De Agricultura

And this man himself prays that the flock may not be left without a shepherd, meaning by the flock the whole multitude of the parts of the soul; but that they may meet with a good shepherd, who will lead them away from the nets of folly, and injustice, and all wickedness, and conduct them to the doctrines of learning and all other virtue; for, says Moses, "Let the Lord the God of spirits and of all flesh look down upon man and upon this assembly." [*](Numbers xxvii. 16. ) And then, a little further on, he adds, "And the assembly of the Lord shall not be like sheep who have no shepherd."