Preparation for the Gospel 14.25.7–15.1.13

Eusebius of Caesarea · Preparation for the Gospel · ca. 313–324 · Caesarea · 57 passages

Greek text: Dindorf, Eusebii Opera 1 (Greek text: W. Dindorf, Eusebii Caesariensis Opera 1–2 (Leipzig: Teubner, 1867), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: E. H. Gifford, Eusebii Pamphili Evangelicae Praeparationis libri XV (Oxford, 1903), vol. 3 (English).

Preparation 14, chapter 25

14.25.7Dindorf 2:323

ἢ τὸν μέγαν τοῦτον οἶκον τὸν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς συνεστῶτα, καὶ διὰ τὸ μέγεθος καὶ πλῆθος τῆς ἐπιφαινομένης αὐτῷ σοφίας καλούμενον κόσμον, ὑπὸ τῶν σὺν οὐδενὶ κόσμῳ φερομένων ἀτόμων κεκοσμῆσθαι καὶ γεγονέναι κόσμον ἀκοσμίαν;

ē ton megan touton oikon ton ex ouranou kai gēs synestōta, kai dia to megethos kai plēthos tēs epiphainomenēs autǭ sophias kaloumenon kosmon, hypo tōn syn oudeni kosmǭ pheromenōn atomōn kekosmēsthai kai gegonenai kosmon akosmian?

Or that this great house, composed of heaven and earth, and called kosmos, “order,” because of the greatness and abundance of the wisdom shown in it, was ordered by atoms moving without any order, and that disorder became order?

Notes and citation

Summary: The ordered cosmos cannot come from disordered atoms.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.7 (Dindorf 2:323; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Dindorf's Teubner text (1867; digital text First1KGreek, CC BY-SA 4.0), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of E. H. Gifford (1903); differences checked against the Greek.

14.25.8Dindorf 2:323

πῶς δὲ κινήσεις καὶ ὁδοὺς εὐτάκτους ἐξ ἀτάκτου προάγεσθαι φορᾶς; πῶς δὲ τὴν παναρμόνιον τῶν οὐρανίων χορείαν ἐξ ἀμούσων καὶ ἀναρμόστων συνᾴδειν ὀργάνων;”

pōs de kinēseis kai hodous eutaktous ex ataktou proagesthai phoras? pōs de tēn panarmonion tōn ouraniōn choreian ex amousōn kai anarmostōn synądein organōn?”

And how are orderly motions and courses produced from a disorderly rush? And how does the all-harmonious dance of the heavenly bodies sing in concert from unmusical and unharmonious instruments?”

Notes and citation

Summary: Order and harmony cannot come from disorder.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.8 (Dindorf 2:323; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.25.9Dindorf 2:323

Τίνα δὲ τρόπον, μιᾶς οὔσης καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ἀπασῶν οὐσίας καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ἀφθάρτου φύσεως, πλὴν τῶν μεγεθῶν, ὥς φασι, καὶ τῶν σχημάτων, τὰ μέν ἐστι θεῖα καὶ ἀκήρατα καὶ αἰώνια, ὡς αὐτοὶ φήσαιεν ἂν, σώματα, ἢ μακραίωνά γε κατὰ τὸν οὕτως ὀνομάσαντα, φαινόμενά τε καὶ ἀφανῆ· φαινόμενα μὲν ἥλιος καὶ σελήνη καὶ ἀστέρες γῆ τε καὶ ὕδωρ, ἀφανῆ δὲ θεοί τε καὶ δαίμονες καὶ ψυχαί; ταῦτα γὰρ οὐδὲ θέλοντες ὑπάρχειν ἀρνήσασθαι δύνανται.

Tina de tropon, mias ousēs kai tēs autēs apasōn ousias kai tēs autēs aphthartou physeōs, plēn tōn megethōn, hōs phasi, kai tōn schēmatōn, ta men esti theia kai akērata kai aiōnia, hōs autoi phēsaien an, sōmata, ē makraiōna ge kata ton houtōs onomasanta, phainomena te kai aphanē; phainomena men hēlios kai selēnē kai asteres gē te kai hydōr, aphanē de theoi te kai daimones kai psychai? tauta gar oude thelontes hyparchein arnēsasthai dynantai.

“And in what way, since the substance of all is one and the same, and the same imperishable nature, except for sizes, as they say, and shapes, are some bodies divine and pure and eternal, as they themselves would say, or at least long-lived, according to him who so named them, both visible and invisible: visible, the sun and moon and stars and earth and water; invisible, gods and daimones and souls? For these they cannot deny exist, even if they wished.

Notes and citation

Summary: If all atoms are alike, how are some bodies eternal and others short-lived?

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (broken word in the digital text): τῆςαὐ τῆς → τῆς αὐτῆς.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.9 (Dindorf 2:323; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.25.10Dindorf 2:323–324

τὰ δὲ μακροβιώτατα ζῷά τε καὶ φυτά· ζῷα μὲν ἔν τε ὄρνισιν, ὥς φασιν, ἀετοὶ κόρακές τε καὶ φοίνικες· ἔν τε χερσαίοις ἔλαφοί τε καὶ ἐλέφαντες καὶ δράκοντες· ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἐνύδροις τὰ κήτη· δένδρα δὲ φοίνικες καὶ δρύες καὶ περσέαι· καὶ τῶν γε δένδρων τὰ μέν ἐστιν ἀειθαλῆ, ἃ καὶ καταριθμήσας τις εἷπεν εἶναι τεσσαρακαίδεκα· τὰ δὲ πρὸς καιρὸν ἀνθεῖ καὶ φυλλορροεῖ· τὰ δὲ πλεῖστα τῶν τε φυομένων καὶ τῶν γεννωμένων ἐστὶν ὠκύμορα καὶ βραχυτελῆ, ὦν ἐστι καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὡς εἷπέ τις ἁγία περὶ αὐτοῦ γραφή βροτὸς δὲ γεννητὸς γυναικὸς ὀλιγόβιος.”

ta de makrobiōtata zǭa te kai phyta; zǭa men en te ornisin, hōs phasin, aetoi korakes te kai phoinikes; en te chersaiois elaphoi te kai elephantes kai drakontes; en de tois enydrois ta kētē; dendra de phoinikes kai dryes kai perseai; kai tōn ge dendrōn ta men estin aeithalē, ha kai katarithmēsas tis heipen einai tessarakaideka; ta de pros kairon anthei kai phyllorroei; ta de pleista tōn te phyomenōn kai tōn gennōmenōn estin ōkymora kai brachytelē, ōn esti kai ho anthrōpos, hōs heipe tis hagia peri autou graphē brotos de gennētos gynaikos oligobios.”

And the longest-lived living things and plants: of living things among birds, as they say, eagles and ravens and phoenixes; among land animals, deer and elephants and serpents; among water creatures, whales; of trees, palms and oaks and persea trees; and of trees some are evergreen, which someone counted and said were fourteen; others flower and shed their leaves in season; but most of the things that grow and are born are short-lived and soon ended, of which man too is one, as a holy Scripture said about him: ‘Man, born of woman, is short-lived.’

Job 14:1 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Living things differ greatly in length of life; man is short-lived.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; Job 14:1.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; wrong quotation mark in the digital text): ὀλιγόβιος.’ → ὀλιγόβιος.”; φοίνι- κες → φοίνικες.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.10 (Dindorf 2:323–324; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.25.11Dindorf 2:324

ἀλλὰ τοὺς συνδέσμους φήσουσι τῶν ἀτόμων διαλλάττοντας αἰτίους γίνεσθαι τῆς περὶ τὴν διαμονὴν διαφορᾶς. τὰ μὲν γὰρ ὑπʼ αὐτῶν πεπυκνῶσθαι καὶ κατεσφίγχθαι λέγειν, ὥστʼ αὐτὰ παντελῶς δυσαπάλλακτα γεγονέναι πιλήματα, τὰ δὲ μανοτέραν καὶ χαλῶσαν τὴν συνάφειαν τῶν ἀτόμων ἐπʼ ἔλαττον ἢ πλέον ἐσχηκέναι, ὡς ἢ θᾶττον ἢ μὴ μετὰ πολὺ τῆς κολλήσεως αὐτῶν ἀφίστασθαι· καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐκ τοιῶνδε καὶ ὧδέ πως ἐσχηματισμένων, τὰ δὲ ἐξ ἑτέρων ἑτεροίως διακειμένων συμμεμίχθαι. ”

alla tous syndesmous phēsousi tōn atomōn diallattontas aitious ginesthai tēs peri tēn diamonēn diaphoras. ta men gar hypʼ autōn pepyknōsthai kai katesphinchthai legein, hōstʼ auta pantelōs dysapallakta gegonenai pilēmata, ta de manoteran kai chalōsan tēn synapheian tōn atomōn epʼ elatton ē pleon eschēkenai, hōs ē thatton ē mē meta poly tēs kollēseōs autōn aphistasthai; kai ta men ek toiōnde kai hōde pōs eschēmatismenōn, ta de ex heterōn heteroiōs diakeimenōn symmemichthai. ”

But they will say that differing bonds of the atoms are the cause of the difference in duration. For some, they say, are packed close and squeezed together by them, so that they have become felts altogether hard to separate; others have a looser and slacker connection of atoms, to a lesser or greater degree, so that they part from their cohesion either quickly or not long after; and some are compounded of atoms of such a kind and shaped in such a way, others of other atoms differently disposed.

Notes and citation

Summary: The atomists explain differences of duration by different bonds of atoms.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.11 (Dindorf 2:324; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.25.12Dindorf 2:324–325

‟ Τίς οὖν ὁ φυλοκρινῶν συναγείρων τε καὶ ἀναχέων καὶ τάσδε μὲν οὕτω συντάττων εἰς ἥλιον, τάσδε δὲ ὡδὶ, ἵνα ἡ σελήνη γένηται, καὶ ἑκάστας συμφέρων κατὰ τὴν οἰκειότητα πρὸς ἑκάστου φαῦσιν ἀστέρος; οὔτε γὰρ αἱ ἡλιακαὶ τοσαίδε καὶ τοιαίδε καὶ ὧδέ πως ἑνωθεῖσαι πρὸς ἐργασίαν σελήνης ἂν καταβεβήκεσαν, οὔτε αἶ τῶν σεληνιακῶν ἀτόμων πλεκτάναι γεγόνασί ποτε ἥλιος· ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ ἀρκτοῦρος, εἰ καὶ λαμπρός ἐστι, τὰς ἑωσφόρου μεγαλοφρονήσαιτό ποτε ἂν ἀτόμους ἔχειν, οὐδὲ Ὠρίωνος αἱ Πλειάδες. καλῶς γὰρ ὁ Παῦλος διέστειλεν εἰπὼν ῾ ἄλλη δόξα ἡλίου καὶ ἄλλη δόξα σελήνης καὶ ἄλλη δόξα ἀστέρων·” ἀστὴρ γὰρ ἀστέρος διαφέρει ἐν δόξῃ.

‟ Tis oun ho phylokrinōn synageirōn te kai anacheōn kai tasde men houtō syntattōn eis hēlion, tasde de hōdi, hina hē selēnē genētai, kai hekastas sympherōn kata tēn oikeiotēta pros hekastou phausin asteros? oute gar hai hēliakai tosaide kai toiaide kai hōde pōs henōtheisai pros ergasian selēnēs an katabebēkesan, oute ai tōn selēniakōn atomōn plektanai gegonasi pote hēlios; allʼ oude arktouros, ei kai lampros esti, tas heōsphorou megalophronēsaito pote an atomous echein, oude Ōriōnos hai Pleiades. kalōs gar ho Paulos diesteilen eipōn ῾ allē doxa hēliou kai allē doxa selēnēs kai allē doxa asterōn;” astēr gar asteros diapherei en doxę̄.

“Who, then, is the one who sorts them by kinds, gathers and pours them out, and arranges these thus into the sun, and those so, that the moon may come to be, and brings each together according to its affinity for the light of each star? For neither would the solar atoms, so many and such and united in such a way, have come down to the making of the moon, nor have the coils of lunar atoms ever become a sun; nor would Arcturus, bright as he is, ever boast of having the atoms of the morning star, nor the Pleiades those of Orion. For Paul distinguished well when he said, ‘There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.’

1 Cor 15:41 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Who sorts the atoms into sun, moon, and stars? Paul distinguishes their glories.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; 1 Cor 15:41.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.12 (Dindorf 2:324–325; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.25.13Dindorf 2:325

καὶ εἰ μὲν ἀνεπαίσθητος αὐτῶν ὡς ἀψύχων ἡ σύμπηξις ἐγένετο, ἐπιστήμονος αὐταῖς ἔδει δημιουργοῦ· εἰ δὲ ἀπροαίρετος καὶ κατʼ ἀνάγκην, ὡς ἀλόγων, ἡ σύνερξις, σοφός τις αὐτὰς ἀγελάρχης συνελαύνων ἐπεστάτησεν· εἰ δὲ ἑκουσίως ἐθελουργῆσαι συγκέκλεινται, θαυμάσιός τις αὐτῶν ἀρχιτέκτων ἐργοδοτῶν προηγήσατο· ἢ καθάπερ εὔτακτος στρατηγὸς οὐ συγκεχυμένην εἴασε τὴν στρατιὰν καὶ πάντας ἀναμὶξ, ἀλλʼ ἐν μέρει μὲν τὴν ἵππον, ἰδίᾳ δὲ τοὺς ὁπλίτας, τούς τε ἀκοντιστὰς καθʼ ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ χωρὶς τοὺς τοξότας, καὶ τοὺς σφενδονήτας ἔνθα ἐχρῆν διετάξατο, ἵνα ἀλλήλοις οἶ ὁμόσκευοι συμμαχοῖεν.

kai ei men anepaisthētos autōn hōs apsychōn hē sympēxis egeneto, epistēmonos autais edei dēmiourgou; ei de aproairetos kai katʼ anankēn, hōs alogōn, hē synerxis, sophos tis autas agelarchēs synelaunōn epestatēsen; ei de hekousiōs ethelourgēsai synkekleintai, thaumasios tis autōn architektōn ergodotōn proēgēsato; ē kathaper eutaktos stratēgos ou synkechymenēn eiase tēn stratian kai pantas anamix, allʼ en merei men tēn hippon, idią de tous hoplitas, tous te akontistas kathʼ heautous, kai chōris tous toxotas, kai tous sphendonētas entha echrēn dietaxato, hina allēlois oi homoskeuoi symmachoien.

