Preparation for the Gospel 5.4.1–5.13.3

Preparation 5, chapter 4

5.4.1Dindorf 1:215–216

“Εὖ μὲν οὖν λέγουσι καὶ οἱ λέγοντες ὅτι Πλάτων τὸ ταῖς γεννωμέναις ποιότησιν ὑποκείμενον στοιχεῖον ἐξευρὼν, ἣν ὕλην καλοῦσι, πολλῶν ἀπήλλαξε καὶ μεγάλων ἀποριῶν τοὺς φιλοσόφους· ἐμοὶ δὲ δοκοῦσι πλείονας λῦσαι καὶ μείζονας ἀπορίας οἱ τὸ τῶν δαιμόνων γένος ἐν μέσῳ θεῶν καὶ ἀνθρώπων θέντες, καὶ τρόπον τινὰ τὴν κοινωνίαν ἡμῶν συνάγον εἰς ταὐτὸ καὶ συνάπτον ἐξευρόντες, εἴτε μάγων τῶν περὶ Ζωροάστρην ὁ λόγος οὗτός ἐστιν, εἴτε Θρᾴκιος ἀπὸ Ὀρφέως, ἢ Αἰγύπτιος, ἢ Φρύγιος, ὡς τεκμαιρόμεθα ταῖς ἑκατέρωθι τελεταῖς ἀναμεμιγμένα πολλὰ θνητὰ καὶ πένθιμα τῶν ὀργιαζομένων καὶ δρωμένων ἱερῶν ὁρῶντες. Ἑλλήνων δὲ Ὅμηρος μὲν ἐπιφαίνεται κοινῶς ἀμφοτέροις χρώμενος τοῖς ὀνόμασι καὶ τοὺς θεοὺς ἔστιν ὅτε δαίμονας προσαγορεύων. Ἡσίοδος δὲ καθαρῶς καὶ διωρισμένως πρῶτος ἐξέθηκε τῶν λογικῶν τέσσαρα γένη· θεοὺς, εἶτα δαίμονας, εἶτα ἥρωας, τὸ δʼ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν, ἀνθρώπους. ἐξ ὧν ἔοικε ποιεῖν τὴν μεταβολὴν, τοῦ μὲν χρυσοῦ γένους εἰς δαίμονας πολλοὺς κἀγαθοὺς, τῶν δʼ ἡμιθέων εἰς ἥρωας ἀποκριθέντων.’’

“Eu men oun legousi kai hoi legontes hoti Platōn to tais gennōmenais poiotēsin hypokeimenon stoicheion exeurōn, hēn hylēn kalousi, pollōn apēllaxe kai megalōn aporiōn tous philosophous; emoi de dokousi pleionas lysai kai meizonas aporias hoi to tōn daimonōn genos en mesǭ theōn kai anthrōpōn thentes, kai tropon tina tēn koinōnian hēmōn synagon eis tauto kai synapton exeurontes, eite magōn tōn peri Zōroastrēn ho logos houtos estin, eite Thrąkios apo Orpheōs, ē Aigyptios, ē Phrygios, hōs tekmairometha tais hekaterōthi teletais anamemigmena polla thnēta kai penthima tōn orgiazomenōn kai drōmenōn hierōn horōntes. Hellēnōn de Homēros men epiphainetai koinōs amphoterois chrōmenos tois onomasi kai tous theous estin hote daimonas prosagoreuōn. Hēsiodos de katharōs kai diōrismenōs prōtos exethēke tōn logikōn tessara genē; theous, eita daimonas, eita hērōas, to dʼ epi pasin, anthrōpous. ex hōn eoike poiein tēn metabolēn, tou men chrysou genous eis daimonas pollous kagathous, tōn dʼ hēmitheōn eis hērōas apokrithentōn.’’

"They speak well, then, who say that Plato, by discovering the element underlying the qualities that come into being, which they call matter, freed the philosophers from many great difficulties; but to me those seem to have solved more and greater difficulties who placed the race of demons between gods and men, and discovered what in a way brings together and joins our fellowship with them; whether this doctrine belongs to the Magi of Zoroaster, or is Thracian from Orpheus, or Egyptian, or Phrygian, as we conjecture when we see many mortal and mournful elements mixed in the rites of both, in the orgies and sacred acts performed. Of the Greeks, Homer appears to use both names in common, sometimes calling the gods demons. Hesiod first set out clearly and distinctly four classes of rational beings: gods, then demons, then heroes, and last of all men. From these he seems to make the change: the golden race being separated into many good demons, and the demigods into heroes."

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch credits the doctrine of demons, intermediate between gods and men, with solving many problems.

Plutarch, On the Failure of the Oracles 10 (415a–b). The reference is to Hesiod, Works and Days 109–126.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (digitization slip; stray mark in digitization): Πλάτωνʼ τὸ → Πλάτων τὸ; πρῶτον ’τον → πρῶτος.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Def. orac. 10 (Plutarch; quotation); Hesiod, Op. 109 (Hesiod, Works and Days; allusion)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.4.1 (Dindorf 1:215–216; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-4-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.4.2Dindorf 1:216

Εἶθʼ ἑξῆς φησιν “ Ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτων οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον ἡμᾶς Δημητρίῳ διαφέρεσθαι. καὶ γὰρ κἂν πλείων εἴη χρόνος, κἂν ἐλάττων, κἂν τεταγμένος, κἂν ἄτακτος, ἐν ᾧ μεταλλάττει δαίμονος ψυχὴ καὶ ἥρωος βίος, οὐδὲν ἧττον ἐφʼ ᾧ βούλεται δεδείξεται μετὰ μαρτύρων σοφῶν καὶ παλαιῶν ὅτι φύσεις τινές εἰσιν ὥσπερ ἐν μεθορίῳ θεῶν καὶ ἀνθρώπων δεχόμεναι πάθη θνητὰ καὶ μεταβολὰς ἀναγκαίας, οὓς δαίμονας ὀρθῶς ἔχει κατὰ νόμον πατέρων ἡγουμένους καὶ ὀνομάζοντας σέβεσθαι.’’ Τούτοις μεθʼ ἕτερα ἐπιλέγει Τὸ μὲν οὖν ἐφεστάναι τοῖς χρηστηρίοις μὴ θεοὺς, οἷς ἀπηλλάχθαι τῶν περὶ γῆν προσῆκόν ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ δαίμονας ὑπηρέτας θεῶν, οὐ δοκεῖ μοι κακῶς ἀξιοῦσθαι· τὸ δὲ τοῖς δαίμοσι τούτοις, μονονουχὶ δραχμὴν λαμβάνοντας ἐκ τῶν ἐπῶν τῶν Ἐμπεδοκλέους, ἁμαρτίας καὶ ἄτας καὶ πλάνας θεηλάτους ἐπιφέρειν, τελευτῶντας δὲ καὶ θανάτους ὥσπερ ἀνθρώπων ὑποτίθεσθαι, θρασύτερον ἡγοῦμαι καὶ βαρβαρικώτερον.’

Eithʼ hexēs phēsin “ Alla peri men toutōn ouk anankaion hēmas Dēmētriǭ diapheresthai. kai gar kan pleiōn eiē chronos, kan elattōn, kan tetagmenos, kan ataktos, en hǭ metallattei daimonos psychē kai hērōos bios, ouden hētton ephʼ hǭ bouletai dedeixetai meta martyrōn sophōn kai palaiōn hoti physeis tines eisin hōsper en methoriǭ theōn kai anthrōpōn dechomenai pathē thnēta kai metabolas anankaias, hous daimonas orthōs echei kata nomon paterōn hēgoumenous kai onomazontas sebesthai.’’ Toutois methʼ hetera epilegei To men oun ephestanai tois chrēstēriois mē theous, hois apēllachthai tōn peri gēn prosēkon estin, alla daimonas hypēretas theōn, ou dokei moi kakōs axiousthai; to de tois daimosi toutois, mononouchi drachmēn lambanontas ek tōn epōn tōn Empedokleous, hamartias kai atas kai planas theēlatous epipherein, teleutōntas de kai thanatous hōsper anthrōpōn hypotithesthai, thrasyteron hēgoumai kai barbarikōteron.’

Then next he says: "But on these points we need not differ with Demetrius. For whether the time in which the soul of a demon and the life of a hero changes is longer or shorter, fixed or unfixed, he will none the less have shown what he wishes, with wise and ancient witnesses: that there are certain natures, as it were on the border between gods and men, subject to mortal passions and necessary changes, whom it is right, following the custom of our fathers, to regard as demons, name so, and reverence." After other matters he adds to this: "That not gods, for whom it is fitting to be free of earthly things, but demons, servants of the gods, preside over the oracles, does not seem to me a bad opinion; but to take, as it were, a handful from the verses of Empedocles and impose on these demons sins, calamities, and god-sent wanderings, and finally to suppose deaths for them as for men, I consider rather rash and barbarous."

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch holds that demons, not gods, preside over oracles, and are subject to passion and change.

Plutarch, On the Failure of the Oracles 13, 15 (416c, 418e).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization; line-break hyphen rejoined): οἶς ἀπηλλάχθαι → οἷς ἀπηλλάχθαι; χρό- νος → χρόνος.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Def. orac. 13 (Plutarch; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.4.2 (Dindorf 1:216; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-4-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.4.3Dindorf 1:216–217

Καὶ πάλιν προστίθησι τοῖς εἰρημένοις ταῦτα “ Εἰσὶ γὰρ ὡς ἐν ἀνθρώποις καὶ δαίμοσιν ἀρετῆς διαφοραί, καὶ τοῦ παθητικοῦ καὶ ἀλόγου τοῖς μὲν ἀσθενὲς καὶ ἀμαυρόν ἐστι λείψανον, ὡς περίττωμα, τοῖς δὲ πολὺ καὶ δυσκατάσβεστον ἔνεστιν, ὧν ἴχνη καὶ σύμβολα πολλαχοῦ θυσίαι τε καὶ τελεταὶ καὶ μυθολογίαι σώζουσι καὶ διαφυλάττουσι διεσπαρμέναι. καὶ περὶ μὲν τῶν μυστικῶν, ἐν οἷς τὰς μεγίστας ἐμφάσεις καὶ διαφάσεις λαβεῖν ἔστι τῆς περὶ δαιμόνων ἀληθείας, εὔστομά μοι κείσθω καθʼ Ἡρόδοτον· ἑορτὰς δὲ καὶ θυσίας, ὥσπερ ἡμέρας ἀποφράδας καὶ σκυθρωπάς, ἐν αἷς ὠμοφαγίαι καὶ διασπασμοὶ νηστεῖαί τε καὶ κοπετοὶ, πολλαχοῦ δὲ πάλιν αἰσχρολογίαι πρὸς ἱεροῖς, μανίαι τε ἄλλαι ὀρινόμεναι ῥιψαύχενι σὺν κλόνῳ, θεῶν μὲν οὐδενὶ, δαιμόνων δὲ φαύλων ἀποτροπῆς ἕνεκα φήσαιμʼ ἂν τελεῖσθαι παραμύθια· καὶ τὰς πάλαι ποιουμένας ἀνθρωποθυσίας οὔτε θεοὺς ἀπαιτεῖν ἢ προσδέχεσθαι πιθανόν ἐστιν, οὔτε μάτην ἂν ἐδέχοντο βασιλεῖς καὶ στρατηγοὶ, παῖδας αὑτῶν ἐπιδιδόντες καὶ καταρχόμενοι καὶ σφάττοντες, ἀλλὰ χαλεπῶν καὶ δυστρόπων ὀργὰς καὶ βαρυθυμίας ἀφοσιούμενοι καὶ ἀποπιμπλάντες ἀλαστόρων, ἐνίων δὲ μανικοὺς ἔρωτας, οὐ δυναμένων οὐδὲ βουλομένων σώμασι καὶ διὰ σωμάτων ὁμιλεῖν. ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ Ἡρακλῆς Οἰχαλίαν ἐπολιόρκει διὰ παρθένον, οὕτω πολλάκις ἰσχυροὶ καὶ βίαιοι δαίμονες ἐξαιτούμενοι ψυχὴν ἀνθρωπίνην περιεχομένην σώματι λοιμούς τε πόλεσι καὶ γῆς ἀφορίας ἐπάγουσι, καὶ πολέμους καὶ στάσεις ταράττουσιν, ἄχρις οὗ λάβωσι καὶ τύχωσιν οὗ ἐρῶσι.’

Kai palin prostithēsi tois eirēmenois tauta “ Eisi gar hōs en anthrōpois kai daimosin aretēs diaphorai, kai tou pathētikou kai alogou tois men asthenes kai amauron esti leipsanon, hōs perittōma, tois de poly kai dyskatasbeston enestin, hōn ichnē kai symbola pollachou thysiai te kai teletai kai mythologiai sōzousi kai diaphylattousi diesparmenai. kai peri men tōn mystikōn, en hois tas megistas emphaseis kai diaphaseis labein esti tēs peri daimonōn alētheias, eustoma moi keisthō kathʼ Hērodoton; heortas de kai thysias, hōsper hēmeras apophradas kai skythrōpas, en hais ōmophagiai kai diaspasmoi nēsteiai te kai kopetoi, pollachou de palin aischrologiai pros hierois, maniai te allai orinomenai rhipsaucheni syn klonǭ, theōn men oudeni, daimonōn de phaulōn apotropēs heneka phēsaimʼ an teleisthai paramythia; kai tas palai poioumenas anthrōpothysias oute theous apaitein ē prosdechesthai pithanon estin, oute matēn an edechonto basileis kai stratēgoi, paidas hautōn epididontes kai katarchomenoi kai sphattontes, alla chalepōn kai dystropōn orgas kai barythymias aphosioumenoi kai apopimplantes alastorōn, eniōn de manikous erōtas, ou dynamenōn oude boulomenōn sōmasi kai dia sōmatōn homilein. allʼ hōsper Hēraklēs Oichalian epoliorkei dia parthenon, houtō pollakis ischyroi kai biaioi daimones exaitoumenoi psychēn anthrōpinēn periechomenēn sōmati loimous te polesi kai gēs aphorias epagousi, kai polemous kai staseis tarattousin, achris hou labōsi kai tychōsin hou erōsi.’

And again he adds to what has been said: "For there are, as among men, differences of virtue among demons too; and in some the passionate and irrational element is a weak and faint remnant, like a residue, while in others it is abundant and hard to quench; of which sacrifices, rites, and myths, scattered here and there, preserve and guard traces and tokens. And concerning the mysteries, in which one may find the greatest manifestations and illuminations of the truth about demons, 'let my lips be sealed,' as Herodotus says. But festivals and sacrifices, like unlucky and gloomy days, in which there are eating of raw flesh and tearings apart, fastings and beatings of the breast, and again in many places foul language at the sacred rites, and other frenzies 'raving with tossing of necks in tumult,' I would say are performed not for any god, but as appeasements to avert bad demons. And it is not credible that gods demanded or accepted the human sacrifices made of old; nor would kings and generals have accepted them in vain, giving up their children, beginning the rites, and slaughtering them; but they were averting and satisfying the anger and resentment of harsh and morose avenging spirits, and the mad loves of some, who could not and would not consort with bodies and through bodies. But as Heracles besieged Oechalia for a maiden, so often strong and violent demons, demanding a human soul contained in a body, bring plagues on cities and barrenness on the land, and stir up wars and seditions, until they take and obtain what they love."

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch attributes savage rites and human sacrifices to the appeasement of bad demons.

Plutarch, On the Failure of the Oracles 14 (417b–d). "Let my lips be sealed" alludes to Herodotus 2.171; the verse is Pindar, frag. 208 (Snell).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization; digitization slip; digitization slip and repeated punctuation; line-break hyphen rejoined; repeated word in digitization; stray parenthesis in digitization): διαφοραὶ) → διαφοραί,; περὶ δαιμονῶν ἀληθείας → περὶ δαιμόνων ἀληθείας; σχυθρωπὰς,, → σκυθρωπάς,; οὔτε οὔτε θεοὺς → οὔτε θεοὺς; ἀλαδτόρων → ἀλαστόρων; πολέ- μους → πολέμους.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Def. orac. 14 (Plutarch; quotation); Herodotus, Hist. 2.171 (Herodotus, Histories; allusion); Pindar, frag. (Pindar (odes and fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.4.3 (Dindorf 1:216–217; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-4-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.4.4Dindorf 1:217

Σαφῶς διὰ τούτων ὁ προδηλωθεὶς φιλόσοφος ὅτι δαίμοσι πονηροῖς τὰ προειρημένα κατὰ πάσας τὰς πόλεις ἐπετελεῖτο παρέστησεν. εἰ δὲ καί τινες ἦσαν ἐν τούτοις, ὥς φασιν, ἀγαθοὶ τὴν φύσιν ἢ καὶ θεοὶ, τί χρῆν θεραπεύειν τοὺς φαύλους, πρὸς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀπελαύνεσθαι αὐτοὺς δέον;

Saphōs dia toutōn ho prodēlōtheis philosophos hoti daimosi ponērois ta proeirēmena kata pasas tas poleis epeteleito parestēsen. ei de kai tines ēsan en toutois, hōs phasin, agathoi tēn physin ē kai theoi, ti chrēn therapeuein tous phaulous, pros tōn agathōn apelaunesthai autous deon?

