Preparation for the Gospel 7.22.1–8.2.5

Eusebius of Caesarea · Preparation for the Gospel · ca. 313–324 · Caesarea · 77 passages

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

Preparation 7, chapter 22

7.22.1Dindorf 1:390

“Ὅτι μὲν ἀδύνατον ὑπάρχειν ἀγέννητα δύο ἅμα οὐδὲ σὲ ἀγνοεῖν νομίζω, εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα δοκεῖς προλαβὼν τοῦτο προστεθεικέναι τῷ λόγῳ, τὸ πάντως ἐξ ἀνάγκης τὸ ἕτερον δεῖν λέγειν, ἢ ὅτι κεχώρισται τῆς ὕλης ὁ θεὸς, ἢ αὖ πάλιν ὅτι ἀμέριστος αὐτῆς τυγχάνει.

“Hoti men adynaton hyparchein agennēta dyo hama oude se agnoein nomizō, ei kai ta malista dokeis prolabōn touto prostetheikenai tǭ logǭ, to pantōs ex anankēs to heteron dein legein, ē hoti kechōristai tēs hylēs ho theos, ē au palin hoti ameristos autēs tynchanei.

"That it is impossible for two unbegotten things to exist together I think you too are not unaware, even though you seem particularly to have anticipated this and added it to the argument, that one must necessarily say one of two things: either that God is separate from matter, or again that he is inseparable from it.

Notes and citation

Summary: Maximus: two unbegotten things cannot coexist; God is either separate from matter or united with it.

"Maximus": the same text is in Methodius, On Free Will, and in the Philocalia of Origen, chapter 24.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (repeated word in the digital text): ὁ θεὸς θεὸς, → ὁ θεὸς,.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.1 (Dindorf 1:390; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-1). (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.

7.22.2Dindorf 1:390

εἰ μὲν οὖν ἡνῶσθαί τις αὐτὸν εἰπεῖν ἐθέλοι, ἕν τὸ ἀγέννητον λέξει· ἑκάτερον γὰρ τούτων μέρος ἔσται τοῦ πλησίον· ἀλλήλων δὲ μέρη τυγχάνοντα οὐκ ἔσται ἀγέννητα δύο, ὡς οὐδὲ διάφορα μέρη κατακερματιζόμενα εἰς πολλὰ γεννητὰ, ἀλλʼ ἢ ὡς ὁ λόγος ἀπαιτεῖ) ἔν τι γεννητὸν τὸν ἄνθρωπον πολυμερὲς πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ γεγονέναι φαμέν. οὕτως ἀνάγκη, εἰ μὴ κεχώρισται τῆς ὕλης ὁ θεὸς, ἓν τὸ ἀγέννητον εἶναι λέγειν.

ei men oun hēnōsthai tis auton eipein etheloi, hen to agennēton lexei; hekateron gar toutōn meros estai tou plēsion; allēlōn de merē tynchanonta ouk estai agennēta dyo, hōs oude diaphora merē katakermatizomena eis polla gennēta, allʼ ē hōs ho logos apaitei) en ti gennēton ton anthrōpon polymeres pros tou theou gegonenai phamen. houtōs anankē, ei mē kechōristai tēs hylēs ho theos, hen to agennēton einai legein.

If, then, anyone wishes to say that he is united with it, he will say that the unbegotten is one; for each of these will be a part of the other, and being parts of one another they will not be two unbegotten things; just as, though man is divided into different parts, we do not say that many begotten things came into being, but (as reason requires) that man is one begotten thing of many parts made by God. So, if God is not separate from matter, one must say that the unbegotten is one.

Notes and citation

Summary: If God and matter are united, there is only one unbegotten.

Methodius, On Free Will

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (missing breathing and accent in the digital text): ἐν τὸ ἀγέννητον εἶναι λέγειν → ἓν τὸ ἀγέννητον εἶναι λέγειν.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.2 (Dindorf 1:390; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.3Dindorf 1:390

εἰ δὲ κεχωρίσθαι φήσει τις, ἀνάγκη εἶναί τι τὸ ἀνὰ μέσον ἀμφοτέρων, ὅπερ καὶ τὸν χωρισμὸν αὐτῶν δείκνυσιν. ἀδύνατον γὰρ ἐν διαστάσει ἐξετάζεσθαί τι ἀπό τινος, οὐκ ὄντος ἑτέρου καθʼ ὃ ἡ διάστασις ἑκατέρου γίνεται· ὅπερ οὐ μέχρι τούτου ἵσταται καὶ μόνου, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλείστων ὅσων.

ei de kechōristhai phēsei tis, anankē einai ti to ana meson amphoterōn, hoper kai ton chōrismon autōn deiknysin. adynaton gar en diastasei exetazesthai ti apo tinos, ouk ontos heterou kathʼ ho hē diastasis hekaterou ginetai; hoper ou mechri toutou histatai kai monou, alla kai pleistōn hosōn.

But if anyone says they are separate, there must be something between both, which shows their separation. For it is impossible for one thing to be examined as standing apart from another unless there is something else in respect of which the separation of each takes place; and this does not stop here alone, but extends to very many.

Notes and citation

Summary: If separate, there must be a third thing between them.

Methodius, On Free Will

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.3 (Dindorf 1:390; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.4Dindorf 1:390–391

ὃν γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν δύο ἀγεννήτων εἴπομεν λόγον, τοῦτον ἐξ ἀνάγκης ὁμοίως προχωρεῖν, εἰ τὰ ἀγέννητα δοθείη τρία. καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ τούτων ἐροίμην ἂν εἰ κεχώρισται ἀλλήλων, ἢ αὖ πάλιν ἕκαστον ἥνωται τῷ πλησίον.

hon gar epi tōn dyo agennētōn eipomen logon, touton ex anankēs homoiōs prochōrein, ei ta agennēta dotheiē tria. kai gar epi toutōn eroimēn an ei kechōristai allēlōn, ē au palin hekaston hēnōtai tǭ plēsion.

For the argument we stated about two unbegotten things must likewise proceed of necessity if three unbegotten things are granted. For about these too I would ask whether they are separate from each other, or again each is united to its neighbor.

Notes and citation

Summary: The same argument applies to three unbegotten things.

Methodius, On Free Will

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.4 (Dindorf 1:390–391; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.5Dindorf 1:391

εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἡνῶσθαί τις εἰπεῖν ἐθέλοι, τὸν αὐτὸν ἀκούσει τῷ πρώτῳ λόγον· εἰ δʼ αὖ πάλιν κεχωρίσθαι, οὐ φεύξεται τὴν ἐξ ἀνάγκης τοῦ χωρίζοντος ὑπόστασιν.”

ei men gar hēnōsthai tis eipein etheloi, ton auton akousei tǭ prōtǭ logon; ei dʼ au palin kechōristhai, ou pheuxetai tēn ex anankēs tou chōrizontos hypostasin.”

For if anyone wishes to say they are united, he will hear the same argument as the first; and if again separate, he will not escape the necessary existence of what separates them."

Notes and citation

Summary: Either way the hypothesis of several unbegottens fails.

Methodius, On Free Will

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.5 (Dindorf 1:391; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.6Dindorf 1:391

“Ἂν δὲ ἄρα τις καὶ τρίτον εἶναι λέξῃ λόγον ὡς ἁρμόζοντα περὶ τῶν ἀγεννήτων λέγεσθαι, τουτέστι τὸ μήτε κεχωρίσθαι τῆς ὕλης τὸν θεὸν μήτʼ αὖ πάλιν ὡς ἐν μέρει ἡνῶσθαι, εἶναι δὲ καθάπερ ἐν τόπῳ τῇ ὕλῃ τὸν θεὸν, ἢ καὶ τὴν ὕλην ἐν τῷ θεῷ, τὸ συνέχον ἀκουέτω, ὅτι ἐὰν τόπον τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν ὕλην εἴπωμεν, ἐξ ἀνάγκης αὐτὸν καὶ χωρητὸν λέγειν δεῖ καὶ πρὸς τῆς ὕλης περιγραφόμενον.

