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1.  I HAVE been much amazed at your longing for us, and your marks of deference to our insignificance, petty and weak as we are, and possessed, probably, of so few lovable qualities. For, you encourage us with your words, mentioning our friendship and our fatherland as though trying, by an appeal to my patriotism, to induce a fugitive to return to you once more. I indeed admit that I have become a fugitive, nor would I deny it; but now, since you desire, you may learn the cause.

8.1  Πολλάκις ἐθαύμασα τί ποτε πρὸς ἡμᾶς πεπόνθατε καὶ πόθεν τοσοῦτον ἥττησθε τῆς ἡμετέρας βραχύτητος τῆς μικρᾶς καὶ ὀλίγης καὶ οὐδὲν ἴσως ἐχούσης ἐράσμιον, καὶ λόγοις ἡμᾶς προτρέπεσθε φιλίας τε καὶ πατρίδος ὑπομιμνήσκοντες, ὥσπερ φυγάδας τινὰς πατρικοῖς σπλάγχνοις πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς πάλιν ἐπιστρέφειν πειρώμενοι. Ἐγὼ δὲ τὸ μὲν φυγὰς γεγονέναι ὁμολογῶ καὶ οὐκ ἀρνηθείην, τὴν δὲ αἰτίαν μάθοιτ' ἂν ἤδη ποθοῦντες.

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2. First of all, then, bewildered at the time by the unforeseen event, as men are who are suddenly terrified by unexpected confusions, I could not control my reason, but I fled the situation afar off, and have spent a considerable time away from you. Moreover, a longing came upon me for the divine doctrines and their associated philosophy. How would I be able, I said, to overcome the evil dwelling within me? Who could be to me a Laban, freeing me from Esau and guiding me to the heavenly philosophy?

Μάλιστα μὲν τῷ ἀδοκήτῳ τότε πληγείς, καθάπερ οἱ τοῖς αἰφνιδίοις ψόφοις ἀθρόως καταπλαγέντες, οὐ κατέσχον τοὺς λογισμούς, ἀλλ' ἐμάκρυνα φυγαδεύων καὶ ηὐλίσθην χρόνον ἱκανὸν ἀφ' ὑμῶν, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ πόθος τις ὑπεισῄει με τῶν θείων δογμάτων καὶ τῆς περὶ ἐκεῖνα φιλοσοφίας. Πῶς γὰρ ἂν δυναίμην, ἔφην ἐγώ, κρατῆσαι τῆς συνοικούσης ἡμῖν κακίας; Τίς δ' ἄν μοι γένοιτο Λάβαν, ἀπαλλάττων με τοῦ Ἡσαῦ καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀνωτάτω φιλοσοφίαν παιδαγωγῶν;

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3. But, since with God’s grace we have attained our object in proportion to our power, and have found a chosen instrument and a deep reservoir - I mean, of course, Gregory, the mouthpiece of Christ - grant us a little time; just a little, I entreat. We ask this, not because we desire a sojourn in the cities, for we are aware that the Evil Spirit deceives men by such means, but because we judge that association with holy men is in the highest degree helpful. For, by discussing the divine teachings and by hearing them more frequently expounded, we form a habit of contemplation which is not easily lost. This is truly our present position.

 Ἀλλ' ἐπειδή, σὺν Θεῷ, τοῦ σκοποῦ κατὰ δύναμιν τετυχήκαμεν εὑρόντες σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς καὶ φρέαρ βαθύ, λέγω δὲ τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ στόμα Γρηγόριον, ὀλίγον ἡμῖν, παρακαλῶ, ὀλίγον συγχωρήσατε χρόνον, αἰτούμεθα, οὐ τὴν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι διατριβὴν ἀσπαζόμενοι, οὐδὲ γὰρ λέληθεν ἡμᾶς ὁ πονηρὸς διὰ τῶν τοιούτων τὴν ἀπάτην τοῖς ἀνθρώποις προσμηχανώμενος, ἀλλὰ τὴν συντυχίαν τὴν πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους ἐπωφελῆ μάλιστα κρίνοντες. Ἐν γὰρ τῷ λέγειν τι περὶ τῶν θείων δογμάτων καὶ ἀκούειν πυκνότερον ἕξιν δυσαπόβλητον θεωρημάτων λαμβάνομεν. Καὶ τὰ μὲν καθ' ἡμᾶς τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον.

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4. But you, holy and dearest of all friends to me, be on your guard against the shepherds of the Philistines, lest someone subtly obstruct your wells and defile the clear knowledge of your faith. Their object is always this: not through divine Scriptures to instruct the more guileless souls, but through false wisdom to obscure the truth. For, he who is introducing into our faith ‘unbegotten’ and ‘begotten,’ and declaring that He who has always existed at one time did not exist, and that He, who by nature and from all eternity was Father, was made a father, and that the Holy Spirit is not eternal, is he not clearly a Philistine?

8.2   Ὑμεῖς δέ, ὦ θεῖαί μοι καὶ προσφιλέσταται πασῶν κεφαλαί, φυλάττεσθε τοὺς τῶν Φυλιστιαίων ποιμένας, μή τις λαθὼν ἐμφράξῃ ὑμῶν τὰ φρέατα καὶ τὸ καθαρὸν τῆς γνώσεως τῆς περὶ τὴν πίστιν ἐπιθολώσῃ. Τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἀεί ἐστιν ἐπιμελὲς μὴ ἐκ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν διδάσκειν τὰς ἀκεραιοτέρας ψυχάς, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς ἔξωθεν σοφίας παρακρούεσθαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Ὁ γὰρ ἀγέννητον καὶ γεννητὸν ἐπεισάγων ἡμῶν τῇ πίστει καὶ τὸν ἀεὶ ὄντα μὴ ὄντα ποτὲ δογματίζων καὶ τὸν φύσει καὶ ἀεὶ Πατέρα πατέρα γινόμενον καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον οὐκ ἀΐδιον οὐκ ἀντικρύς ἐστι Φυλιστιαῖος,

Is he not one who bewitches the sheep of our patriarch, that they may not drink from the pure water which springs up unto life everlasting, but may draw down upon themselves the saying of the Prophet:  ‘They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have digged to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water’? For, they should confess that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, as the divine Word teaches, and as they who have pondered it more deeply have taught.

βασκαίνων τοῖς τοῦ Πατριάρχου ἡμῶν προβάτοις, ἵνα μὴ πίνωσιν ἐκ τοῦ καθαροῦ καὶ ἁλλομένου εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ὕδατος, ἀλλὰ τὸ τοῦ προφήτου λόγιον πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἐπισπάσωνται τὸ < Ἐμὲ ἐγκατέλιπον πηγὴν ὕδατος ζῶντος καὶ ὤρυξαν ἑαυτοῖς λάκκους συντετριμμένους, οἳ οὐ δυνήσονται ὕδωρ συσχεῖν >, δέον ὁμολογεῖν Θεὸν τὸν Πατέρα, Θεὸν τὸν Υἱόν, Θεὸν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, ὡς οἵ τε θεῖοι λόγοι καὶ οἱ τούτους ὑψηλότερον νενοηκότες ἐδίδαξαν;

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 5. To those who insolently charge us with the doctrine of three gods, let this be said: that we confess one God, not in number, but in nature. Now, everything which is said to be one in number is not one in reality and simple in nature. But, God is universally confessed to be simple and uncompounded. Therefore, God is not one in number.

Πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἐπηρεάζοντας ἡμῖν τὸ τρίθεον ἐκεῖνο λεγέσθω ὅτιπερ ἡμεῖς ἕνα Θεόν, οὐ τῷ ἀριθμῷ, ἀλλὰ τῇ φύσει, ὁμολογοῦμεν. Πᾶν γὰρ ὃ ἓν ἀριθμῷ λέγεται τοῦτο οὐχ ἓν ὄντως, οὐδ' ἁπλοῦν τῇ φύσει ἐστίν· ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ἁπλοῦς καὶ ἀσύνθετος παρὰ πᾶσιν ὁμολογεῖται. Οὐκ ἄρα εἷς ἀριθμῷ ἐστιν ὁ Θεός.

