TRV
Alcuin of York
Medieval · AD 800–1500
361 passages across 3 books of the Bible · Who was this?
On Revelation
20 of 194-
Revelation 8:11
And the name of the star is called Wormwood. Because the Devil withdrew from the sweetness of truth to turn into the bitterness of falsehood, it is right for him to be allotted the name of Wormwood. Then, since a great many people perish from the examples of the wicked, it is fittingly said after that, and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. Indeed when fleshly men perish spiritually for having been enticed by the doctrines of wicked people or the examples of their works, it is as if they died of bitter waters.
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Revelation 8:12
And the fourth angel sounded the trumpet, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars, so that the third part of them was darkened, and the day did not shine for a third part of it, and the night in like manner. By the sun, the moon, and the stars is symbolized the Church, and their darkness refers particularly to the perfidy of the heretics. Although two parts are made out of three thirds, namely one part belonging to the day with the sun, and another belonging to the night with the moon and the stars, the two nonetheless make one, or one is subdivided into two. He does this in order to indicate its overt error by the day, and its hidden error by the night, that is, respectively, the public conflicts of the heretics and their secret machinations. The reason why it is not said “the third part was smitten and darkened” but the third part was smitten so that it might be darkened (in due time), is that it is when they are openly separated from the Church that the heretics are truly darkened; for before that they are, as it w…
And the fourth angel sounded the trumpet, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars, so that the third part of them was darkened, and the day did not shine for a third part of it, and the night in like manner. By the sun, the moon, and the stars is symbolized the Church, and their darkness refers particularly to the perfidy of the heretics. Although two parts are made out of three thirds, namely one part belonging to the day with the sun, and another belonging to the night with the moon and the stars, the two nonetheless make one, or one is subdivided into two. He does this in order to indicate its overt error by the day, and its hidden error by the night, that is, respectively, the public conflicts of the heretics and their secret machinations. The reason why it is not said “the third part was smitten and darkened” but the third part was smitten so that it might be darkened (in due time), is that it is when they are openly separated from the Church that the heretics are truly darkened; for before that they are, as it were, hiddenly wounded. They are smitten out of the light of faith and the brightness of the divine Word. This destruction should not be ascribed to God, but understood in the same way as Pharaoh's heart being hardened. [Ex. 4:21; 7:3, 13, 22; 8:19; 9:12, 35; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8] -
Revelation 8:13
And I beheld, and heard the voice of one eagle flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice: Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth: by reason of the rest of the voices of the trumpets of the three angels, who were yet to sound the trumpet. John as well as the eagle and the angels bear the symbol of the Church. It is right for the Church to be called one eagle, because it is based on unity of faith and lifts itself up towards heavenly things after treading earthly pleasures underfoot. So in John it is the Church that sees itself; in the eagle it is the Church that flies; and in the three angels it is the Church that announces the evils to come in the last times. Note also that in a spiritual vision, seeing is the same as hearing. By the fact that the eagle is said to lament not because of the preceding voices but because of those of the following angels, it is shown that the Church laments and proclaims the future plagues of a different calamity at different times. It laments in the eagle and proclaims in the angels. Then it is said to fly through the midst of…
