About escape from the world

Composition by St. Ambrose of Milan “On Flight from the World” (58 chapters) was written around 394. It talks about the aspiration of the soul towards God, about the escape from this earthly world to the heavenly world. The treatise is divided into 9 parts. Part 1 (chap. 1-4) talks about escape - from the world, its temptations, from sins. In the 2nd part (chap. 5-13) the words of the Old Testament law about the cities of refuge (Num. 35), which were located in the lands of the Levites, are given. They symbolize the stages of knowing God through reflection and contemplation. The high priest, who frees unwitting murderers from punishment, is a type of Christ. In the 3rd part (chap. 14-16) the saint speaks about the Divine power that lives in the soul of a true believer. In the 4th part (chap. 17-24) escape from the world is called death. This is an escape from sin, examples of which are in the Old Testament (for example, Jacob's flight from Esau). In the 5th (chap. 25-31) and 6th parts (ch. 32-36) the call to escape continues. St. Ambrose recalls the flight of the prophets from the rulers and suggests that the depravity of this world is depicted under the guise of a harlot. The 7th part (chap. 37-44) explains the reasons why one should flee - the depravity of this world in which evil lives. The saint shows people as slaves of sin, explaining that the Lord condemns sin, not man. He speaks of the saving grace of Christ, which redeemed and resurrected the sinner. The 8th (chap.45-51) and 9th (chap.52-58) parts contain a call to flee from the world, if not physically, then in spirit. St. Ambrose gives the example of the patriarchs Isaac and Jacob, as well as Susanna, who symbolize faith, fidelity and purity. The treatise ends with a reminder of the death of the High Priest Christ, likeness to Whom gives believers wings of spiritual grace. *The title of the work in Latin is De fuga saeculi. Contents N. A. Kulkova. Literary predecessors of the essay “On Flight from the World” by St. Ambrose of Milan Bibliography for the treatise “On Flight from the World” De fvga saecvli / On Flight from the World N. A. Kulkova. Literary predecessors of the essay “On Flight from the World” by St. Ambrose of Milan The exact date of appearance of the short work by St. Ambrose of Milan “On Flight from the World” (De fuga saeculi) is not known. Most of the largest researchers of the 1st century who were engaged in the chronology of the works of St. Ambrose, adhered to the date proposed by J.-R. Palankom: autumn 394, when the usurper of the imperial throne Eugene was defeated and St. Ambrose petitioned for him before Emperor Theodosius 2. Palank considered this event to be the reason for the creation of a treatise on cities of refuge, thus classifying the treatise as one of the last works of the saint. The Maurists indicated 387 3, the publisher of the critical text K. Schenkl - 391 4 Schenkl relied on an article by F. Bücheler 5, who suggested that the quotation from Sallust 6 in the text of St. Ambrose (fug. 16) is taken not from the work of Sallust itself, but from the reference book “Exempla elocutionum” (“Examples of Expressions”) by the grammarian Arusian Messiah. But accurately dating the text of an ancient grammarian is also not easy, so Schenkl’s dating assumption remains one of many. D. Runia offers a broader framework - between 386 and 391. 