Song of Solomon 7:4

Your neck is like an ivory tower. Because through the neck, both voice and speech proceed, and food, through which all the members of the body are nourished, usually enters; rightly through the neck, as we have previously admonished, the form of teachers is designated, who strengthen the whole body of the Church both with the voice of exhortation and refresh it with the sustenance of life. This neck, indeed, is like an ivory tower, because teachers provide both adornment and strength and the beauty of their lives to the holy city of God, that is, the Church. Because they are proven to be already dead to this world, they show themselves like ivory to all who see; and they defend the city of God, as a tower elevated and impregnable, from the assault of all enemies. For when they say that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for the destruction of fortresses, destroying counsels and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (II Cor. X), they prove that they are positioned as a tower for the fortification of the holy city; and when the same Paul, describing his and his co-workers' lives, says: For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God, I am crucified with Christ (Galat. II), he signifies that the quality of ivory, that is, of a bone indeed dead but marked by exceptional beauty, belongs to him.

Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon, etc. Because by the nose odors and stench are usually distinguished, the dispensers of the word of God, who had previously been designated for certain reasons to the neck and eyes of the Church; now also for the cause of very beneficial discretion, which is proven by the fathers to be the mother of virtues, is designated in the nose, because certainly by the function of smelling, they are able to discern more than others, in which acts or words the good odor of Christ flourishes, and which exhale the lethal stench of depravity: for indeed the teacher, or any faithful person, has much need of discretion, lest perhaps vices disguise themselves under the guise of virtues, lest they carry something wolf-like under the sheep's clothing, lest cunning be mistaken for prudence, tenacity for frugality, the desire for revenge for justice, harshness for fortitude, the semblance of constancy for the stubbornness of fools. Hence rightly teachers, rightly the chosen ones, who have received this grace from the Lord, that they may be able to separate the odors of virtues from the stench of vices, are said to be like the tower of Lebanon, which looks towards Damascus, because they hold an eminent place in the holy Church, and always with the most cautious eye of the mind watch against the snares of the old enemy. For it has often been said that Mount Lebanon signifies the Lord the Savior and His Church. Conversely, however, Damascus, because it signifies the city of the devil, that is, the crowd of reprobate angels or men, is as clear as light: for it was the metropolis of the whole of Syria, having the most impious and strong kings, who, as rightly carrying the emblem of the devil, inflicted frequent wars and captivities on the people of God, which clearly symbolize the temptations and snares of the devil, with which he continually attacks the Church. But also the fact that Damascus is called the drink of blood or the eye of blood corresponds to their signification, who delight in the allurements of the flesh and of blood, in whom even the very shedding of blood, which is inflicted on the innocent, is counted. It also corresponds to the most perverse intention of the demons, who labor to spiritually slaughter us, and take away from us the eternal life, which we have in Christ. Against both of them the Psalmist prays to the Lord,…