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 6. What I mean is this. We say that the universe is one in number, but not one in nature, nor is it something simple. For we divide it into the elements out of which it was formed, into fire, water, air, and earth. Again, man is called one in number. For we frequently say man. But he is not something simple, since he is formed of body and soul. We likewise say the angel is one in number, but not one in nature or simple, for we consider the person of the angel as composed of substance with sanctity

 Ὃ δὲ λέγω τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν. Ἓν ἀριθμῷ τὸν κόσμον εἶναί φαμεν, ἀλλ' οὐχ ἕνα τῇ φύσει, οὐδ' ἁπλοῦν τινα τοῦτον. Τέμνομεν γὰρ αὐτὸν εἰς τὰ ἐξ ὧν συνέστηκε στοιχεῖα, εἰς πῦρ καὶ ὕδωρ καὶ ἀέρα καὶ γῆν. Πάλιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος εἷς ἀριθμῷ ὀνομάζεται. Ἕνα γὰρ ἄνθρωπον πολλάκις λέγομεν. Ἀλλ' οὐχ ἁπλοῦς τις οὗτός ἐστιν, ἐκ σώματος καὶ ψυχῆς συνεστώς. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἄγγελον ἕνα ἀριθμῷ ἐροῦμεν, ἀλλ' οὐχ ἕνα τῇ φύσει, οὐδὲ ἁπλοῦν· οὐσίαν γὰρ μεθ' ἁγιασμοῦ τὴν τοῦ ἀγγέλου ὑπόστασιν ἐννοοῦμεν.

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7. Therefore, if everything which is one in number is not one in nature, and what is one in nature and simple is not one in number, and we say that God is one in nature, how do they bring into our idea, number, which we banish entirely from that blessed and spiritual nature? For, number pertains to quantity, and quantity is added as an attribute of corporeal nature. Doubtless, then, number is an attribute of corporeal nature. Further, we have believed that our Lord is the Creator of bodies.

Εἰ τοίνυν πᾶν τὸ ἓν ἀριθμῷ ἓν τῇ φύσει οὐκ ἔστι, καὶ τὸ ἓν τῇ φύσει καὶ ἁπλοῦν ἓν ἀριθμῷ οὐκ ἔστιν, ἡμεῖς δὲ λέγομεν ἕνα τῇ φύσει Θεόν, πῶς ἐπεισάγουσιν ἡμῖν τὸν ἀριθμόν, αὐτὸν πάντη ἡμῶν ἐξοριζόντων τῆς μακαρίας ἐκείνης καὶ νοητῆς φύσεως; Ὁ γὰρ ἀριθμός ἐστι τοῦ ποσοῦ, τὸ δὲ ποσὸν τῇ σωματικῇ φύσει συνέζευκται· ὁ γὰρ ἀριθμὸς τῆς σωματικῆς φύσεως. Σωμάτων δὲ δημιουργὸν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν εἶναι πεπιστεύκαμεν.

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8. Accordingly, he who confesses the Son of God or the Holy Spirit as number or creature unconsciously introduces a material and circumscribed nature.

Ὁ τοίνυν ἀριθμὸν ἢ κτίσμα ὁμολογῶν τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἢ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον λανθάνει ἔνυλον καὶ περιγραπτὴν φύσιν εἰσάγων.

And by a circumscribed nature I mean one not only encompassed by space, but also included in the foreknowledge of Him who is to lead it from non-existence into existence, and consequently one capable of comprehension by the understanding. Now, everything holy which has its nature circumscribed and its holiness acquired is not unsusceptible to evil. But the Son and the Holy Spirit are the fountains of holiness from which every rational creature in proportion to its virtue is made holy.

Περιγραπτὴν δὲ λέγω οὐ μόνον τὴν περιεχομένην ὑπὸ τόπου, ἀλλ' ἥνπερ καὶ τῇ προγνώσει ἐμπεριείληφεν ὁ μέλλων αὐτὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι παράγειν, ὃ καὶ ἐπιστήμῃ περιλαβεῖν δυνατόν ἐστι. Πᾶν οὖν ἅγιον ὃ περιγραπτὴν ἔχει τὴν φύσιν καὶ ἐπίκτητον ἔχει τὴν ἁγιότητα οὐκ ἀνεπίδεκτόν ἐστι κακίας. Ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον πηγή ἐστιν ἁγιασμοῦ, ὑφ' ἧς πᾶσα ἡ λογικὴ κτίσις κατ' ἀναλογίαν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἁγιάζεται.

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9. Yet we, according to the true doctrine, do not say that the Son is either like or unlike the Father. Each of these expressions is equally impossible, since ‘likeness’ and ‘unlikeness’ are used in speaking of qualities, and the Divinity is not restricted by quality.^l However, admitting the identity of nature, we also accept the identity of substance, and we reject compositeness, since He who in substance is God and Father has begotten Him who in substance is God and Son. From this fact identity in substance is proved. For, He who in substance is God is consubstantial with Him who is God in substance.

8.3   Καίτοι ἡμεῖς, κατὰ τὸν ἀληθῆ λόγον, οὔτε ὅμοιον οὔτε ἀνόμοιον λέγομεν τὸν Υἱὸν τῷ Πατρί. Ἑκάτερον γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐπίσης ἀδύνατον. Ὅμοιον γὰρ καὶ ἀνόμοιον κατὰ τὰς ποιότητας λέγεται, ποιότητος δὲ τὸ θεῖον ἐλεύθερον. Ταυτότητα δὲ τῆς φύσεως ὁμολογοῦντες καὶ τὸ ὁμοούσιον ἐκδεχόμεθα καὶ τὸ σύνθετον φεύγομεν, τοῦ κατ' οὐσίαν Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς τὸν κατ' οὐσίαν Θεὸν καὶ Υἱὸν γεγεννηκότος. Ἐκ γὰρ τούτου τὸ ὁμοούσιον δείκνυται. Ὁ γὰρ κατ' οὐσίαν Θεὸς τῷ κατ' οὐσίαν Θεῷ ὁμοούσιός ἐστιν,

But, when man also is called god, as in the words: ‘I have said, you are gods,’^l and when the Evil Spirit is called god, as in the saying: ‘The gods of the gentiles are devils,’ well, the first are so called because of grace, but the latter are so called falsely.

ἐπειδὴ λέγεται θεὸς καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὡς τὸ < Ἐγὼ εἶπα θεοί ἐστε >. Καὶ ὁ δαίμων θεός, ὡς τὸ < Οἱ θεοὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν δαιμόνια >. Ἀλλ' οἳ μὲν κατὰ χάριν ὀνομάζονται, οἳ δὲ κατὰ ψεῦδος Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς μόνος κατ' οὐσίαν ἐστὶ Θεός.

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It is used for a particular man, as, let us say, for Paul, where it is written that ‘he alone was caught up into the third heaven, and heard secret words, that man may not repeat’; and for human nature in general,s as when David says: ‘Man’s days are as grass.’ For in this case he does not mean some particular man, but human nature in general. Now, every man is shortlived and mortal. And so we consider that the following statements were made concerning the divine nature: ‘Who alone has immortality,’l and ‘To the only wise God,’ and, ‘No one is good but God only,”

̓Επί τινος μέν, οἷον, φέρε εἰπεῖν, ἐπὶ Παύλου, ὅτι μόνος ἡρπάγη ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἤκουσεν ἄρρητα ῥήματα ἃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἀνθρώπῳ λαλῆσαι. Ἐπὶ φύσεως δὲ τῆς καθόλου, ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ Δαβίδ· < Ἄνθρωπος, ὡσεὶ χόρτος αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτοῦ >. Ἐνταῦθα γὰρ οὐ τόν τινα ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ τὴν καθόλου φύσιν δηλοῖ. Πᾶς γὰρ ἄνθρωπος πρόσκαιρος καὶ θνητός. Οὕτω κἀκεῖνα νοοῦμεν ἐπὶ τῆς φύσεως εἰρημένα, τὸ < Ὁ μόνος ἔχων ἀθανασίαν >, καὶ < Μόνῳ σοφῷ Θεῷ >, καὶ τὸ < Οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ Θεός >.

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11. - for the word ‘one’ [heis] there signifies the same thing as ‘only’ [monos] -and ‘who alone spreadeth out the heavens,’ and again, ‘Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and shalt serve him only,’l and ‘There is no other God besides me.’ Now, ‘one’ and ‘alone’ are used in the Scripture when referring to God, not in distinction from the Son or the Holy Spirit, but in contrast to those who, although they are not gods, are falsely so called.

Τὸ γὰρ εἷς ἐνταῦθα τῷ μόνος ταὐτὸν δηλοῖ. Καὶ τὸ < Ὁ τανύσας τὸν οὐρανὸν μόνος >. Καὶ πάλιν < Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ σου προσκυνήσεις καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις >. Καὶ τὸ < Οὐκ ἔστι Θεὸς πλὴν ἐμοῦ >. Τὸ γὰρ εἷς καὶ μόνος ἐπὶ Θεοῦ ἐν τῇ Γραφῇ οὐ πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολὴν τοῦ Υἱοῦ ἢ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος λέγεται, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοὺς μὴ ὄντας θεούς, ὀνομαζομένους δὲ ψευδῶς.

The following are examples: ‘The Lord alone was their leader, and there was no strange god with them,’ and ‘The children of Israel put away Baalim and Astaroth, and served the Lord only,’ and again, the words of Paul: ‘For indeed there are many gods, and many lords, yet for us there is only one God, the Father from whom are all things, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things.’