7 This approach to dating the works of St. Ambrose seems more correct, since many of the saint's texts are revised sermons 8, and the treatise could be based on the text of a conversation dating back to an earlier period. Like the early texts of St. Ambrose (“On Paradise,” “On Cain and Abel,” “On Abraham,” “On Noah”) and later ones (“On Isaac or the Soul,” “On Jacob and the Blessed Life,” “On Joseph”) cannot be called purely exegetical works, although exegesis is present as a basic element 9 and was probably the driving motive for the creation of the texts; Old Testament events are only a pretext for moral and ascetic reasoning addressed to the saint’s contemporaries. Such works include the treatise “On Escape from the World.” Researchers of the works of St. Ambrose, it is obvious that the work “On Flight from the World,” like other early exegetical texts of the Mediolan saint, was created under the influence of the greatest interpreter of the Old Testament, Philo of Alexandria (20 BC - 50 AD). The text “On Flight from the World” largely repeats the argumentation and examples from Philo’s treatise “On Flight and Finding” (De fuga et inuentione, hereinafter fug. et inu.). But did St. follow? Ambrose to Philo? Let us turn to the text of the Alexandrian exegete. He talks about how the maid Hagar fled from her mistress Sarah (the essay begins with a quote from the Book of Genesis (Genesis 16:6–9, 11–12): Sarah began to oppress Hagar, and she ran away from her. And the angel of the Lord found her at a source of water in the desert...). Further, Philo discusses why people run away (“because of hatred, wives leave their husbands, and husbands leave their wives; out of fear, children run away from their parents, and slaves from their masters,” etc.), gives examples from the Old Testament (for example, the flight of Jacob from Laban and from Esau). St. Ambrose largely used the argumentation and examples of Philo from the Old Testament, but did not follow him at all. For him, the Platonic thought quoted by Philo was important, and perhaps it was Philo who served as a source of inspiration for him: Φυγὴ ὁμοίωσις ϑεῷ κατὰ τὸ δυνατόν (“Flight is the feasible assimilation of God,” fug. et inu. 63) 10. Philo indicated the author of these words: a glorious man, the creator of the Theaetetus 11. St. Ambrose, who constantly taught about the primacy and greater antiquity and wisdom of the Holy Scriptures, had only to choose a suitable biblical episode in order to create a treatise of moral and exegetical content - about the aspiration of the soul to God, about the escape from this earthly world to the heavenly world. It was impossible to follow Philo, since it was impossible to liken the soul to Hagar the Egyptian, but among the Old Testament quotes given by Philo there was also a well-known passage from the Book of Numbers, which St. Ambrose used for his exegetical purposes: Select for yourselves cities that will be cities of refuge for you, where a murderer who kills a person unintentionally can flee... (Num. 35:11-14). However, the interpretation takes up only a small part of the work (fug. 5–13). Let us consider the content of the essay “On Escape from the World.” The first, introductory chapter (fug. 1–4) talks about escape - from the world, its temptations, from sins 12. The second chapter (fug. 5–13) contains the words of the Old Testament law on cities of refuge. Following Philo, the author talks about these cities, but unlike Philo, the saint in his reasoning relies on New Testament texts and Christian teaching. Cities of refuge were located in the lands of the Levites, and for St. Ambrose, this fact became the reason to speak about the image of priestly service 13. Cities, in the allegorical interpretation of Philo, which St. follows. Ambrose, are the stages of knowing God through reflection and contemplation and at the same time medicine for the sinful soul. At the end of the chapter (fug. 13) the words of the law are explained (Num. 35:28; Joshua 20:6) about the death of