John And The Eagle

Similitudo autem vultus eorum, facies hominis, et facies leonis a dextris ipsorum quatuor; facies autem bovis a sinistris ipsorum quatuor; et facies aquilae desuper ipsorum quatuor. Sed magna nobis de eisdem evangelistis et sanctis praedicatoribus quaestio oritur, cur homo et leo a dextris ipsorum quatuor, vitulus vero a sinistris ipsorum quatuor esse perhibetur. Neque enim sine admiratione est cur duo illa a dextris et unum hoc esse a sinistris dicitur. Et rursum quaerendum cur aquila non a dextris, vel sinistris, sed desuper ipsorum quatuor esse memoratur. Duas itaque nobis quaestiones objecimus, quas oportet ut aperiente Domino dissolvamus. Homo igitur et leo a dextris, vitulus vero a sinistris esse perhibetur. A dextris etenim laeta, a sinistris vero tristia habemus. Unde et sinistrum nobis esse dicimus hoc quod adversum esse deputamus. Et, sicut praefati sumus, per hominem incarnatio, per vitulum passio, per leonem vero auctoris nostri resurrectio designatur. De incarnatione autem unigeniti Filii, qua redempti sumus, omnes electi laetati sunt; de morte vero illius ipsi electorum primi sancti apostoli contristati, qui iterum de ejus resurrectione gavisi sunt. Quia ergo ejus et nativitas et resurrectio laetitiam discipulis praebuit, quos ejus passio contristavit, homo et leo a dextris, vitulus vero a sinistris ejus fuisse describitur. Ipsi namque evangelistae sancti de ejus humanitate gavisi sunt, de ejus resurrectione confirmati, qui de ejus passione fuerant contristati. Homo ergo et leo eis a dextris est, quia Redemptoris nostri eos incarnatio vivificavit, resurrectio confirmavit. Sed vitulus a sinistris, quia mors illius eos ad momentum temporis in infidelitate prostravit. Jure autem locus aquilae non juxta, sed desuper esse describitur, quia sive per hoc quod ejus ascensionem signat, seu quia Verbum Patris Deum apud Patrem esse denuntiat, super evangelistas caeteros virtute contemplationis excrevit; cum quibus etsi simul de ejus Deitate loquitur, hanc tamen omnibus subtilius contemplatur. Sed si aquila cum tribus aliis adjuncta, quatuor animalia esse memorantur, mirum quomodo desuper ipsorum quatuor esse describitur, nisi quia Joannes per hoc quod in principio Verbum vidit, etiam super semetipsum transiit. Nam nisi et se transisset, Verbum in principio non vidisset. Quia ergo et semetipsum transgressus est, non jam solummodo super tria, sed adjuncto et se, super quatuor fuit. Sanctus Gregorius Magnus, In Ezechielem Prophetam, Liber Primus, Homilia IV Source: Migne PL 76 815a-c

As for the likeness of their faces, there was the face of a man and the face of a lion on the right side of the four, and the face of an ox on the left side of the four: and the face of an eagle above the four. 1 But a great question concerning these same evangelists and holy preachers arises, why the man and the lion of the four are on the right, and the ox of the four is on the left. For certainly not without edification is it spoken that there are two on the right and one on the left. And again we must enquire why the eagle is not found on the right or the left but was described as being above the four. Thus two questions are brought before us, which we should resolve by the enlightenment of the Lord. The man, then, and the lion are on the right, but the ox is on the left. On the right there is joy, and on the left, however, we have grief. Whence even the left we are accustomed to regard as unlucky. And as we have said before, by the man is signified the Incarnation, by the ox the Passion, and by the lion the Resurrection of our Creator. Concerning the Incarnation of the only begotten Son by which we were redeemed, all the elect rejoice, but on account of His death all those first elected to be the first holy Apostles grieve, those who again were made joyful by His resurrection. Thus because His Incarnation and Resurrection give joy to His disciples, those whom the Passion grieves, so the man and the lion are on the right and the ox is on the left. For the same holy evangelists who were made joyful by His incarnation were strengthened by His resurrection, they who were grieved by His passion. The man and the lion, then, are on the right, because the Incarnation of our Redeemer gives them life, and the Resurrection strengthens them. But the ox is on the left because His death at that time cast them down into faithlessness. And rightly the place of the eagle is said to be above and not at the side because it signifies either His Ascension or because it announces that the Divine Word of the Father is with the Father, being set above the other evangelists by the virtue of contemplation, for even though they speak of His Divinity yet this one contemplates it with the utmost elevation. But if the eagle is said to be joined to the other three when the four animals are declared, we must wonder how it is that he is described as being above, unless it is because John grasping that 'In the beginning was the Word,' 1 even passed beyond himself. For unless he passed over himself, he would not have seen the Word in the beginning. Therefore He did indeed surpass himself; not only the other three, but even himself, and he so is placed above the four. Saint Gregory the Great, On the Prophet Ezekiel, Book 1, from Homily 4 1 Ezekiel 1.10 2 Jn 1.1