 Ὡς τὸ < Κύριος μόνος ἦγεν αὐτούς, καὶ οὐκ ἦν μετ' αὐτῶν θεὸς ἀλλότριος >. Καὶ τὸ < Περιεῖλον οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ τὰ Βααλὶμ καὶ τὰ ἄλση Ἀσταρὼθ καὶ ἐδούλευον Κυρίῳ μόνῳ >. Καὶ πάλιν ὁ Παῦλος. < Ὥσπερ εἰσὶ θεοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ κύριοι πολλοί, ἀλλ' ἡμῖν εἷς Θεός, ὁ Πατήρ, ἐξ οὗ τὰ πάντα, καὶ εἷς Κύριος, Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα > .

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12. But, we ask here how it was that, when he had said, ‘one God,’ he was not satisfied with the words - for we have said that ‘alone’ and ‘one’ used in regard to God refer to the nature - but that he added also ‘Father’ and made mention of Christ. Well, I suspect that Paul, the chosen instrument, did not think that it was sufficiently explicit in this place to proclaim only the Son God and the Holy Spirit God, which indeed was made clear by the expression ‘one God,’ unless he should also, by adding ‘the Father,’ signify Him from whom are all things; and by mentioning ‘the Lord,’ indicate the ‘Word’ through whom are all things; and again, by bringing in ‘Jesus Christ,’ recall the Incarnation, renew in thought the Passion, and present anew the Resurrection.

̓Αλλὰ ζητοῦμεν ἐνταῦθα πῶς < Εἷς Θεὸς > εἰρηκὼς οὐκ ἠρκέσθη τῇ φωνῇ῾ἔφαμεν γὰρ ὅτι τὸ μόνος καὶ τὸ εἷς ἐπὶ Θεοῦ τὴν φύσιν δηλοἶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ Πατὴρ προσέθηκε καὶ Χριστοῦ ἐμνημόνευσεν. Ὑπονοῶ τοίνυν ὅτι οὐκ ἐξαρκεῖν ᾠήθη νῦν ὁ Παῦλος, τὸ σκεῦος τῆς ἐκλογῆς, κηρύσσειν μόνον Θεὸν τὸν Υἱὸν καὶ Θεὸν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, ὅπερ διὰ τῆς Εἷς Θεὸς ἐδήλωσε ῥήσεως, ἐὰν μὴ καὶ διὰ τῆς προσθήκης τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸν ἐξ οὗ τὰ πάντα δηλώσῃ καὶ διὰ τῆς μνήμης τοῦ Κυρίου τὸν Λόγον τὸν δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα σημάνῃ καὶ πάλιν διὰ τῆς Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ συμπαραλήψεως τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν ἀπαγγείλῃ καὶ τὸ πάθος παραστήσῃ καὶ τὴν ἀνάστασιν φανερώσῃ.

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13. Therefore, before His Passion, the Lord sought not to be made known as Jesus Christ, and ‘He strictly charged his disciples to tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ’iT for it was His intention, after the fulfillment of His mission, and after His resurrection from the dead and ascension into heaven, to permit them to announce that He was Jesus the Christ.

 Διὸ καὶ πρὸ τοῦ πάθους παραιτεῖται ὁ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς καταγγέλλεσθαι καὶ διαστέλλεται τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἵνα μηδενὶ εἴπωσιν ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστός. Πρόκειται γὰρ αὐτῷ τελειώσαντι τὴν οἰκονομίαν, μετὰ τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν καὶ τὴν εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνάληψιν, ἐπιτρέψαι αὐτοῖς κηρύσσειν αὐτὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸν Χριστόν.

Similar in meaning are these passages, also: ‘That they may know thee, the only true God, and him whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ’;’ and ‘You believe in God, believe also in me.’ Consequently, the Holy Spirit is everywhere safeguarding our judgment, lest in attaining one truth we fall away from another, and being intent on theology we disregard the divine dispensation,’l’ and in thus falling short we engender impiety within our souls.

Τοιοῦτόν ἐστι καὶ τὸ < Ἵνα γινώσκωσί σε τὸν μόνον ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν καὶ ὃν ἀπέστειλας Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν >, καὶ τὸ < Πιστεύετε εἰς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ εἰς ἐμὲ πιστεύετε >, πανταχοῦ τὴν ἔννοιαν ἡμῶν ἀσφαλιζομένου τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ Ἁγίου, ἵνα μὴ θατέρῳ προσβαίνοντες θατέρου ἐκπίπτωμεν καὶ τῇ θεολογίᾳ προσέχοντες τῆς οἰκονομίας καταφρονῶμεν καὶ γένηται ἡμῖν κατὰ τὸ ἐλλεῖπον ἡ ἀσέβεια.

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14. But, as our opponents seize upon the words of the Sacred Scripture, twist them to fit their own views, and then cite them for us in order to take away the glory of the Only-begotten, let us likewise scrutinize them and lay open their meaning as far as we are able. Let us first propose these words: ‘I live through the Father,’53 since this is one of the darts launched against heaven by those using it sacrilegiously.

8.4  Τὰ δὲ ῥήματα τῆς θείας Γραφῆς, ἅπερ λαμβάνοντες οἱ ἀντικείμενοι καὶ διαστρέφοντες πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν συνείδησιν εἰς καθαίρεσιν τῆς δόξης τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ἡμῖν προφέρουσιν, οὕτως ἐξετάσωμεν κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν ἡμῖν ἀναπτύσσοντες αὐτῶν τὴν διάνοιαν. Καὶ πρῶτον ἡμῖν τεθείσθω τὸ < Ἐγὼ ζῶ διὰ τὸν Πατέρα >. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ἓν τῶν βελῶν τῶν εἰς οὐρανὸν πεμπομένων ὑπὸ τῶν ἀσεβῶς αὐτῷ κεχρημένων. 

In this place the expression, as I believe, does not refer to His life before time - for nothing which has life because of something else can be self-existent; just as nothing that is heated by something else can be heat itself; and our Christ and God has said: ‘I am the life.’54 But the life which He lived “through the Father”55 is this life which He has had in the flesh and here in time. Now, of His own will He began to live the life of man; and He did not say: ‘I lived because of the Father,’ but: ‘I live because of the Father,’ clearly indicating the present time.

̓Ενταῦθα δὲ τὸ ῥητὸν οὐ τὴν προαιώνιον, ὡς οἶμαι, ζωὴν ὀνομάζει῾πᾶν γὰρ τὸ δι' ἕτερον ζῶν αὐτοζῶν εἶναι οὐ δύναται, ὡς οὐδὲ τὸ ὑφ' ἑτέρου θερμανθὲν αὐτοθερμότης εἶναι· ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἡμῶν εἴρηκεν· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ζωἤ, ἀλλὰ ζωὴν ταύτην τὴν ἐν σαρκὶ καὶ ἐν τῷ χρόνῳ τούτῳ γεγενημένην ἣν ἔζησε διὰ τὸν Πατέρα. Βουλήσει γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἐπιδεδήμηκε τῷ βίῳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν· < Ἐγὼ ἔζησα διὰ τὸν Πατέρα >, ἀλλ' < Ἐγὼ ζῶ διὰ τὸν Πατέρα >, σαφῶς τὸν παρόντα προσημαίνων χρόνον.

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15. And it is possible to say the ‘life’ which Christ lives, He having in Himself the Word of God.56 That this is the meaning we shall see from the following. ‘And he who eats me,’ He says, ‘he also shall live through me.’57 Now, we eat His flesh and we drink His blood, being made sharers, through the Incarnation and through His corporeal life, of the Word and His wisdom.58 For, He spoke of His whole mystical sojourn as His flesh and His blood,59 and He revealed His doctrine composed of the principles relating to the real, the natural, and the theological,60 through which teachings the soul is nourished and is, in the meantime, prepared for the contemplation of realities. And this is probably the meaning of the expression.

 [On the mystical significance of priestly ministry and the Eucharist: Prak 100,  KG 2.44;  Ad Mon. 118-120;  Sch.15 on Ps.67.24]

Δύναται δὲ καὶ ζωὴν λέγειν ἣν ζῇ ὁ Χριστὸς τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ δηλούμενον ἐκ τοῦ ἐπιφερομένου εἰσόμεθα. Καὶ < Ὁ τρώγων με, φησί, ζήσεται δι' ἐμέ >. Τρώγομεν γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὴν σάρκα καὶ πίνομεν αὐτοῦ τὸ αἷμα, κοινωνοὶ γινόμενοι διὰ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως καὶ τῆς αἰσθητῆς ζωῆς τοῦ Λόγου καὶ τῆς Σοφίας. Σάρκα γὰρ καὶ αἷμα πᾶσαν αὐτοῦ τὴν μυστικὴν ἐπιδημίαν ὠνόμασε καὶ τὴν ἐκ πρακτικῆς καὶ φυσικῆς καὶ θεολογικῆς συνεστῶσαν διδασκαλίαν ἐδήλωσε, δι' ἧς τρέφεταί τε ψυχὴ καὶ πρὸς τὴν τῶν ὄντων τέως θεωρίαν παρασκευάζεται. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ἐκ τοῦ ῥητοῦ ἴσως δηλούμενον.