And I beheld, and heard the voice of one eagle flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice: Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth: by reason of the rest of the voices of the trumpets of the three angels, who were yet to sound the trumpet. John as well as the eagle and the angels bear the symbol of the Church. It is right for the Church to be called one eagle, because it is based on unity of faith and lifts itself up towards heavenly things after treading earthly pleasures underfoot. So in John it is the Church that sees itself; in the eagle it is the Church that flies; and in the three angels it is the Church that announces the evils to come in the last times. Note also that in a spiritual vision, seeing is the same as hearing. By the fact that the eagle is said to lament not because of the preceding voices but because of those of the following angels, it is shown that the Church laments and proclaims the future plagues of a different calamity at different times. It laments in the eagle and proclaims in the angels. Then it is said to fly through the midst of heaven because it possesses the world on either side, and its preaching is called a great voice because it has resounded in the whole world. -
Revelation 9:1-2
And the fifth angel sounded the trumpet, and I saw a star fall from heaven upon the earth, and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss. And he opened the pit of the abyss: and the smoke of the pit arose, as the smoke of a great furnace. What is represented by the angel and the star has already been said. By the abyss are symbolized the hearts of the wicked, darkened by the darkness of errors. By the pit of the abyss, we should understand preachers of errors, for if the mouth of an abyss is a pit, it is right to symbolize by the pit those through whom the iniquity of the wicked pours out the venoms of its heart. By the key of the pit is represented temporal power, with which the old adversary unlocks the mouths of the reprobates so that they may speak wrong doctrines, and it is right for these doctrines to be compared to smoke because they turn the light of truth into darkness for themselves, and even seem to darken the brightness of faith in others. As for the great furnace, it is the Antichrist's persecution, out of which comes smoke, that is wrong doctrine, to turn t…
And the fifth angel sounded the trumpet, and I saw a star fall from heaven upon the earth, and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss. And he opened the pit of the abyss: and the smoke of the pit arose, as the smoke of a great furnace. What is represented by the angel and the star has already been said. By the abyss are symbolized the hearts of the wicked, darkened by the darkness of errors. By the pit of the abyss, we should understand preachers of errors, for if the mouth of an abyss is a pit, it is right to symbolize by the pit those through whom the iniquity of the wicked pours out the venoms of its heart. By the key of the pit is represented temporal power, with which the old adversary unlocks the mouths of the reprobates so that they may speak wrong doctrines, and it is right for these doctrines to be compared to smoke because they turn the light of truth into darkness for themselves, and even seem to darken the brightness of faith in others. As for the great furnace, it is the Antichrist's persecution, out of which comes smoke, that is wrong doctrine, to turn the souls of those who perish into darkness. However, how can it be said that this smoke is similar to that of a great furnace whereas the Lord says concerning that tribulation, There shall be then great tribulation, etc.? [Matt. 24:21] One should know then that it is not on account of torments or false doctrines that that tribulation is said to be more terrible than all the others (among which is this “similar” one) but on account of miraculous signs through which it will deceive people more easily. And the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke of the pit. See, the fifth angel says that what the fourth had foretold would happen with the sun, the moon, and the stars, has already happened with the sun and the air. -
Revelation 9:3
And from the smoke there came out locusts upon the earth. It is fitting for the heretics to be represented by locusts, for just as we see locusts, neither flying perfectly like birds nor walking by steps, but making leaps, chew up the crops of the earth, so do the heretics, having neither the flight of full knowledge nor the walk of perfect work, but only moved by the leaps of pride, kill the souls of the wicked by preaching unheard-of things. So locusts come out of the smoke when heretics are born from heretics. And power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. The power of scorpions is in the tail, which is at the end of the body: so is temporality left behind as it withdraws from itself; for everything that passes is, as it were, behind, while everything that remains is before. So the locusts receive power to hurt as the scorpions of the earth because the heretics, sustained by temporal powers, hurt only with what is behind.
