GREGORIUS NAZIENZENUS, CL., A. D. 370.
The following passage contains, we believe, the earliest allusion to the use of silk in the services of the Christian Church.
[Greek: Alloi men chrysonte kai argyron, hoi de ta Sêrôn
Dôra pherousi theô nêmata leptalea.
Kai Christô thysiên tis hagnên anethêken heauton;
Kai spendei darkuôn allos hagnas libadas.]
Ad Hellenium pro Monachis Carmen. tom. ii. p. 106. ed. Par. 1630. Silver and gold some bring to God Or the fine threads by Seres spun: Others to Christ themselves devote, A chaste and holy sacrifice, And make libations of their tears. Yates's Translation.
BASIL, CL., A. D. 370. Although this celebrated author was a native of Asia Minor, and had studied in Syria and Palestine, he appears to have known the silk-worm only from books and by report. His description of it in the following passage, in which we first find the beautiful illustration of the doctrine of a resurrection from the change of the chrysalis, is chiefly copied from Aristotle's account as formerly quoted. [Greek: Ti phate hoi apistountes tô Paulô peri tês kata tên anastasin alloiôseôs, horôntes polla tôn aeriôn tas morphas metaballonta; hopoia kai peri tou Indikou skôlêkos historeitai tou kerasphorou; hos eis kampên ta prôta metabalôn, eita proiôn bombylios ginetai, kai oude epi tautês histatai tês morphês, alla chaunois kai platesi petalois hypopteroutai. Hotan oun kathezêsthe tên toutôn ergasian anapênizomenai hai gynaikes, ta nêmata legô, ha pempousin hymin oi Sêres pros tên tôn malakôn endymatôn kataskeuên, memnêmenai tês kata to zôon touto metabolês, enargê lambanete tês anastaseôs ennoian, kai mê apisteite tê allagê, hên Paulos hapasi katepangelletai.]—Hexahemeron, p. 79. A. Ed. Benedict.
What have you to say, who disbelieve the assertion of the Apostle Paul concerning the change at the resurrection, when you see many of the inhabitants of the air changing their forms? Consider, for example, the account of the horned worm of India, which (i. e. the silk-worm) having first changed into a caterpillar (eruca, or veruca), then in process of time becomes a cocoon (bombylius, or bombulio), and does not continue even in this form, but assumes light and expanded wings. Ye women, who sit winding upon bobbins the produce of these animals, namely the threads, which the Seres send to you for the manufacture of fine garments, bear in mind the change of form in this creature; derive from it a clear conception of the resurrection; and discredit not that transformation which Paul announces to us all.—Yates's Translation.