By these words the philosopher mentioned has clearly shown that the things described were performed in all the cities to wicked demons. And if there were among them, as they say, some good by nature, or even gods, why should they serve the bad, when these ought to be driven away by the good?

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch shows that pagan rites served evil demons; good powers would have driven them off.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.4.4 (Dindorf 1:217; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-4-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.4.5Dindorf 1:217–218

εἰ γὰρ δή τινες ἦσαν αὐτοῖς ἀγαθοὶ προστάται, τούτοις ἐπιθαρσοῦντας τὸ μηδὲν τῶν χειρόνων χρῆν δήπου φροντίζειν, καὶ διὰ σωφρόνων λόγων τε καὶ εὐχῶν, ἀλλὰ μὴ διʼ αἰσχρορρημοσυνῶν τὰς ἐναντίας ἀποτρέπεσθαι δυνάμεις

ei gar dē tines ēsan autois agathoi prostatai, toutois epitharsountas to mēden tōn cheironōn chrēn dēpou phrontizein, kai dia sōphronōn logōn te kai euchōn, alla mē diʼ aischrorrēmosynōn tas enantias apotrepesthai dynameis

For if they had any good protectors, trusting in these they ought surely to have cared nothing for the worse, and to have turned aside the opposing powers by sober words and prayers, and not by foul language.

Notes and citation

Summary: Those with good protectors need not appease evil powers.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent lost in digitization): αἰσχρορρημοσυνων → αἰσχρορρημοσυνῶν.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.4.5 (Dindorf 1:217–218; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-4-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.4.6Dindorf 1:218

ὅτε δὲ τούτων μὲν οὐδὲν ἔπραττον, βίῳ δʼ αἰσχρῷ καὶ ἀκολάστῳ καὶ ῥήμασιν ἀσέμνοις ὠμοφαγίαις τε καὶ διασπασμοῖς καὶ ἀνθρωποθυσίαις τοῖς πονηροῖς δαίμοσιν ἐκαθικέτευον, πῶς καὶ δυνατὸν ἦν αὐτοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα δρῶντας, καὶ τὰ τοῖς φαύλοις κεχαρισμένα διαπραττομένους, τῷ ἐπὶ πάντων θεῷ, ἢ ταῖς ὑπʼ αὐτὸν θείαις δυνάμεσιν, ἢ ὅλως ἀγαθοῖς τισὶ προσοικειοῦσθαι;

hote de toutōn men ouden epratton, biǭ dʼ aischrǭ kai akolastǭ kai rhēmasin asemnois ōmophagiais te kai diaspasmois kai anthrōpothysiais tois ponērois daimosin ekathiketeuon, pōs kai dynaton ēn autous ta toiauta drōntas, kai ta tois phaulois kecharismena diaprattomenous, tǭ epi pantōn theǭ, ē tais hypʼ auton theiais dynamesin, ē holōs agathois tisi prosoikeiousthai?

But when they did none of these things, but supplicated the wicked demons with a shameful and licentious life, indecent words, eating of raw flesh, tearings apart, and human sacrifices, how was it possible that men who did such things and performed what pleases the bad should be akin to the God over all, or to the divine powers under him, or to any good beings at all?

Notes and citation

Summary: Those who served the demons in this way could not be friends of the true God.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.4.6 (Dindorf 1:218; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-4-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.4.7Dindorf 1:218

ἀλλὰ γὰρ τοῖς πᾶσι πρόδηλον ὡς ὁ τὰ φίλα τοῖς φαύλοις ἐπιτελῶν οὐκ ἄν ποτε τῶν ἀγαθῶν γένοιτο προσφιλής. οὐκ ἄρα θεοῖς, οὐδʼ ἀγαθοῖς δαίμοσιν, μόνοις δὲ τοῖς φαύλοις ἐλάτρευον οἱ δεδηλωμένοι.

alla gar tois pasi prodēlon hōs ho ta phila tois phaulois epitelōn ouk an pote tōn agathōn genoito prosphilēs. ouk ara theois, oudʼ agathois daimosin, monois de tois phaulois elatreuon hoi dedēlōmenoi.

It is plain to all that he who does what is dear to the bad could never be dear to the good. So those described served neither gods nor good demons, but only the bad.

Notes and citation

Summary: Pagan worship served only bad demons.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.4.7 (Dindorf 1:218; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-4-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.4.8Dindorf 1:218

ἔτι δὲ μᾶλλον τοῦτον πιστοῦται τὸν λόγον ὁ Πλούταρχος ἐν οἷς φησι τὰς μυθικὰς ὡς περὶ θεῶν διηγήσεις λόγους εἶναί τινας περὶ δαιμόνων, τά τε παρʼ Ἕλλησιν ᾀδόμενα γιγαντικά τινα καὶ Τιτανικὰ δαιμονικὰ εἶναι διηγήματα, ὡς καινοτέραν ὑποβάλλειν διάνοιαν.

eti de mallon touton pistoutai ton logon ho Ploutarchos en hois phēsi tas mythikas hōs peri theōn diēgēseis logous einai tinas peri daimonōn, ta te parʼ Hellēsin ądomena gigantika tina kai Titanika daimonika einai diēgēmata, hōs kainoteran hypoballein dianoian.

Plutarch confirms this argument still more where he says that the mythical narratives as if about gods are accounts about demons, and that the tales of giants and Titans sung among the Greeks are demonic narratives, so as to suggest a newer meaning.

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch says myths of giants and Titans are really stories about demons.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.4.8 (Dindorf 1:218; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-4-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.4.9Dindorf 1:218

μήποτε ἄρα τοιαῦτα ἦν τὰ περὶ τῶν πρὸ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ γιγάντων ἐν τῇ θείᾳ γραφῇ λεγόμενα, τά τε περὶ τῶν τούτους γεγεννηκότων, περὶ ὧν εἴρηται “ ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ θεοῦ τὰς θυγατέρας τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅτι καλαί εἰσιν, ἔλαβον ἑαυτοῖς γυναῖκας ἐκ πασῶν ὧν ἐξελέξαντο· ἀφʼ ὧν ἐγεννήθησαν οἱ γίγαντες οἱ ὀνομαστοὶ ἐξ αἰῶνος.’

mēpote ara toiauta ēn ta peri tōn pro tou kataklysmou gigantōn en tę̄ theią graphę̄ legomena, ta te peri tōn toutous gegennēkotōn, peri hōn eirētai “ idontes de hoi angeloi tou theou tas thygateras tōn anthrōpōn, hoti kalai eisin, elabon heautois gynaikas ek pasōn hōn exelexanto; aphʼ hōn egennēthēsan hoi gigantes hoi onomastoi ex aiōnos.’

Perhaps, then, such were the things said in the divine Scripture about the giants before the flood, and about those who begot them, of whom it is said: "And the angels of God, seeing the daughters of men, that they were fair, took wives for themselves of all whom they chose; from whom were born the giants, the renowned ones of old."

Gen 6:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 6:4 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius suggests that the Greek myths of giants recall the giants of Genesis 6.

Quotation: Gen 6:2, 4 (LXX wording, "angels of God").

Notes on the original text

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

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.4.9 (Dindorf 1:218; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-4-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.4.10Dindorf 1:218–219

εἴποι γὰρ ἄν τις τούτους ἐκείνους εἶναι, καὶ τὰ ἐκείνων πνεύματα παρὰ τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα ἀνθρώποις τεθεοποιημένα, καὶ τὰς ἐκείνων μάχας, τάς τε πρὸς ἀλλήλους διαστάσεις, καὶ τοὺς πολέμους. ταῦτʼ εἶναι τὰ ὡς περὶ θεῶν μυθευόμενα. λέγει δʼ οὖν ὁ Πλούταρχος ἐν ᾧ συνέταξε λόγῳ " Περὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν Ἴσιν καὶ τοὺς Αἰγυπτίων θεούςʼ’ αὐτοῖς ῥήμασι ταῦτα

eipoi gar an tis toutous ekeinous einai, kai ta ekeinōn pneumata para tois meta tauta anthrōpois tetheopoiēmena, kai tas ekeinōn machas, tas te pros allēlous diastaseis, kai tous polemous. tautʼ einai ta hōs peri theōn mytheuomena. legei dʼ oun ho Ploutarchos en hǭ synetaxe logǭ " Peri tōn kata tēn Isin kai tous Aigyptiōn theousʼ’ autois rhēmasi tauta

For one might say that these are those beings, and that their spirits were deified by later men, and that their battles, their quarrels with one another, and their wars are what is told in myth as about gods. At any rate Plutarch, in the treatise he composed On Isis and the Egyptian Gods, says this in these very words:

Notes and citation

Summary: The spirits of the giants may be the gods of myth; Eusebius quotes Plutarch.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.4.10 (Dindorf 1:218–219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-4-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

Preparation 5, chapter 5

5.5.1Dindorf 1:219

“Βέλτιον οὖν οἱ τὰ περὶ Τυφῶνα καὶ Ὄσιριν καὶ Ἴσιν ἱστορούμενα μήτε θεῶν πάθη, μήτε ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλὰ δαιμόνων μεγάλων εἶναι νομίζοντες, οὓς καὶ Πλάτων καὶ Πυθαγόρας καὶ Ξενοκράτης καὶ Χρύσιππος, ἑπόμενοι τοῖς πάλαι θεολόγοις, ἐρρωμενεστέρους ἀνθρώπων λέγουσι γεγονέναι, καὶ πολὺ τῇ δυνάμει τὴν φύσιν ὑπερφέροντας ἡμῶν, τὸ δὲ θεῖον οὐκ ἀμιγὲς οὐδὲ ἄκρατον ἔχοντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ψυχῆς φύσει καὶ σώματος αἰσθήσει συνειληχὸς, ἡδονὴν δεχομένῃ καὶ πόνον, καὶ ὅσα ταύταις γινόμενα ταῖς μεταβολαῖς πάθη τοὺς μὲν μᾶλλον, τοὺς δʼ ἧττον ἐπιταράττει. γίνονται γὰρ ὡς ἐν ἀνθρώποις καὶ δαίμοσιν ἀρετῆς διαφοραὶ καὶ κακίας. τὰ γὰρ γιγαντικὰ καὶ Τιτανικὰ παρʼ Ἕλλησιν ᾀδόμενα, καὶ πολλαί τινες ἄθεσμοι πράξεις, καὶ Πυθῶνος ἀντιτάξεις πρὸς Ἀπόλλωνα, φυγαί τε Διονύσου καὶ πλάναι Δήμητρος, οὐδὲν ἀπολείπουσι τῶν Ὀσιριακῶν καὶ Τυφωνικῶν, ὧν παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνέδην ἔξεστι μυθολογουμένων ἀκούειν· ὅσα τε μυστικοῖς ἱεροῖς μυθολογουμένων τελεταῖς ἄρρητα διασώζεται καὶ ἀθέατα πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς ὅμοιον ἔχει λόγον.”

“Beltion oun hoi ta peri Typhōna kai Osirin kai Isin historoumena mēte theōn pathē, mēte anthrōpōn, alla daimonōn megalōn einai nomizontes, hous kai Platōn kai Pythagoras kai Xenokratēs kai Chrysippos, hepomenoi tois palai theologois, errōmenesterous anthrōpōn legousi gegonenai, kai poly tę̄ dynamei tēn physin hyperpherontas hēmōn, to de theion ouk amiges oude akraton echontas, alla kai psychēs physei kai sōmatos aisthēsei syneilēchos, hēdonēn dechomenę̄ kai ponon, kai hosa tautais ginomena tais metabolais pathē tous men mallon, tous dʼ hētton epitarattei. ginontai gar hōs en anthrōpois kai daimosin aretēs diaphorai kai kakias. ta gar gigantika kai Titanika parʼ Hellēsin ądomena, kai pollai tines athesmoi praxeis, kai Pythōnos antitaxeis pros Apollōna, phygai te Dionysou kai planai Dēmētros, ouden apoleipousi tōn Osiriakōn kai Typhōnikōn, hōn para pasin anedēn exesti mythologoumenōn akouein; hosa te mystikois hierois mythologoumenōn teletais arrēta diasōzetai kai atheata pros tous theous homoion echei logon.”

"Better, then, are those who think that what is told of Typhon, Osiris, and Isis are sufferings neither of gods nor of men, but of great demons, whom Plato, Pythagoras, Xenocrates, and Chrysippus, following the ancient theologians, say were stronger than men and far surpassed our nature in power, but did not have the divine unmixed and pure, but sharing in the nature of soul and in the perception of body, receiving pleasure and pain, and all the passions that arise from these changes, which disturb some more and others less. For there arise among demons, as among men, differences of virtue and vice. For the tales of giants and Titans sung among the Greeks, and many lawless deeds, and the battles of Python against Apollo, the flights of Dionysus and the wanderings of Demeter, fall in no way short of those of Osiris and Typhon, which anyone may freely hear told in myth; and all that is preserved unspoken and unseen in mystic rites has a like account."

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch says the myths of Osiris and Typhon, and of the Greek gods, describe the sufferings of great demons.

Plutarch, On Isis and Osiris 25 (360d–e).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Latin letter and accent misread in digitization; accent misread in digitization; breathing lost in digitization; repeated syllables in digitization; stray mark in digitization): Bἐλτιον → Βέλτιον; Πλάτωνʼ καὶ → Πλάτων καὶ; δεχομένῃ χομένῃ → δεχομένῃ; Ἔλλησιν → Ἕλλησιν; Απόλλωνα → Ἀπόλλωνα.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Is. Os. 25 (Plutarch; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.5.1 (Dindorf 1:219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-5-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.5.2Dindorf 1:219–220

Καὶ ἐπιφέρει λέγων ἑξῆς Ἐμπεδοκλῆς δὲ καὶ δίκας φησὶ διδόναι τοὺς δαίμονας ὧν ἂν ἐξαμάρτωσιν καὶ πλημμελήσωσιν, αἰθέριον μὲν γάρ σφε μένος πόντονδε διώκει· πόντος δὲ χθονὸς οὖδας ἀπέπτυσε, γαῖα δʼ ἐς αὐγὰς ἠελίου ἀκάμαντος· ὁ δʼ αἰθέρος ἔμβαλε δίναις· ἄλλος δʼ ἐξ ἄλλου δέχεται, στυγέουσι δὲ πάντες· ἄχρις οὗ κολασθέντες αὖθις τὴν κατὰ φύσιν χώραν καὶ τάξιν ἀπολάβωσι. τούτων δὴ καὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἀδελφὰ λέγεσθαί φασι περὶ Τυφῶνος, ὡς δεινὰ μὲν ὑπὸ φθόνου καὶ δυσμενείας εἰργάσατο, πάντα πράγματα ταράξας, ἐνέπλησε δὲ κακῶν γῆν ὁμοῦ τε πᾶσαν καὶ θάλασσαν, εἶτα δίκην ἔδωκε.’’

Kai epipherei legōn hexēs Empedoklēs de kai dikas phēsi didonai tous daimonas hōn an examartōsin kai plēmmelēsōsin, aitherion men gar sphe menos pontonde diōkei; pontos de chthonos oudas apeptyse, gaia dʼ es augas ēeliou akamantos; ho dʼ aitheros embale dinais; allos dʼ ex allou dechetai, stygeousi de pantes; achris hou kolasthentes authis tēn kata physin chōran kai taxin apolabōsi. toutōn dē kai tōn toioutōn adelpha legesthai phasi peri Typhōnos, hōs deina men hypo phthonou kai dysmeneias eirgasato, panta pragmata taraxas, eneplēse de kakōn gēn homou te pasan kai thalassan, eita dikēn edōke.’’

And he adds next: "Empedocles says that demons too pay the penalty for whatever they sin and transgress: 'For the might of the ether chases them into the sea; the sea spits them out onto the floor of the earth; the earth into the rays of the tireless sun; and he casts them into the eddies of the ether. One receives them from another, and all hate them'; until, having been punished, they recover their natural place and rank. Akin to these and the like, they say, are the things told of Typhon: that out of envy and ill will he did dreadful things, throwing all things into confusion, and filled all the earth and sea alike with evils, and then paid the penalty."

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch cites Empedocles on the punishment of sinning demons, and compares Typhon.

