A letter from Jerome (397)

Translated letter:

1. Until today, there was a veil placed over the face of Moses in the reading of the old testament. He spoke with his face in glory and the people could not bear the glory of him speaking. When we are converted to the lord, however, the veil is lifted: the fatal letter dies, the vivifying spirit is raised. For the lord is the spirit and spiritual law. Whence David prayed in the psalm: “open my eyes and I shall take in wonders from your law” [Ps.118:18] “is God concerned with oxen?” [1Cor.9:9].(1) Clearly not. Much more with the liver of the ox, the ram, of goats and the shank of the right foot and stomach by which waste is digested, of which priests accept two as food, Phinehas merits the third as reward. The fat from the healthy sacrifices which surrounds the breast and the wing of the liver are offered on the altar; the breast and the right shank are given to Aaron and his legitimate [male] descendants forever by the children of Israel. Perception/feeling is in the heart, the dwelling of the heart is in the breast. The question is where the ruler of the soul is. Plato locates it in the brain, Christ shows it in the heart: “blessed the pure in heart, for they will see god” [Matth.5:8] and “out of the heart come evil thoughts” [Matth.15:19] and “why do you think evil in your hearts?” [Matth.9:4]. Desire and concupiscence, according to those who argued about natural science, lie in the liver. The priests offer its wing, flying in different directions and bursting through the windows of the eyes, to god so that after they have said “may your offering be rich/fat” and burned concupiscence, the seed of desire, with the fire of the spirit, they may deserve to receive the reward of breast and shank/arm: in the breast, pure thoughts, acquaintance with the law, truth of dogma; in the shank, good words and battle against the devil and an armed hand so that what they conceived in the mind they may prove by example. For Jesus began to do and teach [Acts 1:1]. The little breast is also called epithematos [Grk.], that is addition or superior and distinguished — indeed this is usually called thenufa — according to Malachi: “may the lips of the priest guard knowledge and they seek the law from his mouth” [Mal.2:7], from which we understand that among priests there should be superior acquaintance with law and doctrine and an addition of spiritual grace should be fixed in such a man, who can resist those who contradict and be given to no wrong action which might lead to hell, but a right arm that is separate so that the works of the priest are separated in comparison of his virtues from all other men. These things about sacrifices and what is offered on the altar are given to the priests by the lord. 2. For the rest, three other members are offered to priests, leaving out the first fruits of sacrifices from private and public provisions where necessity is food, not religion: arm/shank, jaw, stomach/belly. We have already spoken of the arm; the jaw signifies eloquence and learning, so that what we conceive in the breast we can bring out with the mouth; the stomach, receptacle of food, pierced in the Midianite hide by a priestly dagger [cf.Nos.25:8], condemns all the labors of men and temporary charms of the throat to the end of excrement and shows that to minds consecrated to god everything we feast on, everything we devour is thrown into the privy. Whence the apostle says: “food is meant for the stomach and the stomach is meant for food” [1Cor.6:13]; but god destroys this and that, and in contrast, about the dissolute: “their god is the belly and their glory is in their shame” [Phil.3:19]. Powder from the calf which Israel had adored the people received as a drink in contempt for superstitution, that they might learn to scorn what they saw thrown into the privy. The priests who were to minister in the temple were ordered not to drink wine and spirits, lest their hearts be weighed down by drunkenness and inebriation and cares of this life; lest they have any part in earth except only god; that they be distinguished by no weakness, not mangled ears, injured eye, flattened noses, lame foot, changed skin color, which all refer to vices of the soul. For desire is condemned in man, not nature. If one of the priests discharged seed, he would be forbidden to approach the sacerdotal table; in contrast a widow in whom, like Sara, womanish things were lacking, is received in the home of the father for continence and chastity and fed from the treasury of the temple. If she had sons, it should be given to her offspring so that “those who are truly widows” [1Tim.5:16] are taken care of and those who are sustained by priestly food are held by the love of no other. The local and the mercenary are excluded from the banquet of priests, the leftovers are given to the servants; Phygelus and Hermogenes are thrown out and Onesimus/Onesiphorus is received [2Tim.1:15-18]. The first fruits of foods and all fruits and apples are offered to the bishop so that he can serve the lord without any impediment, free and secure, having food and clothes. Priests receive the firstborn of clean animals, the price of the unclean. The first births of men are also redeemed and, since the condition of being born is one [for all], all offer the price equally, moderate and light so the rich man is not swollen nor the poor weighed down. Sacristans and doorkeepers receive the tithe/tenth, and the tithe of tithes the lesser and greater among the people offer to priests. Forty-eight cities are set aside for the dwelling of Levites and priests, six cities are chosen for fugitives beyond Jordan and within Jordan, and the end of exile is the death of the pontiff/high-priest [Nos.35]. All the sacraments which hasty speech contracts and I have only knocked at and not opened, pertain to all priests; what privileges enrich the high-priest however, I shall say briefly. 3. Let the head, [Moses] says, not be uncovered [Lev.21:10]. He has a headdress and wears the name of god on the forehead, adorned with a royal diadem, he comes to the perfect age of Christ, always to be protected by his glory he does not cut his vestments since they are white, unstained, since they are made of fleece of the shaved sheep following the lamb. Thamar when she lost her modesty cut her tunic; Caiaphas when he lost the priesthood publicly tore his vestments. “He shall not enter where there is a dead body” [Lev.21:11]. Where there is sin and death in sin, there the high priest does not approach. “The soul which has sinned will die” [Ezek.18:4]. Although he is rich, although he is powerful and offers a multitude of sacrifices, if he is dead he is not touched, not seen by the high priest. And if he revives and emerges from his tomb at the voice of the saviour and advances, absolved from the shroud of sins, the high priest will enter into him and make his mansion there and he will eat with the risen. 4. “He will not defile himself for his father or his mother” [Lev.21:11]. Affection compels us to do many things and when we look at the intimacies of bodies, we offend the creator of body and soul. Who loves his father and mother over Christ, is not worthy of him. A disciple desiring to go to the burial of his father is prohibited by the saviour’s command. How many monks, when they felt compassion for father and mother, have lost their souls. We are not permitted to pollute ourselves over father and mother, how much less over brother, sisters, cousins, domestics, slaves! Our family is royal and priestly. We attend that father who never dies or who dies for us and therefore died living that he might give us life in death. If we have something from Egypt which the prince of the world can recognize as his, let us leave it to the [fem.] Egyptian holding the mantle. A young man in muslin followed his conquered lord; he ran into a trap, unless he disengaged himself naked from the grasp of his pursuers. Let us give back to our parents what are the parents’; if they still live, let them take pride that their children/sons serve god in preference to them. 5. “He shall not go out from holy places and shall not pollute the sanctity of his god” [Lev.21:12]. We shall have given a reason for the superfluous word and everything which does not edify the hearer is a danger to the speaker. If I should do or say anything worthy of reproof, I am leaving holy places and polluting the word of Christ in what is more agreeable to me; how much more a high priest and bishop, who should be without crime and of such virtue that he always remains in holy places, prepared to offer sacrifices for the people, a trustee of men and god, preparing the flesh of the lamb with consecrated mouth, since “the holy oil of the anointed