And if their compacting happened without perception, as being soulless, they needed a knowing craftsman; and if their coming together was without choice and by necessity, as being irrational, some wise herdsman driving them together presided over them; and if they have been shut in together to work willingly, some wonderful master builder assigning their work led them; or, like a well-ordered general, he did not leave the army confused and all mixed together, but arranged the cavalry in one part, the heavy infantry by themselves, the javelin men by themselves, the archers apart, and the slingers where they were needed, so that those equipped alike might fight together.

Notes and citation

Summary: Whether atoms are senseless, irrational, or willing, they require a craftsman, a herdsman, or a general.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; accent slip in the digital text; line-end hyphen left in the digital text): ἀψὐχων → ἀψύχων; ἐθελουρ- γῆσαι → ἐθελουργῆσαι; ἔνα ἀλλήλοις → ἵνα ἀλλήλοις.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.13 (Dindorf 2:325; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.25.14Dindorf 2:325

εἰ δὲ τοῦτο χλεύην οἴονται τὸ παράδειγμα διὰ τὸ μεγάλων σωμάτων με πρὸς τὰ ἐλάχιστα ποιεῖσθαι σύγκρισιν, ἐπὶ τὰ σμικρότατα μεταβησόμεθα.”

ei de touto chleuēn oiontai to paradeigma dia to megalōn sōmatōn me pros ta elachista poieisthai synkrisin, epi ta smikrotata metabēsometha.”

But if they think this example a joke because I make a comparison of large bodies with the smallest, we shall pass over to the smallest.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Dionysius will turn to the smallest examples.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): ἐλάχι- στα → ἐλάχιστα.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.14 (Dindorf 2:325; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.25.15Dindorf 2:325–326

Εἶτα τούτοις ἐξῆς ἐπιλέγει ‟ Εἰ δὲ μήτε λέξις μήτε ἐκλογὴ μήτε τάξις αὐταῖς ἄρχοντος ἐπικέοιτο, αὐταὶ δὲ ἐφʼ ἑαυτῶν αὑτὰς ἐκ τῆς πολλῆς κατὰ τὴν ῥύσιν τύρβης διευθύνουσαι, καὶ τὸν πολὺν τῶν συμπτώσεων διεκπερῶσαι κυδοιμὸν, αἱ ὅμοιαι πρὸς τὰς ὁμοίας οὐχ ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ κατὰ τὸν ποιητὴν ἄγοιντο, συντρέχοιεν δὲ καὶ συναγελάζοιντο γνωρίζουσαι τὰς συγγενεῖς, θαυμαστή γε τῶν ἀτόμων ἡ δημοκρατία, δεξιουμένων τε ἀλλήλας τῶν φίλων καὶ περιπλεκομένων, εἰς μίαν τε κατασκηνοῦν συνοικίαν ἐπειγομένων, καὶ τῶν μὲν ἀποτετορνευμένων αὐτομάτων εἰς ἥλιον φωστῆρα μέγαν, ἵνα ποιήσωσι τὴν ἡμέραν, τῶν δὲ εἰς πολλὰς ἴσως πυραμίδας ἀστέρων ἀναπεφλεγμένων, ἵνα καὶ ὅλον στεφανώσωσι τὸν οὐρανὸν, τῶν δὲ περιτεταγμένων, ἵνα αὐτὸν εἰκῆ στερεώσωσι καὶ καμαρώσωσι τὸν αἰθέρα εἰς τὴν τῶν φωστήρων ἐπιβάθραν, ἐπιλέξωνταί τε ἑαυταῖς αἱ συνωμοσίαι τῶν χυδαίων ἀτόμων μονὰς, καὶ διακληρώσωνται τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰς οἴκους ἑαυταῖς καὶ σταθμούς. ”

Eita toutois exēs epilegei ‟ Ei de mēte lexis mēte eklogē mēte taxis autais archontos epikeoito, autai de ephʼ heautōn hautas ek tēs pollēs kata tēn rhysin tyrbēs dieuthynousai, kai ton polyn tōn symptōseōn diekperōsai kydoimon, hai homoiai pros tas homoias ouch hypo tou theou kata ton poiētēn agointo, syntrechoien de kai synagelazointo gnōrizousai tas syngeneis, thaumastē ge tōn atomōn hē dēmokratia, dexioumenōn te allēlas tōn philōn kai periplekomenōn, eis mian te kataskēnoun synoikian epeigomenōn, kai tōn men apotetorneumenōn automatōn eis hēlion phōstēra megan, hina poiēsōsi tēn hēmeran, tōn de eis pollas isōs pyramidas asterōn anapephlegmenōn, hina kai holon stephanōsōsi ton ouranon, tōn de peritetagmenōn, hina auton eikē stereōsōsi kai kamarōsōsi ton aithera eis tēn tōn phōstērōn epibathran, epilexōntai te heautais hai synōmosiai tōn chydaiōn atomōn monas, kai diaklērōsōntai ton ouranon eis oikous heautais kai stathmous. ”

Then next he adds: “But if neither word, nor choice, nor order of a ruler were laid upon them, but they themselves of their own accord directed themselves out of the great turmoil in their flow, and passed through the great uproar of collisions, and like were led to like not by God, as the poet says, but ran together and herded together recognizing their kin, wonderful indeed is the democracy of the atoms, friends greeting and embracing one another and hastening to settle in one dwelling together; some of their own accord turned into the sun, a great light, to make the day; others perhaps blazed up into many pyramids of stars, to crown the whole heaven; others ranged round to make the ether firm and vault it at random as a base for the lights; and the confederacies of the common atoms chose dwellings for themselves and divided heaven by lot into houses and stations for themselves.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Dionysius mocks the “democracy of atoms” that would have built the heavens by itself.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; Homer, Odyssey 17.218.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip): ἔνα καὶ ὅλον → ἵνα καὶ ὅλον.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation); Homer, Od. 17.218 (Homer, Odyssey; allusion)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.15 (Dindorf 2:325–326; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.25.16Dindorf 2:326

Εἶτα μεθʼ ἕτερά φησιν “ Ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ τὰ φανερὰ ὁρῶσιν οὗτοι οἱ πολλοῦ γε δέουσι συνορᾶν καὶ τὰ ἀφανῆ. ἐοίκασι γὰρ μηδὲ ἀνατολὰς ἐποπτεύειν τεταγμένας καὶ δύσεις μήτε τῶν ἄλλων μήτε τὰς ἐκπρεπεστάτας ἡλίου, μηδὲ χρῆσθαι ταῖς διʼ αὐτῶν δεδωρημέναις ἀνθρώποις ἐπικουρίαις, ἀναπτομένῃ μὲν εἰς ἐργασίαν ἡμέρᾳ, ἐπηλυγαζούσῃ δὲ νυκτὶ πρὸς ἀνάπαυλαν. ἐξελεύσεται γὰρ ἄνθρωπος (φησὶν) ἐπὶ τὸ ἔργον αὑτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐργασίαν αὑτοῦ ἕως ἑσπέρας.”

Eita methʼ hetera phēsin “ Allʼ oude ta phanera horōsin houtoi hoi pollou ge deousi synoran kai ta aphanē. eoikasi gar mēde anatolas epopteuein tetagmenas kai dyseis mēte tōn allōn mēte tas ekprepestatas hēliou, mēde chrēsthai tais diʼ autōn dedōrēmenais anthrōpois epikouriais, anaptomenę̄ men eis ergasian hēmerą, epēlygazousę̄ de nykti pros anapaulan. exeleusetai gar anthrōpos (phēsin) epi to ergon hautou kai epi tēn ergasian hautou heōs hesperas.”

Then after other things he says: “But these men do not see even what is visible, much less perceive what is invisible. For they seem not to observe the ordered risings and settings either of the others or the most conspicuous ones of the sun, nor to use the help given through them to men, the day kindled for work and the night overshadowing for rest. For ‘man shall go out,’ it says, ‘to his work and to his labor until evening.’

Ps 104:23 (103:23 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The atomists ignore the ordered courses of the sun that give day for work and night for rest.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; Ps 104:23 (Septuagint 103:23).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip): ἴως ἑσπέρας → ἕως ἑσπέρας.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.16 (Dindorf 2:326; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.25.17Dindorf 2:326

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ τὴν ἑτέραν ἐπισκοποῦσιν ἀνακύκλησιν αὐτοῦ, καθʼ ἣν ὡρισμένας ὥρας καὶ καιροὺς εὐκαίρους καὶ τροπὰς ἀπαρατρέπτους ἀποτελεῖ, ὑπὸ τῶν ἐξ ὧν ἐστιν ἀτόμων ὁδηγούμενος. ἀλλὰ κἂν μὴ θέλωσιν οἱ δείλαιοι, ὡς δʼ οὖν πιστεύουσιν οἱ δίκαιοι μέγας κύριος ὁ ποιήσας αὐτὸν καὶ ἐν λόγοις αὐτοῦ κατέσπευσε πορείαν.”

allʼ oude tēn heteran episkopousin anakyklēsin autou, kathʼ hēn hōrismenas hōras kai kairous eukairous kai tropas aparatreptous apotelei, hypo tōn ex hōn estin atomōn hodēgoumenos. alla kan mē thelōsin hoi deilaioi, hōs dʼ oun pisteuousin hoi dikaioi megas kyrios ho poiēsas auton kai en logois autou katespeuse poreian.”

Nor do they observe its other revolution, by which it brings about fixed seasons and timely times and unswerving turnings, guided by the atoms of which it consists. But even if the wretches do not wish it, as the righteous believe, ‘great is the Lord who made it, and at his words it hastened its course.’

Notes and citation

Summary: The sun’s yearly course is set by its Maker, as Sirach says.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; Sirach 43:5. “Guided by the atoms” is ironic.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip): καιροὺς κὐκαίρους → καιροὺς εὐκαίρους; τροπὰς ἀπαρατρέπρους → τροπὰς ἀπαρατρέπτους.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation); Sir 43:5 (Sirach [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.17 (Dindorf 2:326; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.25.18Dindorf 2:326

ἄτομοι γὰρ ὑμῖν φέρουσιν, ὢ τυφλοὶ, καὶ ὑετοὺς, ἵνα ἡ γῆ τροφὰς ὑμῖν τε καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐπʼ αὐτῆς ζῴοις ἀνῇ; θέρος τε ἐπάγουσιν, ἵνα καὶ τοὺς ἀπὸ δένδρων εἰς τρυφὴν καρποὺς λάβητε; καὶ διὰ τί μὴ ταῖς ἀτόμοις προσκυνεῖτε καὶ θύετε ταῖς ἐπικάρποις; ἀχάριστοί γε μηδὲ ἀπαρχὰς αὐταῖς ὀλίγας τῶν πολλῶν δωρεῶν, ἃς παρʼ αὐτῶν ἔχετε, ἀφιεροῦντες.”

atomoi gar hymin pherousin, ō typhloi, kai hyetous, hina hē gē trophas hymin te kai pasi tois epʼ autēs zǭois anę̄? theros te epagousin, hina kai tous apo dendrōn eis tryphēn karpous labēte? kai dia ti mē tais atomois proskyneite kai thyete tais epikarpois? acharistoi ge mēde aparchas autais oligas tōn pollōn dōreōn, has parʼ autōn echete, aphierountes.”

Do the atoms, you blind men, bring you rains too, that the earth may send up food for you and for all living things upon it? And do they bring summer, that you may take the fruits from the trees for enjoyment? And why do you not worship the atoms and sacrifice to the fruit-bearing ones? Ungrateful, not dedicating to them even a few first fruits of the many gifts you have from them!”

Notes and citation

Summary: Dionysius mocks the atomists for not worshipping the atoms that supposedly feed them.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip): ἔνα ἡ γῆ → ἵνα ἡ γῆ.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.18 (Dindorf 2:326; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.25.19Dindorf 2:326–327

Καὶ μετὰ βραχέα φησὶν “ὁ δὲ πολυεθνὴς καὶ πολυμιγὴς δῆμος τῶν ἀστέρων, οὓς αἷ πολυπλανεῖς καὶ ἀεὶ διαρριπτούμεναι συνέστησαν ἄτομοι, χώρας ἑαυτοῖς κατὰ συνθήκας ἀπεδάσαντο, ὥσπερ ἀποικίαν ἢ συνοικίαν ἀνελόμενοι, μηδενὸς οἰκιστοῦ μηδὲ οἰκοδεσπότου προεστηκότος· καὶ τὰς πρὸς τοὺς πλησιοχώρους γειτνιάσεις ἐνωμότως καὶ μετʼ εἰρήνης φυλάττουσιν, οὐχ ὑπερβαίνοντες οὓς κατειλήφασιν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὅρους, ὥσπερ ὑπὸ τῶν βασιλίδων ἀτόμων νομοθετούμενοι.

Kai meta brachea phēsin “ho de polyethnēs kai polymigēs dēmos tōn asterōn, hous hai polyplaneis kai aei diarriptoumenai synestēsan atomoi, chōras heautois kata synthēkas apedasanto, hōsper apoikian ē synoikian anelomenoi, mēdenos oikistou mēde oikodespotou proestēkotos; kai tas pros tous plēsiochōrous geitniaseis enōmotōs kai metʼ eirēnēs phylattousin, ouch hyperbainontes hous kateilēphasin ex archēs horous, hōsper hypo tōn basilidōn atomōn nomothetoumenoi.

And a little after he says: “And the many-nationed and mixed people of the stars, whom the much-wandering and ever-scattered atoms put together, divided territories among themselves by agreement, as if taking up a colony or settlement, with no founder or master of the house presiding; and they keep their neighborly relations with those next to them under oath and in peace, not overstepping the boundaries they took at the beginning, as if legislated by royal atoms.

Notes and citation

Summary: Dionysius mocks the idea that the stars keep their places by mutual agreement.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing slip in the digital text; quotation mark lost in the digital text): Καὶ μετὰ βραχέα φησὶν ὁ δὲ πολυεθνὴς → Καὶ μετὰ βραχέα φησὶν “ὁ δὲ πολυεθνὴς; οὐχ ὐπερβαίνοντες → οὐχ ὑπερβαίνοντες.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.19 (Dindorf 2:326–327; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.25.20Dindorf 2:327

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἄρχουσιν ἐκεῖναι· πῶς γὰρ αἱ μηδʼ οὖσαι; ἀλλὰ θείων λογίων ἐπακούσατε “ ἐν κρίσει κυρίου τὰ αὐτοῦ. ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς καὶ ἀπὸ ποιήσεως αὐτῶν διέστειλε μερίδας αὐτῶν, ἐκόσμησεν εἰς αἰῶνα τὰ ἔργα αὑτοῦ καὶ τὰς ἀρχὰς αὐτῶν εἰς γενεὰς αὐτῶν.

allʼ ouk archousin ekeinai; pōs gar hai mēdʼ ousai? alla theiōn logiōn epakousate “ en krisei kyriou ta autou. apʼ archēs kai apo poiēseōs autōn diesteile meridas autōn, ekosmēsen eis aiōna ta erga hautou kai tas archas autōn eis geneas autōn.