Plutarch, On Isis and Osiris 26 (361c), quoting Empedocles, frag. 115.9–12 (Diels–Kranz).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (punctuation misread in digitization): δίναις ’ ἄλλος → δίναις· ἄλλος.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Is. Os. 26 (Plutarch; quotation); Empedocles, frag. 115 (Empedocles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.5.2 (Dindorf 1:219–220; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-5-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.5.3Dindorf 1:220–221

Ταῦτα ὁ Πλούταρχος ἐν τῷ δηλωθέντι συγγράμματι παραθέμενος, καὶ διὰ πλειόνων ἐξεργασάμενος τὸν λόγον, τὰ παραπλήσια καὶ ἐν τῷ “ Περὶ τῶν ἐκλελοιπότων χρηστηρίων τοῦτον ἱστορεῖ τὸν τρόπον " Ἐκεῖνος οὖν τὴν μαντικὴν ἀνῆγεν εἰς δαίμονας, πλεῖστον δὲ Δελφῶν λόγον εἶχε, καὶ τῶν λεγομένων περὶ τὸν Διόνυσον ἐνταῦθα καὶ δρωμένων ἱερῶν οὐδενὸς ἀνήκοος ἦν, ἀλλὰ κἀκεῖνα δαιμόνων ἔφασκεν εἶναι πάθη μεγάλα, καὶ ταῦτα δὴ τὰ περὶ τὴν Πυθίαν. τῷ δὲ ἀποκτείναντι μήτε ἐννέα ἐτῶν, μήτε εἰς τὰ Τέμπη γενέσθαι τὴν φυγὴν, ἀλλʼ ἐκπεσόντα ἐλθεῖν εἰς ἕτερον κόσμον· ὕστερον δʼ ἐκεῖθεν ἐνιαυτῶν μεγάλων ἐννέα περιόδοις ἁγνὸν γενόμενον, καὶ Φοῖβον ὡς ἀληθῶς κατελθόντα τὸ χρηστήριον παραλαβεῖν, τέως ὑπὸ Θέμιδος φυλασσόμενον. δὲ ἔχειν καὶ τὰ Τυφωνικὰ καὶ τὰ Τιτανικὰ, δαιμόνων μάχας γεγονέναι πρὸς δαίμονας, εἶτα φυγὰς τῶν κρατηθέντων, ἢ δίκας ὑπὸ θεοῦ τῶν ἐξαμαρτόντων, οἷα Τυφών τε λέγεται περὶ Ὄσιριν ἐξαμαρτεῖν καὶ Κρόνος περὶ Οὐρανόν· ὧν ἀμαυρότεραι γεγόνασιν αἱ τιμαὶ παρʼ ἡμῖν, ἢ παντάπασιν ἐκλελοίπασι, μεταστάντων εἰς ἕτερον κόσμον. ἐπεὶ καὶ Σολύμους πυνθάνομαι, τοὺς Λυκίων προσοίκους, ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα τιμᾶν τὸν Κρόνον· ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀποκτείνας τοὺς ἀρχηγέτας αὐτῶν Ἄρσαλον καὶ Ἄρυτον καὶ Τόσιβιν, ἔφυγε, καὶ μετεχώρησεν ὁποιδήποτε—τοῦτο γὰρ οὐκ ἔχουσιν εἰπεῖν — ἐκεῖνον μὲν ἀμεληθῆναι, τοὺς δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἄρσαλον σκιροὺς θεοὺς προσαγορεύεσθαι, καὶ τὰς κατάρας ἐπὶ τούτων ποιεῖσθαι δημοσίᾳ καὶ ἰδίᾳ Λυκίους. τούτοις μὲν οὑν ὅμοια πολλὰ λαβεῖν ἔστιν ἐκ τῶν μυθολογουμένων. εἰ δὲ τοῖς νενομισμένοις τῶν θεῶν ὀνόμασι δαίμονάς τινας καλοῦμεν οὐ θαυμαστέον, εἶπεν ὁ ξένος. ᾧ γὰρ ἕκαστος συντέτακται, καὶ οὗ τῆς δυνάμεως μετείληχεν, ἀπὸ τούτου φιλεῖ καλεῖσθαι· καὶ γὰρ ἡμῶν ὁ μέν τίς ἐστι Δῖος, ὁ δὲ Ἀθηναῖος, ὁ δὲ Ἀπολλώνιος, ἢ Διονύσιος, ἢ Ἕρμαιος. ἀλλʼ ἔνιοι μὲν ὀρθῶς κατὰ τύχην ἐκλήθησαν, οἱ δὲ πολλοὶ μηδὲν προσηκούσας, ἀλλʼ ἐνηλλαγμένας ἐκτήσαντο θεῶν παρωνυμίας.’’

Tauta ho Ploutarchos en tǭ dēlōthenti syngrammati parathemenos, kai dia pleionōn exergasamenos ton logon, ta paraplēsia kai en tǭ “ Peri tōn ekleloipotōn chrēstēriōn touton historei ton tropon " Ekeinos oun tēn mantikēn anēgen eis daimonas, pleiston de Delphōn logon eiche, kai tōn legomenōn peri ton Dionyson entautha kai drōmenōn hierōn oudenos anēkoos ēn, alla kakeina daimonōn ephasken einai pathē megala, kai tauta dē ta peri tēn Pythian. tǭ de apokteinanti mēte ennea etōn, mēte eis ta Tempē genesthai tēn phygēn, allʼ ekpesonta elthein eis heteron kosmon; hysteron dʼ ekeithen eniautōn megalōn ennea periodois hagnon genomenon, kai Phoibon hōs alēthōs katelthonta to chrēstērion paralabein, teōs hypo Themidos phylassomenon. de echein kai ta Typhōnika kai ta Titanika, daimonōn machas gegonenai pros daimonas, eita phygas tōn kratēthentōn, ē dikas hypo theou tōn examartontōn, hoia Typhōn te legetai peri Osirin examartein kai Kronos peri Ouranon; hōn amauroterai gegonasin hai timai parʼ hēmin, ē pantapasin ekleloipasi, metastantōn eis heteron kosmon. epei kai Solymous pynthanomai, tous Lykiōn prosoikous, en tois malista timan ton Kronon; epei de apokteinas tous archēgetas autōn Arsalon kai Aryton kai Tosibin, ephyge, kai metechōrēsen hopoidēpote—touto gar ouk echousin eipein — ekeinon men amelēthēnai, tous de peri ton Arsalon skirous theous prosagoreuesthai, kai tas kataras epi toutōn poieisthai dēmosią kai idią Lykious. toutois men houn homoia polla labein estin ek tōn mythologoumenōn. ei de tois nenomismenois tōn theōn onomasi daimonas tinas kaloumen ou thaumasteon, eipen ho xenos. hǭ gar hekastos syntetaktai, kai hou tēs dynameōs meteilēchen, apo toutou philei kaleisthai; kai gar hēmōn ho men tis esti Dios, ho de Athēnaios, ho de Apollōnios, ē Dionysios, ē Hermaios. allʼ enioi men orthōs kata tychēn eklēthēsan, hoi de polloi mēden prosēkousas, allʼ enēllagmenas ektēsanto theōn parōnymias.’’

Having set out this in the work mentioned and developed the argument at greater length, Plutarch records similar things in On the Failure of the Oracles in this way: "He, then, traced divination back to demons, and had a very high regard for Delphi; he was not unacquainted with any of the sacred things said and done there about Dionysus, but said that these too were great sufferings of demons, and so were those about the Python. For the slayer, he said, the exile was not for nine years nor to Tempe, but he was cast out and went into another world; later, purified after nine periods of great years, he came back truly Phoebus (pure) and took over the oracle, which till then had been guarded by Themis. [So too,] the stories of Typhon and the Titans were battles of demons against demons, then flights of the defeated or punishments by God of those who sinned, such as Typhon is said to have sinned against Osiris and Cronus against Ouranus; whose honors among us have become fainter or have failed altogether, since they have gone over into another world. For I learn that the Solymi, the neighbors of the Lycians, especially honored Cronus; but since he killed their leaders Arsalus, Arytus, and Tosibis, and fled and removed somewhere or other (this they cannot say), he was neglected, while Arsalus and his companions are called the Sciri gods, and the Lycians make their curses by them publicly and privately. Many things like these may be taken from the myths. And if we call some demons by the customary names of the gods, it is not to be wondered at," said the stranger. "For each is usually called after the god to whom he is attached and whose power he shares; for among us too one is Dius, another Athenaeus, another Apollonius, Dionysius, or Hermaeus. But some were rightly so named by chance, while most have acquired names derived from gods that do not suit them but are misapplied."

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch relates that myths of Python, Typhon, and the Titans concern exiled and punished demons, and that demons are called by gods' names.

Plutarch, On the Failure of the Oracles 15 and 21 (417e–418a, 421c–e). A word meaning "likewise" has fallen out before δὲ ἔχειν; supplied in brackets.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization; punctuation misread in digitization; repeated syllables in digitization; stray digit in digitization): δαίμονας, νᾶς, → δαίμονας,; δαιμονῶν μάχας → δαιμόνων μάχας; Οὐρανόν ’ ὧν → Οὐρανόν· ὧν; τἀς κατάρας → τὰς κατάρας; Δῖος 5 ὁ δὲ → Δῖος, ὁ δὲ; οὑ τῆς → οὗ τῆς.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Def. orac. 15 (Plutarch; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.5.3 (Dindorf 1:220–221; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-5-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.5.4Dindorf 1:221

Τοσαῦθʼ ὁ Πλούταρχος ἐν οἷς ἐσπούδασε ‘‘Περὶ τῶν ἐκλελοιπότων χρηστηρίων, ” πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις καὶ θνήσκειν παριστὰς τοὺς δαίμονας, ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ κατὰ τὸν δέοντα καιρὸν παραθήσομαι.

Tosauthʼ ho Ploutarchos en hois espoudase ‘‘Peri tōn ekleloipotōn chrēstēriōn, ” pros tois allois kai thnēskein paristas tous daimonas, ho kai auto kata ton deonta kairon parathēsomai.

So much Plutarch, in his treatise On the Failure of the Oracles, showing besides other things that the demons also die; this too I shall set out at the proper time.

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch also shows that demons die, which Eusebius will discuss later.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.5.4 (Dindorf 1:221; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-5-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.5.5Dindorf 1:221

τέως δὲ φέρε συλλεξώμεθα ὅσα ἄλλα περὶ τῆς τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ὥς φησι, δαιμόνων δυνάμεως τε καὶ ἐνεργείας αὖθις ὁ τὴν καθʼ ἡμῶν συσκευὴν πεποιημένος ἐν οἷς ἐπέγραψε “ Περὶ τῆς ἐκ λογίων φιλοσοφίας ἐκτίθεται μάλιστα γὰρ αὐτῷ καὶ νῦν ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ πολλάκις μάρτυρι χρήσομαι καὶ ἐλέγχῳ τῆς περὶ οὓς ὑπολαμβάνουσι θεοὺς πλάνης, ὡς ἂν ἐκ τῶν οἰκείων βελῶν καὶ τοξευμάτων βαλλόμενοι καταισχύνοιντο.

teōs de phere syllexōmetha hosa alla peri tēs tōn agathōn, hōs phēsi, daimonōn dynameōs te kai energeias authis ho tēn kathʼ hēmōn syskeuēn pepoiēmenos en hois epegrapse “ Peri tēs ek logiōn philosophias ektithetai malista gar autǭ kai nyn hōsper oun kai pollakis martyri chrēsomai kai elenchǭ tēs peri hous hypolambanousi theous planēs, hōs an ek tōn oikeiōn belōn kai toxeumatōn ballomenoi kataischynointo.

Meanwhile, come, let us collect whatever else about the power and activity of the good demons, as he calls them, is set out by the one who composed the attack on us, in the work he entitled On the Philosophy from Oracles. For now especially, as often before, I shall use him as witness and refutation of the error about those they suppose to be gods, so that they may be shamed, struck by their own darts and arrows.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius will again use Porphyry's own words against the gods.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization; digitization slip): Περἰ → Περὶ; οἰκείωυ → οἰκείων.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.5.5 (Dindorf 1:221; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-5-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.5.6Dindorf 1:221

οὕτως γὰρ καὶ γένοιτʼ ἂν ἡμῖν ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν τοῖς θεοῖς προσφιλῶν, καὶ δὴ καὶ εὐσεβῶν νενομισμένων, ἀκριβῶς τε τὸν περὶ τῶν οἰκείων λόγον διηρευνηκότων, ἀνελλιπὴς καὶ ἀπαραίτητος ἡ τῶν προκειμένων ἀπόδειξις.

houtōs gar kai genoitʼ an hēmin ex autōn tōn tois theois prosphilōn, kai dē kai eusebōn nenomismenōn, akribōs te ton peri tōn oikeiōn logon diēreunēkotōn, anellipēs kai aparaitētos hē tōn prokeimenōn apodeixis.

For in this way the proof of what is before us would be complete and unanswerable, coming from those dear to the gods themselves, thought to be pious, and having exactly investigated what concerns their own.

Notes and citation

Summary: Testimony from the gods' own devotees makes the proof unanswerable.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (leaked marginal letter in digitization): θεοῖς c προσφιλῶν → θεοῖς προσφιλῶν.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.5.6 (Dindorf 1:221; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-5-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.5.7Dindorf 1:221–222

γράφει δὲ ταῦτα ὁ δεδηλωμένος ἐν οἷς ἐπέγραψε “ Περὶ τῆς ἐκ λογίων φιλοσοφίας ” ἔνθα μαρτύρεται μὴ τὰ ἀπόρρητα τῶν θεῶν ἐκφαίνειν, ἐπομνύμενός τε αὐτὸς καὶ παραγγέλλων κρύπτειν καὶ μὴ εἰς πολλοὺς ἐκφέρειν τὰ λεχθησόμενα.

graphei de tauta ho dedēlōmenos en hois epegrapse “ Peri tēs ek logiōn philosophias ” entha martyretai mē ta aporrēta tōn theōn ekphainein, epomnymenos te autos kai parangellōn kryptein kai mē eis pollous ekpherein ta lechthēsomena.

The writer mentioned writes this in the work he entitled On the Philosophy from Oracles, where he solemnly protests that he does not reveal the secrets of the gods, swearing himself and charging others to hide and not to publish to the many what is to be said.

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry swore to keep his oracles secret.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.5.7 (Dindorf 1:221–222; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-5-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.5.8Dindorf 1:222

τίνα δὲ ἦν τὰ τοιαῦτα; τὸν Πᾶνα Διονύσου φησὶ θεράποντα εἶναι, τοῦτον δὲ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὄντα δαιμόνων ἐπιφανέντα ποτὲ τοῖς κατʼ ἀγρὸν γεωπονοῦσι. τί χρῆν ἀγαθὸν ὄντα παρασχεῖν ἢ πάντως ἀγαθοῦ τινὸς παρουσίαν τοῖς τῆς θεοφανείας τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ κατηξιωμένοις;

tina de ēn ta toiauta? ton Pana Dionysou phēsi theraponta einai, touton de tōn agathōn onta daimonōn epiphanenta pote tois katʼ agron geōponousi. ti chrēn agathon onta paraschein ē pantōs agathou tinos parousian tois tēs theophaneias tou agathou katēxiōmenois?

What were these things? He says that Pan is a servant of Dionysus and, being one of the good demons, once appeared to those tilling the fields. What should a good being have given, if not the presence of something good to those counted worthy of the appearance of the good?

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry says the good demon Pan appeared to farmers; Eusebius asks what good he brought.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (digitization slip; line-break hyphen and lost letter in digitization): ἐπιφ- νέντα → ἐπιφανέντα; γεωπουοῦσι → γεωπονοῦσι.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.5.8 (Dindorf 1:222; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-5-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.5.9Dindorf 1:222

ἆρʼ οὖν ὑπῆρξεν ἀγαθόν τι τοῖς θεαταῖς τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ δαίμονος, ἢ κακὸν εἰλήχασι δαίμονα, ἔργῳ τῆς πείρας ᾐσθημένοι; φησὶ γοῦν ὁ θαυμάσιος μάρτυς τοὺς τῆς ἀγαθῆς ταύτης θέας ἠξιωμένους ἄθρουν θάνατον ὑπομεῖναι λέγων ὧδε

arʼ oun hypērxen agathon ti tois theatais tou agathou daimonos, ē kakon eilēchasi daimona, ergǭ tēs peiras ę̄sthēmenoi? phēsi goun ho thaumasios martys tous tēs agathēs tautēs theas ēxiōmenous athroun thanaton hypomeinai legōn hōde

Did anything good, then, come to those who beheld the good demon, or did they get a bad demon, having perceived it by actual experience? At any rate the wonderful witness says that those counted worthy of this good sight suffered sudden death, speaking thus:

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry admits that those who saw Pan died suddenly.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.5.9 (Dindorf 1:222; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-5-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

Preparation 5, chapter 6

5.6.1Dindorf 1:222

“Ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις οἱ μὲν θεράποντές τινων ἀνεδείχθησαν, ὡς ὁ Πὰν τοῦ Διονύσου· δεδήλωκε δὲ τοῦτο ὁ ἐν Βραγχίδαις Ἀπόλλων διὰ τούτων. ἐννέα γὰρ εὑρέθησαν ἀποθανόντες· πυνθανομένων οὖν τῶν τὸν ἀγρὸν οἰκούντων τὴν αἰτίαν ἔχρησεν ὁ θεὸς χρυσόκερως βλοσυροῖο Διωνύσου θεράπων Πὰν, βαίνων ὑλήεντα κατʼ οὔρεα, χειρὶ κραταιῇ ῥάβδον ἔχεν, ἑτέρη δὲ λιγὺ πνείουσαν ἔμαρπτε σύριγγα γλαφυρὴν, Νύμφῃσι δὲ θυμὸν ἔθελγεν· ὀξὺ δὲ συρίξας μέλος ἀνέρας ἐπτοίησεν ὑλοτόμους πάντας, θάμβος δʼ ἔχεν εἰσορόωντας δαίμονος ὀρνυμένου κρυερὸν δέμας οἰστρήεντος. καί νύ κε πάντας ἔμαρψε τέλος κρυεροῦ θανάτοιο, εἰ μή οἱ κότον αἰνὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔχουσα Ἄρτεμις ἀγροτέρη παῦσεν μένεος κρατεροῖο, ἣν καὶ χρὴ λίσσεσθʼ, ἵνα σοι γίγνητʼ ἐπαρωγός.”