“An de ara tis kai triton einai lexę̄ logon hōs harmozonta peri tōn agennētōn legesthai, toutesti to mēte kechōristhai tēs hylēs ton theon mētʼ au palin hōs en merei hēnōsthai, einai de kathaper en topǭ tę̄ hylę̄ ton theon, ē kai tēn hylēn en tǭ theǭ, to synechon akouetō, hoti ean topon tou theou tēn hylēn eipōmen, ex anankēs auton kai chōrēton legein dei kai pros tēs hylēs perigraphomenon.

"But if someone says there is also a third account suitable to be given of the unbegotten things, namely that God is neither separate from matter nor again united to it as a part, but that God is in matter as in a place, or matter in God, let him hear the consequence: that if we say matter is God's place, we must necessarily say that he is contained and circumscribed by matter.

Notes and citation

Summary: If God is in matter as in a place, he would be contained by it.

Methodius, On Free Will

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (missing breathing and accent in the digital text): “Αν δὲ ἄρα → “Ἂν δὲ ἄρα.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.6 (Dindorf 1:391; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.7Dindorf 1:391

ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ ὁμοίως αὐτὸν τῇ ὕλῃ ἀτάκτως φέρεσθαι, μὴ ἵστασθαί τε μηδὲ μένειν αὐτὸν ἐφʼ ἑαυτοῦ ἀνάγκη, τοῦ ἐν ᾧ ἐστὶν ἄλλοτʼ ἄλλως φερομένου. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ ἐν χείροσι γεγονέναι τὸν θεὸν εἰπεῖν ἀνάγκη. εἰ γὰρ ἦν ποτὲ ἄκοσμος ἡ ὕλη, ἐκόσμησε δὲ αὐτὴν εἰς τὸ κρεῖττον τρέψαι προαιρούμενος, ἦν ποτὲ ὅτε ἐν ἀκοσμήτοις ἦν ὁ θεός.

alla mēn kai homoiōs auton tę̄ hylę̄ ataktōs pheresthai, mē histasthai te mēde menein auton ephʼ heautou anankē, tou en hǭ estin allotʼ allōs pheromenou. pros de toutois kai en cheirosi gegonenai ton theon eipein anankē. ei gar ēn pote akosmos hē hylē, ekosmēse de autēn eis to kreitton trepsai proairoumenos, ēn pote hote en akosmētois ēn ho theos.

Moreover, he must necessarily be carried about in disorder like matter, and not stand or remain by himself, since that in which he is is carried now one way, now another. Besides this, one must say that God was among worse things. For if matter was once without order, and he ordered it, choosing to turn it to the better, there was a time when God was among disordered things.

Notes and citation

Summary: God would share matter's disorder and once dwell in chaos.

Methodius, On Free Will

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.7 (Dindorf 1:391; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.8Dindorf 1:391

δικαίως δʼ ἂν καὶ τοῦτον ἐροίμην τὸν λόγον, πότερον ἐπλήρου τὴν ὕλην ὁ θεὸς, ἢ ἐν μέρει τινὶ τῆς ὕλης ἦν. εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐν μέρει τινὶ τῆς ὕλης εἰπεῖν τις ἐθέλοι τὸν θεὸν, πλεῖστον ὅσον μικρότερον τῆς ὕλης λέγει, εἰ δὴ μέρος αὐτῆς ὅλον ἐχώρησεν αὐτόν· εἰ δʼ ἐν πάσῃ εἶναι λέγοι τῇ ὕλῃ, πῶς ταύτην ἐδημιούργει φραστέον. ἀνάγκη γὰρ ἢ συστολήν τινα τοῦ θεοῦ λέγειν, ἧς γενομένης ἐδημιούργει ἐκεῖνο ἀφʼ οὗ ὑπεχώρησεν, ἢ καὶ ἑαυτὸν τῇ ὕλῃ συνδημιουργεῖν, οὐκ ἔχοντα ὑποχωρήσεως τόπον.

dikaiōs dʼ an kai touton eroimēn ton logon, poteron eplērou tēn hylēn ho theos, ē en merei tini tēs hylēs ēn. ei men oun en merei tini tēs hylēs eipein tis etheloi ton theon, pleiston hoson mikroteron tēs hylēs legei, ei dē meros autēs holon echōrēsen auton; ei dʼ en pasę̄ einai legoi tę̄ hylę̄, pōs tautēn edēmiourgei phrasteon. anankē gar ē systolēn tina tou theou legein, hēs genomenēs edēmiourgei ekeino aphʼ hou hypechōrēsen, ē kai heauton tę̄ hylę̄ syndēmiourgein, ouk echonta hypochōrēseōs topon.

I might fairly ask this question too: whether God filled matter, or was in some part of matter. If anyone wishes to say God was in some part of matter, he calls him far smaller than matter, if a part of it contained him wholly. But if he says he was in all matter, he must explain how he made it. For one must say either that there was some contraction of God, upon which he made that from which he withdrew, or that he made himself together with matter, having no place to withdraw to.

Notes and citation

Summary: Whether God fills matter or part of it, absurdities follow.

Methodius, On Free Will

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.8 (Dindorf 1:391; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.9Dindorf 1:391–392

εἰ δὲ τὴν ὕλην ἐν τῷ θεῷ εἶναί τις λέξει, ὁμοίως ἐξετάζειν δεῖ πότερον ὡς διισταμένου αὐτοῦ ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ. καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν ἀέρι ζῴων ὑπάρχει γένη, διαιρουμένου καὶ μεριζομένου αὐτοῦ εἰς ὑποδοχὴν τῶν γινομένων ἐν αὐτῷ, ἢ ὡς ἐν τόπῳ, τουτέστιν ὥσπερ ἐν γῇ ὕδωρ.

ei de tēn hylēn en tǭ theǭ einai tis lexei, homoiōs exetazein dei poteron hōs diistamenou autou aphʼ heautou. kai hōsper en aeri zǭōn hyparchei genē, diairoumenou kai merizomenou autou eis hypodochēn tōn ginomenōn en autǭ, ē hōs en topǭ, toutestin hōsper en gę̄ hydōr.

And if anyone says that matter is in God, we must likewise examine whether it is as though he were divided from himself, just as kinds of animals exist in air, the air being divided and parted to receive what comes to be in it, or as in a place, that is, as water in earth.

Notes and citation

Summary: If matter is in God, God would be divided or a container.

Methodius, On Free Will

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.9 (Dindorf 1:391–392; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.10Dindorf 1:392

εἰ μὲν γὰρ εἴποιμεν ὡς ἐν ἀέρι, μεριστὸν ἀνάγκη τὸν θεὸν εἰπεῖν· εἰ δʼ ὥσπερ ἐν γῇ τὸ ὕδωρ, ἦν δὲ ἄτακτος ἡ ὕλη καὶ ἀκόσμητος, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἔχουσα καὶ κακὰ, τὸν θεὸν λέγειν ἀνάγκη τόπον εἶναι τῶν ἀκοσμήτων καὶ τῶν κακῶν. ὅπερ οὐκ εὔφημον εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ, ἐπισφαλὲς δὲ μᾶλλον. ὕλην γὰρ εἶναι θέλεις, ἵνα μὴ τῶν κακῶν ποιητὴν εἴπῃς τὸν θεὸν καὶ τοῦτο φεύγειν προαιρούμενος δοχεῖον αὐτὸν τῶν κακῶν εἶναι λέγεις.”

ei men gar eipoimen hōs en aeri, meriston anankē ton theon eipein; ei dʼ hōsper en gę̄ to hydōr, ēn de ataktos hē hylē kai akosmētos, pros de toutois echousa kai kaka, ton theon legein anankē topon einai tōn akosmētōn kai tōn kakōn. hoper ouk euphēmon einai moi dokei, episphales de mallon. hylēn gar einai theleis, hina mē tōn kakōn poiētēn eipę̄s ton theon kai touto pheugein proairoumenos docheion auton tōn kakōn einai legeis.”