the High Priest, freeing unwitting murderers from punishment. St. Ambrose points out that by the Old Testament high priest we must understand the Son of God. In the third chapter (fug. 14–16) the saint speaks of the divine power that lives in the soul of a true believer. If a person neglects the goodness of God, then God established laws: natural and written on tablets (fug. 15). At the end of the third chapter, the saint returns to the image of the High Priest (fug. 16), speaking in more detail about Christ and His perception of human flesh. The fourth chapter begins with a call to leave the world and fly on the wings of faith, flight is called death (fug. 18), this flight is from sin, and St. Ambrose cites Old Testament examples of such flight, including the flight of Jacob from Esau (fug. 20–23, 26–27), dwelling on the meaning of names from the text of the Book of Genesis. Consideration of the etymology of names was one of the exegetical techniques not only of Philo, but also of the most prolific exegetical author of the Ancient Church, Origen; St. Ambrose follows both of these authors in his etymologies. In this chapter, the saint turns to an allegorical interpretation: the motley sheep are interpreted as an intelligent flock of various virtues, which, like the steps of a ladder, lead to heaven. From the Old Testament examples the author moves on to the New Testament ones: just as Laban does not find anything in the spiritual dwelling of Jacob, because he is blinded by unbelief, so the prince of this world does not find anything in Christ. Chapter five continues to call for flight. In order to escape from here, you must leave your shoes, a symbol of material wealth and earthly attachments (fug. 25), take wings (fug. 27–31) and take off. The sixth chapter encourages you to run faster (fug. 32) and find grace with God (fug. 33), listing the virtues with which this is possible (fug. 33–34). St. Ambrose recalls the flight of the prophets from the rulers 14 and suggests that the depravity of this world is depicted under the guise of a harlot; he calls for asking for good help from the Lord (fug. 35–36). The seventh chapter (fug. 37–44) explains the reasons why we should flee, explaining the depravity of this world in which evil lives. The saint shows people as slaves of sin, explaining that the Lord condemns sin, not man (fug. 39–40). The author discusses the words of the Gospel: Be wise as serpents (Matthew 10:16), returns to the image of the tempting serpent and the curse that God placed on the serpent (fug. 41–43). The discussion about the curse again leads the author to the thought of the saving grace of Christ, which redeemed and resurrected the sinner. The eighth (fug. 45–51) and ninth (fug. 52–58) chapters again contain a call to flee from the world, if not physically, then in spirit. St. Ambrose turns to his favorite Old Testament characters: the patriarchs Isaac and Jacob and Susanna, who personify faith, fidelity and purity and whose spiritual qualities alienate them from this world and bring them closer to the heavenly world; gives the example of the flight of the Apostle Paul and Lot. The author ends the treatise with rhetorically framed passages, recalling the death of the High Priest Christ, likeness to Whom gives believers wings of spiritual grace, saving them from future wrath. In other works of St. Ambrose we find similar ideas. The call to mentally stand before the Lord and unite your soul with Him is reminiscent of the words of the treatise “On Isaac or the Soul” 15. These two treatises have a common theme - the flight of the soul from the earthly to the heavenly. It is difficult to say which of the texts appeared earlier, since the date of