PHIL. IUD. ON THE HEIR OF DIVINE THINGS §. 9. 10.

who does not accept those through the ears, who does not accept those through taste, smell, and touch? And who has not hated the opposites: frugality, temperance, a severe and learned life, devoid of laughter and play, full of reflection, cares, and labors, a friend of contemplation, an enemy of ignorance, stronger than wealth, glory, and pleasures, but weaker than wisdom and fame, and of a seeing, not blind, wealth? For the offspring are always older than prudence.

§. 10. Moses, even if they are younger in time, deems those precious by nature worthy of primogeniture, giving double to them, and taking half from the others. “For if,” he says, “a man has two wives, one loved and one hated, and both bear children, when he is about to distribute his own things, he will not be able to deem worthy of primogeniture the son of the loved one,” original: "Ἐὰν γὰρ γένωνται," φησὶν, "ἀνθρώπῳ δύο γυναῖκες, ἀγαπωμένη καὶ μισουμένη, καὶ τέκωσιν ἀμφότεραι, μέλλων τὰ ἑαυτοῦ διανέμειν, οὐ δυνήσεται πρεσβείων ἀξιῶσαι τὸν υἱὸν τῆς ἠγαπημένης," (Deut. 21:15-16) pleasure. For this one is new, even if he became old in time; but he gives the double portion to the elder of the hated one, prudence, being so from childhood. Having spoken the more allegorical interpretation of these in other places, let us turn to what follows of those at hand, having first pointed out that of the hated one, “God is said to have opened the womb,” to cause a generation of excellent practices and good works, while the one thought to be loved is immediately barren. “For seeing,” he says, “the Lord that Leah is hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.” original: "Ἰδὼν γὰρ," φησί, "κύριος ὅτι, μισεῖται Λεία, ἤνοιξε τὴν μήτραν αὐτῆς, Ῥαχὴλ δ’ ἦν στεῖρα." (Gen. 29:31) Is it not that when the soul is pregnant, and begins to bear what is fitting for the soul, then those things that are sensible become barren and childless, those which have an acceptance from a "kiss" but not from a genuine "kiss of love"?

) Deut. 21, 15. — ) Supra, pag. 75. 167. 395. ed. M. — ) Gen. 29, 31.