For if we say 'as in air,' we must say that God is divisible; but if 'as water in earth,' and matter was disordered and unadorned, and moreover contained evils, we must say that God is the place of disordered things and of evils. This seems to me not reverent, but rather dangerous. For you want matter to exist so that you need not call God the maker of evils, and in choosing to avoid this you say that he is a receptacle of evils."

Notes and citation

Summary: If matter is in God, God becomes the place of evil, the very thing the theory meant to avoid.

Maximus (= Methodius, On Free Will).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.10 (Dindorf 1:392; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.11Dindorf 1:392

“Εἰ μὲν οὖν τὴν ὕλην ἐκ τῶν ὑποστάντων γενητῶν ὑπονοεῖν ἀγέννητον ὑπάρχειν ἔλεγες, πολὺν ἂν περὶ αὐτῆς ἐποιησάμην λόγον εἰς ἀπόδειξιν τοῦ ὅτι ἀδύνατον ὑπάρχειν αὐτὴν ἀγέννητον· ἐπεὶ δὲ τὴν τῶν κακῶν γένεσιν αἰτίαν ἔφησθα εἶναι τῆς τοιαύτης ὑπονοίας, διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐξέτασιν τούτων ἔρχεσθαί μοι δοκῶ. φανεροῦ γὰρ γενομένου τοῦ λόγου καθʼ ὃν τρόπον ἐστὶ τὰ κακὰ καὶ ὅτι οὐχ οἷόν τέ ἐστιν ἀναίτιον τῶν κακῶν εἰπεῖν τὸν θεὸν ἐκ τοῦ ὕλην αὐτῷ ὑποτιθέναι, τὴν τοιαύτην ὑπόνοιαν ἀναιρεῖσθαί μοι δοκεῖ.

“Ei men oun tēn hylēn ek tōn hypostantōn genētōn hyponoein agennēton hyparchein eleges, polyn an peri autēs epoiēsamēn logon eis apodeixin tou hoti adynaton hyparchein autēn agennēton; epei de tēn tōn kakōn genesin aitian ephēstha einai tēs toiautēs hyponoias, dia toutʼ epi tēn exetasin toutōn erchesthai moi dokō. phanerou gar genomenou tou logou kathʼ hon tropon esti ta kaka kai hoti ouch hoion te estin anaition tōn kakōn eipein ton theon ek tou hylēn autǭ hypotithenai, tēn toiautēn hyponoian anaireisthai moi dokei.

"If you had said that you supposed matter to be unbegotten from the things that have come into being, I would have said much about it to prove that it cannot be unbegotten. But since you said that the origin of evils is the reason for this supposition, I think I should therefore proceed to examine this. For once the account of how evils exist has been made plain, and that it is not possible to call God blameless for evils by supposing matter beside him, such a supposition seems to me to be done away with.

Notes and citation

Summary: Maximus turns to the origin of evil, the real motive for positing eternal matter.

Maximus (= Methodius, On Free Will).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (tripled letter in the digital text; wrong breathing in the digital text): ἀγένννητον → ἀγέννητον; οὐχ οἶόν τέ → οὐχ οἷόν τέ.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.11 (Dindorf 1:392; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.12Dindorf 1:392

Φῂς τοίνυν ἄποιον ὕλην συνυπάρχειν τῷ θεῷ, ἐξ ἧς τὴν τοῦδε τοῦ κόσμου γένεσιν ἐδημιούργησεν. Οὕτω μοι δοκεῖ.

Phę̄s toinyn apoion hylēn synyparchein tǭ theǭ, ex hēs tēn toude tou kosmou genesin edēmiourgēsen. Houtō moi dokei.

You say, then, that matter without qualities coexists with God, from which he made the generation of this world? —So it seems to me.

Notes and citation

Summary: The opponent holds that qualityless matter coexisted with God.

Maximus (= Methodius, On Free Will). The dialogue's replies are marked with dashes.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.12 (Dindorf 1:392; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.13Dindorf 1:392

οὐκοῦν εἰ ἄποιος ἐτύγχανεν ἡ ὕλη, γέγονε δὲ κόσμος πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐν δὲ τῷ κόσμῳ αἱ ποιότητες, τῶν ποιοτήτων ποιητὴς γέγονεν ὁ θεός. Οὕτως ἔχει.

oukoun ei apoios etynchanen hē hylē, gegone de kosmos pros tou theou, en de tǭ kosmǭ hai poiotētes, tōn poiotētōn poiētēs gegonen ho theos. Houtōs echei.

Then if matter was without qualities, and the world came into being from God, and the qualities are in the world, God has become the maker of the qualities. —That is so.

Notes and citation

Summary: God then made the qualities.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.13 (Dindorf 1:392; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.14Dindorf 1:392–393

Ἐπεὶ δέ σου καὶ λέγοντος ἔμπροσθεν ἤκουον ὡς ἀδύνατον ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων γίνεσθαί τι, πρὸς τὴν ἐρώτησιν ἀπόκριναι τὴν ἐμήν· δοκεῖ σοι τὰς τοῦ κόσμου ποιότητας μὴ ἐξ ὑποκειμένων ποιοτήτων γεγονέναι; Δοκεῖ. Ἕτερον δέ τι παρὰ τὰς οὐσίας ὑπάρχειν αὐτάς; Οὕτως ἔχει.

Epei de sou kai legontos emprosthen ēkouon hōs adynaton ex ouk ontōn ginesthai ti, pros tēn erōtēsin apokrinai tēn emēn; dokei soi tas tou kosmou poiotētas mē ex hypokeimenōn poiotētōn gegonenai? Dokei. Heteron de ti para tas ousias hyparchein autas? Houtōs echei.

And since I heard you saying before that it is impossible for anything to come into being from what is not, answer my question: do you think that the qualities of the world did not come from underlying qualities? —I do. —And that they are something other than the substances? —That is so.

Notes and citation

Summary: The opponent agrees that qualities did not come from prior qualities and are not substances.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (misread letter in the digital text): γίνεσθεί → γίνεσθαί.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.14 (Dindorf 1:392–393; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.15Dindorf 1:393

Εἰ μὲν οὖν μήτε ἐξ ὑποκειμένων ποιοτήτων τὰς ποιότητας ἐδημιούργησεν ὁ θεὸς μήτε ἐκ τῶν οὐσιῶν, τῷ μηδὲ οὐσίας αὐτὰς εἶναι, ἐκ μὴ ὄντων αὐτὰς ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγονέναι εἰπεῖν ἀναγκαῖον. ὅθεν περιττῶς ἐδόκεις μοι λέγειν ἀδύνατον εἶναι δοξάζειν ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων γεγονέναι τι πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ.

Ei men oun mēte ex hypokeimenōn poiotētōn tas poiotētas edēmiourgēsen ho theos mēte ek tōn ousiōn, tǭ mēde ousias autas einai, ek mē ontōn autas hypo tou theou gegonenai eipein anankaion. hothen perittōs edokeis moi legein adynaton einai doxazein ex ouk ontōn gegonenai ti pros tou theou.

If, then, God made the qualities neither from underlying qualities nor from the substances, since they are not substances, one must say that they came into being from God out of what is not. So you seemed to me to say needlessly that it is impossible to hold that anything came into being from what is not by God.

Notes and citation

Summary: So God made qualities from nothing, contradicting the opponent's principle.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (misread letter in the digital text): δοξάξειν → δοξάζειν.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.15 (Dindorf 1:393; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.16Dindorf 1:393

ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν περὶ τούτου λόγος ὧδε ἐχέτω. καὶ γὰρ παρʼ ἡμῖν θεωροῦμεν ἀνθρώπους ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ποιοῦντάς τινα, εἰ καὶ ὅτι μάλιστα δοκοῦσι ποιεῖν ἔν τινι, οἷον ἐπὶ τῶν ἀρχιτεκτόνων τὸ παράδειγμα λάβωμεν. καὶ γὰρ οὗτοι ποιοῦσι πόλεις οὐκ ἐκ πόλεων καὶ ναοὺς ὁμοίως οὐκ ἐκ ναῶν.

allʼ ho men peri toutou logos hōde echetō. kai gar parʼ hēmin theōroumen anthrōpous ex ouk ontōn poiountas tina, ei kai hoti malista dokousi poiein en tini, hoion epi tōn architektonōn to paradeigma labōmen. kai gar houtoi poiousi poleis ouk ek poleōn kai naous homoiōs ouk ek naōn.