creation of “On Isaac and the Soul” has also not been established; we can only say that this treatise, as St. himself points out. Ambrose (Isaac 17), written after the "Explanation of Psalm 118" 16. About escape from the world St. Ambrose says in his treatise “On the Good of Death,” in which the already developed themes “On Flight from the World” (fug. 16–18) are briefly repeated: “Let us ascend to the divine on the wings of love 17 and the oars of grace [...] Our soul, like an eagle, strives upward to fly above the clouds [...] Let us flee from this evil and exalt our souls in the image and likeness of God.” 18. Bibliography for the treatise “On Flight from the World” For the translation, a critical edition of the Latin text prepared by Karl Schenkl in the series Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum (CSEL; 32/2:1897) 19 was taken. It is necessary to mention the translations of the treatise into Italian: Sant'Ambrogio. De fuga saeculi / Trad, e note di F. Portalupi. Torino, 1959. (Univ. Di Torino, Pubblicazioni della dacultà di magistero; 14); Sancti Ambrosii episcopi Mediolanensis opera. De patriarchis. De fuga saeculi. De interpellatione Iob et David / Introd., trad., not. e ind. G. Banterle // Sant’Ambrogio. Opere esegetiche IV: I patriarchi. La fuga dal mondo. Le rimostranze di Giobbe e di Davide. Milano: Biblioteca Ambrosiana; Roma: Città Nuova, 1980. (SAEMO; 13) 20 ; Saint Ambrose. Flight from the world / Trad. M.P. McHugh // Seven Exegetical Works. Washington, 1972. (The Fathers of the Church; 65). P. 281–325; Ambroise de Milan. La fuite du siècle / Introd., texte critique, trad, et not. C. Gerzaguet. P.: Cerf, 2015. (SC; 576). CSEL – Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum (Wien, 1865 ss.) SAEMO – Sancti Ambrosii episcopi Mediolanensis opera (Milano: Biblioteca Ambrosiana; Roma: Città Nuova, 1979 ss.) SC – Sources Chrétiennes (P., 1941 ss.) Sancti Ambrosii opera. Pars II, qua continentur libri De Iacob. De Ioseph. De patriarchis. De fuga saeculi. De interpellatione Iob et David. De apologia David. Apologia David altera. De Helia et ieiunio. De Nabuthae. De Tobia / Recensuit C. Schenkl. Vindobonae, 1897. (CSEL; 32/2). Sancti Ambrosii episcopi Mediolanensis opera. De patriarchis. De fuga saeculi. De interpellatione Iob et David / Introd., trad., not. e ind. G. Banterle // Sant’Ambrogio. Opere esegetiche IV: I patriarchi. La fuga dal mondo. Le rimostranze di Giobbe e di Davide. Milano: Biblioteca Ambrosiana; Roma: Città Nuova, 1980. (SAEMO; 13). Saint Ambrose. Flight from the world / Trad. M.P. McHugh // Seven Exegetical Works. Washington, 1972. (The Fathers of the Church; 65). P. 281–325. Sant' Ambrogio. De fuga saeculi / Trad, e note di F. Portalupi. Torino, 1959. (Univ. Di Torino, Pubblicazioni della dacultà di magistero; 14). Philon d'Alexandrie. Quaestiones in Genesim I et II e versione armeniaca / Introd., trad, et not. par Ch. Mercier. P., 1979. (SC; 34A). Books of the Old Testament translated by P.A. Yungerova. [T. 3:] Educational books / Under general. and scientific ed. A.G. Dunaeva. M.: Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate, 2012. Marcus Tullius Cicero. About the limits of good and evil. Paradoxes of the Stoics / Trans. N.A. Fedorov; comm. B.M. Nikolsky; entry Art. N.P. Grinzer. M., 2000. Greek philosophy. T. 1 / Ed. M. Canto-Sperber. M.: GLK, 2006. Schenk K. Philo of Alexandria: Introduction to life and creativity. M.: BBI, 2007. Bonato A. Il ruolo universale del sacerdozio di Cristo nell’allegoria delle citta-rifugio (Fug. saec. 2, 5–13; 3, 14–16). Una rilettura dell’esegesi filoniana da parte di Ambrogio // Studia Patristica. 