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16. And again, consider the words: ‘My Father is greater than I‘ Those most ungrateful creatures, the offspring of the Evil One, make use of this saying, also. Yet, I am convinced that by this expression the Son of God is proved to be consubstantial with the Father, since I know that comparisons hold good only in the case of things of the same nature. For, we say that an angel is greater than another angel, and a man is more just than another man, and a bird is swifter than another bird.

8.5  Καὶ πάλιν· < Ὁ Πατήρ μου μείζων μοῦ ἐστι >. Κέχρηται γὰρ καὶ τούτῳ τῷ ῥητῷ τὰ ἀχάριστα κτίσματα, τὰ τοῦ πονηροῦ γεννήματα. Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ἐκ ταύτης τῆς φωνῆς τὸ ὁμοούσιον εἶναι τὸν Υἱὸν τῷ Πατρὶ δηλοῦσθαι πεπίστευκα. Τὰς γὰρ συγκρίσεις οἶδα κυρίως ἐπὶ τῶν τῆς αὐτῆς φύσεως γινομένας. Ἄγγελον γὰρ ἀγγέλου λέγομεν μείζονα καὶ ἄνθρωπον ἀνθρώπου δικαιότερον καὶ πτηνὸν πτηνοῦ ταχύτερον.

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17. But, there is also another thought contained in this saying. Nay, what wonder is it, ii He confessed that the Father was greater than He Himself, since, being the Word and having been made flesh, He seemed less than the angels in glory and less than man in appearance. For, ‘Thou hast made him,’ it is said, ‘a little less than the angels’; and again, ‘him who was made a littlc lower than the angels’;

 Ἔστι δέ τις καὶ ἄλλη ἔννοια ἐναποκειμένη τῷ ῥητῷ. Τί γὰρ θαυμαστὸν εἰ μείζονα ἑαυτοῦ τὸν Πατέρα ὡμολόγησε, Λόγος ὢν καὶ σὰρξ γεγονώς, ὁπόταν καὶ ἀγγέλων ὤφθη κατὰ τὴν δόξαν ἐλάττων καὶ ἀνθρώπων κατὰ τὸ εἶδος; < Ἠλάττωσας γὰρ αὐτόν, φησί, βραχύ τι παρ' ἀγγέλους >. Καὶ πάλιν· < Τὸν δὲ βραχύ τι παρ' ἀγγέλους ἠλαττωμένον >.

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18. And He endured all these things because of His great love for His creatures, that He might rescue the lost sheep and, having saved it, bring it back; that He might lead back in sound health to his own fatherland him who had gone down from Jerusalem to Jericho and thus fallen among robbers.

Τούτων δὲ πάντων ἠνέσχετο διὰ τὴν πολλὴν αὐτοῦ περὶ τὸ πλάσμα φιλανθρωπίαν, ἵνα τὸ ἀπολωλὸς πρόβατον ἀνασώσηται καὶ τὸ σωθὲν καταμίξῃ, καὶ τὸν κατελθόντα ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλὴμ εἰς Ἱεριχὼ καὶ διὰ τοῦτο περιπεσόντα λῃσταῖς εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ὑγιαίνοντα πάλιν ἐπαναγάγῃ πατρίδα.

And will the heretic indeed make the manger a subject of reproach to Him, the manger in which, while a helpless infant, He was nurtured by the Word? And will he taunt Him for His poverty, because He, the son of a carpenter, was not provided with a cradle?

Η καὶ τὴν φάτνην αὐτῷ ὀνειδίσει ὁ αἱρετικός, δι' ἧς ἄλογος ὢν ἐτράφη ὑπὸ τοῦ Λόγου, καὶ τὴν πενίαν προοίσει, ὅτι κλινιδίου οὐκ ηὐπόρησεν ὁ τοῦ τέκτονος υἱός;

For this further reason the Son is less than the Father, because for your sake He died in order that He might free you from death and cause you to share in the heavenly life. So it would be if one would censure a physician because, in bending over the bed of pain in order to treat the patient, some of the foul odor should cling to him. [cf Gr.Nz Or. 38:13 [1] ]

Διὰ τοῦτο τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐλάττων ὁ Υἱός, ὅτι διὰ σὲ γέγονε νεκρός, ἵνα σε τῆς νεκρότητος ἀπαλλάξῃ καὶ ζωῆς μέτοχον ἐπουρανίου ποιήσῃ. Ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις καὶ τὸν ἰατρὸν αἰτιῷτο ὅτι συγκύπτων ἐπὶ τὰ πάθη τῆς δυσωδίας συναπολαύει, ἵνα τοὺς πεπονθότας ἰάσηται.

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19. For your sake, also, He does not know the hour or the day of judgment; yet nothing is unknown to true Wisdom, for through It are all things made. Moreover, among men no one is ever ignorant of what he has made. But He so provides because of your weakness, lest sinners, by reason of the brief time allotted them, fall into despair, believing that no time is left for repentance; and again, lest those fighting a long battle against the apposing force, because of its protracted duration, should desert their posts.

8.6   Διὰ σὲ καὶ τὴν ὥραν καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς Κρίσεως ἀγνοεῖ· καίτοι οὐδὲν λανθάνει τὴν ὄντως Σοφίαν· πάντα γὰρ δι' αὐτῆς ἐγένετο. Οὐδεὶς δὲ οὐδὲ ἀνθρώπων πώποτε ὃ πεποίηκεν ἀγνοεῖ. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο οἰκονομεῖ διὰ τὴν σὴν ἀσθένειαν, ἵνα μήτε τῷ στενῷ τῆς προθεσμίας οἱ ἁμαρτήσαντες τῇ ἀθυμίᾳ καταπέσωσιν ὡς οὐχ ὑπολελειμμένου καιροῦ μετανοίας, μηδ' αὖ πάλιν οἱ πολεμοῦντες μακρὰ τῇ ἀντικειμένῃ δυνάμει διὰ τὸ μῆκος τοῦ χρόνου λειποτακτήσωσιν.

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 20. Yet, in the Gospels, He numbered himself with the ignorant because, as I said, of the weakness of the many. In the Acts of the Apostles, as if separately addressing the perfect, and making an exception of Himself, He says: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates, which the Father has fixed by his own authority.’ Let these things in a rather rough way suffice for our original design. I now must scrutinize more deeply the meaning of the expression, and I must knock at the door of the understanding, to see if in some way I may be able to arouse the Master of the house who gives spiritual bread to those who ask for it, since they to whom we wish to give a feast are friends and brothers.

Καίτοι ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ἑαυτὸν συγκαταριθμήσας τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσι διὰ τὴν τῶν πολλῶν, ὡς ἔφην, ἀσθένειαν, ἐν αἷς Πράξεσι τῶν Ἀποστόλων ὡς τελείοις κατ' ἰδίαν διαλεγόμενος καθ' ὑπεξαίρεσιν ἑαυτοῦ φησιν. < Οὐχ ὑμῶν ἐστι γνῶναι χρόνους ἢ καιροὺς οὓς ὁ Πατὴρ ἔθετο ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ >. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν κατὰ τὴν προτέραν ἐπιβολὴν εἰρήσθω παχύτερον. Ἤδη δὲ ἐξεταστέον ὑψηλότερον τὴν διάνοιαν τοῦ ῥητοῦ καὶ κρουστέον τὴν θύραν τῆς γνώσεως, εἴπη δυνηθείην ἐξεγεῖραι τὸν οἰκοδεσπότην τὸν τοὺς πνευματικοὺς ἄρτους διδόντα τοῖς αἰτοῦσιν αὐτόν, ἐπειδὴ φίλοι καὶ ἀδελφοί εἰσιν οὓς ἑστιᾶσαι σπουδάζομεν.

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 21. The holy disciples of our Saviour, having reached the highest degree of contemplation possible for men, and having been purified by the Word, seek the end, desiring to know the ultimate beatitude, and this our Lord declared neither His angels nor He knew. For, by ‘day’ He meant the complete and accurate perception of the designs of God, and by ‘hour’ the contemplation of the ‘oneness’ and ‘aloneness.’ The knowledge of these He assigned to the Father alone.