“Ēdē de kai en allois hoi men therapontes tinōn anedeichthēsan, hōs ho Pan tou Dionysou; dedēlōke de touto ho en Branchidais Apollōn dia toutōn. ennea gar heurethēsan apothanontes; pynthanomenōn oun tōn ton agron oikountōn tēn aitian echrēsen ho theos chrysokerōs blosyroio Diōnysou therapōn Pan, bainōn hylēenta katʼ ourea, cheiri krataię̄ rhabdon echen, heterē de ligy pneiousan emarpte syringa glaphyrēn, Nymphę̄si de thymon ethelgen; oxy de syrixas melos aneras eptoiēsen hylotomous pantas, thambos dʼ echen eisoroōntas daimonos ornymenou kryeron demas oistrēentos. kai ny ke pantas emarpse telos kryerou thanatoio, ei mē hoi koton ainon eni stēthessin echousa Artemis agroterē pausen meneos krateroio, hēn kai chrē lissesthʼ, hina soi gignētʼ eparōgos.”

"Already in other cases some have been shown to be servants of certain gods, as Pan of Dionysus; and Apollo at Branchidae has shown this through the following. For nine men were found dead; and when those who lived in the countryside asked the cause, the god gave this oracle: 'Pan, golden-horned servant of grim Dionysus, going over the wooded mountains, held a staff in his strong hand, and in the other grasped a hollow pipe sounding clear, and charmed the hearts of the Nymphs. Piping a shrill tune he terrified all the woodcutters, and amazement seized them as they beheld the chilling form of the raging demon rushing on. And the end of chilling death would have seized them all, had not Artemis the huntress, holding dread anger in her breast, checked his mighty fury; to her you must pray, that she may be your helper.'"

Notes and citation

Summary: Apollo's oracle at Branchidae explains that Pan's terrifying appearance killed nine woodcutters.

Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (sections 5.6.1–5.9.9).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray letter in digitization): δεδήλωλκε → δεδήλωκε.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.6.1 (Dindorf 1:222; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-6-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.6.2Dindorf 1:222–223

Ἀκήκοας οἷα τοῦ δαίμονος, οὗ φησιν ἀγαθοῦ, τό τε σχῆμα καὶ τὰς πράξεις ὁ ἐν Βραγχίδαις Ἀπόλλων· θέα δὴ καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν τὰ γενναῖα κατορθώματα, ὧν δὴ ἕνεκα τὴν οὐράνιον ἀπολελοιπότες διατριβὴν τὴν σὺν ἀνθρώποις ἀντικατηλλάξαντο.

Akēkoas hoia tou daimonos, hou phēsin agathou, to te schēma kai tas praxeis ho en Branchidais Apollōn; thea dē kai tōn loipōn ta gennaia katorthōmata, hōn dē heneka tēn ouranion apoleloipotes diatribēn tēn syn anthrōpois antikatēllaxanto.

You have heard what the Apollo at Branchidae says of the form and deeds of the demon whom he calls good. Look now at the noble achievements of the rest, for whose sake they left their heavenly abode and exchanged it for life among men.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius turns to the deeds of the other 'good' demons.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing lost and stray letters in digitization; stray letter in digitization): οἷκα → οἷα; ὁ έν Βραγχίδαις ξεν Ἀπόλλων → ὁ ἐν Βραγχίδαις Ἀπόλλων.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.6.2 (Dindorf 1:222–223; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-6-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.6.3Dindorf 1:223

πάντως δήπου χρῆν αὐτοὺς σωφροσύνης κατάρχειν, καὶ τὰ λυσιτελῆ καὶ ὠφέλιμα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὑποτίθεσθαι. οἱ δὲ τούτων μὲν οὐδέν· ἄκουε δʼ οἷα ἐκφαίνει ὁ τὰ ἀρρητότερα τῶν ἀρρήτων διηρευνηκὼς καὶ τῶν ἀπορρήτων ἀξιωθεὶς τῆς γνώσεως.

pantōs dēpou chrēn autous sōphrosynēs katarchein, kai ta lysitelē kai ōphelima tois anthrōpois hypotithesthai. hoi de toutōn men ouden; akoue dʼ hoia ekphainei ho ta arrētotera tōn arrētōn diēreunēkōs kai tōn aporrētōn axiōtheis tēs gnōseōs.

They surely ought to have led the way in self-control and suggested to men what is profitable and useful. But they did none of these things. Listen to what he reveals who has searched out the secrets more secret than secrets and been counted worthy of the knowledge of hidden things.

Notes and citation

Summary: The demons taught no virtue, as Porphyry reveals.

Notes on the original text

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

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.6.3 (Dindorf 1:223; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-6-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.6.4Dindorf 1:223

τοτὲ μὲν οὖν τινὰς τῶν ἀγαθῶν τούτων δαιμόνων φησὶν ἐρωτικαῖς ἡδυπαθείαις ὑπηρετεῖσθαι, τοτὲ δʼ ἑτέρους τυμπάνοις καὶ αὐλοῖς καὶ θηλειῶν πατάγοις χαίρειν, ἄλλους δὲ αὖ πάλιν μάχαις καὶ πολέμοις ἀγάλλεσθαι, καὶ κυνηγεσίοις τὴν Ἄρτεμιν καὶ τοῖς ἀπὸ γῆς καρποῖς τὴν Δῃῶ· θρηνεῖν δὲ τὸν Ὄσιριν εἰσέτι νῦν τὴν Ἶσιν καὶ τὸν Ἀπόλλω μαντεύεσθαι. τοιαῦται ὧν φασιν ἀγαθῶν δαιμόνων αἱ εἰς ἀνθρώπους ὠφέλειαι. δέχου δὲ καὶ τούτων τὰς ἀποδείξεις

tote men oun tinas tōn agathōn toutōn daimonōn phēsin erōtikais hēdypatheiais hypēreteisthai, tote dʼ heterous tympanois kai aulois kai thēleiōn patagois chairein, allous de au palin machais kai polemois agallesthai, kai kynēgesiois tēn Artemin kai tois apo gēs karpois tēn Dę̄ō; thrēnein de ton Osirin eiseti nyn tēn Isin kai ton Apollō manteuesthai. toiautai hōn phasin agathōn daimonōn hai eis anthrōpous ōpheleiai. dechou de kai toutōn tas apodeixeis

He says that some of these good demons minister to erotic pleasures, others delight in drums and flutes and the clatter of women, others again exult in battles and wars; Artemis in hunting and Deo in the fruits of the earth; Isis still mourns Osiris, and Apollo gives oracles. Such are the benefits to men of those they call good demons. Receive the proofs of these things too.

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry's 'good' demons delight in lust, noise, war, hunting, mourning, and divination.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing misread in digitization; line-break hyphen rejoined): αἶ εἰς ἀνθρώπους → αἱ εἰς ἀνθρώπους; ἀπο- δείξεις → ἀποδείξεις.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.6.4 (Dindorf 1:223; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-6-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

Preparation 5, chapter 7

5.7.1Dindorf 1:223

οὐδὲν ἐν ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖς ποτὲ δία μάταιον οὐδʼ ἄκραντον ἔλεξε σοφοῖς Ἑκάτη θεοφήταις· ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ παγχράτοιο νόου πατρόθεν κατιοῦσα αἰὲν ἀληθείῃ σελαγίζεται, ἀμφὶ δὲ μῆτις ἔμπεδος ἀρρήκτοισι μένει λογίοις βεβαυῖα. δεσμῷ δʼ οὖν κλήιζε· θεὴν γὰρ ἄγεις με τοσήνδε, ὅσση ψυχῶσαι πανυπέρτατον ἤρκεσα κόσμον.

ouden en athanatoisi theois pote dia mataion oudʼ akranton elexe sophois Hekatē theophētais; allʼ apo panchratoio noou patrothen katiousa aien alētheię̄ selagizetai, amphi de mētis empedos arrēktoisi menei logiois bebauia. desmǭ dʼ oun klēize; theēn gar ageis me tosēnde, hossē psychōsai panypertaton ērkesa kosmon.

"Divine Hecate never spoke anything vain or unfulfilled among the immortal gods to wise prophets; but coming down from the all-powerful mind of the Father, she always shines with truth, and wisdom stands steadfast around her, established in unbroken oracles. So call me with a bond; for you are bringing a goddess as great as I, who have been able to give soul to the highest world."

Notes and citation

Summary: An oracle of Hecate claims truth and power and calls for binding rites.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.7.1 (Dindorf 1:223; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-7-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.7.2Dindorf 1:223

καὶ μήποτε διὰ τοῦτο τρίμορφος τριμερής τε καὶ ἡ ψυχή. ταύτης δὲ τὸ μὲν θυμοειδὲς, τὸ δὲ ἐπιθυμητικόν· ὅθεν καὶ πρὸς τὰ ἐρωτικὰ καλεῖται. ταῦτα οὐκ ἐμὰ, μήτοι νομίσῃς, τοῦ δὲ προειρημένου συγγραφέως ἀκήκοας, οὗ πάλιν ἐστὶ καὶ ταῦτα

kai mēpote dia touto trimorphos trimerēs te kai hē psychē. tautēs de to men thymoeides, to de epithymētikon; hothen kai pros ta erōtika kaleitai. tauta ouk ema, mētoi nomisę̄s, tou de proeirēmenou syngrapheōs akēkoas, hou palin esti kai tauta

"And perhaps for this reason the soul too is three-formed and threefold; and of it one part is spirited and another desiring; hence she is also called upon for erotic purposes." Do not think these are my words; you have heard them from the writer mentioned, to whom these words also belong:

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry says Hecate is invoked for love magic.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (digitization slip; line-break hyphen rejoined): ἐπιθυμητιχόν → ἐπιθυμητικόν; συγ- γραφέως → συγγραφέως.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.7.2 (Dindorf 1:223; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-7-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.7.3Dindorf 1:223–224

‘Πάνυ δέ με θράττει πῶς ὡς κρείττους παρακαλούμενοι ἐπιτάττονται ὡς χείρους· καὶ δίκαιον εἶναι ἀξιοῦντες τὸν θεράποντα, τἄδικα αὐτοὶ κελευσθέντες δρᾶν ὑπομένουσι, καὶ καθαρῷ μὲν μὴ ὄντι ἐξ ἀφροδισίων οὐκ ἂν καλοῦντι ὑπακούσαιεν, αὐτοὶ δʼ ἄγειν εἰς παράνομα ἀφροδίσια τοὺς τυχόντας οὐκ ὀκνοῦσιν.’’

‘Pany de me thrattei pōs hōs kreittous parakaloumenoi epitattontai hōs cheirous; kai dikaion einai axiountes ton theraponta, tadika autoi keleusthentes dran hypomenousi, kai katharǭ men mē onti ex aphrodisiōn ouk an kalounti hypakousaien, autoi dʼ agein eis paranoma aphrodisia tous tychontas ouk oknousin.’’

"It greatly troubles me how, being invoked as superior beings, they are commanded as inferior; and while they require their worshipper to be just, they themselves submit to do unjust things when ordered; and they would not hearken to one who calls on them if he is not pure from sexual intercourse, while they themselves do not hesitate to lead anyone at all into unlawful sexual relations."

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry is troubled that the gods obey magicians and promote unlawful lusts.

Porphyry, Letter to Anebo (repeated in 5.10.1). The digital text of this section is garbled; corrected from the parallel in 5.10.1.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (digitization slip (compare 5.10.1); garbled words in digitization (compare 5.10.1)): δίκαιον εἶσθέντεσ διέναι ἀξιοῦντες → δίκαιον εἶναι ἀξιοῦντες; σελευσθέντεσ → κελευσθέντες.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Anebo (Porphyry, Letter to Anebo; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.7.3 (Dindorf 1:223–224; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-7-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.7.4Dindorf 1:224

Εὕροις δʼ ἂν καὶ ταῦτα ἐν τῇ Πρὸς Ἀνεβῶ τὸν Αἰγύπτιον τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐπιστολῇ. ἐν δὲ τῇ προλεχθείσῃ πραγματείᾳ Περὶ τῆς ἐκ λογίων φιλοσοφίας προστίθησι τοῖς εἰρημένοις λέγων ὧδε “Καὶ μὴν ὅ τι ἑκάστῳ ἐπιτέτακται αὐτοὶ δεδηλώκασιν, ὥσπερ ὁ Διδυμαῖος διὰ τούτων· ἦν δʼ ἡ πεῦσις εἰ δεῖ ὀμόσαι τῷ ἐπαγαγόντι τὸν ὅρκον·)

Heurois dʼ an kai tauta en tę̄ Pros Anebō ton Aigyption tou autou epistolę̄. en de tę̄ prolechtheisę̄ pragmateią Peri tēs ek logiōn philosophias prostithēsi tois eirēmenois legōn hōde “Kai mēn ho ti hekastǭ epitetaktai autoi dedēlōkasin, hōsper ho Didymaios dia toutōn; ēn dʼ hē peusis ei dei omosai tǭ epagagonti ton horkon;)

You will find this too in his Letter to Anebo the Egyptian. And in the treatise mentioned before, On the Philosophy from Oracles, he adds to what has been said, speaking thus: "And what is assigned to each they themselves have made known, as the Didymaean god did through these lines (the inquiry was whether one should swear when someone tendered the oath):

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry quotes the Didymaean oracle on the gods' particular concerns.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.7.4 (Dindorf 1:224; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-7-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.7.5Dindorf 1:224

μητέρι μὲν μακάρων μέλεται Τιτηνίδι Ῥείῃ αὐλοὶ καὶ τυπάνων πάταγοι καὶ θῆλυς ὅμιλος· Παλλάδι δʼ εὐπήληκι μόθοι καὶ δῆρις Ἐνυοῦς, καὶ βαλίαις σκυλάκεσσι βαθυσκοπέλους ἀνὰ πρῶνας θῆρας ὀρειονόμους ἐλάαν Λητωίδι κούρῃ· Ἥρῃ δʼ εὐκελάδῳ μαλακὴ χύσις ἠέρος ὑγρῆς· λήια δʼ εὐαλδῆ κομέειν σταχυητρόφα Δῃοῖ· Ἴσιδι δʼ αὖ Φαρίῃ, γονίμοις παρὰ χεύμασι Νείλου, μαστεύειν οἴστροισιν ἑὸν πόσιν ἁβρὸν Ὄσιριν.

mēteri men makarōn meletai Titēnidi Rheię̄ auloi kai typanōn patagoi kai thēlys homilos; Palladi dʼ eupēlēki mothoi kai dēris Enyous, kai baliais skylakessi bathyskopelous ana prōnas thēras oreionomous elaan Lētōidi kourę̄; Hērę̄ dʼ eukeladǭ malakē chysis ēeros hygrēs; lēia dʼ eualdē komeein stachyētropha Dę̄oi; Isidi dʼ au Pharię̄, gonimois para cheumasi Neilou, masteuein oistroisin heon posin habron Osirin.

'To Rhea the Titaness, mother of the blessed ones, flutes are dear and the clatter of drums and the throng of women; to Pallas of the fine helmet the din of battle and Enyo's strife; and to Leto's maiden daughter, with dappled hounds, to drive the mountain beasts over the deep-cliffed headlands; to sweet-voiced Hera the soft outpouring of moist air; to Deo, nurse of the ears of grain, to tend the thriving crops; and to Pharian Isis, by the fertile streams of the Nile, to seek in frenzy her delicate husband Osiris.'"