But those do not rule; how could those that do not even exist? But listen to the divine oracles: ‘By the judgment of the Lord are his works. From the beginning and from their making he distinguished their portions; he ordered his works forever, and their beginnings to their generations.’

Notes and citation

Summary: The stars’ order comes from God’s judgment, as Sirach says.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; Sirach 16:26–27.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation); Sir 16:26–27 (Sirach [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.20 (Dindorf 2:327; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.25.21Dindorf 2:327

Καὶ μετὰ βραχέα φησὶν “Ἢ τίς οὕτως εὔτακτος πεδιάδα γῆν διώδευσε φάλαγξ, οὐ προθέοντος οὐδενὸς, οὐκ ἐκτρεπομένου, οὐκ ἐμποδοστατοῦντος, οὐκ ἀπολειπομένου τῶν συμπαρατεταγμένων, ὡς ἰσόστοιχοι καὶ συνασπιδοῦντες ἀεὶ προίασιν, ὁ συνεχής τε καὶ ἀδιάστατος ἀόχλητός τε καὶ ἀνεμπόδιστος τῶν ἄστρων στρατός;

Kai meta brachea phēsin “Ē tis houtōs eutaktos pediada gēn diōdeuse phalanx, ou protheontos oudenos, ouk ektrepomenou, ouk empodostatountos, ouk apoleipomenou tōn symparatetagmenōn, hōs isostoichoi kai synaspidountes aei proiasin, ho synechēs te kai adiastatos aochlētos te kai anempodistos tōn astrōn stratos?

And a little after he says: “Or what phalanx so well ordered ever marched across a level plain, with none running ahead, none turning aside, none blocking the way, none falling behind those ranged with him, as the continuous and unbroken, untroubled and unhindered army of the stars advances always in even ranks with locked shields?

Notes and citation

Summary: The stars march in perfect order like a disciplined army.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing and quotation mark lost in the digital text): φησὶν Η τίς → φησὶν “Ἢ τίς.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.21 (Dindorf 2:327; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.25.22Dindorf 2:327–328

ἀλλʼ ἐγκλίσεσι καὶ ταῖς εἰς πλάγιον ἐκνεύσεσι γίνονταί τινες αὐτῶν ἄδηλοι τροπαί. καὶ μὴν ἀεὶ καιροφυλακοῦσι καὶ προορῶνται τὰς χώρας, ὅθεν ἕκαστος οἶ τούτοις προσεσχηκότες. εἰπάτωσαν οὖν ἡμῖν οἱ τῶν ἀτόμων τομεῖς καὶ τῶν ἀμερῶν μερισταὶ καὶ τῶν ἀσυνθέτων συναγωγεῖς καὶ τὰ ἄπειρα περινοοῦντες, πόθεν ἡ κυκλοφορικὴ τῶν οὐρανίων καὶ περιοδία, οὐχ ἑνὸς παραλόγως ἀτόμων πήγματος οὕτω σφενδονηθέντος, ἀλλὰ τοσούτου κυκλικοῦ χοροῦ κατὰ ῥυθμὸν ἴσα βαίνοντος καὶ συμπεριδινουμένου, πόθεν ἀδιάτακτοι καὶ ἀπροαίρετοι καὶ ἀγνῶτες ἀλλήλων συνέμποροι παμπληθεῖς συνανεστράφησαν. καλῶς τε ὁ προφήτης ἐν τοῖς ἀδυνάτοις καὶ ἀνενδείκτοις ἔταξε τὸ ξένους κἂν δύο συνδραμεῖν “ εἰ πορεύσονται (φησὶ) δύο ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ἐὰν μὴ γνωρίσωσιν ἑαυτούς;”

allʼ enklisesi kai tais eis plagion ekneusesi ginontai tines autōn adēloi tropai. kai mēn aei kairophylakousi kai proorōntai tas chōras, hothen hekastos oi toutois proseschēkotes. eipatōsan oun hēmin hoi tōn atomōn tomeis kai tōn amerōn meristai kai tōn asynthetōn synagōgeis kai ta apeira perinoountes, pothen hē kyklophorikē tōn ouraniōn kai periodia, ouch henos paralogōs atomōn pēgmatos houtō sphendonēthentos, alla tosoutou kyklikou chorou kata rhythmon isa bainontos kai symperidinoumenou, pothen adiataktoi kai aproairetoi kai agnōtes allēlōn synemporoi pamplētheis synanestraphēsan. kalōs te ho prophētēs en tois adynatois kai anendeiktois etaxe to xenous kan dyo syndramein “ ei poreusontai (phēsi) dyo epi to auto ean mē gnōrisōsin heautous?”

But by inclinations and deviations to the side some unseen turnings of them occur. And yet they always keep their times and foresee the places from which each comes, those who have attended to these things say. Let the cutters of the atoms, then, and the dividers of the partless, and the compounders of the uncompounded, and the comprehenders of the infinite tell us where the circular motion and revolution of the heavenly bodies comes from, not of one compact of atoms flung irrationally like this, but of so great a circular dance stepping in measure and whirling round together; where so countless a throng of fellow travelers, unordered, without choice, and unknown to one another, came to turn together. Well did the prophet put among things impossible and incapable of proof that even two strangers should run together: ‘Will two walk together,’ he says, ‘unless they know one another?’”

Amos 3:3 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The harmonious motion of the stars cannot come from random atoms; even two strangers do not walk together by chance.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; Amos 3:3 (Septuagint).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent slip in the digital text; line-end hyphen left in the digital text): καιροφυλα- κοῦσι → καιροφυλακοῦσι; κυκλοφορικῂ → κυκλοφορικὴ; συμπεριδινου- μένου → συμπεριδινουμένου.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.22 (Dindorf 2:327–328; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.25.23Dindorf 2:328

Ταῦτʼ εἰπὼν μυρία τε ἄλλα τούτοις ἐπαγαγὼν ἐξῆς κατασκευάζει διὰ πλειόνων τὸ πρόβλημα ἀπό τε τῶν κατὰ μέρος στοιχείων τοῦ παντὸς, ἀπό τε τῶν ἐν τούτοις παντοδαπῶν ζῴων, καὶ δὴ καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς τἀνθρώπου φύσεως. ἐξ ὧν ἔτι βραχέα τοῖς εἰρημένοις προσθεὶς καταπαύσω τὸν παρόντα λόγον.

Tautʼ eipōn myria te alla toutois epagagōn exēs kataskeuazei dia pleionōn to problēma apo te tōn kata meros stoicheiōn tou pantos, apo te tōn en toutois pantodapōn zǭōn, kai dē kai apo tēs tanthrōpou physeōs. ex hōn eti brachea tois eirēmenois prostheis katapausō ton paronta logon.

Having said this, and having added countless other things to these, he next establishes the point at length from the particular elements of the universe, from the living beings of every kind in them, and especially from the nature of man. Of these I shall add a few more to what has been said and so end the present book.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius summarizes Dionysius’ further arguments and adds a final excerpt.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.25.23 (Dindorf 2:328; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-25-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Preparation 14, chapter 26

14.26.1Dindorf 2:328

“ Καὶ οὔτε ἑαυτοὺς οὔτε τὰ περὶ ἑαυτοὺς ὁρῶσιν. εἰ γάρ τις τῶν ἀρχηγετῶν τοῦ τῆς ἀσεβείας ταύτης δόγματος ἑαυτὸν ὅστις ἐστὶ καὶ ὅθεν ἀνελογίζετο, ἐφρόνησεν ἂν ἅπερ συνῃσθημένος ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ εἶπεν ἂν οὐ πρὸς τὰς ἀτόμους, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα καὶ ποιητὴν ἑαυτοῦ “ αἱ χεῖρές σου ἔπλασάν με καὶ ἐποίησάν με· ” καὶ προσεπεξειργάσατο ἂν ὡς τὸν θαυμάσιον τῆς ποιήσεως ἑαυτοῦ τρόπον “ ἢ ὥσπερ γάλα με ἤμελξας, ἐτύρευσας δέ με ἴσα τυρῷ; δέρμα καὶ κρέας με ἐνέδυσας, ὀστέοις δὲ καὶ νεύροις με ἔνειρας; ζωὴν δὲ καὶ ἔλεος ἔθου παρʼ ἐμοὶ, ἡ δὲ ἐπισκοπή σου ἐφύλαξέ μου τὸ πνεῦμα.

“ Kai oute heautous oute ta peri heautous horōsin. ei gar tis tōn archēgetōn tou tēs asebeias tautēs dogmatos heauton hostis esti kai hothen anelogizeto, ephronēsen an haper synę̄sthēmenos heautou, kai eipen an ou pros tas atomous, alla pros ton patera kai poiētēn heautou “ hai cheires sou eplasan me kai epoiēsan me; ” kai prosepexeirgasato an hōs ton thaumasion tēs poiēseōs heautou tropon “ ē hōsper gala me ēmelxas, etyreusas de me isa tyrǭ? derma kai kreas me enedysas, osteois de kai neurois me eneiras? zōēn de kai eleos ethou parʼ emoi, hē de episkopē sou ephylaxe mou to pneuma.

“And they see neither themselves nor what concerns themselves. For if any of the founders of this impious doctrine had reckoned who he himself is and where from, he would have thought as one aware of himself, and would have said not to the atoms but to his Father and Maker, ‘Your hands formed me and made me’; and he would have gone on to describe the wonderful manner of his making: ‘Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese? You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews; you granted me life and mercy, and your care has preserved my spirit.’

Job 10:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 10:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 10:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 10:12 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Dionysius: a man reflecting on his own making would confess God with Job.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; Job 10:8, 10–12 (Septuagint).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip): ἀνελογίξετο → ἀνελογίζετο.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.26.1 (Dindorf 2:328; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-26-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.26.2Dindorf 2:328

πόσας γὰρ ἀτόμους ὁ Ἐπικούρου πατὴρ καὶ ποταπὰς ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ προέχεεν, ὅτʼ ἀπεσπέρμαινεν Ἐπίκουρον; καὶ πῶς εἰς τὴν μητρῴαν αὐτοῦ καταβληθεῖσαι γαστέρα συνεπάγησαν, ἐσχηματίσθησαν, ἐμορφώθησαν, ἐκινήθησαν, ηὐξύνθησαν; καὶ πολλὰς ἡ βραχεῖα ῥανὶς τὰς Ἐπικούρου ἀτόμους προσκαλεσαμένη τὰς μὲν ἐπημφίεσεν αὐτῶν δέρμα καὶ σάρκα γενομένας, ταῖς δὲ ὀστωθείσαις ἠνώρθωται, ταῖς δὲ συνεδέθη νευρορραφουμένη;

posas gar atomous ho Epikourou patēr kai potapas ex heautou proecheen, hotʼ apespermainen Epikouron? kai pōs eis tēn mētrǭan autou katablētheisai gastera synepagēsan, eschēmatisthēsan, emorphōthēsan, ekinēthēsan, ēuxynthēsan? kai pollas hē bracheia rhanis tas Epikourou atomous proskalesamenē tas men epēmphiesen autōn derma kai sarka genomenas, tais de ostōtheisais ēnōrthōtai, tais de synedethē neurorraphoumenē?

For how many atoms, and of what kind, did Epicurus’ father pour out of himself when he begot Epicurus? And how, cast into his mother’s womb, were they compacted, shaped, formed, moved, increased? And how many atoms of Epicurus did the little drop call to itself, clothing some with skin and flesh, being set upright by others that became bone, and being bound together by others, stitched with sinews?

Notes and citation

Summary: How could atoms alone form Epicurus in his mother’s womb?

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip): ἐκινήθγσαν → ἐκινήθησαν.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.26.2 (Dindorf 2:328; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-26-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.26.3Dindorf 2:328–329

τά τε ἄλλα πολλὰ μέλη καὶ σπλάγχνα καὶ ἔγκατα καὶ αἰσθητήρια τὰ μὲν ἔνδοθεν, τὰ δὲ θύραθεν ἐφήρμοσε, διʼ ὧν ἐζῳογονήθη τὸ σῶμα; ὧν οὐδὲν ἀργὸν οὐδὲ ἀχρεῖον προσετέθη, ἐπεὶ μηδὲ τὰ φαυλότατα, μήτε τρίχες μήτε ὄνυχες, πάντα δὲ, τὰ μὲν πρὸς τὸ τῆς συστάσεως ὄφελος, τὰ δὲ πρὸς τὸ κάλλος τῆς ὄψεως συντελεῖ.

ta te alla polla melē kai splanchna kai enkata kai aisthētēria ta men endothen, ta de thyrathen ephērmose, diʼ hōn ezǭogonēthē to sōma? hōn ouden argon oude achreion prosetethē, epei mēde ta phaulotata, mēte triches mēte onyches, panta de, ta men pros to tēs systaseōs ophelos, ta de pros to kallos tēs opseōs syntelei.

And it fitted the many other members and inward parts and entrails and organs of sense, some within, others without, by which the body was brought to life? Of these nothing idle or useless was added, not even the meanest, neither hair nor nails; but all contribute, some to the benefit of the structure, others to the beauty of its appearance.

Notes and citation

Summary: Every part of the body, even hair and nails, serves use or beauty.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.26.3 (Dindorf 2:328–329; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-26-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.26.4Dindorf 2:329

οὐ γὰρ τῆς χρείας μόνης, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ὥρας ἐπιμελὴς ἡ πρόνοια. ἔρυμα μὲν γὰρ καὶ σκέπασμα πᾶσι τῆς κεφαλῆς ἡ κόμη, εὐπρέπεια δὲ ὁ πώγων τῷ φιλοσόφῳ. τήν τε τοῦ ὅλου σώματος τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου φύσιν ἐκ τῶν μερῶν ἀναγκαίων πάντων ἥρμοσε, καὶ τοῖς μέλεσι πᾶσι τήν τε πρὸς ἄλληλα κοινωνίαν περιέβαλε καὶ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ ὅλου χορηγίαν ἐπεμέτρησεν.

ou gar tēs chreias monēs, alla kai tēs hōras epimelēs hē pronoia. eryma men gar kai skepasma pasi tēs kephalēs hē komē, euprepeia de ho pōgōn tǭ philosophǭ. tēn te tou holou sōmatos tou anthrōpeiou physin ek tōn merōn anankaiōn pantōn hērmose, kai tois melesi pasi tēn te pros allēla koinōnian periebale kai tēn para tou holou chorēgian epemetrēsen.