1989. Vol. 36. P. 57–87. Colish M.L. The Stoic Tradition from Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages. 2 vols. Leiden, 1985. Courcelle P. Plotin et Saint Ambroise // Revue de Philologie. 1950. No. 76. P. 29–56. Courcelle P. De Platon à Saint Ambroise // Revue de Philologie. 1961. No. 35. P. 15–28. Courcelle P. Connais-toi toi-même, de Socrate à Saint Bernard. P., 1974–1975. Cutino M. L’anima e le sue adfectiones nel lessico filosofico di Ambrogio // Il latino dei filosofi a Roma antica / Ed. F. Gasti. Pavie, 2006, pp. 171–207. Dassmann E. Die Frömmigkeit des Kirchenvaters Ambrosius von Mailand. Quellen und Entfaltung. Munster, 1965. Ewald P Der Einfluss der stoisch-ciceronianischen Moral auf die Darstellung der Ethik bei Ambrosius. Leipzig, 1881. Hill C. Classical and Christian Traditions in Some Writings of Saint Ambrose of Milan: D. Phil. Diss. University of Oxford, 1979. Kannengiesser S. Handbook of Patristic Exegesis. The Bible in Ancient Christianity. Vol. 2. Brill; Leiden; Boston, 2004. Lewy H. Sobria ebrietas. Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der antiken Mystik. Giessen, 1929. Lubac H. de Exégèse médiévale. Les quatre sens de l'Écriture. 1/1. Paris, 1959. Lucchesi E. L'usage de Philon dans l'œuvre exégétique de saint Ambroise. Une “Quellenforschung” relative aux Commentaires d’Ambroise sur la Genèse. Leyde, 1977. Madec G. L’homme interior selon saint Ambroise // Ambroise de Milan. XVIe centenaire de son é1ection épiscopale. P., 1974. P. 282–308. Madec G. Saint Ambroise et la philosophic. P., 1974. Nauroy G. L’Écriture dans la pastorale d’Ambroise de Milan // Bible de tous les temps. T. 2: Le monde latin antique et la Bible. P., 1985. P. 371–408. Nauroy G. Ambroise de Milan. Écriture et esthétique d'une exégèse pastorale. Bern e. al.: Peter Lang, 2003. ‘Nec timeo mori’. Atti del Congresso internazionale di studi ambrosiani nel XVI centenario della morte di sant’ Ambrogio, Milano, 4–11 April 1997 / L.F. Pizzolatoe M. Rizzi, eds. Milano, 1998. (Studia Patristica Mediolanensia; 21). Pizzolato L.F. La dottrina esegetica di sant'Ambrogio. Milano, 1978. (Studia Patristica Mediolanensia; 9). Runia D. T. Philo in Early Christian Literature: A Survey. Assen; Minneapolis, 1993. Runia D. Philo and the Church fathers: A Collection of Papers. Leiden, 1995. Savon H. Saint Ambroise devant l’exégèse de Philon le Juif. 2 vols. P., 1977. Taormina L. Sant’ Ambrogio e Plotino // Miscellanea di studi di letteratura cristiana antica. T. 4. Catane, 1953. P. 41–85. Visona G. Cronologia ambrosiana. Bibliografia ambrosiana (1900–2000). Milano: Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Roma: Città Nuova, 2004. (Sancti Ambrosii Episcopi Mediolanensis opera; 25/26). Wilbrand W. Ambrosius und Plato // Romische Quartalschrift, 25, 1911. S. 468–488. Wilbrand W. Die Deutungen der biblischen Eigennamen beim hi. Ambrosius // Biblische Zeitschrift. [1912]. No. 20. S. 337–350. De fvga saecvli 21 / About escape from the world Gryson R. Le Prêtre selon saint Ambroise. Louvain, 1968. P. 36; Paredi A.S. Ambrogio e la sua eta. Milano, 19943. P. 531; Frede H.J. Kirchenschriftsteller. Verzeichnis und Sigel. Repertorium scriptorum ecclesiasticorum latinorum saeculo nono antiquiorum siglis adpositis quae in editione Bibliorum Sacrorum iuxta Veterem Latinam versionem adhibentur. 4 Aufl. Freiburg: Herder, 1995. S. 103. (Vetus Latina, Die Reste der altlateinischen Bibel; 1/1). Palanque J.-R. Saint Ambroise et l'Empire romain: Contribution à l'histoire des rapports de l'Église et de l'État à la fin du IVе sifècle. P., 1933. P. 549. CSEL. 1897. 32. 2. P. XI. Bücheler F. Coniectanea // Rheinisches Museum für Philologie. 