But let the account of this stand thus. For among us too we see people making some things from what is not, even if they seem especially to make them in something; let us take the example of architects. For they make cities not from cities, and likewise temples not from temples.

Notes and citation

Summary: Even human builders make cities not from cities.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.16 (Dindorf 1:393; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.17Dindorf 1:393

εἰ δʼ, ὅτι τούτοις οὐσίαι ὑπόκεινται, οἴει ἐξ ὄντων αὐτοὺς ταῦτα ποιεῖν, σφάλλῃ τῷ λόγῳ. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἡ οὐσία ἐστὶν ἡ ποιοῦσα τὴν πόλιν, ἢ αὖ πάλιν τοὺς ναοὺς, ἀλλʼ ἡ περὶ τὴν οὐσίαν τέχνη· ἡ δὲ τέχνη οὐκ ἐξ ὑποκειμένης τινὸς ἐν ταῖς οὐσίαις τέχνης γίνεται, ἀλλʼ ἐξ οὐκ οὔσης ἐν αὐταῖς γίνεται.

ei dʼ, hoti toutois ousiai hypokeintai, oiei ex ontōn autous tauta poiein, sphallę̄ tǭ logǭ. oude gar hē ousia estin hē poiousa tēn polin, ē au palin tous naous, allʼ hē peri tēn ousian technē; hē de technē ouk ex hypokeimenēs tinos en tais ousiais technēs ginetai, allʼ ex ouk ousēs en autais ginetai.

And if you think that, because substances underlie these, they make them from what exists, you err in your reasoning. For it is not the substance that makes the city or the temples, but the art applied to the substance; and the art does not come from some underlying art in the substances, but comes into them from what was not in them.

Notes and citation

Summary: The art, not the material, makes the building, and the art comes from nothing in the material.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.17 (Dindorf 1:393; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.18Dindorf 1:393

ἀπαντήσειν δέ μοι δοκεῖς οὕτω τῷ λόγῳ, ὅτι ὁ τεχνίτης ἐξ ἧς ἔχει τέχνης τὴν ἐν τῇ οὐσίᾳ τέχνην ποιεῖ. πρὸς δὲ τοῦτο λέγεσθαι τοῦτʼ εὖ ἔχειν μοι δοκεῖ, ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἔκ τινος ὑποκειμένης τέχνης γίνεται. οὐ γὰρ ἔνεστιν αὐτὴν ἐφʼ ἑαυτῆς οὖσαν δοῦναι τὴν τέχνην· τῶν γὰρ συμβεβηκότων ἐστὶν καὶ τῶν τότε τὸ εἶναι λαμβανόντων, ὁπόταν ἐν οὐσίᾳ γίνωνται.

apantēsein de moi dokeis houtō tǭ logǭ, hoti ho technitēs ex hēs echei technēs tēn en tę̄ ousią technēn poiei. pros de touto legesthai toutʼ eu echein moi dokei, hoti oude en tǭ anthrōpǭ ek tinos hypokeimenēs technēs ginetai. ou gar enestin autēn ephʼ heautēs ousan dounai tēn technēn; tōn gar symbebēkotōn estin kai tōn tote to einai lambanontōn, hopotan en ousią ginōntai.

You seem likely to meet the argument thus: that the craftsman makes the art in the substance from the art he has. To this it seems good to me to say that not even in man does it come from some underlying art. For art cannot be given as existing by itself; for it belongs to the accidents and to the things that receive their being only when they come to be in a substance.

Notes and citation

Summary: Art does not exist on its own but only arises in a substance.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.18 (Dindorf 1:393; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.19Dindorf 1:393–394

ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἄνθρωπος καὶ χωρὶς τῆς ἀρχιτεκτονικῆς ἔσται· ἡ δʼ οὐκ ἔσται, ἐὰν μὴ πρότερον ἄνθρωπος ᾖ. ὅθεν τὰς τέχνας ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων εἰς ἀνθρώπους πεφυκέναι γίνεσθαι λέγειν ἀναγκαῖον. εἰ τοίνυν τοῦτο οὕτως ἔχον ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπων ἐδείξαμεν, πῶς οὐχὶ προσῆκε τὸν θεὸν μὴ μόνον ποιότητας ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων φάναι δύνασθαι ποιεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ οὐσίας; τῷ γὰρ δυνατὸν φανῆναι γίνεσθαί τι ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων τὸ καὶ τὰς οὐσίας οὕτως ἔχειν δείκνυται.

ho men gar anthrōpos kai chōris tēs architektonikēs estai; hē dʼ ouk estai, ean mē proteron anthrōpos ę̄. hothen tas technas ex ouk ontōn eis anthrōpous pephykenai ginesthai legein anankaion. ei toinyn touto houtōs echon epʼ anthrōpōn edeixamen, pōs ouchi prosēke ton theon mē monon poiotētas ex ouk ontōn phanai dynasthai poiein, alla kai ousias? tǭ gar dynaton phanēnai ginesthai ti ex ouk ontōn to kai tas ousias houtōs echein deiknytai.

For man will exist even without architecture, but it will not exist unless man first exists. Hence one must say that the arts naturally come into being in humans from what was not. If, then, we have shown this to be so in the case of humans, how is it not fitting to say that God can make not only qualities but also substances from what is not? For by its appearing possible for something to come into being from what is not, it is shown that the same holds for substances.

Notes and citation

Summary: If humans produce arts from nothing, God can make substances from nothing.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (misread letters in the digital text): ἄνθρωπος 7]. → ἄνθρωπος ᾖ..

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.19 (Dindorf 1:393–394; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.20Dindorf 1:394

ἐπεὶ δὲ πόθος ἐστί σοι περὶ τῆς τῶν κακῶν γενέσεως ζητεῖν, ἐπὶ τὸν τούτων ἐλεύσομαι λόγον, καί σου βραχέα πυθέσθαι βούλομαι. τὰ κακὰ πότερον οὐσίαι σοι δοκοῦσιν εἶναι, ἢ ποιότητες οὐσιῶν; Ποιότητας οὐσιῶν εὖ ἔχειν λέγειν μοι δοκεῖ.

epei de pothos esti soi peri tēs tōn kakōn geneseōs zētein, epi ton toutōn eleusomai logon, kai sou brachea pythesthai boulomai. ta kaka poteron ousiai soi dokousin einai, ē poiotētes ousiōn? Poiotētas ousiōn eu echein legein moi dokei.

But since you long to inquire into the origin of evils, I shall come to the account of these, and I wish to ask you briefly: do evils seem to you to be substances, or qualities of substances? —It seems right to me to call them qualities of substances.

Notes and citation

Summary: The opponent agrees evils are qualities of substances.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.20 (Dindorf 1:394; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.21Dindorf 1:394

Ἡ δὲ ὕλη ἄποιος ἦν καὶ ἀσχημάτιστος; Οὕτω προλαβὼν ἐξεῖπον τῷ λόγῳ. Οὐκοῦν εἰ τὰ κακὰ ποιότητες ὑπάρχουσιν οὐσιῶν, ἡ δὲ ὕλη ἄποιος ἦν, τῶν δὲ ποιοτήτων ποιητὴν εἶπας τὸν θεὸν εἶναι, ἔσται καὶ τῶν κακῶν δημιουργὸς ὁ θεός. ὅτε τοίνυν οὐδʼ οὕτως ἀναίτιον τῶν κακῶν δυνατὸν εἰπεῖν τὸν θεὸν, ὕλην αὐτῷ προσάπτειν περιττὸν εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ. εἰ δέ τι πρὸς ταῦτα λέγειν ἔχεις, ἄρχου τοῦ λόγου.