Notes and citation

Summary: The oracle lists the pursuits dear to each goddess.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing lost in digitization): Ρείῃ → Ῥείῃ.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.7.5 (Dindorf 1:224; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-7-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.7.6Dindorf 1:224

εἰ δὴ οὖν ‘αὐλοὶ καὶ τυπάνων πάταγοι καὶ θῆλυς ὅμιλος” μέλεται τῇ μητρὶ τῶν θεῶν, ἀσκητέον δὴ ταῦτα πάσης ἀρετῆς ἀφεμένους, ὅτι μηδὲν σωφροσύνης μηδέ τινος ἄλλης θεοφιλοῦς πράξεως μέλεται τῇ προειρημένῃ, ὡς καὶ τῇ Ἀθηνᾷ μόθοι καὶ μάχαι καὶ πόλεμοι, ἀλλʼ οὐκ εἰρήνη καὶ τὰ ἐν εἰρήνῃ πράγματα. καὶ τῇ Λητωίδι δὲ κούρῃ, τῇ Ἀρτέμιδι, μελέσθων αἱ βαλίαι σκύλακες, διὰ τὸ κατʼ ἀγροὺς κυνηγὸν οὖσαν τοῖς θηρσὶ πολεμεῖν, ὡς καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις τὰ κατειλεγμένα. τί οὖν δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν θεοφιλῆ καὶ μακάριον συντείνοι ἂν βίον; ἐπίσκεψαι δὲ πότερά σοι θείας εἷναι δοκεῖ φύσεως, ἢ φαύλης καὶ μοχθηροτάτης, τὰ ἑξῆς ἐπιλεγόμενα

ei dē oun ‘auloi kai typanōn patagoi kai thēlys homilos” meletai tę̄ mētri tōn theōn, askēteon dē tauta pasēs aretēs aphemenous, hoti mēden sōphrosynēs mēde tinos allēs theophilous praxeōs meletai tę̄ proeirēmenę̄, hōs kai tę̄ Athēną mothoi kai machai kai polemoi, allʼ ouk eirēnē kai ta en eirēnę̄ pragmata. kai tę̄ Lētōidi de kourę̄, tę̄ Artemidi, melesthōn hai baliai skylakes, dia to katʼ agrous kynēgon ousan tois thērsi polemein, hōs kai tais allais ta kateilegmena. ti oun dē tauta pros ton theophilē kai makarion synteinoi an bion? episkepsai de potera soi theias heinai dokei physeōs, ē phaulēs kai mochthērotatēs, ta hexēs epilegomena

If, then, "flutes and the clatter of drums and the throng of women" are dear to the mother of the gods, we must practice these, letting go all virtue, since nothing of self-control or of any other God-loving action is dear to her; as to Athena the din of battle, fights, and wars, and not peace and the things of peace. And let the dappled hounds be dear to Leto's maiden daughter, Artemis, because as a huntress in the fields she wars against beasts; and to the others what was listed. What, then, would these contribute to a God-loving and blessed life? Consider whether what is next said seems to you to belong to a divine nature, or to a bad and most wicked one:

Notes and citation

Summary: The goddesses' pursuits contribute nothing to a virtuous life.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing misread in digitization; digitization slip): αἶ βαλίαι → αἱ βαλίαι; μαχάριον → μακάριον.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.7.6 (Dindorf 1:224; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-7-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

Preparation 5, chapter 8

5.8.1Dindorf 1:224–225

“Ὀρθῶς καὶ τοῦτο ὁ Ῥόδιος Πυθαγόρας ἀπεφήνατο, ὅτι οὐχ ἥδονται οἱ κλῃζόμενοι ἐπὶ ταῖς θυσίαις θεοὶ, ἀνάγκῃ δέ τινι ἀκολουθίας συρόμενοι παραγίνονται, καὶ οἱ μὲν μᾶλλον, οἱ δὲ ἧττον.

“Orthōs kai touto ho Rhodios Pythagoras apephēnato, hoti ouch hēdontai hoi klę̄zomenoi epi tais thysiais theoi, anankę̄ de tini akolouthias syromenoi paraginontai, kai hoi men mallon, hoi de hētton.

"Pythagoras of Rhodes rightly declared this too: that the gods invoked at sacrifices do not take pleasure in them, but come because they are dragged by a certain necessity of consequence, some more and some less.

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry cites Pythagoras of Rhodes: the gods come to sacrifices by compulsion.

Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles. This Pythagoras of Rhodes is otherwise unknown.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing misread in digitization): οἶ κλῃζόμενοι → οἱ κλῃζόμενοι; οἶ δὲ ἧττον → οἱ δὲ ἧττον.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.8.1 (Dindorf 1:224–225; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-8-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.8.2Dindorf 1:225

τινὲς δὲ καὶ ὥσπερ ἔθος ποιησάμενοι τῆς ἑαυτῶν παρουσίας εὐμαρέστερον φοιτῶσι, καὶ μάλιστα ἐὰν καὶ φύσει ἀγαθοὶ τυγχάνωσιν· οἱ δὲ, κἂν ἔθος ἔχωσι τοῦ παραγίνεσθαι, βλάβην τινὰ προθυμοῦνται ποιεῖν, καὶ μάλιστα ἐὰν ἀμελέστερόν τις δοκῆ ἀναστρέφεσθαί ἐν τοῖς πράγμασι.

tines de kai hōsper ethos poiēsamenoi tēs heautōn parousias eumaresteron phoitōsi, kai malista ean kai physei agathoi tynchanōsin; hoi de, kan ethos echōsi tou paraginesthai, blabēn tina prothymountai poiein, kai malista ean amelesteron tis dokē anastrephesthai en tois pragmasi.

Some, as if they had made a habit of their presence, come more readily, especially if they happen to be good by nature; but others, even if they have a habit of coming, are eager to do some harm, especially if someone seems to conduct himself rather carelessly in the matters.

Notes and citation

Summary: Some gods come readily; others come intending harm.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (digitization slip): τιωὲς → τινὲς.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.8.2 (Dindorf 1:225; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-8-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.8.3Dindorf 1:225

τοῦ γὰρ Πυθαγόρου ταῦτα εἰρηκότος παρετήρησα ἐκ τῶν λογίων ὡς ἀληθές ἐστι τὸ εἰρημένον. πάντες γὰρ διʼ ἀνάγκην φασὶν ἀφῖχθαι, οὐχ ἀπλῶς δὲ, ἀλλʼ οἷον, εἰ χρὴ οὕτω φάναι, πειθανάγκην.

tou gar Pythagorou tauta eirēkotos paretērēsa ek tōn logiōn hōs alēthes esti to eirēmenon. pantes gar diʼ anankēn phasin aphichthai, ouch aplōs de, allʼ hoion, ei chrē houtō phanai, peithanankēn.

For when Pythagoras had said this, I observed from the oracles that what was said is true. For all say that they have come under necessity, not simply, but, if one may so put it, a persuasive necessity.

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry says the oracles confirm that the gods come under compulsion.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.8.3 (Dindorf 1:225; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-8-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.8.4Dindorf 1:225

εἴρηται δʼ ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἐκεῖνα τὰ τῆς Ἑκάτης, διʼ ὧν φησιν ἐπι φαίνειν ἠέριον μετὰ φέγγος ἀπείριτον ἀστεροπληθὲς ἄχραντον πολὺ δῶμα θεοῦ λίπον, ἠδʼ ἐπιβαίνω γαίης ζῳοτρόφοιο, τεῇς ὑποθημοσύνῃσι, πειθοῖ τʼ ἀρρήτων ἐπέων, οἷς δὴ φρένα τέρπειν ἀθανάτων ἐδάη θνητὸς βροτός.

eirētai dʼ en tois emprosthen ekeina ta tēs Hekatēs, diʼ hōn phēsin epi phainein ēerion meta phengos apeiriton asteroplēthes achranton poly dōma theou lipon, ēdʼ epibainō gaiēs zǭotrophoio, teę̄s hypothēmosynę̄si, peithoi tʼ arrētōn epeōn, hois dē phrena terpein athanatōn edaē thnētos brotos.

The words of Hecate have been quoted earlier, in which she says she appears: 'Leaving the airy, boundless, star-filled, undefiled great house of God, I set foot on the life-nourishing earth, at your counsels and by the persuasion of unspeakable words, with which mortal man has learned to delight the minds of immortals.'

Notes and citation

Summary: Hecate says she comes down compelled by the magician's words.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization): διʼ ὦν → διʼ ὧν; οἶς δὴ → οἷς δὴ.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.8.4 (Dindorf 1:225; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-8-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.8.5Dindorf 1:225

καὶ πάλιν ἤλυθον εἰσαίουσα τεῆς πολυφράδμονος εὐχῆς. ἣν θνητῶν φύσις εὗρε θεῶν ὑποθημοσύνῃσι.

kai palin ēlython eisaiousa teēs polyphradmonos euchēs. hēn thnētōn physis heure theōn hypothēmosynę̄si.

And again: 'I have come, hearing your eloquent prayer, which the nature of mortals found by the counsels of the gods.'

Notes and citation

Summary: Hecate comes in answer to a prayer taught by the gods.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.8.5 (Dindorf 1:225; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-8-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.8.6Dindorf 1:225–226

καὶ ἔτι σαφέστερον τίπτε δʼ ἀεὶ θείοντος ἀπʼ αἰθέρος ὧδε χατίζων θειοδάμοις Ἑκάτην με θεὴν ἐκάλεσσας ἀνάγκαις; καὶ ἐξῆς τοὺς μὲν ἀπορρήτοις ἐρύων ἴυγξιν ἀπʼ αἴθρης ῥηιδίως ἀέκοντας ἐπὶ χθόνα δίαν ἄγεσθαι, τοὺς δὲ μέσους μεσάτοισιν ἐπεμβεβαῶτας ἀήταις, νόσφι πυρὸς θείοιο, πανομφέας ὥσπερ ὀνείρους, εἰσκρίνεις μερόπεσσιν, ἀεικέα δαίμονας ἕρδων.

kai eti saphesteron tipte dʼ aei theiontos apʼ aitheros hōde chatizōn theiodamois Hekatēn me theēn ekalessas anankais? kai exēs tous men aporrētois eryōn iynxin apʼ aithrēs rhēidiōs aekontas epi chthona dian agesthai, tous de mesous mesatoisin epembebaōtas aētais, nosphi pyros theioio, panompheas hōsper oneirous, eiskrineis meropessin, aeikea daimonas herdōn.

And still more clearly: 'Why, ever needing me from the swift-running ether, have you called me, the goddess Hecate, with god-subduing compulsions?' And next: 'Some you drag from the sky with unspeakable spells, easily, unwilling, to be brought to the divine earth; others, the middle ones, mounted on the middle winds, apart from the divine fire, like all-voiced dreams, you bring in to mortals, doing unseemly things to demons.'

Notes and citation

Summary: Hecate complains that magicians drag gods down against their will.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.8.6 (Dindorf 1:225–226; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-8-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.8.7Dindorf 1:226

καὶ πάλιν ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν καθύπερθε μετήοροι Οὐρανίωνες σπερχόμενοι κούφαισι μεθʼ Ἁρπυίαισι φέρονται· ῥίμφα δὲ θειοδάμοισιν ἐπημύσαντες ἀνάγκαις εἰς χθόνʼ ἐπειγόμενοι Δηώϊον ἀίσσουσι, θνητοῖς ἐσσομένων ὑποφήτορες. καὶ πάλιν ἄλλος ἀναγκαζόμενος ἔφη κλῦθί μευ οὐκ ἐθέλοντος, ἐπεί μʼ ἐπέδησας ἀνάγκῃ.

kai palin allʼ hoi men kathyperthe metēoroi Ouraniōnes sperchomenoi kouphaisi methʼ Harpuiaisi pherontai; rhimpha de theiodamoisin epēmysantes anankais eis chthonʼ epeigomenoi Dēōïon aissousi, thnētois essomenōn hypophētores. kai palin allos anankazomenos ephē klythi meu ouk ethelontos, epei mʼ epedēsas anankę̄.

And again: 'But the heavenly ones on high, hastening, are borne with the swift Harpies; and quickly, yielding to the god-subduing compulsions, rushing to Deo's earth they dart down, interpreters of the future to mortals.' And again another, under compulsion, said: 'Hear me, unwilling though I am, since you have bound me by compulsion.'

Notes and citation

Summary: Other oracles say the gods come down unwillingly under compulsion.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.8.7 (Dindorf 1:226; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-8-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.8.8Dindorf 1:226

Ἐπὶ τούτοις πάλιν ὁ συγγραφεύς φησιν “Ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐπανάγκους ἑαυτῶν ἐκδιδόασιν, ὡς δηλώσει ὁ ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος ἐκδοθεὶς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ ἐπάναγκος.

Epi toutois palin ho syngrapheus phēsin “Epei kai epanankous heautōn ekdidoasin, hōs dēlōsei ho apo tou Apollōnos ekdotheis peri heautou epanankos.

To these the writer adds again: "For they even give out compulsions against themselves, as the compelling spell given out by Apollo about himself will show.

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry says Apollo even revealed a spell to compel himself.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization): ὧς δηλώσει → ὡς δηλώσει.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.8.8 (Dindorf 1:226; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-8-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.8.9Dindorf 1:226

λέγεται δὲ οὕτως οὔνομʼ ἀναγκαίης τόδε καρτερὸν ἠδʼ ἔτι βριθύ. καὶ ἐπήγαγε

legetai de houtōs ounomʼ anankaiēs tode karteron ēdʼ eti brithy. kai epēgage

It runs thus: 'This is a mighty name of compulsion, and heavy besides.' And he added:

Notes and citation

Summary: Apollo speaks of a compelling name.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.8.9 (Dindorf 1:226; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-8-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.8.10Dindorf 1:226

μόλε δʼ ἐσσυμένως τοισίδε μύθοις, οὓς ἀπʼ ἐμῆς κραδίης ἀνάγω ἱεροῖσι τύποις συνθλιβομένου πυρὸς ἁγνοῦ. τολμᾷ δὲ φύσις ταῦτα προφαίνειν τῆς σῆς γενέθλης, ἄμβροτε Παιάν.

mole dʼ essymenōs toiside mythois, hous apʼ emēs kradiēs anagō hieroisi typois synthlibomenou pyros hagnou. tolmą de physis tauta prophainein tēs sēs genethlēs, ambrote Paian.

'Come swiftly at these words, which I bring up from my heart with sacred figures, the holy fire being pressed together. Your nature, immortal Paean, dares to reveal these things of your birth.'

Notes and citation

Summary: Apollo's spell summons the god with sacred figures.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.8.10 (Dindorf 1:226; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-8-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.8.11Dindorf 1:226

καὶ πάλιν ὁ Ἀπόλλων ῥεῦμα τὸ Φοιβείης ἀπονεύμενον ὑψόθεν αἴγλης πνοιῇ ὑπὸ λιγυρῇ κεκαλυμμένον ἠέρος ἁγνοῦ, θελγόμενον μολπαῖσι καὶ ἀρρήτοις ἐπέεσσι, κάππεσεν ἀμφὶ κάρηνον ἀμωμήτοιο δοχῆος λεπταλέων ὑμένων· μαλακὸν δʼ ἐνέπλησε χιτῶνα, ἀμβολάδην διὰ γαστρὸς ἀνεσσύμενον παλίνορσον· αὐλοῦ δʼ ἐκ βροτέοιο φίλην ἐτεκνώσατο φωνήν.”

kai palin ho Apollōn rheuma to Phoibeiēs aponeumenon hypsothen aiglēs pnoię̄ hypo ligyrę̄ kekalymmenon ēeros hagnou, thelgomenon molpaisi kai arrētois epeessi, kappesen amphi karēnon amōmētoio dochēos leptaleōn hymenōn; malakon dʼ eneplēse chitōna, amboladēn dia gastros anessymenon palinorson; aulou dʼ ek broteoio philēn eteknōsato phōnēn.”

And again Apollo: 'The stream from the Phoebean radiance, coming down from on high, wrapped in the shrill breath of pure air, charmed by songs and unspeakable words, fell around the head of the blameless receiver, of delicate membranes, and filled his soft tunic, rushing up through his belly and back again; and from a mortal pipe it brought forth a dear voice.'"

Notes and citation

Summary: Apollo describes the inspiring stream entering the medium and speaking through him.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.8.11 (Dindorf 1:226; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-8-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.8.12Dindorf 1:226–227

Τούτοις ὁ συγγραφεὺς ἐπιλέγει " Τούτων οὔτε σαφέστερα οὔτε θεϊκώτερα καὶ φυσικώτερα γένοιτʼ ἄν. πνεῦμα γὰρ τὸ κατιὸν καὶ ἀπόρροια ἐκ τῆς ἐπουρανίου δυνάμεως εἰς ὀργανικὸν σῶμα καὶ ἔμψυχον εἰσελθοῦσα, βάσει χρωμένη τῇ ψυχῇ, διὰ τοῦ στόματος ὡς ὀργάνου φωνὴν ἀποδίδωσιν.”

Toutois ho syngrapheus epilegei " Toutōn oute saphestera oute theïkōtera kai physikōtera genoitʼ an. pneuma gar to kation kai aporroia ek tēs epouraniou dynameōs eis organikon sōma kai empsychon eiselthousa, basei chrōmenē tę̄ psychę̄, dia tou stomatos hōs organou phōnēn apodidōsin.”