1888. No. 43. S. 293–294. Bücheler believed that the words of the saint himself point to the reference book “Exempla elocutionum”: Recta est elocutio, siquidem apud eos qui uerborum et elocutionum dilectum habuerunt, huiusmodi inuenitur dicente aliquo “Locum editiorem quam uictoribus decebat” (“This is said grammatically correctly. Even good authors with a rich vocabulary and expressions such as this are found: “A higher place than befitted the winners.” With the verb decet in Latin, the accusative case is more often used than the dative case. To confirm the grammatical correctness of the Latin text of the Holy Scriptures, St. Ambrose quotes from Sallust, who, along with Cicero, was considered one of the examples of Latin eloquence. See: Runia D.T. Philo in Early Christian Literature: A Survey. Assen; Minneapolis, 1993; Runia D.T. Philo and the Church fathers: A Collection of Papers. Leiden, 1995. The essay begins with the words: “We often talk about escaping from the world” (Frequens nobis de effugiendo saeculo isto sermo, 1. 1). Cp. titles of the works of Philo and Ambrose: De fuga et inuentione – De fuga saeculi; De sacrificiis Abelis et Caini – De Cain et Abel; De Abrahamo – De Abraham; De Iosepho – De Ioseph. From the large number of allusions and quotations from the writings of Philo in St. Ambrose, we can conclude that the saint had excellent knowledge of the Greek language. Despite the diversity of Philo's writings, which St. Ambrose, E. Lucchesi made an attempt to prove that Philo's influence on St. Ambrose was indirect and occurred through a certain unpreserved work of Origen: Lucchesi E. L’usage de Philon dans l’œuvre exégetique de saint Ambroise. Une “Quellenforschung” relative aux commentaires d’Ambroise sur la Genèse. Leiden: Brill, 1977. (Arbeiten zur Literatur und Geschichte des hellenistischen Judentums; 9). Read more about the influence of Philo's exegesis on St. Ambrose, see: Savon N. Saint Ambroise devant l’exégèse de Philon le Juif. T. 1. P., 1977. P. 358–359. Later this idea was repeated by Plotinus, see: enn. 1. 2. 1 (βούλεται δ’ ἡ ψυχή φυγεῖν τὰ κακὰ, φευκτέον ἐντεῦϑεν. τίς οῦν ἡ φυγή; ϑεῷ φησιν ὁμοιωϑῆναι; “The soul wants to avoid evil, so one should flee from here. What kind of escape is this? “Evil has not taken root among the gods... that is why one should try to escape from here to there as quickly as possible. Flight is a feasible assimilation to God, and to become like God means to become rationally just and rationally pious” (see: Plato, “Theaetetus”, 176 a-c; Translation by T.V. Vasilyeva: Plato. Collected works: In 4 vols. T. 2. M.: Mysl, 1993. P. 232). The concept of escape from the world in St. Ambrose is considered in G. Piccolo: Piccolo G. Per lo studio della spiritualità Ambrosiana: i sermoni De Isaac [uel] et anima // Scuola cattolica. 1970. No. 98/1. P. 32–74. Thus, the treatise “On Flight from the World” continues the theme of priestly service set by the essay “On Duties.” This insertion into the narrative gives researchers reason to assume that St. Ambrose alludes to the Empress Dowager Justina supporting the Arians in the conflict of 386. The treatise “About Isaac or the Soul” talks about a soul striving to break away from earthly things and ascend to its Heavenly Bridegroom; see Ambrose of Milan, St. Collection creativity T. 3. M., 2013. P. 23–123 (translated by N.A. Kulkova). The image of Isaac appears several times in the essay “On Flight from the World”; in particular, the saint describes Isaac and his marriage with wisdom (fug. 51). Palank believes that the sermons that formed the basis of the text of the “Explanation of Psalm 118” were delivered from May 389 to February 390; see: Palanque J.-R. Op. cit. R. 524–525. Researchers trace the metaphor of “wings of love” both to the Holy Scripture (Isa. 40:31) and to Plato (Phaedr. 