καὶ οὐ λέγω τοῦτο μὴ δεῖν πάντοτε μεμνῆσθαι θεοῦ. μὴ πάλιν ἐπιφυέσθωσαν ἡμῖν οἱ πάντα εὔκολοι καὶ ταχεῖς. μνημονευτέον γὰρ θεοῦ μᾶλλον ἢ ἀναπνευστέον· καί, εἰ οἷόν τε τοῦτο εἰπεῖν, μηδὲ ἄλλο τι ἢ τοῦτο πρακτέον. κἀγὼ τῶν ἐπαινούντων εἰμὶ τὸν λόγον, ὃς μελετᾷν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς διακελεύεται, καὶ ἑσπέρας καὶ πρωὶ καὶ μεσημβρίς διηγεῖσθαι, καὶ εὐλογεῖν τὸν κύριον ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ· εἰ δεῖ καὶ τὸ Μωυσέως εἰπεῖν, κοιταζόμενον, διανστάμενον, ὁδοιποροῦντα, ὅ τι οὖν ἄλλο πράττοντα, καὶ τῆ μνήμη 2 βλάπτωσιν bc || 3 ὑπερβαίνοντας a || 4 δὴ] ’δε cd || 6 βαρηθέντες c 4. 7 om τοῦτο a || II λόγον] νόμον bd 4. τοῖς στεπποῖς τῶν λόγων] Though Gr. is fond of the partitive gen. (οἱ στερροὶ τῶν λόγων = οἱ λόγοι οἱ στερροί), it seems best here to suppose τοῖς ’στ’. to be neut., ’the solid qualities of our discourses? Perh. Gr. is still using the metaphor or simile of food. It would seem to suit καταπιεσθέντες κ. βαρυνθέντες as well as τοῖς στερροῖς. Cf. Heb. v 12 στερεά τροφή). 6. ζημ. καὶ εἰς τ. ἁ. δ.] The εἰς does not denote the extent of the damage, but the quarter in which it is felt. Over-strong meat not only fails to increase the vital forces of those to whom it is administered; it even impairs those which they possessed. Cp. v 26. 4. It is always right to think of God; but not always suitable to discourse of Him. 8. ἐπιφυέσθωσαν] ἐπιφύειν is ’to plant upon ’ ; hence in pass. ‘to fasten upon and cling ’ like hounds upon a quarry. Plutarch frequently uses the word in this way; e.g. § 1 ἐπιφυομένους, ὥσπερ θηρίοις εὐγενεῖς σκύλακας. Gr. uses it again in v ιι. ib. οἱ π. εὔκολοι] ‘ who are always (lit. in all points) so agile and ’ ὕκολος (cp. δύσκολος), from κόλον, ’diet,’ means originally one whose food agrees with him. Hence it comes to be used for facility in any direction. Plato Legg. 942 D uses the substantive in the sense of bodily activity, which (metaphorically applied) plied) is the sense here. 9. μνήμον. κτλ.] ’It is more necessary to remember God than to breathe.’ 11 . τῶν ἐπ’. εἰμι] ‘ am one of those who approve.’ ib. μελετᾷν ἤμ’. κ. νυκτός] Psalm i 2 (Josh, i 8). 12. ἑσπέρας κτλ.] Psalm liv 18 (lv Ι7). 13. εὐλογεῖν κτλ.] Psalm xxxiii 2 (xxxiv 1). 14. κοιταζόμενον κτλ.] Deut. vi 7 (cp. xi 19). τυποῦσθαι πρὸς καθαρότητα. ὥστε οὐ τὸ μεμνῆσθαι δίη. νεκῶς κωλύω, τὸ θεολογεῖν δέ· οὐδὲ τὴν θεολογίαν, ὥσπερ ἀσεβές, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀκαιρίαν· οὐδὲ τὴν διδασκαλίαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀμετρίαν. ἢ μέλιτος μὲν πλησμονὴ καὶ κόρος ἔμετον ἐργάζεται, καίπερ ὄντος μέλιτος, καὶ καιρὸς τῷ παντὶ πράγματι, ὡς Σολομῶντι κἀμοὶ δοκεῖ, καὶ τὸ καλὸν οὐ καλόν, ὅταν μὴ καλῶς γίνηται, ὥσπερ ἄνθος ἐν χειμῶνι παντελῶς ἄωρον, καὶ γυναιξὶ κόσμος ἀνδρεῖος, ἢ γυναικεῖος ἀνδράσι, καὶ πένθει γεωμετρία, καὶ πότῳ δάκρυον, ἐνταῦθα δὲ μόνον τὸν καιρὸν ἀτιμάσομεν, οὗ μάλιστα τιμητέον τὸ εὔκαιρον ;