8.7  Οἱ ἅγιοι μαθηταὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐπέκεινα θεωρίας, ὡς ἔνι ἀνθρώποις, ἐλθόντες καὶ καθαρθέντες ἀπὸ τοῦ λόγου τὸ τέλος ἐπιζητοῦσι καὶ τὴν ἐσχάτην μακαριότητα γνῶναι ποθοῦσιν, ὅπερ ἀγνοεῖν καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν ἀπεφήνατο, ἡμέραν μὲν λέγων πᾶσαν τὴν ἀκριβῆ κατάληψιν τῶν ἐπινοιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὥραν δὲ τὴν ἑνάδος καὶ μονάδος θεωρίαν, ὧν τὴν εἴδησιν μόνῳ προσένειμε τῷ Πατρί.

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 22. If, therefore, God is said to know concerning Himself that which is, and not to know that which is not, and if our Lord is not, according to the purpose of the Incarnation and to empirical knowledge, the ultimate end desired, then our Saviour does not know, as it seems, the end and final beatitude.

̔Εἰ τοίνυν ἐκεῖνο λέγεται περὶ ἑαυτοῦ εἰδέναι ὁ Θεὸς ὅπερ ἐστί, κἀκεῖνο μὴ εἰδέναι ὅπερ οὐκ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστι δὲ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν κατὰ τὴν τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως ἐπίνοιαν καὶ παχυτέραν διδασκαλίαν τὸ ἔσχατον ὀρεκτόν, οὐκ ἄρα οἶδεν ὁ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν τὸ τέλος καὶ τὴν ἐσχάτην μακαριότητα.

But not even the angels know this, He says; that is, not even the contemplation which is in them nor the logoi of their services are the ultimate end desired. For their knowledge is coarse in comparison with face-to-face [knowledge].

< Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ οἱ ἄγγελοι, φησίν, ἴσασι >, τουτέστιν οὐδὲ ἡ ἐν αὐτοῖς θεωρία καὶ οἱ λόγοι τῶν διακονιῶν εἰσι τὸ ἔσχατον ὀρεκτόν. Παχεῖα γὰρ καὶ τούτων ἡ γνῶσις συγκρίσει τοῦ πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον.

Only the Father, He says, knows, since He Himself is the end and final beatitude. For, when we learn to know God no longer in a mirror, nor through an alien medium, but we approach Him as the Only and the One, then we also shall know the final beatitude.

Μόνος δὲ ὁ Πατήρ, φησίν, ἐπίσταται, ἐπειδὴ καὶ αὐτός ἐστι τὸ τέλος καὶ ἡ ἐσχάτη μακαριότης. Ὅταν γὰρ μηκέτι Θεὸν ἐν τοῖς κατόπτροις μηδὲ διὰ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἐπιγινώσκωμεν, ἀλλ' αὐτῷ ὡς μόνῳ καὶ ἑνὶ προσέλθωμεν, τότε καὶ τὸ ἔσχατον τέλος εἰσόμεθα.

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 23. But, our Lord is also the end itself and final beatitude, according to the design of the Word.

Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν καὶ αὐτὸς τὸ τέλος καὶ ἡ ἐσχάτη μακαριότης κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Λόγου ἐπίνοιαν.

For, what does He say in the Gospel? ‘And I will raise him up on the last day’; meaning by the word ‘raising up’ the change from material knowledge to immaterial contemplation, and using the ‘last day’ to signify this knowledge, beyond which there is no other. For, then our mind is arisen and awakened to blessed heights whenever it contemplates the ‘oneness’ and ‘aloneness’ of the Word.

Τί γάρ φησιν ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ; < Κἀγὼ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ >, ἀνάστασιν λέγων τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐνύλου γνώσεως ἐπὶ τὴν ἄϋλον θεωρίαν μετάβασιν, ἐσχάτην δὲ ἡμέραν τὴν γνῶσιν ταύτην εἰπὼν μεθ' ἣν οὐκ ἔστιν ἑτέρα. Τηνικαῦτα γὰρ ὁ νοῦς ἡμῶν ἐξανίσταται καὶ πρὸς ὕψος μακάριον διεγείρεται, ὁπηνίκα ἂν θεωρήσῃ τὴν ἑνάδα καὶ μονάδα τοῦ Λόγου.

But our coarsened intellect is bound up with earthy material and mixed with clay, and so is unable to be intent on bare contemplation: [thus] it is through worlds similar to its own body that it is led to apprehend the activities of the Creator, and meanwhile it learns to know these things from their effects, so that, strengthened little by little, it may eventually be able to approach the naked Divinity Itself.

̓Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ παχυνθεὶς ἡμῶν ὁ νοῦς τῷ χοῒ συνεδέθη καὶ τῷ πηλῷ συμφύρεται καὶ ψιλῇ τῇ θεωρίᾳ ἐνατενίζειν ἀδυνατεῖ, διὰ τῶν συγγενῶν τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ κόσμων ποδηγούμενος τὰς ἐνεργείας τοῦ κτίστου κατανοεῖ καὶ ταῦτα ἐκ τῶν ἀποτελεσμάτων τέως ἐπιγινώσκει, ἵν' οὕτω κατὰ μικρὸν αὐξηθεὶς ἰσχύσῃ ποτὲ καὶ αὐτῇ γυμνῇ προσελθεῖν τῇ θεότητι.

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 24. It is with this meaning, I think, that the following words were spoken: ‘My Father is greater than I,’ and ‘That is not mine to give you, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.’ For, this is also the meaning of Christ handing over the kingdom to God and the Father, since He is the first-fruits and not the end according, as I have said, to the empirical knowledge, which looks to us and not to the Son Himself. That these things are so is evident from His reply in the Acts of the Apostles, when the disciples asked a second time: ‘Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’s and He answered: ‘It is not for you to know the times and dates which the Father has fixed by his own authority.’ That is, the knowledge concerning such a kingdom is not for those still imprisoned in flesh and blood.

Κατὰ ταύτην δὲ οἶμαι τὴν ἐπίνοιαν εἰρῆσθαι καὶ τὸ < Ὁ Πατήρ μου μείζων μού ἐστι >, καὶ τὸ < Οὐκ ἔστιν ἐμὸν δοῦναι, ἀλλ' οἷς ἡτοίμασται ὑπὸ τοῦ Πατρός >. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι καὶ τὸ παραδοῦναι τὴν βασιλείαν τὸν Χριστὸν τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί, ἀπαρχὴν ὄντα καὶ οὐ τέλος, κατὰ τὴν παχυτέραν, ὡς ἔφην, διδασκαλίαν, ἥτις ὡς πρὸς ἡμᾶς καὶ οὐ πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν Υἱὸν θεωρεῖται. Ὅτι δὲ ταῦθ' οὕτως ἔχει, πάλιν ἐρωτήσασι τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι τῶν Ἀποστόλων τὸ < Πότε ἀποκαθιστανεῖς τὴν βασιλείαν τῷ Ἰσραήλ > φησιν· < Οὐχ ὑμῶν ἐστι γνῶναι χρόνους ἢ καιροὺς οὓς ὁ Πατὴρ ἔθετο ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ >. Τουτέστιν οὐ τῶν συνδεδεμένων σαρκὶ καὶ αἵματι τῆς τοιαύτης βασιλείας ἡ γνῶσις.

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 25. But do not think, I beg you, that the times and dates are those of the senses; they are certain differences of knowledge due to the mental sun.

Χρόνους δὲ καὶ καιροὺς μή μοι νόει αἰσθητούς, ἀλλὰ διαστήματά τινα γνώσεως ὑπὸ τοῦ νοητοῦ ἡλίου γινόμενα.

Withdrawal of Number at Advent of The Monad

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 26. And this meaning I arrived at in my second attempt. If anyone should interpret it better or should with reverence revise our efforts, let him both interpret and revise, and the Lord will reward him for us. For, no envy abides in us, because we did not undertake the examination of these words through rivalry or vanity, but for the benefit of our brothers, lest the earthen vessels holding the treasure of God should seem to be led astray by these stony-hearted and uncircumcised men who have armed themselves with a foolish wisdom.

Κἀγὼ μὲν οὕτως ἐπέβαλον τῷ ῥητῷ κατὰ τὴν δευτέραν Ἐπιχείρησιν. Εἰ δέ τις βέλτιον λέγοι ἢ διορθοίη εὐσεβῶς τὰ ἡμέτερα, καὶ λεγέτω καὶ διορθούσθω, καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἀνταποδώσει ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ παρ' ἡμῖν αὐλίζεται φθόνος, ὅτι μηδὲ φιλονεικίας ἕνεκεν ἢ κενοδοξίας ἐπὶ τήνδε τὴν ἐξέτασιν τῶν ῥημάτων κεχωρήκαμεν, ἀλλ' ὠφελείας ἕνεκεν τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ δοκεῖν παρακρούεσθαι τὰ ὀστράκινα σκεύη τὰ τὸν θησαυρὸν ἔχοντα τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπὸ τῶν λιθοκαρδίων καὶ ἀπεριτμήτων ἀνθρώπων τῶν ἐκ τῆς μωρᾶς ὡπλισμένων σοφίας

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 27. Again, according to the words of the wise Solomon in the Proverbs, He was created. ‘For the Lord,’ he says, ‘created me.’ And He is called ‘the beginning of the evangelical ways’ which lead us to the kingdom of heaven, since He is not a creature in substance, but was made the ‘way’ in the divine dispensation. For, ‘being made’ and ‘being created’ have the same meaning. In fact, as He was made a way, so also was He made a door, a shepherd, a messenger, a sheep, and, in turn, a high priest and apostle, different names being given according to the different conceptions.