of god is always upon him” [Lev.21:12]. He does not leave the holy place lest he pollute the vestment he has put on; for when we are baptized in Christ we put on Christ. Let us preserve the tunic which we receive, let us keep it holy in a holy place. The mountain dweller who descended from Jerusalem to Jericho was not wounded before he was stripped bare. Oil is poured on him, a mild medicine, tempered with mercy and, since negligence should feel torment, he is stung by the sourness of the wine, to provoke him to penance by the oil and make him feel the severity of the judge through the wine. 6. “Let him take a virgin as wife, not a widow or divorced woman or a prostitute, but a virgin from his kin, and he will not contaminate his seed among the people. I am the lord who sanctifies him” [Lev.21:13-15]. I know the highpriest to whom the precepts are now given is understood by many to be Christ and that “he shall not defile himself for his father and his mother” is explained as the birthing of the virginal Mary. The interpretation of the lord is much easier in the psalm: “you are the priest forever according to the order of Melchisedech” [Ps.110:4] and “listen, Joshuah, great priest” [Zech.3:8] and by whom the filthy vestments of our sins are removed that he might receive the glory which he had with the father before he was purified. 7. But lest anyone think I do violence to scripture and so love Christ that I remove the truth of history, I shall interpret in the parts what refers to the body. I shall understand about the servants so that it is fulfilled in the lord — whatever is the glory of the lord is the glory of his servants — and, wherever opportunity allows, I shall contend thus about the true light. This high priest whom Mosaic speech describes, does not take to wife a widow, a divorcee, or a prostitute: the widow, whose husband is dead, the divorcee who was rejected by a living husband, the prostitute who is open to the desire of many. But he will take, [Moses] says, a virgin from his kin to wife, not a stranger, lest the fruits of noble seeds degenerate in bad earth, not a prostitute who is exposed to many lovers, not a divorcee who was unworthy to her previous husband, not a widow, who might remember former desires, but that soul which has no spot or wrinkle, which, reborn with Christ, is renewed from day to day, about whom the apostle says: “for I betrothed you to one man, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” [2Cor.11:2]. I do not wish a disciple or spouse of the high priest to have anything from the old man. If we rise with Christ we shall savor those things which are above having forgotten what is past, avid for what is to come. Unhappy Simon, since after baptism he thought of the old marriage, could not come to virginal purity, and was unworthy of Peter’s company. 8. You have compelled me, Fabiola, by your letters, to write to you about the vestments of Aaron. I offered more, so that I might devise a little preface about the food and prerogatives of priests and observances of the high priest. Having left Sodom and hastening to the mountain, you do not wish to dwell in the small city of Segor. Going beyond the proselytes, leaving behind the Israelites, letting go of the Levitican step, flying over priests with swift wing you come to the highpriest and, while you diligently inquire about his clothes and his breastplate, our company displeased you. And you who enjoy the desired leisure perhaps sigh for the Bethlehem countryside in Babylon; with peace restored to Ephratha, we have heard the infant crying in the manger and wish to make his laments and his little voice reach your ears. 9. We read in Exodus of the tabernacle, table, candelabrum, altar, columns, tents, scarlet, fine linen,(2) blue, purple, different vessels of gold, silver and bronze, the tabernacle divided in three, twelve breads for separate weeks, seven lights in the candelabrum, the altar laid with sacrifices and offerings, bowls, goblets, incense-burners, cups, mortars, pegs, red skins, goat hairs and imperishable woods. So many things are offered in the tabernacle of god that no one may despair of salvation: one presents the gold of sense, one the silver of eloquence, one the voice of bronze. The whole world is described in the sacrament of the tabernacle. The first and second fore-courts lie open to all — for water and earth are given to all mortals — but few enter into the holy of holies as few fly to air and heaven; twelve breads signify the circle of twelve months; seven lights show the seven wandering stars [planets]. And lest I go on too long — for I do not propose to write about the tabernacle — I shall come to priestly vestments and before I investigate the mystic significance, in the Jewish manner, I shall simply expound what is written so that, aftr you have seen the priestly garment and its adornment is opened to your eyes, then we shall seek the causes of individual things. 10. Let us first learn the garments common to priests and high priests. With linen undergarments that come to the knee the shameful parts are hidden and the higher part is tightly bound under the navel so that unimpeded, when they slaughter victims, drag bulls and rams, carry weights and carry out the ministering of their office, even if they slip and fall and uncover their thighs, what is covered is not revealed — which is why they are prohibited the step of the altar, so the people lower can not see the shameful parts of those ascending — in Hebrew this kind of garment is called machnase, in Greek periskele, we call it feminalia or bracae (breeches), reaching to the knees. Josephus recounts — for in his time the temple was still standing and Vespasian and Titus had not yet overthrown Jerusalem and he was of a priestly family, and understood much more what he saw with his eyes than what he heard with his ear — these undergarments were usually woven in fine linen for strength and after they were cut, they were sewn with a needle; for they could not be woven in this form. 11. The second tunic from linen is a poderes, that is ankle-length, of double muslin, which Joseph also calls fine linen [byssina]; and it is named “cotonat,” that is khiton [Grk], which in Hebrew is changed to linea. This clings to the body and is narrow and with slim sleeves, so that there is never a wrinkle in the garment and it falls to the foot. I wish, for the reader’s ease, to use common speech: soldiers usually have lineas (linen garments) which they call shirts, suited to their limbs and bound to their bodies so they are unimpeded whether for running or for battle, aiming the javelin, holding the shield, swinging the sword and whatever necessity brings. Therefore priests prepared for the ministry of god use these tunics so that having beauty of garments they can run with the speed of the naked. 12. The third kind of vestment is what they call “abaneth,” we can say girdle or belt, Babylonians use a new word “hemian.” We put the different words lest someone err in the name. This belt is like the skin of a snake which it throws off when it is old; it is woven in the round so you might consider it a pouch. It is woven however with a woof of scarlet, purple, blue, and a fine linen warp for beauty and strength and distinguished with the art of weaving so that you would think the different flowers and jewels were not woven by the hand of the craftsman but added on. The linen tunic we spoke of before is bound by this belt between the navel and the breast, having a width of four fingers and hanging mostly down to the foot, but during the sacrifices it is twisted over the left shoulder. 13. The fourth kind of vestment is the round cap which we saw pictured in Ulysses, like a sphere divided in half and one part placed on the head; this the Greeks and we call a tiara/turban, others a hat. It does not have a point on the top nor does it cover the whole head to the hair, but it leaves a third part uncovered in the front, and in the back of the head it is so bound by bands of fillets that it does not easily slip from the head. The fine linen however is so covered with linen work, that no signs of the needle appear outside. 