the space of nine months he was changed. Knees signify humility of spirit and divine fear; for these are the knees that bend the mind toward the contemplation of earthly things. Thus, a person in genuflection should easily shed tears. God, therefore, seems to have joined the eyes to the knees in the dwelling of the womb so that we might meditate upon humility and the fear of God.
In another sense, the knees are the parts upon which a nurse soothes a child held in her lap. In this context, the knees represent the support of hope and divine consolation with which God soothes the faithful in this life; they also signify the sweetness of eternal joy with which God will hereafter embrace the righteous. As Isaiah says: "You shall be carried at the breasts, and upon the knees he shall soothe you."
The legs, according to some, are named *crura* from *currendo* (running), or *tibiæ* (shins) because of their hollowness. These parts are strong and suited to supporting the entire body. The preachers of the Gospel can represent the legs of the Church, not only because they run here and there to instill the doctrine of Christ in all regions, but also because, like flutes, they play the melody of divine doctrine. Furthermore, they support the whole body of the Church like columns. Indeed, just as bony legs are moistened with marrow, these men are irrigated with the marrow of piety and grace. Regarding them and the body of the Church, we may proclaim that passage from the Song of Songs: "His legs are pillars of marble set upon bases of gold."
The foot occupies the final place in an animal; it is bony for the sake of leaving a footprint and is necessary for local movement. In moral doctrine, the feet signify final perseverance; thus, they leave the footprint of a right deed. They are bony for the sake of firmness and serve the local movement of the soul so that it may reach the heavenly homeland. This follows the golden saying: "He who perseveres to the end shall be saved." The feet also represent the affections; as Saint Augustine aptly wrote: "My foot is my affection; I am carried wherever it carries me." Thus, the feet of our affection ought to be bony through the strength of constancy, and hollow and flat like the soles through the strength of mercy and simplicity. Moreover, the right foot moves more swiftly than the left; therefore, a person of strong virtue moves the right foot first, then the left. In this context, the right foot demonstrates a right and spiritual affection, while the left denotes a depraved and voluptuous one; thus, the right foot must always be put forward. As it says in Proverbs: "The Lord knows the ways that are on the right, but the ways on the left are perverse." Finally, it should be noted that man stands on two feet, whereas other animals walk on four. Men surrendered to vice are likened to beasts because, like them, they are prone to constantly dwelling on earthly things; but perfect men, gazing upon eternal things, walk upright by the power of contemplation. For the Psalmist said: "He made my feet like those of hinds and set me upon high places."
The sole of the foot is named for its flatness, and since it is hard, it easily resists things that would harm it. This designates the will of the soul, which ought to be flat because of humility and hard because of the impression of good works.
Finally, the heel is the extremity compressed by the mass of the entire body. Once injured, this part is difficult to cure because it is very remote from the source of heat. The heel is a symbol of old age, which the mass of youthful vices weighs down; therefore, if it is wounded by crimes, it regains health with difficulty, because the vices of the elderly, due to persistence and the lack of the heat of grace, are corrected only with the greatest effort.
Having noted these things, we must still weigh several points regarding the veins, blood, fat, nerves, bones, and skin. As to the first, the veins are so named either from "coming" or as if they were "ways" through which blood comes from the liver to the other parts of the body for the sake of nourishment. In the body of the Church Militant, they represent pious men, because through them good things are communicated to others; for other men draw the blood of fortuitous good from God (the liver) through these men, as if through veins.
Furthermore, a vein opened at the appointed time restores health to the patient by pouring out putrid blood; yet if it is not closed, the patient faces death. By "vein" we should understand speech, as it is read in Proverbs: "The mouth of the righteous is a vein of life." This vein indicates the health of the soul; if it is opened by confession, it imparts health to the patient by pouring out the corrupt humors of crimes. But if it is not opened through confession, it brings about the ruin of the soul, because death and life are in the power of the tongue.