8.8   Πάλιν διὰ τοῦ σοφοῦ Σολομῶντος ἐν Παροιμίαις κτίζεται. < Κύριος γάρ, φησίν, ἔκτισέ με >. Καὶ ἀρχὴ ὁδῶν εὐαγγελικῶν ὀνομάζεται ἀγουσῶν ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, οὐ κατ' οὐσίαν κτίσις, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν ὁδὸς γεγονώς. Τὸ γὰρ γεγονέναι καὶ τὸ ἐκτίσθαι ταὐτὸν δηλοῖ. Ὡς γὰρ ὁδὸς γέγονε καὶ θύρα καὶ ποιμὴν καὶ ἄγγελος καὶ πρόβατον καὶ πάλιν ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ ἀπόστολος, ἄλλων κατ' ἄλλην ἐπίνοιαν τῶν ὀνομάτων κειμένων.

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 28. Again, what would the heretic say concerning the unsubjected God and One who was made sin for our sakes? For, it is written: ‘And when all things are made subject to him, then the Son himself will also be made subject to him who subjected all things to him.’ Do you not fear, O man, the God who is called unsubjected? For He makes your subjection His own, and, because of your struggle against virtue, He calls Himself unsubjected.

Τί ἂν εἴποι πάλιν ὁ αἱρετικὸς περὶ τοῦ ἀνυποτάκτου Θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ δι' ἡμᾶς ἁμαρτίας γεγενημένου; Γέγραπται γάρ· < Ὅταν ὑποταγῇ αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα, τότε καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Υἱὸς ὑποταγήσεται τῷ ὑποτάξαντι αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα >. Οὐ φοβῇ, ἄνθρωπε, τὸν Θεὸν ἀνυπότακτον ὀνομαζόμενον διὰ σέ; Τὴν γὰρ σὴν ὑποταγὴν ἰδίαν ποιεῖται καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀντιτείνειν σε πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀνυπότακτον ἑαυτὸν ὀνομάζει.

Thus, He even said at one time that He Himself was the One persecuted; for He says: ‘Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me?’ when Saul was hastening to Damascus, desiring to put in bonds the disciples of Christ. Again, He calls Himself naked, if anyone of His brethren is naked. ‘I was naked,’ He says, ‘and you covered me.’ And still again, when another was in prison, He said that He Himself was the One imprisoned. For He Himself took up our infirmities and bore the burden of our ills. And one of our infirmities is insubordination, and this He bore. Therefore, even the adversities which happen to us the Lord makes His own, taking upon Himself our sufferings because of His fellowship with us.

Οὕτω ποτὲ καὶ ἑαυτὸν ἔφη εἶναι τὸν διωκόμενον. < Σαῦλε γάρ, φησί, Σαῦλε, τί με διώκεις; > ἡνίκα ἐπὶ Δαμασκὸν ἔτρεχε τοὺς μαθητὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ συνδῆσαι βουλόμενος. Καὶ πάλιν ἑαυτὸν γυμνὸν ὀνομάζει ἑνός τινος τῶν ἀδελφῶν γυμνητεύοντος. < Γυμνὸς γάρ, φησίν, ἤμην, καὶ περιεβάλετέ με. Καὶ ἄλλου ἐν φυλακῇ ὄντος ἑαυτὸν ἔφη εἶναι τὸν καθειργμένον. Αὐτὸς γὰρ τὰς ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν ἦρε καὶ τὰς νόσους ἐβάστασε. Μία δὲ τῶν ἀσθενειῶν ἐστι καὶ ἡ ἀνυποταξία, καὶ ταύτην ἐβάστασε. Διὸ καὶ τὰ συμβαίνοντα ἡμῖν περιστατικὰ ἰδιοποιεῖται ὁ Κύριος, ἐκ τῆς πρὸς ἡμᾶς κοινωνίας τὰ ἡμέτερα πάθη ἀναδεχόμενος.

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 29. But the enemies of God, for the undoing of those who listen to them, even seize upon this text: ‘The Son can do nothing of himself.’ Yet, to me, this saying also proclaims emphatically that the Son is of identical nature with the Father. For, if it is possible for every rational creature to do anything of itself, having in its own power the decision for better or for worse, and the Son is not able to do anything of Himself, then the Son is not a creature. And, if He is not a creature, He is consubstantial with the Father.

8.9  Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ < Οὐ δύναται ὁ Υἱὸς ποιεῖν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ οὐδὲν > λαμβάνουσιν οἱ θεομάχοι ἐπὶ καταστροφῇ τῶν ἀκουόντων. Ἐμοὶ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ῥητὸν μάλιστα καταγγέλλει τῆς αὐτῆς φύσεως εἶναι τὸν Υἱὸν τῷ Πατρί. Εἰ γὰρ ἕκαστον τῶν λογικῶν κτισμάτων δύναταί τι ποιεῖν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ αὐτεξούσιον καὶ ἴσην ἔχον τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρόν τε καὶ κρεῖττον ῥοπήν, ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς οὐ δύναταί τι ποιεῖν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ, οὐ κτίσμα ὁ Υἱός. Εἰ δὲ μὴ κτίσμα, ὁμοούσιος τῷ Πατρί.

Again, no creature is able to do everything it wishes. But, the Son did all things whatsoever He wished, both in heaven and upon earth. Therefore, the Son is not a creature. Again, all creatures are either made up of contrary inclinations or are capable of them. But, the Son is Justice itself and immaterial. Therefore, the Son is not a creature. And if He is not a creature, He is consubstantial with the Father.

Καὶ πάλιν οὐδὲν τῶν κτισμάτων τὰ ὅσα βούλεται δύναται. Ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς πάντα ὅσα ἠθέλησεν ἐποίησεν. Οὐκ ἄρα κτίσμα ὁ Υἱός. Καὶ πάλιν πάντα τὰ κτίσματα ἢ ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων συνέστηκεν ἢ τῶν ἐναντίων ἐστὶ δεκτικά. Ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς αὐτοδικαιοσύνη καὶ ἄϋλός ἐστιν· οὐκ ἄρα κτίσμα ὁ Υἱός. Εἰ δὲ μὴ τοῦτο, ὁμοούσιος τῷ Πατρί.

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 30. And this examination of the passage proposed, being made to the best of our ability, is sufficient for us.  Let us now direct our words against those who are opposed to the Holy Spirit, and let us bring low all their haughtiness of spirit which ‘exalts itself against the knowledge of God.’ You say that the Holy Spirit is a creature. But, every creature is subject to its creator. ‘For all things,’ it is said, ‘serve thee.’ If He is subject, He also has a holiness that is acquired. But, everything which has its holiness acquired is capable of evil.

8.10   Καὶ αὕτη μὲν αὐτάρκης ἡμῖν ἡ ἐξέτασις, κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν ἡμετέραν, τῶν τεθέντων ῥητῶν. Ἤδη δὲ λοιπὸν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἀντιπίπτοντας τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ Ἁγίῳ τῷ λόγῳ χωρήσωμεν καθαιροῦντες αὐτῶν πᾶν ὕψωμα διανοίας ἐπαιρόμενον κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ. Κτίσμα λέγεις τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον. Πᾶν δὲ κτίσμα δοῦλόν ἐστι τοῦ κτίσαντος. < Τὰ γὰρ σύμπαντα, φησί, δοῦλα σά >. Εἰ δὲ δοῦλον, καὶ ἐπίκτητον ἔχει τὴν ἁγιότητα· πᾶν δὲ ὃ ἐπίκτητον ἔχει τὴν ἁγιότητα οὐκ ἀνεπίδεκτόν ἐστι κακίας·

The Holy Spirit, however, being holy in substance, is called the ‘fount of sanctification.’ Therefore, the Holy Spirit is not a creature. If He is not a creature, He is consubstantial with God. But, how will you call Him subject, tell me, who frees you through baptism from servitude? ‘For the law,’ St. Paul says, ‘of the Spirit of life has delivered me from the law of sin.’l

τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον κατ' οὐσίαν ὂν ἅγιον πηγὴ ἁγιασμοῦ προσαγορεύεται· οὐκ ἄρα κτίσμα τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον. Εἰ δὲ μὴ κτίσμα, ὁμοούσιόν ἐστι τῷ Θεῷ. Πῶς δὲ δοῦλον ἀποκαλεῖς, εἰπέ μοι, τὸν διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἐλευθεροῦντά σε τῆς δουλείας; < Ὁ γὰρ νόμος, φησί, τοῦ Πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς ἠλευθέρωσέ σε ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τῆς ἁμαρτίας >.