14. These four vestments, the undergarment, the linen tunic, the belt that is woven with purple, scarlet, and blue fine linen, and the round cap which we just spoke of, priests as well as high-priests use, the other four are only for high priests: the first is “mail,” that is a long tunic, all blue, having sleeves sewn of the same color on the sides and open in the upper part which is put over the shoulders, commonly called capitium [head-covering] with very strong edges woven in, lest it be easily torn. In the lowest part at the feet, there are seventy-two and as many Punic apples woven in the colors of the belt. The bells and apples are interspersed alternating so that when the high priest enters the holy of holies, the whole sound advances. It would immediately die if he did not move. 15. The sixth vestment is what is called in Hebrew ephod, in the Septuagint epomida, that is, superhumeral; Aquila calls it ependuma, that is, overgarment, we call it ephod. And wherever one reads superhumeral in Exodus or Leviticus, we should know that among Hebrews it is called ephod. But I remember that I wrote about this vestment of the high priest in a certain letter and all scripture testifies that it is sacred and suitable only to high priests. Let it not be objected that Samuel, who was a Levite, was written in the book of Kings to have had an ephod bad, that is a linen superhumeral, first when he was young, when David is also said to have worn the same before the ark of the lord. For one is from the four mentioned colors, blue, fine linen, scarlet, purple and woven with gold, the other is simple linen like the priest’s. The layers of gold, bratteae, are beaten very thin, from which threads are cut and twisted with the woof of three colors, blue, scarlet purple, and with the warp of fine linen, a pall is made of vermiculate beauty striking the eyes with brightness like copes, but without hoods. There is nothing woven against the breast, but a place left for the breastplate. On each shoulder there are single stones enclosed and bound with gold, which in Hebrew are called “soom,” in Aquila and Symmachus and Theodotion onyx, in the Septuagint emerald; Josephus calls them sardonyx with the Hebrew and Aquila, indicating either the color of the stone or the country. On the individual stones are six names of patriarchs by which the Israelite people is divided: on the right shoulder the older sons of Jacob, on the left the younger, so that the high priest entering the holy of holies carries on his shoulders the people for whom he will solicit the lord. 16. The seventh vestment is small in size, but more holy than all the others. Exert your spirit, I pray, so that you may understand what is said. In Hebrew it is called “hosen,” in Greek, logion; we can call it breastplate, so from that name you may know immediately that what is said is mystical. The cloth is short, in gold and woven with four colors, the same as the superhumeral, having the width of a palm square and double, so it is not easily torn. Interwoven are twelve stones of wondrous magnitude and value in four rows so that in each there are placed three stones: in the first row, carnelian, topaz and emerald — Symmachus dissents on the emerald, giving a kind of onyx in its place; in the second, ruby/carbuncle, sapphire, jasper; in the third, jacinth, agate, amethyst; in the fourth, chrysolite, onyx, beryl. I am quite amazed that hyacinthus [sapphire, amethyst], the most precious stone is not in their number; unless perhaps it is the jacinth (ligurius) by another name. Looking at those who have written about the nature of stones and gems, I could not find ligurius. On the individual stones are sculpted the names of the twelve tribes according to their ages — these stones we read also in the diadem of the prince of Tyre and in the Apocalypse of John, from which the heavenly Jerusalem is constructed — and the order or diversity is indicated under their names and the type of power/virtue they have. In the four corners of the breast-plate are four rings of gold, having four others opposite them in the superhumeral so that when the logion is set in place, which we said was left for it in the ephod, ring meets ring and they are joined by blue fillets. Further, lest the size and weight of the stones should tear the cloth, they are bound and enclosed in gold. This would not suffice for strength unless the chains were also of gold, which for beauty are covered with gold piping and have on the breastplate two larger rings above, which are fastened with gold hooks on the superhumeral, and two others below. For behind the back on the superhumeral against the breast and stomach on each side were gold rings which joined by chains with the lower rings of the breastplate so it would seem to those seeing it that the breastplate was bound to the superhumeral and the superhumeral to the breastplate with one weaving. 17. The eighth is the gold plate, that is “sis zaab,” on which the name of god is written in four Hebrew letters, ioth, he, uau, he, which they call ineffable. This is placed over the linen cap common to all priests and more in the high priest so that it is bound by the blue fillet on the forehead and the name of god crowns and protects the whole beauty of the high priest. 18. We have learned what vestments are common to priests, what are special to the high priests and if there is such difficulty in fictile vessels, how much majesty there will be in the treasury which is hidden inside. Let us say first what we take from the Hebrews and then according to our custom spread the veil of spiritual understanding. The four colors refer to the four elements which all things consist of — fine linen is connected with earth, since it comes from the earth, purple with sea since it is dyed with snails from it, blue with air because of the similarity of color, scarlet with fire and air which in Hebrew is called “sani,” which Aquila translates diaphoron [Grk], Symmachus dibaphon [Grk], for scarlet in Latin speech is “tolath” among Hebrews, that is worm — and they hold it just that the high priest of the creator ask not only for Israel but for the whole world, if indeed the world consists of earth, water, air, and fire, and these are the elements of all things. Whence the linen vestment first signifies eatth, second its blue shows the air in its color, since we are we lifted little by little to the heights from earthly things and the blue of the robe going from head to foot indicates air poured from the heavens to earth. The Punic apples, however, and the bells in the lower part show lightning and thunder or earth and water and the harmony of all elements among themselves and all things are so commingled, that all are found in each, because the above-mentioned colors are interwoven with gold to signify that vital heat and the providence of divine sense penetrates all things. The superhumeral and the two stones, emerald or onyx which are above and touch each shoulder, are interpreted as the two hemispheres of which one is over the earth, the other under, or the sun and moon which glow above. That belt by which the breast of the priest is bound is interpreted as ocean and the linen tunic is earth. The breastplate in the middle they explain is earth which like a point, though it has all things in itself, still is surrounded by all the elements. The twelve stones are interpreted as the circle of the zodiac or the twelve months and by singles verses they mark out single times by three months. And this should not seem a gentile explanation to anyone. For if they defamed heavenly things and the disposition of god by the names of idols, the providence of god is not therby denied, which follows a sure law and rules all things. For we read Arcturus in Job and Orion and Mazuroth, that is the circle of the zodiac and other names of stars that are not the same words among Hebrews but which we can not understand unless we use the customary words. And this beautiful thing which is in the middle is called breastplate; with reason for all things full and earthly cleave to heavenly, indeed the reckoning of earthly things and times, of heat and cold, and the double mixing among them comes from the course and cause of heaven; whence the breastplate is tightly bound with the ephod. Further, what is said on the breastplate is delosis [Greek] and aletheia [Greek], that is manifestation and doctrine or truth, which signifies that there is never falsehood in the reason of good, but the truth is shown and comes to mortal men by many signs and arguments. Whence it happens that the cause of sun and moon and year and months and times and hours, of storms and calmness and winds and all things we know, we get by natural wisdom from god, that inhabitor and doctor of his dwelling showing the knowledge of the making to us. Over all the diadem and blue fillet shows heaven and the goldplate which is on the high priest’s forehead the name of god inscribed, figures I think that all things which are below are governed by god’s will under other names and the four animals in the cherubin, which are so intermingled and attached, that they are found in one and others and that earnestly go before and do not come back; for times pass and things left in the past hasten to the future. Because they are always in motion, however, it signifies what philosophers suspect, that the world runs in its order incessantly like a wheel turning on its axle. Whence it is a wheel in a wheel, that is time within time, and the year comes back on itself and those wheels are raised to heaven and above the crystal is a throne of sapphire and on the throne the image of one sitting whose lower parts are fire, higher parts amber to show that the lower need purgation by fire, the higher remain in a state of purity. And as in the priest’s dress the gold plate is above, so in Ezechiel amber is located on the breast at the top. Therefore it was just — as we said above — that the highpriest of god carrying the type of all creatures on his robes indicates that all things need the mercy of god and all creation sacrifices to him, so that he prays not for children and parents and those near to him but for all creatures with his voice and his dress. 