Hē de hylē apoios ēn kai aschēmatistos? Houtō prolabōn exeipon tǭ logǭ. Oukoun ei ta kaka poiotētes hyparchousin ousiōn, hē de hylē apoios ēn, tōn de poiotētōn poiētēn eipas ton theon einai, estai kai tōn kakōn dēmiourgos ho theos. hote toinyn oudʼ houtōs anaition tōn kakōn dynaton eipein ton theon, hylēn autǭ prosaptein peritton einai moi dokei. ei de ti pros tauta legein echeis, archou tou logou.

—And matter was without qualities and without shape? —So I stated at the outset of the discussion. —Then if evils are qualities of substances, and matter was without qualities, and you said God is the maker of the qualities, God will be the creator of evils too. Since, then, not even so is it possible to call God blameless for evils, it seems to me superfluous to attach matter to him. If you have anything to say to this, begin your reply.

Notes and citation

Summary: Then God would be the creator of evils, so positing matter does not help.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray marks in the digital text): ἀσχημάτιστος,. → ἀσχημάτιστος;.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.21 (Dindorf 1:394; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.22Dindorf 1:394–395

εἰ μὲν ἐκ φιλονεικίας ἡμῖν ἡ ζήτησις ἐγίνετο, οὐκ ἂν δεύτερον περὶ τῶν κακῶν ἠξίουν ὁρίζεσθαι ’ ἐπεὶ δὲ φιλίας ἕνεκα μᾶλλον καὶ τῆς πρὸς τὸν πλησίον ὠφελείας τὴν ἐξέτασιν ποιούμεθα τῶν λόγων, ἄνωθεν περὶ τούτων ὁρίζεσθαι ἀξιῶ συγχωρεῖν. Τὴν μὲν προαίρεσιν τὴν ἐμὴν ἐκ πολλοῦ σοι φανερὰν εἶναι δοκῶ καὶ τὴν ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σπουδὴν, ὅτι οὐ πιθανῶς εἰπὼν ψεῦδος νικῆσαι θέλω, ἀλλὰ δειχθῆναι τὴν ἀλήθειαν μετὰ ἀκριβοῦς ἐξετάσεως, καὶ σὲ δὲ οὕτω διακεῖσθαι σαφῶς ἐπίσταμαι· ὅθεν οἵῳ τρόπῳ χρώμενος νομίζεις δύνασθαι τὸ ἀληθὲς εὑρεῖν, τούτῳ χρῆσαι μηδὲν δυσωπούμενος. οὐ γὰρ σεαυτὸν ὠφελήσεις μόνον χρησάμενος τῷ κρείττονι, ἀλλὰ πάντως κἀμὲ περὶ ὧν ἀγνοῶ.

ei men ek philoneikias hēmin hē zētēsis egineto, ouk an deuteron peri tōn kakōn ēxioun horizesthai ’ epei de philias heneka mallon kai tēs pros ton plēsion ōpheleias tēn exetasin poioumetha tōn logōn, anōthen peri toutōn horizesthai axiō synchōrein. Tēn men proairesin tēn emēn ek pollou soi phaneran einai dokō kai tēn en tois logois spoudēn, hoti ou pithanōs eipōn pseudos nikēsai thelō, alla deichthēnai tēn alētheian meta akribous exetaseōs, kai se de houtō diakeisthai saphōs epistamai; hothen hoiǭ tropǭ chrōmenos nomizeis dynasthai to alēthes heurein, toutǭ chrēsai mēden dysōpoumenos. ou gar seauton ōphelēseis monon chrēsamenos tǭ kreittoni, alla pantōs kame peri hōn agnoō.

—If our inquiry arose from love of contention, I would not ask to define evils a second time; but since we are examining the arguments rather for friendship's sake and for our neighbor's benefit, I ask you to allow us to define them again from the beginning. —I think my purpose and my earnestness in discussion have long been plain to you: that I do not wish to win by plausibly speaking falsehood, but for the truth to be shown with exact examination; and I clearly know that you are of the same mind. So use whatever method you think can find the truth, without any embarrassment. For by using the better you will benefit not only yourself, but surely me too in what I do not know.

Notes and citation

Summary: The opponent asks to redefine evil; Maximus welcomes the honest inquiry.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray dash in the digital text; wrong accent in the digital text; wrong breathing in the digital text): σὲ δὲ οὐτῶ → σὲ δὲ οὕτω; ὅθεν οἴῳ τρόπῳ → ὅθεν οἵῳ τρόπῳ; εὑρεῖν, - τούτῳ → εὑρεῖν, τούτῳ.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.22 (Dindorf 1:394–395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.23Dindorf 1:395

Σαφῶς παραστῆναί μοι δοκεῖς καὶ τὰ κακὰ οὐσίας ὑπάρχειν τινάς· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκτὸς οὐσιῶν αὐτὰ ὄντα βλέπω. ἐπεὶ τοίνυν, ὦ οὗτος, καὶ τὰ κακὰ οὐσίας εἶναι λέγεις, ἀνάγκη τὸν τῆς οὐσίας ἐξετάζειν λόγον. δοκεῖ σοι τὴν οὐσίαν σωματικήν τινα σύστασιν εἶναι; Δοκεῖ.

Saphōs parastēnai moi dokeis kai ta kaka ousias hyparchein tinas; oude gar ektos ousiōn auta onta blepō. epei toinyn, ō houtos, kai ta kaka ousias einai legeis, anankē ton tēs ousias exetazein logon. dokei soi tēn ousian sōmatikēn tina systasin einai? Dokei.

—You seem to me plainly to hold that evils too are certain substances? —Yes, for I do not see them existing apart from substances. —Since, then, my friend, you say that evils too are substances, we must examine the definition of substance. Do you think substance is a certain bodily structure? —I do.

Notes and citation

Summary: The opponent now holds that evils are substances; Maximus examines what substance is.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (missing accent in the digital text; wrong accent in the digital text): ὠ οὗτος → ὦ οὗτος; σύστασιν εἰναι → σύστασιν εἶναι.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.23 (Dindorf 1:395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.24Dindorf 1:395

Ἡ δὲ σωματικὴ σύστασις αὐτὴ ἐφʼ ἑαυτῆς ὑπάρχει οὐ δεομένη τινὸς, οὗ γενομένου τὸ εἶναι λήψεται; Οὕτως ἔχει.

Hē de sōmatikē systasis autē ephʼ heautēs hyparchei ou deomenē tinos, hou genomenou to einai lēpsetai? Houtōs echei.

—And bodily structure exists by itself, needing nothing in which it comes to be in order to receive its being? —That is so.

Notes and citation

Summary: A substance exists by itself.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.24 (Dindorf 1:395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-24). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.25Dindorf 1:395

Δοκεῖ δέ σοι τὰ κακὰ ἐνεργείας εἶναί τινος; Οὕτω μοι φαίνεται.

Dokei de soi ta kaka energeias einai tinos? Houtō moi phainetai.

—And do evils seem to you to be activities of someone? —So it appears to me.

Notes and citation

Summary: Evils are someone's activities.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.25 (Dindorf 1:395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.26Dindorf 1:395

Αἱ δὲ ἐνέργειαι τότε τὸ εἶναι λαμβάνουσιν, ὁπόταν ὁ ἐνεργῶν παρῇ; Οὕτως ἔχει.

Hai de energeiai tote to einai lambanousin, hopotan ho energōn parę̄? Houtōs echei.

—And activities receive their being when the one acting is present? —That is so.

Notes and citation

Summary: Activities exist only when an agent acts.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong breathing and stray mark in the digital text): Αἶʼ δὲ ἐνέργειαι → Αἱ δὲ ἐνέργειαι.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.26 (Dindorf 1:395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.27Dindorf 1:395

Οὐκ ὄντος δὲ τοῦ ἐνεργοῦντος, οὐδʼ ὅπερ ἐνεργεῖ ἔσται ποτέ; Οὐκ ἔσται.