Likewise, sometimes a putrid and malignant humor is contained in the veins, which can infect others through contact. In the vein of human life, the blood of a depraved affection also lies hidden, which brings about the rot of sin; from this, companions are subsequently offended by words and examples.
In the veins, the blood mass is contained, which physicians distribute into four humors: namely, blood, bile, phlegm, and melancholy. As for blood, it is generated in the liver for the sake of nourishing the entire body, and in moral doctrine it is called the memory of the blood and passion of Christ, which is contained in the liver—that is, in the affection—for the purpose of nourishing the soul. Furthermore, when the body overflows with excessive blood, wise nature wards off ill health by expelling it through some hemorrhage. This blood expresses a voluptuous affection; hence wise nature—namely, reason—ought to evacuate it through the hemorrhage of penance. Indeed, whenever any part of the body is injured, blood immediately flows to it to bring aid. In the same way, a friend burning with charity ought to imitate the nature of this blood so that, as far as possible, he may bring help to a needy friend. Finally, menstrual blood is not without a poisonous quality; for a woman affected by this flow of blood gazes upon someone in a way that is not harmless. He who is held by a dishonest and pernicious lust is compared to such a woman, since his affection is poisonous and renders others prone to luxury. Thus, when the aforesaid blood is evacuated at the appointed time, the body is preserved in fertile health; but if it is retained in the veins, many illnesses are produced. Such blood is a symbol of sin, which, if diligently evacuated by a restorative confession, preserves perfect health in the soul; but if it is retained, many illnesses of vice flow from it.
Bile is a humor representing fiery matter, rendering a person swift and bold in action. In perfect men, bile is nothing other than a zeal for justice; therefore, it incites them toward right operations. Indeed, when bile dominates the other humors in the human body, it makes a man light-minded, irascible, and cruel. In this doctrine, bile represents a lethal crime, by which a man is stirred and rendered light-minded, wrathful, and harsh. Phlegm is a cold and moist humor, which in the veins gradually acquires the nature of blood so that it may finally nourish the limbs. Similarly, in the veins—that is, in the Church—God has placed not only blood (namely, perfect men) but also phlegm (namely, imperfect men), so that as the perfect fall away, others might attain perfection. Unless we wish to interpret phlegm as the unconcocted humor of a sinner, whose affection is unconcocted—that is, imperfect. For this reason, Isaiah said: "I have refined you, but not as silver." Finally, melancholy in the human body is a black humor producing constant fear; thus, it is no wonder if physicians report that the melancholic fears without a manifest cause. This humor can undoubtedly be called a symbol of sin, which, lacking the splendor of grace, partakes in blackness; therefore, those infected by such a humor are blackened by vices, by whose stings they are always driven to fear.
From the mass of humors, flesh and fat are generated. Flesh is soft, as well as warm and moist; it covers the bones and fills the empty spaces of the muscles. By flesh, we are to understand the perfect mind which, filled with the humor of piety and the warmth of charity, provides a covering for the bones (namely, the needy). Then it is said to fill the empty spaces of the muscles when it satisfies the empty pockets of the poor. Moreover, because of its softness, flesh is said to be impatient of labor; for this reason, animals with fleshy feet, such as man, cannot endure long labors unless they put on shoes. In the same way, fleshy men (namely, those involved in delights) endure the labor of calamities with difficulty; as is read in Matthew: "The flesh, however, is weak." For this reason, it is necessary to flee to the footwear of the examples and doctrine of the Saints. Fat generated under the skin softens it, obstructs the passages, and, as it increases, compresses the veins and finally serves as fuel for fire. The fat of pleasures also softens the skin of the senses and so obstructs the passages of the affections that divine grace cannot penetrate to the innermost hiding places of the heart; indeed, as it grows, it dominates the powers of the soul, compresses the veins of the will, and finally nourishes the fire of avarice.
Lastly, excessive fat usually prevents a woman from being able to conceive; and those who are overwhelmed by too much fat, if they fall into ill health, are restored to health with great difficulty.