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Revelation 9:4
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree: but only the men who have not the sign of God on their foreheads. This is repeating the same idea as above, where the angel ascending from the rising of the sun commanded the four angels, who are now understood in the locusts, not to hurt the earth and the sea or the trees: for by the grass, which is not the food of men but of animals, are represented the little ones in Christ, the kind of people about whom the apostle said, The sensual man perceiveth not those things that are of the Spirit of God. [1 Cor. 2:14] By green things, a great many of which are commonly used as food by men, are represented those who are progressing in faith and are in some way more fit to desire the green things of the paradise. By the trees are represented the strong who are rooted with some stability among the winds of temptations. Why are the locusts forbidden from hurting any green thing or any tree? By the whole we should understand a part, which is preserved from that hurting. Then the men wh…
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree: but only the men who have not the sign of God on their foreheads. This is repeating the same idea as above, where the angel ascending from the rising of the sun commanded the four angels, who are now understood in the locusts, not to hurt the earth and the sea or the trees: for by the grass, which is not the food of men but of animals, are represented the little ones in Christ, the kind of people about whom the apostle said, The sensual man perceiveth not those things that are of the Spirit of God. [1 Cor. 2:14] By green things, a great many of which are commonly used as food by men, are represented those who are progressing in faith and are in some way more fit to desire the green things of the paradise. By the trees are represented the strong who are rooted with some stability among the winds of temptations. Why are the locusts forbidden from hurting any green thing or any tree? By the whole we should understand a part, which is preserved from that hurting. Then the men who do not have the sign of God on their foreheads are those who are not strong in the faith that works through love. -
Revelation 9:5
And it was given unto them that they should not kill them; but that they should torment them five months yet. If those who do not have the sign are reprobates, how can the locusts be forbidden from killing them? And can it be that those who do not have the sign of God are alive? Therefore it is implied that this refers to the previous sentence. So let us take It was given unto them that they should not kill them; but that they should be tormented five months to mean that the heretics cannot deceive the signed, but only test them by tormenting them in this life, which is ruled by the five senses. What follows corresponds well to them: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man. Which means that the elect, who despise the things that are behind and stretch forth to the things that are before, [Cf. Phil. 3:13] are believed to be afflicted by others by means of what they themselves have visibly rejected out of contempt for the world, that is by means of either secular power or the error of bad credulity.
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Revelation 9:6
And in those days men shall seek death, and shall not find it: they shall desire to die, and death shall fly from them. The days in question run all the way from the Lord's coming to the end of the world. Indeed the elect seek death when they want to stick to God through a retired way of life; but death flies from them because they are bound either by the indissoluble chain of a responsibility of government or by that of an inferior status.
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Revelation 9:7-8
And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle: and on their heads were, as it were, crowns like gold. It is right for the heretics to be represented by horses because of their rapidity in running about. They are prepared unto battle against those about whom it is said in Habakkuk, Thou sentest into the sea thy horses, stirring many waters. [Hab. 3:15. acc. to LXX] However, since, by God's favor, they do not win, they are not said to have crowns, but as it were crowns, as if it were said, “They were neither crowns nor of gold, but some kind of invention of falsehood.” And their faces were as the faces of men. And they had women's hair. The faces of the locusts being like human faces mean pretense of reason. As for women's hair, it is the effeminate manners of the heretics. Alternatively, by faces of men, we may understand males; and by women's hair, the sex itself; for heretics have also had women's support. And their teeth were as of lions. The teeth of lions usually bring a natural shame; by them is indicated the stench of the heretics.
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Revelation 9:9
As for what follows, And they had breastplates as breastplates of iron, it indicates their hearts, which are hard and obdurate against the truth so that they may not be penetrated by the arrow of truth. And the noise of their wings was as the noise of chariots, the noise of many horses running to battle. By the wings of the locusts we understand the proud science of the heretics. It is fitting to say that the noise of these wings is like that of the chariots of horses that are many and run together to battle: the heretics both divide themselves with their doctrines and fight together against the Church.
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Revelation 9:10
And they had tails like to scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. We have already spoken about scorpions' tails. Note also that the apostle calls sin a sting. [1 Cor. 15:56] We have already spoken about the five months in the above; but there he is talking about the good, and here about the wicked, because the locusts torment the people mentioned in the previous passage, but do not kill them, whereas they do not torment the people mentioned here, but kill them when they hurt them, either with wrong doctrine or with temporal power.
