1520
sinfully stricken in its life-blood. Each one first of all
injures himself in the riches of the spirit, who with the
edge of the sword takes the life of another: nor shall
he dare to rejoice in thought over the spoils, for I will
avenge a man's death all the more severely upon the 1525
slayer and upon the fratricide, in proportion as blood-
shed, the slaughter of a man with weapons, or murder by
[violent] hands, seems to succeed. Man was first created
in the likeness of God: every man has the form of the 1530
Lord and of the Angels, whose virtues follow my holy
will. Increase and multiply, enjoy riches and honor on
earth. Fill the countries of the world with people, your
offspring, sons and daughters. I will set up for you this 1535
my pledge, that I will never again let loose the floods
upon the earth, the waters over the broad lands: you
may see this witness frequently upon the clouds, when 1540
I show my rainbow, [as proof] that I will certainly keep
this bond with men, while the world lasts."

Thus was the prudent son of Lamech, the keeper of
the heritage, disembarked from his ship after the flood 1545
with his three sons; and their four wives were named
Percoba, Olla, Olliva, and Ollivani,[20] saved from the
waters by the true God. The stout-minded heroes, 1550
the sons of Noe, were called Sem and Cham, and the third
Iafeth: from these warriors the nations sprang and all
this earth was filled with the children of men.

XIX.

Then for the second time Noe began to establish his 1555
home, with his kinsfolk, and to till the earth for food;
he struggled and toiled, planted a vineyard, sowed many
seeds and tended them carefully, so that the green 1560
earth, with its fertile boon, brought him fair harvests.

Then it befell once that the blessed man was in his
dwelling, drunken with wine; weary of feasting he slept,
and thrust the robe from his body, as was not fitting, and 1565
lay there with naked limbs: little he noticed that it went
so ill with him in his hall, when intoxication in his breast
gripped his heart in the holy house. In this torpor his 1570
intelligence was cruelly crippled, so that he could not
call to mind [the necessity for] covering himself with his
clothing and concealing his nakedness, as was ordained
for men and women, ever sin