Discipline and the Animals

Dicunt aliquanti disciplinam satis duris legibus constitutam. Loquatur ista satis miseri, quos ad omne facinus ille diabolus auctor mortis invitat, quorum mentes insatiabilis gula possidet, super quos regnat ebrietas, quos turpis luxuria captivos tenet, et a quibus numquam superbia ingrata discedit. Illis autem quibus est studium honeste fidem servare continentiae, humilitati pietatique servire, dulce disciplinae onus est et leve jugum Domini, quod non gravat nisi aut perditos aut perituros. Erubesco dicere in confusionem humanae negligentiae, quare apud aliquentos parvum proficiat disciplina, cum videamus pastorale magisterium etiam apud muta animalia non perire. Doceat nos esse servare ordinem disciplinae tam dociles equorum animi, cum in gyrum ducti flexuosis gressibus membra componunt, et sub unius habenae retinaculo ita laxari se consentiunt, ut et currendi et standi modus sub quadam legum dispositione servetur. Ita quos natura numero dividit, studio disciplinae conjungit. Videte quam fortia boum corpora plaustro subjaceant: quae in tantum imperio animum parant, ut jumentia naturaliter levi jugo colla supponant. Ita disciplinae constitionibus serviunt, etiam quae in feritate nascuntur. Unde miror aliquoties hominem cui inest sapientia et intellectus prudentiae, passim praecepta disciplinae negligere, cum videamus mutum animal vitia cavere, jussis obtemperare, imperio deservire, atque ita ad omnem obedientiam animum aptare, ut cum opus fuerit armatis legionibus occurrat, et hostilibus se telis jusum objiciat. Audite in hoc loco prophetam dicentem: 'Cognovit bos possessorem suum, et asinus praesepe domini sui: Israel autem me non cognovit.' Vereor dicere, ne nostram negligentiam pulset ista sententia: non autem cognoscit Dominum, qui conditionis suae non cognoscit officum. Sanctus Valerianus Cemeliensis, Homily I

Some say that any discipline is enough to make laws burdensome. Let it be enough to say to such wretches that the devil, that author of death, beckons them to every crime whom gluttony possesses the mind, over whom drunkenness reigns, whom rank luxury holds captive and from whom graceless pride is never absent. It is for those of faith to attend to the noble study of continence, to serve in humility and piety. Sweet is the weight of discipline and light the yoke of the Lord and it is no burden unless on those damned or to be damned. I blush to speak about the confusion of human negligence, why discipline is of little benefit to so many, when we see that its directive teaching is not absent in dumb animals. Let that teach us to serve the order of discipline. The docile souls of horses when led in a circle adapt their limbs to the winding steps and controlled by one reign they consent to be allowed to be free in such a way that it is under a certain control of law that they run and halt for a time. This is how nature takes creatures diverse in number and unites them through obedience in discipline. See how the strong bodies of oxen are hitched to a wagon. They prepare their spirits for control such that though naturally wild they submit their necks to a light yoke. This is the way in which even beasts, born wild, submit to the controls of discipline. Thus I am often amazed at the behaviour of man. He is endowed with wisdom and prudence yet at a whim he lightly rejects the precepts of discipline. How different the conduct we see in beasts. They avoid vices, obey commands, submit to control and shape their spirits to perfect obedience, so that when needs must they will rush against armed legions and on order they will throw themselves at the spears of the enemy. Here listen to the Prophet saying, 'The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's crib, yet Israel has not known me.'1 I fear to speak on lest the passage overwhelm our negligence. He who does not know the Lord does not know the office of his nature.  Saint Valerian of Cimelium, from the First Homily 1 Isaiah 1.3