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Revelation 9:11
And they had over them a king, the angel of the abyss; whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek Apollyon; in Latin Exterminans. The old enemy is not called the king of the wicked because he created them or leads them, but because he exercises the tyranny of his domination over them with God's just permission. Note also that, as already said, they are the abyss. So since he tries deceitfully to usurp the name of Christ for himself through the damned man, he is consequently mentioned by names in the three languages in which the authority of the Gospels attests that the Redeemer's name was written by Pilate on the title. [Luke 23:38 and John 19:19-20] However, since blessed Jerome, in his interpretation of Hebrew names, does not say Abaddon but “Labaddon,” it is certain that it lost its first letter by the fault of scribes. It is also fitting for the Devil to be called Exterminans, because many people are banished from the boundaries of the elect and brought to the exile of eternal death because of him.
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Revelation 9:12
One woe is past. That is, it preceded in the narration, or was actually fulfilled in the past. Behold there come yet two woes more hereafter. That is, in the narration, or they are actually to be fulfilled in the future.
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Revelation 9:13-14
After these things the sixth angel also sounded the trumpet: and I heard the voice of one of the horns of the golden altar, which is before the eyes of God, saying to the sixth angel, who had the trumpet: Loose the four angels, who are bound in the great river Euphrates. The altar is the Church, and it is golden because it is illuminated by heavenly wisdom. Note also that the altar is before the eyes of God because the eyes of the Lord are upon the just. [Ps. 33:16] The horns of the altar are holy preachers, and by this one horn we understand the leader of preachers, that is Christ. He tells the sixth angel sounding the trumpet, that is, he proclaims to the Church, to loose the four angels, because he has granted it the power to bind and loose in heaven and on earth, according to this: Whatsoever thou shalt bind, etc. [Matt. 16:19] In the four angels we recognize the entire body of the reprobates, which consists of evil spirits and wicked men, of course separate in nature, but united in iniquity. Indeed the number four is frequently used to signify totality, whence it is said that in…
After these things the sixth angel also sounded the trumpet: and I heard the voice of one of the horns of the golden altar, which is before the eyes of God, saying to the sixth angel, who had the trumpet: Loose the four angels, who are bound in the great river Euphrates. The altar is the Church, and it is golden because it is illuminated by heavenly wisdom. Note also that the altar is before the eyes of God because the eyes of the Lord are upon the just. [Ps. 33:16] The horns of the altar are holy preachers, and by this one horn we understand the leader of preachers, that is Christ. He tells the sixth angel sounding the trumpet, that is, he proclaims to the Church, to loose the four angels, because he has granted it the power to bind and loose in heaven and on earth, according to this: Whatsoever thou shalt bind, etc. [Matt. 16:19] In the four angels we recognize the entire body of the reprobates, which consists of evil spirits and wicked men, of course separate in nature, but united in iniquity. Indeed the number four is frequently used to signify totality, whence it is said that in the end of the world the elect will be taken from the four winds of the sky by angels. [Matt. 24:31 and Mark 13:27] By the Euphrates, which is often mentioned with a negative meaning, is represented the worldly kingdom’s power, hostile to Christ and the Church; and the old enemy is said to be bound in this power with his body because he is not permitted to do as much harm as he wants. So let us take Loose the four angels who are bound in the great river Euphrates as if the Church were told, “Loose both men in angels, and angels in men, and bear in mind how much you ought to endure the hardships of persecution with equanimity, since your enemies are not able to inflict them on you except by your own judgment, which is in your Head, which proclaims for you and in you, All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.” [Matt. 28:18] -
Revelation 9:15
And the four angels were loosed, who were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year: for to kill the third part of men. The loosing of these angels represents the beginning of the last persecution. He says prepared, because the Devil is always waiting for the good's failure. By an hour, a day, a month, and a year we understand by metalepsis four times, namely three years and six months, during which that persecution will rage. The third part of men of which it is said that it will be killed consists of superiors and inferiors, that is of persuaders and persuaded, because the dead will kill the dead.
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Revelation 9:16
And the number of the army of horsemen was twenty thousand times ten thousand. I heard the number of them. This number refers specifically to preachers of errors, but in such a way that the seduced people are also understood in the seducers. We see that this number coming against the number of the elect is both double and multiplied by two thousand; for it is said about the elect, The chariot of God is ten thousands, [Variant of Ps. 67:18] and about these people, twenty thousand times ten thousand. It is double, then, because it consists of evil spirits and reprobate men. There remains therefore for the twofold evil to be fought against by the onefold good.
