A True Recipe

There was a certain farmer who was such a very good philosopher and clever engineer that, through his labor and industry, he made a small amount of land yield him more fruit than a great quantity of his neighbors' land. From this, envy followed: for his neighbors, seeing such things, were grieved by his prosperity and accused him of being a sorcerer, claiming that by his sorcery he made his land bear more fruit than theirs. Seeing this, the judges of the city summoned him to make him declare what was the cause of his lands bringing forth such great abundance of fruits. Upon seeing this, the good man took his children and servants, his cart and gear, and with these, several tools of agriculture, which he went to exhibit before the judges. He demonstrated to them that the sorcery he used on his lands was the very labor of his hands and the hands of his children and servants, and the various tools he had invented. For this, the good man was greatly praised and sent back to his farming: and by such means, the envy of his neighbors was fully exposed.

I pray you, tell me in what way it is necessary for farmers to have some philosophy: for I know that many will mock such an opinion, and indeed I know that Saint Paul forbids it to the Colossians, Chapter 2, where he says, "Beware lest any man spoil you through vain philosophy."

You are mistaken in citing this passage of Saint Paul in this place, inasmuch as it does not argue against me: for when Saint Paul says, "Beware lest you be seduced by philosophy," he adds "vain," but that of which I speak to you is not vain; rather, it is holy and approved as good, even by Saint Paul. But you must understand that when Saint Paul writes that one should beware of vain philosophy, he is speaking to those who wished to know God through human philosophy. Therefore, I conclude that this does not argue against my opinion. How do you think a farmer will know the seasons for plowing, planting, or sowing without philosophy? I dare even tell you that one could plow the