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 31. Moreover, you will never dare to say that His substance is liable to change, as compared with the nature of the adverse Power who, as a flash of lightning, fell from the heavens and was banished from true life, because the holiness he had was acquired, and change followed upon his evil design. For that very reason, also, having fallen from ‘oneness’ and having thrown away the angelic dignity, he was called from his character ‘Devil,’ since he had lost his previous state of bliss, and this adverse power had been fastened upon him.

 Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τρεπτὴν αὐτοῦ ποτε τὴν οὐσίαν τολμήσεις εἰπεῖν, ἀφορῶν εἰς τὴν φύσιν τῆς ἀντικειμένης δυνάμεως, ἥτις, ὡς ἀστραπή, πέπτωκεν ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἐξέπεσε τῆς ὄντως ζωῆς, διὰ τὸ ἐπίκτητον ἐσχηκέναι τὴν ἁγιότητα καὶ ἐπηκολουθηκέναι τῇ κακῇ βουλῇ τὴν ἀλλοίωσιν. Τοιγαροῦν καὶ ἐκπεσὼν τῆς μονάδος καὶ τὸ ἀγγελικὸν ἀπορρίψας ἀξίωμα, ἀπὸ τοῦ τρόπου ὠνομάσθη διάβολος, ἀποσβεσθείσης μὲν αὐτοῦ τῆς προτέρας καὶ μακαρίας ἕξεως, τῆς δὲ ἀντικειμένης ταύτης δυνάμεως ἀναφθείσης.

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 32. If, then, the heretic calls the Holy Spirit a creature, he represents His nature as limited. How, therefore, will the sayings stand: ‘The spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole world,’ and ‘Whither shall I go from thy spirit?’ But, as it seems, he does not even confess Him as simple in nature, for he calls Him one in number. And whatever is one in number, as I said, is not simple. But, if the Holy Spirit is not simple, He is composed of substance and sanctity, and as such is composite. And who is so foolish as to say that the Holy Spirit is composite, and not simple and - according to the meaning of ‘simplicity’ - consubstantial with the Father and the Son?

Επειτα εἰ κτίσμα λέγοι τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, πεπερατωμένην αὐτοῦ τὴν φύσιν εἰσάγει. Πῶς οὖν σταθήσεται τὸ < Πνεῦμα Κυρίου πεπλήρωκε τὴν οἰκουμένην > καὶ τὸ < Ποῦ πορευθῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματός σου >; Ἀλλ' οὐδ' ἁπλοῦν αὐτὸ τῇ φύσει, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὁμολογεῖ. Ἀριθμῷ γὰρ ἓν αὐτὸ ὀνομάζει. Πᾶν δὲ ὃ ἓν ἀριθμῷ τοῦτο οὐχ ἁπλοῦν, ὡς ἔφην, ἐστίν. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἁπλοῦν ἐστι τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, ἐξ οὐσίας καὶ ἁγιασμοῦ συνέστηκε· τὸ δὲ τοιοῦτον σύνθετον. Καὶ τίς οὕτως ἀνόητος ὡς σύνθετον εἰπεῖν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον καὶ μὴ ἁπλοῦν καὶ κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἁπλότητος λόγον ὁμοούσιον Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ;

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 33. But, if we must go on with our discussion and make a deeper study, let us, from this point, contemplate especially the divine power of the Holy Spirit. We find three creations mentioned in the Scripture; the first, the eduction from non-existence into existence; the second, the change from worse to better; and the third, the resurrection of the dead.

8.11  Εἰ δὲ δεῖ προσβῆναι τῷ λόγῳ καὶ ἐποπτεῦσαι τὰ μείζονα, ἐκ τούτου μάλιστα τὴν θεϊκὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος θεωρήσωμεν. Τρεῖς κτίσεις εὑρήκαμεν ὀνομαζομένας ἐν τῇ Γραφῇ· μίαν μὲν καὶ πρώτην τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι παραγωγήν, δευτέραν δὲ τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ χείρονος εἰς τὸ κρεῖττον ἀλλοίωσιν, τρίτην δὲ τὴν ἐξανάστασιν τῶν νεκρῶν.

In these you will find the Holy Spirit co-operating with the Father and the Son. Take, for instance, the calling into existence of the heavens. And what does David say? ‘By the word of the Lord the heavens were established, and all the power of them by the spirit of his mouth.’ Now, man is created a second time through baptism, ‘for if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature.’ And what does the Saviour say to the disciples? ‘Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’ You see here, also, the Holy Spirit present with the Father and the Son.

 Ἐν ταύταις εὑρήσεις συνεργὸν Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ τὸ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα. Οὐρανῶν γὰρ οὐσίωσις. Καὶ τί φησιν ὁ Δαβίδ; < Τῷ λόγῳ Κυρίου οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἐστερεώθησαν καὶ τῷ Πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις αὐτῶν >. Πάλιν ἄνθρωπος διὰ βαπτίσματος κτίζεται. < Εἴ τις γὰρ ἐν Χριστῷ καινὴ κτίσις >. Καὶ τί φησι τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὁ Σωτήρ; < Ἀπελθόντες μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος >. Ὁρᾷς κἀνταῦθα συμπαρὸν Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ τὸ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα.

But, what would you say concerning the resurrection of the dead, when we shall have departed and returned into our dust, ‘for we are dust and unto dust we shall return’? ‘And He will send forth the Holy Spirit, and He will create us, and He shall renew the face of the earth.’ For, what St. Paul spoke of as the resurrection David called renewal.

Τί δ' ἂν εἴποις καὶ περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τῶν νεκρῶν, ὅταν ἐκλείψωμεν καὶ εἰς τὸν χοῦν ἡμῶν ἐπιστρέψωμεν; Γῆ γάρ ἐσμεν καὶ εἰς τὴν γῆν ἀπελευσόμεθα καὶ ἀποστελεῖ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον καὶ κτίσει ἡμᾶς καὶ ἀνακαινίσει τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς. Ἣν γὰρ Παῦλος ὁ ἅγιος ἐξανάστασιν εἴρηκε ταύτην Δαβὶδ ἀνακαινισμὸν προσηγόρευσεν.

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 34. Let us hear again from him who was snatched up to the third heaven. What does he say? ‘That you are the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you.’ But, every temple is a temple of God. If, then, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is God. We also speak of the temple of Solomon, but meaning his who built it. Even if we are in this sense the temple of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is God, for ‘He who created all things is God.’ But, if it means the temple is His who is worshipped and who dwells in us, let us confess that He is God.

̓Ακούσωμεν δὲ πάλιν τοῦ ἁρπαγέντος ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ. Τί φησιν; < Ὅτι ναὸς τοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν Ἁγίου Πνεύματός ἐστε >. Πᾶς δὲ ναὸς Θεοῦ ναός. Εἰ δὲ ναός ἐσμεν τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ Ἁγίου, Θεὸς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον. Λέγει δὲ καὶ ναὸς Σολομῶντος, ἀλλ' ὡς κατασκευάσαντος. Εἰ δὲ οὕτως ἐσμὲν ναοὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος, Θεὸς τὸ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα· < Ὁ γὰρ πάντα κατασκευάσας Θεός >· εἰ δὲ ὡς προσκυνουμένου καὶ ἐνοικοῦντος ἐν ἡμῖν, ὁμολογήσομεν αὐτὸ εἶναι Θεόν.

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 35. And if they avoid the use of the word ‘God,’ let them learn what this name signifies. Without doubt He is named ‘God’ [Theos] because of His having established [tetheiketnai] all things, or of His seeing [theasthai] all things. If, therefore, He is called God because of His having established or of His seeing all things, and if the Holy Spirit knows all the things which are of God, just as the spirit in us knows the things pertaining to us, then the Holy Spirit is God.

Εἰ δὲ τὴν Θεὸς φωνὴν παραιτοῖντο, μανθανέτωσαν τίνος ἐστὶ σημαντικὸν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο. Παρὰ γὰρ τὸ τεθεικέναι τὰ πάντα ἢ θεᾶσθαι Θεὸς ὀνομάζεται. Εἰ τοίνυν Θεὸς εἴρηται παρὰ τὸ τεθεικέναι ἢ θεᾶσθαι τὰ πάντα, τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα πάντα γινώσκει τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὡς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἐν ἡμῖν τὰ ἡμέτερα, Θεὸς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον.