For providence takes care not only of need but also of beauty. The hair is a defense and covering of the head for all, and the beard a comeliness for the philosopher. And it fitted together the nature of the whole human body from all necessary parts, and threw round all the members their fellowship with one another, and measured out the supply from the whole.

Notes and citation

Summary: Providence cares for beauty as well as use in the body.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): μέ- λεσι → μέλεσι.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.26.4 (Dindorf 2:329; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-26-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.26.5Dindorf 2:329

ὧν τὰ μὲν ὁλοσχερῆ καὶ τοῖς ἰδιώταις ἐκ τῆς πείρας ἣν ἔχει δύναμιν πρόδηλα· κεφαλῆς ἡγεμονία, καὶ περὶ τὸν ἐγκέφαλον, ὥσπερ ἄρχοντα ἐν ἀκροπόλει, τῶν αἰσθήσεων ἡ δορυφορία· προσιοῦσαι μὲν ὄψεις, ἀναγγέλλουσαι δὲ ἀκοαὶ, ἐδωδὴ ὥσπερ φορολογοῦσα, ὄσφρησις καθάπερ ἀνιχνεύουσα καὶ διερευνωμένη, καὶ ἡ ἁφὴ πᾶν διατάττουσα τὸ ὑπήκοον.

hōn ta men holoscherē kai tois idiōtais ek tēs peiras hēn echei dynamin prodēla; kephalēs hēgemonia, kai peri ton enkephalon, hōsper archonta en akropolei, tōn aisthēseōn hē doryphoria; prosiousai men opseis, anangellousai de akoai, edōdē hōsper phorologousa, osphrēsis kathaper anichneuousa kai diereunōmenē, kai hē haphē pan diatattousa to hypēkoon.

Of these, the general functions are plain from experience even to ordinary people, what power each has: the sovereignty of the head, and around the brain, as round a ruler in a citadel, the bodyguard of the senses: the eyes coming forward, the ears reporting, taste like a tax gatherer, smell like one tracking and searching out, and touch arranging all that is subject.

Notes and citation

Summary: The head rules like a king in a citadel, guarded by the senses.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.26.5 (Dindorf 2:329; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-26-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.26.6Dindorf 2:329

(κεφαλαιωδῶς γὰρ νῦν ὀλίγα τῶν τῆς πανσόφου προνοίας ἔργων ἐπιδραμούμεθα, μετʼ ὀλίγον ἀκριβέστερον τοῦ θεοῦ διδόντος ἐπεξεργασόμενοι, ὅταν πρὸς τὸν δοκοῦντα λογιώτερον ἀποτεινώμεθα.)

(kephalaiōdōs gar nyn oliga tōn tēs pansophou pronoias ergōn epidramoumetha, metʼ oligon akribesteron tou theou didontos epexergasomenoi, hotan pros ton dokounta logiōteron apoteinōmetha.)

(For we shall now run over in summary a few of the works of the all-wise providence, and shortly, God granting, work them out more precisely, when we address the one who is thought more learned.)

Notes and citation

Summary: Dionysius promises a fuller treatment later.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (repeated syllables in the digital text): δοκοῦντα κοῦντα λογιώτερον → δοκοῦντα λογιώτερον.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.26.6 (Dindorf 2:329; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-26-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.26.7Dindorf 2:329–330

χειρῶν διακονία, διʼ ὧν ἐργασίαι τε παντοῖαι καὶ πολυμήχανοι τελοῦνται τέχναι ταῖς κατὰ μέρος δυνάμεσιν εἰς μίαν συνεργίαν διηρθρωμένων, ὤμων τε ἀχθοφορίαι, καὶ κατοχαὶ δακτύλων, ἀγκώνων τε καμπαὶ, πρός τε τὸ σῶμα εἴσω στρεφόμεναι καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἐκτὸς ἀπονεύουσαι, ἵνα ἐφέλκεσθαί τε καὶ ἀπωθεῖσθαι δύνωνται· ποδῶν ὑπηρεσία, διʼ ὧν πᾶσα ἡμῖν ὑποπέπτωκεν ἡ περίγειος κτίσις, βάσιμος ἡ γῆ, πλωτὴ ἡ θάλασσα, περάσιμοι οἱ ποταμοὶ, καὶ πάντων πρὸς πάντα ἐπιμιξία· γαστὴρ ταμιεῖον τροφῶν, πᾶσι τοῖς συντεταγμένοις μέλεσιν ἐξ ἑαυτῆς ἐν μέτρῳ τὸ σιτηρέσιον διανέμουσα καὶ τὸ περιττεῦον ἐκτιθεμένη· καὶ τὰ ἄλλα διʼ ὅσων ἐμφανῶς ἡ διοίκησις τῆς ἀνθρωπείου μεμηχάνηται διαμονῆς, ὧν ὁμοίως τοῖς ἄφροσιν ἔχοντες οἱ σοφοὶ τὴν χρῆσιν οὐκ ἴσχουσι τὴν γνῶσιν.

cheirōn diakonia, diʼ hōn ergasiai te pantoiai kai polymēchanoi telountai technai tais kata meros dynamesin eis mian synergian diērthrōmenōn, ōmōn te achthophoriai, kai katochai daktylōn, ankōnōn te kampai, pros te to sōma eisō strephomenai kai pros to ektos aponeuousai, hina ephelkesthai te kai apōtheisthai dynōntai; podōn hypēresia, diʼ hōn pasa hēmin hypopeptōken hē perigeios ktisis, basimos hē gē, plōtē hē thalassa, perasimoi hoi potamoi, kai pantōn pros panta epimixia; gastēr tamieion trophōn, pasi tois syntetagmenois melesin ex heautēs en metrǭ to sitēresion dianemousa kai to peritteuon ektithemenē; kai ta alla diʼ hosōn emphanōs hē dioikēsis tēs anthrōpeiou memēchanētai diamonēs, hōn homoiōs tois aphrosin echontes hoi sophoi tēn chrēsin ouk ischousi tēn gnōsin.

The service of the hands, by which work of every kind and arts of many devices are accomplished, their particular powers jointed into one cooperation; the burden-bearing of the shoulders, the grip of the fingers, the bending of the elbows, turning inward to the body and outward away from it, so that they can draw toward and push away; the service of the feet, by which the whole creation on earth lies subject to us, the earth walkable, the sea navigable, the rivers passable, and the intercourse of all with all; the belly, a storehouse of food, distributing from itself in measure their ration to all the members arranged with it and putting out the excess; and the other things by which the management of man’s continuance has been clearly devised, of which the wise have the use like the foolish but do not have the knowledge.

Notes and citation

Summary: Hands, feet, and belly show the design of the human body.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; broken word in the digital text): ἔνα ἐφέλκεσθαί → ἵνα ἐφέλκεσθαί; συντε— ταγμένοις → συντεταγμένοις.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.26.7 (Dindorf 2:329–330; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-26-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.26.8Dindorf 2:330

οἶ μὲν γὰρ εἰς ἣν ἂν οἰηθῶσιν ἀθεότητα τὴν ἐπιστημονικωτάτην περὶ πάντων καὶ τὴν εἰς ἑαυτοὺς εὐεργετικωτάτην ἀναφέρουσιν οἰκονομίαν) κρείττονος καὶ θείας ὄντως φρονήσεως τε καὶ δυνάμεως ἔργον αὐτὴν εἶναι πιστούμενοι, οἶ δὲ συντυχίᾳ καὶ συμπτώσει τῶν ἀτόμων ἀσκόπως τὴν θαυμασιωτάτην καλλιεργίαν ἀνατιθέασι.

oi men gar eis hēn an oiēthōsin atheotēta tēn epistēmonikōtatēn peri pantōn kai tēn eis heautous euergetikōtatēn anapherousin oikonomian) kreittonos kai theias ontōs phronēseōs te kai dynameōs ergon autēn einai pistoumenoi, oi de syntychią kai symptōsei tōn atomōn askopōs tēn thaumasiōtatēn kalliergian anatitheasi.

For some refer the management that is most knowing about all things and most beneficent toward themselves to whatever deity they suppose, trusting it to be the work of a higher and truly divine wisdom and power; others attribute the most wonderful craftsmanship aimlessly to the chance meeting and collision of atoms.

Notes and citation

Summary: Some ascribe the design of the body to chance atoms rather than divine wisdom.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature. The text reads “godlessness” (ἀθεότητα), apparently for “deity” (θεότητα); translated by sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent slip in the digital text): εἰς ἢν ἂν → εἰς ἣν ἂν.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.26.8 (Dindorf 2:330; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-26-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.26.9Dindorf 2:330

τὴν δὲ ἐνεργεστέραν ἔτι τούτων ἐπίσκεψιν καὶ τὴν τῶν ἐνδοσθίων διάθεσιν ἰατροὶ μὲν ἀκριβῶς διερευνησάμενοι καὶ καταπλαγέντες ἐξεθείασαν τὴν φύσιν, ἡμεῖς δὲ ὕστερον ὡς ἂν οἷοί τε γενώμεθα κἂν ἐπιπολῆς ἀναθεωρήσωμεν.

tēn de energesteran eti toutōn episkepsin kai tēn tōn endosthiōn diathesin iatroi men akribōs diereunēsamenoi kai kataplagentes exetheiasan tēn physin, hēmeis de hysteron hōs an hoioi te genōmetha kan epipolēs anatheōrēsōmen.

The still more effective examination of these, and the arrangement of the inward parts, physicians, having searched out precisely and been astonished, have deified nature; we shall later, as far as we are able, look at them even if only superficially.

Notes and citation

Summary: Physicians, amazed at the body’s inner structure, deified nature.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.26.9 (Dindorf 2:330; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-26-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.26.10Dindorf 2:330

καθόλου δὲ καὶ συλλήβδην ὅλον τοῦτο τὸ σκῆνος τίς τοιοῦτον ἐσκηνοποίησεν, ὑψηλὸν, ὄρθιον, εὔρυθμον, εὐαίσθητον, εὐκίνητον, εὐεργὸν, παντουργόν; ἡ τῶν ἀτόμων ἄλογος, φασὶ, πληθύς. ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ἂν εἰκόνα πηλίνην ἐκεῖναι συνελθοῦσαι πλάσαιεν, οὐδʼ ἀνδριάντα λίθινον ξέσαιεν, οὐδʼ ἂν εἴδωλον ἀργυροῦν ἢ χρυσοῦν χωνεύσασαι προαγάγοιεν·

katholou de kai syllēbdēn holon touto to skēnos tis toiouton eskēnopoiēsen, hypsēlon, orthion, eurythmon, euaisthēton, eukinēton, euergon, pantourgon? hē tōn atomōn alogos, phasi, plēthys. allʼ oudʼ an eikona pēlinēn ekeinai synelthousai plasaien, oudʼ andrianta lithinon xesaien, oudʼ an eidōlon argyroun ē chrysoun chōneusasai proagagoien;

In general and in sum, who built this whole tent, such as it is, tall, upright, well proportioned, keen of sense, nimble, active, able to do all things? The irrational multitude of atoms, they say. But those, coming together, could not mold even a clay image, nor carve a stone statue, nor cast and bring forth an idol of silver or gold;

Notes and citation

Summary: Atoms could not make even a statue, much less the human body.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.26.10 (Dindorf 2:330; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-26-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.26.11Dindorf 2:330

ἀλλὰ τέχναι καὶ χειρουργίαι τούτων ὑπʼ ἀνθρώπων εὕρηνται σωματουργοί. ὧν δὲ ἀπεικασίαι καὶ σκιαγραφίαι δίχα σοφίας οὐκ ἂν γένοιντο, πῶς τὰ ἀληθῆ καὶ πρωτότυπα τούτων αὐτομάτως συμβέβηκε;

alla technai kai cheirourgiai toutōn hypʼ anthrōpōn heurēntai sōmatourgoi. hōn de apeikasiai kai skiagraphiai dicha sophias ouk an genointo, pōs ta alēthē kai prōtotypa toutōn automatōs symbebēke?

but the arts and handicrafts for these, which shape the likeness of bodies, have been found by men. And if likenesses and sketches of these could not come about without wisdom, how did their true originals happen of themselves?

Notes and citation

Summary: If statues need art, how could the originals arise by chance?

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): πρω- τότυπα → πρωτότυπα.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.26.11 (Dindorf 2:330; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-26-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.26.12Dindorf 2:330

ψυχὴ δὲ καὶ νοῦς καὶ λόγος πόθεν ἐγγέγονε τῷ φιλοσόφῳ; ἢ παρὰ τῶν ἀψύχων καὶ ἀνοήτων καὶ ἀλογίστων ἀτόμων ταῦτʼ ἠρανίσατο, κἀκείνων αὐτῷ τι ἑκάστη νόημα καὶ δόγμα ἐνέπνευσεν;

psychē de kai nous kai logos pothen engegone tǭ philosophǭ? ē para tōn apsychōn kai anoētōn kai alogistōn atomōn tautʼ ēranisato, kakeinōn autǭ ti hekastē noēma kai dogma enepneusen?

And from where did soul and mind and reason come to be in the philosopher? Did he collect them from soulless and mindless and unreasoning atoms, and did each of them breathe into him some thought and doctrine?

Notes and citation

Summary: The philosopher’s mind cannot come from mindless atoms.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.26.12 (Dindorf 2:330; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-26-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.26.13Dindorf 2:330–331

καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ Ἠσιόδου μῦθος τὴν Πανδώραν φησὶν ὑπὸ τῶν θεῶν, οὕτως ἡ σοφία τἀνδρὸς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀτόμων συνετελέσθη; καὶ ποίησιν δὲ πᾶσαν, καὶ πᾶσαν μουσικὴν, ἀστρονομίαν τε καὶ γεωμετρίαν, καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἐπιστήμας, οὐκέτι θεῶν εὑρήματα καὶ παιδεύματα φήσουσιν Ἕλληνες εἶναι, μόναι δὲ γεγόνασιν ἔμπειροι καὶ σοφαὶ πάντων αἱ ἄτομοι μοῦσαι.

kai hōsper ho Ēsiodou mythos tēn Pandōran phēsin hypo tōn theōn, houtōs hē sophia tandros hypo tōn atomōn synetelesthē? kai poiēsin de pasan, kai pasan mousikēn, astronomian te kai geōmetrian, kai tas allas epistēmas, ouketi theōn heurēmata kai paideumata phēsousin Hellēnes einai, monai de gegonasin empeiroi kai sophai pantōn hai atomoi mousai.