246a; see for more details: Courcelle R. Connais-toi toi-même de Socrate à Saint Bernard. P., 1974–1975. P. 562–624). St. Ambrose defends the biblical origin of the image of the winged soul, see: uirgb. 18. 116–117; fug. 5. 27. 30. – Note. E.V. Materova. See: St. Ambrose of Milan. Collection creativity T. 3. M., 2013. P. 127–211 (translated by E.V. Materova). Sancti Ambrosii Opera. Pars II, qua continentur libri De Iacob. De Ioseph. De patriarcis. De fuga saeculi. De interpellatione Iob et David. De apologia David. Apologia David altera. De Helia et ieiunio. De Nabuthae. De Tobia / Recensuit C. Schenkl. Vindobonae. e.a., 1897. (CSEL; 32/2). P. 163–207. Sancti Ambrosii opera. Pars II, qua continentur libri De Iacob. De Ioseph. De patriarchis. De fuga saeculi. De interpellatione Iob et David. De apologia David. Apologia David altera. De Helia et ieiunio. De Nabuthae. De Tobia / Recensuit C. Schenkl. Vindobonae, 1897. (CSEL; 32/2). P. 163–207. These words can be understood as a reference to preaching, although it has often been noted that St. Ambrose, imitating Origen, created his exegetical works in the form of homilies. Blzh. Augustine quoted from the first two paragraphs: p. duas epist. 4.11.30; With. Iul. Pelag. 2. 8. 23; de dono perseu. 8.20; 13. 33, 38 (See: Banterle. P. 73, n. 1). In his argument, St. Ambrose literally follows Philo of Alexandria (see: fug. et inu. 87). Wed. in Philo: fug. et inu. 88–89. Wed. in Philo: fug. et inu. 89. About loneliness cf. in Philo: fug. et inu. 92. Wed. in Philo: fug. et inu. 94. K. Hill suggested that the term operatorius is a neologism of St. Ambrose (see: Hill S. Classical and Christian Traditions in some Writings of Saint Ambrose of Milan. D. Phil. Thesis. Oxford, 25. 5. 1979. P. 214–215). See Virgil: ingratusque salutis (Aen. 10.666). Wed. in Philo: leg. 2. 22. 89. St. Ambrose repeats this etymology: interp. Iob 4.14; Abr. 2.34; exp. ps. 37, 10. Wed. in Philo: fug. et inu. 106–107. St. Ambrose contrasts Philo's natural understanding (φυσικὴ ἀπόδοσις, fug. et inu. 108) with the spiritual meaning of Scripture (spiritalia). Wed. in Philo: fug. et inu. 108. Wed. in Philo: fug. et inu. 117. The phrase was quoted by the blzh. Augustine: p. duas epist. 4.11.30. Lacunam post dicens significauit Schenkl. Quote from Sallust (Historiae fr. about 140). For more details on this quote, see the introductory article. K. Schenkl points out a gap in the text. Wed. in Philo: fug. et inu. 82; and also in Plato: Theaet. 176s. The image of passion as an angry master appears in Plato (see: resp. 329c), and is used by Cicero (see: senect. 47). See: 1 Samuel 19:18; 2 Samuel 15:14. Wed. in Philo: fug. et inu. 48. Wed. in Philo: fug. et inu. 50; and also in Origen: sel. in Gen. 37 (90) (see: Banterle. R. 95, n. 7). For more on the inner feet of the soul, see Isaac 79. Wed. etymology of the name Jacob: Cain et A. 1. 12; Abr. 2. 3. This etymology of the name Rebekah is found in Philo: leg. 3.88; congr. 7. 37; cherub. 13.47; fug. et inu. 4.24; and also in Origen: sel. in Gen. 37 (90). Cp.: Isaac 1; Jacob 2.14; epist. 4.17; off. 1.91. The metaphor of life as sailing on a stormy sea is often found in the works of St. Ambrose (see: Iacob 1. 6. 24; 2. 8. 36; bon. mort. 4. 15, 8. 31, etc.). Rachel. See below: fug. 51. See: Gen. 32:25–32 (the episode of Jacob’s struggle with the angel of God). See: Gen. 28:12 (Jacob's ladder episode). See: Gen. 31:33–35. To this Old Testament episode, St. Ambrose addresses often (see: Iacob 2.24; epist. 4.4–11; 55.11). See: Gen.19:11. Wed. in Philo: fug. et inu. 144. Compare: Exodus 3:6; Matthew 22:32. See: Matthew 10:9; Mark 6:8; Luke 9:3. This etymology goes back to Philo (agric. 