To these the writer adds: "Nothing could be clearer, more divine, or more natural than these. For a spirit coming down, an emanation from the heavenly power, entering into an organic and living body and using the soul as its base, gives forth a voice through the mouth as an instrument."

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry explains inspiration as a heavenly emanation speaking through the medium's mouth.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.8.12 (Dindorf 1:226–227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-8-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.8.13Dindorf 1:227

Ἀλλʼ ὅτι μὲν ἀναγκάζονται ἱκανὰ καὶ ταῦτα παραστῆσαι· ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἀξιοῦσιν ἀπολυθῆναι, ὡς οὐκ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς τῆς ἀναχωρήσεως κειμένης, μάθοις ἂν ἐκ τούτων

Allʼ hoti men anankazontai hikana kai tauta parastēsai; hoti de kai axiousin apolythēnai, hōs ouk epʼ autois tēs anachōrēseōs keimenēs, mathois an ek toutōn

That they are compelled, these things suffice to show; and that they ask to be released, since departure does not lie in their own power, you may learn from the following:

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius will show that the gods must ask to be released.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (digitization slip): μάθοις ἀνʼ → μάθοις ἂν.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.8.13 (Dindorf 1:227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-8-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

Preparation 5, chapter 9

5.9.1Dindorf 1:227

“Ὅτι δὲ σπεύδουσιν ἀναχωρεῖν οἱ κληθέντες θεοὶ δηλώσει τὰ τοιαῦτα, λεγόντων λύετε λοιπὸν ἄνακτα, βροτὸς θεὸν οὐκέτι χωρεῖ.

“Hoti de speudousin anachōrein hoi klēthentes theoi dēlōsei ta toiauta, legontōn lyete loipon anakta, brotos theon ouketi chōrei.

"That the gods who have been called hasten to depart will be shown by such things, when they say: 'Release the lord now; a mortal no longer holds the god.'

Notes and citation

Summary: The gods ask to be released from the medium.

Notes on the original text

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

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.1 (Dindorf 1:227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.9.2Dindorf 1:227

καὶ πάλιν τίπτʼ ἐπιδευόμενοι δηρὸν βροτὸν αἰκίζεσθε;

kai palin tiptʼ epideuomenoi dēron broton aikizesthe?

And again: 'Why, needing nothing further, do you torment the mortal so long?'

Notes and citation

Summary: A god complains of being held too long.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.2 (Dindorf 1:227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.9.3Dindorf 1:227

καὶ πάλιν ἕρπε, καὶ ὀτραλέως ἐπιέρχεο τόνδε σαώσας.

kai palin herpe, kai otraleōs epiercheo tonde saōsas.

And again: 'Go, and quickly come and save this man.'

Notes and citation

Summary: Another release formula.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.3 (Dindorf 1:227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.9.4Dindorf 1:227

καὶ πῶς ἀπολύειν αὐτοὺς χρὴ αὐτὸς διδάξει λέγων παύεο δὴ πρόφρων ὀάρων, ἀνάπαυε δὲ φῶτα, ῥάμνων ἐκλύων πολιὸν τύπον, ἠδʼ ἀπὸ γυίων Νειλῴην ὀθόνην χερσὶν στιβαραῖς ἀπαείρας.

kai pōs apolyein autous chrē autos didaxei legōn paueo dē prophrōn oarōn, anapaue de phōta, rhamnōn eklyōn polion typon, ēdʼ apo guiōn Neilǭēn othonēn chersin stibarais apaeiras.

And how they must be released he himself will teach, saying: 'Cease now, kindly, from converse; give the man rest, loosing the grey figure of thorn, and lifting from his limbs the Nilotic linen with strong hands.'

Notes and citation

Summary: The god instructs how to release the medium.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.4 (Dindorf 1:227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.9.5Dindorf 1:227

καὶ τὴν ἀπόλυσιν εἶπεν ὑψίπρῳρον αἶρε ταρσὸν, ἴσχε βάξιν ἐκ μυχῶν,

kai tēn apolysin eipen hypsiprǭron aire tarson, ische baxin ek mychōn,

And he gave the release: 'Raise the high-prowed sail, check the voice from the recesses,'

Notes and citation

Summary: A further release formula.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.5 (Dindorf 1:227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.9.6Dindorf 1:227

καὶ τὰ τούτοις ἐπιλεγόμενα. οἷς ἐπιφέρει “καὶ βραδυνόντων ἀπολῦσαι φησὶ σινδόνας ἀμπέτασον, νεφέλην λῦσόν τε δοχῆα. καὶ πάλιν ἄλλοτε ἀπόλυσιν ἐξέδωκε τοιαύτην

kai ta toutois epilegomena. hois epipherei “kai bradynontōn apolysai phēsi sindonas ampetason, nephelēn lyson te dochēa. kai palin allote apolysin exedōke toiautēn

and what follows. To which he adds: "And when they delayed to release him, he says: 'Spread out the linen, and loose the receiver from the cloud.' And again at another time he gave such a release:

Notes and citation

Summary: More instructions for releasing the medium.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (digitization slip): λαὶ βραδυνόντων → καὶ βραδυνόντων.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.6 (Dindorf 1:227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.9.7Dindorf 1:227

Ναιάδες Νύμφαι, Μοῦσαι μέγα κλείετε Φοῖβον, ἀείδουσαι ὅσαι ἑκατηβόλον Ἀπόλλωνα.

Naiades Nymphai, Mousai mega kleiete Phoibon, aeidousai hosai hekatēbolon Apollōna.

'Naiad Nymphs, Muses, greatly celebrate Phoebus, all you who sing of far-shooting Apollo.'

Notes and citation

Summary: A hymnic release formula.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.7 (Dindorf 1:227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.9.8Dindorf 1:227–228

καὶ πάλιν ἄλλοτέ φησι λύσατέ μοι στεφάνους, καί μευ πόδας ὕδατι λευκῷ ῥάνατε, καὶ γραμμὰς ἀπαλείψατε, καί κε μόλοιμι. χειρὸς δεξιτερῆς δάφνης κλάδον ἄρατε χερσὶ, ψήχετέ τʼ ὀφθαλμοὺς διδύμους ῥῖνάς τε προσώπου ἄρατε φῶτα γέηθεν ἀναστήσαντες ἑταῖροι.’’

kai palin allote phēsi lysate moi stephanous, kai meu podas hydati leukǭ rhanate, kai grammas apaleipsate, kai ke moloimi. cheiros dexiterēs daphnēs kladon arate chersi, psēchete tʼ ophthalmous didymous rhinas te prosōpou arate phōta geēthen anastēsantes hetairoi.’’

And again at another time he says: 'Loose my garlands, sprinkle my feet with clear water, and wipe away the lines, and I may go. Take the laurel branch with your hands from the right hand, and rub the two eyes and the nostrils of the face; lift up the man from the ground, raising him, companions.'"

Notes and citation

Summary: Apollo tells his attendants how to end the séance.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.8 (Dindorf 1:227–228; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.9.9Dindorf 1:228

Οἷς ἐπιλέγει ὁ συγγραφεὺς “Τὰς γραμμὰς τοίνυν παρακελεύεται ἀπαλείφειν, ἵνα ἀπέλθῃ· ταύτας γὰρ κρατεῖν, καὶ μέντοι καὶ τὸ ἄλλο σχῆμα τῆς ἐνδύσεως, διὰ τὸ φέρειν εἰκονίσματα τῶν κεκλημένων θεῶν.”

Hois epilegei ho syngrapheus “Tas grammas toinyn parakeleuetai apaleiphein, hina apelthę̄; tautas gar kratein, kai mentoi kai to allo schēma tēs endyseōs, dia to pherein eikonismata tōn keklēmenōn theōn.”

To which the writer adds: "He commands them, then, to wipe away the lines, so that he may depart; for these hold him fast, as does the rest of the form of the clothing, because it bears images of the gods who have been called."

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry explains that the drawn lines and clothing bind the god.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.9 (Dindorf 1:228; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.9.10Dindorf 1:228

Δεδεῖχθαι σαφῶς ἡγοῦμαι διὰ τούτων ὅτι μηδὲν τὸ καθόλου θεοπρεπὲς, μήτε μέγα μήτε ἀληθῶς θεῖον, ἔνεστι τοῖς εἰς τοσοῦτον ταπεινότητος καταπεπτωκόσι πνεύμασιν, ὡς τοῖς τυχοῦσιν ἀνθρώποις ὑποσύρεσθαι καθέλκεσθαί τε οὐ διʼ ἀρετῆς καὶ σοφίας ἀνάληψιν, ἀλλʼ εἰ μόνον τὰ τῆς περιέργου γοητείας μετέλθοιέν τε καὶ διαπράξοιντο.

Dedeichthai saphōs hēgoumai dia toutōn hoti mēden to katholou theoprepes, mēte mega mēte alēthōs theion, enesti tois eis tosouton tapeinotētos katapeptōkosi pneumasin, hōs tois tychousin anthrōpois hyposyresthai kathelkesthai te ou diʼ aretēs kai sophias analēpsin, allʼ ei monon ta tēs periergou goēteias metelthoien te kai diapraxointo.

I think it has been clearly shown by these things that there is nothing at all worthy of God, nothing great or truly divine, in spirits fallen so low as to be dragged and drawn down by any chance men, not through their acquiring virtue and wisdom, but if only they pursue and practice the arts of curious sorcery.

Notes and citation

Summary: Spirits subject to any sorcerer are not divine.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-break hyphen rejoined): ἀλη- θῶς → ἀληθῶς.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.10 (Dindorf 1:228; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.9.11Dindorf 1:228

οὔτʼ οὖν ὀρθῶς ὁ Ῥόδιος Πυθαγόρας οὔθʼ ὁ τούτῳ ταύτην παρασχὼν τὴν μαρτυρίαν οὔθʼ ὁστισοῦν ἀνθρώπων θεοὺς προσείποι ἂν εὐλόγως, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ ἀγαθοὺς δαίμονας, τοὺς ὑπὸ θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ταῦτα γοήτων, οὐ κατὰ γνώμην οἰκείαν, βίᾳ δὲ καὶ ἀνάγκῃ συρομένους, καὶ μηδὲ τῆς τῶν δεσμῶν ἀπολύσεως τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἐφʼ ἑαυτοῖς ἔχοντας.

outʼ oun orthōs ho Rhodios Pythagoras outhʼ ho toutǭ tautēn paraschōn tēn martyrian outhʼ hostisoun anthrōpōn theous proseipoi an eulogōs, allʼ oude agathous daimonas, tous hypo thnētōn anthrōpōn, kai tauta goētōn, ou kata gnōmēn oikeian, bią de kai anankę̄ syromenous, kai mēde tēs tōn desmōn apolyseōs tēn exousian ephʼ heautois echontas.

So neither Pythagoras of Rhodes, nor the one who gave him this testimony, nor anyone at all would reasonably call gods, or even good demons, those dragged by mortal men, and sorcerers at that, not of their own will but by force and compulsion, and not having in their own power even release from their bonds.

Notes and citation

Summary: Beings compelled by sorcerers are neither gods nor good demons.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization; breathing misread in digitization): ῾Ρόδιος → Ῥόδιος; ἑαυτοἲς → ἑαυτοῖς.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.11 (Dindorf 1:228; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.9.12Dindorf 1:228

εἰ γὰρ δὴ ἀβίαστον καὶ ἀκατανάγκαστον καὶ πάντων κρεῖττον τὴν φύσιν ἀπαθὲς ὂν καὶ ἐλεύθερον τὸ θεῖον, πῶς ἂν εἷεν θεοὶ, μαγγανείαις ταῖς διὰ τοιῶνδε σχημάτων καὶ γραμμῶν καὶ τύπων στεφάνοις τε καὶ τοῖς ἀπὸ γῆς ἄνθεσι καί τισιν ἄλλοις ἀσήμοις καὶ βαρβάροις ἤχοις τε καὶ φωναῖς κηλούμενοι, καὶ τοῖς τυχοῦσιν ἀνθρώποις χειρούμενοι, καὶ ὡσπερεὶ δεσμοῖς καταδουλούμενοι, ὥστε μηδὲ τὴν αὐτεξούσιον καὶ προαιρετικὴν σώζειν ἐφʼ ἑαυτοῖς δύναμιν;

ei gar dē abiaston kai akatanankaston kai pantōn kreitton tēn physin apathes on kai eleutheron to theion, pōs an heien theoi, manganeiais tais dia toiōnde schēmatōn kai grammōn kai typōn stephanois te kai tois apo gēs anthesi kai tisin allois asēmois kai barbarois ēchois te kai phōnais kēloumenoi, kai tois tychousin anthrōpois cheiroumenoi, kai hōsperei desmois katadouloumenoi, hōste mēde tēn autexousion kai proairetikēn sōzein ephʼ heautois dynamin?

For if the divine is free from force and compulsion, stronger than all, impassible and free in nature, how could they be gods who are charmed by trickeries through such figures, lines, and shapes, garlands and flowers of the earth, and certain other unintelligible and barbarous sounds and words, mastered by any chance men, and as it were enslaved by bonds, so as not even to keep in their own hands the power of free will and choice?

Notes and citation

Summary: The divine is free, but these beings are enslaved by spells.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization): κρεἲττον → κρεῖττον.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.12 (Dindorf 1:228; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.9.13Dindorf 1:228

πῶς δὲ κἂν ἀγαθοὶ δαίμονες λεχθεῖεν βίᾳ καὶ ἀνάγκῃ κατασπώμενοι; τί γὰρ τὸ αἴτιον τοῦ ἄκοντας, οὐχὶ δὲ αὐτεξουσίους σφᾶς αὐτοὺς τοῖς βοηθείας δεομένοις ἐπιδιδόναι;

pōs de kan agathoi daimones lechtheien bią kai anankę̄ kataspōmenoi? ti gar to aition tou akontas, ouchi de autexousious sphas autous tois boētheias deomenois epididonai?

And how could they be called good demons who are drawn down by force and compulsion? What is the reason why they do not give themselves freely, rather than unwillingly, to those who need help?

Notes and citation

Summary: Good demons would help freely, not under compulsion.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.13 (Dindorf 1:228; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.9.14Dindorf 1:228–229

εἰ γὰρ ἐπʼ ἀγαθῷ ποιοῦνται τὴν πάροδον ἀγαθοὶ ὄντες, καὶ εἴ τις ἦν ἐξ αὐτῶν ψυχῆς ὠφέλεια, χρῆν δήπου προαιρέσει τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἀσπάζεσθαι, φθάνοντας ταῖς εὐποιίαις τοὺς δεομένους, ἀλλὰ μὴ περιμένειν ἀνάγκην·

ei gar epʼ agathǭ poiountai tēn parodon agathoi ontes, kai ei tis ēn ex autōn psychēs ōpheleia, chrēn dēpou proairesei to agathon aspazesthai, phthanontas tais eupoiiais tous deomenous, alla mē perimenein anankēn;

For if, being good, they make their visit for good, and if there was any benefit to the soul from them, they ought surely to embrace the good by choice, anticipating the needy with their kindnesses, and not to wait for compulsion.

Notes and citation

Summary: Good beings would offer their benefits willingly.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-break hyphen rejoined): πά- ροδον → πάροδον.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.14 (Dindorf 1:228–229; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.9.15Dindorf 1:229

εἰ δʼ οὐ καλὸν ἦν οὐδʼ ὠφελοῦν τὸ πραττόμενον, διὸ μηδὲ κατὰ γνώμην αὐτοῖς γίνεσθαι, καὶ πῶς ἂν ἀγαθοὶ εἶεν, τὸ μὴ καλὸν μηδὲ συμφέρον πράττοντες;

ei dʼ ou kalon ēn oudʼ ōpheloun to prattomenon, dio mēde kata gnōmēn autois ginesthai, kai pōs an agathoi eien, to mē kalon mēde sympheron prattontes?

But if what was done was not good or beneficial, and therefore did not happen with their consent, how could they be good, doing what is neither good nor profitable?