19. We have touched the Hebrew exposition and the infinite forest of senses, reserving for another time the foundations we have constructed for a future home. About the linen undergarments they are accustomed to say: the cause of seeds and generation to flesh pertaining to earth is imputed to it — whence God spoke to Adam: you are the earth and you will go back to it [Gen.3:19] — and the causes of this thing, how from a small seed and foul beginnings so much beauty of men or different things is born, is covered and does not appear to human eyes. We read in Leviticus that Moses washed Aaron and his sons according to god’s precept: already the purgation of the world and the holiness of all things were a sign of the sacraments of baptism. They do not accept robes unless first the dirt is washed off nor are new men reborn unless they are adorned to sacredness in Christ; for new wine is not put into new skins. That Moses washes is a sign of the law: “they have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them” [Luke 16:29], and from Adam to Moses everyone sinned. We should be washed by the precepts of god and when, prepared for the clothing of Christ, we have put off our skin tunics, then we shall be clothed in the linen robe, which has mothing of death in it, but is all white so that rising from baptism we can gird our loins in truth and all the deformity of our former sins will be hidden. Whence David: “blessed those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered” [Ps.31:1]. 20. After the undergarment and the linen tunic, we are clothed in the blue vestment and we begin to ascend from earthly things to high things. This blue tunic — called hypodutes [Grk], that is shirt, by the Septuagint — is proper to the high priest, signifying that the highest causes are not open to all, but to the greater and the perfect. The prophets had this, Moses and Aaron and all to whom it is said: “ascend the highest mountain, you who bring news to Zion” [Isa.40:9]. Nor is it sufficient for us to have ablution of prior sins, grace of baptism, more secret doctrine, unless we have works. Whence the ephod, the superhumeral, is joined, which is connected to the breastplate so that not lax or dissolute they may cling to and help each other. Reason needs works and works need reason so that what we conceive in the mind, we can carry out in the deed/work. The two stones containing the names in the superhumeral signify either Christ and the church of twelve apostles, who were sent to preach, or the letter and the spirit in which all the mysteries of the law are contained: in the right, the spirit, in the left, the letter; by letters we get to words, by words, we come to the sense. How beautiful is the order, showing the sacraments from the same dress! Works are on the shoulders, reason in the breast; whence priests eat the little breast. The breastplate however is double, open and hidden, simple and mystical, having twelve stones and four rows, which I think are the four virtues: prudence, fortitude, justice, temperance, which adhere to each other and as they mix together attain the number twelve, or the four gospels which are described in the Apocalypse, filled with eyes and radiating the light of the lord, they illumine the world, four in one and each in the four; whence delosis and aletheia, that is doctrine and truth, are in the breast of the priest. For when one is clothed with the multiple robe, truth follows, which is retained in the heart to bring forth in speech. And therefore, there is truth in the breastplate, learning, so that he might know what is to be taught, and clear revealing, and doctrine, so that he might instruct others what the mind has conceived. Where are they who say the innocence of the priest can be sufficient? The old law agrees with the new: Moses with the apostle. One adorns the learning of the priest in his robes, the other instructs Timothy and Titus in teaching. But particularly the order of the vestments. Let us read Leviticus: not the breastplate first, then the superhumeral, but first the superhumeral, then the breastplate. “From your commands,” he says, “I have understood” [Ps.118:104]: first we act, thus we teach, lest the authority of teaching be destroyed by empty works. This is what we read in the prophet: “sow for yourselves in justice and reap the fruit of life” [Hos.10:12] “illuminate for yourselves the light of learning.” First sow in justice and reap the fruit of eternal life, then claim learning for yourself. Perfection is not immediately achieved, if one has the superhumeral and the breastplate, unless these are strengthened with a strong joining and are connected together so that works cling to reason and reason to works and doctrine and truth follow with them preceding. 21. If there were time to discuss the natures and causes of each, I would expound to you the four elements, about which we spoke above, and the two stones, either onyx or emerald, and the twelve jewels which are on the breastplate, and what value each has and how they compare in individual virtues/powers — holy pope Epiphanius produced an outstanding volume on this from which if you wished to read it you would obtain very full knowledge; I understand that I exceed the measure of a letter and I see that the wax is full; whence I move on to the rest, so the oration can be ended. The gold plate glows on the forehead; for erudition in all things is no advantage to us unless we are crowned with the knowledge of god. We are clothed in linen, adorned with blue, girded with the consecrated belt, works are given to us, the breastplate is set on the chest: we receive truth, speech gives out doctrine; all things are imperfect unless the worthy driver is sought with the handsome chariot and the creator pressing his creatures rules what he formed. What in the past was shown in the plate, is now a sign of the cross. The blood of the gospel is more preicous than the gold of the law. Then the sign was fixed on the forehead according to the laments of Ezekiel, now we say, carrying the cross: “the light of your face is a sign over us, lord” [Ps.4:7]. Twice in Exodus with the lord ordering and Moses following his command we read the eight kinds of dress of the highpriest. In Leviticus, only seven are written about and it is related how Moses dressed his brother Aaron in them: nothing is said here only about the undergarments because, I assume, the law does not set its hand to our genitals and shameful things, but we should cover and veil our secrets with worthy shame and preserve the consciense of purity and seeds of judgment for god. About the other virtues, wisdom by grace of the word, fortitude, justice, humility, kindness, generosity, others can judge: only conscience knows modesty and human eyes can not be sure judges of this thing except those which are exposed at random to desire in the manner of brute animals. Whence the apostle says: “about virgins I do not have the lord’s command” [1Cor.7:25], as if Moses said: “I do not wear undergarments nor impose the necessity for them on anyone; who wishes to be a priest, let him dress himself.” O how many virgins and the hoped for modesty of how many will be dishonored on judgment day, the ill-reputed modesty of how many will be crowned by god the judge! Let us assume the undergarments for ourselves, let us deal with our own shame, let us not seek foreign eyes. Let the genitalia be covered so that they are revealed to no one’s eyes, lest if some foulness should appear when we enter the holy of holies we might die. 22. Already the discourse is finished and I am brought back to higher things. The learning and erudition of god’s high priest should be such that his going out and movements are all resounding. Let him conceive truth with his mind and sound it with all his dress and adornment so that whatever he does, whatever he says, may be doctrine for the people. For without bells and different colors and jewels and flowers of virtues one can not enter holy things nor have the name of bishop. I dictated this with swift speech in one night’s work when the rope was already loosed from the shore and the sailors calling out repeatedly, what I could hold in my memory and what I collected from my long reading in the breastplate of my breast, understanding more in the impetus of me speaking than flowed to the judgment of the one writing and bringing out turbid speech like a torrent. A book about the seven garments of Aaron is mentioned in the index of Septimus Tertullianus, which I have not so far found. If you should find it within the multitude of the city, I ask you not to compare my drop to that river. For it must be valued not by the talents of great men, but by my own strengths.