Ouk ontos de tou energountos, oudʼ hoper energei estai pote? Ouk estai.

—And if the one acting does not exist, neither will what he does ever exist? —It will not.

Notes and citation

Summary: Without an agent there is no activity.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong breathing in the digital text): Ούκ ἔσται → Οὐκ ἔσται.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.27 (Dindorf 1:395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.28Dindorf 1:395

Οὐκοῦν εἰ ἡ οὐσία σωματική τις ἐστὶ σύστασις, αὕτη δὲ οὐ δεῖταί τινος, ἐν ᾧ γενομένη τὸ εἶναι λήψεται, τὰ δὲ κακὰ ἐνέργειαι ὑπάρχουσί τινος, αἱ δὲ ἐνέργειαι δέονταί τινος, ἐν ᾧ γενόμεναι τὸ εἶναι λαμβάνουσιν, οὐκ ἔσονται οὐσίαι τὰ κακά.

Oukoun ei hē ousia sōmatikē tis esti systasis, hautē de ou deitai tinos, en hǭ genomenē to einai lēpsetai, ta de kaka energeiai hyparchousi tinos, hai de energeiai deontai tinos, en hǭ genomenai to einai lambanousin, ouk esontai ousiai ta kaka.

—Then if substance is a certain bodily structure, and it needs nothing in which it comes to be to receive its being, while evils are activities of someone, and activities need something in which they come to be to receive their being, evils will not be substances.

Notes and citation

Summary: So evils, being activities, are not substances.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (misread word in the digital text; wrong breathing in the digital text): ἐν ὁ γενομένη → ἐν ᾧ γενομένη; αἶ δὲ ἐνέργειαι → αἱ δὲ ἐνέργειαι.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.28 (Dindorf 1:395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.29Dindorf 1:395–396

εἰ δὲ οὐσίαι τὰ κακὰ, κακὸν δὲ ὁ φόνος, οὐσία ἔσται ὁ φόνος· ἀλλὰ μὴν ὁ φόνος ἐνέργεια ὑπάρχει τινὸς, οὐκ ἔστιν ἄρα οὐσία ὁ φόνος. εἰ δὲ τὰ ἐνεργοῦντα οὐσίαν εἶναι θέλεις, σύμφημι κἀγώ. οἷον ἄνθρωπος ὁ φονεὺς, καθʼ ὃν μὲν λόγον ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν ὑπάρχει οὐσία· ὁ δὲ ὃν ποιεῖ φόνος οὐκ ἔστιν οὐσία, ἀλλʼ ἔργον τῆς οὐσίας.

ei de ousiai ta kaka, kakon de ho phonos, ousia estai ho phonos; alla mēn ho phonos energeia hyparchei tinos, ouk estin ara ousia ho phonos. ei de ta energounta ousian einai theleis, symphēmi kagō. hoion anthrōpos ho phoneus, kathʼ hon men logon anthrōpos estin hyparchei ousia; ho de hon poiei phonos ouk estin ousia, allʼ ergon tēs ousias.

And if evils are substances, and murder is an evil, murder will be a substance; but murder is an activity of someone, so murder is not a substance. But if you mean that the agents are substance, I agree too. For example, a man who is a murderer is a substance insofar as he is a man; but the murder he commits is not a substance, but a work of the substance.

Notes and citation

Summary: Murder is an act of a substance, not itself a substance.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong breathing in the digital text): οἶον ἄνθρωπος → οἷον ἄνθρωπος.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.29 (Dindorf 1:395–396; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-29). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.30Dindorf 1:396

λέγομεν δὲ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ποτὲ μὲν κακὸν διὰ τὸ φονεύειν, ποτὲ δʼ αὖ πάλιν διὰ τὸ εὐεργετεῖν ἀγαθόν. καὶ προσπλέκεται ταῦτα τὰ ὀνόματα τῇ οὐσίᾳ ἐκ τῶν συμβεβηκότων αὐτῇ, ἅτινα οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτή· οὔτε γὰρ ὁ φόνος ἐστὶν ἡ οὐσία οὔτʼ αὖ πάλιν ἡ μοιχεία οὔτε τι τῶν ὁμοίων κακῶν· ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ ἀπὸ τῆς γραμματικῆς ὁ γραμματικὸς λέγεται καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ῥητορικῆς ὁ ῥήτωρ καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἰατρικῆς ὁ ἰατρὸς, τῆς οὐσίας οὔτʼ ἰατρικῆς οὔσης οὔτε μὴν ῥητορικῆς οὔτε γραμματικῆς ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ τῶν συμβεβηκότων αὐτῇ τὴν προσηγορίαν λαμβανούσης, ἀφʼ ὧν οὕτως ὀνομάζεσθαι δοκεῖ, οὐδʼ ὁπότερον αὐτῶν οὖσα, ὁμοίως μοι φαίνεται καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν δοκούντων εἶναι κακῶν τὴν οὐσίαν ὄνομα προσλαμβάνειν, οὐδʼ ὁπότερον οὖσαν αὐτῶν.

legomen de ton anthrōpon pote men kakon dia to phoneuein, pote dʼ au palin dia to euergetein agathon. kai prospleketai tauta ta onomata tę̄ ousią ek tōn symbebēkotōn autę̄, hatina ouk estin autē; oute gar ho phonos estin hē ousia outʼ au palin hē moicheia oute ti tōn homoiōn kakōn; allʼ hōsper apo tēs grammatikēs ho grammatikos legetai kai apo tēs rhētorikēs ho rhētōr kai apo tēs iatrikēs ho iatros, tēs ousias outʼ iatrikēs ousēs oute mēn rhētorikēs oute grammatikēs allʼ apo tōn symbebēkotōn autę̄ tēn prosēgorian lambanousēs, aphʼ hōn houtōs onomazesthai dokei, oudʼ hopoteron autōn ousa, homoiōs moi phainetai kai apo tōn dokountōn einai kakōn tēn ousian onoma proslambanein, oudʼ hopoteron ousan autōn.

We call a man sometimes evil because he murders, and sometimes again good because he does good. And these names are attached to the substance from what happens to it, which it is not itself. For neither is murder the substance, nor again adultery, nor any of the like evils. But just as the grammarian is named from grammar, the orator from rhetoric, and the physician from medicine, though the substance is neither medicine nor rhetoric nor grammar, but takes its name from what happens to it, from which it seems to be so named while being neither of them, so it seems to me that the substance takes its name from what are thought to be evils, while being none of them.

Notes and citation

Summary: A person is called evil from his acts, as a physician from medicine, without the acts being his substance.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (dropped letter in the digital text; word split in the digital text): ἀφʼ ὧν οὕτʼ ὡς → ἀφʼ ὧν οὕτως; προσλαβάνειν → προσλαμβάνειν.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.30 (Dindorf 1:396; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-30). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.31Dindorf 1:396

καί μοι ὁμοίως ἐπινόησον, εἴ τινα ἕτερον ἀναπλάττεις ἐν τῷ νῷ τῶν κακῶν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις αἴτιον, ὡς κἀκεῖνος, καθὸ ἐν τούτοις ἐνεργεῖ καὶ ὑποβάλλει ποιεῖν τὰ κακὰ, ἔστι καὶ αὐτὸς κακὸς ἐξ ὧν ποιεῖ. διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ κἀκεῖνος κακὸς εἶναι λέγεται, ὅτι τῶν κακῶν ἐστι ποιητής. ἃ δέ τις ποιεῖ, οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτὸς, ἀλλʼ αἱ ἐνέργειαι αὐτοῦ, ἀφʼ ὧν τὴν προσηγορίαν τοῦ κακὸς λέγεσθαι λαμβάνει.

kai moi homoiōs epinoēson, ei tina heteron anaplatteis en tǭ nǭ tōn kakōn tois anthrōpois aition, hōs kakeinos, katho en toutois energei kai hypoballei poiein ta kaka, esti kai autos kakos ex hōn poiei. dia touto gar kakeinos kakos einai legetai, hoti tōn kakōn esti poiētēs. ha de tis poiei, ouk estin autos, allʼ hai energeiai autou, aphʼ hōn tēn prosēgorian tou kakos legesthai lambanei.