Notes and citation

Summary: If what they do is not good, they are not good.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.15 (Dindorf 1:229; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.9.16Dindorf 1:229

πῶς δὲ θαυμάζεσθαι ἄξιοι καὶ θεραπείαις θεῶν τιμᾶσθαι, οἱ καὶ τοῖς τυχοῦσι γόησι τὸν τρόπον πανωλεστάτοις καταδουλούμενοι καὶ τὸ μὴ καλὸν μηδὲ συμφέρον παρὰ γνώμην πράττειν ἀναγκαζόμενοι, ἀγόμενοί τε καὶ καθελκόμενοι, οὐ διʼ ἀποδοχὴν σωφροσύνης ἀνθρώπων, οὐδὲ ἀρετῆς χάριν ἤ τινος μέρους φιλοσοφίας, μεθόδοις δὲ γοήτων ἀπειρημέναις, ἃς ὁ αὐτὸς αὖθις συγγραφεὺς ἐν τῇ πρὸς τὸν εἰρημένον Αἰγύπτιον ἐπιστολῇ, ὡς ἂν προφήτῃ τἀληθῆ καὶ ἀπόρρητα κοινούμενος, τέθειται, τοὺς λόγους, καθʼ οὓς ταῦτα συντελοῦσιν, ἀξιῶν παρʼ αὐτοῦ διδαχθῆναι; πυνθάνεται γοῦν ὧδέ πως ἀπορῶν καὶ λέγων

pōs de thaumazesthai axioi kai therapeiais theōn timasthai, hoi kai tois tychousi goēsi ton tropon panōlestatois katadouloumenoi kai to mē kalon mēde sympheron para gnōmēn prattein anankazomenoi, agomenoi te kai kathelkomenoi, ou diʼ apodochēn sōphrosynēs anthrōpōn, oude aretēs charin ē tinos merous philosophias, methodois de goētōn apeirēmenais, has ho autos authis syngrapheus en tę̄ pros ton eirēmenon Aigyption epistolę̄, hōs an prophētę̄ talēthē kai aporrēta koinoumenos, tetheitai, tous logous, kathʼ hous tauta syntelousin, axiōn parʼ autou didachthēnai? pynthanetai goun hōde pōs aporōn kai legōn

And how are they worthy to be admired and honored with the worship of gods, who are enslaved to any chance sorcerers, utterly abandoned in character, compelled against their will to do what is neither good nor profitable, led and dragged down not through any approval of men's self-control, nor for the sake of virtue or any part of philosophy, but by forbidden methods of sorcerers? These methods the same writer has set out in his Letter to the Egyptian mentioned, as if sharing true and secret things with a prophet, asking to be taught by him the reasons by which these things are accomplished. At any rate he asks, in perplexity, somewhat as follows:

Notes and citation

Summary: Gods enslaved to sorcerers deserve no worship; Eusebius quotes Porphyry's questions to Anebo.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-break hyphen rejoined): αὖ- θις → αὖθις.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.9.16 (Dindorf 1:229; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-9-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

Preparation 5, chapter 10

5.10.1Dindorf 1:229

“Πάνυ δέ με θράττει πῶς ὡς κρείττους παρακαλούμενοι ἐπιτάττονται ὡς χείρους, καὶ δίκαιον εἶναι ἀξιοῦντες τὸν θεράποντα τὰ ἄδικα αὐτοὶ κελευσθέντες δρᾶν ὑπομένουσι· καὶ καθαρῷ μὲν μὴ ὄντι ἐξ ἀφροδισίων οὐκ ἂν καλοῦντι ὑπακούσαιεν, αὐτοὶ δὲ ἄγειν εἰς παράνομα ἀφροδίσια τοὺς τυχόντας οὐκ ὀκνοῦσι.

“Pany de me thrattei pōs hōs kreittous parakaloumenoi epitattontai hōs cheirous, kai dikaion einai axiountes ton theraponta ta adika autoi keleusthentes dran hypomenousi; kai katharǭ men mē onti ex aphrodisiōn ouk an kalounti hypakousaien, autoi de agein eis paranoma aphrodisia tous tychontas ouk oknousi.

"It greatly troubles me how, being invoked as superior beings, they are commanded as inferior; and while requiring their worshipper to be just, they themselves submit to do unjust things when ordered; and they would not hearken to one who calls them if he is not pure from sexual intercourse, while they themselves do not hesitate to lead anyone at all into unlawful sexual relations.

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry asks why gods obey magicians and promote unlawful lust while demanding purity.

Porphyry, Letter to Anebo (sections 5.10.1–11).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-break hyphen rejoined): παρα- καλούμενοι → παρακαλούμενοι.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Anebo (Porphyry, Letter to Anebo; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.10.1 (Dindorf 1:229; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-10-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.10.2Dindorf 1:229

καὶ ἀπὸ ἐμψύχων μὲν ἀποχῆς κελεύουσι δεῖν εἶναι τοὺς ὑποφήτας, ἵνα μὴ τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν σωμάτων ἀτμοῖς χραίνωνται, αὐτοὶ δὲ ἀτμοῖς τοῖς ἀπὸ θυσιῶν μάλιστα δελεάζονται, καὶ νεκροῦ μὲν ἀθιγῆ δεῖν εἶναι τὸν ἐπόπτην, διὰ νεκρῶν δὲ τὰ πολλὰ ζῴων αἱ θεαγωγίαι ἐκτελοῦνται.

kai apo empsychōn men apochēs keleuousi dein einai tous hypophētas, hina mē tois apo tōn sōmatōn atmois chrainōntai, autoi de atmois tois apo thysiōn malista deleazontai, kai nekrou men athigē dein einai ton epoptēn, dia nekrōn de ta polla zǭōn hai theagōgiai ektelountai.

And they command their interpreters to abstain from animal food, so as not to be defiled by the vapors from bodies, while they themselves are enticed most of all by the vapors from sacrifices; and the initiate must not touch a corpse, while most of the evocations of the gods are performed by means of dead animals.

Notes and citation

Summary: The gods forbid what they themselves require.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization): τοἲς → τοῖς; δεἲν → δεῖν.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.10.2 (Dindorf 1:229; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-10-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.10.3Dindorf 1:229–230

πολλῷ δὲ τούτων ἀλογώτερον τὸ μὴ δαίμονι, εἰ τύχοι, ἢ ψυχῇ τεθνηκότος, αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ βασιλεῖ ἡλίῳ, ἢ σελήνῃ, ἤ τινι τῶν κατʼ οὐρανὸν, ἄνθρωπον τῷ τυχόντι ὑποχείριον ἀπειλὰς προσφέροντα ἐκφοβεῖν, ψευδόμενον, ἵνʼ ἐκεῖνοι ἀληθεύσωσι.

pollǭ de toutōn alogōteron to mē daimoni, ei tychoi, ē psychę̄ tethnēkotos, autǭ de tǭ basilei hēliǭ, ē selēnę̄, ē tini tōn katʼ ouranon, anthrōpon tǭ tychonti hypocheirion apeilas prospheronta ekphobein, pseudomenon, hinʼ ekeinoi alētheusōsi.

And much more absurd than these is that a man subject to any chance being should utter threats and frighten, not a demon, it may be, or the soul of a dead man, but the king, the sun himself, or the moon, or one of the heavenly beings, lying so that they may tell the truth.

Notes and citation

Summary: It is absurd that a man should threaten the sun and moon to make them speak truth.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization; line-break hyphen rejoined): ἐκεἲνοι → ἐκεῖνοι; τεθνη- κότος → τεθνηκότος.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.10.3 (Dindorf 1:229–230; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-10-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.10.4Dindorf 1:230

τὸ γὰρ λέγειν ὅτι τὸν οὐρανὸν προσαράξει καὶ τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς Ἴσιδος ἐκφανεῖ, καὶ τὸ ἐν Ἀβύδῳ ἀπόρρητον δείξει, καὶ τὴν βᾶριν στήσει, καὶ τὰ μέλη τοῦ Ὀσίριδος διασκεδάσει τῷ Τυφῶνι, τίνα οὐχ ὑπερβολὴν ἐμπληξίας μὲν τῷ ἀπειλοῦντι, ἃ μήτε οἶδε μήτε δύναται, καταλείπει, ταπεινότητος δὲ τοῖς δεδοικόσιν οὕτω κενὸν φόβον καὶ πλάσματα, ὡς κομιδῆ παῖδες ἀνόητοι;

to gar legein hoti ton ouranon prosaraxei kai ta krypta tēs Isidos ekphanei, kai to en Abydǭ aporrēton deixei, kai tēn barin stēsei, kai ta melē tou Osiridos diaskedasei tǭ Typhōni, tina ouch hyperbolēn emplēxias men tǭ apeilounti, ha mēte oide mēte dynatai, kataleipei, tapeinotētos de tois dedoikosin houtō kenon phobon kai plasmata, hōs komidē paides anoētoi?

For to say that he will dash the heaven to pieces, reveal the secrets of Isis, show the hidden thing at Abydos, stop the sacred boat, and scatter the limbs of Osiris to Typhon, what extreme of madness does it not leave in the one who threatens things he neither knows nor can do, and of abjectness in those who fear so empty a terror and such fictions, like utterly foolish children?

Notes and citation

Summary: The magicians' threats against the gods are mad, and the gods' fear of them abject.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.10.4 (Dindorf 1:230; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-10-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.10.5Dindorf 1:230

καίτοι καὶ Χαιρήμων ὁ ἱερογραμματεὺς ἀναγράφει ταῦτα, ὡς καὶ παρʼ Αἰγυπτίοις θρυλούμενα, καὶ ταῦτά φασιν εἶναι καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα βιαστικώτατα.

kaitoi kai Chairēmōn ho hierogrammateus anagraphei tauta, hōs kai parʼ Aigyptiois thryloumena, kai tauta phasin einai kai ta toiauta biastikōtata.

And yet Chaeremon the sacred scribe records these things as current among the Egyptians too, and they say that these and such things are most compelling.

Notes and citation

Summary: Chaeremon records that such threats are considered most effective in Egypt.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.10.5 (Dindorf 1:230; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-10-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.10.6Dindorf 1:230

αὐταὶ δὲ αἱ εὐχαὶ τίνα ἔχουσι λόγον, τὸν ἐξ ἰλύος ἀναφανέντα λέγουσαι, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ λωτῷ καθήμενον, καὶ ἐπὶ πλοίου ναυτιλλόμενον, καὶ καθʼ ὥραν τὰς μορφὰς ἀμείβοντα, καὶ κατὰ ζῴδιον μετασχηματιζόμενον; οὕτω γάρ φασιν αὐτοπτεῖσθαι, ἀγνοοῦντες ὅτι τὸ ἴδιον πάθος τῆς αὐτῶν φαντασίας ἐκείνῳ περιάπτουσιν.

autai de hai euchai tina echousi logon, ton ex ilyos anaphanenta legousai, kai epi tǭ lōtǭ kathēmenon, kai epi ploiou nautillomenon, kai kathʼ hōran tas morphas ameibonta, kai kata zǭdion metaschēmatizomenon? houtō gar phasin autopteisthai, agnoountes hoti to idion pathos tēs autōn phantasias ekeinǭ periaptousin.

And what meaning have the prayers themselves, which speak of him who appeared out of the mud, who sits on the lotus, who sails in a boat, who changes his forms every hour, and is transformed according to each sign of the zodiac? For so they say he is seen, not knowing that they attach to him the peculiar experience of their own imagination.

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry questions Egyptian prayers that describe the god in changing forms.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.10.6 (Dindorf 1:230; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-10-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.10.7Dindorf 1:230

εἰ δὲ συμβολικῶς λέγεται ταῦτα, τῶν ἐκείνου δυνάμεων ὄντα σύμβολα, τὴν ἑρμηνείαν τῶν συμβόλων εἰπάτωσαν. δῆλον γὰρ ὡς εἰ τοῦ ἡλίου ἦν τὸ πάθος, καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς ἐκλείψεσι, πᾶσιν ἂν ὤφθη ταυτὸν τοῖς εἰς αὐτὸν ἀτενίζουσι.

ei de symbolikōs legetai tauta, tōn ekeinou dynameōn onta symbola, tēn hermēneian tōn symbolōn eipatōsan. dēlon gar hōs ei tou hēliou ēn to pathos, kathaper en tais ekleipsesi, pasin an ōphthē tauton tois eis auton atenizousi.

And if these things are said symbolically, being symbols of his powers, let them tell the interpretation of the symbols. For plainly, if the experience were the sun's, as in eclipses, it would have appeared the same to all who gaze at it.

Notes and citation

Summary: If symbolic, the meaning should be explained; real changes in the sun would be seen by all.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.10.7 (Dindorf 1:230; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-10-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.10.8Dindorf 1:230

τί δὲ καὶ τὰ ἄσημα βούλεται ὀνόματα καὶ τῶν ἀσήμων τὰ βάρβαρα πρὸ τῶν ἑκάστῳ οἰκείων; εἰ γὰρ πρὸς τὸ σημαινόμενον ἀφορᾷ τὸ ἀκοῦον, αὐτάρκης ἡ αὐτὴ μένουσα ἔννοια δηλῶσαι, κἂν ὁποιονοῦν ὑπάρχῃ, τοὔνομα.

ti de kai ta asēma bouletai onomata kai tōn asēmōn ta barbara pro tōn hekastǭ oikeiōn? ei gar pros to sēmainomenon aphorą to akouon, autarkēs hē autē menousa ennoia dēlōsai, kan hopoionoun hyparchę̄, tounoma.

And what do the meaningless names mean, and among meaningless names the barbarous ones preferred to those proper to each? For if the hearer looks to what is signified, the same notion remaining is enough to make it plain, whatever the name may be.

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry asks why meaningless barbarous names are used in invocations.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-break hyphen rejoined): βάρ- βαρα → βάρβαρα.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.10.8 (Dindorf 1:230; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-10-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.10.9Dindorf 1:230–231

οὐ γάρ που καὶ ὁ καλούμενος Αἰγύπτιος ἦν τῷ γένει· εἰ δὲ καὶ Αἰγύπτιος, ἀλλʼ οὔ τί γε Αἰγυπτίᾳ χρώμενος φωνῇ, οὐδʼ ἀνθρωπείᾳ ὅλως χρώμενος. ἢ γὰρ γοήτων ἦν ταῦτα πάντα τεχνάσματα καὶ προκαλύμματα διὰ τῶν ἐπιφημιζομένων τῷ θείῳ τῶν περὶ ἡμὰς γινομένων παθῶν, ἢ λελήθαμεν ἐναντίας ἐννοίας ἔχοντες περὶ τοῦ θείου ἢ αὐτὸ τῷ ὄντι διάκειται.’’

ou gar pou kai ho kaloumenos Aigyptios ēn tǭ genei; ei de kai Aigyptios, allʼ ou ti ge Aigyptią chrōmenos phōnę̄, oudʼ anthrōpeią holōs chrōmenos. ē gar goētōn ēn tauta panta technasmata kai prokalymmata dia tōn epiphēmizomenōn tǭ theiǭ tōn peri hēmas ginomenōn pathōn, ē lelēthamen enantias ennoias echontes peri tou theiou ē auto tǭ onti diakeitai.’’

For surely the one invoked was not Egyptian by race; and even if Egyptian, he certainly did not use the Egyptian language, nor any human language at all. For either all these were contrivances of sorcerers, and screens for the passions that arise in us, by means of what is ascribed to the divine, or we have unawares held notions about the divine contrary to how it really is."

Notes and citation

Summary: Either the rites are sorcerers' tricks, or men misunderstand the divine.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-break hyphen rejoined; accent corrected): χρώ- μένος → χρώμενος.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.10.9 (Dindorf 1:230–231; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-10-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.10.10Dindorf 1:231

Ταῦτʼ εἰπὼν πάλιν ἀπορεῖ πρὸς τὸν Αἰγύπτιον λέγων Εἰ δὲ οἱ μὲν ἀπαθεῖς, οἱ δὲ ἐμπαθεῖς, οἷς διὰ τούτων φαλλούς φασιν ἱστάναι καὶ ποιεῖσθαι αἰσχρορρημοσύνας, μάταιοι αἱ θεῶν κλήσεις ἔσονται, προσκλήσεις αὐτῶν ἐπαγγελλόμεναι, καὶ μήνιδος ἐξιλάσεις, καὶ ἐκθύσεις, καὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον αἱ λεγόμεναι ἀνάγκαι θεῶν. ἀκήλητον γὰρ καὶ ἀβίαστον καὶ ἀκατανάγκαστον τὸ ἀπαθές.’’

Tautʼ eipōn palin aporei pros ton Aigyption legōn Ei de hoi men apatheis, hoi de empatheis, hois dia toutōn phallous phasin histanai kai poieisthai aischrorrēmosynas, mataioi hai theōn klēseis esontai, prosklēseis autōn epangellomenai, kai mēnidos exilaseis, kai ekthyseis, kai eti mallon hai legomenai anankai theōn. akēlēton gar kai abiaston kai akatanankaston to apathes.’’

Having said this he again raises a difficulty with the Egyptian, saying: "If some are impassible and others passible, for whom, they say, they set up phalluses and use obscene language on this account, the invocations of the gods will be vain, which promise to summon them, and the appeasements of wrath, and expiations, and still more the so-called compulsions of the gods. For the impassible cannot be charmed, forced, or compelled."

