I -XVI, 388-389, suggests that Augustine is thinking also of the barren fig (continued)
148 ST. AUGUSTINE (3) May God turn away [from us] the death of that raven! For why did it not return except that it had been cut off by the waters? But the dove, not finding a resting place for its feet, although on all sides the water cried out to it, "Come, come, bathe yourself here," just as these heretics shout out, "Come, come you have [baptism] here," the dove, not finding a resting place for its feet, returned to the ark.
(4) And Noe sent it out again, as the ark sends you to speak to them. And what did the dove do after that? Because there were woods that had been baptized outside, it carried back to the ark an olive branch. That branch had both leaves and fruit.^^ Let there not be only words in you, let there not be only leaves in you, let there be fruit, and you return to the ark.
But not through yourself, for the dove calls you back. Moan from without that you may call them back inside.
20. Now this fruit of the olive, if you should examine it, you will find out what it was. The fruit of the olive signifies love. How do we prove this? For just as olive oil is held down by no liquid but it bursts through all other liquids, springs up, and stands at the top, so too, love cannot be held down at the bottom, but it has to rise up to the top. Wherefore the Apostle says of it, "I show to you a yet more elevated way."^^ Because we said about olive oil that it rises to the top, and that it is really about love that the Apostle said, "I show to you a yet more elevated way," let us hear what follows: "If I should speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal."
(2) Go now, Donatus, and shout, "I am eloquent!" Go now and shout, "I am learned!" How eloquent? How learned?
(PL 42.264-265; and CSEL 25.348-349) he adds an alternative; that the raven was attracted by some carcass floating on the water.
62. Gn 8. 1 1 only says that the olive branch has leaves. Berrouard, Homelies I -XVI, 388-389, suggests that Augustine is thinking also of the barren fig tree in Mt 21.19 and distinguishing this fruitful olive from it in his own mind.
63. 1 Cor 1 2.3 1 (NAB 13.1). The Latin supereminentiorem is here translated "more elevated" rather than "more excellent" or "more surpassing" in an attempt to approximate the Latin play on words, since the olive oil supereminet, that is, "rises to the top." 64. Cf. 1 Cor 13.1.