And consider likewise, if you imagine in your mind someone else as the cause of evils for humans, that he too, insofar as he works in them and prompts them to do evils, is himself evil from what he does. For he too is called evil for this reason, that he is the maker of evils. But what someone does is not himself, but his activities, from which he takes the name of being called evil.

Notes and citation

Summary: Even the devil is called evil from his acts, which are not his substance.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.31 (Dindorf 1:396; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-31). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.32Dindorf 1:396

εἰ γὰρ αὐτὸν ὑπάρχειν εἴποιμεν ἃ ποιεῖ, ποιεῖ δὲ φόνους καὶ μοιχείας καὶ κλοπὰς καὶ ὅσα τούτοις ὅμοια, αὐτὸς ἔσται ταῦτα· εἰ δὲ ταῦτʼ ἐστὶν αὐτὸς, ταῦτα δʼ ὅτε γίνεται τὴν σύστασιν ἔχει, οὐ γινόμενα δὲ καὶ τοῦ εἶναι παύεται, γίνεται δὲ ταῦτα πρὸς ἀνθρώπων, ἔσονται τούτων οἱ ἄνθρωποι ποιηταὶ, καὶ τοῦ εἶναι καὶ τοῦ μηκέτʼ εἶναι αἴτιοι.

ei gar auton hyparchein eipoimen ha poiei, poiei de phonous kai moicheias kai klopas kai hosa toutois homoia, autos estai tauta; ei de tautʼ estin autos, tauta dʼ hote ginetai tēn systasin echei, ou ginomena de kai tou einai pauetai, ginetai de tauta pros anthrōpōn, esontai toutōn hoi anthrōpoi poiētai, kai tou einai kai tou mēketʼ einai aitioi.

For if we were to say that he is what he does, and he does murders and adulteries and thefts and the like, he himself will be these things. And if he is these, and these have existence when they happen, but when they do not happen they cease to be, and they are done by humans, then humans will be their makers, and the causes both of his being and of his no longer being.

Notes and citation

Summary: If an agent were his acts, humans who commit them would cause his existence.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong breathing in the digital text): οἶ ἄνθρωποι ποιηταὶ → οἱ ἄνθρωποι ποιηταὶ.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.32 (Dindorf 1:396; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-32). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.33Dindorf 1:396–397

εἰ δὲ ταῦτα ἐνεργείας αὐτοῦ φὴς, ἐξ ὧν ποιεῖ τὸ κακὸς εἶναι ἔχει, οὐκ ἐξ ὧν ἐστιν ἡ οὐσία. κακὸν δὲ εἴπομεν λέγεσθαι ἀπὸ τῶν συμβεβηκότων τῇ οὐσίᾳ, ἅτινα οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ οὐσία, ὡς ἀπὸ τῆς ἰατρικῆς ὁ ἰατρός.

ei de tauta energeias autou phēs, ex hōn poiei to kakos einai echei, ouk ex hōn estin hē ousia. kakon de eipomen legesthai apo tōn symbebēkotōn tę̄ ousią, hatina ouk estin hē ousia, hōs apo tēs iatrikēs ho iatros.

But if you say these are his activities, he is evil from what he does, not from what his substance is. And we said that evil is so called from what happens to the substance, which is not the substance, as the physician from medicine.

Notes and citation

Summary: Evil names come from acts, not from substance.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong accent in the digital text): ὧς ἀπὸ τῆς → ὡς ἀπὸ τῆς.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.33 (Dindorf 1:396–397; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-33). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.34Dindorf 1:397

εἰ δὲ ἐξ ὧν ἐνεργεῖ ἕκαστος ὑπάρχει κακὸς, ἃ δὲ ἐνεργεῖ ἀρχὴν τοῦ εἶναι λαμβάνει, ἤρξατο κἀκεῖνος εἶναι κακὸς, ἤρξατο δὲ καὶ ταυτὶ τὰ κακά. εἰ δὲ οὕτως ἔχει, οὐκ ἔσται ἀνάρχως κακὸς, οὐδὲ ἀγέννητα τὰ κακὰ τῷ γεννητὰ πρὸς αὐτοῦ εἶναι φάναι.

ei de ex hōn energei hekastos hyparchei kakos, ha de energei archēn tou einai lambanei, ērxato kakeinos einai kakos, ērxato de kai tauti ta kaka. ei de houtōs echei, ouk estai anarchōs kakos, oude agennēta ta kaka tǭ gennēta pros autou einai phanai.

And if each is evil from what he does, and what he does receives a beginning of being, then he too began to be evil, and these evils too began. If so, he will not be evil without beginning, nor will the evils be unbegotten, since we say they are begotten by him.

Notes and citation

Summary: Evil had a beginning, so it is not unbegotten.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong breathing in the digital text): κάκεῖνος → κἀκεῖνος.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.34 (Dindorf 1:397; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-34). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.35Dindorf 1:397

Τὸν μὲν πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον, ὦ φίλε, λόγον ἱκανῶς μοι πεποιηκέναι δοκεῖς· ἐξ ὧν γὰρ προύλαβες τῷ λόγῳ, ἐκ τούτων συνάγειν ἔδοξας καλῶς. ὡς ἀληθῶς γὰρ, εἰ ἄποιος ἐτύγχανεν ἡ ὕλη, τῶν δὲ ποιοτήτων δημιουργὸς ὑπάρχει ὁ θεὸς, ποιότητες δὲ τὰ κακὰ, τῶν κακῶν ἔσται ποιητὴς ὁ θεός.

Ton men pros ton heteron, ō phile, logon hikanōs moi pepoiēkenai dokeis; ex hōn gar proulabes tǭ logǭ, ek toutōn synagein edoxas kalōs. hōs alēthōs gar, ei apoios etynchanen hē hylē, tōn de poiotētōn dēmiourgos hyparchei ho theos, poiotētes de ta kaka, tōn kakōn estai poiētēs ho theos.

—You seem to me, my friend, to have answered the other man sufficiently; for from what you assumed in the argument you seem to have drawn your conclusions well. For truly, if matter was without qualities, and God is the creator of the qualities, and evils are qualities, God will be the maker of evils.

Notes and citation

Summary: A second interlocutor grants the argument against qualityless matter.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong accent in the digital text): ὢ φίλε → ὦ φίλε; ἐξ ὣν γὰρ → ἐξ ὧν γὰρ.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.35 (Dindorf 1:397; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-35). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.36Dindorf 1:397

οὗτος μὲν οὖν ὁ λόγος πρὸς ἐκεῖνον εἰρήσθω καλῶς, ἐμοὶ δὲ ψεῦδος δοκεῖ τὴν ὕλην ἄποιον εἶναι λέγειν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔνεστιν εἰπεῖν περὶ ἡστινοσοῦν οὐσίας ὡς ἔστιν ἄποιος. καὶ γὰρ ἐν ᾧ ἄποιον εἶναι λέγει, τὴν ποιότητα αὐτῆς μηνύει, ὁποία ἐστὶν ἡ ὕλη διαγραφόμενος, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ποιότητος εἶδος.

houtos men oun ho logos pros ekeinon eirēsthō kalōs, emoi de pseudos dokei tēn hylēn apoion einai legein; oude gar enestin eipein peri hēstinosoun ousias hōs estin apoios. kai gar en hǭ apoion einai legei, tēn poiotēta autēs mēnyei, hopoia estin hē hylē diagraphomenos, hoper estin poiotētos eidos.

Let this argument be said well against him; but to me it seems false to say that matter is without qualities. For one cannot say of any substance whatever that it is without qualities. Indeed, in the very act of saying it is without qualities, he indicates its quality, describing what kind of thing matter is, which is a form of quality.

