Page:Anglo-Saxon version of the Hexameron of St. Basil.djvu/42

Rh kinds of all of which ye know not. Those animals are long-necked that live by grass, as does the camel, and the ass, the horse, and the oxen, the stag and the roe-deer, and every other such as these; and each is fit for the toil of its life. Wolves and lions, and indeed bears have a strong neck, and partly shorter, and greater tusks for the preparing of their food, because these spend their life in rapine, as do all other wild beasts, that injure the others. The elephants are as great as some mountains, and they can live three hundred years, and mankind can accustom them to warfare by skill, so that men make a tower upon them, on high, and from it, fight in their expeditions; then flieth each horse affrighted through the elephants, and if any withstand them it is soon trodden down. But we are unwilling now to speak further about this (subject.)

X. On the same day our Lord would make man out of the same earth, for, at this time, the devil fell from the lofty heaven, with his associates, on account of his pride (lifting up) into the punishment of hell. Our Lord said concerning him, in His holy gospel, "He abided not in the truth, for the truth is not in any wise in him." God wrought him wondrous and fair, then it was his duty, if he had (only) willed it, to worship, with great humility, his Creator, who had created him so exalted, but he did not so, but with a presumptuous pride (moodiness) he said, that he would make his throne above the stars of God, over the height of the clouds, in the north part, and be like unto God. Then he forsook the Almighty, who is all justice, and would not have His lordship, but would