42; fug. et inu. 44), St. Ambrose repeats it (see: Iacob 2. 24). See: Gen.31:34. In epist. 4. 4 St. Ambrose explains the name Rachel as a strong breath; in epist. 18.12 calls her the image of the Church, also in Jacob 2.25. Wed. another interpretation of these lines: parad. 15. Compare: Ps.33:20, 55:3, 128:2. St. Ambrose refers either to the episode when David and his soldiers were hiding in a cave into which the unarmed Saul entered (1 Samuel 24:4–8), or to the episode when David, pretending to be insane, was hiding in the Cave of Adollam (1 Samuel 22:1). Wed. in Plato: resp. 514a–17a. See: Psalter // Books of the Old Testament translated by P.A. Yungerova. [T. 3] Educational books / Ed. A.G. Dunaeva. M.: Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate, 2012. P. 283. Compare: Isa.54:1; Gal.4:27. Lot (see: Gen. 19:22–26). In the text of the Book of Genesis, Zoar is not a mountain, but a city. Coming out of Zoar, Lot settled on the mountain and lived in a cave (see: Gen. 19:30). Wed: Matthew 24:19; Mark 13:17; Luke 21:23. See: 1 Kings 19:2–4. Wed. about Jezebel: exh. u. 5.30; epist. 12.10; Nab. 9. 41–42. Read more about the flight of the prophet Elijah to St. Ambrose says in a letter: epist. ex. With. 14. 75–79. See: Proverbs 6:24–34, 7:5. Wed: Deut.6:5; Matthew 22:37. Wed. at the blzh. Augustine on the difference between wisdom (sapientia) and science (scientia): wisdom is from God, science is from people (see: trin. 12. 15). Wed. in Philo: fug. et inu. 63–64. Wed. in Plato: Theaet. 176a. Blzh. Augustine quotes these words from St. Ambrose: p. duas epist. 4.11.30. An image of a battle in which the winner removes the armor from the defeated enemy. Compare: “Flight does not mean that the soul leaves the earth, but while remaining on earth, the soul maintains justice and sobriety, refusing vices, and not the use of things” (Isaac 6). See about the etymology of the word "Dothan": Ioseph 3. 11. Cf. in Philo: fug. et inu. 127–128. See: Gen.21:6. St. Ambrose, following Philo (see: praem. 5. 31), interprets the name Isaac as “laughter” (see: Isaac 1). Sobria ebrietas is an image often used by St. Ambrose (see: Cain et A. 1. 19; Isaac 50; hymn. 2. 23–24; fid. 1. 20. 135; exp. ps. 118, 15. 28. 3; Noe 29. III; bon. mort. 5. 20). Cp. in Philo: fug. et inu. 166; and also in Origen: in Ioh. 1. 30. 206. For more details see: Lewy H. Sobria Ebrietas. Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der antiken Mystik. Giessen, 1929. See: Ex.1:19. Cp. in Philo: fug. et inu. 168. For more details on this episode from the Old Testament history (see: Gen. 27:1–29) St. Ambrose parses it into epist. 55 (see: St. Ambrose of Milan. Collected works. T. 4. Part 2. M., 2015. P. 29–37). Here we contrast ingenium as a talent given by God, and diligentia, diligence with the help of which a person himself achieves success. Wed. in Philo: fug. et inu. 168–169. Wed. in Philo: fug. et inu. 169. That is, the first quality is finding, acquiring, something to which you put effort; the second is what God gives you, intelligence, abilities. About the marriage to Rachel, see above: fug. 20–22. See: Gen.24:63. Compare: Isaac 1–7. The treatise “On Cain and Abel” talks about this in more detail. Wed. in Philo: fug. et inu. 18. Schenkle believed that St. Ambrose was referring to Plato's Symposium (213e); Savon finds similarities with a passage from Timaeus (41d) (see: Banterle. R. 127, paragraph 23). See: Daniel 13. The image of Susanna is often found in the works of St. Ambrose (see: spir. s. 3. 39–41; epist. 7. 33; 34. 5; 56. 3, 16; Iacob 2. 33; Ioseph 5. 26; uid. 24; uirgb. 1. 45; 2. 27–28; exh. u. 87). See: 1 Cor.9:18; 2 Corinthians 12:3–4. See: Col.2:12; Rom.6:4. See: Isa.60:9. Wed: interp. lob 1. 5. 15.