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Revelation 9:17-18
And thus I saw the horses in the vision: and they that sat on them, had breastplates of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone. These horses, that is preachers of errors, in whom the seduced people are also understood, have demons as riders, not to guide them, but to make them fall headlong. By the name of breastplates are symbolized the torments of the wicked, hard and impossible to get rid of with any prayer. By of hyacinth we should understand “of smoke,” for out of fire comes smoke. The very color of hyacinth also indicates this, as it has the appearance of air. And the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions. The heads of the horses are initiators of errors, who are both strong at crushing the weak and full of bad smells; whence it is rightly said after that, and from their mouths proceeded fire, and smoke, and brimstone. By these three plagues was slain the third part of men, by the fire and by the smoke and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. This is because bad people's preaching prepares eternal torments for its followers, and these torments are metapho…
And thus I saw the horses in the vision: and they that sat on them, had breastplates of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone. These horses, that is preachers of errors, in whom the seduced people are also understood, have demons as riders, not to guide them, but to make them fall headlong. By the name of breastplates are symbolized the torments of the wicked, hard and impossible to get rid of with any prayer. By of hyacinth we should understand “of smoke,” for out of fire comes smoke. The very color of hyacinth also indicates this, as it has the appearance of air. And the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions. The heads of the horses are initiators of errors, who are both strong at crushing the weak and full of bad smells; whence it is rightly said after that, and from their mouths proceeded fire, and smoke, and brimstone. By these three plagues was slain the third part of men, by the fire and by the smoke and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. This is because bad people's preaching prepares eternal torments for its followers, and these torments are metaphorically symbolized by this preaching, the effect being represented by the cause. -
Revelation 9:19-21
The power of the horses is in their mouths, and in their tails. By the mouth is represented the knowledge of teachers, and by the tail, which should be placed behind, temporal power. So their power is in their mouths and tails because their way of preaching is to persuade people of wrong things; but as they are sustained by temporal powers, they are exalted through the things that are behind. For their tails are like to serpents, and have heads: and with them they hurt. Here, inversely, wicked teachers are represented by the tails, and secular power by the heads. It is fitting to say that bad preachers are like serpents, because it is with the voice of the one whose hiss Eve was allured by that they advise bad things. Since it is with the support of powerful people that they violently bring many people to do forbidden things, it is right to say that they have heads, which, according to another translation, are called dragons' heads. Then, in order to show that the Gentiles also belong to this body, he said after that, And the rest of the men, who are not, and did not do penance from…
The power of the horses is in their mouths, and in their tails. By the mouth is represented the knowledge of teachers, and by the tail, which should be placed behind, temporal power. So their power is in their mouths and tails because their way of preaching is to persuade people of wrong things; but as they are sustained by temporal powers, they are exalted through the things that are behind. For their tails are like to serpents, and have heads: and with them they hurt. Here, inversely, wicked teachers are represented by the tails, and secular power by the heads. It is fitting to say that bad preachers are like serpents, because it is with the voice of the one whose hiss Eve was allured by that they advise bad things. Since it is with the support of powerful people that they violently bring many people to do forbidden things, it is right to say that they have heads, which, according to another translation, are called dragons' heads. Then, in order to show that the Gentiles also belong to this body, he said after that, And the rest of the men, who are not, and did not do penance from the works of their hands, that they should not adore devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and wood, which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: and did not do penance from their murders, nor from their fornication, nor from their thefts, as if he were saying, “People of this kind also seem to belong to the aforementioned number.” Whereas throughout the other prophecies we find a great many things that correspond to our Mediator symbolized by earthly things and few by heavenly things, in this prophecy John has quite often represented his coming by an angel. To what end, if not to show that this prophecy is richer than others? Whence it is now said: -
