Philonis Judaei Opera Omnia (Vol. 7)

The turtledove, however, imitates the intelligible and incorporeal species; for just as this animal is a student of solitude, so it excels the violent species of the senses, associating itself with the invisible through essence.

Why does he say: And he accepted for him original: "ei" all these?

§. 4. He excellently added also that, Accepted for him; for it is characteristic of a soul most loving of God, that whatever it has received of good and noble theories and opinions, it does not ascribe it all to itself, but to God, the bestower of graces.

What is: He divided them in the middle and placed them against one another?

P. A. 176

§. 5. The structure of the body (or flesh) according to its entire make is also of this kind: For the parts are brothers, but as divided, they are against one another, yet inclined and looking at each other because of natural cooperation, with the life-giving Creator dividing it thus for the sake of utility, so that one (part) is opposed to the other and again together they mutually serve one another for the necessary service. Just as the sight is directed, separating through the middle of the nose into both eyes, turning each toward each: for the pupils, so to speak, inclined in one direction, look at each other, scarcely wandering beyond the eye socket, but looking only at each other, especially when something meets the sight. Likewise, the hearing is divided into two ears, which are both turned toward each other, tending toward one and the same operation. The sense of smell, however, is divided into two nostrils, turned toward the individual tubes of the nostrils: which are not rolled about or inclined around the cheeks, as if they were torn apart to look one toward the right and the other toward the left, but are collected inwardly, awaiting odors with a common action.