Types Of Men

Montes et omnes colles, ligna fructifera et omnes cedri. Bestiae et universa pecora, serpentes et volucres pennatae. Montes significant homines praetumida potestate sublimes; colles, mediocres aequlitate tractantes; ligna fructifera, qui ex duritia peccatorum conversi, fructus morum intulere dulcissimos. Cedri, absolute superbos significant et elatos; bestia, crudeles atque indomitos; universa pecora, communem scilicet et infinitam plebem. Serpentes, venenosos dicit et callidos. Volucres pennatae philosophos significant, qui cogitationum suarum velocitate naturas rerum discurrere consuerunt. De quibus omnibus generibus hominum Christus sibi electos parat, qui in illa resurrectione angelorum possint coetibus aggregari. Cassiodorus, Expositio In Psalterium, Psalmus CXLVIII Source: Migne PG 70.1045b-c

Mountains and all the hills, fruit bearing trees and all the cedars. Beasts and all cattle, serpents and winged birds. 1 'Mountains' signify eminent men puffed up with power; 'hills' the middling sort who have a certain equality; 'fruit bearing trees' those who have turned from the hardness of sins to yield the sweetest fruits in deeds. 'Cedars' certainly signifies those proud and elated; 'beasts', those cruel and untamed; 'all cattle', the endless common people. 'Serpents' it gives for those who are venomous and clever. 'Winged birds' signifies the philosophers who with their thoughts are accustomed to flit swiftly over the nature of things. From all these types of men Christ prepares elect ones for Himself, those who in the resurrection shall be gathered into the choirs of angels. Cassiodorus, Commentary On The Psalms, Psalm 148 1 Ps 148.9-10