And as Hesiod’s myth says Pandora was completed by the gods, so was the man’s wisdom completed by the atoms? And will the Greeks no longer say that all poetry and all music, astronomy and geometry and the other sciences, are discoveries and teachings of the gods, but that the atom-Muses alone have become skilled and wise in all things?

Notes and citation

Summary: Dionysius mocks the atomists: the atoms would be the Muses.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; Hesiod, Works and Days 60–82.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation); Hesiod, Op. 60–82 (Hesiod, Works and Days; allusion)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.26.13 (Dindorf 2:330–331; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-26-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.26.14Dindorf 2:331

ἡ γὰρ ἐκ τῶν ἀτόμων Ἐπικούρου θεογονία τῶν μὲν ἀπείρων κόσμων ἐξόριός ἐστιν, εἰς δὲ τὴν ἄπειρον ἀκοσμίαν πεφυγάδευται.”

hē gar ek tōn atomōn Epikourou theogonia tōn men apeirōn kosmōn exorios estin, eis de tēn apeiron akosmian pephygadeutai.”

For the theogony of Epicurus out of the atoms is banished from the infinite worlds and exiled into the infinite disorder.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Epicurus’ atomic gods are exiled into disorder.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.26.14 (Dindorf 2:331; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-26-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Preparation 14, chapter 27

14.27.1Dindorf 2:331

“ Ἐργάζεσθαι δέ γε καὶ διοικεῖν καὶ τε καὶ προκήδεσθαι καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα τοῖς μὲν ἀργοῖς καὶ ἄφροσι καὶ ἀσθενέσι καὶ κακούργοις ἴσως ἐπαχθῆ, οἷς ἐγκατέλεξεν ἑαυτὸν Ἐπίκουρος, τοιαῦτα φρονήσας περὶ τῶν θεῶν· τοῖς δὲ σπουδαίοις καὶ δυνατοῖς καὶ συνετοῖς καὶ σώφροσιν, οἵους εἶναι χρὴ τοὺς φιλοσόφους, (πόσῳ γε μᾶλλον τοὺς θεούς;) οὐχ ὅπως ἀηδῆ ταῦτα καὶ προσάντη, ἀλλὰ καὶ τερπνότατα, καὶ πάντων μᾶλλον ἀσπαστότατα, οἶς τὸ ἀμελὲς καὶ τὸ μέλλειν τι πράττειν τῶν χρηστῶν ὄνειδος, ὡς ἐκείνους τε ποιητὴς νουθετεῖ συμβουλεύων μηδʼ ἀναβάλλεσθαι ἔς τʼ αὔριον· καὶ προσεπαπειλῶν αἰεὶ δʼ ἀμβολιεργὸς ἀνὴρ ἄτῃσι παλαίει.

“ Ergazesthai de ge kai dioikein kai te kai prokēdesthai kai ta toiauta tois men argois kai aphrosi kai asthenesi kai kakourgois isōs epachthē, hois enkatelexen heauton Epikouros, toiauta phronēsas peri tōn theōn; tois de spoudaiois kai dynatois kai synetois kai sōphrosin, hoious einai chrē tous philosophous, (posǭ ge mallon tous theous?) ouch hopōs aēdē tauta kai prosantē, alla kai terpnotata, kai pantōn mallon aspastotata, ois to ameles kai to mellein ti prattein tōn chrēstōn oneidos, hōs ekeinous te poiētēs nouthetei symbouleuōn mēdʼ anaballesthai es tʼ aurion; kai prosepapeilōn aiei dʼ amboliergos anēr atę̄si palaiei.

“Working and governing and doing good and taking forethought and such things are perhaps burdensome to the idle and foolish and weak and wicked, among whom Epicurus enrolled himself by thinking such things of the gods; but to the earnest and able and intelligent and temperate, such as philosophers must be (how much more the gods?), these things are not only not unpleasant and irksome, but most delightful and most welcome of all; to them neglect and delay in doing any good thing is a reproach, as the poet admonishes them, advising, ‘Do not put off till tomorrow’; and threatening besides, ‘The man who puts off work always wrestles with ruin.’

Notes and citation

Summary: Dionysius: to the wise, and much more to the gods, doing good is a delight, not a burden.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; Hesiod, Works and Days 410, 413.
“Doing good” is supplied by sense; a word has dropped out of the text.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation); Hesiod, Op. 410–413 (Hesiod, Works and Days; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.27.1 (Dindorf 2:331; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-27-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.27.2Dindorf 2:331

ἡμᾶς τε σεμνότερον παιδεύει προφήτης, θεοπρεπῆ μὲν ὄντως ἔργα τὰ κατʼ ἀρετὴν ὑπάρχειν λέγων, τὸν δὲ ὀλιγωροῦντα τούτων ἐξάγιστον “ γὰρ (φησὶν) ὁ ποιῶν τὰ ἔργα κυρίου ἀμελῶς.”

hēmas te semnoteron paideuei prophētēs, theoprepē men ontōs erga ta katʼ aretēn hyparchein legōn, ton de oligōrounta toutōn exagiston “ gar (phēsin) ho poiōn ta erga kyriou amelōs.”

And a prophet teaches us more solemnly, saying that the works of virtue are truly worthy of God, and that he who neglects them is accursed: ‘For cursed,’ he says, ‘is he who does the works of the Lord carelessly.’

Jer 48:10 (31:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Jeremiah curses the one who does the Lord’s work carelessly.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; Jer 48:10 (Septuagint 31:10). “Cursed” is supplied by sense; the word has dropped out of the text.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.27.2 (Dindorf 2:331; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-27-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.27.3Dindorf 2:331–332

καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἀμαθέσιν ἡστινοσοῦν τέχνης καὶ ἀτελεστέροις διὰ τὸ τῆς πείρας ἄηθες καὶ τὸ τῶν ἔργων ἀτριβὲς κάματος ἐγγίνεται ταῖς ἐπιχειρήσεσιν· οἶ δὲ προκόπτοντες, καὶ μᾶλλον ἔτι οἱ τέλειοι, ῥᾳδίως ἃ μετίασι κατορθοῦντες γάνυνται, καὶ μᾶλλον ἂν ἕλοιντο τὰ εἰωθότα πράττοντες ἀνύειν καὶ τελεσιουργεῖν ἢ πάντα σφίσιν ὑπάρξαι τὰ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἀγαθά.

kai tois men amathesin hēstinosoun technēs kai atelesterois dia to tēs peiras aēthes kai to tōn ergōn atribes kamatos enginetai tais epicheirēsesin; oi de prokoptontes, kai mallon eti hoi teleioi, rhądiōs ha metiasi katorthountes ganyntai, kai mallon an helointo ta eiōthota prattontes anyein kai telesiourgein ē panta sphisin hyparxai ta en anthrōpois agatha.

And to those ignorant of any art, and less perfect, through the unaccustomedness of the experience and unpracticed work, weariness comes in their attempts; but those advancing, and still more the perfect, rejoice in easily accomplishing what they pursue, and would rather choose to complete and perfect their accustomed tasks than have all human goods.

Notes and citation

Summary: The skilled delight in their work.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.27.3 (Dindorf 2:331–332; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-27-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.27.4Dindorf 2:332

Δημόκριτος γοῦν αὐτὸς, ὥς φασιν, ἔλεγε βούλεσθαι μᾶλλον μίαν εὑρεῖν αἰτιολογίαν ἢ τὴν Περσῶν οἱ βασιλείαν γενέσθαι, καὶ ταῦτα μάτην καὶ ἀναιτίως αἰτιολογῶν, ὡς ἂν ἀπὸ κενῆς ἀρχῆς καὶ ὑποθέσεως πλανωμένης ὁρμώμενος, καὶ τὴν ῥίζαν καὶ τὴν κοινὴν ἀνάγκην τῆς τῶν ὄντων φύσεως οὐχ ὁρῶν, σοφίαν δὲ μεγίστην ἡγούμενος τὴν τῶν ἀσόφως καὶ ἠλιθίως συμβαινόντων κατανόησιν, καὶ τὴν τύχην τῶν μὲν καθόλου καὶ τῶν θείων δέσποιναν ἐφιστὰς καὶ βασιλίδα, καὶ πάντα γενέσθαι κατʼ αὐτὴν ἀποφαινόμενος, τοῦ δὲ τῶν ἀνθρώπων αὐτὴν ἀποκηρύττων βίου καὶ τοὺς πρεσβεύοντας αὐτὴν ἐλέγχων ἀγνώμονας.

Dēmokritos goun autos, hōs phasin, elege boulesthai mallon mian heurein aitiologian ē tēn Persōn hoi basileian genesthai, kai tauta matēn kai anaitiōs aitiologōn, hōs an apo kenēs archēs kai hypotheseōs planōmenēs hormōmenos, kai tēn rhizan kai tēn koinēn anankēn tēs tōn ontōn physeōs ouch horōn, sophian de megistēn hēgoumenos tēn tōn asophōs kai ēlithiōs symbainontōn katanoēsin, kai tēn tychēn tōn men katholou kai tōn theiōn despoinan ephistas kai basilida, kai panta genesthai katʼ autēn apophainomenos, tou de tōn anthrōpōn autēn apokēryttōn biou kai tous presbeuontas autēn elenchōn agnōmonas.

Democritus himself, at any rate, as they say, used to say that he would rather find a single causal explanation than become king of the Persians; and that while giving causes vainly and without cause, starting from an empty principle and a wandering hypothesis, not seeing the root and the common necessity of the nature of things, but thinking the understanding of things happening without wisdom and foolishly to be the greatest wisdom, and setting chance as mistress and queen over things universal and divine, and declaring that all things come about according to it, while banishing it from the life of men and refuting those who honor it as foolish.

Notes and citation

Summary: Democritus made chance queen of the universe while denying it in human life.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; Democritus, fragment B 118.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing slip in the digital text): Περσῶν οἶ βασιλείαν → Περσῶν οἱ βασιλείαν.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation); Democritus, fr. B 118 (Democritus (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.27.4 (Dindorf 2:332; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-27-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.27.5Dindorf 2:332

τῶν γοῦν Ὑποθηκῶν ἀρχόμενος λέγει “Ἄνθρωποι τύχης εἴδωλον ἐπλάσαντο, πρόφασιν ἰδίης ἀνοίης.” φύσει γὰρ γνώμη τύχῃ μάχεται· τὴν ἐχθίστην τῇ φρονήσει ταύτην αὐτὴν ἔφασαν κρατεῖν· μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ταύτην ἄρδην ἀναιροῦντες καὶ ἀφανίζοντες ἐκείνην ἀντικαθιστᾶσιν αὐτῆς. οὐ γὰρ εὐτυχῆ τὴν φρόνησιν, ἀλλʼ ἐμφρονεστάτην ὑμνοῦσι τὴν τύχην.

tōn goun Hypothēkōn archomenos legei “Anthrōpoi tychēs eidōlon eplasanto, prophasin idiēs anoiēs.” physei gar gnōmē tychę̄ machetai; tēn echthistēn tę̄ phronēsei tautēn autēn ephasan kratein; mallon de kai tautēn ardēn anairountes kai aphanizontes ekeinēn antikathistasin autēs. ou gar eutychē tēn phronēsin, allʼ emphronestatēn hymnousi tēn tychēn.

Beginning his Precepts, at least, he says: “Men fashioned an image of chance as an excuse for their own folly. For by nature judgment fights against chance; and this very thing, most hostile to wisdom, they said rules it; or rather, doing away with wisdom altogether and abolishing it, they set chance up in its place. For they do not praise wisdom as fortunate, but chance as most wise.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Democritus: men invented chance as an excuse for their folly.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; Democritus, fragment B 119.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; quotation mark lost in the digital text): λέγει Ἄνθρωποι → λέγει “Ἄνθρωποι; κρα- τεῖν → κρατεῖν.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation); Democritus, fr. B 119 (Democritus (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.27.5 (Dindorf 2:332; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-27-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.27.6Dindorf 2:332

οἶ μὲν οὑν τῶν βιωφελῶν ἔργων ἐπιστάται ταῖς πρὸς τὸ ὁμόφυλον ἐπικουρίαις ἀγάλλονται, ἐπαίνου τε ὀρέγονται καὶ κλέους ἐφʼ οἶς αὐτῶν προκάμνουσιν οἱ μὲν τρέφοντες, οἱ δὲ κυβερνῶντες, οἶ δʼ ἰώμενοι, οἱ δὲ πολιτευόμενοι· οἶ δέ γε φιλόσοφοι καὶ σφόδρα παιδεύειν ἐπιχειροῦντες ἀνθρώπους φρυάττονται.

oi men houn tōn biōphelōn ergōn epistatai tais pros to homophylon epikouriais agallontai, epainou te oregontai kai kleous ephʼ ois autōn prokamnousin hoi men trephontes, hoi de kybernōntes, oi dʼ iōmenoi, hoi de politeuomenoi; oi de ge philosophoi kai sphodra paideuein epicheirountes anthrōpous phryattontai.

Those in charge of works useful to life take pride in their help to their fellow men, and long for praise and glory for the things in which they toil for them, some by feeding, others by piloting, others by healing, others by governing; and philosophers are especially proud of attempting to educate men.

Notes and citation

Summary: Useful workers and philosophers take pride in serving others.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; line-end hyphen left in the digital text): Κλεοῦς → κλέους; ἀν- θρώπους → ἀνθρώπους.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.27.6 (Dindorf 2:332; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-27-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.27.7Dindorf 2:332–333

ἢ τολμήσουσιν Ἐπίκουρος ἢ Δημόκριτος εἰπεῖν ὡς ἀσχάλλουσι φιλοσοφοῦντες; ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ θυμηδίαν ταύτης ἂν ἑτέραν προθεῖντο. καὶ γὰρ εἰ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἡδονὴν εἶναι φρονοῦσιν, ἀλλʼ αἰδεσθήσονταί γε μὴ λέγειν ἥδιον αὑτοῖς εἶναι τὸ φιλοσοφεῖν.

ē tolmēsousin Epikouros ē Dēmokritos eipein hōs aschallousi philosophountes? allʼ oude thymēdian tautēs an heteran protheinto. kai gar ei to agathon hēdonēn einai phronousin, allʼ aidesthēsontai ge mē legein hēdion hautois einai to philosophein.

Or will Epicurus or Democritus dare to say that they are vexed when they philosophize? They would set no other delight above this. For even if they think the good is pleasure, they will be ashamed not to say that philosophizing is pleasanter to them.