Original letter:

Ad Fabiolam. 1.Usque hodie in lectione ueteris testamenti super faciem Moysi uelamen positum est. loquitur glorificato uultu et populus loquentis gloriam ferre non sustinet. cum autem conuersi fuerimus ad dominum, auferetur uelamen: occidens littera moritur, uiuificans spiritus suscitatur. dominus enim spiritus est et lex spiritalis. unde et Dauid orabat in psalmo: reuela oculos meos et considerabo mirabilia de lege tua. numquid de bubus cura est deo? utique non. multo magis de iecore bouis, arietis, hircorum et armo dextri pedis et uentre, quo stercora digeruntur, quorum duo in esum accipiunt sacerdotes, tertium Finees meretur in praemio. de uictimis salutaribus adipes, quibus pectus obuoluitur, et pinnula iecoris offeruntur super altare; ipsum uero pectus et brachium dextrum dantur Aaron et filiis eius legitimum sempiternum a filiis Israhel. sensus in corde est, habitaculum cordis in pectore. quaeritur, ubi sit animae principale. Plato in cerebro, Christus monstrat in corde: beati mundo corde, quoniam ipsi deum uidebunt, et: de corde procedunt cogitationes malae, et: quid cogitatis nequam in cordibus uestris? uoluptas et concupiscentia iuxta eos, qui de physicis disputant, consistit in iecore. huius pinnulam in diuersa uolitantem et per oculorum . fenestras erumpentem foras sacerdotes offerunt deo, ut, post quam opere dixerint: holocaustum tuum pingue fiat et concupiscentiam, libidinis seminarium, igne spiritus concremarint, mereantur accipere praemium pectus et brachium: in pectore mundas cogitationes, legis notitiam, dogmatum ueritatem, in brachio opera bona et pugnam contra diabolum et armatam manum, ut, quod mente conceperint, exemplo probent. Iesus enim coepit facere et docere. ipsum quoque pectusculum appellatur epithematos [Greek letters], id est additamenti, siue praecipuum et egregium — thenufa quippe hoc magis sonat — iuxta illud Malachiae: labia sacerdotis custodient scientiani et legem requirent ex ore eius, ex quo intellegimus praecipuam debere esse in sacerdotibus legis doctrinaeque notitiam et additamento gratiae spiritalis talem uirum institui, qui possit contradicentibus resistere et nihil in se sinistri habere operis, quod ducat ad tartarum, sed dextrum brachium et separatum, ut opera sacerdotis conparatione uirtutum eius a cunctis hominibus separata sint. haec de uictimis et de his, quae offeruntur in altari, sacerdotibus dantur a domino. 2. Ceterum et alia tria exceptis primitiis hostiarum de priuato et de macello publico, ubi non religio, sed uictus necessitas est, sacerdotibus membra tribuuntur: brachium, maxilla et uenter. de brachio iam diximus; maxilla eloquentem eruditumque significat, ut, quod pectore concepimus, ore promamus; uenter, receptaculum ciborum, in scorto Madianitide sacerdotali pugione perfossus uniuersos hominnm labores et momentanea blandimenta gulae stercoris fine condemnat et ostendit mentibus consecratis deo totum, quod ligurrimus, quod uoramus, in secessum proici. unde et apostolus: osca, inquit, uentri et uenter escis; deus autem et hunc et illa destruet, et e contrario de luxuriosis: quorum deus uenter est et gloria in confusione eorum. uituli puluerem, quem adorauerat Israhel, in contemptu superstitionis in potu accipit populus, ut discat contemnere, quod in secessu proici uiderat. praecipitur sacerdotibus, ne ministraturi in templo uinum et siceram bibant, ne ebrietate et crapula et curis huius uitae praegrauentur corda eorum; ne partem habeant in terra nisi solum deum; ut nulla debilitate insignes sint, ne truncis auribus, laeso oculo, simis naribus, claudo pede, cutis colore mutato, quae omnia referuntur ad animae uitia. uoluntas enim in homine, non natura damnatur. si quis e sacerdotibus semine fluxerit, ad sacerdotalem mensam prohibetur accedere; et e contrario uidua, cuius cum Sarra defecerunt muliebria, propter continentiam et castitatem et recipitur in domum patris et de templi aerario alitur. quodsi filios habuerit, redditur suboli suae, ut iuxta apostolum his ministretur, quae uere uiduae sunt, et ut, quae sacerdotalibus sustentatur cibis, nullius alterius amore teneatur. uicinus et mercennarius excluduntur a conuiuio sacerdotum, seruis ciborum reliquiae conceduntur; iam tunc proiciebatur Phygelus et Hermogenes et recipiebatur Onesimus. primitiae ciborum et omnium frugum atque pomorum offeruntur antestiti, ut habens uictum atque uestitum absque ullo inpedimento securus et liber seruiat domino, primogenita mundorum animalium accipiunt sacerdotes, inmundorum pretia. hominum quoque primi partus redimuntur et, quia condicio una nascendi est, omnes pretium aequaliter offerunt sic moderatum et leue, ut nec diues intumescat nec tenuis praegrauetur. aeditui et ianitores accipiunt decimas et rursum decimas decimarum offerunt sacerdotibus tanto illis minores, quanto ipsi maiores populo. quadraginta et octo ciuitates ad habitandum Leuitis et sacerdotibus separantur, sex urbes fugitiuorum trans Iordanen et intra Iordanen eliguntur, et finis exilii mors pontificis est. uniuersa, quae festinus sermo perstrinxit et quorum pulsaui tantum nec aperui sacramenta, ad cunctos pertinent sacerdotes; pontifex autem quantis polleat priuilegiis, dicam breuiter. 3. Caput, inquit, suum non discoperiet. habet cidarim et nomen dei portat in fronte, diademate ornatus est regio, ad perfectam Christi uenit aetatem, semper eius gloria protegendus est et uestimenta sua non scindet, quia candida sunt, quia inpolluta, quia agnum sequentia et de adtonsae ouis confecta uelleribus. Thamar amissa pudicitia scidit tunicam; Caiafas perdito sacerdotio rupit publice uestimenta. super omnem animam, quae mortua est, non ingredietur. ubicumque peccatum est et in peccato mors, illuc pontifex non accedet. anima, quae peccauerit, ipsa morietur. quamuis ille sit diues, quamuis potens et multitudinem offerat uictimarum, si mortuus est, non tangitur a pontifice, non uidetur. quodsi reuiuiscit et ad uocem saluatoris egreditur de sepulchro suo et fasceis peccatorum solutus incedit, intrabit ad eum pontifex et ibi faciet mansionem et cum resurgente prandebit. 4. Super patre suo et super matre sua non inquinabitur. multa nos facere cogit affectus et, dum propinquitates respicimus corporum, et corporis et animae offendimus creatorem. qui amat patrem et matrem super Christum, non est eo dignus. discipulus ad sepulturam patris ire desiderans saluatoris prohibetur imperio. quanti monachorum, dum patris matrisque miserentur, suas animas perdiderunt! super patre et matre pollui nobis non licet, quanto magis super fratre, sororibus, consobrinis, familia, seruulis! genus regale et sacerdotale sumus. illum adtendamus patrem, qui numquam moritur aut qui pro nobis moritur et qui ideo uiuens mortuus est, ut nos mortuos uiuificaret. si quid habemus de Aegypto, quod princeps mundi suum possit agnoscere, tenenti Aegyptiae cum pallio relinquamus. sindone opertus adulescens uinctum dominum sequebatur: incurrisset laqueos, nisi expeditus et nudus persequentium impetus declinasset. reddamus parentibus, quae parentum sunt; si tamen uiuunt, si seruientes deo filios suos praeferri sibi gloriantur. 5. Et de sanctis non egredietur et non polluet sanctificationem dei sui. pro otioso quoque uerbo rationem reddituri sumus et omne, quod non aedificat audientes, in periculum loquentium uertitur. ego, si fecero, si dixero quippiam, quod reprehensione dignum est, de sanctis egredior et polluo uocabulum Christi, in quo mihi blandior: quanto magis pontifex et episcopus, quem oportet esse sine crimine tantarumque uirtutum, ut semper moretur in sanctis et paratus sit uictimas offerre pro populo, sequester hominum et dei et carnes agni sacro ore conficiens, quia sanctum oleum christi dei sui super eum est! non egreditur e sancto, ne uestimentum, quod indutus est, polluat; quotquot enim in Christo baptizati sumus, Christum induimus. seruemus tunicam, quam accepimus, sanctum custodiamus in sancto. ille montanus habitator, qui de Hierusalem descendebat Hiericho, non prius uulneratus est, quam nudatus. infunditur ei oleum, medicamentum lene et misericordia temperatum, et, quia debuit neglegentia sentire cruciatum, uini austeritate mordetur, ut per oleum ad paenitentiam prouocetur, per uinum seueritatem sentiat iudicantis. 