Revelation 10:1
And I heard another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. It is right for him to be called an angel, because he appeared to men as the new messenger of eternal life, about whom we read, angel of great counsel; and to be called strong, because it is demonstrated that he overcame the aerial powers when he died, whence this: the Lord mighty in battle. [Ps. 23:8] When he says another, it does not mean that he is actually talking about something different, but it is the habit of recapitulation: he saw another angel because he repeated another vision. The angel appeared clothed with a cloud because it was clothed in the flesh that the Lord was seen among men, and his descent from heaven was precisely his adoption of the flesh. And a rainbow was on his head. The head of Christ, as the apostle says, is the divinity itself. [1 Cor. 11:3] By the rainbow is symbolized the reconciliation of the world that was achieved by the plan of the Word incarnate; its mystery was explained earlier. Note also that, having described the last struggle, and passing over the seventh seal, wit…
And I heard another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. It is right for him to be called an angel, because he appeared to men as the new messenger of eternal life, about whom we read, angel of great counsel; and to be called strong, because it is demonstrated that he overcame the aerial powers when he died, whence this: the Lord mighty in battle. [Ps. 23:8] When he says another, it does not mean that he is actually talking about something different, but it is the habit of recapitulation: he saw another angel because he repeated another vision. The angel appeared clothed with a cloud because it was clothed in the flesh that the Lord was seen among men, and his descent from heaven was precisely his adoption of the flesh. And a rainbow was on his head. The head of Christ, as the apostle says, is the divinity itself. [1 Cor. 11:3] By the rainbow is symbolized the reconciliation of the world that was achieved by the plan of the Word incarnate; its mystery was explained earlier. Note also that, having described the last struggle, and passing over the seventh seal, with which both the end of the consummation and the Lord's coming are expected to take place, he comes back to the beginning of Christ's incarnation, which has just been spoken about, and describes his preaching. Once this narration is finished, he comes back to the things he had left aside for a while. Let us however remember that when he has brought this narration to its end, the end needs to be joined to the broken order; for the passage where it is said, in the following, The second woe is past, [Rev. 11:14] implicitly refers to the one where, in the end of the previous book, we spoke of the destruction of the wicked horses and Gentiles. Note also that he behaves in an unusual manner in this narration, and delimits both narrations not with one end, but with two, because he distinguishes the interrupted order and the recapitulation separately, as will become apparent a bit later. And his face was as the sun. The angel's face is Christ's incarnation, by means of which he became known to mortals, and concerning which the Psalmist says, Shew us thy face, and we shall be saved. [Ps. 79:4] This face is not compared to the sun because of its brightness, in which it is incomparably greater than the sun, but because, like the sun, it had a rising in being born, a setting in dying, and again a rising in being resurrected; whence Solomon, The sun riseth, and goeth down, etc. [Eccles. 1:5] The face may also be understood to mean the saints. And his foot as a pillar of fire. The angel's feet are the preachers, thanks to whom God's wisdom incarnate has, so to speak, walked through the whole world. It is fitting for them to be compared to a pillar and to fire because they both bear the Church's edifice, which is laid upon them, and, kindled by the Holy Spirit, set the hearts of their listeners on fire to the love of God by their preaching. -
Revelation 10:2
And he had in his hand a little book open. The angel's hand is the working of our salvation, that is Christ's incarnation. The little book open is the declared grace of the New Testament. Note also that if the angel's face had not shone first, he would not be holding the little book open in his hand, because it is in his plan that the whole sum of the Scriptures was revealed. And he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth. In this sentence, a distinction is shown between preachers and between times: those who are, as it were, the right foot, are the stronger ones who are neither lifted up by success nor thrown down by adversity, and say, The darkness thereof, and the light thereof are alike. [Ps. 138:12] These are set upon the sea, that is, to endure the persecutions of the wicked. As for the left foot, it is those of lesser strength: as they are sent in time of peace, it is as if they were set upon the solidity of the earth. For just as a king sends his stronger men to face the enemy, so does Christ.