10. Job XV. 13.
POLITICAL WRITINGS 23 refer to the whole multitude of frogs and locusts in the plagues with which Moses smote the Egyptians.^ But what did these vain and presumptuous men intend? How did they expect to raise this lofty mass against God, when they had built it above all the mountains and the clouds of the earth's atmosphere? What injury could any spiritual or material elevation do to God? The safe and true way to heaven is made by humility, which lifts up the heart to the Lord, not against Him; as this giant is said to have been a "hunter against the
Lord." This has been misunderstood by some through the ambiguity of the Greek word, and they have translated it, not "against the Lord," but "before the Lord;" for evavnov means both "before" and "against." In the Psalm this word is rendered, "Let us weep before the Lord our Maker." ^ The same word occurs in the book of Job, where it is written, "Thou hast broken into fury against the Lord." ^^ And so this giant is to be recognised as a "hunter against the Lord." And what is meant by the term "hunter" but deceiver, oppressor, and destroyer of the animals of the earth? He and his people, therefore, erected this tower against the
Lord, and so gave expression to their impious pride; and justly was their wicked intention punished by God, even though it was unsuccessful. But what was the nature of the punishment? As the tongue is the instrument of domination, in it pride was punished; so that man, who would not understand God when He issued His commands, should be misunderstood when he himself gave orders. Thus was that conspiracy disbanded, for
24 ST. AUGUSTINE each man retired from those he could not understand, and associated with those whose speech was intelligible; and the nations were divided according to their languages, and scattered over the earth as seemed good to God, who accomplished this in ways hidden from and incomprehensible to us.
is recorded of the land of Shinar which belonged to Nimrod's kingdom, to wit, that Assur went forth from it and built Nineveh and the other cities mentioned with it, happened long after; but the Author of Holy Writ takes occasion to speak of it there on account of the grandeur of the Assyrian kingdom, which was wonderfully extended by Ninus son of Belus, and founder of the great city Nineveh, which was named after him, Nineveh, from Ninus. . . .
^'To be brief, that greatest of all kingdoms, the
Assyrian, had its long duration brought to a close at the time of Rome's birth drawing nigh. For the
Assyrian empire was transferred to flie Medes after nearly thirteen hundred and five years, if we include the reign of Belus. *Troy had already been overthrown and its destruction was everywhere being sung and made well known even to boys; for it was signally pubhshed and spread abroad, both by its own greatness and by writers of excellent style.
the capture and destruction of Troy, iEneas, with twenty ships laden with the Trojan reUcs, came into Italy, when Latinus reigned there, Menestheus in Athens, Polyphidos in Sicyon, and g. City of God, XVI, 3. h. Ibid., XVIII, 21.
i. Ibid., XVIII, 16.
j. Ibid., XVm, 19-22.