7. Their feet run to evil. In various ways he paints to us the picture of what may be called extreme wickedness; that is, when men, having shaken off and cast away from them the fear of God, throw themselves into every kind of wickedness, and break out into all cruelty, extortion, and outrage. He says that they run, because they are eager and hasten with excessive keenness to evil actions. Having formerly spoken of the “hands” and the “tongues,” he likewise adds the feet, in order to show that they are proficients (135) in every kind of villainy, and that there is no part of their body that is entirely free from crime. Some are violent, but restrain their tongues. (136) Others resemble harpies, but are satisfied with the first prey that they meet with. But the Prophet says that his countrymen are swift of foot for committing robberies. (137)
Wasting and destruction are in their paths. He means that, wherever they go, they will resemble wild beasts, which seize and devour whatever they meet with, and leave nothing behind, so that, by their terrific onset, they drive away every kind of animals from venturing to approach to them. Pliny makes use of the same comparison, when speaking of Domitian, whose arrival was like that of a savage beast. The same thing happens with other violent men, whom all avoid as wild beasts. And in this manner their ways are rendered desolate and solitary, when none have any intercourse with them.
(135) “ Maistres passez.” “Acknowledged masters.”
(136) “ Mais c’est sans parler.” “But it is without speaking.
(137) “ Pour piller et brigander.” “For thieving and higbwayrobbery.”