den of lions the lunch of the reapers was exhibited? But it was necessary to establish an example teaching that in times of distress and persecution and of any circumstance whatever, one must live on dry diets.
tali uictu Dauid exomologesin suam expressit cinerem quidem edens uelut panem, id est panem uelut cinerem aridum et sordidum, potum uero fletu miscens utique pro uino.
By such a diet David expressed his confession (exomologesis), eating indeed ashes as bread—that is, bread as dry and dirty ashes—and mixing his drink with weeping, certainly instead of wine.
habet enim et abstinentia uini suos titulos, quae et Samuelem deo uouerat et Aaronem consecrarat.
For the abstinence from wine also has its own titles, which had both vowed Samuel to God and consecrated Aaron.
nam de Samuele mater, et uinum, inquit, et ebriamen non bibet; talis enim et ipsa deum orabat.
For concerning Samuel his mother said: "And wine and strong drink he shall not drink"; for such a one she herself also prayed to God.
et dominus ad Aaron: uinum et siceram non bibetis, tu et filius tuus post te, si quandoingrediemini tabernaculum uel ascendetis ad altare, et non moriemini. adeo morientur qui non sobrii in ecclesia ministrauerint.
And the Lord to Aaron: "Wine and strong drink you shall not drink, you and your son after you, whenever you shall enter the tabernacle or ascend to the altar, and you shall not die." To such an extent will those die who, not sober, minister in the church.
sic et Israeli proximo exprobrat et potum: dabatis sanctificatis meis uinum. et haec autem strictura potus xerophagiae portio est.
Thus also He reproaches nearby Israel also for their drink: "You gave my sanctified ones wine." And this restriction of drink is a portion of the dry diet.
quamquam ubi abstinentia uini aut a deo exigitur aut ab homine uouetur, illic intellegatur etiam pabuli pressura formam praestruens potui.
Although where abstinence from wine is either demanded by God or vowed by man, there let it be understood that the pressure of food also pre-structures the form for drink.
qualis enim esus, talis et potus.
For as the eating is, so is the drink.
uerisimile non est, ut quis dimidiam gulam deo immolet, aquis sobrius et cibis ebrius.
It is not likely that anyone immolates half his throat to God, sober with water and drunk with food.
an autem et apostolus xerophagias norit, qui maiora celebrauerat, sitim et famem et multa ieiunia, qui ebrietates et comessationes recusauerat, uel de discipulo Timotheo argumenti satis est, quem propter stomachum et adsiduas imbecillitates modico uino monens uti, quo ille non ex institutione, sed ex deuotione abstinebat (ceterum stomacho magis consuetudo prodesset), hoc ipso abstinentiam uini dignam deo suasit, quam ex necessitate dissuasit.
But whether the apostle also knew dry diets, who had celebrated greater things—thirst and hunger and many fasts—who had refused drunkennesses and revelries, is sufficiently argued from his disciple Timothy, whom advising to use a little wine because of his stomach and frequent infirmities, from which he was abstaining not from command but from devotion (otherwise the custom would be of more benefit to the stomach), by this very fact he persuaded the abstinence of wine worthy of God, which he dissuaded from necessity.