6. Uxorem uirginem accipiet, uiduam autem et eiectam et meretricem non accipiet, sed uirginem de genere suo, et non contaminabit semen suum in populo. ego dominus, qui sanctifico eum. scio pontificem, cui praecepta nunc dantur, a plerisque Christum intellegi et id, quod dictum est: super patre et matre non inquinabitur, de uirginalis Mariae partu edisseri. multoque facilior est super domino interpretatio, qui audit in psalmo: tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech, et in Zacharia: audi, Iesu, sacerdos magne, et cui sordida peccatorum nostrorum uestimenta tolluntur, ut recipiat gloriam, quam habuit apud patrem, priusquam mundus esset. 7. Sed ne quis me uim facere scripturae putet et sic amare Christum, ut historiae auferam ueritatem, interpretabor in membris, quod referatur ad corpus, intellegam de seruis, ut inpleatur in domino — quamquam gloria domini gloria famulorum sit — et, ubicumque oportunitas se loci tulerit, sic de uero lumine disputabo. ut deriuetur ad eos, quibus Christus donauit, ut lumen sint. pontifex iste, quem Mosaicus sermo describit, uiduam, eiectam et meretricem non ducet uxorem — uidua est, cuius maritus est mortuus; eiecta, quae marito uiuente proicitur; meretrix, quae multorum libidini patet —, sed accipiet, inquit, uxorem uirginem de genere suo, non alienigenam, ne in mala terra nobilium seminum frumenta degenerent, non meretricem, quae multis exposita est amatoribus, non eiectam, quae etiam priori coniugio indigna fuit, non uiduam, ne pristinarum meminerit uoluptatum, sed illam animam, quae non habet maculam neque rugam, quae cum Christo renata innouatur de die in diem, de qua apostolus loquitur: despondi enim uos uni uiro, uirginem sanctam exhibere Christo. nolo discipulam coniugemque pontificis quicquam habere de ueteri homine. si consurreximus Christo, ea, quae sursum sunt, sapiamus praeteritorum obliti, futurorum auidi. infelix Simon, quia post baptismum de antiquo matrimonio cogitabat nec ad uirginalem uenerat puritatem, Petri consortio indignus fuit. 8. Conpulisti me, Fabiola, litteris tuis, ut de Aaron tibi scriberem uestimentis. ego plus obtuli, ut de cibis et praemiis sacerdotum et de obseruatione pontificis praefatiunculam struerem. egressa de Sodomis et ad montana festinans non uis habitare in parua urbe Segor. transcendens proselytos, praeteriens Israhelitas, dimittens Leuiticum gradum, praepete pinna transuolans sacerdotes ad pontificem uenis et, dum uestes eius et rationale pectoris diligenter inquiris, nostra tibi displicuere consortia, et tu quidem optato frueris otio et iuxta Babylonem Bethlemitica forsitan rura suspiras; nos in Effrata tandem pace veddita uagientem de praesepe audiuimus infantem et querimonias eius ac uoculam ad tuas aures cupimus peruenire. 9. Legimus in Exodo tabernaculum, mensam, candelabrum, altare, columnas, tentoria, coccum, byssum, hyacinthum, purpuram, ex auro, argento et aere uasa diuersa, tabernaculum diuisum in tria, duodecim panes per singulas ebdomadas mensae inpositos, in candelabro septem lucernas, altare hostiis et holocaustis expositum, crateras, scyphos, turibula, fialas, mortariola, paxillos, pelles rubras, pilos caprarum et ligna inputribilia. tanta offeruntur in tabernaculo dei, ut nullus desperet salutem, alius aurum sensuum, alius argentum eloquii, alius uocem aeris exhibeat. totus mundus in tabernaculi describitur sacramento. primum et secundum uestibulum omnibus patet — aqua enim et terra cunctis mortalibus data sunt —, in sanctis uero sanctorum quasi ad aethera et in caelum paucorum introitus et uolatus est; duodecim panes duodecim mensuum significant circulum; septem lucernae septem errantia astra demonstrant. et ne longum faciam — neque enim propositum mihi est nunc de tabernaculo scribere —, ueniam ad sacerdotalia uestimenta et, antequam mysticam scruter intellegentiam, more Iudaico, quae scripta sunt, simpliciter exponam, ut, postquam uestitum uideris sacerdotem et oculis tuis omnis eius patuerit ornatus, tunc singulorum causas pariter requiramus. 10. Discamus primum communes sacerdotum uestes atque pontificum. lineis feminalibus, quae usque ad genu et poplites ueniunt, uerecunda celantur et superior pars sub umbilico uehementer adstringitur, ut, si quando expediti mactant uictimas, tauros et arietes trahunt, portant onera et in officio ministrandi sunt, etiamsi lapsi ruerint et femora reuelarint, non pateat, quod opertum est — inde et gradus altaris prohibentur fieri, ne inferior populus ascendentium uerecunda conspiciat —, uocaturque lingua Hebraea hoc genus uestimenti 'machnase', Graece periskele, a nostris feminalia uel bracae usque ad genua pertingentes. refert Iosephus — nam aetate eius adhuc templum stabat et necdum Uespasianus et Titus Hierosolymam subuerterant et erat ipse de genere sacerdotali, multoque plus intellegitur, quod oculis uidetur, quam, quod aure percipitur — haec feminalia de bysso retorta ob fortitudinem solere contexi et, postquam incisa fuerint, acu consui; non enim posse in tela huiusce modi fieri. 11. Secunda ex lino tunica est poderes, id est talaris, duplici sindone, quam et ipsam Iosephus byssinam uocat, appellaturque 'cotonat', id est chiton [Greek], quod Hebraeo sermone in lineam uertitur. haec adhaeret corpori et ita arta est et strictis manicis. ut nulla omnino in ueste sit ruga et usque ad crura descendat. uolo pro legentis facilitate abuti sermone uulgato: solent militantes habere lineas, quas camisas uocant, sic aptas membris et adstrictas corporibus, ut expediti sint uel ad cursum uel ad proelia, dirigendo iaculo, tenendo clipeo, ense librando et quocumque necessitas traxerit. ergo et sacerdotes parati in ministerium dei utuntur hac tunica, ut habentes pulchritudinem uestitorum nudorum celeritate discurrant. 12. Tertium genus est uestimenti, quod illi appellant ‘abaneth'. nos cingulum uel balteum et zonam possumus dicere, Babylonii nouo uocabulo 'hemian' uocant. diuersa uocabula ponimus, ne quis erret in nomine, hoc cingulum in similitudinem pellis colubri, qua exuit senectutem, sic in rotundo textum est, ut marsuppium longius putes. textum est autem subtemine cocci, purpurae, hyacinthi et stamine byssino ob decorem et fortitudinem atque ita polymita arte distinctum, ut diuersos flores et gemmas artifici manu non textas sed additas arbitreris. lineam tunicam, de qua supra diximus, inter umbilicum et pectus hoc stringunt balteo, qui quattuor digitorum habens latitudinem et ex magna parte ad crura dependens, cum ad sacrificia cursu et expeditione opus est, in laeuum umerum retorquetur. 13. Quartum genus est uestimenti rotundum pilleolum, quale pictum in Ulixe conspicimus, quasi sphaera media sit diuisa et pars una ponatur in capite; hoc Graeci et nostri tiaram, nonnulli galerum uocant. non habet acumen in summo nec totum usque ad comas caput tegit, sed tertiam partem a fronte inopertam relinquit atque ita in occipitio uittae constrictus est taenia, ut non facile labatur ex capite. est autem byssinum et sic fabre opertum linteolo, ut nulla acus uestigia forinsecus pareant. 14. His quattuor uestimentis, id est feminalibus, tunica linea, cingulo, quod purpura, cocco, bysso hyacinthoque contexitur, et pilleo, de quo nunc diximus, tam sacerdotes quam pontifices utuntur. reliqua quattuor proprie pontificum sunt, quorum primum est 'mail', id est tunica talaris, tota hyacinthina, ex lateribus eiusdem coloris adsutas habens manicas et in superiori parte, qua collo induitur, aperta, quod uulgo capitium uocant, oris firmissimis et ex se textis, ne facile rumpantur. in extrema uero parte, id est ad pedes, septuaginta duo sunt tintinabula et totidem mala Punica isdem contexta coloribus, quibus supra cingulum. inter duo tintinabula unum malum est et inter duo mala unum tintinabulum, ut alterutrum inuicem sibi media sint, causaque redditur: idcirco tintinabula uesti adposita sunt, ut, cum ingreditur pontifex in sancta sanctorum, totus uocalis incedat. statim moriturus, si hoc non fecerit. 