Chapter VI.
After a short invective against women, he also passes to the eunuchs who are the authors of this wrong; and showing how fragile their status is, he tells the dream of one of them and its interpretation. From this he shows that the power of this world is similar to a dream. Then, in a mystical way, he praises the Hebrew interpreter and attacks the ungrateful eunuch. Finally, he indirectly criticizes Calligonus and adds a few remarks about the status and fragility of the ministers of the court.
28. Therefore, the author of this injustice is a woman and eunuchs; but the woman, who is Egyptian, accustomed to mixing impudent conversations with men, teasing the modest ones, pursuing the ones who try to escape, shamelessly slandering the innocent, when she couldn't defend her own vices, accused the innocent, mixing treachery with treachery, holding onto others' faults while condemning them herself, not setting any limit to her madness. For what reason is there cruelty, except that she saw her desires being hindered and her forbidden wishes being thwarted? Because of this, the prison is opened to receive the innocent: the chains of the guilty are loosened to be placed on the faithful: the adulterers of truth are released, to imprison those who rejected the adultery of faith.
29. But what shall I say about these eunuchs? who should be an example to the other eunuchs, because their status is fragile and delicate, and all their hope lies in the king's will, for whom a slight offense would be a great danger: but their secondary matters are lowly service. One boasted that he was in charge of the wine, the other that he was in charge of the bakers. Both offended, and were sent to prison, and were entrusted to the holy Joseph by the keeper of the prison, and after being there for several days, they had a dream; and when Joseph visited them, he noticed that their spirits were troubled and sad, because they were disturbed by the dream, for which they could not find an interpreter. Is not the interpretation of dreams from God, he said? So narrate to me. And the chief cupbearer narrated his dream to me. There was a vine before me: and on the vine were three branches; and it was budding and flowering, and ripe grapes were produced. And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand. And I took it, and pressed it into the cup, and gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand. And Joseph said to him: This is its interpretation: The three branches are three days. In three more days, Pharaoh will remember your position, and restore you to your former office, and you will give the cup into Pharaoh's hand. But remember me when you are well, and show me mercy, and remember me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this prison; for I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing wrong, yet I am put in this dungeon.
30. I do not wish to speak of someone else's dream. You certainly remember my words, that even then I refused to interpret it because I fear its outcome, the death that I dread. Let us first speak of the man who, when he was in charge of wine, seemed to be happy and believed that this was the pinnacle of power because he gave the cup to the king. This was his glory, this was his magnificence in this world, and he grieved being deprived of it; he rejoiced when it was restored to him. But this is a dream, and all worldly power is a dream, not truth. Finally, through the dream, he saw his authority restored to him. And Isaiah says that such are the people who delight in the things of this world, just as one who eats and drinks in dreams seems to himself to be filled with food or drink, while he sleeps; but when he wakes up, he begins to hunger even more; and then he understands how empty that food and drink of the dreamer were: so does one who sleeps in this world, not opening his eyes to the divine mysteries, as long as he is burdened by the sleep of the body, think that this worldly power is of some importance, as if he sees it in dreams; but when he wakes up, he realizes how empty this worldly pleasure is (Isaiah 29:8).
Consider now that true Hebrew, not of a dream but of truth and splendid vision, interpreter, who has come from the fullness of divinity, from the freedom of heavenly grace into this earthly prison, whom the allurements of this world could not change, no worldly corruption could overthrow, who, though tempted, did not fall, did not desire forbidden things, finally seized by the deceitful hand of the Synagogue in a deceptive garment of the body, shed the flesh, ascended free from death. The prostitute has been falsely accused. She was unable to hold the man whom prison did not frighten, whom even the underworld did not hold. Moreover, where he had descended as if to be punished, from there he freed others. Where the chains of death were binding them, there he himself loosened the chains of the dead.
32. Therefore, consider that Hebrew saying to the eunuch, who had incurred the wrath of the king, whom he had restored to his position: Remember yourself, when you are doing well, and show mercy towards me, and remember me. He repeated it a second time, because he knew that he would not recall what had happened once he regained his power. He reminded him a second time, because he had saved him a second time; so that if he did not remember the first favor, or if he betrayed the second favor, he would not despise the one who saved him, and violate his trust with treacherous disobedience. But what is worse, the quickly creeping forgetfulness of a favor comes with good fortunes. He who has returned to his own duty has not become mindful of the interpreter, but has forgotten him. But although he was forgetting, Christ was not forgetting: but he was speaking to him, and he was speaking through a servant saying to him: Remember through yourself, that is, remember what you have heard through the contemplation of your duty. But even if you have now forgotten, you will remember me; so that you may escape danger, you who have forgotten the favor. However, elevated in power, he did not remember. And what power it was, when it came to the service of wine! Behold, from where all the boasting; for he was in charge of the eunuchs, who served wine in the royal goblets.
And it came to pass, he said, after two years (Gen. XLI, 1). I would be lying about this during our lord's time, unless the day also agrees; because he received the office after two years, and he did not remember, but was reminded. For he knew that even the kingdom itself in this world was a dream, which he did not believe in his dream: he also learned that the kingdom is a dream, and that the powers themselves are not eternal. But let's quickly pass over this painful passage, lest it become more painful by mentioning it: not even the memory of my own speech pleases me, which at that time was either poured out by pain or extorted by the insult of the Church.
34. Therefore, being warned in a dream by the king, he said: I remember my sin (Ibid., 9). Indeed, it is late, but I wish it were a true confession! After the sin, you confess what you should have guarded against before the sin. How quickly you had forgotten: Remember me. You certainly know that at that time this was the discourse: but you had deaf ears due to the pride of power, and being drunk with wine, you did not hear the words of sobriety. Even now, remember me, as you confess your sin late. Why do you ask the servant of Christ, why do you deny the Lord? Be intoxicated not with wine, but with the Holy Spirit. Remember what he suffered, with whom you slept your sleep, and dreamed your dream. And he himself was in charge, and in charge of the king's banquets, which pertained to the work of the bakers. He believed himself to be exalted because he had the power over the king's bread: he did not know the many twists and turns of this power. He threatened others, soon to be handed over to the extreme punishment himself; and he did not listen to him, who, although a servant of the Lord, still spoke as an oracle: that by the king's command, the very king he flattered the most, he would lose his head and become food for birds. And you should have recalled this example in order not to believe in treachery.
35. There are also other examples of the pride and fragility of royal ministers, which the history of later times has. And Doech was a prefect, and the prefect of the king of animals for the discipline of mules, that is, of gelded animals. This one also accused a priest of the Lord, and by deceit he stirred up the king's anger against the priest, and he was a Syrian. Am I lying, when both my homeland and the facts agree? Aman also, as the king's chamberlain and himself a prefect, wickedly dared to invade the churches of the Lord, and he spared no effort in plundering and persecuting the faithful people, expending serious sacrilegious punishments.