As a putrid and malignant humor is sometimes contained in the veins, which is likely to infect others through habit. In the vein of human life, blood of a depraved affection also hides, which induces the rot of sin; from this point, family and friends are offended by words and examples.
In the veins is contained the blood mass, which is distributed by physicians into four humors: namely blood, bile, phlegm, and melancholy. Regarding the blood, it is generated in the liver for the sake of nourishing the entire body, and in moral doctrine is called the memory of the blood and passion of Christ, which is contained in the liver—that is, in the affection—to nourish the soul. Furthermore, when the body overflows with copious blood, wise nature, by expelling it through some hemorrhage, wards off ill health. This blood expresses a voluptuous affection; hence wise nature—namely reason—must evacuate it through the hemorrhage of penance. Indeed, when any part of the body is injured, blood flows to it immediately to help it: by the same reasoning, a friend burning with charity ought to imitate the nature of this blood so that, as far as possible, he may bring help to a needy friend. Finally, menstrual blood is not without a poisonous quality; for a woman affected by this flow of blood gazes upon someone not harmlessly. He who is held by a dishonest and pernicious lust is compared to the aforementioned woman, since his affection is poisonous and renders others prone to luxury. Therefore, when the said blood is evacuated at the appointed time, the body is preserved in healthy vigor, but if it is retained in the veins, many illnesses are produced. Such blood is a symbol of sin, which, diligently evacuated by restorative confession, preserves perfect health in the soul, but if it is retained, many illnesses of vice flow from it.
Bile is a humor reflecting fiery matter, and it makes a man swift and bold in actions. In perfect men, bile is nothing other than zeal for justice; therefore, it incites them to right operations. Indeed, bile dominating other humors in the human body makes a man light-minded, irascible, and harsh. Bile in this doctrine represents a lethal crime, by which a man is stirred and rendered light-minded, wrathful, and harsh. Phlegm is a cold and moist humor, which in the veins gradually acquires the nature of blood, so that it may finally nourish the limbs. Similarly in the veins, namely in the Church, God has placed not only blood (namely perfect men) but also phlegm (namely imperfect men), so that, with the perfect failing, others might attain perfection. Unless we wish to interpret by phlegm the unconcocted humor of a sinner, whose affection is unconcocted—namely imperfect: therefore Isaiah said, "I have refined you, but not as silver." Finally, melancholy in the human body is a black humor producing constant fear: wherefore it is not surprising if physicians report that the melancholic fears without a manifest cause. This humor can undoubtedly be called a symbol of sin, which, lacking the splendor of grace, participates in blackness: therefore those who are infected by such a humor are blackened by vices, by whose stings they are always driven to fear.
From the mass of humors, flesh and fat are generated. Flesh is soft, as well as warm and moist, which covers the bones and fills the empty spaces of the muscles. By flesh, one is to understand the perfect mind, which, filled with the humor of piety and the warmth of charity, provides a covering for the bones (namely the needy); then it is said to fill the empty spaces of the muscles while it satisfies the empty pockets of the poor. Further, flesh is said to be impatient of labor because of its softness: wherefore animals with fleshy feet, like man, cannot endure long labors unless they put on shoes. By the same reasoning, fleshy men, namely those involved in delights, endure the labor of calamities with difficulty: as is read in Matthew, "The flesh, however, is weak." Wherefore it is necessary to flee to the footwear of the examples and doctrine of the Saints. Fat generated under the skin softens it, obstructs the passages, and while it increases, compresses the veins, and finally is fuel for fire. The fat of pleasures also softens the skin and so obstructs the passages of the affections that divine grace cannot penetrate to the innermost hiding places of the heart: indeed, increasing, it dominates the powers of the soul, compresses the veins of the will, and finally nourishes the fire of avarice.
Finally, excessive fat usually prevents a woman from being able to conceive; and those who are overwhelmed by too much fat, if they encounter ill health, are restored to health with the greatest difficulty.