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Translation
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What the Fathers say
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
The five yoke of oxen are taken to be the five senses of the flesh; in the eyes sight, in the ears hearing, in the nostrils smelling, in the mouth taste, in all the members touch. But the yoke is more easily apparent in the three first senses; two eyes, two ears, two nostrils. Here are three yoke. And in the mouth is the sense of taste which is found to be a kind of double, in that nothing is sensible to the taste, which is not touched both by the tongue and palate. …
Gregory the Dialogist
Another said: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to test them; I pray you, have me excused. What do we understand by the five yoke of oxen except the five senses of the body? These are also rightly called yokes, because they are doubled in each sex. These bodily senses, indeed, because they do not know how to comprehend internal things, but know only external ones, and, abandoning what is innermost, touch those things which are outside, rightly through them curiosity is designated. …
Bede
And another said: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them. I pray thee, have me excused. What do we understand by the five yokes of oxen, if not the five senses of the body? Which are rightly also called yokes, because they are doubled in both sexes. These bodily senses, namely, since they are unable to comprehend what is internal but only know externals, and forsaking inner things touch only what is outside, rightly signify curiosity through them. …
Translation