15. Sextum est uestimentum, quod Hebraica lingua dicitur ephod, Septuaginta epomida [Greek], id est superumerale, appellant, Aquila ependuma [Greek], hoc est desuperuestimentum, nos ephod suo ponemus nomine, et ubicumque in Exodo uel in Leuitico superumerale legitur, sciamus apud Hebraeos ephod appellari. hoc autem esse pontificis uestimentum et in quadam epistula scripsisse me memini et omnis scriptura testatur sacrum quid esse et solis conueniens pontificibus. nec statim illud occurrat, quod Samuhel, qui Leuita fuit, scribitur in Regnorum libro primo habuisse aetatis adhuc paruulae ephod bad, id est superumerale lineum, cum Dauid quoque ante arcam domini idem portasse referatur. aliud est enim ex quattuor supra dictis coloribus, id est hyacintho, bysso, cocco, purpura et ex auro habere contextum, aliud in similitudinem sacerdotum simplex et lineum. auri laminae, id est bratteae, mira tenuitate tunduntur, ex quibus secta fila torquentur cum subtemine trium colorum, hyacinthi, cocci, purpurae, et cum stamine byssino, et efficitur palleolum uermiculatae pulchritudinis perstringens fulgore oculos in modum caracallarum, sed absque cucullis. contra pectus nihil textum est et locus futuro rationali derelictus. in utroque umero habet singulos lapides clusos et adstrictos auro, qui Hebraice uocantur 'soom', ab Aquila et Symmacho et Theodotione onychini, a Septuaginta zmaragdi; Iosephus sardonychas uocat cum Hebraeo Aquilaque consentiens, ut uel colorem lapidum uel patriam demonstraret. in singulis lapidibus sena patriarcharum nomina sunt, quibus Israheliticus populus diuiditur: in dextro umero maiores filii Iacob, in laeuo minores scripti sunt, ut pontifex ingrediens sancta sanctorum populum, pro quo rogaturus est dominum, portet in umeris. 16. Septimum uestimentum est mensura paruulum, sed cunctis supra dictis sacratius. intende, quaeso, animum, ut, quae dicuntur, intellegas. Hebraice uocatur 'hosen', Graece logion [Greek], nos rationale possumus appellare, ut ex ipso statim nomine scias mysticum esse, quod dicitur. pannus est breuis, auro et quattuor textus coloribus, hoc est isdem, quibus et superumerale, habens magnitudinem palmi per quadrum et duplex, ne facile rumpatur. intexti ei duodecim lapides mirae magnitudinis et pretii per quattuor ordines, ita ut in singulis uersiculis terni lapides conlocentur: in primo ordine sardius, topazius, zmaragdus ponitur — Symmachus dissentit in zmaragdo ceraunium pro eo transferens —, in secundo carbunculus, sapphirus, iaspis, in tertio ligurius, achates, amethystus, in quarto chrysolithus, onychinus, berillus. satisque miror, cur hyacinthus, pretiosissimus lapis; in horum numero non ponatur; nisi forte ipse est alio nomine ligurius. scrutans eos, qui de lapidum atque gemmarum scripsere naturis, ligurium inuenire non potui. in singulis lapidibus secundum aetates duodecim tribuum sculpta sunt nomina — hos lapides et in diademate principis Tyri et in Apocalypsi Iohannis legimus, de quibus extruitur caelestis Hierusalem — et sub horum nominibus et specie uirtutum uel ordo uel diuersitas indicatur. per quattuor rationalis aogulos quarttuor anuli sunt aurei habentes contra se in superumerali alios quattuor, ut, cum adpositum fuerit logion in loco, quem in ephod diximus derelictum, anulus ueniat contra anulum et mutuo sibi uittis copulentur hyacinthinis. porro, ne magnitudo et pondus lapidum contexta stamina rumperet, auro ligati sunt atque conclusi. nec sufficit hoc ad firmitatem, nisi et catenae ex auro fierent, quae ob pulchritudinem fistulis aureis tegerentur haberentque et in rationali supra duos maiores anulos, qui uncinis superumeralis aureis necterentur, et deorsum alios duos, nam post tergum in superumerali contra pectus et stomachum ex utroque latere erant anuli aurei, qui catenis cum rationalis inferioribus anulis iungebantur, atque ita fiebat, ut adstringeretur et rationale superumerali et superumerale rationali et una textura contra uidentibus putaretur. 17. Octaua est lamina aurea, id est 'sis zaab', in qua scriptum est nomen dei Hebraicis quattuor litteris ioth, he, uau, he, quod apud illos ineffabile nuncupatur. haec super pilleolum lineum et commune omnium sacerdotum in pontifice plus additur, ut in fronte uitta hyacinthina constringatur totamque pontificis pulchritudinem dei uocabulum coronet et protegat. 18. Didicimus, quae communia cum sacerdotibus, quae specialia pontificis uestimenta sint, et, si tanta difficultas fuit in uasis fictilibus, quanta maiestas erit in thesauro, qui intrinsecus latet! dicamus prius, quod ab Hebraeis accepimus, et iuxta morem nostrum spiritali postea intellegentiae uela pandamus. quattuor colores ad quattuor elementa referunt, ex quibus uniuersa subsistunt — byssus terrae deputatur, quia ex terra gignitur, purpura mari, quia ex eius cocleolis tinguitur, hyacinthus aeri propter coloris similitudinem, coccus igni et aetheri, qui Hebraice 'sani' appellator, quod Aquila diaphoron [Greek], Symmachus dibaphon [Greek] interpretatus est, pro cocco iuxta Latinum eloquium apud Hebraeos 'tolath', id est uermiculus —, et iustum esse commemorant, ut pontifex creatoris non solum pro Israheli, sed pro uniuerso mundo roget, si quidem ex terra et aqua et aere et igne mundus iste consistat et haec elementa sint omnium, unde primum lineum uestimentum est terram significans, secundum hyacinthinum aerem in colore demonstrans, quia de terrenis paulatim ad excelsa sustollimur, et ipsa uestis hyacinthina a capite usque ad talos ueniens indicat aerem de caelis usque ad terram fusum. mala autem Punica et tintinabula in inferioribus posita fulgura tonitruaque demonstrant siue terram et aquam et omnium elementorum inter se consonantiam et sic sibi uniuersa perplexa, ut in singulis omnia repperiantur. quod autem supra dicti colores auro intexti sunt, id significari uolunt, quod uitalis calor et diuini sensus prouidentia uniuersa penetret. superumerale et duos lapides uel zmaragdinos uel onychinos, qui desuper sint et utrumque umerum tegant, duo hemisphaeria interpretantur, quorum aliud super terram, aliud sub terra sit, siue solem et lunam, quae desuper rutilant. zonam illam, qua sacerdotis pectus artatur et linea tunica, id est terra, constringitur, interpretantur oceanum. rationale in medio positum terram edisserunt, quae instar puncti, licet omnia in se habeat, tamen a cunctis uallatur elementis. duodecim lapides uel zodiacum interpretantur circulum uel duodecim menses et singulis uersiculis singula adsignant tempora et his ternos deputant menses, nec alicui gentilis uideatur expositio. non enim, si caelestia et dei dispositionem idolorum nominibus infamauerunt, idcirco dei neganda est prouidentia, quae certa lege currit et fertur et regit omnia, nam et in Iob arcturum et Oriona et mazuroth, hoc est zodiacum circulum, et cetera astrorum nomina legimus, non quo eadem apud Hebraeos uocabula sint, sed quo nos non possumus, quae dicuntur, nisi consuetis uocibus intellegere. pulchre autem hoc ipsum, quod in medio est, appellatur rationale; ratione enim cuncta sunt plena et terrena haerent caelestibus, immo ratio terrenorum et temporum, caloris et frigoris, et duplex inter utrumque temperies de caeli cursu et ratione descendit; unde et rationale cum ephod fortius stringitur. porro, quod dicitur in ipso rationali delosis [Greek] esse et alethia [Greek], id est manifestatio atque doctrina uel ueritas, hoc ipsum significat, quod numquam in dei ratione mendacium sit, sed et ipsa ueritas multis signis et argumentis monstretur hominibus et usque ad mortales ueniat. unde factum est, ut rationem solis ac lunae et anni et mensuum et temporum et horarum, tempestatum quoque, serenitatis atque uentorum et rerum omnium nosceremus accipientes insitam a deo sapientiam et ipso habitatore atque doctore domicilii sui nobis et fabricae scientiam demonstrante. super omnia cidaris et uitta hyacinthina caelum monstrat et auri lamina, quae in fronte pontificis est, inscriptumque nomen dei uniuersa, quae subter sunt, dei arbitrio gubernari id ipsum ego puto sub aliis nominibus et in cherubin quattuor animalibus figuratum, quae ita sibi permixta sunt et haerent, ut in uno inueniantur et reliqua, et quod instanter ante se uadant et non reuertantur; labuntur enim tempora et praeterita relinquentia ad futura festinant. quod autem semper in motu sunt, illud significat, quod et philosophi suspicantur, currere mundum suo ordine et incessabiliter uelut rota in suo axe torqueri. unde et rota in rota est, id est tempus in tempore, et annus in semet ipsum reuoluitur et ipsae rotae eleuantur ad caelum et super crystallum thronus ex sapphiro est et super thronum similitudo sedentis, cuius inferiora ignea sunt, superiora electrina, ut demonstret, quae inferiora sunt, igne et purgatione indigere, quae sursum, in condicionis suae puritate persistere. et quomodo hic in habitu sacerdotis auri lamina desuper est, ita in Ezechiele electrum in pectore et in uertice conlocatur. iustum ergo erat — sicut supra ex parte diximus —, ut pontifex dei creaturarum omnium typum portans in uestibus suis indicaret cuncta indigere misericordia dei et consacrificaret ei uniuersa conditio, ut non pro liberis ac parentibus et propinquis, sed pro cuncta creatura et uoce et habitu precaretur. 