Notes and citation

Summary: Even Epicurus and Democritus enjoyed the work of philosophy.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.27.7 (Dindorf 2:332–333; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-27-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.27.8Dindorf 2:333

τοὺς δὲ θεοὺς περὶ ὧν οἶ μὲν ποιηταὶ παρʼ αὐτοῖς ᾄδουσι δοτῆρας ἐάων, οὗτοι δὲ οἶ φιλόσοφοι μετὰ τωθείας εὐφημοῦσι, θεοὶ πάντων ἀγαθῶν ἀδώρητοί τε καὶ ἀμέτοχοι· καὶ τίνι τρόπῳ τεκμηριοῦνται θεοὺς εἶναι, μήτε παρόντας καὶ πράττοντάς τι ὁρῶντες, (ὡς οἱ τὸν ἥλιον καὶ τὴν σελήνην καὶ τοὺς ἀστέρας θαυμάσαντες διὰ τὸ θέειν ἔφασαν κεκλῆσθαι θεούς) μήτε τινὰ δημιουργίαν αὐτοῖς ἢ κατασκευὴν προσνέμοντες, ἵνʼ ἐκ τοῦ θεῖναι, τοῦτʼ ἔστι ποιῆσαι, θεοποιήσωσιν αὐτούς· (τούτου γὰρ ἕνεκα πρὸς ἀλήθειαν ὁ τῶν ἁπάντων ποιητὴς καὶ δημιουργὸς μόνος ἐστὶ θεός·) μήτε διοίκησιν ἢ κρίσιν ἢ χάριν αὐτῶν τινα πρὸς ἀνθρώπους ἐκτιθέμενοι, ἵνα φόβον ἢ τιμὴν ὀφλήσαντες προσκυνήσωμεν αὐτοῖς;

tous de theous peri hōn oi men poiētai parʼ autois ądousi dotēras eaōn, houtoi de oi philosophoi meta tōtheias euphēmousi, theoi pantōn agathōn adōrētoi te kai ametochoi; kai tini tropǭ tekmēriountai theous einai, mēte parontas kai prattontas ti horōntes, (hōs hoi ton hēlion kai tēn selēnēn kai tous asteras thaumasantes dia to theein ephasan keklēsthai theous) mēte tina dēmiourgian autois ē kataskeuēn prosnemontes, hinʼ ek tou theinai, toutʼ esti poiēsai, theopoiēsōsin autous; (toutou gar heneka pros alētheian ho tōn hapantōn poiētēs kai dēmiourgos monos esti theos;) mēte dioikēsin ē krisin ē charin autōn tina pros anthrōpous ektithemenoi, hina phobon ē timēn ophlēsantes proskynēsōmen autois?

But the gods, whom their poets sing as ‘givers of good things,’ these philosophers praise with mockery as ‘gods neither givers of any good things nor sharers in them.’ And in what way do they prove that there are gods, when they neither see them present and doing something (as those who admired the sun and moon and stars said they were called gods from their running, theein), nor assign them any creation or construction, so as to make them gods from tithenai, that is, ‘to make’ (for in this sense in truth the Maker and Creator of all is alone God), nor set forth any government or judgment or favor of theirs toward men, so that, owing them fear or honor, we might worship them?

Notes and citation

Summary: The Epicureans’ idle gods have no reason to be called gods or worshipped.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; Homer, Odyssey 8.325. Compare Plato, Cratylus 397c–d on the etymology of theos.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (elision mark lost in the digital text; line-end hyphen left in the digital text): ἵν ἐκ τοῦ θεῖναι → ἵνʼ ἐκ τοῦ θεῖναι; αὐ- τοῖς → αὐτοῖς.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation); Homer, Od. 8.325 (Homer, Odyssey; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.27.8 (Dindorf 2:333; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-27-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.27.9Dindorf 2:333

“Ἤ τοῦ κόσμου προκύψας Ἐπίκουρος καὶ οὐράνιον ὑπερβὰς περίβολον, ἢ διά τινων κρυφίων ἃς μόνος οἶδεν ἐξελθὼν πυλῶν, οὓς ἐν τῷ κενῷ κατεῖδε θεοὺς, καὶ τὴν πολλὴν αὐτῶν ἐμακάρισε τρυφήν· κἀκεῖθεν ἐπιθυμητὴς γενόμενος τῆς ἡδονῆς καὶ τῆς ἐν τῷ κενῷ ζηλωτὴς διαίτης, οὕτω πάντας ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ μακαρισμοῦ τούτου μετουσίαν ἐξομοιωθησομένους ἐκείνοις τοῖς θεοῖς παρακαλεῖ, συμπόσιον αὐτοῖς μακάριον, οὐχ ὅπερ οἶ ποιηταὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἢ τὸν Ὄλυμπον, ἀλλὰ τὸ κενὸν συγκροτῶν, ἔκ τε τῶν ἀτόμων τὴν ἀμβροσίαν αὐτοῖς παρατιθεὶς καὶ προπίνων αὐτοῖς ἐξ ἐκείνων τὸ νέκταρ;

“Ē tou kosmou prokypsas Epikouros kai ouranion hyperbas peribolon, ē dia tinōn kryphiōn has monos oiden exelthōn pylōn, hous en tǭ kenǭ kateide theous, kai tēn pollēn autōn emakarise tryphēn; kakeithen epithymētēs genomenos tēs hēdonēs kai tēs en tǭ kenǭ zēlōtēs diaitēs, houtō pantas epi tēn tou makarismou toutou metousian exomoiōthēsomenous ekeinois tois theois parakalei, symposion autois makarion, ouch hoper oi poiētai ton ouranon ē ton Olympon, alla to kenon synkrotōn, ek te tōn atomōn tēn ambrosian autois paratitheis kai propinōn autois ex ekeinōn to nektar?

“Or did Epicurus, peeping out of the world and passing beyond the heavenly enclosure, or going out through some secret gates which he alone knows, see the gods in the void and bless their great luxury; and from there, becoming desirous of pleasure and an emulator of life in the void, does he so invite all to share in this blessedness, to be made like those gods, getting up for them a blessed banquet, not in heaven or Olympus, as the poets do, but in the void, setting before them ambrosia from the atoms and drinking to them nectar from them?

Notes and citation

Summary: Dionysius mocks Epicurus’ gods feasting in the void on atomic ambrosia.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent slip in the digital text): τὸν οὐρανὸν ἣ τὸν Ὄλυμπον → τὸν οὐρανὸν ἢ τὸν Ὄλυμπον.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.27.9 (Dindorf 2:333; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-27-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.27.10Dindorf 2:333–334

καὶ δὴ καὶ κατʼ ἐκείνων τῶν μηδὲν πρὸς ἡμὰς ὅρκους τε καὶ ὁρκισμοὺς μυρίους τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ βιβλίοις ἐγγράφει, ὀμνύς τε συνεχῶς μὰ Δία” καὶ “νὴ Δία, ” τε τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας καὶ πρὸς οὓς διαλέγοιτο “πρὸς τῶν θεῶν, ” οὔ τί που δεδιὼς αὐτὸς ἢ ἐκείνους τὴν ἐπιορκίαν, κενὸν δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ψεῦδος καὶ ἀργὸν καὶ ἄσημον ἐπιφθεγγόμενος τοῖς λόγοις αὑτοῦ παράρτημα, οἷον εἰ καὶ χρέμπτοιτο καὶ πτύοι τὸ τε πρόσωπον στρέφοι καὶ τὴν χεῖρα κινοίη. τοιαύτη γὰρ ἀδιανόητος ἦν ἡ παρʼ αὐτῷ καὶ ματαία ὑπόκρισις ἡ τῶν θεῶν ὀνομασία.

kai dē kai katʼ ekeinōn tōn mēden pros hēmas horkous te kai horkismous myrious tois heautou bibliois engraphei, omnys te synechōs ma Dia” kai “nē Dia, ” te tous entynchanontas kai pros hous dialegoito “pros tōn theōn, ” ou ti pou dediōs autos ē ekeinous tēn epiorkian, kenon de touto kai pseudos kai argon kai asēmon epiphthengomenos tois logois hautou parartēma, hoion ei kai chremptoito kai ptyoi to te prosōpon strephoi kai tēn cheira kinoiē. toiautē gar adianoētos ēn hē parʼ autǭ kai mataia hypokrisis hē tōn theōn onomasia.

And indeed, by those gods who are nothing to us he writes countless oaths and adjurations in his books, continually swearing ‘No, by Zeus’ and ‘Yes, by Zeus,’ and adjuring his readers and those he talked with ‘by the gods,’ not at all fearing perjury himself or for them, but adding this as an empty, false, idle, and meaningless appendage to his words, as if he cleared his throat and spat, or turned his face or moved his hand. Such a thoughtless and vain pretense was his naming of the gods.

Notes and citation

Summary: Epicurus’ oaths by gods he did not believe in were empty habits.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature. A verb (“adjuring”) has dropped out of the text; translated by sense.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.27.10 (Dindorf 2:333–334; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-27-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.27.11Dindorf 2:334

ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν πρόδηλον, ὅτι μετὰ τὸν Σωκράτους θάνατον κατεπτηχὼς Ἀθηναίους ὡς μὴ δοκοίη τοῦθʼ ὅπερ ἦν ἄθεος κενὰς αὐτοῖς ἀνυποστάτων θεῶν τερατευσάμενος ἐζωγράφησε σκιάς. οὔτε γὰρ εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀνέβλεψε νοεροῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, ἵνα τῆς ἐναργοῦς ἄνωθεν φωνῆς ἀκούσῃ, ἧς ὁ προσεκτικὸς θεατὴς κατακούσας ἐμαρτύρησεν ὅτι “ οἷ οὐρανοὶ διηγοῦνται δόξαν ποίησιν δὲ χειρῶν αὐτοῦ ἀναγγέλλει τὸ στερέωμα, οὔτε τῇ διανοίᾳ κατεῖδεν εἰς τοὔδαφος· ἔμαθε γὰρ ἂν ὅτι “τοῦ ἐλέους κυρίου πλήρης ἡ γῆ, καὶ ὅτι κυρίου ἡ γῆ, καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς.” καὶ μετὰ γάρ φησι “κύριος εἰς τὴν γῆν ἐπέβλεψε καὶ ἐνέπλησεν αὐτὴν τῶν ἀγαθῶν αὑτοῦ. ψυχὴν παντὸς ζῴου ἐκάλυψε τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς.”

alla touto men prodēlon, hoti meta ton Sōkratous thanaton kateptēchōs Athēnaious hōs mē dokoiē touthʼ hoper ēn atheos kenas autois anypostatōn theōn terateusamenos ezōgraphēse skias. oute gar eis ouranon aneblepse noerois ophthalmois, hina tēs enargous anōthen phōnēs akousę̄, hēs ho prosektikos theatēs katakousas emartyrēsen hoti “ hoi ouranoi diēgountai doxan poiēsin de cheirōn autou anangellei to stereōma, oute tę̄ dianoią kateiden eis toudaphos; emathe gar an hoti “tou eleous kyriou plērēs hē gē, kai hoti kyriou hē gē, kai to plērōma autēs.” kai meta gar phēsi “kyrios eis tēn gēn epeblepse kai eneplēsen autēn tōn agathōn hautou. psychēn pantos zǭou ekalypse to prosōpon autēs.”

But this is plain, that after the death of Socrates, cowering before the Athenians lest he should seem to be what he was, an atheist, he painted for them empty shadows of nonexistent gods, telling marvels. For he did not look up to heaven with the eyes of the mind to hear the clear voice from above, which the attentive beholder heard and bore witness that ‘the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands’; nor did he look down in thought to the ground; for he would have learned that ‘the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord,’ and that ‘the earth is the Lord’s and its fullness.’ For after this it says, ‘The Lord looked upon the earth and filled it with his good things; with the soul of every living thing he covered its face.’

Ps 19:1 (18:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 33:5 (32:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 24:1 (23:1 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Epicurus feigned belief in gods; he never learned from the heavens and earth what Scripture proclaims.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; Ps 19:1 (Septuagint 18:2); Ps 33:5 (Septuagint 32:5); Ps 24:1 (Septuagint 23:1); Sirach 16:29–30.
“Of God” is supplied from the Psalm; it has dropped out of the text.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip): ἔνα τῆς ἐναργοῦς → ἵνα τῆς ἐναργοῦς.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation); Sir 16:29–30 (Sirach [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.27.11 (Dindorf 2:334; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-27-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.27.12Dindorf 2:334

εἰ δὲ μὴ τυφλώττουσιν, ἐπισκεψάσθωσαν τὴν παμποίκιλον τῶν ζῴων πολυπλήθειαν, τὰ χερσαῖα, τὰ πτηνὰ, τὰ ἔνυδρα, καὶ κατανοησάτωσαν ὡς ἀληθὴς ἐπὶ τῇ πάντων κρίσει γέγονεν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ δεσπότου καὶ πάντα κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ πρόσταξιν πέφηνε καλά. ”

ei de mē typhlōttousin, episkepsasthōsan tēn pampoikilon tōn zǭōn polyplētheian, ta chersaia, ta ptēna, ta enydra, kai katanoēsatōsan hōs alēthēs epi tę̄ pantōn krisei gegonen hē martyria tou despotou kai panta kata tēn autou prostaxin pephēne kala. ”

If they are not blind, let them consider the many-colored multitude of living things, those on land, those that fly, those in the water, and understand that the testimony of the Master at the judgment of all things was true, and that all things appeared good according to his command.”

Gen 1:31 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The variety of living things confirms God’s judgment that all is good.

Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature; Gen 1:31.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (repeated syllable in the digital text): τοῦ δεσπότου του καὶ → τοῦ δεσπότου καὶ.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Alexandria, On Nature (Dionysius of Alexandria (letters and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.27.12 (Dindorf 2:334; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-27-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.27.13Dindorf 2:334–335

Ταῦτά μοι ἀπὸ πλείστων ἐξήνθισται τῶν πρὸς Ἐπίκουρον Διονυσίῳ τῷ καθʼ ἡμᾶς ἐπισκόπῳ πεποιημένων. μετελθεῖν δὲ καιρὸς τοὺς περὶ τὸν Ἀριστοτέλην καὶ τὴν τῶν Στωϊκῶν φιλοσόφων αἵρεσιν, τά τε λοιπὰ τῆς τῶν θαυμαστῶν φυσιολόγων ἐπιθεωρῆσαι, ὡς ἂν καὶ τῆς ἐκ τούτων ἀναχωρήσεως τὸν ἐξ ἡμῶν ἀπολογισμὸν παράσχωμεν τοῖς φιλεγκλήμοσιν.

