53. And so we are restrained from sin. — What is expressed by the hiss, if not the intent of wonder? But if perchance in the hiss some other meaning is sought, when the sinner dies, those who behold his ruin draw in their mouth with a hiss, while they are converted to the spiritual words which they had despised, so that now they begin to believe and preach what before, when they saw the wicked man flourishing, they did not believe. For it often happens that the mind of the weak trembles the more at hearing the truth, the more it sees the despisers of truth flourish. But while just vengeance carries off the unjust, it restrains others from perversity. Whence it is said by Solomon: 'When the pestilent man is punished, the little one shall be wiser' (Proverbs XXI, 11).
The holy man, therefore, after he had sufficiently treated of the punishments of the powerful who are exalted in the world, turns his words again to the pride of heretics, who are exalted in eloquence. For there follows: