Preparation for the Gospel 2.7.1–3.3.21

Eusebius of Caesarea · Preparation for the Gospel · ca. 313–324 · Caesarea · 62 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 2, chapter 7

2.7.1Dindorf 1:94

Περὶ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων δαιμόνων εἰπεῖν καὶ γνῶναι τὴν γένεσιν μεῖζον ἢ καθʼ ἡμὰς· πιστευτέον δὲ τοῖς εἰρηκόσιν ἔμπροσθεν, ἐκγόνοις μὲν θεῶν οὐσιν, ὡς ἔφασαν, σαφῶς δέ πως τοὺς ἑαυτῶν προγόνους εἰδόσιν. ἀδύνατον οὖν θεῶν παισὶν ἀπιστεῖν, καίπερ ἄνευ εἰκότων καὶ ἀναγκαίων ἀποδείξεων λέγουσιν, ἀλλʼ ὡς οἰκεῖα φασκόντων ἀπαγγέλλειν ἑπομένους τῷ νόμῳ πιστευτέον.

Peri de tōn allōn daimonōn eipein kai gnōnai tēn genesin meizon ē kathʼ hēmas; pisteuteon de tois eirēkosin emprosthen, ekgonois men theōn ousin, hōs ephasan, saphōs de pōs tous heautōn progonous eidosin. adynaton oun theōn paisin apistein, kaiper aneu eikotōn kai anankaiōn apodeixeōn legousin, allʼ hōs oikeia phaskontōn apangellein hepomenous tǭ nomǭ pisteuteon.

"But to speak of the other demons and to know their origin is beyond us; we must believe those who have spoken before, who were offspring of gods, as they said, and surely knew their own ancestors. It is impossible, then, to disbelieve children of gods, even though they speak without probable or necessary proofs; but since they profess to report family matters, we must follow the law and believe them.

Notes and citation

Summary: Plato says the genealogies of the gods must be believed on the word of their supposed descendants, as the law requires.

Plato, Timaeus 40d–e (sections 2.7.1–2). "Demons" (daimones) here are the traditional gods.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (repeated punctuation in digitization): λέγουσιν,, → λέγουσιν,.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Tim. 40d (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.7.1 (Dindorf 1:94; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-7-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-7-1) · Report an error

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.

2.7.2Dindorf 1:94–95

οὕτως οὖν κατʼ ἐκείνους ἡμῖν ἡ γένεσις περὶ τούτων τῶν θεῶν ἐχέτω καὶ λεγέσθω. Γῆς τε καὶ Οὐρανοῦ παῖδες Ὠκεανὸς καὶ Τηθὺς ἐγενέσθην· τούτων δὲ Φόρκυς Κρόνος τε καὶ Ῥέα καὶ ὅσοι μετὰ τούτων· ἐκ δὲ Κρόνου τε καὶ Ῥέας Ζεὺς Ἥρα τε καὶ πάντες ὅσους ἴσμεν πάντας ἀδελφοὺς λεγομένους αὐτῶν, ἔτι δὲ τούτων ἐκγόνους ἄλλους.”

houtōs oun katʼ ekeinous hēmin hē genesis peri toutōn tōn theōn echetō kai legesthō. Gēs te kai Ouranou paides Ōkeanos kai Tēthys egenesthēn; toutōn de Phorkys Kronos te kai Rhea kai hosoi meta toutōn; ek de Kronou te kai Rheas Zeus Hēra te kai pantes hosous ismen pantas adelphous legomenous autōn, eti de toutōn ekgonous allous.”

So let the origin of these gods be held and told by us according to them: Oceanus and Tethys were children of Earth and Heaven; of these were born Phorcys, Cronus and Rhea, and all that go with them; and of Cronus and Rhea were born Zeus and Hera and all those whom we know are called their brothers and sisters, and further others who are their offspring."

Notes and citation

Summary: Plato repeats the traditional genealogy of the gods.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (word split in digitization): Ὠκεα νὸς → Ὠκεανὸς.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Tim. 40e (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.7.2 (Dindorf 1:94–95; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-7-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-7-2) · Report an error

2.7.3Dindorf 1:95

Ταῦτά φησιν ὁ Πλάτων ἑπομένους τῷ νόμῳ πιστευτέα εἶναι, καίπερ ἄνευ εἰκότων καὶ ἀναγκαίων ἀποδείξεων εἰρῆσθαι αὐτὰ ὁμολογήσας· προσεκτέον δὲ ὡς οὐδὲν ἔχειν ἀπόρρητον τὰς τῶν θεῶν δὴ προσηγορίας τε καὶ γενεαλογίας ἐν φυσιολογίαις δηλούμενον ἐμφαίνει.

Tauta phēsin ho Platōn hepomenous tǭ nomǭ pisteutea einai, kaiper aneu eikotōn kai anankaiōn apodeixeōn eirēsthai auta homologēsas; prosekteon de hōs ouden echein aporrēton tas tōn theōn dē prosēgorias te kai genealogias en physiologiais dēloumenon emphainei.

These things Plato says must be believed by those who follow the law, though he admits that they are said without probable or necessary proofs. And it should be noted that he shows the names and genealogies of the gods to contain no secret meaning signified in physical theories.

Notes and citation

Summary: Plato accepts the genealogies only out of deference to law, and finds no hidden physical meaning in them.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray mark and breathing misread in digitization): Πλάτωνʼ ἔπομένους → Πλάτων ἑπομένους.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.7.3 (Dindorf 1:95; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-7-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-7-3) · Report an error

2.7.4Dindorf 1:95

αὖθις δʼ ἐν ἑτέροις ὁ αὐτὸς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀπογυμνῶν προαίρεσιν πάλιν τούτοις κέχρηται τοῖς ῥήμασι “Πρῶτον μὲν, ἦν δʼ ἐγὼ, τὸ μέγιστον καὶ περὶ τῶν μεγίστων ψεῦδος ὁ εἰπὼν οὐ καλῶς ἐψεύσατο, ὡς Οὐρανός τε εἰργάσατο ἅ φησι δρᾶσαι αὐτὸν Ἡσίοδος, ὅ τε αὖ Κρόνος ὡς ἐτιμωρήσατο αὐτόν. τί δὲ δὴ τὰ τοῦ Κρόνου ἔργα καὶ πάθη ὑπὸ τοῦ υἱέος, οὐδʼ ἂν, εἰ ἦν ἀληθῆ, ᾤμην δεῖν ῥᾳδίως οὕτω λέγεσθαι πρὸς ἄφρονάς τε καὶ νέους, ἀλλὰ μάλιστα μὲν σιγᾶσθαι, εἰ δʼ ἀνάγκη τις ἦν λέγειν, διʼ ἀπορρήτων ἀκούειν ὡς ὀλιγίστους, θυσαμένους οὐ χοῖρον, ἀλλά τι μέγα καὶ ἄπορον θῦμα, ὅπως ἂν ἐλαχίστοις συνέβη ἀκοῦσαι.

authis dʼ en heterois ho autos tēn oikeian apogymnōn proairesin palin toutois kechrētai tois rhēmasi “Prōton men, ēn dʼ egō, to megiston kai peri tōn megistōn pseudos ho eipōn ou kalōs epseusato, hōs Ouranos te eirgasato ha phēsi drasai auton Hēsiodos, ho te au Kronos hōs etimōrēsato auton. ti de dē ta tou Kronou erga kai pathē hypo tou huieos, oudʼ an, ei ēn alēthē, ǭmēn dein rhądiōs houtō legesthai pros aphronas te kai neous, alla malista men sigasthai, ei dʼ anankē tis ēn legein, diʼ aporrētōn akouein hōs oligistous, thysamenous ou choiron, alla ti mega kai aporon thyma, hopōs an elachistois synebē akousai.

Again elsewhere the same writer, laying bare his own preference, uses these words: "First of all," I said, "he who told the greatest lie, and about the greatest matters, did not lie well: that Ouranus did what Hesiod says he did, and how Cronus in turn took vengeance on him. As for the deeds of Cronus and his sufferings at the hands of his son, even if they were true, I should not think they ought to be told so lightly to foolish young people, but should rather be kept in silence; or if there were some necessity to tell them, as few as possible should hear them in secret, after sacrificing not a pig but some great and hard-to-get victim, so that as few as possible might happen to hear.

Notes and citation

Summary: In the Republic Plato calls the myths of Ouranus and Cronus great lies, not to be told to the young.

Plato, Republic 2.377e–378d (sections 2.7.4–7).

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Resp. 377e (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.7.4 (Dindorf 1:95; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-7-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-7-4) · Report an error

2.7.5Dindorf 1:95

καὶ γὰρ, ἦ δʼ ὅς, οὗτοί γε οἱ λόγοι χαλεποί. καὶ οὐ λεκτέοι γε, ὦ Ἀδείμαντε, ἐν τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ πόλει· οὐδὲ δοτέον νέῳ ἀκούοντι, ὡς ἀδικῶν τὰ ἔσχατα οὐδὲν ἂν θαυμαστὸν ποιοῖ, οὐδʼ αὖ ἀδικοῦντα πατέρα κολάζων παντί τρόπῳ, ἀλλὰ δρῴη ἂν ὅπερ θεῶν οἱ πρῶτοί τε καὶ μέγιστοι. οὐδὲ αὐτῷ μοι δοκεῖ ἐπιτήδεια εἶναι λέγειν.

kai gar, ē dʼ hos, houtoi ge hoi logoi chalepoi. kai ou lekteoi ge, ō Adeimante, en tę̄ hēmeterą polei; oude doteon neǭ akouonti, hōs adikōn ta eschata ouden an thaumaston poioi, oudʼ au adikounta patera kolazōn panti tropǭ, alla drǭē an hoper theōn hoi prōtoi te kai megistoi. oude autǭ moi dokei epitēdeia einai legein.

"Yes," he said, "these stories are hard." "And they must not be told, Adeimantus, in our city; nor must a young man hear it said that in committing the worst crimes he would be doing nothing remarkable, nor again in punishing his father for wrongdoing in every way, but would only be doing what the first and greatest of the gods did." "Nor do I myself," he said, "think they are fit to be told."

Notes and citation

Summary: Plato forbids telling such stories in his city, lest the young imitate the gods' crimes.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization; stray mark and breathing misread in digitization): ἠ δʼ ὅς → ἦ δʼ ὅς; ἀλλὰ δρῴη· ἂν ὅπερ θεῶν οἶ πρῶτοί → ἀλλὰ δρῴη ἂν ὅπερ θεῶν οἱ πρῶτοί.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Resp. 378a (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.7.5 (Dindorf 1:95; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-7-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-7-5) · Report an error

2.7.6Dindorf 1:95–96

οὐδέ γε, ἦν δʼ ἐγὼ, τὸ παράπαν, ὡς θεοὶ θεοῖς πολεμοῦσι καὶ ἐπιβουλεύουσι καὶ μάχονται· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀληθῆ· εἴ γε δεῖ ἡμῖν τοὺς μέλλοντας τὴν πόλιν φυλάξειν αἴσχιστον νομίζειν τὸ ῥᾳδίως ἀλλήλοις ἀπεχθάνεσθαι. πολλοῦ δεῖ γιγαντομαχίας τε μυθολογητέον αὐτοῖς, καὶ ποικιλτέον καὶ ἄλλας ἔχθρας καὶ παντοδαπὰς θεῶν τε καὶ ἡρώων πρὸς συγγενεῖς τε καὶ οἰκείους αὐτῶν· ἀλλʼ εἴ πως μέλλοιμεν πείσειν ὡς οὐδεὶς πώποτε πολίτης ἕτερος ἑτέρῳ ἀπήχθετο, οὐδʼ ἔστι τοῦτο ὅσιον, τοιαῦτα μᾶλλον λεκτέα πρὸς τὰ παιδία εὐθὺς καὶ γέρουσι καὶ γραυσὶ καὶ πρεσβυτέροις γενομένοις, καὶ τοὺς ποιητὰς ἐγγὺς τούτων ἀναγκαστέον λογοποιεῖν.

oude ge, ēn dʼ egō, to parapan, hōs theoi theois polemousi kai epibouleuousi kai machontai; oude gar alēthē; ei ge dei hēmin tous mellontas tēn polin phylaxein aischiston nomizein to rhądiōs allēlois apechthanesthai. pollou dei gigantomachias te mythologēteon autois, kai poikilteon kai allas echthras kai pantodapas theōn te kai hērōōn pros syngeneis te kai oikeious autōn; allʼ ei pōs melloimen peisein hōs oudeis pōpote politēs heteros heterǭ apēchtheto, oudʼ esti touto hosion, toiauta mallon lektea pros ta paidia euthys kai gerousi kai grausi kai presbyterois genomenois, kai tous poiētas engys toutōn anankasteon logopoiein.

"Nor indeed at all," I said, "that gods war against gods and plot and fight; for it is not true either, if those who are to guard our city must think it most shameful to quarrel lightly with one another. Far less must battles of giants be told them in myths and embroidered, and many other enmities of every kind of gods and heroes toward their kin and friends. But if we are somehow to persuade them that no citizen ever quarreled with another, and that this is not holy, such things rather must be told to children from the first by old men and old women, and as they grow older; and the poets must be compelled to compose stories close to these.

Notes and citation

Summary: Plato forbids myths of wars among the gods; poets must tell stories that teach concord.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (digitization slip): τρὺς → τοὺς; νομίξειν → νομίζειν.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Resp. 378b (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.7.6 (Dindorf 1:95–96; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-7-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-7-6) · Report an error

2.7.7Dindorf 1:96

Ἥρας δὲ δεσμοὺς ὑπὸ υἱέος καὶ Ἡφαίστου ῥίψεις ὑπὸ πατρὸς, μέλλοντος τῇ μητρὶ τυπτομένῃ ἀμύνειν, καὶ θεομαχίας ὅσας Ὅμηρος πεποίηκεν, οὐ παραδεκτέον εἰς τὴν πόλιν, οὔτʼ ἐν ὑπονοίαις πεποιημένας οὔτʼ ἄνευ ὑπονοιῶν.

Hēras de desmous hypo huieos kai Hēphaistou rhipseis hypo patros, mellontos tę̄ mētri typtomenę̄ amynein, kai theomachias hosas Homēros pepoiēken, ou paradekteon eis tēn polin, outʼ en hyponoiais pepoiēmenas outʼ aneu hyponoiōn.

But the binding of Hera by her son, and the hurling of Hephaestus by his father when he was about to defend his mother from being beaten, and all the battles of the gods that Homer has composed, must not be admitted into the city, whether they are composed with allegorical meanings or without them."

Notes and citation

Summary: Plato excludes Homer's stories of the gods' quarrels, whether allegorical or not.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Resp. 378d (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.7.7 (Dindorf 1:96; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-7-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-7-7) · Report an error

2.7.8Dindorf 1:96

Σαφῶς δὴ διὰ τούτων ὁ φιλόσοφος καὶ τοὺς τῶν παλαιῶν μύθους τοὺς περὶ θεῶν καὶ τὰς τῶν μύθων ἐν ὑπονοίαις εἰρῆσθαι νομιζομένας φυσιολογίας παραιτητέας εἶναι διδάσκει, ὡς μηκέτʼ ἀλόγως ἡμῖν καὶ τὴν ἐκ τούτων ἀναχώρησιν τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν εὐαγγελίζεσθαι διδασκαλίαν, ὁπότε καὶ πρὸς τῶν οἰκείων ἀποβέβληται.

Saphōs dē dia toutōn ho philosophos kai tous tōn palaiōn mythous tous peri theōn kai tas tōn mythōn en hyponoiais eirēsthai nomizomenas physiologias paraitēteas einai didaskei, hōs mēketʼ alogōs hēmin kai tēn ek toutōn anachōrēsin tēn tou sōtēros hēmōn euangelizesthai didaskalian, hopote kai pros tōn oikeiōn apobeblētai.

Clearly, then, by these words the philosopher teaches that both the myths of the ancients about the gods and the physical theories supposed to be expressed in the myths in allegories must be rejected; so that it is no longer unreasonable for the teaching of our Savior to announce to us our withdrawal from them, since they have been cast out even by their own people.

Notes and citation

Summary: Plato rejects both the myths and their allegories, so Christians are justified in abandoning them.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (digitization slip and stray letters; digitization slips): παραιυητέας ἔας → παραιτητέας; ἀναχώοη ’ν → ἀναχώρησιν.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.7.8 (Dindorf 1:96; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-7-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-7-8) · Report an error

2.7.9Dindorf 1:96–97

ὅθεν ἔπεισί μοι καὶ τοὺς παλαιοὺς τῶν Ῥωμαίων θαυμάζειν, τίνα τρόπον ἁπάσας τὰς Ἑλληνικὰς περὶ θεῶν φυσιολογίας ἀτόπους οὔσας καὶ ἀνωφελεῖς, μᾶλλον δὲ βεβιασμένας ἀσυστάτους κατανοήσαντες, αὐτοῖς μύθοις τῆς οἰκείας περιέγραψαν θεολογίας. καὶ τοῦτο δέ σοι γνῶναι πάρεστιν ἀπὸ τῆς Διονυσίου τοῦ Ἁλικαρνασέως Ῥωμαϊκῆς ἀρχαιολογίας· οὗτος γὰρ ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ τὰ κατὰ Ῥωμύλον τὸν πρῶτον κτίστην τῆς Ῥώμης ἱστορῶν τά τε ἄλλα διέξεισιν αὐτοῦ κατορθώματα, ἀτὰρ καὶ περὶ τῶνδε τοῦτον γράφων τὸν τρόπον

hothen epeisi moi kai tous palaious tōn Rhōmaiōn thaumazein, tina tropon hapasas tas Hellēnikas peri theōn physiologias atopous ousas kai anōpheleis, mallon de bebiasmenas asystatous katanoēsantes, autois mythois tēs oikeias periegrapsan theologias. kai touto de soi gnōnai parestin apo tēs Dionysiou tou Halikarnaseōs Rhōmaïkēs archaiologias; houtos gar en tǭ deuterǭ ta kata Rhōmylon ton prōton ktistēn tēs Rhōmēs historōn ta te alla diexeisin autou katorthōmata, atar kai peri tōnde touton graphōn ton tropon

Hence it occurs to me to admire the ancient Romans too, how, perceiving that all the Greek physical theories about the gods were absurd and unprofitable, or rather forced and inconsistent, they cut off the myths themselves from their own theology. You may learn this from the Roman Antiquities of Dionysius of Halicarnassus. In the second book, recounting the history of Romulus, the first founder of Rome, he goes through his other achievements and writes about these matters too in this way:

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius praises the early Romans for excluding the Greek myths and quotes Dionysius of Halicarnassus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing misread in digitization; letter lost and breathing misread in digitization): ᾿Αλικαρνασέως → Ἁλικαρνασέως; τῆ ῾Ρώμης → τῆς Ῥώμης.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.7.9 (Dindorf 1:96–97; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-7-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-7-9) · Report an error

Preparation 2, chapter 8

2.8.1Dindorf 1:97

“Ἀλλʼ ἔγνω ὅτι νόμοι σπουδαῖοι καὶ καλῶν ζῆλος ἐπιτηδευμάτων εὐσεβῆ καὶ σώφρονα καὶ τὰ δίκαια ἀσκοῦσαν καὶ τὰ πολέμια ἀγαθὴν ἐξεργάζονται πόλιν· ὧν πολλὴν ἔσχε πρόνοιαν, τὴν ἀρχὴν ποιησάμενος ἀπὸ τῶν περὶ τὰ θεῖα καὶ δαιμόνια σεβασμῶν.

“Allʼ egnō hoti nomoi spoudaioi kai kalōn zēlos epitēdeumatōn eusebē kai sōphrona kai ta dikaia askousan kai ta polemia agathēn exergazontai polin; hōn pollēn esche pronoian, tēn archēn poiēsamenos apo tōn peri ta theia kai daimonia sebasmōn.

"But he knew that good laws and the emulation of noble pursuits make a city pious and temperate, practiced in justice and good in war; and he took great care of these, beginning with the worship of the gods and divine beings.

Notes and citation

Summary: Romulus founded his laws on the worship of the gods.

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities 2.18.1–2.20.3 (sections 2.8.1–13).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing misread in digitization): ᾿Αλλʼ → Ἀλλʼ.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.8.1 (Dindorf 1:97; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-8-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-8-1) · Report an error

2.8.2Dindorf 1:97

ἱερὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ τεμένη καὶ βωμοὺς καὶ ξοάνων ἱδρύσεις, μορφάς τε αὐτῶν καὶ σύμβολα καὶ δυνάμεις καὶ δωρεὰς, αἷς τὸ γένος ἡμῶν εὐηργέτησαν, ἑορτάς τε ὁποίας τινὰς ἑκάστῳ θεῶν ἢ δαιμόνων ἄγεσθαι προσήκει καὶ θυσίας, αἷς χαίρουσι γεραιρόμενοι πρὸς ἀνθρώπων, ἐκεχειρίας τε αὖ καὶ πανηγύρεις καὶ πόνων ἀναπαύλας καὶ πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα ὁμοίως κατεστήσατο τῶν κρατίστων παρὰ τοῖς Ἕλλησι νομίμων.

hiera men oun kai temenē kai bōmous kai xoanōn hidryseis, morphas te autōn kai symbola kai dynameis kai dōreas, hais to genos hēmōn euērgetēsan, heortas te hopoias tinas hekastǭ theōn ē daimonōn agesthai prosēkei kai thysias, hais chairousi gerairomenoi pros anthrōpōn, ekecheirias te au kai panēgyreis kai ponōn anapaulas kai panta ta toiauta homoiōs katestēsato tōn kratistōn para tois Hellēsi nomimōn.

Temples, then, and precincts and altars, and the setting up of images, their forms and symbols, and the powers and gifts with which they have benefited our race; festivals of the kind that should be held for each of the gods or divine beings, and sacrifices in which they delight when honored by men; holy truces, public festivals, rests from labor, and all such things he established in the same way as the best customs among the Greeks.

Notes and citation

Summary: Romulus established temples, festivals, and sacrifices like the best Greek customs.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (capital misread in digitization; final sigma misplaced in digitization; words joined in digitization): Καὶ δωρεὰς → καὶ δωρεὰς; προςήκει → προσήκει; καὶπανηγύρεις → καὶ πανηγύρεις.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.8.2 (Dindorf 1:97; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-8-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-8-2) · Report an error

2.8.3Dindorf 1:97

τοὺς δὲ παραδεδομένους περὶ αὐτῶν μύθους, ἐν οἷς βλασφημίαι τινές εἰσι περὶ αὐτῶν ἢ κατηγορίαι, πονηροὺς καὶ ἀνωφελεῖς καὶ ἀσχήμονας ὑπολαβὼν εἶναι καὶ οὐχ ὅτι τῶν θεῶν, ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ἀνθρώπων ἀγαθῶν ἀξίους, ἅπαντας ἐξέβαλε, καὶ παρεσκεύασε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τὰ κάλλιστα περὶ θεῶν λέγειν τε καὶ φρονεῖν, μηδὲν αὐτοῖς προσάψας ἀνάξιον ἐπιτήδευμα τῆς μακαρίας φύσεως.

tous de paradedomenous peri autōn mythous, en hois blasphēmiai tines eisi peri autōn ē katēgoriai, ponērous kai anōpheleis kai aschēmonas hypolabōn einai kai ouch hoti tōn theōn, allʼ oudʼ anthrōpōn agathōn axious, hapantas exebale, kai pareskeuase tous anthrōpous ta kallista peri theōn legein te kai phronein, mēden autois prosapsas anaxion epitēdeuma tēs makarias physeōs.

But the myths handed down about them, in which there are some blasphemies or accusations against them, he considered wicked, unprofitable, and indecent, and unworthy not only of gods but even of good men; he rejected them all, and prepared people to speak and think the best things about the gods, attributing to them no pursuit unworthy of their blessed nature.

Notes and citation

Summary: Romulus rejected the myths that slandered the gods.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (digitization slip): προσανύωας → προσάψας.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.8.3 (Dindorf 1:97; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-8-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-8-3) · Report an error

2.8.4Dindorf 1:97–98

Οὔτε γὰρ Οὐρανὸς ἐκτεμνόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ παίδων παρὰ ῾Ρωμαίοις λέγεται οὔτε Κρόνος ἀφανίζων τὰς ἑαυτοῦ γονὰς φόβῳ τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐπιθέσεως, οὔτε Ζεὺς καταλύων τὴν Κρόνου δυναστείαν καὶ κατακλείων ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ τοῦ Ταρτάρου τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πατέρα, οὐδέ γε πόλεμοι καὶ τραύματα καὶ δεσμὰ καὶ θητεῖαι θεῶν παρὰ ἀνθρώποις.

Oute gar Ouranos ektemnomenos hypo tōn heautou paidōn para ῾Rōmaiois legetai oute Kronos aphanizōn tas heautou gonas phobǭ tēs ex autōn epitheseōs, oute Zeus katalyōn tēn Kronou dynasteian kai katakleiōn en tǭ desmōtēriǭ tou Tartarou ton heautou patera, oude ge polemoi kai traumata kai desma kai thēteiai theōn para anthrōpois.

For among the Romans neither is Ouranus said to have been castrated by his own sons, nor Cronus to have destroyed his own offspring for fear of their attack, nor Zeus to have overthrown the dominion of Cronus and shut up his own father in the prison of Tartarus; nor are there wars, wounds, bonds, and servitude of gods among men.

Notes and citation

Summary: The Romans tell no stories of the gods' crimes and sufferings.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accents lost in digitization; digitization slips): Παίδων παρὶ → παίδων παρὰ; ουτε Ζεὺς → οὔτε Ζεὺς.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.8.4 (Dindorf 1:97–98; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-8-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-8-4) · Report an error

2.8.5Dindorf 1:98

ἑορτή τε οὐδεμία παρʼ αὐτοῖς μελανείμων ἢ πένθιμος ἄγεται, κοπετοὺς ἔχουσα καὶ θρήνους γυναικῶν ἐπὶ θεοῖς ἀφανιζομένοις, ἃ παρʼ Ἕλλησιν ἐπιτελοῦνται περί τε Περσεφόνης ἁρπαγὴν καὶ Διονύσου πάθη, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα τοιαῦτα.

heortē te oudemia parʼ autois melaneimōn ē penthimos agetai, kopetous echousa kai thrēnous gynaikōn epi theois aphanizomenois, ha parʼ Hellēsin epitelountai peri te Persephonēs harpagēn kai Dionysou pathē, kai hosa alla toiauta.

No festival is held among them in black garments or in mourning, with beating of breasts and lamentations of women for vanished gods, such as are performed among the Greeks over the rape of Persephone and the sufferings of Dionysus and all other such things.

Notes and citation

Summary: The Romans have no mourning festivals for dying gods.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization): καἰ θρήνους → καὶ θρήνους.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.8.5 (Dindorf 1:98; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-8-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-8-5) · Report an error

2.8.6Dindorf 1:98

οὐδʼ ἂν ἴδοι τις παρʼ αὐτοῖς, καίτοι διεφθαρμένων τῶν ἐθῶν ἤδη, οὐ θεοφορήσεις, οὐ κορυβαντιασμοὺς, οὐ βακχείας καὶ τελετὰς ἀπορρήτους, οὐ διαπαννυχισμοὺς ἐν ἱεροῖς θεῶν ἀνδρῶν σὺν γυναιξὶν, οὐκ ἄλλο τῶν παραπλησίων τούτοις τερατευμάτων οὐδὲν, ἀλλʼ εὐλαβῶς ἅπαντα πραττόμενα καὶ λεγόμενα τὰ περὶ τοὺς θεοὺς, ὡς οὔτε παρʼ Ἒλλησιν οὔτε παρὰ βαρβάροις.

oudʼ an idoi tis parʼ autois, kaitoi diephtharmenōn tōn ethōn ēdē, ou theophorēseis, ou korybantiasmous, ou bakcheias kai teletas aporrētous, ou diapannychismous en hierois theōn andrōn syn gynaixin, ouk allo tōn paraplēsiōn toutois terateumatōn ouden, allʼ eulabōs hapanta prattomena kai legomena ta peri tous theous, hōs oute parʼ Ellēsin oute para barbarois.

Nor would one see among them, even though their customs are now corrupted, any ecstatic possessions, Corybantic frenzies, Bacchic revels and secret rites, all-night vigils of men with women in the temples of the gods, or any other such monstrosity; but everything said and done concerning the gods is done with reverence, as neither among Greeks nor among barbarians.

Notes and citation

Summary: Roman religion is free of frenzied rites and nightly revels.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (word split and misread in digitization): κόρυ βάντʼ ίαςμοὺς → κορυβαντιασμοὺς.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.8.6 (Dindorf 1:98; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-8-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-8-6) · Report an error

2.8.7Dindorf 1:98

καὶ ὃ πάντων μάλιστα ἔγωγε τεθαύμακα, καίπερ μυρίων ὅσων εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐπεληλυθότων ἐθνῶν, οἷς πολλὴ ἀνάγκη σέβειν τοὺς πατρίους θεοὺς τοῖς οἴκοθεν νομίμοις, οὐδενὸς εἰς ζῆλον ἐλήλυθε τῶν ξενικῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων ἡ πόλις δημοσίᾳ, ὃ πολλοῖς ἤδη συνέβη παθεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἴ τινα κατὰ χρησμοὺς ἐπεισῆκται ἱερὰ, τοῖς αὐτόθι αὐτὰ νομίμοις μεθήρμοσεν, ἅπασαν ἐκβαλοῦσα τερθρείαν μυθικὴν, ὥσπερ τὰ τῆς Ἰδαίας θεᾶς ἱερά.

kai ho pantōn malista egōge tethaumaka, kaiper myriōn hosōn eis tēn polin epelēlythotōn ethnōn, hois pollē anankē sebein tous patrious theous tois oikothen nomimois, oudenos eis zēlon elēlythe tōn xenikōn epitēdeumatōn hē polis dēmosią, ho pollois ēdē synebē pathein, alla kai ei tina kata chrēsmous epeisēktai hiera, tois autothi auta nomimois methērmosen, hapasan ekbalousa terthreian mythikēn, hōsper ta tēs Idaias theas hiera.

And what I have admired most of all: though countless nations have come into the city, who must of necessity worship their ancestral gods by their own customs, the city has never publicly adopted any foreign practice, as has happened to many; and if it has introduced any rites in accordance with oracles, it has adapted them to its own customs, casting out all mythical humbug, as with the rites of the Idaean goddess.

Notes and citation

Summary: Rome adopted no foreign rites publicly, and adapted even imported ones such as those of the Idaean Mother.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization; digitization slip): οἶς πολλὴ → οἷς πολλὴ; ἱερᾶς θεᾶς → Ἰδαίας θεᾶς.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.8.7 (Dindorf 1:98; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-8-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-8-7) · Report an error

2.8.8Dindorf 1:98

θυσίας μὲν γὰρ αὐτῇ καὶ ἀγῶνας ἄγουσιν ἀνὰ πᾶν ἔτος οἱ στρατηγοὶ κατὰ τοὺς Ῥωμαίων νόμους, ἱερᾶται δʼ αὐτῆς ἀνὴρ Φρὺξ καὶ γυνὴ Φρυγία, καὶ περιάγουσιν ἀνὰ τὴν πόλιν οὗτοι μηναγυρτοῦντες, ὥσπερ αὐτοῖς ἔθος, τύπους τε περικείμενοι τοῖς στήθεσι καὶ καταυλούμενοι πρὸς τῶν ἑπομένων τὰ μητρῷα μέλη καὶ τύμπανα κροτοῦντες.

thysias men gar autę̄ kai agōnas agousin ana pan etos hoi stratēgoi kata tous Rhōmaiōn nomous, hieratai dʼ autēs anēr Phryx kai gynē Phrygia, kai periagousin ana tēn polin houtoi mēnagyrtountes, hōsper autois ethos, typous te perikeimenoi tois stēthesi kai katauloumenoi pros tōn hepomenōn ta mētrǭa melē kai tympana krotountes.

For the praetors perform sacrifices and games for her every year according to the laws of the Romans; but her priest is a Phrygian man and a Phrygian woman, and they carry her around the city begging alms for the Mother, as is their custom, wearing images on their breasts, while their followers play the flute to them in the Mother's songs and they beat their drums.

Notes and citation

Summary: Phrygian priests serve the Great Mother at Rome, while Roman magistrates offer her sacrifices.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.8.8 (Dindorf 1:98; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-8-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-8-8) · Report an error

2.8.9Dindorf 1:98–99

Ῥωμαίων δὲ τῶν αὐθιγενῶν οὔτε μηναγυρτῶν τις οὔτε καταυλούμενος πορεύεται διὰ τῆς πόλεως, ποικίλην ἐνδεδυμένος στολὴν, οὔτε ὀργιάζει τὴν θεὸν τοῖς Φρυγίοις ὀργιασμοῖς κατὰ νόμον ἢ ψήφισμα βουλῆς. οὕτως εὐλαβῶς ἡ πόλις ἔχει πρὸς τὰ οὐκ ἐπιχώρια ἔθη περὶ θεῶν καὶ πάντα ὀττεύεται τῦφον, ᾧ μηδέν ἐστι τὸ εὐπρεπές.

Rhōmaiōn de tōn authigenōn oute mēnagyrtōn tis oute katauloumenos poreuetai dia tēs poleōs, poikilēn endedymenos stolēn, oute orgiazei tēn theon tois Phrygiois orgiasmois kata nomon ē psēphisma boulēs. houtōs eulabōs hē polis echei pros ta ouk epichōria ethē peri theōn kai panta otteuetai typhon, hǭ mēden esti to euprepes.

But of the native Romans none goes through the city begging for the Mother or accompanied by flutes, dressed in a many-colored robe, nor celebrates the goddess's orgies with the Phrygian rites, by law and decree of the senate. So cautious is the city toward customs about the gods that are not native, and so does it regard as ill-omened all pretension that has nothing seemly about it.

Notes and citation

Summary: No native Roman may take part in the Phrygian rites, so cautious is Rome about foreign religion.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.8.9 (Dindorf 1:98–99; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-8-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-8-9) · Report an error

2.8.10Dindorf 1:99

καὶ μηδεὶς ὑπολάβῃ με ἀγνοεῖν ὅτι τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν μύθων εἰσί τινες ἀνθρώποις χρήσιμοι, οἱ μὲν ἐπιδεικνύμενοι τὰ τῆς φύσεως ἔργα διὰ λύπην, οἱ δὲ παραμυθίας ἕνεκα συγκείμενοι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων συμφορῶν, οἱ δὲ ταραχὰς ἐξαιρούμενοι ψυχῆς καὶ δείματα καὶ δόξας καθαιροῦντες οὐχ ὑγιεῖς, οἱ δὲ ἄλλης τινὸς ἕνεκα συμπλασθέντες ὠφελείας.

kai mēdeis hypolabę̄ me agnoein hoti tōn Hellēnikōn mythōn eisi tines anthrōpois chrēsimoi, hoi men epideiknymenoi ta tēs physeōs erga dia lypēn, hoi de paramythias heneka synkeimenoi tōn anthrōpinōn symphorōn, hoi de tarachas exairoumenoi psychēs kai deimata kai doxas kathairountes ouch hygieis, hoi de allēs tinos heneka symplasthentes ōpheleias.

And let no one suppose that I am unaware that some of the Greek myths are useful to men: some showing the works of nature through allegory, some composed for consolation in human misfortunes, some removing disturbances of the soul and fears and putting down unhealthy opinions, and some fashioned for some other benefit.

Notes and citation

Summary: Dionysius grants that some Greek myths are useful as allegory or consolation.

The digital text reads διὰ λύπην ("through grief"); Dionysius's text has διʼ ἀλληγορίας ("through allegory"), which the sense requires.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.8.10 (Dindorf 1:99; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-8-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-8-10) · Report an error

2.8.11Dindorf 1:99

ἀλλὰ καίπερ ἐπιστάμενος ταῦτα οὐδενὸς χεῖρον, ὅμως εὐλαβῶς διάκειμαι πρὸς αὐτοὺς, καὶ τὴν ῾Ρωμαίων μᾶλλον ἀποδέχομαι θεολογίαν, ἐνθυμούμενος ὅτι τὰ μὲν ἐκ τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν μύθων ἀγαθὰ μικρά τέ ἐστι καὶ οὐ πολλοὺς δυνάμενα ὠφελεῖν, ἀλλὰ μόνον τοὺς ἐξητακότας ὧν ἕνεκα γίνεται.

alla kaiper epistamenos tauta oudenos cheiron, homōs eulabōs diakeimai pros autous, kai tēn ῾Rōmaiōn mallon apodechomai theologian, enthymoumenos hoti ta men ek tōn Hellēnikōn mythōn agatha mikra te esti kai ou pollous dynamena ōphelein, alla monon tous exētakotas hōn heneka ginetai.

But although I know these things as well as anyone, nevertheless I am cautious toward them, and I rather approve the theology of the Romans, considering that the good to be had from the Greek myths is small and cannot benefit many, but only those who have examined the purposes for which they are made.

Notes and citation

Summary: Dionysius prefers Roman theology, since the benefit of Greek myths reaches only a few.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.8.11 (Dindorf 1:99; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-8-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-8-11) · Report an error

2.8.12Dindorf 1:99

σπάνιοι δʼ εἰσὶν οἱ μετειληφότες ταύτης τῆς φιλοσοφίας· ὁ δὲ πολὺς καὶ ἀφιλοσόφητος ὄχλος ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω λαμβάνειν φιλεῖ τοὺς περὶ αὐτῶν λόγους, καὶ πάσχει θάτερον, ἢ καταφρονεῖ τῶν θεῶν, ὡς ἐν πολλῇ κακοδαιμονίᾳ κυλινδουμένων ἢ τῶν αἰσχίστων τε καὶ παρανομωτάτων οὐδενὸς ἀπέχεται, θεοῖς ὁρῶν αὐτὰ προσκείμενα.

spanioi dʼ eisin hoi meteilēphotes tautēs tēs philosophias; ho de polys kai aphilosophētos ochlos epi ta cheirō lambanein philei tous peri autōn logous, kai paschei thateron, ē kataphronei tōn theōn, hōs en pollę̄ kakodaimonią kylindoumenōn ē tōn aischistōn te kai paranomōtatōn oudenos apechetai, theois horōn auta proskeimena.

And those who have a share of this philosophy are few. The great unphilosophical multitude is apt to take the stories about them in the worse sense, and suffers one of two things: either it despises the gods as wallowing in great misfortune, or it refrains from none of the most shameful and lawless deeds, seeing them attributed to gods.

Notes and citation

Summary: The masses take the myths in the worst sense and either despise the gods or imitate their vices.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization): κυλινδουμἐνων → κυλινδουμένων.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.8.12 (Dindorf 1:99; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-8-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-8-12) · Report an error

2.8.13Dindorf 1:99–100

ἀλλὰ ὑπὲρ μὲν τούτων τοῖς αὐτὸ μόνον τὸ θεωρητικὸν τῆς φιλοσοφίας μέρος ἀσκοῦσιν ἀφείσθω σκοπεῖν, τῆς δὲ ὑπὸ ῾Ρωμύλου κατασταθείσης πολιτείας καὶ τάδε ἡγησάμην ἱστορίας ἄξια.” Τὰ μὲν δὴ παραστάντα τοῖς κρατίστοις τῶν φιλοσόφων καὶ τοῖς παλαιοῖς καὶ πρώτοις τῆς ῾Ρωμαίων ἡγεμονίας περὶ τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς θεολογίας τοιαῦτα ἦν, οὐδαμῶς φυσιολογίας ἐν τοῖς περὶ θεῶν μύθοις παραδεχόμενα, οὐδέ γε τὰς σεμνοφανεῖς καὶ σοφιστικὰς τερθρείας. ἡμεῖς γε μὴν ἐπείπερ ἅπαξ ὡρμήθημεν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν τούτων ἔλεγχον, φέρε τὰς ἑρμηνείας αὐτῶν καὶ θεωρίας, τί ποτε ἄρα σεμνὸν καὶ θεοπρεπὲς ἐπικομίζονται, κατίδωμεν, μηδὲν μὲν ἐξ ἡμῶν, πάντα δὲ ταῖς αὐτῶν φωναῖς συγχρώμενοι, ὡς ἂν παρʼ αὐτῶν αὖθις τὰ αὐτῶν οἰκεῖα καταμάθωμεν.

alla hyper men toutōn tois auto monon to theōrētikon tēs philosophias meros askousin apheisthō skopein, tēs de hypo ῾Rōmylou katastatheisēs politeias kai tade hēgēsamēn historias axia.” Ta men dē parastanta tois kratistois tōn philosophōn kai tois palaiois kai prōtois tēs ῾Rōmaiōn hēgemonias peri tēs Hellēnikēs theologias toiauta ēn, oudamōs physiologias en tois peri theōn mythois paradechomena, oude ge tas semnophaneis kai sophistikas terthreias. hēmeis ge mēn epeiper hapax hōrmēthēmen kai epi ton toutōn elenchon, phere tas hermēneias autōn kai theōrias, ti pote ara semnon kai theoprepes epikomizontai, katidōmen, mēden men ex hēmōn, panta de tais autōn phōnais synchrōmenoi, hōs an parʼ autōn authis ta autōn oikeia katamathōmen.

But let the consideration of these things be left to those who practice only the contemplative part of philosophy; I have thought these matters too worth recording in the history of the constitution established by Romulus." Such, then, were the views of the best of the philosophers and of the first and ancient rulers of Rome about the Greek theology: they in no way accepted physical explanations in the myths about the gods, nor their pompous and sophistical quibbles. But since we have once set out to refute these too, come, let us see what dignified thing worthy of God their interpretations and theories bring, adding nothing of our own but using their own words throughout, so that we may learn their own doctrines from themselves.

Notes and citation

Summary: Dionysius ends; Eusebius concludes that the best philosophers and the early Romans rejected the physical allegories, which he will now examine.

The closing words of this section are repeated, with small differences, as the preface of Book 3 (3.0.1–2).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-break hyphen rejoined): πα- ραδεχόμενα → παραδεχόμενα; αὐ- τῶν → αὐτῶν.

Extrabiblical texts: Dionysius of Halicarnassus (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 2.8.13 (Dindorf 1:99–100; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-2-8-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-2-8-13) · Report an error

Preparation 3, chapter 0

3.0.1Dindorf 1:100

Τὰ μὲν παραστάντα τοῖς κρατίστοις τῶν φιλοσόφων καὶ τοῖς παλαιοῖς καὶ πρώτοις τῆς ῾Ρωμαίων ἡγεμονίας περὶ τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς θεολογίας τοιαῦτα ἦν, οὐδαμῶς φυσιολογίας ἐν τοῖς περὶ θεῶν μύθοις παραδεχόμενα, οὐδέ γε τὰς σεμνοφανεῖς καὶ σοφιστικὰς τερθρείας.

Ta men parastanta tois kratistois tōn philosophōn kai tois palaiois kai prōtois tēs ῾Rōmaiōn hēgemonias peri tēs Hellēnikēs theologias toiauta ēn, oudamōs physiologias en tois peri theōn mythois paradechomena, oude ge tas semnophaneis kai sophistikas terthreias.

Such, then, were the views of the best of the philosophers and of the first and ancient rulers of Rome about the Greek theology: they in no way accepted physical explanations in the myths about the gods, nor their pompous and sophistical quibbles.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius recalls that the best philosophers and the early Romans rejected physical allegories of the myths.

This preface repeats the close of Book 2 (2.8.13).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-break hyphen rejoined): πα- ραδεχόμενα → παραδεχόμενα.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.0.1 (Dindorf 1:100; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-0-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-0-1) · Report an error

3.0.2Dindorf 1:100

ἡμεῖς γε μὴν ἐπείπερ ἅπαξ ὡρμήθημεν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν τούτων ἔλεγχον, φέρε τὰς ἑρμηνείας αὐτῶν καὶ θεωρίας, τί ποτε ἄρα σεμνὸν καὶ θεοπρεπὲς ἐπικομίζονται, συνίδωμεν, μηδὲν μὲν ἐξ ἡμῶν, πάντα δὲ ταῖς αὐτῶν φωναῖς συγχρώμενοι, ὡς ἂν παρʼ αὐτῶν αὖθις τὰ αὐτῶν σεμνὰ καὶ ἀπόρρητα καταμάθωμεν.

hēmeis ge mēn epeiper hapax hōrmēthēmen kai epi ton toutōn elenchon, phere tas hermēneias autōn kai theōrias, ti pote ara semnon kai theoprepes epikomizontai, synidōmen, mēden men ex hēmōn, panta de tais autōn phōnais synchrōmenoi, hōs an parʼ autōn authis ta autōn semna kai aporrēta katamathōmen.

But since we have once set out to refute these too, come, let us consider what dignified thing worthy of God their interpretations and theories bring, adding nothing of our own but using their own words throughout, so that we may learn from themselves again their own dignified and secret doctrines.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius will examine the allegorical interpretations in their authors' own words.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.0.2 (Dindorf 1:100; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-0-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-0-2) · Report an error

3.0.3Dindorf 1:100

Μυρίοις μὲν οὖν ἄλλοις τῶν φιλοσοφεῖν ἐπαγγελλομένων πολὺς περὶ τούτων εἰσῆκται πόνος, διαφόρους τὰς αὐτῶν εὑρεσιλογίας πεποιημένοις, καὶ τὸ παραστὰν καὶ δόξαν ἑκάστῳ τοῦτʼ εἶναι τὸ ἀληθὲς ἀπισχυριζομένοις· ἐμοὶ δὲ ἐξαρκεῖ τὰς ἀποδείξεις ἀπὸ τῶν μάλιστα διαφανῶν καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς φιλοσόφοις γνωρίμων κλέος τε οὐ μικρὸν φιλοσοφίας παρʼ Ἕλλησιν ἀπενηνεγμένων παρασχεῖν.

Myriois men oun allois tōn philosophein epangellomenōn polys peri toutōn eisēktai ponos, diaphorous tas autōn heuresilogias pepoiēmenois, kai to parastan kai doxan hekastǭ toutʼ einai to alēthes apischyrizomenois; emoi de exarkei tas apodeixeis apo tōn malista diaphanōn kai pasi tois philosophois gnōrimōn kleos te ou mikron philosophias parʼ Hellēsin apenēnegmenōn paraschein.

Countless others who profess to philosophize have spent great labor on these matters, producing various inventions of their own, each insisting that whatever occurred to him and seemed right was the truth. For me it is enough to provide the proofs from those who are most distinguished, known to all philosophers, and who have won no small fame for philosophy among the Greeks.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius will draw on the most famous philosophers.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-break hyphen rejoined): ἐπαγ- γελλομένων → ἐπαγγελλομένων.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.0.3 (Dindorf 1:100; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-0-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-0-3) · Report an error

3.0.4Dindorf 1:100–101

ὧν πρώτου λαβὼν ἀνάγνωθι τοῦ Χαιρωνέως Πλουτάρχου τὰς περὶ τῶν προκειμένων φωνὰς, ἐν αἷς σεμνολογῶν παρατρέπει τοὺς μύθους ἐφʼ ἅς φησιν εἶναι μυστηριώδεις θεολογίας· ἅς δὴ ἐκκαλύπτων τὸν μὲν Διόνυσον τὴν μέθην εἶναί φησιν, οὐκέτι τὸν ὑπὸ τῆς ἱστορίας ἐν τῷ πρὸ τούτου συγγράμματι δεδηλωμένον θνητὸν ἄνδρα, τὴν δὲ Ἥραν τὴν γαμήλιον ἀνδρὸς καὶ γυναικὸς συμβίωσιν· εἶθʼ, ὡσπερ ἐπιλελησμένος τῆς ἀποδόσεως, ἑτέραν ἑξῆς ἐπισυνάψας ἱστορίαν, τὴν Ἥραν οὐκέτι ὡς τὸ πρότερον, ἀλλὰ τὴν γῆν ὀνομάζει, λήθην δὲ καὶ νύκτα τὴν Λητώ· καὶ πάλιν τὴν αὐτὴν τῇ Λητοῖ φησιν εἶναι τὴν Ἥραν· εἶτʼ ἐπὶ τούτοις εἰσάγεται αὐτῷ ὁ Ζεὺς εἰς τὴν αἰθέριον δύναμιν ἀλληγορούμενος.

hōn prōtou labōn anagnōthi tou Chairōneōs Ploutarchou tas peri tōn prokeimenōn phōnas, en hais semnologōn paratrepei tous mythous ephʼ has phēsin einai mystēriōdeis theologias; has dē ekkalyptōn ton men Dionyson tēn methēn einai phēsin, ouketi ton hypo tēs historias en tǭ pro toutou syngrammati dedēlōmenon thnēton andra, tēn de Hēran tēn gamēlion andros kai gynaikos symbiōsin; eithʼ, hōsper epilelēsmenos tēs apodoseōs, heteran hexēs episynapsas historian, tēn Hēran ouketi hōs to proteron, alla tēn gēn onomazei, lēthēn de kai nykta tēn Lētō; kai palin tēn autēn tę̄ Lētoi phēsin einai tēn Hēran; eitʼ epi toutois eisagetai autǭ ho Zeus eis tēn aitherion dynamin allēgoroumenos.

First of them, take and read the words of Plutarch of Chaeronea on the matters before us, in which, speaking solemnly, he turns the myths aside to what he says are mystical theologies. Unveiling these, he says that Dionysus is drunkenness, no longer the mortal man shown by history in the preceding book, and Hera the married life of husband and wife; then, as if he had forgotten this explanation, he joins on another account next and calls Hera no longer as before but the earth, and Leto forgetfulness and night; and again he says that Hera is the same as Leto; then after this Zeus is brought in by him, allegorized into the power of the ether.

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch's allegories are inconsistent: Hera is now marriage, now the earth, now the same as Leto.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization; digitization slip; digitization slips; line-break hyphen rejoined): ἐπισυνάφας ἱστοίαν → ἐπισυνάψας ἱστορίαν; Ἡραν οὐκέτε → Ἥραν οὐκέτι; καὶ άλιν τὴν αὐτὴν τῇ Λητοῖ μαησιν εἶναι τὴν Ἡραν → καὶ πάλιν τὴν αὐτὴν τῇ Λητοῖ φησιν εἶναι τὴν Ἥραν; εἰσάυεται → εἰσάγεται; δὐναμιν → δύναμιν; θεο- λογίας → θεολογίας.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.0.4 (Dindorf 1:100–101; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-0-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-0-4) · Report an error

3.0.5Dindorf 1:101

Καὶ τί με δεῖ ταῦτα προλαμβάνειν, αὐτοῦ παρὸν ἀκοῦσαι τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ὧδέ πως ἐν οἷς ἐπέγραφε Περὶ τῶν ἐν Πλαταιαῖς Δαιδάλων τὰ λανθάνοντα τοὺς πολλοὺς τῆς ἀπορρήτου περὶ θεῶν φυσιολογίας ἐκφαίνοντος

Kai ti me dei tauta prolambanein, autou paron akousai tou andros hōde pōs en hois epegraphe Peri tōn en Plataiais Daidalōn ta lanthanonta tous pollous tēs aporrētou peri theōn physiologias ekphainontos

But why should I anticipate these things, when we may hear the man himself, revealing in the work he entitled On the Daedala at Plataea what is hidden from the many of the secret natural philosophy about the gods, somewhat as follows:

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius introduces Plutarch's On the Daedala at Plataea.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (digitization slip; digitization slips): τοὸς πλλοὺς → τοὺς πολλοὺς; φυσιολουίας → φυσιολογίας.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.0.5 (Dindorf 1:101; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-0-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-0-5) · Report an error

Preparation 3, chapter 1

3.1.1Dindorf 1:101

‘‘Ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἡ παλαιὰ φυσιολογία καὶ παρʼ Ἕλλησι καὶ βαρβάροις λόγος ἦν φυσικὸς ἐγκεκρυμμένος μύθοις, τὰ πολλὰ διʼ αἰνιγμάτων καὶ ὑπονοιῶν ἐπίκρυφος καὶ μυστηριώδης θεολογία, τά τε λαλούμενα τῶν σιγωμένων σαφέστερα τοῖς πολλοῖς ἔχοντα καὶ τὰ σιγώμενα τῶν λαλουμένων ὑποπτότερα, δῆλόν ἐστιν ἐν τοῖς Ὀρφικοῖς ἐπεσι καὶ τοῖς Αἰγυπτιακοῖς καὶ Φρυγίοις λογοις· μάλιστα δὲ οἱ περὶ τὰς τελετὰς ὀργιασμοὶ καὶ τὰ δρώμενα συμβολικῶς ἐν ταῖς ἱερουργίαις τὴν τῶν παλαιῶν ἐμφαίνει διάνοιαν.

‘‘Hoti men oun hē palaia physiologia kai parʼ Hellēsi kai barbarois logos ēn physikos enkekrymmenos mythois, ta polla diʼ ainigmatōn kai hyponoiōn epikryphos kai mystēriōdēs theologia, ta te laloumena tōn sigōmenōn saphestera tois pollois echonta kai ta sigōmena tōn laloumenōn hypoptotera, dēlon estin en tois Orphikois epesi kai tois Aigyptiakois kai Phrygiois logois; malista de hoi peri tas teletas orgiasmoi kai ta drōmena symbolikōs en tais hierourgiais tēn tōn palaiōn emphainei dianoian.

"That the ancient natural philosophy, among both Greeks and barbarians, was a physical doctrine hidden in myths, for the most part a secret and mystical theology conveyed through riddles and hidden meanings, in which what is spoken is clearer to the many than what is kept silent, and what is kept silent more suspect than what is spoken, is plain in the Orphic poems and in the Egyptian and Phrygian stories; but most of all the orgies of the initiations and the symbolic actions in the sacred rites show the mind of the ancients.

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch says the ancient natural philosophy was hidden in myths and in the symbolic actions of the rites.

Plutarch, On the Daedala at Plataea (a fragment preserved by Eusebius), sections 3.1.1–7.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (digitization slip; letter lost in digitization; word split in digitization): ἐγκεκρυμ μένος → ἐγκεκρυμμένος; πλλοῖς → πολλοῖς; ὀρυασμοὶ → ὀργιασμοὶ; ἱε ρουργίαις → ἱερουργίαις.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Daedala frag. (Plutarch; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.1.1 (Dindorf 1:101; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-1-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-1-1) · Report an error

3.1.2Dindorf 1:101–102

Οἷον, ἵνα μὴ μακρὰν τῶν ἐνστηκότων λόγων βαδίζωμεν, οὐ νομίζουσιν οὐδὲ ἀξιοῦσι κοινωνίαν εἶναι πρὸς Διόνυσον Ἥρᾳ· φυλάσσονται δὲ συμμιγνύναι τὰ ἱερὰ καὶ τὰς Ἀθήνησιν ἱερείας ἀπαντώσας φασὶν ἀλλήλαις μὴ προσαγορεύειν, μηδὲ ὅλως κιττὸν εἰς τὸ τῆς Ἤρας εἰσκομίζεσθαι τέμενος, οὐ διὰ τὰς μυθικὰς καὶ φλυαρώδεις ζηλοτυπίας, ἀλλʼ ὅτι γαμήλιος μὲν ἡ θεὸς καὶ νυμφαγωγὸς, ἀπρεπὲς δὲ νυμφίοις τὸ μεθύειν, καὶ γάμοις ἀναρμοστότατον, ὥς φησιν ὁ Πλάτων· ἀκρατοποσία γὰρ, φησὶ, ταραχὴν ἐμποιεῖ καὶ ψυχαῖς καὶ σώμασιν, ὑφʼ ἧς ἄπλαστα καὶ πεπλανημένα ῥιζοῦται κακῶς τὰ σπειρόμενα καὶ κυϊσκόμενα. πάλιν οἱ θύοντες Ἥρᾳ τὴν χολὴν οὐ καθαγίζουσιν, ἀλλὰ κατορύττουσι παρὰ τὸν βωμὸν, ὡς δέον ἄθυμον καὶ ἄχολον καὶ καθαρεύουσαν ὀργῆς καὶ πικρίας ἁπάσης τὴν γυναικὸς καὶ ἀνδρὸς εἶναι συμβίωσιν.”

Hoion, hina mē makran tōn enstēkotōn logōn badizōmen, ou nomizousin oude axiousi koinōnian einai pros Dionyson Hērą; phylassontai de symmignynai ta hiera kai tas Athēnēsin hiereias apantōsas phasin allēlais mē prosagoreuein, mēde holōs kitton eis to tēs Ēras eiskomizesthai temenos, ou dia tas mythikas kai phlyarōdeis zēlotypias, allʼ hoti gamēlios men hē theos kai nymphagōgos, aprepes de nymphiois to methyein, kai gamois anarmostotaton, hōs phēsin ho Platōn; akratoposia gar, phēsi, tarachēn empoiei kai psychais kai sōmasin, hyphʼ hēs aplasta kai peplanēmena rhizoutai kakōs ta speiromena kai kyïskomena. palin hoi thyontes Hērą tēn cholēn ou kathagizousin, alla katoryttousi para ton bōmon, hōs deon athymon kai acholon kai kathareuousan orgēs kai pikrias hapasēs tēn gynaikos kai andros einai symbiōsin.”

For example, not to wander far from the matters at hand, they do not think or allow that Hera has any partnership with Dionysus. They take care not to mingle their rites; and the priestesses at Athens, they say, do not speak to each other when they meet, nor is ivy ever brought into the precinct of Hera. This is not because of mythical and nonsensical jealousies, but because the goddess presides over marriage and leads the bride, while drunkenness is unseemly for bridegrooms and most unsuited to marriage, as Plato says. For drinking unmixed wine, he says, causes disturbance in souls and bodies, by which what is sown and conceived takes root badly, shapeless and misdirected. Again, those who sacrifice to Hera do not consecrate the gall but bury it beside the altar, signifying that the life together of wife and husband should be without anger and gall, and pure of all wrath and bitterness."

Notes and citation

Summary: Hera and Dionysus are kept apart in cult because marriage is incompatible with drunkenness and anger.

Plutarch cites Plato, Laws 6.775b–c.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent lost in digitization; accents lost in digitization; breathing misread in digitization; word split and misread in digitization): ἱνα → ἵνα; ουδε → οὐδὲ; Ἁθήνησιν → Ἀθήνησιν; φαςὶν ἀλλή λαὶς → φασὶν ἀλλήλαις.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Daedala frag. (Plutarch; quotation); Plato, Leg. 775b (Plato (works); allusion)

Topics: Marriage

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.1.2 (Dindorf 1:101–102; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-1-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-1-2) · Report an error

3.1.3Dindorf 1:102–103

Τοῦτο δὴ τὸ συμβολικὸν εἶδος ἐν τοῖς λόγοις καὶ τοῖς μύθοις μᾶλλόν ἐστιν. οἷον, ἱστοροῦσι τὴν Ἥραν ἐν τῇ Εὐβοίᾳ τρεφομένην ἔτι παρθένον ὑπὸ τοῦ Διός κλαπῆναι, καὶ διακομισθεῖσαν ἐνταῦθα κρύπτεσθαι, Κιθαιρῶνος αὐτοῖς ἐπίσκιόν τινα μυχὸν καὶ θάλαμον αὐτοφυῆ παρασχόντος. ἐλθούσης δὲ τῆς Μακρίδος κατὰ ζήτησιν — ἦν δὲ Ἤρας τιθήνη — καὶ βουλομένης ἐρευνᾶν οὐκ ἐᾶν τὸν Κιθαιρῶνα πολυπραγμονεῖν, οὐδὲ τῷ χωρίῳ προσάγειν, ὡς τοῦ Διὸς ἐκεῖ τῇ Λητοῖ συναναπαυομένου καὶ συνδιατρίβοντος. ἀπελθούσης δὲ τῆς Μακρίδος, οὕτω τότε μὲν διαλαθεῖν τὴν Ἥραν, ὕστερον δὲ τῇ Λητοῖ χάριν ἀπομνημονεύουσαν ὁμοβώμιον θέσθαι καὶ σύνναον, ὥστε καὶ Λητοῖ μυχίᾳ προθύεσθαι· τινὲς δὲ νυχίαν λέγουσι. σημαίνεται δὲ ἐν ἑκατέρῳ τῶν ὀνομάτων τὸ κρύφιον καὶ διαλεληθός. ἔνιοι δὲ τὴν Ἥραν αὐτὴν ἐκεῖ τῷ Διὶ λάθρα συνοῦσαν καὶ λανθάνουσαν οὕτω Λητώ φασιν νυχίαν προσηγορεῦσθαι· φανερῶν δὲ τῶν γάμων γενομένων, καὶ περὶ τὸν Κιθαιρῶνα πρῶτον ἐνταῦθα καὶ τὰς Πλαταιὰς τῆς ὁμιλίας ἀνακαλυφθείσης, Ἤραν τελείαν καὶ γαμήλιον αὐτὴν προσαγορευθηναι.

Touto dē to symbolikon eidos en tois logois kai tois mythois mallon estin. hoion, historousi tēn Hēran en tę̄ Euboią trephomenēn eti parthenon hypo tou Dios klapēnai, kai diakomistheisan entautha kryptesthai, Kithairōnos autois episkion tina mychon kai thalamon autophyē paraschontos. elthousēs de tēs Makridos kata zētēsin — ēn de Ēras tithēnē — kai boulomenēs ereunan ouk ean ton Kithairōna polypragmonein, oude tǭ chōriǭ prosagein, hōs tou Dios ekei tę̄ Lētoi synanapauomenou kai syndiatribontos. apelthousēs de tēs Makridos, houtō tote men dialathein tēn Hēran, hysteron de tę̄ Lētoi charin apomnēmoneuousan homobōmion thesthai kai synnaon, hōste kai Lētoi mychią prothyesthai; tines de nychian legousi. sēmainetai de en hekaterǭ tōn onomatōn to kryphion kai dialelēthos. enioi de tēn Hēran autēn ekei tǭ Dii lathra synousan kai lanthanousan houtō Lētō phasin nychian prosēgoreusthai; phanerōn de tōn gamōn genomenōn, kai peri ton Kithairōna prōton entautha kai tas Plataias tēs homilias anakalyphtheisēs, Ēran teleian kai gamēlion autēn prosagoreuthēnai.

This symbolic manner is found more in the stories and myths. For example, they relate that Hera, while still a maiden being brought up in Euboea, was stolen away by Zeus, carried across to this place, and hidden there, Cithaeron providing them a shady recess and a natural bridal chamber. When Macris, Hera's nurse, came in search of her and wished to look, Cithaeron would not let her pry or approach the place, saying that Zeus was resting and spending his time there with Leto. When Macris went away, Hera escaped notice for the time; and later, in gratitude to Leto, she gave her a share in her altar and temple, so that sacrifice is offered first to Leto Mychia (of the recess); some say Nychia (of the night). In both names the hidden and secret is signified. Some say that Hera herself, secretly united with Zeus there and escaping notice, was thus called Leto Nychia; and when the marriage became public, and their union was first revealed here at Cithaeron and Plataea, she was called Hera Teleia (fulfilled) and Gamelios (of marriage).

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch relates the myth of Hera's secret union with Zeus on Cithaeron and the names Leto Mychia and Hera Teleia.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-break hyphen rejoined): συνδιατρίβον- τος → συνδιατρίβοντος; ἀνακαλυ- φθείσης → ἀνακαλυφθείσης.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Daedala frag. (Plutarch; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.1.3 (Dindorf 1:102–103; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-1-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-1-3) · Report an error

3.1.4Dindorf 1:103

‟ οἱ δὲ φυσικῶς μᾶλλον καὶ πρεπόντως ὑπολαμβάνοντες τὸν μῦθον οὕτως εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ τῇ Λητοῖ συνάγουσιν τὴν Ἥραν. γῆ μέν ἐστιν ἡ Ἥρα, καθάπερ εἴρηται, νὺξ δὲ ἡ Λητὼ, λήθω τις οὔσα τῶν εἰς ὕπνον τρεπομένων, νὺξ δὲ οὐδέν ἐστιν ἄλλο πλὴν σκιὰ γῆς· ὅταν γὰρ πλησιάσασα ταῖς δυσμαῖς ἀποκρύψῃ τὸν ἥλιον, ἀναπλατυνομένη μελαίνει τὸν ἀέρα, καὶ τοῦτο ἔστι τὸ ἐκλειπτικὸν ὀλίσθημα τῶν πανσελήνων, ὅταν τῆς σελήνης περιφερομένης ἡ σκιὰ τῆς γῆς ἐπιψαύσῃ καὶ διαθολώσῃ τὸ φέγγος.

‟ hoi de physikōs mallon kai prepontōs hypolambanontes ton mython houtōs eis to auto tę̄ Lētoi synagousin tēn Hēran. gē men estin hē Hēra, kathaper eirētai, nyx de hē Lētō, lēthō tis ousa tōn eis hypnon trepomenōn, nyx de ouden estin allo plēn skia gēs; hotan gar plēsiasasa tais dysmais apokrypsę̄ ton hēlion, anaplatynomenē melainei ton aera, kai touto esti to ekleiptikon olisthēma tōn panselēnōn, hotan tēs selēnēs peripheromenēs hē skia tēs gēs epipsausę̄ kai diatholōsę̄ to phengos.

"Those who interpret the myth more physically and fittingly bring Hera together with Leto in this way. Hera is the earth, as has been said, and Leto is night, being a sort of forgetfulness (letho) of those who turn to sleep; and night is nothing else than the shadow of the earth. For when the shadow, drawing near the west, hides the sun, it spreads out and darkens the air; and this is the eclipsing slip of the full moons, when, as the moon goes round, the shadow of the earth touches it and dims its light.

Notes and citation

Summary: Allegorically, Hera is the earth and Leto night, the earth's shadow.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray punctuation in digitization): καὶ. πρεπόντως → καὶ πρεπόντως.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Daedala frag. (Plutarch; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.1.4 (Dindorf 1:103; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-1-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-1-4) · Report an error

3.1.5Dindorf 1:103–104

‘‘ Ὅτι οὐκ ἄλλη τίς ἐστι τῆς Ἥρας ἡ Λητὼ μάθοιτʼ ἂν ἐνθένδε. τὴν Ἄρτεμιν ἤδη που θυγατέρα Λητοῦς καλοῦμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ Εἰλήθυιαν τὴν αὐτὴν ὀνομάζομεν· οὐκοῦν ἥ τε Ἥρα καὶ ἡ Λητὼ δύο εἰσὶ μιᾶς θεοῦ προσηγορίαι. πάλιν, ἐκ μὲν Λητοῦς ὁ Ἀπόλλων, ἐκ Ἥρας ὁ Ἄρης γέγονε, μία δέ ἐστιν ἀμφοτέρων δύναμις, καὶ κέκληται Ἄρης μὲν ὡς ἀρήγων τοῖς κατὰ βίαν καὶ μάχην συμπτώμασιν, Ἀπόλλων δὲ ὡς ἀπαλλάττων καὶ ἀπολύων τῶν περὶ σῶμα νοσηματικῶν παθῶν τὸν ἄνθρωπον. διὸ καὶ τῶν ἐμπυρωτάτων ἄστρων καὶ πυριφλεγεστάτων ὁ μὲν ἥλιος Ἀπόλλων κέκληται, ὁ δὲ πυροειδὴς Ἄρης ἐπωνόμασται. καὶ οὐκ ἀπότροπόν ἐστι τὴν αὐτὴν θεὸν γαμήλιον λέγεσθαι καὶ μητέρα Εἰληθυίας καὶ ἡλίου νομίζεσθαι. γάμου μὲν γὰρ τέλος γένεσίς ἐστι, γένεσις δὲ ἡ εἰς ἥλιον καὶ φῶς ἐκ σκότους πορεία. καὶ καλῶς ἔφη ὁ ποιητής Αὐτὰρ ἐπειδὴ τόν γε μογοστόκος Εἰλήθυια ἐξάγαγε πρὸ φόωσδε καὶ ἠελίου ἴδεν αὐγάς. εὖ ὁ ποιητὴς τῇ μὲν προθέσει τὴν σύνθεσιν ἔθλιψεν, ἐμφαίνων τὸ βεβιασμένον τῆς ὠδῖνος, τέλος δὲ τῆς γενέσεως ἐποίησεν ἥλιον ἰδεῖν. οὐκοῦν ἡ αὐτὴ θεὸς ἐποίησε καὶ γάμον συνελθεῖν, ἵνα γένεσιν παρασκευάσῃ.”

‘‘ Hoti ouk allē tis esti tēs Hēras hē Lētō mathoitʼ an enthende. tēn Artemin ēdē pou thygatera Lētous kaloumen, alla kai Eilēthuian tēn autēn onomazomen; oukoun hē te Hēra kai hē Lētō dyo eisi mias theou prosēgoriai. palin, ek men Lētous ho Apollōn, ek Hēras ho Arēs gegone, mia de estin amphoterōn dynamis, kai keklētai Arēs men hōs arēgōn tois kata bian kai machēn symptōmasin, Apollōn de hōs apallattōn kai apolyōn tōn peri sōma nosēmatikōn pathōn ton anthrōpon. dio kai tōn empyrōtatōn astrōn kai pyriphlegestatōn ho men hēlios Apollōn keklētai, ho de pyroeidēs Arēs epōnomastai. kai ouk apotropon esti tēn autēn theon gamēlion legesthai kai mētera Eilēthuias kai hēliou nomizesthai. gamou men gar telos genesis esti, genesis de hē eis hēlion kai phōs ek skotous poreia. kai kalōs ephē ho poiētēs Autar epeidē ton ge mogostokos Eilēthuia exagage pro phoōsde kai ēeliou iden augas. eu ho poiētēs tę̄ men prothesei tēn synthesin ethlipsen, emphainōn to bebiasmenon tēs ōdinos, telos de tēs geneseōs epoiēsen hēlion idein. oukoun hē autē theos epoiēse kai gamon synelthein, hina genesin paraskeuasę̄.”

"That Leto is no other than Hera you may learn from this. We call Artemis the daughter of Leto, but we also name her Eileithyia; so Hera and Leto are two names of one goddess. Again, Apollo was born of Leto and Ares of Hera, but both have one power; and he is called Ares as helping (aregon) in the misfortunes of violence and battle, and Apollo as freeing (apallatton) and releasing man from the sicknesses of the body. Therefore, of the most fiery and burning stars, the sun is called Apollo and the fire-colored one is named Ares. Nor is it absurd that the same goddess should be called the goddess of marriage and considered mother of Eileithyia and of the sun. For the end of marriage is birth, and birth is the passage from darkness to the sun and light. And the poet said well: 'But when Eileithyia of the hard labor brought him forth to the light, and he saw the rays of the sun.' The poet did well to compress the compound with the preposition, showing the force of the travail, and to make the end of birth the seeing of the sun. So the same goddess made marriage come together, in order to prepare for birth."

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch argues that Hera and Leto are one goddess, the patroness of marriage and of birth into light.

The verse is Homer, Iliad 16.187–188.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing misread in digitization; digitization slip; words joined in digitization): τεἭρα → τε Ἥρα; ὁἌρης → ὁ Ἄρης; ᾿Απόλλων → Ἀπόλλων; ἐμτυρωτάτων → ἐμπυρωτάτων.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Daedala frag. (Plutarch; quotation); Homer, Il. 16.187 (Homer, Iliad; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.1.5 (Dindorf 1:103–104; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-1-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-1-5) · Report an error

3.1.6Dindorf 1:104

“Δεῖ δὲ ἴσως καὶ τὸν εὐηθέστερον μῦθον εἰπεῖν. λέγεται γὰρ ὁ Ζεὺς, τῆς Ἥρας αὐτῷ διαφερομένης καὶ μηκέτι φοιτᾶν εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ βουλομένης, ἀλλὰ κρυπτούσης ἑαυτὴν, ἀμηχανῶν καὶ πλανώμενος Ἀλαλκομένει τῷ αὐτόχθονι συντυχεῖν, καὶ διδαχθῆναι ὑπὸ τούτου ὡς ἐξαπατητέον τὴν Ἥραν, σκηψάμενον γαμεῖν ἑτέραν. συνεργοῦντος δὲ τοῦ Ἀλαλκομένους κρύφα τεμόντας αὐτοὺς εὐκτέανον καὶ παγκάλην δρῦν μορφῶσαί τε αὐτὴν καὶ καταστεῖλαι νυμφικῶς, Δαιδάλην προσαγορεύσαντας· εἶτα οὕτως ἀναμέλπεσθαι μὲν τὸν ὑμέναιον, λουτρὰ δὲ κομίζειν τὰς Τριτωνίδας νύμφας, αὐλοὺς δὲ καὶ κώμους τὴν Βοιωτίαν παρασχεῖν· περαινομένων δὲ τούτων οὐκέτι τὴν Ἥραν καρτερεῖν, ἀλλὰ καταβᾶσαν ἐκ τοῦ Κιθαιρῶνος, τῶν Πλαταιίδων αὐτῇ γυναικῶν ἑπομένων, ὑπʼ ὀργῆς καὶ ζηλοτυπίας θέουσαν ἐλθεῖν πρὸς τὸν Δία, καὶ τοῦ πλάσματος φανεροῦ γενομένου διαλλαγεῖσαν μετὰ χαρᾶς καὶ γέλωτος αὐτὴν νυμφαγωγεῖν· τιμὴν δὲ τῷ ξοάνῳ προσθεῖναι καὶ Δαίδαλα τὴν ἑορτὴν προσαγορεῦσαι, κατακαῦσαι δὲ ὅμως αὐτὸ, καίπερ ἄψυχον ὂν, ὑπὸ ζηλοτυπίας.”

“Dei de isōs kai ton euēthesteron mython eipein. legetai gar ho Zeus, tēs Hēras autǭ diapheromenēs kai mēketi phoitan eis to auto boulomenēs, alla kryptousēs heautēn, amēchanōn kai planōmenos Alalkomenei tǭ autochthoni syntychein, kai didachthēnai hypo toutou hōs exapatēteon tēn Hēran, skēpsamenon gamein heteran. synergountos de tou Alalkomenous krypha temontas autous eukteanon kai pankalēn dryn morphōsai te autēn kai katasteilai nymphikōs, Daidalēn prosagoreusantas; eita houtōs anamelpesthai men ton hymenaion, loutra de komizein tas Tritōnidas nymphas, aulous de kai kōmous tēn Boiōtian paraschein; perainomenōn de toutōn ouketi tēn Hēran karterein, alla katabasan ek tou Kithairōnos, tōn Plataiidōn autę̄ gynaikōn hepomenōn, hypʼ orgēs kai zēlotypias theousan elthein pros ton Dia, kai tou plasmatos phanerou genomenou diallageisan meta charas kai gelōtos autēn nymphagōgein; timēn de tǭ xoanǭ prostheinai kai Daidala tēn heortēn prosagoreusai, katakausai de homōs auto, kaiper apsychon on, hypo zēlotypias.”

"Perhaps we should also tell the more simple-minded myth. It is said that Zeus, when Hera quarreled with him and would no longer come to him but hid herself, at a loss and wandering about, met Alalcomenes, a native of the land, and was taught by him that he must deceive Hera by pretending to marry another. With Alalcomenes' help they secretly cut down a fine, very beautiful oak, shaped it, dressed it as a bride, and called it Daedale. Then the wedding song was raised, the Tritonian nymphs brought the bridal bath, and Boeotia provided flutes and revels. While this was going on, Hera could hold out no longer, but came down from Cithaeron, followed by the women of Plataea, and in anger and jealousy ran to Zeus. When the pretense was revealed, she was reconciled, and with joy and laughter herself led the bridal procession. She gave honor to the wooden image and called the festival Daedala, but nevertheless burned it, lifeless though it was, out of jealousy."

Notes and citation

Summary: The myth of the wooden bride Daedale explains the Plataean festival of the Daedala.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-break hyphen rejoined): διδαχθῆ- ναι → διδαχθῆναι.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Daedala frag. (Plutarch; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.1.6 (Dindorf 1:104; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-1-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-1-6) · Report an error

3.1.7Dindorf 1:104–105

“Ὁ μὲν οὖν μῦθος τοιοῦτος, ὁ δὲ λόγος αὐτοῦ τοιόσδε. Ἥρας καὶ Δῖός διαφορὰ καὶ στάσις οὐδὲν ἄλλο πλὴν στοιχείων δυσκρασία καὶ τάραχός ἐστιν, ὅταν ἀλλήλοις μηκέτι συμμετρῆται κατὰ κόσμον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνωμαλίας καὶ τραχύτητος ἐγγενομένης δυσμαχήσαντα λύσῃ τὴν κοινωνίαν καὶ φθορὰν τῶν ὅλων ἀπεργάσηται. ἂν μὲν οὖν ὁ Ζεὺς, τουτέστιν ἡ θερμὴ καὶ πυρώδης δύναμις, αἰτίαν παράσχῃ τῆς διαφθορᾶς, αὐχμὸς τὴν γῆν καταλαμβάνει, ἐὰν δὲ περὶ τὴν Ἥραν, τουτέστι τὴν ὑγρὰν καὶ πνευματικὴν φύσιν, ὕβρις τις ἢ πλεονασμὸς γένηται, ῥεῦμα ἦλθε πολὺ καὶ συνώμβρισε καὶ κατέκλυσε τὰ πάντα. τοιούτου δέ τινος γενομένου καὶ περὶ τοὺς τότε χρόνους, καὶ μάλιστα τῆς Βοιωτίας βυθισθείσης, ὡς πρῶτον ἀνέδυ τὸ πεδίον καὶ ἡ πλήμμυρα ἐλώφησεν, ὁ μὲν ἐξ εὐδίας κόσμος τοῦ περιέχοντος ὁμόνοια καὶ διαλλαγὴ τῶν θεῶν ἐλέχθη, πρῶτον δὲ ἀνέσχεν ἐκ τῶν φυτῶν τῆς γῆς ἡ δρῦς, καὶ ταύτην ἠγάπησαν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, τροφῆς βίου καὶ σωτηρίας διαμονὴν παρασχοῦσαν, οὐ γὰρ μόνον τοῖς εὐσεβέσιν, ὡς Ἡσίοδός φησιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ὑπολειφθεῖσι τῆς φθορᾶς Ἄκρη μέν τε φέρει βαλάνους, μέσση δὲ μελίσσας.’’

“Ho men oun mythos toioutos, ho de logos autou toiosde. Hēras kai Dios diaphora kai stasis ouden allo plēn stoicheiōn dyskrasia kai tarachos estin, hotan allēlois mēketi symmetrētai kata kosmon, alla kai anōmalias kai trachytētos engenomenēs dysmachēsanta lysę̄ tēn koinōnian kai phthoran tōn holōn apergasētai. an men oun ho Zeus, toutestin hē thermē kai pyrōdēs dynamis, aitian paraschę̄ tēs diaphthoras, auchmos tēn gēn katalambanei, ean de peri tēn Hēran, toutesti tēn hygran kai pneumatikēn physin, hybris tis ē pleonasmos genētai, rheuma ēlthe poly kai synōmbrise kai kateklyse ta panta. toioutou de tinos genomenou kai peri tous tote chronous, kai malista tēs Boiōtias bythistheisēs, hōs prōton anedy to pedion kai hē plēmmyra elōphēsen, ho men ex eudias kosmos tou periechontos homonoia kai diallagē tōn theōn elechthē, prōton de aneschen ek tōn phytōn tēs gēs hē drys, kai tautēn ēgapēsan hoi anthrōpoi, trophēs biou kai sōtērias diamonēn paraschousan, ou gar monon tois eusebesin, hōs Hēsiodos phēsin, alla kai tois hypoleiphtheisi tēs phthoras Akrē men te pherei balanous, messē de melissas.’’

"Such is the myth; and its meaning is this. The quarrel and strife of Hera and Zeus is nothing else than the bad mixture and disturbance of the elements, when they no longer keep due measure with one another in order, but irregularity and harshness arise and they fight against each other, dissolve their partnership, and bring about the destruction of all things. If Zeus, that is, the hot and fiery power, gives the cause of the destruction, drought seizes the earth; but if excess or superabundance arises in Hera, that is, the moist and airy nature, a great flood comes, rains pour down, and everything is inundated. Something of this kind happened about those times, and Boeotia especially was submerged; and as soon as the plain emerged and the flood abated, the fair order of the surrounding air out of the calm was called the concord and reconciliation of the gods. And first of the plants of the earth the oak rose up, and men loved it, since it provided the continuance of food, life, and safety; for not only to the pious, as Hesiod says, but also to those left over from the destruction 'the oak bears acorns at its top and bees in its middle.'"

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch interprets the quarrel of Zeus and Hera as a disturbance of the elements, a flood after which the oak first appeared.

The quotation is Hesiod, Works and Days 233.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing misread in digitization; digitization slip; line-break hyphen rejoined): τόν φυτῶν → τῶν φυτῶν; οἶ ἄνθρωποι → οἱ ἄνθρωποι; τουτ- έστιν → τουτέστιν.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Daedala frag. (Plutarch; quotation); Hesiod, Op. 233 (Hesiod, Works and Days; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.1.7 (Dindorf 1:104–105; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-1-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-1-7) · Report an error

Preparation 3, chapter 2

3.2.1Dindorf 1:105

Ταῦτα μὲν ὁ Πλούταρχος. ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐκ τῶν παρατεθεισῶν αὐτῷ φωνῶν ὡς ἄρα καὶ ἡ θαυμαστὴ καὶ ἀπόρρητος φυσιολογία τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς θεολογίας θεῖον μὲν οὐδὲν, οὐδέ τι μέγα καὶ θεοπρεπὲς καὶ τῆς ἀνατάσεως ἄξιον ἐπήγετο.

Tauta men ho Ploutarchos. hēmeis de ek tōn paratetheisōn autǭ phōnōn hōs ara kai hē thaumastē kai aporrētos physiologia tēs Hellēnikēs theologias theion men ouden, oude ti mega kai theoprepes kai tēs anataseōs axion epēgeto.

So much Plutarch. And we, from the words he has set out, have learned that even the wonderful and secret natural philosophy of the Greek theology brought with it nothing divine, nothing great, worthy of God, or deserving of such exaltation.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius concludes that Plutarch's secret natural philosophy contains nothing divine.

The main verb of the sentence is missing in the Greek; it is supplied by sense.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.2.1 (Dindorf 1:105; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-2-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-2-1) · Report an error

3.2.2Dindorf 1:105

ἀκήκοας γὰρ τὴν Ἥραν, τοτὲ μὲν γαμήλιον ἀναγορευομένην καὶ τὴν ἀνδρὸς καὶ γυναικὸς συμβίωσιν δηλοῦσαν, τοτὲ δὲ τὴν γῆν πάλιν Ἥραν ὀνομαζομένην, τοτὲ δὲ τὴν ὑγρὰν οὐσίαν, τὸν δὲ Διόνυσον εἰς τὴν μέθην μετενηνεγμένον, εἰς νύκτα δὲ τὴν Λητὼ, καὶ τὸν ἥλιον εἰς Ἀπόλλωνα, καὶ αὐτὸν δὲ τὸν Δία εἰς τὴν θερμὴν καὶ πυρώδη δύναμιν.

akēkoas gar tēn Hēran, tote men gamēlion anagoreuomenēn kai tēn andros kai gynaikos symbiōsin dēlousan, tote de tēn gēn palin Hēran onomazomenēn, tote de tēn hygran ousian, ton de Dionyson eis tēn methēn metenēnegmenon, eis nykta de tēn Lētō, kai ton hēlion eis Apollōna, kai auton de ton Dia eis tēn thermēn kai pyrōdē dynamin.

For you have heard Hera now proclaimed the goddess of marriage and signifying the life together of husband and wife, now again the earth named Hera, now the moist substance; Dionysus turned into drunkenness, Leto into night, the sun into Apollo, and Zeus himself into the hot and fiery power.

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch's allegories turn the gods into marriage, earth, drink, night, sun, and fire.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing misread in digitization): ὁνομαζομένην → ὀνομαζομένην.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.2.2 (Dindorf 1:105; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-2-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-2-2) · Report an error

3.2.3Dindorf 1:105–106

οὐκοῦν πρὸς τῇ τῶν μύθων ἀπρεπείᾳ καὶ ἡ δοκοῦσα σεμνοτέρα διήγησις καὶ φυσιολογία οὐκ ἐπί τινας οὐρανίους νοερὰς καὶ θείας δυνάμεις οὐδʼ ἐπὶ λογικὰς καὶ ἀσωμάτους ἀνῆγεν οὐσίας, κάτω δὲ πάλιν καὶ αὐτὴ εἰς μέθας καὶ γάμους καὶ ἀνθρώπεια πάθη, εἴς τε πῦρ καὶ γῆν καὶ ἥλιον καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς ὕλης στοιχεῖα κατέστρεφε τὰ μέρη τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ πλέον θεοποιοῦσα οὐδέν.

oukoun pros tę̄ tōn mythōn aprepeią kai hē dokousa semnotera diēgēsis kai physiologia ouk epi tinas ouranious noeras kai theias dynameis oudʼ epi logikas kai asōmatous anēgen ousias, katō de palin kai autē eis methas kai gamous kai anthrōpeia pathē, eis te pyr kai gēn kai hēlion kai ta loipa tēs hylēs stoicheia katestrephe ta merē tou kosmou, kai pleon theopoiousa ouden.

So, besides the unseemliness of the myths, even the supposedly more dignified explanation and natural philosophy did not lead up to any heavenly, intellectual, and divine powers, nor to rational and incorporeal beings, but itself again turned the parts of the world downward to drunkenness and marriages and human passions, to fire and earth and sun and the other elements of matter, and deified nothing more.

Notes and citation

Summary: The allegories lead not to spiritual powers but down to matter and human passions.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.2.3 (Dindorf 1:105–106; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-2-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-2-3) · Report an error

3.2.4Dindorf 1:106

τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὁ Πλάτων οἶδεν. ὁμολογεῖ γοῦν διαρρήδην ἐν τῷ Κρατύλῳ μηδὲν πλέον τῶν ὁρωμένων τοῦ κόσμου μερῶν τοὺς πρώτους τῶν περὶ τὴν Ἑλλάδα ἀνθρώπων ἐγνωκέναι, μόνους δὲ θεοὺς εἶναι τοὺς ἐν οὐρανῷ φωστῆρας καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν φαινομένων νομίσαι.

touto de kai ho Platōn oiden. homologei goun diarrēdēn en tǭ Kratylǭ mēden pleon tōn horōmenōn tou kosmou merōn tous prōtous tōn peri tēn Hellada anthrōpōn egnōkenai, monous de theous einai tous en ouranǭ phōstēras kai ta loipa tōn phainomenōn nomisai.

Plato too knows this. At any rate he confesses plainly in the Cratylus that the first men in Greece knew nothing more than the visible parts of the world, and thought that the only gods were the luminaries of heaven and the rest of the phenomena.

Notes and citation

Summary: Plato admits that the first Greeks knew only the visible heavenly bodies as gods.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (digitization slip (Latin E and quotation mark for Ἑ); stray mark in digitization): Πλάτωνʼ → Πλάτων; ‘Eλλάδα → Ἑλλάδα.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.2.4 (Dindorf 1:106; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-2-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-2-4) · Report an error

3.2.5Dindorf 1:106

λέγει δʼ οὖν ὧδε πρὸς λέξιν ‟ Φαίνονταί μοι οἱ πρῶτοι τῶν ἀνθρώπων περὶ τὴν Ἑλλάδα τούτους μόνους θεοὺς ἡγεῖσθαι οὕσπερ νῦν πολλοὶ τῶν βαρβάρων, ἥλιον καὶ σελήνην καὶ γῆν καὶ ἄστρα καὶ οὐρανόν.

legei dʼ oun hōde pros lexin ‟ Phainontai moi hoi prōtoi tōn anthrōpōn peri tēn Hellada toutous monous theous hēgeisthai housper nyn polloi tōn barbarōn, hēlion kai selēnēn kai gēn kai astra kai ouranon.

He says, word for word: "It seems to me that the first men in Greece held as gods only these, which many of the barbarians hold now: sun and moon and earth and stars and heaven."

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius quotes the Cratylus passage again.

Plato, Cratylus 397c (quoted also in 1.9.12).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing misread in digitization): οἶ πρῶτοι → οἱ πρῶτοι.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Crat. 397c (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.2.5 (Dindorf 1:106; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-2-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-2-5) · Report an error

3.2.6Dindorf 1:106

Ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν Ἑλληνικὰ τοιαῦτα· ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ τὰ τούτων παλαίτατα· ἦν δὲ τὰ Αἰγυπτία. τὴν Ἶσίν φασι καὶ Ὄσιριν τὸν ἥλιον καὶ τὴν σελήνην εἶναι, καὶ Δία μὲν τὸ διὰ πάντων χωροῦν πνεῦμα, Ἥφαιστον δὲ τὸ πῦρ, τὴν δὲ γῆν Δήμητρα ἐπονομάσαι, ὠκεανόν τε τὸ ὑγρὸν νομίζεσθαι παρʼ Αἰγυπτίοις καὶ τὸν παρʼ αὐτοῖς ποταμὸν Νεῖλον, ᾧ καὶ τὰς τῶν θεῶν ἀναθεῖναι γενέσεις· τὸν δὲ ἀέρα φασὶν αὐτοὺς προσαγορεύειν Ἀθηνᾶν.

Alla ta men Hellēnika toiauta; idōmen de kai ta toutōn palaitata; ēn de ta Aigyptia. tēn Isin phasi kai Osirin ton hēlion kai tēn selēnēn einai, kai Dia men to dia pantōn chōroun pneuma, Hēphaiston de to pyr, tēn de gēn Dēmētra eponomasai, ōkeanon te to hygron nomizesthai parʼ Aigyptiois kai ton parʼ autois potamon Neilon, hǭ kai tas tōn theōn anatheinai geneseis; ton de aera phasin autous prosagoreuein Athēnan.

Such, then, are the Greek doctrines; let us see also those older than these, the Egyptian. They say that Isis and Osiris are the sun and the moon; that Zeus is the spirit that pervades all things, Hephaestus fire, and that they named the earth Demeter; that the moist element is considered Oceanus among the Egyptians, and their own river the Nile, to which they ascribed the births of the gods; and that they call the air Athena.

Notes and citation

Summary: In Egyptian allegory Isis and Osiris are sun and moon, and the other gods are elements.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing misread in digitization): ᾿Ισίν → Ἶσίν.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.2.6 (Dindorf 1:106; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-2-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-2-6) · Report an error

3.2.7Dindorf 1:106–107

τούτους δὲ τοὺς πέντε θεοὺς, τὸν Ἀέρα λέγω καὶ τὸ Ὕδωρ τό τε Πῦρ καὶ τὴν Γῆν καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα, τὴν πᾶσαν οἰκουμένην ἐπιπορεύεσθαι, ἄλλοτε ἄλλως εἰς μορφὰς καὶ ἰδέας ἀνθρώπων τε καὶ παντοίων ζῴων σχηματιζομένους, καὶ τούτων ὁμωνύμους παρʼ αὐτοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις γεγονέναι θνητοὺς ἀνθρώπους, Ἥλιον καὶ Κρόνον καὶ ῾Ρέαν, ἔτι δὲ Δία καὶ Ἥραν καὶ Ἥφαιστον καὶ Ἑστίαν ἐπονομασθέντας. γράφει δὲ καὶ τὰ περὶ τούτων πλατύτερον μὲν ὁ Μανεθῶς, ἐπιτετμημένως δὲ ὁ Διόδωρος ἐν τῇ προλεχθείσῃ αὐτοῦ γραφῇ ὧδέ πως ἱστορῶν κατὰ λέξιν

toutous de tous pente theous, ton Aera legō kai to Hydōr to te Pyr kai tēn Gēn kai to Pneuma, tēn pasan oikoumenēn epiporeuesthai, allote allōs eis morphas kai ideas anthrōpōn te kai pantoiōn zǭōn schēmatizomenous, kai toutōn homōnymous parʼ autois Aigyptiois gegonenai thnētous anthrōpous, Hēlion kai Kronon kai ῾Rean, eti de Dia kai Hēran kai Hēphaiston kai Hestian eponomasthentas. graphei de kai ta peri toutōn platyteron men ho Manethōs, epitetmēmenōs de ho Diodōros en tę̄ prolechtheisę̄ autou graphę̄ hōde pōs historōn kata lexin

These five gods, I mean Air, Water, Fire, Earth, and Spirit, go about the whole inhabited world, taking now one shape and now another, the forms and appearances of men and of all kinds of animals; and among the Egyptians themselves there were mortal men of the same names as these, called Helios, Cronus, and Rhea, and also Zeus, Hera, Hephaestus, and Hestia. Manetho writes about these things more fully, and Diodorus in summary, in the work mentioned before, recording somewhat as follows, word for word:

Notes and citation

Summary: The five elemental gods take many forms, and Egyptian kings bore their names; Eusebius quotes Diodorus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (iota subscript lost in digitization; stray accent in digitization; stray mark and accent misread in digitization): Πύρʼ → Πῦρ; πλάτύτερον → πλατύτερον; γραφῆ → γραφῇ.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.2.7 (Dindorf 1:106–107; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-2-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-2-7) · Report an error

Preparation 3, chapter 3

3.3.1Dindorf 1:107

‟ Τούτους δὲ τοὺς θεοὺς, τὸν Ἥλιον, φασὶ, καὶ τὴν Σελήνην, Ὄσιριν ὄντας κατʼ Αἰγυπτίους καὶ Ἶσιν, τὸν σύμπαντα κόσμον διοικεῖν τρέφοντάς τε καὶ αὔξοντας πάντα τριμερέσιν ὥραις, ἀοράτῳ κινήσει τὴν περίοδον ἀπαρτιζούσαις, τῇ τε ἐαρινῇ καὶ θερινῇ καὶ χειμερινῇ· ταύτας δὲ ἐναντιωτάτην ἀλλήλαις τὴν φύσιν ἐχούσας ἀπαρτίζειν τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν ἀρίστῃ συμφωνίᾳ.

‟ Toutous de tous theous, ton Hēlion, phasi, kai tēn Selēnēn, Osirin ontas katʼ Aigyptious kai Isin, ton sympanta kosmon dioikein trephontas te kai auxontas panta trimeresin hōrais, aoratǭ kinēsei tēn periodon apartizousais, tę̄ te earinę̄ kai therinę̄ kai cheimerinę̄; tautas de enantiōtatēn allēlais tēn physin echousas apartizein ton eniauton aristę̄ symphōnią.

"These gods, they say, the Sun and the Moon, who are Osiris and Isis among the Egyptians, govern the whole universe, nourishing and increasing all things by the three seasons that complete the cycle in an invisible movement, spring, summer, and winter; and these, though most opposite in nature to one another, complete the year in the best harmony.

Notes and citation

Summary: Diodorus says Osiris and Isis, the sun and moon, govern the world through the seasons.

Diodorus, Library 1.11.5–1.13.2 (sections 3.3.1–10).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing misread in digitization): ᾿Ισιν → Ἶσιν.

Extrabiblical texts: Diodorus Siculus, 1.11.5 (Diodorus Siculus, Library of History; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.1 (Dindorf 1:107; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-1) · Report an error

3.3.2Dindorf 1:107

φύσιν δὲ συμβάλλεσθαι πλείστην εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀπάντων ζωογονίαν τῶν θεῶν τούτων, τὸν μὲν πυρώδους καὶ πνεύματος, τὴν δὲ ὑγροῦ καὶ ξηροῦ, κοινῇ δʼ ἀμφοτέρους ἀέρος· καὶ διὰ τούτων πάντα γεννᾶσθαι καὶ τρέφεσθαι. διὸ καὶ τὸ μὲν ἅπαν σῶμα τῆς τῶν ὅλων φύσεως ἐξ ἡλίου καὶ σελήνης ἀπαρτίζεσθαι, τὰ δὲ τούτων μέρη πέντε τὰ προειρημένα, τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ τὸ πῦρ καὶ τὸ ξηρὸν, ἔτι δὲ τὸ ὑγρὸν, καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον τὸ ἀερῶδες, ὥσπερ ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπου κεφαλὴν καὶ χεῖρας καὶ πόδας καὶ τὰ ἄλλα μέρη καταριθμοῦμεν, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον τὸ σῶμα τοῦ κόσμου συγκεῖσθαι πᾶν ἐκ τῶν προειρημένων.

physin de symballesthai pleistēn eis tēn tōn apantōn zōogonian tōn theōn toutōn, ton men pyrōdous kai pneumatos, tēn de hygrou kai xērou, koinę̄ dʼ amphoterous aeros; kai dia toutōn panta gennasthai kai trephesthai. dio kai to men hapan sōma tēs tōn holōn physeōs ex hēliou kai selēnēs apartizesthai, ta de toutōn merē pente ta proeirēmena, to pneuma kai to pyr kai to xēron, eti de to hygron, kai to teleutaion to aerōdes, hōsper epʼ anthrōpou kephalēn kai cheiras kai podas kai ta alla merē katarithmoumen, ton auton tropon to sōma tou kosmou synkeisthai pan ek tōn proeirēmenōn.

These gods contribute most to the generation of all living things, the one of the fiery and spiritual nature, the other of the moist and dry, and both in common of the airy; and through these all things are begotten and nourished. Therefore the whole body of the nature of the universe is completed from the sun and moon, and their parts are the five mentioned before, spirit, fire, the dry, the moist, and lastly the airy; and just as in a man we count head, hands, feet, and the other parts, in the same way the whole body of the world is composed of those mentioned.

Notes and citation

Summary: The sun and moon, with the five elements as parts, make up the body of the universe.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray mark in digitization): ἑ ’ξ ἡλίου → ἐξ ἡλίου.

Extrabiblical texts: Diodorus Siculus, 1.11.6 (Diodorus Siculus, Library of History; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.2 (Dindorf 1:107; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-2) · Report an error

3.3.3Dindorf 1:107

τούτων δʼ ἕκαστον θεὸν νομίσαι, καὶ προσηγορίαν ἰδίαν ἑκάστῳ θεῖναι κατὰ τὸ οἰκεῖον, τοὺς πρώτους διαλέκτῳ χρησαμένους διηρθρωμένῃ τῶν κατʼ Αἴγυπτον ἀνθρώπων. τὸ μὲν οὖν πνεῦμα Δία προσαγορεῦσαι μεθερμηνευομένης τῆς λέξεως· ὃν αἴτιον ὄντα τοῦ ψυχικοῦ τοῖς ζῴοις ἐνόμισαν ὑπάρχειν πάντων οἱονεί τινα πατέρα.

toutōn dʼ hekaston theon nomisai, kai prosēgorian idian hekastǭ theinai kata to oikeion, tous prōtous dialektǭ chrēsamenous diērthrōmenę̄ tōn katʼ Aigypton anthrōpōn. to men oun pneuma Dia prosagoreusai methermēneuomenēs tēs lexeōs; hon aition onta tou psychikou tois zǭois enomisan hyparchein pantōn hoionei tina patera.

Each of these the first men in Egypt to use articulate speech considered a god and gave each its own name according to its nature. Spirit they called Zeus, by translation of the word; regarding him as the cause of the soul in living things, they considered him a kind of father of all.

Notes and citation

Summary: The Egyptians named spirit Zeus, father of all living things.

Extrabiblical texts: Diodorus Siculus, 1.12.1 (Diodorus Siculus, Library of History; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.3 (Dindorf 1:107; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-3) · Report an error

3.3.4Dindorf 1:107–108

συμφωνεῖν δὲ τούτοις φασὶ καὶ τὸν ἐπιφανέστατον τῶν παρʼ Ἕλλησι ποιητῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦτο λέγοντα, πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε. τὸ δὲ πῦρ μεθερμηνευόμενον Ἥφαιστον ὀνομάσαι, νομίσαντας μέγαν εἶναι θεὸν καὶ πολλὰ συμβάλλεσθαι πᾶσιν εἰς γένεσίν τε καὶ τελείαν αὔξησιν. τὴν δὲ γῆν ὥσπερ ἀγγεῖόν τι τῶν φυομένων ὑπολαμβάνοντας μητέρα προσαγορεῦσαι· καὶ τοὺς Ἕλληνας δὲ ταύτην παραπλησίως Δήμητρα καλεῖν, βραχὺ μετατεθείσης διὰ τὸν χρόνον τῆς λέξεως.

symphōnein de toutois phasi kai ton epiphanestaton tōn parʼ Hellēsi poiētōn epi tou theou touto legonta, patēr andrōn te theōn te. to de pyr methermēneuomenon Hēphaiston onomasai, nomisantas megan einai theon kai polla symballesthai pasin eis genesin te kai teleian auxēsin. tēn de gēn hōsper angeion ti tōn phyomenōn hypolambanontas mētera prosagoreusai; kai tous Hellēnas de tautēn paraplēsiōs Dēmētra kalein, brachy metatetheisēs dia ton chronon tēs lexeōs.

They say that the most famous of the Greek poets also agrees with them, saying of the god, 'father of men and gods.' Fire, translated, they named Hephaestus, considering him a great god who contributes much to all things for their generation and full growth. The earth, which they regarded as a kind of vessel of growing things, they called Mother; and the Greeks likewise call her Demeter, the word having been slightly changed over time.

Notes and citation

Summary: Fire was named Hephaestus and earth Mother, the Greek Demeter.

The phrase is Homer, Iliad 1.544 and elsewhere.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray mark in digitization): τε.᾿ τὸ → τε. τὸ.

Extrabiblical texts: Diodorus Siculus, 1.12.2 (Diodorus Siculus, Library of History; quotation); Homer, Il. 1.544 (Homer, Iliad; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.4 (Dindorf 1:107–108; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-4) · Report an error

3.3.5Dindorf 1:108

τὸ γὰρ παλαιὸν ὀνομάζεσθαι γῆν μητέρα, καθάπερ καὶ τὸν Ὀρφέα προσμαρτυρεῖν λέγοντα, Γῆ μήτηρ πάντων, Δημήτηρ πλουτοδότειρα. τὸ δʼ ὑγρὸν ὀνομάσαι λέγουσι τοὺς παλαιοὺς ὠκεανὸν, ὃ μεθερμηνευόμενον μὲν εἶναι τροφῆς μητέρα, παρʼ ἐνίοις δὲ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ὠκεανὸν ὑπάρχειν ὑπειλῆφθαι, περὶ οὗ καὶ τὸν ποιητὴν λέγειν Ὠκεανόν τε θεῶν γένεσιν καὶ μητέρα Τηθύν.

to gar palaion onomazesthai gēn mētera, kathaper kai ton Orphea prosmartyrein legonta, Gē mētēr pantōn, Dēmētēr ploutodoteira. to dʼ hygron onomasai legousi tous palaious ōkeanon, ho methermēneuomenon men einai trophēs mētera, parʼ eniois de tōn Hellēnōn ōkeanon hyparchein hypeilēphthai, peri hou kai ton poiētēn legein Ōkeanon te theōn genesin kai mētera Tēthyn.

For in ancient times she was called Earth Mother, as Orpheus also testifies, saying: 'Earth, mother of all, Demeter giver of wealth.' The moist element, they say, the ancients named Oceanus, which when translated means 'mother of food'; but some of the Greeks have taken it to be Ocean, of which the poet says: 'Oceanus, the origin of the gods, and mother Tethys.'

Notes and citation

Summary: Earth was called Mother; water was called Oceanus, origin of the gods.

An Orphic verse; and Homer, Iliad 14.201.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization): οὑ καὶ → οὗ καὶ.

Extrabiblical texts: Diodorus Siculus, 1.12.4 (Diodorus Siculus, Library of History; quotation); Orpheus (attributed), Orph. frag. (Orpheus (attributed), Orphic poems (fragments); quotation); Homer, Il. 14.201 (Homer, Iliad; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.5 (Dindorf 1:108; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-5) · Report an error

3.3.6Dindorf 1:108

οἱ γὰρ Αἰγύπτιοι νομίζουσιν ὠκεανὸν εἶναι τὸν παρʼ αὐτοῖς ποταμὸν Νεῖλον, πρὸς ᾧ καὶ τὰς τῶν θεῶν γενέσεις ὑπάρξαι. τῆς γὰρ πάσης οἰκουμένης κατὰ μόνην τὴν Αἴγυπτον εἷναι πόλεις πολλὰς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀρχαίων θεῶν ἐκτισμένας· οἷον Δῖός, Ἡλίου, Ἑρμοῦ, Ἀπόλλωνος, Πανὸς, Εἰληθυίας, ἄλλων πλειόνων.

hoi gar Aigyptioi nomizousin ōkeanon einai ton parʼ autois potamon Neilon, pros hǭ kai tas tōn theōn geneseis hyparxai. tēs gar pasēs oikoumenēs kata monēn tēn Aigypton heinai poleis pollas hypo tōn archaiōn theōn ektismenas; hoion Dios, Hēliou, Hermou, Apollōnos, Panos, Eilēthuias, allōn pleionōn.

For the Egyptians consider their own river, the Nile, to be Oceanus, and say that the births of the gods took place beside it. For of the whole inhabited world Egypt alone has many cities founded by the ancient gods, such as those of Zeus, Helios, Hermes, Apollo, Pan, Eileithyia, and many others.

Notes and citation

Summary: The Egyptians identify the Nile with Oceanus and have many cities founded by gods.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization; breathing misread in digitization): οἶ γὰρ → οἱ γὰρ; οἶον Δῖός → οἷον Δῖός.

Extrabiblical texts: Diodorus Siculus, 1.12.6 (Diodorus Siculus, Library of History; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.6 (Dindorf 1:108; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-6) · Report an error

3.3.7Dindorf 1:108

τὸν δὲ ἀέρα προσαγορεῦσαί φασιν Ἀθηνᾶν, μεθερμηνευομένης τῆς λέξεως, καὶ Δῖός θυγατέρα γε νομίσαι ταύτην, καὶ παρθένον ὑποστήσασθαι διά τε τὸ ἄφθορον εἶναι φύσει τὸν ἀέρα καὶ τὸν ἀκρότατον ἐπέχειν τόπον τοῦ σύμπαντος κόσμου· διόπερ ἐκ τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ Δῖός μυθολογηθῆναι γενέσθαι ταύτην. ὠνομάσθαι δὲ αὐτὴν καὶ τριτογένειαν ἀπὸ τοῦ τρὶς μεταβάλλειν τὴν φύσιν αὐτῆς κατʼ ἐνιαυτὸν, ἔαρος καὶ θέρους καὶ χειμῶνος.

ton de aera prosagoreusai phasin Athēnan, methermēneuomenēs tēs lexeōs, kai Dios thygatera ge nomisai tautēn, kai parthenon hypostēsasthai dia te to aphthoron einai physei ton aera kai ton akrotaton epechein topon tou sympantos kosmou; dioper ek tēs koryphēs tou Dios mythologēthēnai genesthai tautēn. ōnomasthai de autēn kai tritogeneian apo tou tris metaballein tēn physin autēs katʼ eniauton, earos kai therous kai cheimōnos.

The air, they say, they called Athena, by translation of the word, and considered her the daughter of Zeus, and made her a virgin because the air is by nature incorruptible and occupies the highest place of the whole world; therefore it was said in myth that she was born from the head of Zeus. She was also named Tritogeneia because her nature changes three times a year, in spring, summer, and winter.

Notes and citation

Summary: The air was named Athena, the virgin daughter born from Zeus's head.

Extrabiblical texts: Diodorus Siculus, 1.12.7 (Diodorus Siculus, Library of History; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.7 (Dindorf 1:108; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-7) · Report an error

3.3.8Dindorf 1:108–109

λέγεσθαι δὲ αὐτὴν καὶ γλαυκῶπιν, οὐχ ὥσπερ ἔνιοι τῶν Ἑλλήνων ὑπέλαβον ἀπὸ τοῦ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς γλαυκοὺς ἔχειν· τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ εὔηθες ὑπάρχειν· ἀλλὰ ἀπὸ τοῦ τὸν ἀέρα τὴν πρόσοψιν ἔχειν ἔγγλαυκον. φασὶ δὲ τοὺς πέντε θεοὺς τοὺς προειρημένους τὴν πᾶσαν οἰκουμένην ἐπιπορεύεσθαι φανταζομένους τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐν ἱερῶν ζῴων μορφαῖς, ἔστι δʼ ὅτε καὶ εἰς ἀνθρώπων ἰδέας ἤ τινων ἄλλων μεταβάλλοντας.

legesthai de autēn kai glaukōpin, ouch hōsper enioi tōn Hellēnōn hypelabon apo tou tous ophthalmous glaukous echein; touto men gar euēthes hyparchein; alla apo tou ton aera tēn prosopsin echein englaukon. phasi de tous pente theous tous proeirēmenous tēn pasan oikoumenēn epiporeuesthai phantazomenous tois anthrōpois en hierōn zǭōn morphais, esti dʼ hote kai eis anthrōpōn ideas ē tinōn allōn metaballontas.

She is also called Glaucopis, not, as some of the Greeks supposed, from having grey eyes (for that is silly), but because the air has a bluish appearance. They say that the five gods mentioned go about the whole inhabited world, appearing to men in the forms of sacred animals, and sometimes changing into the appearance of men or of other things.

Notes and citation

Summary: Athena is 'grey-eyed' because the air is blue; the five gods appear in animal and human forms.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (digitization slip): ἐπιτορεύεσθαι → ἐπιπορεύεσθαι.

Extrabiblical texts: Diodorus Siculus, 1.12.8 (Diodorus Siculus, Library of History; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.8 (Dindorf 1:108–109; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-8) · Report an error

3.3.9Dindorf 1:109

καὶ τοῦτο μὴ μυθῶδες ὑπάρχειν, ἀλλὰ δύνατον εἴπερ οὗτοι πρὸς ἀλήθειάν εἰσιν οἱ πάντα γεννῶντες. καὶ τὸν ποιητὴν δʼ εἰς Αἴγυπτον παραβαλόντα καὶ μετασχόντα παρὰ τῶν ἱερέων τῶν τοιούτων λόγων, θεῖναί που κατὰ ποίησιν τὸ προειρημένον ὡς γινόμενον, Καί τε θεοὶ ξείνοισιν ἐοικότες ἀλλοδαποῖσι παντοῖοι τελέθοντες ἐπιστρωφῶσι πόληας, ἀνθρώπων ὕβριν τε καὶ εὐνομίην ἐσορῶντες. περὶ μὲν οὑν τῶν ἐν οὐρανῷ θεῶν καὶ γένεσιν ἀίδιον ἐσχηκότων τοσαῦτα λέγουσιν Αἰγύπτιοι.”

kai touto mē mythōdes hyparchein, alla dynaton eiper houtoi pros alētheian eisin hoi panta gennōntes. kai ton poiētēn dʼ eis Aigypton parabalonta kai metaschonta para tōn hiereōn tōn toioutōn logōn, theinai pou kata poiēsin to proeirēmenon hōs ginomenon, Kai te theoi xeinoisin eoikotes allodapoisi pantoioi telethontes epistrōphōsi polēas, anthrōpōn hybrin te kai eunomiēn esorōntes. peri men houn tōn en ouranǭ theōn kai genesin aidion eschēkotōn tosauta legousin Aigyptioi.”

And this is not mythical, but possible, if these are truly the ones who beget all things. And the poet too, having visited Egypt and shared in such accounts from the priests, set down the above somewhere in his poetry as actually happening: 'And the gods, like strangers from abroad, taking all kinds of shapes, go about the cities, watching the violence and the good order of men.' Such are the things the Egyptians say about the gods in heaven who have had an eternal origin."

Notes and citation

Summary: Homer learned from the Egyptian priests that the gods visit cities in disguise.

The verses are Homer, Odyssey 17.485–487.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization; breathing misread in digitization; letter lost in digitization): οἶ πάντα → οἱ πάντα; κάτα ποίησιν → κατὰ ποίησιν; Αἰγύπτιο.” → Αἰγύπτιοι.”.

Extrabiblical texts: Diodorus Siculus, 1.12.10 (Diodorus Siculus, Library of History; quotation); Homer, Od. 17.485 (Homer, Odyssey; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.9 (Dindorf 1:109; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-9) · Report an error

3.3.10Dindorf 1:109

Ἄλλους δὲ ἐκ τούτων ἐπιγείους γενέσθαι φασὶν, ὑπάρξαντας μὲν θνητοὺς, διὰ δὲ σύνεσιν καὶ κοινὴν ἀνθρώπων εὐεργεσίαν τετευχότας τῆς ἀθανασίας, ὧν ἐνίους καὶ βασιλεῖς γεγονέναι κατὰ τὴν Αἴγυπτον. μεθερμηνευομένων δʼ αὐτῶν τινὰς μὲν ὁμωνύμους ὑπάρχειν τοῖς οὐρανίοις, τινὰς δὲ ἰδίαν ἐσχηκέναι προσηγορίαν, Ἥλιον τε καὶ Κρόνον καὶ Ῥέαν, ἔτι δὲ Δία τὸν ὑπό τινων Ἄμμωνα προσαγορευόμενον, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις Ἥραν καὶ Ἥφαιστον, ἔτι δὲ Ἑστίαν, καὶ τελευταῖον Ἑρμῆν. καὶ πρῶτον μὲν Ἥλιον βασιλεῦσαι τῶν κατʼ Αἴγυπτον, ὄντα τῷ κατʼ οὐρανὸν ἄστρῳ.”

Allous de ek toutōn epigeious genesthai phasin, hyparxantas men thnētous, dia de synesin kai koinēn anthrōpōn euergesian teteuchotas tēs athanasias, hōn enious kai basileis gegonenai kata tēn Aigypton. methermēneuomenōn dʼ autōn tinas men homōnymous hyparchein tois ouraniois, tinas de idian eschēkenai prosēgorian, Hēlion te kai Kronon kai Rhean, eti de Dia ton hypo tinōn Ammōna prosagoreuomenon, pros de toutois Hēran kai Hēphaiston, eti de Hestian, kai teleutaion Hermēn. kai prōton men Hēlion basileusai tōn katʼ Aigypton, onta tǭ katʼ ouranon astrǭ.”

"Others, they say, sprang from these and were earthly, being mortal at first but having obtained immortality because of their intelligence and their common benefits to mankind; and some of them were also kings in Egypt. Of these, when translated, some have the same names as the heavenly ones and some have had their own: Helios, Cronus, and Rhea, and Zeus, called Ammon by some, and besides these Hera and Hephaestus, Hestia, and lastly Hermes. And Helios was the first to reign over Egypt, bearing the same name as the star in heaven."

Notes and citation

Summary: Earthly gods, deified kings, bore the names of the heavenly ones; Helios was the first king.

Diodorus 1.13.1–2 (compare 2.1.2–3). The word "same-named" (ὁμώνυμον) is missing in the digital text and is supplied by sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing and accent lost in digitization; breathing lost in digitization; letters transposed in digitization): Ρέαν → Ῥέαν; Ἄμμωαν → Ἄμμωνα; Ηλιον → Ἥλιον.

Extrabiblical texts: Diodorus Siculus, 1.13.1 (Diodorus Siculus, Library of History; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.10 (Dindorf 1:109; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-10) · Report an error

3.3.11Dindorf 1:109–110

Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ὁ δηλωθεὶς συγγραφεύς. καὶ ὁ Πλούταρχος δὲ ἐν τῷ Περὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν Ἶσιν αὐτοῦ συγγράμματι τάδε γράφει κατὰ λέξιν ‟ Ἀπʼ ἄλλης δὲ ἀρχῆς τῶν φιλοσοφώτερόν τι λέγειν δοκούντων τοὺς ἁπλουστάτους σκεψώμεθα πρῶτον. οὗτοι δʼ εἰσὶν οἱ λέγοντες, ὥσπερ Ἕλληνες Κρόνον ἀλληγοροῦσι τὸν χρόνον, Ἥραν δὲ τὸν ἀέρα, γένεσιν δὲ Ἡφαίστου τὴν εἰς τὸ πῦρ ἀέρος μεταβολὴν, οὕτω παρʼ Αἰγυπτίοις Νεῖλον εἶναι τὸν Ὄσιριν, Ἴσιδι συνόντα τῇ γῇ, Τυφῶνα δὲ τὴν θάλασσαν, εἰς ἣν ὁ Νεῖλος ἐμπίπτων ἀφανίζεται.”

Tauta men oun ho dēlōtheis syngrapheus. kai ho Ploutarchos de en tǭ Peri tōn kata tēn Isin autou syngrammati tade graphei kata lexin ‟ Apʼ allēs de archēs tōn philosophōteron ti legein dokountōn tous haploustatous skepsōmetha prōton. houtoi dʼ eisin hoi legontes, hōsper Hellēnes Kronon allēgorousi ton chronon, Hēran de ton aera, genesin de Hēphaistou tēn eis to pyr aeros metabolēn, houtō parʼ Aigyptiois Neilon einai ton Osirin, Isidi synonta tę̄ gę̄, Typhōna de tēn thalassan, eis hēn ho Neilos empiptōn aphanizetai.”

So much the historian cited. And Plutarch too, in his work On Isis, writes this, word for word: "Let us look first, from another starting point, at the simplest of those who seem to say something more philosophical. These are the ones who say that, as the Greeks allegorize Cronus as time (chronos), Hera as the air, and the birth of Hephaestus as the change of air into fire, so among the Egyptians Osiris is the Nile, consorting with Isis, the earth, and Typhon is the sea, into which the Nile falls and disappears."

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch reports that some Egyptians allegorized Osiris as the Nile, Isis as earth, and Typhon as the sea.

Plutarch, On Isis and Osiris 32 (363d).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing misread in digitization): ᾿Ισιν → Ἶσιν.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Is. Os. 32 (Plutarch; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.11 (Dindorf 1:109–110; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-11) · Report an error

3.3.12Dindorf 1:110

Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα εἰπὼν πάλιν εἰς δαίμονας ἀναφέρει τοὺς περὶ τῶν δηλουμένων θεῶν μύθους, καὶ πάλιν ἄλλως ἀποδίδωσι, καὶ αὖθις ἑτέρως ἀλληγορῶν.

Tauta kai ta toiauta eipōn palin eis daimonas anapherei tous peri tōn dēloumenōn theōn mythous, kai palin allōs apodidōsi, kai authis heterōs allēgorōn.

Having said these and similar things, he again refers the myths about the gods in question to demons, and again explains them otherwise, and yet again allegorizes them in another way.

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch shifts between allegorical and demonic explanations.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.12 (Dindorf 1:110; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-12) · Report an error

3.3.13Dindorf 1:110

ἦν δʼ ἂν κατὰ λόγον πυθέσθαι ὁποτέρων θεῶν τὰ ξόανα τὰς ἐντετυπωμένας μορφὰς σώζειν φήσουσιν. πότερα δαιμόνων; ἀλλὰ πυρὸς καὶ ἀέρος καὶ γῆς καὶ ὕδατος, ἢ ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν εἰκόνας, καὶ ζῴων ἀλόγων καὶ θηρίων σχήματα;

ēn dʼ an kata logon pythesthai hopoterōn theōn ta xoana tas entetypōmenas morphas sōzein phēsousin. potera daimonōn? alla pyros kai aeros kai gēs kai hydatos, ē andrōn kai gynaikōn eikonas, kai zǭōn alogōn kai thēriōn schēmata?

It would be reasonable to ask of which gods they will say the images preserve the forms carved on them. Of demons? Or of fire, air, earth, and water? Or are they likenesses of men and women, and shapes of irrational animals and beasts?

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius asks whose likeness the idols actually represent.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.13 (Dindorf 1:110; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-13) · Report an error

3.3.14Dindorf 1:110

ἐπεὶ γὰρ καὶ πρὸς αὐτῶν συγκεχώρηται ὁμωνύμως ἡλίῳ καὶ τοῖς καθόλου στοιχείοις θνητούς τινας ἄνδρας γεγονέναι, καὶ τούτους θεοὺς ἀνηγορεῦσθαι, τίνων εἰκὸς ἂν εἴη μορφὰς καὶ εἰκόνας λέγειν τὰς ἐν τοῖς ἀψύχοις ξοάνοις γλυφάς; πότερον τῶν καθόλου στοιχείων, ἢ, ὅπερ καὶ τὸ ἐναργὲς τῆς ὄψεως ἐπιδείκνυσι, τῶν ἐν νεκροῖς κειμένων θνητῶν;

epei gar kai pros autōn synkechōrētai homōnymōs hēliǭ kai tois katholou stoicheiois thnētous tinas andras gegonenai, kai toutous theous anēgoreusthai, tinōn eikos an eiē morphas kai eikonas legein tas en tois apsychois xoanois glyphas? poteron tōn katholou stoicheiōn, ē, hoper kai to enarges tēs opseōs epideiknysi, tōn en nekrois keimenōn thnētōn?

For since they themselves concede that certain mortal men bore the same names as the sun and the universal elements and were proclaimed gods, whose forms and likenesses would it be reasonable to call the carvings in lifeless images? Those of the universal elements, or, as the plain evidence of sight shows, those of mortals lying among the dead?

Notes and citation

Summary: The images plainly represent dead men, not elements.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing lost in digitization): έν τοῖς → ἐν τοῖς.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.14 (Dindorf 1:110; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-14) · Report an error

3.3.15Dindorf 1:110

ἀλλʼ εἰ καὶ αὐτοὶ μὴ λέγοιεν, ὅ γέ τοι ἀληθὴς λόγος βοᾷ καὶ κέκραγε, μονονουχὶ φωνὴν ἀφιεὶς, θνητοὺς ἄνδρας μαρτυρῶν γεγονέναι τοὺς δηλουμένους. ὁ δὲ Πλούταρχος καὶ τῶν σωμάτων αὐτῶν ἐκ περιουσίας τὸν ποῖον ὑπογράφει τοῦ σχήματος χαρακτῆρα, ἐν τοῖς Περὶ τῆς Ἴσιδος καὶ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων θεῶν ὧδέ πως λέγων

allʼ ei kai autoi mē legoien, ho ge toi alēthēs logos boą kai kekrage, mononouchi phōnēn aphieis, thnētous andras martyrōn gegonenai tous dēloumenous. ho de Ploutarchos kai tōn sōmatōn autōn ek periousias ton poion hypographei tou schēmatos charaktēra, en tois Peri tēs Isidos kai tōn Aigyptiōn theōn hōde pōs legōn

But even if they themselves do not say so, the true account cries aloud, all but uttering a voice, bearing witness that those in question were mortal men. And Plutarch, over and above, describes even the character of their bodily appearance, in his work On Isis and the Egyptian Gods, speaking somewhat as follows:

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch even records what the Egyptian gods looked like.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing lost in digitization; stray mark and accents lost in digitization): ’τον ποῖον ὑπογράφει του σχήματος → τὸν ποῖον ὑπογράφει τοῦ σχήματος; έν τοῖς → ἐν τοῖς.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.15 (Dindorf 1:110; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-15) · Report an error

3.3.16Dindorf 1:110–111

‟ Ἱστοροῦσι γὰρ Αἰγύπτιοι τὸν μὲν Ἑρμῆν τῷ σώματι γενέσθαι γαλιάγκωνα, τὸν δὲ Τυφῶνα τῇ χροιᾷ πυρρὸν, λευκὸν δὲ τὸν Ἄρην, καὶ μελάγχρουν τὸν Ὄσιριν, ὡς τῇ φύσει γεγονότας ἀνθρώπους.”

‟ Historousi gar Aigyptioi ton men Hermēn tǭ sōmati genesthai galiankōna, ton de Typhōna tę̄ chroią pyrron, leukon de ton Arēn, kai melanchroun ton Osirin, hōs tę̄ physei gegonotas anthrōpous.”

"For the Egyptians relate that Hermes was short-armed in body, Typhon red in complexion, Ares white, and Osiris dark-skinned, as having been men by nature."

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch says the Egyptians described the bodily features of their gods as men.

Plutarch, On Isis and Osiris 22 (359e).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing misread in digitization): ῾Ερμῆν → Ἑρμῆν.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Is. Os. 22 (Plutarch; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.16 (Dindorf 1:110–111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-16) · Report an error

3.3.17Dindorf 1:111

Ταῦτα καὶ ὁ Πλούταρχος. νεκρῶν ἄρα ἡ πᾶσα αὐτῶν θεοποιία καθέστηκε· πέπλασται δʼ αὐτοῖς τὰ τῆς φυσιολογίας. τί γὰρ ἐχρῆν ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν σχήματα ζωοπλαστεῖν, παρὸν καὶ δίχα τούτων ἥλιον σέβειν καὶ σελήνην, καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τοῦ κόσμου στοιχεῖα;

Tauta kai ho Ploutarchos. nekrōn ara hē pasa autōn theopoiia kathestēke; peplastai dʼ autois ta tēs physiologias. ti gar echrēn andrōn kai gynaikōn schēmata zōoplastein, paron kai dicha toutōn hēlion sebein kai selēnēn, kai ta loipa tou kosmou stoicheia?

So much Plutarch too. All their deification, then, is of the dead, and the natural philosophy is a fiction of theirs. For why should they have made living figures of men and women, when they could have worshipped the sun and moon and the other elements of the world without these?

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius concludes that pagan deification concerns dead men, and the allegories are invented.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.17 (Dindorf 1:111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-17) · Report an error

3.3.18Dindorf 1:111

ποτέροις δὲ τούτων καὶ ἐκ τίνων ἀρξάμενοι τὰς τοιάσδε προσηγορίας ἐπεφήμισαν; οἷον, λέγω τὸν Ἥφαιστον καὶ τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν, Δία τε καὶ Ποσειδῶνα καὶ Ἥραν. ἆρα γὰρ ταῦτα τῶν καθόλου στοιχείων πρότερον ὄντα ὀνόματα δεύτερον αὐτὰ τοῖς θνητοῖς ὁμωνύμως τοῖς οὐρανίοις ἐπιτεθείκασιν, ἢ τοὔμπαλιν ἐκ τῆς παρʼ ἀνθρώποις ἐπικλήσεως τὴν μεταφορὰν ἐπὶ τὰς οὐσίας πεποίηνται;

poterois de toutōn kai ek tinōn arxamenoi tas toiasde prosēgorias epephēmisan? hoion, legō ton Hēphaiston kai tēn Athēnan, Dia te kai Poseidōna kai Hēran. ara gar tauta tōn katholou stoicheiōn proteron onta onomata deuteron auta tois thnētois homōnymōs tois ouraniois epitetheikasin, ē toumpalin ek tēs parʼ anthrōpois epiklēseōs tēn metaphoran epi tas ousias pepoiēntai?

To which of them, and beginning from what, did they give such names as, for example, Hephaestus and Athena, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hera? Were these first names of the universal elements, given afterward to mortals bearing the same names as the heavenly ones? Or, conversely, did they transfer the names from what men were called to these substances?

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius asks whether the names belonged first to elements or to men.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.18 (Dindorf 1:111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-18) · Report an error

3.3.19Dindorf 1:111

καὶ τί χρὴ θνηταῖς προσηγορίαις τὰς καθόλου φύσεις ἐπιφημίζειν; τὰ δὲ καθʼ ἕκαστον θεὸν μυστήρια, οἵ τε ὕμνοι καὶ αἱ ᾠδαὶ καὶ τῶν τελετῶν τὰ ἀπόρρητα, πότερον τῶν καθόλου στοιχείων, ἢ τῶν πάλαι θνητῶν ἀνδρῶν τῶν τοῖς θεοῖς ὁμωνύμων ἐπάγονται τὰ σύμβολα;

kai ti chrē thnētais prosēgoriais tas katholou physeis epiphēmizein? ta de kathʼ hekaston theon mystēria, hoi te hymnoi kai hai ǭdai kai tōn teletōn ta aporrēta, poteron tōn katholou stoicheiōn, ē tōn palai thnētōn andrōn tōn tois theois homōnymōn epagontai ta symbola?

And why should they give mortal names to universal natures? And do the mysteries of each god, the hymns, the songs, and the secrets of the rites, carry symbols of the universal elements, or of the mortal men of old who bore the same names as the gods?

Notes and citation

Summary: The rites and hymns point to mortal men, not to elements.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization): αἷ ᾠδαὶ → αἱ ᾠδαὶ.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.19 (Dindorf 1:111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-19) · Report an error

3.3.20Dindorf 1:111

ἀλλὰ γὰρ πλάνας καὶ μέθας καὶ ἔρωτας φθοράς τε γυναικῶν καὶ ἀνδρῶν ἐπιβουλὰς καὶ μυρία ἄττα, θνητὰ ὡς ἀληθῶς καὶ αἰσχρὰ καὶ ἄσεμνα, πῶς ἄν τις ἀναθείη τοῖς καθόλου στοιχείοις, αὐτόθεν τὸ θνητὸν καὶ ἀνθρωποπαθὲς ἐπενηνεγμένα;

alla gar planas kai methas kai erōtas phthoras te gynaikōn kai andrōn epiboulas kai myria atta, thnēta hōs alēthōs kai aischra kai asemna, pōs an tis anatheiē tois katholou stoicheiois, autothen to thnēton kai anthrōpopathes epenēnegmena?

But wanderings, drunkenness, love affairs, seductions of women, plots of men, and countless things that are truly mortal, shameful, and undignified, how could anyone ascribe them to the universal elements, when they plainly bear the mark of mortality and human passion?

Notes and citation

Summary: The gods' human vices cannot be ascribed to elements.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.20 (Dindorf 1:111; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-20) · Report an error

3.3.21Dindorf 1:111–112

ὥστε ἐκ τούτων ἁπάντων ἁλίσκεσθαι τὴν θαυμαστὴν ταύτην καὶ γενναίαν φυσιολογίαν κατʼ οὐδὲν ἀληθείας ἡμμένην, οὐδέ τι θεῖον ἀληθῶς ἐπαγομένην, βεβιασμένην δὲ καὶ διεψευσμένην ἔχουσαν τὴν ἔξωθεν σεμνολογίαν. ἄκουε δʼ οὖν οἷα καὶ ὁ Πορφύριος ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἀνεβὼ τὸν Αἰγύπτιον ἐπιστολῇ περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἱστορεῖ

hōste ek toutōn hapantōn haliskesthai tēn thaumastēn tautēn kai gennaian physiologian katʼ ouden alētheias hēmmenēn, oude ti theion alēthōs epagomenēn, bebiasmenēn de kai diepseusmenēn echousan tēn exōthen semnologian. akoue dʼ oun hoia kai ho Porphyrios en tę̄ pros Anebō ton Aigyption epistolę̄ peri tōn autōn historei

So from all these considerations this wonderful and noble natural philosophy is convicted of having no hold on truth and of bringing nothing truly divine, but of having a forced and false outward show of dignity. Listen then to what Porphyry too records about these same things in his Letter to Anebo the Egyptian:

Notes and citation

Summary: The allegorical philosophy is false; Eusebius turns to Porphyry's Letter to Anebo.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (digitization slip; word split in digitization): τούτʼ ὢν → τούτων; διεφευσμένην → διεψευσμένην; Αἶγʼ πτιον → Αἰγύπτιον.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 3.3.21 (Dindorf 1:111–112; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/2-7-1/#p-3-3-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-eusebius-praeparatio-3-3-21) · Report an error