Tauta moi apo pleistōn exēnthistai tōn pros Epikouron Dionysiǭ tǭ kathʼ hēmas episkopǭ pepoiēmenōn. metelthein de kairos tous peri ton Aristotelēn kai tēn tōn Stōïkōn philosophōn hairesin, ta te loipa tēs tōn thaumastōn physiologōn epitheōrēsai, hōs an kai tēs ek toutōn anachōrēseōs ton ex hēmōn apologismon paraschōmen tois philenklēmosin.

These I have culled from the very many things written against Epicurus by Dionysius, our bishop. It is time to pass on to the followers of Aristotle and the school of the Stoic philosophers, and to examine the rest of the wonderful natural philosophers’ views, so that we may give those fond of finding fault our defense of our withdrawal from these too.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius ends Book 14 and announces Aristotle and the Stoics.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (repeated syllables in the digital text; stray marks in the digital text): τὸν ἑ ’ξ ἡμῶν → τὸν ἐξ ἡμῶν; φιλεγκλή- φιλεγκλήμοσιν → φιλεγκλήμοσιν.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.27.13 (Dindorf 2:334–335; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-14-27-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Preparation 15, chapter 1

15.1.1Dindorf 2:335

Τὴν πολύθεον τῶν ἐθνῶν ἀπάντων πλάνην ἐν ἀρχαῖς τῆς Εὐαγγελικῆς Προπαρασκευῆς ἀπελέγξαι πρὸ πολλοῦ θέμενος ἐπὶ συστάσει καὶ ἀπολογίᾳ τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀναχωρήσεως, ἣν μετʼ εὐλόγου πεποιήμεθα, οὐ μόνον τοὺς μύθους, οὓς δὴ περὶ τῶν οἰκείων θεῶν παῖδες τῶν παρʼ αὐτοῖς θεολόγων τε καὶ ποιητῶν κεκωμῳδήκασιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτων τὰς σεμνοπρεπεῖς δὴ καὶ ἀπορρήτους φυσιολογίας, ἄνω που εἰς οὐρανὸν καὶ τὰ κόσμου μέρη πρὸς τῆς γενναίας φιλοσοφίας μετενηνεγμένας, πρώτιστα πάντων ἐν τρισὶ τοῖς πρώτοις συγγράμμασι διηρευνησάμην, καίτοι μηδὲν τὸ παράπαν ἐν τούτοις χρῆναι σεμνολογεῖν τῶν δὴ θεολόγων αὐτῶν ἀποφηναμένων.

Tēn polytheon tōn ethnōn apantōn planēn en archais tēs Euangelikēs Proparaskeuēs apelenxai pro pollou themenos epi systasei kai apologią tēs ex autōn anachōrēseōs, hēn metʼ eulogou pepoiēmetha, ou monon tous mythous, hous dē peri tōn oikeiōn theōn paides tōn parʼ autois theologōn te kai poiētōn kekōmǭdēkasin, alla kai toutōn tas semnoprepeis dē kai aporrētous physiologias, anō pou eis ouranon kai ta kosmou merē pros tēs gennaias philosophias metenēnegmenas, prōtista pantōn en trisi tois prōtois syngrammasi diēreunēsamēn, kaitoi mēden to parapan en toutois chrēnai semnologein tōn dē theologōn autōn apophēnamenōn.

Having long ago proposed, at the beginning of the Preparation for the Gospel, to refute the polytheistic error of all the nations, in support and defense of our withdrawal from them, which we have made with good reason, I first of all examined in the first three books not only the myths which the children of their theologians and poets have told in comic fashion about their own gods, but also their solemn and secret physical interpretations of them, transferred by noble philosophy up somewhere into heaven and the parts of the world; although their theologians themselves declared that there was nothing in them to speak of solemnly.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius reviews Books 1–3: the refutation of the myths and their physical allegories.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 15.1.1 (Dindorf 2:335; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-15-1-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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15.1.2Dindorf 2:335–336

τηρητέον γοῦν ὡς ὅτι μάλιστα οἶ πρεσβύτατοι τῶν παρʼ αὐτοῖς θεολόγων οὐδέν τι πλέον τῆς ἱστορίας εἰδότες, μόνοις δὲ τοῖς μύθοις προσανέχοντες ἐμαρτυρήθησαν· ὅθεν εἰκότως ἐν πάσαις πόλεσί τε καὶ κώμαις κατὰ τὰς τῶν παλαιῶν διηγήσεις θεῶν τελεταὶ καὶ μυστήρια σύμφωνα τοῖς τῶν προτέρων μυθικοῖς διηγήμασι παραδέδοται, ὡς εἰσέτι καὶ νῦν τῶν θεῶν γάμους καὶ παιδοποιίας, θρήνους τε καὶ μέθας, καὶ τῶν μὲν πλάνας, τῶν δʼ ἔρωτας, τῶν δὲ ὀργὰς, τῶν δὲ ἑτέρας παντοίας συμφοράς τε καὶ περιστάσεις, ἀκολούθως τοῖς ὑπὸ τῶν παλαιτάτων μνημονευομένοις, κατά τε τὰς τελετὰς, ἔν τε τοῖς ὕμνοις, καὶ ταῖς εἰς τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτοὺς πεποιημέναις ᾠδαῖς παραλαμβάνειν.

tērēteon goun hōs hoti malista oi presbytatoi tōn parʼ autois theologōn ouden ti pleon tēs historias eidotes, monois de tois mythois prosanechontes emartyrēthēsan; hothen eikotōs en pasais polesi te kai kōmais kata tas tōn palaiōn diēgēseis theōn teletai kai mystēria symphōna tois tōn proterōn mythikois diēgēmasi paradedotai, hōs eiseti kai nyn tōn theōn gamous kai paidopoiias, thrēnous te kai methas, kai tōn men planas, tōn dʼ erōtas, tōn de orgas, tōn de heteras pantoias symphoras te kai peristaseis, akolouthōs tois hypo tōn palaitatōn mnēmoneuomenois, kata te tas teletas, en te tois hymnois, kai tais eis tous theous autous pepoiēmenais ǭdais paralambanein.

It must be observed, at any rate, that the most ancient of their theologians are shown to have known nothing more than history and to have given themselves only to myths; which is why, reasonably, in all cities and villages, rites and mysteries of the gods have been handed down in accordance with the narratives of the ancients and agreeing with the mythical stories of their predecessors, so that even now they receive the marriages and begettings of the gods, their laments and drunkenness, the wanderings of some, the loves of others, the angers of others, and the other misfortunes and circumstances of every kind of others, following what is recorded by the most ancient, in their rites and hymns and in the songs composed for the gods themselves.

Notes and citation

Summary: The ancient rites still celebrate the myths of the gods.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 15.1.2 (Dindorf 2:335–336; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-15-1-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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15.1.3Dindorf 2:336

πλὴν ὅμως ἐκ περιουσίας καὶ τούτων αὐτῶν τὰς τετραγῳδημένας ἐν φυσικαῖς ἀποδόσεσι κομπείας τάς τε τῶν σοφιστῶν καὶ φιλοσόφων εὑρεσιλογίας εἰς φανερὸν ἤγαγον· οὐ ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν περὶ τῶν βοωμένων χρηστηρίων λόγον, τήν τε παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς διατεθρυλημένην περὶ εἱμαρμένης ψευδῆ δόξαν ἐν ἑτέροις τρισὶ τοῖς ἐξῆς μετὰ τὰ πρῶτα συγγράμμασι λευκοῖς τοῖς ἐλέγχοις ἀπεγύμνωσα, οὐ μόνοις τοῖς οἴκοθεν ἐπιχειρήμασιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῖς αὐτῶν μάλιστα τῶν παρʼ Ἕλλησι φιλοσόφων φωναῖς εἰς τὸν κατʼ αὐτῶν ἔλεγχον συγκεχρημένος.

plēn homōs ek periousias kai toutōn autōn tas tetragǭdēmenas en physikais apodosesi kompeias tas te tōn sophistōn kai philosophōn heuresilogias eis phaneron ēgagon; ou alla kai ton peri tōn boōmenōn chrēstēriōn logon, tēn te para tois pollois diatethrylēmenēn peri heimarmenēs pseudē doxan en heterois trisi tois exēs meta ta prōta syngrammasi leukois tois elenchois apegymnōsa, ou monois tois oikothen epicheirēmasin, alla kai tais autōn malista tōn parʼ Hellēsi philosophōn phōnais eis ton katʼ autōn elenchon synkechrēmenos.

Nevertheless I brought to light, more than was needed, the tragic boasts of these in physical explanations and the sophistries of the sophists and philosophers; and moreover I stripped bare with clear refutations, in the three books following the first, the account of the celebrated oracles and the false opinion about fate so widely spread among the many, using not only arguments of my own but especially the very words of the philosophers among the Greeks for their refutation.

Notes and citation

Summary: Books 4–6 refuted the oracles and fate from the Greeks’ own words.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 15.1.3 (Dindorf 2:336; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-15-1-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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15.1.4Dindorf 2:336

μεταβὰς δὲ ἐκεῖθεν ἐπὶ τὰ Ἑβραίων λόγια, τίσι ποτὲ λογισμοῖς τὴν ἐν τούτοις περιεχομένην δογματικὴν θεολογίαν, τήν τε κατὰ τούσδε ἱστορίαν ἅπασαν, καὶ πρὸς αὐτῶν Ἑλλήνων μεμαρτυρημένην, ἐν ἰσαρίθμοις αὖ πάλιν λόγων συντάξεσι παρεστησάμην.

metabas de ekeithen epi ta Hebraiōn logia, tisi pote logismois tēn en toutois periechomenēn dogmatikēn theologian, tēn te kata tousde historian hapasan, kai pros autōn Hellēnōn memartyrēmenēn, en isarithmois au palin logōn syntaxesi parestēsamēn.

Then passing from there to the oracles of the Hebrews, I set out in an equal number of books with what reasonings we have accepted the doctrinal theology contained in them, and their whole history, which is attested even by the Greeks themselves.

Notes and citation

Summary: Books 7–9 presented the Hebrew theology and history.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 15.1.4 (Dindorf 2:336; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-15-1-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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15.1.5Dindorf 2:336

εἶθʼ ἑξῆς τὸν Ἑλληνικὸν ἀπελέγξας τρόπον, ὅπως τε πάντα παρὰ βαρβάρων ὠφέληντο, καὶ ὡς οὐδὲν οἴκοθεν σεμνὸν ἐπάγονται μάθημα, καὶ τήν γε τῶν χρόνων ἀντιπαράθεσιν, καθʼ οὓς Ἑλλήνων τε οἱ βοώμενοι Ἑβραίων τε οἶ προφήται γεγόνασιν, εἰς φῶς ἀγαγών· αὖθις διὰ τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα τριῶν τὴν τῶν παρʼ Ἕλλησιν εὐδοκίμων φιλοσόφων πρὸς Ἑβραίων δόξας συνδρομὴν ὑπέδειξα, αὐτὰς πάλιν τὰς οἰκείας τῶν ἀνδρῶν φωνὰς μάρτυρας ποιησάμενος.

eithʼ hexēs ton Hellēnikon apelenxas tropon, hopōs te panta para barbarōn ōphelēnto, kai hōs ouden oikothen semnon epagontai mathēma, kai tēn ge tōn chronōn antiparathesin, kathʼ hous Hellēnōn te hoi boōmenoi Hebraiōn te oi prophētai gegonasin, eis phōs agagōn; authis dia tōn meta tauta triōn tēn tōn parʼ Hellēsin eudokimōn philosophōn pros Hebraiōn doxas syndromēn hypedeixa, autas palin tas oikeias tōn andrōn phōnas martyras poiēsamenos.

Then next, having refuted the Greek manner, how they had profited from the barbarians in everything and bring no solemn learning from their own resources, and having brought to light the comparison of the times in which the celebrated Greeks and the prophets of the Hebrews lived, I again showed through the three books after these the agreement of the reputable philosophers among the Greeks with the opinions of the Hebrews, making the men’s own words witnesses again.

Notes and citation

Summary: Books 10–13 showed Greek dependence on the barbarians and Plato’s agreement with the Hebrews.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 15.1.5 (Dindorf 2:336; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-15-1-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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15.1.6Dindorf 2:336–337

οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἑτεροδοξοῦντας ἡμῖν τῶν παρʼ Ἕλλησι φιλοσόφων οὐ πρὸς ἡμὰς μόνους, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς σφῶν οἰκείους διεστῶτας ὑπό τε τῶν γνωρίμων ἀνατετραμμένους ἐν τῷ πρὸ τούτου συγγράμματι κατεφώρασα· διὰ τούτων ἁπάντων τῆς ἡμετέρας γνώμης τὸ κριτήριον ἀδέκαστον ἐπιδεικνὺς τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν, ἔργοις τε, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, καὶ αὐτοῖς πράγμασι τὰς ἀποδείξεις τοῦ μὴ ἀσκόπως ἡμᾶς, κεκριμένῳ δὲ καὶ σώφρονι λογισμῷ πρὸ τῆς Ἑλλήνων τὴν Ἑβραίων ὁμοῦ παλαιὰν καὶ ἀληθῆ φιλοσοφίαν τε καὶ εὐσέβειαν ἐπανῃρῆσθαι παρασχόμενος· ὃ καὶ συνέστη διὰ τῆς τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν φωνῶν παραθέσεως.

ou mēn alla kai tous heterodoxountas hēmin tōn parʼ Hellēsi philosophōn ou pros hēmas monous, alla kai pros tous sphōn oikeious diestōtas hypo te tōn gnōrimōn anatetrammenous en tǭ pro toutou syngrammati katephōrasa; dia toutōn hapantōn tēs hēmeteras gnōmēs to kritērion adekaston epideiknys tois entynchanousin, ergois te, hōs epos eipein, kai autois pragmasi tas apodeixeis tou mē askopōs hēmas, kekrimenǭ de kai sōphroni logismǭ pro tēs Hellēnōn tēn Hebraiōn homou palaian kai alēthē philosophian te kai eusebeian epanę̄rēsthai paraschomenos; ho kai synestē dia tēs tōn Hellēnikōn phōnōn paratheseōs.

Moreover, I exposed in the preceding book those philosophers among the Greeks who differ from us as in disagreement not only with us but also with their own people, and overturned by their own disciples; showing to readers through all these the impartial judgment of our decision, and providing by deeds, so to speak, and by the facts themselves the proofs that we have chosen, not aimlessly but with discerning and sober reasoning, the ancient and true philosophy and godliness of the Hebrews in preference to that of the Greeks; which has been established by setting out the Greek writers’ own words.