Again, if ‘the sword of the spirit is the word of God,’ the Holy Spirit is God. For, the sword is His whose Word it is called. And if He is also called the right hand of the Father (for, ‘the right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength,’ and ‘Thy right hand, O Lord, hath slain the enemy’; but the Holy Spirit is the finger of God, according to the text: ‘If I cast out devils by the finger of God,’ which in another Gospel is written: ‘If I cast out devils by the Spirit of God’), then the Holy Spirit is of the same nature as the Father and the Son.

Καὶ πάλιν, εἰ ἡ μάχαιρα τοῦ Πνεύματος ῥῆμά ἐστι Θεοῦ, Θεὸς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον. Ἐκείνου γάρ ἐστιν ἡ μάχαιρα οὗ καὶ ῥῆμα καλεῖται. Καὶ εἰ δεξιὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὀνομάζεται· < Δεξιὰ γὰρ Κυρίου ἐποίησε δύναμιν >, καὶ < ἡ δεξιά σου, Κύριε, ἔθραυσεν ἐχθρούς >, δάκτυλος δὲ Θεοῦ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, κατὰ τὸ ῥητόν, τὸ < Εἰ ἐγὼ ἐν δακτύλῳ Θεοῦ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια >, ὅπερ ἐν ἑτέρῳ Εὐαγγελίῳ γέγραπται τὸ < Εἰ ἐγὼ ἐν Πνεύματι Θεοῦ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια >, τῆς αὐτῆς φύσεως Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον.

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 36. Concerning, then, the adorable and holy Trinity, let this much suffice for the present. In fact, it is not now possible to go more into detail concerning it. But you, having received from our Lowliness the seeds, produce full ears in season, because, as you know, we also demand interest from such things. But, I trust in God that, because of the purity of your lives, you will bear fruit thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold. For, ‘Blessed,’ He says, ‘are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.’

8.12  Καὶ περὶ μὲν τῆς προσκυνητῆς καὶ ἁγίας Τριάδος τοσαῦτα ἡμῖν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος εἰρήσθω. Οὐ γὰρ νῦν δυνατὸν πλατύτερον ἐξετάσαι τὸν περὶ αὐτῆς λόγον. Ὑμεῖς δὲ λαβόντες παρὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας ταπεινώσεως σπέρματα στάχυν ὥριμον ἑαυτοῖς γεωργήσατε, ἐπεὶ καὶ τόκους, ὡς ἴστε, τῶν τοιούτων προσαπαιτούμεθα. Πιστεύω δὲ τῷ Θεῷ ὅτι καρποφορήσετε καὶ τριάκοντα καὶ ἑξήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν διὰ τὴν καθαρότητα τοῦ βίου ὑμῶν. < Μακάριοι γὰρ οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν Θεὸν ὄψονται. >

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 37. And consider, brethren, that the kingdom of heaven is nothing else than the true contemplation of the realities, which the Holy Scriptures also call beatitude. ‘For the kingdom of heaven is within you.’ And as regards the inner man, it consists of nothing but contemplation. The kingdom of heaven, then, must be contemplation. For, of these things of which we now behold the shadows, as in a mirror, later, when we have been freed from this earthy body and have put on an incorruptible and immortal one, we shall see distinctly the archetypes.

Καὶ μηδὲ ἄλλο τι, ἀδελφοί, τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν νομίσητε ἢ τὴν τῶν ὄντων ἀληθῆ κατανόησιν ἣν καὶ μακαριότητα ὀνομάζουσιν αἱ θεῖαι Γραφαί. Εἰ γὰρ < ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐντὸς ὑμῶν ἐστι >, περὶ δὲ τὸν ἐντὸς ἄνθρωπον οὐδέν ἐστιν ᾗ θεωρία συνίσταται, θεωρία ἂν εἴη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. Ὧν γὰρ νῦν τὰς σκιὰς καθορῶμεν ὡς ἐν κατόπτρῳ, ὕστερον ἀπαλλαγέντες τοῦ γεώδους σώματος τούτου καὶ ἄφθαρτον ἐπενδυσάμενοι καὶ ἀθάνατον τούτων τὰ ἀρχέτυπα κατοψόμεθα.

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 38. And let no one find fault with me, saying: ‘You ignorant of everyday matters, philosophize to us about incorporeal and entirely immaterial substance.’ I think that it is absurd to allow the senses to be filled without hindrance with their own material food, and to let the mind alone be excluded from its proper activity. For, as the senses apply themselves to sensible objects, so the mind applies itself to mental perceptions.

Καὶ μηδεὶς ὑποκρουέτω λέγων ὅτι τὰ ἐν ποσὶν ἀγνοῶν περὶ τῆς ἀσωμάτου καὶ πάντη ἀΰλου οὐσίας ἡμῖν φιλοσοφεῖς. Καὶ γὰρ ἄτοπον κρίνω τὰς μὲν αἰσθήσεις ἐᾶν ἀκωλύτως τῶν ἰδίων ἐμπίπλασθαι ὑλῶν, τὸν δὲ νοῦν μόνον εἴργεσθαι τῆς οἰκείας ἐνεργείας. Ὡς γὰρ ἡ αἴσθησις τῶν αἰσθητῶν, οὕτως ὁ νοῦς τῶν νοητῶν ἐπήβολός ἐστιν.

And at the same time we must also say this, that God who created us made the natural sense faculties independent of instruction. For, no one teaches how to perceive the sight of colors or figures, nor the hearing of noises and sounds, nor the smell of fragrant and foul odors, nor the taste of flavors and savors, nor the touch of objects soft and hard, hot and cold.

Αμα δὲ καὶ τοῦτο λεκτέον ὅτι τὰ φυσικὰ κριτήρια ἀδίδακτα πεποίηκεν ὁ κτίσας ἡμᾶς Θεός. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ διδάσκει τὰς ὄψεις χρωμάτων ἢ σχημάτων ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι, οὐδ' ἀκοὴν ψόφων τε καὶ φωνῶν, οὐδ' ὄσφρησιν ἀτμῶν εὐωδῶν τε καὶ δυσωδῶν, οὐδὲ γεῦσιν χυμῶν καὶ χυλῶν, οὐδ' ἁφὴν μαλακῶν καὶ σκληρῶν, ἢ θερμῶν καὶ ψυχρῶν.

Nor would anyone teach the mind how to grasp mental perceptions. Just as the senses, if they should suffer somewhat, need only additional care to enable them to fulfill easily their proper function, so also the mind, being united with the flesh and filled with the phantasies arising therefrom, needs faith and upright conduct of life, which ‘make its feet like the feet of harts and set it upon high places.’

Οὐδὲ τὸν νοῦν ἐπιβάλλειν τοῖς νοητοῖς διδάξοι τις ἄν. Καὶ ὥσπερ, εἴ τι πάθοιεν αὗται, ἐπιμελείας μόνον προσδέονται καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν ἐνέργειαν εὐκόλως ἀποπληροῦσιν, οὕτως καὶ ὁ νοῦς σαρκὶ συνδεθεὶς καὶ τῶν ἐκ ταύτης φαντασιῶν πληρωθεὶς πίστεως δεῖται καὶ πολιτείας ὀρθῆς, αἵτινες καταρτίζουσι τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ ἐλάφου καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ὑψηλὰ αὐτὸν ἱστῶσιν.

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 39. And this very recommendation the wise Solomon makes. At one time, indeed, he brings forward the ant as an example of the worker who has no reason for shame, and through it he suggests a practical road for us. At another time he brings forward the wise bee’s wax-moulding implement, and through it he suggests contemplation of nature, in which is blended also the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, if, indeed, the Creator is seen by analogy through the beauty of the things created.

Τοῦτό τοι αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ σοφὸς παρεγγυᾷ Σολομῶν καὶ ποτὲ μὲν ἡμῖν προφέρει τὸν ἀνεπαίσχυντον ἐργάτην τὸν μύρμηκα καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ τὴν πρακτικὴν ὁδὸν ἡμῖν ὑπογράφει, ποτὲ δὲ τὸ τῆς σοφῆς μελίττης κηρόπλαστον ὄργανον καὶ δι' αὐτῆς τὴν φυσικὴν θεωρίαν αἰνίττεται ἐν ᾗ καὶ ὁ περὶ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος ἐγκέκραται λόγος, εἴπερ ἐκ καλλονῆς κτισμάτων ἀναλόγως ὁ γενεσιουργὸς θεωρεῖται.

40

 40. But, now, giving thanks to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, let us bring our letter to an end, since, as the proverb says, everything is best in due measure.

̓Αλλ' εὐχαριστήσαντες Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι πέρας ἐπιθῶμεν τῷ γράμματι, ἐπειδὴ πᾶν μέτρον ἄριστον, καὶ ἡ παροιμία φησίν.