The Hexaemeron

51 Introduction to the Hexæmeron. ———————————— The Hexæmeron is the title of nine homilies delivered by St. Basil on the cosmogony of the opening chapters of Genesis.

Introduction. — Introduction. (¶1)

Homily I. In the Beginning God made the Heaven and the Earth. 1. It is right that any one beginning to narrate the formation of the world should begin with the good order which reigns in visible things.

In the Beginning God made — In the Beginning God made the Heaven and the Earth. (¶2)

Homily II. “The Earth was Invisible and Unfinished .” 1. In the few words which have occupied us this morning we have found such a depth of thought that we despair of penetrating further.

“The Earth was Invisible — “The Earth was Invisible and Unfinished.” (¶3)

Homily III. On the Firmament. 1. We have now recounted the works of the first day, or rather of one day. Far be it from me indeed, to take from it the privilege it enjoys of having been for the Creator a day apart, a…

On the Firmament. — On the Firmament. (¶4)

72 Homily IV. Upon the gathering together of the waters. 1. There are towns where the inhabitants, from dawn to eve, feast their eyes on the tricks of innumerable conjurors.

Upon the gathering togeth — Upon the gathering together of the waters. (¶5)

Homily V. The Germination of the Earth. 1. “ And God said Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself .” It was deep wisdom that…

The Germination of the Ea — The Germination of the Earth. (¶6)

Homily VI. The creation of luminous bodies. 1. At the shows in the circus the spectator must join in the efforts of the athletes. This the laws of the show indicate, for they prescribe that all should have the head…

The creation of luminous — The creation of luminous bodies. (¶7)

Homily VII. The creation of moving creatures . 1. “ And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life ” after their kind, “ and fowl that may fly above the earth ” after their kind .

The creation of moving cr — The creation of moving creatures. (¶8)

Homily VIII. The creation of fowl and water animals . 1. And God said “ Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle and creeping things, and beast of the earth after his kind; and it was so .”…

The creation of fowl and — The creation of fowl and water animals. (¶9)

Homily IX. The creation of terrestrial animals. 1. How did you like the fare of my morning’s discourse? It seemed to me that I had the good intentions of a poor giver of a feast, who, ambitious of having the credit of…

The creation of terrestri — The creation of terrestrial animals. (¶10)