Notes and citation

Summary: Book 14 showed the philosophers refuting one another; the choice of Hebrew philosophy is reasoned.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (repeated syllables in the digital text): ἀδέκαστον ἔπιδʼ ἐπιδεικνὺς → ἀδέκαστον ἐπιδεικνὺς.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 15.1.6 (Dindorf 2:336–337; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-15-1-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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15.1.7Dindorf 2:337

ἧς εἰσέτι δεῦρο τὸν ὕστατον ἐπέχοντες λόγον, πεντεκαιδέκατον ὄντα τῆς ἐν χερσὶ πραγματείας, τὸ λεῖπον τοῖς διεξωδευμένοις ἀποδώσομεν, τὰ σεμνὰ τῆς γενναίας τῶν Ἑλλήνων φιλοσοφίας ἔτι καὶ νῦν εἰς φῶς ἕλκοντες, πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν τε τοῖς πᾶσι τὴν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἀχρηστομάθειαν ἀπογυμνοῦντες, καὶ πάντων γε πρότερον παριστῶντες ὅτι μὴ ἀγνοίᾳ τῶν παρʼ αὐτοῖς θαυμαζομένων, ὀλιγωρίᾳ δὲ τῆς ἐν αὐτοῖς ἀνωφελοῦς σχολῆς, ἥκιστα αὐτῶν πεφροντίκαμεν, τῇ τῶν κρειττόνων ἀσκήσει τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἀναθέντες ψυχάς.

hēs eiseti deuro ton hystaton epechontes logon, pentekaidekaton onta tēs en chersi pragmateias, to leipon tois diexōdeumenois apodōsomen, ta semna tēs gennaias tōn Hellēnōn philosophias eti kai nyn eis phōs helkontes, pro ophthalmōn te tois pasi tēn en autois achrēstomatheian apogymnountes, kai pantōn ge proteron paristōntes hoti mē agnoią tōn parʼ autois thaumazomenōn, oligōrią de tēs en autois anōphelous scholēs, hēkista autōn pephrontikamen, tę̄ tōn kreittonōn askēsei tas heautōn anathentes psychas.

Of this work we now hold the last book, the fifteenth of the treatise in hand, and we shall render what remains to what has been gone through, still drawing to light the solemn teachings of the noble philosophy of the Greeks, and stripping bare before the eyes of all the uselessness of their learning; and before all, showing that it is not through ignorance of what is admired among them, but through contempt for their unprofitable study, that we have cared least for them, having devoted our souls to the practice of better things.

Notes and citation

Summary: Book 15 will complete the work by showing the uselessness of Greek physical philosophy.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; accent slip in the digital text; stray mark and Latin letter in the digital text): πεντεκαιδίκατον → πεντεκαιδέκατον; τῶν ‘Eλλήνων → τῶν Ἑλλήνων; σχολῆς, ἥκιστα αὐτῶν πεφροντίκαμεν, τῆ τῶν → σχολῆς, ἥκιστα αὐτῶν πεφροντίκαμεν, τῇ τῶν.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 15.1.7 (Dindorf 2:337; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-15-1-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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15.1.8Dindorf 2:337

τούτου δὴ οὖν σὺν θεῷ διὰ τῆς ἀληθείας ἡμῖν ἐπισφραγισθέντος, τὰ μὲν τῆς Προπαρασκευῆς ἐνταῦθά μοι περιγραφήσεται· μεταβὰς δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐντελεστέραν ὑπόθεσιν τῆς Εὐαγγελικῆς Ἀποδείξεως, ἀπὸ τοῦ λείποντος τῆς καθʼ ἡμῶν κατηγορίας σκέμματος τὴν καταρχὴν τῆς δευτέρας ἐπισυνάψω πραγματείας.

toutou dē oun syn theǭ dia tēs alētheias hēmin episphragisthentos, ta men tēs Proparaskeuēs entautha moi perigraphēsetai; metabas de epi tēn entelesteran hypothesin tēs Euangelikēs Apodeixeōs, apo tou leipontos tēs kathʼ hēmōn katēgorias skemmatos tēn katarchēn tēs deuteras episynapsō pragmateias.

When this, then, has been sealed for us with God’s help through the truth, the Preparation will be concluded by me here; and passing over to the more complete subject of the Demonstration of the Gospel, I shall join the beginning of the second treatise to the question that remains of the charge against us.

Notes and citation

Summary: After this book Eusebius will begin the Demonstration of the Gospel.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): πρα- γματείας → πραγματείας.

Extrabiblical texts: Eusebius, Dem. ev. (Demonstration of the Gospel; allusion)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 15.1.8 (Dindorf 2:337; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-15-1-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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15.1.9Dindorf 2:337–338

Ἠν δὲ τοῦτο ἐπιμεμφόμενον ἡμῖν, ὅτι δὴ τὰ Ἑβραίων λόγια τῶν πατρίων προτιμήσαντες οὐ τὸν ὅμοιον τῷ Ἰουδαίων βίον ζηλοῦντες προειλόμεθα· πρὸς ὃ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ παρόντος λόγου συμπλήρωσιν, θεοῦ συνεργοῦντος, ἀπαντῆσαι πειράσομαι. ταύτῃ γὰρ ἡγοῦμαι τοῖς πρώτοις τὰ δεύτερα ὥσπερ ὑφʼ ἑνὶ δεσμῷ συμπλακέντα μίαν τὴν καθόλου διάνοιαν τοῦ παντὸς ἀποτελέσειν λόγου.

Ēn de touto epimemphomenon hēmin, hoti dē ta Hebraiōn logia tōn patriōn protimēsantes ou ton homoion tǭ Ioudaiōn bion zēlountes proeilometha; pros ho meta tēn tou parontos logou symplērōsin, theou synergountos, apantēsai peirasomai. tautę̄ gar hēgoumai tois prōtois ta deutera hōsper hyphʼ heni desmǭ symplakenta mian tēn katholou dianoian tou pantos apotelesein logou.

The charge against us was this: that, having preferred the oracles of the Hebrews to our ancestral ones, we have not chosen to emulate the same way of life as the Jews; this I shall try to meet, with God’s help, after completing the present book. For in this way I think that the second part, woven together with the first as by one bond, will complete the one general design of the whole work.

Notes and citation

Summary: The Demonstration will answer why Christians accept the Hebrew oracles but not the Jewish way of life.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing lost in the digital text): τὰ Εβραίων → τὰ Ἑβραίων.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 15.1.9 (Dindorf 2:337–338; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-15-1-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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15.1.10Dindorf 2:338

τό γε μὴν παρὸν, ἐπειδὴ πέφηνεν ἐν τοῖς πρὸ τούτου συγγράμμασιν ἡ κατὰ Πλάτωνα φιλοσοφία τοτὲ μὲν τοῖς Ἑβραίων συμφωνοῦσα λόγοις, τοτὲ δὲ πρὸς αὐτοὺς διεστῶσα, ἐν οἷς ἐλήλεγκται καὶ πρὸς τὰ αὐτῇ ἀρέσκοντα διαφωνοῦσα· τὰ δὲ κατὰ τοὺς ἄλλους τοὺς δὴ φυσικοὺς ἐπικληθέντας φιλοσόφους, τά τε τῆς Πλάτωνος διαδοχῆς καὶ τὰ κατὰ Ξενοφάνην τε καὶ Παρμενίδην καὶ ἔτι Πύρρωνα καὶ τοὺς τὴν ἐποχὴν εἰσηγουμένους τούς τε ἄλλους ἐξῆς ἅπαντας, ὧν τὰς δόξας ὁ προλαβὼν ἀπήλεγξε λόγος, τοῖς Ἑβραίων ὁμοῦ καὶ τοῖς Πλάτωνος δόγμασιν αὐτῇ τε ἀληθείᾳ ἐξ ἐναντίας ἱστάμενα, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἔλεγχον τοῖς σφῶν αὐτῶν βέλεσιν ἀπενηνεγμένα.

to ge mēn paron, epeidē pephēnen en tois pro toutou syngrammasin hē kata Platōna philosophia tote men tois Hebraiōn symphōnousa logois, tote de pros autous diestōsa, en hois elēlenktai kai pros ta autę̄ areskonta diaphōnousa; ta de kata tous allous tous dē physikous epiklēthentas philosophous, ta te tēs Platōnos diadochēs kai ta kata Xenophanēn te kai Parmenidēn kai eti Pyrrōna kai tous tēn epochēn eisēgoumenous tous te allous exēs hapantas, hōn tas doxas ho prolabōn apēlenxe logos, tois Hebraiōn homou kai tois Platōnos dogmasin autę̄ te alētheią ex enantias histamena, ou mēn alla kai ton elenchon tois sphōn autōn belesin apenēnegmena.

As for the present: since it has been shown in the preceding books that the philosophy of Plato at times agrees with the words of the Hebrews and at times differs from them, in which it has been shown to disagree even with its own tenets; and that the views of the others, the so-called natural philosophers, of the succession of Plato, of Xenophanes and Parmenides and further of Pyrrho and those who introduced suspension of judgment, and all the others in turn, whose opinions the preceding book refuted, stand opposed alike to the doctrines of the Hebrews and of Plato and to the truth itself, and have moreover received their refutation by their own weapons,

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius summarizes his treatment of Plato and the other philosophers.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; accent slip in the digital text; line-end hyphen left in the digital text): φιλισοφία → φιλοσοφία; τὰ αὐτὴ ἀρέσκοντα → τὰ αὐτῇ ἀρέσκοντα; προ- λαβὼν → προλαβὼν.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 15.1.10 (Dindorf 2:338; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-15-1-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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15.1.11Dindorf 2:338

ὥρα καὶ τὸν ἄλλον τῦφον τῶν ἀπʼ Ἀριστοτέλους τῶν τε Στωϊκῶν φιλοσόφων ἄνωθεν ὡς ἀπὸ σκηνῆς κατοπτεῦσαι, καὶ τὴν λοιπὴν δὲ πᾶσαν φυσιολογίαν τῶν τὰς ὀφρῦς ἀνατεινομένων συνιδεῖν, ὡς ἂν μάθοιμεν καὶ τὰ παρὰ τοῖσδε σεμνολογούμενα, τά τε πρὸς αὐτοὺς αὖ πάλιν ὑπὸ τῶν οἰκείων ἀντιλεγόμενα.

hōra kai ton allon typhon tōn apʼ Aristotelous tōn te Stōïkōn philosophōn anōthen hōs apo skēnēs katopteusai, kai tēn loipēn de pasan physiologian tōn tas ophrys anateinomenōn synidein, hōs an mathoimen kai ta para toisde semnologoumena, ta te pros autous au palin hypo tōn oikeiōn antilegomena.

it is time to look down, as from a stage, on the other vanity of the followers of Aristotle and of the Stoic philosophers, and to survey all the remaining physical philosophy of those who raise their eyebrows, so that we may learn both what is solemnly taught by these and what is said against them in turn by their own people.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius turns to the Aristotelians and Stoics.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing slip in the digital text): ὤρα καὶ → ὥρα καὶ.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 15.1.11 (Dindorf 2:338; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-15-1-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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15.1.12Dindorf 2:338

οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τῆς τούτων ἀναχωρήσεως τὸ παρʼ ἡμῖν κεκριμένον εὐλόγου πάσης ἀπολύοιτʼ ἂν κατηγορίας, ὅτι δὴ μὴ ἀγνοίᾳ τῶν παρʼ αὐτοῖς σεμνῶν, ἐξητασμένῃ δὲ καὶ βεβασανισμένῃ κρίσει, τὴν παρὰ τοῖς νενομισμένοις βαρβάροις ἀλήθειάν τε καὶ εὐσέβειαν τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν ἁπάντων προτετιμήκαμεν.

houtō gar kai tēs toutōn anachōrēseōs to parʼ hēmin kekrimenon eulogou pasēs apolyoitʼ an katēgorias, hoti dē mē agnoią tōn parʼ autois semnōn, exētasmenę̄ de kai bebasanismenę̄ krisei, tēn para tois nenomismenois barbarois alētheian te kai eusebeian tōn Hellēnikōn hapantōn protetimēkamen.

For so our decision to withdraw from these too would be cleared of every plausible accusation, since it is not through ignorance of their solemn teachings, but with an examined and tested judgment, that we have preferred the truth and godliness found among those considered barbarians to all things Greek.

Notes and citation

Summary: The Christian choice rests on examined judgment.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 15.1.12 (Dindorf 2:338; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-15-1-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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15.1.13Dindorf 2:338–339

ἄρξομαι δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν Ἀριστοτέλους. ἄλλοι μὲν οὖν τὸν βίον τἀνδρὸς διαβεβλήκασι, φιλόσοφοι δὲ καὶ ἄλλως οὐκ ἀφανεῖς τινες ἦσαν καὶ οὗτοι. ἐμοὶ δʼ οὐ φίλον τὸν ἄνδρα οὐδʼ αὐταῖς ἀκοαῖς ἀνέχεσθαι κακῶς πρὸς τῶν οἰκείων ἀγορευόμενον. διόπερ τὰς ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ μᾶλλον ἐκθήσομαι ἀπολογίας ἀπὸ τῶν Ἀριστοκλέους τοῦ Περιπατητικοῦ, ὃς ἐν τῷ ἑβδόμῳ Περὶ φιλοσοφίας τάδε περὶ αὐτοῦ γράφει

arxomai de apo tōn Aristotelous. alloi men oun ton bion tandros diabeblēkasi, philosophoi de kai allōs ouk aphaneis tines ēsan kai houtoi. emoi dʼ ou philon ton andra oudʼ autais akoais anechesthai kakōs pros tōn oikeiōn agoreuomenon. dioper tas hyper autou mallon ekthēsomai apologias apo tōn Aristokleous tou Peripatētikou, hos en tǭ hebdomǭ Peri philosophias tade peri autou graphei

I shall begin with Aristotle. Others have slandered the man’s life, and these too were philosophers, and otherwise not obscure. But it is not my liking to bear even hearing the man spoken ill of by his own people. Therefore I shall rather set out the defenses on his behalf from Aristocles the Peripatetic, who writes this about him in the seventh book On Philosophy:

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius introduces Aristocles’ defense of Aristotle’s character.

Aristocles of Messene, On Philosophy, book 7.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): Περι- πατητικοῦ → Περιπατητικοῦ.

Extrabiblical texts: Aristocles (Aristocles of Messene, On Philosophy; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 15.1.13 (Dindorf 2:338–339; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-25-7/#p-15-1-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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