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry argues that impassible gods could not be summoned, appeased, or compelled.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization; breathing misread in digitization; digitization slip; letter lost in digitization): Αἰγύπτον → Αἰγύπτιον; Ἐἰ δὲ → Εἰ δὲ; οἶς διὰ τούτων → οἷς διὰ τούτων; αἰσχρορρημοσήνας → αἰσχρορρημοσύνας; ἐριλάσεις → ἐξιλάσεις.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.10.10 (Dindorf 1:231; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-10-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.10.11Dindorf 1:231

Καὶ πάλιν ἑξῆς ἐπιλέγει “Μάτην αὐτοῖς ἡ σοφία ἐξήσκηται περὶ δραπέτου εὑρέσεως, ἢ χωρίου ὠνῆς, ἢ γάμου, εἰ τύχοι, ἢ ἐμπορίας, τὸν θεῖον νοῦν ἐνοχλήσασιν. εἰ δʼ οὐ παρεῖται μὲν, οἱ δὲ συνόντες περὶ μὲν τῶν ἄλλων τάληθέστατα λέγουσι, περὶ δὲ εὐδαιμονίας οὐδὲν ἀσφαλὲς οὐδʼ ἐχέγγυον, οὐκ ἦσαν ἄρα οὔτε θεοὶ οὔτʼ ἀγαθοὶ δαίμονες, ἀλλʼ ἢ ἐκεῖνος ὁ λεγόμενος πλάνος.’’

Kai palin hexēs epilegei “Matēn autois hē sophia exēskētai peri drapetou heureseōs, ē chōriou ōnēs, ē gamou, ei tychoi, ē emporias, ton theion noun enochlēsasin. ei dʼ ou pareitai men, hoi de synontes peri men tōn allōn talēthestata legousi, peri de eudaimonias ouden asphales oudʼ echengyon, ouk ēsan ara oute theoi outʼ agathoi daimones, allʼ ē ekeinos ho legomenos planos.’’

And again next he adds: "In vain has their wisdom been practiced in troubling the divine mind about finding a runaway slave, or buying land, or a marriage, it may be, or trade. And if it is not neglected, and those present speak most truly about other things but say nothing safe or reliable about happiness, then they were neither gods nor good demons, but that one who is called the deceiver."

Notes and citation

Summary: Gods who answer trivial questions but say nothing reliable about happiness are deceivers.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.10.11 (Dindorf 1:231; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-10-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.10.12Dindorf 1:231

Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον καὶ ἀπὸ ταύτης προκείσθω τῆς Πορφυρίου γραφῆς. καὶ μὴν καὶ διδάσκαλοί γε τῆς κακοτέχνου γοητείας αὐτοὶ δὴ πρῶτοι οἱ γενναῖοι θεοὶ κατέστησαν. πόθεν γὰρ ἀνθρώποις ταῦτα παρῆν εἰδέναι ἢ τῶν δαιμόνων αὐτῶν τὰ περὶ ἑαυτῶν ἐξειπόντων καὶ τοὺς καταδέσμους τοὺς κατʼ ἀλλήλων ἐξηγορευκότων;

Tauta men oun epi tosouton kai apo tautēs prokeisthō tēs Porphyriou graphēs. kai mēn kai didaskaloi ge tēs kakotechnou goēteias autoi dē prōtoi hoi gennaioi theoi katestēsan. pothen gar anthrōpois tauta parēn eidenai ē tōn daimonōn autōn ta peri heautōn exeipontōn kai tous katadesmous tous katʼ allēlōn exēgoreukotōn?

So much, then, from this writing of Porphyry. And indeed the noble gods themselves were the first teachers of the evil art of sorcery. For from where could men have known these things, unless the demons themselves had told the things about themselves and revealed the binding spells against one another?

Notes and citation

Summary: The demons themselves taught men sorcery.

Notes on the original text

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

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.10.12 (Dindorf 1:231; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-10-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.10.13Dindorf 1:231–232

μηδὲ τοῦτον δὲ ἡμέτερον εἶναι τὸν λόγον ἡγοῦ· οὐδὲν γὰρ τούτων ἡμεῖς ὁμολογοῦμεν οὔτε ἐπίστασθαι οὔτε θέλειν εἰδέναι. πλὴν εἰς ἔλεγχον τῆς περὶ ταῦτα ἀτοπίας καὶ εἰς ἡμετέραν ὁμοῦ τῆς τούτων ἀναχωρήσεως ἀπολογίαν ὁ τούτων ἡμῖν παρεισήχθω μάρτυς, σοφὸς ὢν ἐν τοῖς γνωρίμοις, καὶ πάντα ἀκριβῶς τὰ οἰκεῖα εἰδώς τε καὶ ὑποτιθέμενος. ὁ δὴ οὑν αὐτὸς ἐν τῇ δηλωθείσῃ τῶν λογίων συναγωγῇ ταῦτα λέγει πρὸς λέξιν

mēde touton de hēmeteron einai ton logon hēgou; ouden gar toutōn hēmeis homologoumen oute epistasthai oute thelein eidenai. plēn eis elenchon tēs peri tauta atopias kai eis hēmeteran homou tēs toutōn anachōrēseōs apologian ho toutōn hēmin pareisēchthō martys, sophos ōn en tois gnōrimois, kai panta akribōs ta oikeia eidōs te kai hypotithemenos. ho dē houn autos en tę̄ dēlōtheisę̄ tōn logiōn synagōgę̄ tauta legei pros lexin

Do not think this argument ours either; for we confess that we neither know nor wish to know any of these things. But, to refute the absurdity of these things and at the same time as our defense for withdrawing from them, let this witness be brought in, who is wise among his familiars and knows exactly and teaches all his own affairs. He says this word for word in the collection of oracles mentioned:

Notes and citation

Summary: Christians neither know nor wish to know magic; Porphyry is cited as witness.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-break hyphen rejoined): εἰ- δέναι → εἰδέναι; ἀπολο- γίαν → ἀπολογίαν.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.10.13 (Dindorf 1:231–232; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-10-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

Preparation 5, chapter 11

5.11.1Dindorf 1:232

“ Οὐ μόνον δὲ τὴν πολιτείαν αὐτῶν αὐτοὶ μεμηνύκασι, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ εἰρημένα, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἷστισι χαίρουσι καὶ κρατοῦνται ὑπηγόρευσαν, καὶ μὴν καὶ τίσιν ἀναγκάζονται, τίνα δὲ δεῖ θύειν, καὶ ἐκ ποίας ἡμέρας ἐκτρέπεσθαι, τό τε σχῆμα τῶν ἀγαλμάτων ποταπὸν δεῖ ποιεῖν, αὐτοί τε ποίοις σχήμασι φαίνονται, ἔν τε ποίοις διατρίβουσι τόποις, καὶ ὅλως ἕν οὐδέν ἐστιν ὃ μὴ παρʼ αὐτῶν μαθόντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὕτως αὐτοὺς ἐτίμησαν. πολλῶν δʼ ὄντων ἃ τούτων ἐστὶ παραστατικὰ, ὀλίγα ἐκ τῶν πολλῶν παραθησόμεθα, ἵνα μὴ ἀμάρτυρον τὸν λόγον καταλείπωμεν. “ Ὅτι δὲ καὶ τὰ ἀγάλματα αὐτοὶ ὑπέθεντο πῶς χρὴ ποιεῖν καὶ ἐκ ποίας ὕλης δηλώσει τὰ τῆς Ἑκάτης ἔχοντα τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον

“ Ou monon de tēn politeian autōn autoi memēnykasi, kai ta alla ta eirēmena, alla kai hoistisi chairousi kai kratountai hypēgoreusan, kai mēn kai tisin anankazontai, tina de dei thyein, kai ek poias hēmeras ektrepesthai, to te schēma tōn agalmatōn potapon dei poiein, autoi te poiois schēmasi phainontai, en te poiois diatribousi topois, kai holōs hen ouden estin ho mē parʼ autōn mathontes hoi anthrōpoi houtōs autous etimēsan. pollōn dʼ ontōn ha toutōn esti parastatika, oliga ek tōn pollōn parathēsometha, hina mē amartyron ton logon kataleipōmen. “ Hoti de kai ta agalmata autoi hypethento pōs chrē poiein kai ek poias hylēs dēlōsei ta tēs Hekatēs echonta touton ton tropon

"They themselves have made known not only their way of life and the other things mentioned, but have also prescribed in what they delight and by what they are mastered, and indeed by what they are compelled, what one must sacrifice, and from what day one must refrain, of what kind the form of the statues must be made, in what forms they themselves appear, and in what places they dwell; in short, there is not one thing which men did not learn from them before honoring them in this way. Since there are many things that show this, we shall set out a few out of many, so as not to leave the account without witness." "That they themselves prescribed how statues should be made and of what material, the words of Hecate will show, which run thus:

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry says the gods themselves taught men their rites, statues, and the means to compel them.

Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (sections 5.11.1–5.16.1). The digital text includes here the chapter number XII.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent misread in digitization; digitization slip; digitization slip and repeated syllables; leaked chapter number and breathing misread in digitization; stray mark in digitization): οἶστισι → οἷστισι; κερατοῦνται → κρατοῦνται; ἀγαγμάτων μάτων → ἀγαλμάτων; ΧΙΙ. “ Ὀτι → “ Ὅτι; τῆς· Ἑκάτης → τῆς Ἑκάτης.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.11.1 (Dindorf 1:232; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-11-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

Preparation 5, chapter 12

5.12.1Dindorf 1:232

ἀλλὰ τέλει ξόανον κεκαθαρμένον ὥς σε διδάξω· πηγάνου ἐξ ἀγρίοιο δετὰς ποίει, ἠδʼ ἐπικόσμει ζῴοισιν λεπτοῖσι κατοικιδίοις ἀσκαλαβώταις· σμύρνης καὶ στύρακος λιβάνοιό τε μίγματα τρίψας σὺν κείνοις ζῴοισι καὶ αἰθριάσας ὑπὸ μήνην αὔξουσαν τέλει, αὐτὸς ἐπευχόμενος τήνδʼ εὐχήν.

alla telei xoanon kekatharmenon hōs se didaxō; pēganou ex agrioio detas poiei, ēdʼ epikosmei zǭoisin leptoisi katoikidiois askalabōtais; smyrnēs kai styrakos libanoio te migmata tripsas syn keinois zǭoisi kai aithriasas hypo mēnēn auxousan telei, autos epeuchomenos tēndʼ euchēn.

'But make a purified image, as I shall teach you: make the frame of wild rue, and adorn it with small house lizards; grinding mixtures of myrrh, storax, and frankincense with those creatures, set it in the open air under the waxing moon and complete it, praying this prayer yourself.'

Notes and citation

Summary: Hecate prescribes how to make her image from rue, lizards, and incense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (letters lost and punctuation misread in digitization): καλαβώταις ’ σμύρνης → ἀσκαλαβώταις· σμύρνης.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.12.1 (Dindorf 1:232; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-12-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.12.2Dindorf 1:232–233

Εἶτʼ ἐξέδωκεν εὐχὴν, ἐδίδαξέ τε πόσους ληπτέον ἀσκαλαβώτας ὅσσαι μορφαί μοι, τόσσοις ζῴοις σε κελεύω, καὶ σφόδρα ταῦτα τελεῖν· δάφνης δέ μοι αὐτογενέθλου οἴκου ἐμοῦ χώρημα ποιεῖν· καὶ ἀγάλματι πολλὸν κείνῳ ἐπευχόμενος διʼ ὕπνων τοίαν ἀναθρήσεις. καὶ πάλιν ἄλλοτε ἄγαλμα αὐτῆς ἐξέδωκε τοιοῦτον.”

Eitʼ exedōken euchēn, edidaxe te posous lēpteon askalabōtas hossai morphai moi, tossois zǭois se keleuō, kai sphodra tauta telein; daphnēs de moi autogenethlou oikou emou chōrēma poiein; kai agalmati pollon keinǭ epeuchomenos diʼ hypnōn toian anathrēseis. kai palin allote agalma autēs exedōke toiouton.”

Then she gave out the prayer, and taught how many lizards should be taken: 'As many as my forms, with so many creatures I bid you, and complete these things carefully; and make for me a dwelling of self-grown laurel; and praying much to that image you will see me in sleep.' And again at another time she gave out such an image of herself."

Notes and citation

Summary: Hecate prescribes the number of lizards and promises to appear in dreams.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (punctuation misread in digitization): ποιεῖν; καὶ → ποιεῖν· καὶ.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.12.2 (Dindorf 1:232–233; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-12-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

Preparation 5, chapter 13

5.13.1Dindorf 1:233

Καὶ περὶ τῶν σχημάτων ὅπως φαντάζονται αὐτοὶ μεμηνύκασιν, ἀφʼ ὧν καὶ τὰ ἀγάλματα οὕτω καθιδρύθη. λέγει γοῦν ὁ Σάραπις ἰδὼν τὸν Πάνα περὶ ἑαυτοῦ φαιδρὴ μὲν κατὰ δῶμα θεοῦ καταλάμπεται αὐγή· ἦλθε γὰρ, ἠντεβόλησε θεὸς μέγας· εἶδεν ἐμεῖο κάρτος ἀμαιμάκετον, λαμπηδόνα φλογμοτύραννον, βόστρυχον ἐκ κεφαλῆς νεάτης χαροποῖσι μετώποις ἀμφὶς ἰαινόμενον πλοχμοῖς θʼ ἱεροῖσι γενείου.’’

Kai peri tōn schēmatōn hopōs phantazontai autoi memēnykasin, aphʼ hōn kai ta agalmata houtō kathidrythē. legei goun ho Sarapis idōn ton Pana peri heautou phaidrē men kata dōma theou katalampetai augē; ēlthe gar, ēntebolēse theos megas; eiden emeio kartos amaimaketon, lampēdona phlogmotyrannon, bostrychon ek kephalēs neatēs charopoisi metōpois amphis iainomenon plochmois thʼ hieroisi geneiou.’’

"And they themselves have made known in what forms they appear, according to which the statues were set up. Sarapis, at any rate, having seen Pan, says about himself: 'A bright radiance shines through the house of the god; for a great god came and met me; he saw my resistless might, my lightning of tyrant flame, the lock of hair from the crown of my head, spread around my gleaming brow, and the sacred locks of my beard.'"

Notes and citation

Summary: Sarapis describes his own radiant appearance.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.13.1 (Dindorf 1:233; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-13-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.13.2Dindorf 1:233

“ Καὶ ὁ Πὰν περὶ ἑαυτοῦ ὕμνον ἐδίδαξεν ἔχοντα οὕτως εὔχομαι βροτὸς γεγὼς Πανὶ συμφύτῳ θεῷ, δισσοκέρατι, δισσόποδι, τραγοσκελεῖ, τρυφῶντι. καὶ τὰ ἀκόλουθα.

“ Kai ho Pan peri heautou hymnon edidaxen echonta houtōs euchomai brotos gegōs Pani symphytǭ theǭ, dissokerati, dissopodi, tragoskelei, tryphōnti. kai ta akoloutha.

"And Pan taught a hymn about himself which runs thus: 'I, born a mortal, pray to Pan, the god akin to me, two-horned, two-footed, goat-legged, wanton,' and what follows.

Notes and citation

Summary: Pan's hymn describes his goatlike form.

Repeated from 3.14.8.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.13.2 (Dindorf 1:233; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-13-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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

5.13.3Dindorf 1:233

καὶ ἡ Ἑκάτη δὲ περὶ ἑαυτῆς οὕτω φησὶν ἤδη μοι σύ γε πάντα ποίει· ξοάνῳ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐν αὐτῷ μορφή μοι πέλεται Δημήτερος ἀγλαοκάρπου, εἵμασι παλλεύκοις, περὶ ποσσὶ δὲ χρυσοπέδιλος· ἀμφὶ δέ τοι ζώνῃ δολιχοὶ δράκοντες, ἴχνεσιν ἀχράντοισιν ἐφερπύζοντες, ἄνωθεν αὐτῆς ἐκ κεφαλῆς ἀρτώμενοι ἐς πόδας ἄκρους, σπειρηδὸν περὶ πᾶσαν ἑλισσόμενοι κατὰ κόσμον. ὕλη δὲ (φησὶν) ἢ Παρίοιο λίθου, ἢ εὐξέστου ἐλέφαντος.”

kai hē Hekatē de peri heautēs houtō phēsin ēdē moi sy ge panta poiei; xoanǭ dʼ arʼ en autǭ morphē moi peletai Dēmēteros aglaokarpou, heimasi palleukois, peri possi de chrysopedilos; amphi de toi zōnę̄ dolichoi drakontes, ichnesin achrantoisin epherpyzontes, anōthen autēs ek kephalēs artōmenoi es podas akrous, speirēdon peri pasan helissomenoi kata kosmon. hylē de (phēsin) ē Parioio lithou, ē euxestou elephantos.”

And Hecate says thus about herself: 'Now do everything for me; in the image itself let my form be that of Demeter of the splendid fruits, in pure white robes, with golden sandals on her feet; and around her girdle long serpents, creeping with undefiled tracks, hanging from above, from her head to the tips of her feet, coiling around her whole body in order.' And the material, she says, is either Parian marble or well-polished ivory."

Notes and citation

Summary: Hecate prescribes her image as Demeter in white robes entwined with serpents.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (repeated word in digitization; stray digit and parenthesis in digitization): δράκοντες, δράκοντες, → δράκοντες,; 4. ὕλη δὲ, φησὶν) → ὕλη δὲ (φησὶν).

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 5.13.3 (Dindorf 1:233; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/5-4-1/#p-5-13-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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