19. Tetigimus expositionem Hebraicam et infinitam sensuum siluam alteri tempori reseruantes quaedam futurae domus strauimus fundamenta. de feminalibus lineis hoc solent dicere: ratio seminum et generationis ad carnem pertinens terrae per eam deputatur — unde ad Adam loquitur deus: terra es et in terram ibis — causasque huius rei, quomodo de paruulo semine et foedissimis initiis tanta uel hominum uel diuersarum rerum pulchritudo nascatur, esse obuolutas et humanis oculis non patere. legimus in Leuitico iuxta praeceptum dei Moysen lauisse Aaron et filios eius: iam tunc purgationem mundi et rerum omnium sanctitatem baptismi sacramenta signabant. non accipiunt uestes nisi lotis prius sordibus nec ornantur ad sacra nisi in Christo noui homines renascantur; uinum enim nouum in nouis utribus mittitur. quod autem Moyses lauat, legis indicium est: habent Moysen et prophetas, ipsos audiant, et ab Adam usque ad Moysen omnes peccauerunt. praeceptis dei lauandi sumus et, cum parati ad indumentum Christi tunicas pellicias deposuerimus, tunc induemur ueste linea nihil in se mortis habente, sed tota candida, ut de baptismo consurgentes cingamus lumbos in ueritate et tota pristinorum peccatorum turpitudo celetur. unde et Dauid: beati, quorum remissae sunt iniquitates et quorum tecta sunt peccata. 20. Post feminalia et lineam tunicam induimur hyacinthino uestimento et incipimus de terrenis ad alta conscendere. haec ipsa hyacinthina tunica — a Septuaginta hupodutes [Greek] id est subucula, nominatur — est proprie pontificis, significans rationem sublimium non patere omnibus, sed maioribus atque perfectis. hanc habuerunt prophetae, hanc Moyses et Aaron et omnes, quibus dicitur: in montem excelsum ascende, qui euangelizas Sion. nec sufficit nobis priorum ablutio peccatorum, baptismi gratia, doctrina secretior, nisi habuerimus et opera, unde iungitur et ephod, id est superumerale, quod rationali copulatur, ut non sit laxum nec dissolutum, sed haereant sibi inuicem et auxilio sint. et ratio enim operibus et opera ratione indigent, ut, quod mente concipimus, opere perpetremus. duoque lapides in superumerali uel Christum significant et ecclesiam duodecim apostolorum, qui ad praedicationem missi sunt, nomina continentes uel litteram et spiritum, in quibus tenentur legis uniuersa mysteria: in dextris spiritus, in laeuis littera est; per litteras ad uerba descendimus, per uerba uenimus ad sensum. quam pulcher ordo et ex ipso habitu sacramenta demonstrans! in umeris opera sunt, in pectore ratio; unde et pectusculum comedunt sacerdotes. hoc autem rationale duplex, apertum et absconditum, simplex et mysticum, duodecim in se lapides habens et quattuor ordines, quas quattuor puto esse uirtutes: prudentiam, fortitudinem, iustitiam, temperantiam, quae sibi haerent inuicem et, dum mutuo miscentur, duodenarium numerum efficiunt, uel quattuor euangelia, quae in Apocalypsi describuntur plena oculis et domini luce radiantia mundum inluminant, in uno quattuor et in quattuor singula; unde et delosis [Greek] et alethia [Greek], id est doctrina et ueritas. in pectore sacerdotis est. cum enim indutus quis fuerit ueste multiplici, consequens est ueritatem, quam corde retinet, sermone proferre. et ob id in rationali ueritas est, id est scientia, ut nouerit, quae docenda sint, et manifestatio atque doctrina, ut possit instruere alios, quod mente concepit. ubi sunt, qui innocentiam sacerdotis dicunt posse sufficere? uetus lex nouae congruit: id ipsum Moyses, quod apostolus, ille sacerdotis scientiam ornat in uestibus, iste Timotheum et Titum instruit disciplinis. sed et ipse uestimentorum ordo praecipuus. legamus Leuiticum: non prius rationale et sic superumerale, sed ante superumerale et deinceps rationale, a mandatis, inquit, tuis intellexi: prius facimus, sic docemus, ne doctrinae auctoritas cassis operibus destruatur. hoc est, quod in propheta legimus: seminate uobis in iustitia et metite fructum uitae; inluminate uobis lumen scientiae. primum seminate in iustitia et fructus uitae aeternae metite, et postea uobis scientiam uindicate. nec statim absoluta perfectio est, si quis superumerale et rationale habeat, nisi haec ipsa inter se forti conpage solidentur et sibi inuicem nexa sint, ut et opera rationi et ratio operibus haereat et his praecedentibus doctrina sequatur et ueritas. 21. Quattuor elementa, de quibus supra diximus, et duos lapides uel onychinos uel zmaragdinos et gemmas duodecim, quae ponuntur in rationali, si esset tempus, [ut] discuterem singulorumque naturas et causas tibi exponerem et, quid unus quisque ualeat, et, quomodo uirtutibus singulis conparetur — et sanctus papa Epiphanius egregium super hoc uolumen edidit, quod si legere uolueris, plenissimam scientiam consequeris —: ego iam mensuram epistulae excedere me intellego et excipientis ceras uideo esse conpletas; unde ad reliqua transeo, ut tandem finiatur oratio. lamina aurea rutilat in fronte; nihil enim nobis prode est omnium rerum eruditio, nisi dei scientia coronemur. lineis induimur, ornamur hyacinthinis, sacrato balteo cingimur, dantur nobis opera, rationale in pectore ponitur: accipimus ueritatem, profert sermo doctrinam; inperfecta sunt uniuersa, nisi tam decoro currui dignus quaeratur auriga et super creaturas creator insistens regat ipse, quae condidit. quod olim in lamina monstrabatur, nunc in signo ostenditur crucis. auro legis sanguis euangelii pretiosior est. tunc signum iuxta Ezechiel gementibus ligebatur in fronte, nunc portantes crucem dicimus: signatum est super nos lumen uultus tui, domine. bis in Exodo legimus praecipiente domino et Moyse iussa faciente octo uestium genera pontificis. in Leuitico de septem tantum scriptum est et refertur, quomodo Moyses fratrem suum Aaron illis induerit: de solis feminalibus nihil dicitur hac, ut arbitror, causa, quod ad genitalia nostra et uerecunda lex non mittit manum, sed ipsi secretiora nostra et confusione digna tegere et uelare debemus et conscientiam puritatis et seminum deo iudici, reseruare. de ceteris uirtutibus, uerbi gratia sapientia, fortitudine, iustitia, humilitate, mansuetudine, liberalitate, possunt et alii iudicare: pudicitiam sola nouit conscientia et humani oculi huius rei certi iudices esse non possunt absque his, qui passim in morem brutorum animalium libidini expositi sunt, unde et apostolus: de uirginibus, inquit, praeceptum domini non habeo, quasi Moyses loquatur: 'feminalibus ego non uestio nec inpono alicui necessitatem; qui uult sacerdos esse, ipse se uestiat’. o quantae uirgines et quantorum sperata pudicitia in die iudicii dehonestabitur, quantorum infamata pudicitia a deo iudice coronabitur! igitur ipsi adsumamus feminalia, ipsi nostra uerecunda operiamus, non quaeramus alienos oculos. ita tegantur genitalia, ut nullorum oculis pateant, ne, quando intramus sancta sanctorum, si qua apparuerit turpitudo, morte moriamur. 22. lam sermo finitur et ad superiora retrahor. tanta debet esse scientia et eruditio pontificis dei, ut et egressus eius et motus et uniuersa uocalia sint. ueritatem mente concipiat et toto eam habitu resonet et ornatu, ut, quidquid agit, quidquid loquitur, sit doctrina populorum. absque tintinabulis enim et diuersis coloribus et gemmis floribusque uirtutum nec sancta ingredi potest nec nomen antistitis possidere. haec ad unam lucubratiunculam, cum iam funis solueretur e litore et nautae crebrius inclamarent, propero sermone dictaui, quae memoria tenere poteram et quae diuturna in rationali pectoris mei lectione congesseram, satis intellegens magis me loquendi impetu quam iudicio scribentis fluere et more torrentis turbidum proferre sermonem. fertur in indice Septimi Tertulliani liber de Aaron uestibus, qui interim usque ad hanc diem a me non est repertus. si a uobis propter celebritatem urbis fuerit inuentus, quaeso, ne meam stillam illius flumini conparetis. non enim magnorum uirorum ingeniis, sed meis sum uiribus aestimandus.

Historical context:

Jerome answers Fabiola’s questions about priestly sacrifices, vestments, and ornaments prescribed in the books of Moses in great detail and suggests their mystical significance, though he claims to have written the letter in one night. He also alludes to the strife within the christian communities that troubled her while she was with visiting them.

Scholarly notes:

(1) The preceding verses in Corinthians make the connection that Jerome did not feel the need to make to Fabiola: “Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law also say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, 'you shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain’” [1Cor.9:8-9].
(2) There seems to be a distinction between "byssum" which is a fine linen, but could also be silk, and "linum" from flax.

Printed source:

Sancti Eusebii Hieronymi Epistulae, ed. Isidorus Hilberg, 3 v. (New York: Johnson, 1970, CSEL, repr.1910-18), ep.64.

Date:

397