Notes and citation

Summary: The second interlocutor denies that any matter can be without qualities.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.36 (Dindorf 1:397; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-36). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.37Dindorf 1:397

ὅθεν, εἴ σοι φίλον ἐστὶν, ἄνωθεν ἔχου πρὸς ἐμὲ τοῦ λόγου. ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἡ ὕλη ἀνάρχως ποιότητας ἔχειν δοκεῖ. οὕτως γὰρ καὶ τὰ κακὰ ἐκ τῆς ἀπορροίας αὐτῆς εἶναι λέγω, ἵνα τῶν κακῶν ὁ μὲν θεὸς ἀναίτιος ᾖ, τούτων δὲ ἀπάντων ἡ ὕλη αἰτία.

hothen, ei soi philon estin, anōthen echou pros eme tou logou. emoi gar hē hylē anarchōs poiotētas echein dokei. houtōs gar kai ta kaka ek tēs aporroias autēs einai legō, hina tōn kakōn ho men theos anaitios ę̄, toutōn de apantōn hē hylē aitia.

So, if you like, take up the argument with me from the beginning. For to me matter seems to have qualities without beginning. In this way I also say that evils come from its outflow, so that God may be blameless for evils, and matter the cause of all of them.

Notes and citation

Summary: He holds matter had qualities eternally and is the source of evil.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (misread word in the digital text; wrong accent in the digital text): ἔνα τῶν κακῶν → ἵνα τῶν κακῶν; ἀναίτιος ᾐ → ἀναίτιος ᾖ.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.37 (Dindorf 1:397; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-37). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.38Dindorf 1:397–398

Τὴν μὲν προθυμίαν τὴν σὴν ἀποδέχομαι, ὦ φίλε, καί σου τὴν ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σπουδὴν ἐπαινῶ. προσῆκε γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς ἕκαστον τῶν φιλομαθῶν μὴ ἁπλῶς καὶ ὡς ἔτυχε συγκατατίθεσθαι τοῖς λεγομένοις, ἀλλʼ ἀκριβῆ ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ἐξέτασιν τῶν λόγων. οὐδὲ γὰρ εἰ ὁ προσζητῶν παρὰ λόγον ὁρισάμενος ἀφορμὴν παρέσχε τῷ προσδιαλεγομένῳ συνάγειν ὡς ἐθέλει, τοῦτο καὶ τὸν ἀκροατὴν πείσει, ἀλλʼ εἴ τι δοκεῖ δυνατὸν εἶναι λέγεσθαι καλῶς, τοῦτο λέξει· παρʼ ὧν δυοῖν θάτερον ἔσται· ἢ γὰρ καὶ πρὸς ὃ κινεῖσθαι δοκεῖ ἀκούσας τέλεον ὠφεληθήσεται, ἢ τὸν προσδιαλεγόμενον ἐλέγξει οὐ τἀληθῆ λέγοντα.

Tēn men prothymian tēn sēn apodechomai, ō phile, kai sou tēn en tois logois spoudēn epainō. prosēke gar hōs alēthōs hekaston tōn philomathōn mē haplōs kai hōs etyche synkatatithesthai tois legomenois, allʼ akribē poieisthai tēn exetasin tōn logōn. oude gar ei ho proszētōn para logon horisamenos aphormēn paresche tǭ prosdialegomenǭ synagein hōs ethelei, touto kai ton akroatēn peisei, allʼ ei ti dokei dynaton einai legesthai kalōs, touto lexei; parʼ hōn dyoin thateron estai; ē gar kai pros ho kineisthai dokei akousas teleon ōphelēthēsetai, ē ton prosdialegomenon elenxei ou talēthē legonta.

—I welcome your readiness, my friend, and praise your earnestness in the discussion. For truly every lover of learning ought not simply and at random to assent to what is said, but to examine the arguments exactly. For even if the questioner, by defining against reason, has given the one he is talking with an opening to draw what conclusions he likes, this will not persuade the listener too; but if anything seems possible to say well, he will say it. From this one of two things will follow: either he will hear an answer to what seems to move him and be fully benefited, or he will refute the one he is talking with as not speaking the truth.

Notes and citation

Summary: Maximus welcomes the new objection and the honest examination of arguments.

Maximus (= Methodius, On Free Will).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (transposed letters in the digital text; wrong accent in the digital text): ὠ φίλε → ὦ φίλε; πείσιε → πείσει.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.38 (Dindorf 1:397–398; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-38). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.39Dindorf 1:398

Οὐ δοκεῖς δέ μοι δεόντως εἰρηκέναι τὴν ὕλην ἄνωθεν ποιότητας ἔχειν. εἰ γὰρ τοῦθʼ οὕτως ἔχει, τίνος ἔσται ποιητὴς ὁ θεός; εἴτε γὰρ οὐσίας ἐροῦμεν, προεῖναι ταύτας φαμέν· εἴτʼ αὖ πάλιν ποιότητας, καὶ ταύτας ὑπάρχειν.

Ou dokeis de moi deontōs eirēkenai tēn hylēn anōthen poiotētas echein. ei gar touthʼ houtōs echei, tinos estai poiētēs ho theos? eite gar ousias eroumen, proeinai tautas phamen; eitʼ au palin poiotētas, kai tautas hyparchein.

But you do not seem to me to have said rightly that matter had qualities from the beginning. For if this is so, of what will God be the maker? Whether we say substances, we say that these existed before; or again qualities, that these too existed.

Notes and citation

Summary: If matter had eternal qualities, God made nothing.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.39 (Dindorf 1:398; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-39). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.40Dindorf 1:398

οὐκοῦν οὐσίας τε οὔσης καὶ ποιοτήτων περιττὸν εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ δημιουργὸν λέγειν τὸν θεόν. ἵνα δὲ μὴ ἐμαυτῷ κατασκευάζειν τινὰ δόξω λόγον, ἀπόκριναι νῦν ἐρωτώμενος, τίνι τρόπῳ δημιουργὸν εἶναι φῄς τὸν θεόν; πότερον ὅτι τὰς οὐσίας ἔτρεψεν εἰς τὸ μηκέθʼ ὑπάρχειν ἐκείνας αἵπερ ἦσάν ποτε, ἀλλʼ ἑτέρας παρʼ αὐτὰς γενέσθαι, ἢ ὅτι τὰς μὲν οὐσίας ἐφύλαξεν ἐκείνας αἵπερ ἦσαν πρὸ τούτου, τὰς δὲ ποιότητας ἔτρεψεν αὐτῶν;

oukoun ousias te ousēs kai poiotētōn peritton einai moi dokei dēmiourgon legein ton theon. hina de mē emautǭ kataskeuazein tina doxō logon, apokrinai nyn erōtōmenos, tini tropǭ dēmiourgon einai phę̄s ton theon? poteron hoti tas ousias etrepsen eis to mēkethʼ hyparchein ekeinas haiper ēsan pote, allʼ heteras parʼ autas genesthai, ē hoti tas men ousias ephylaxen ekeinas haiper ēsan pro toutou, tas de poiotētas etrepsen autōn?

Since, then, both substance and qualities existed, it seems to me superfluous to call God a creator. But so that I may not seem to be constructing an argument for myself, answer now when asked: in what way do you say God is a creator? Is it that he changed the substances so that they were no longer what they once were, but others came to be in their place? Or that he kept the substances as they were before, but changed their qualities?

Notes and citation

Summary: Maximus asks whether God changed matter's substances or only its qualities.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong breathing in the digital text): ἐκείνας αἴπερ ἦσάν → ἐκείνας αἵπερ ἦσάν.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.40 (Dindorf 1:398; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-40). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.41Dindorf 1:398

Οὔ τι μοι δοκεῖ ἀλλαγήν τινα οὐσιῶν γεγονέναι καὶ γὰρ ἄτοπον τοῦτο λέγειν μοι φαίνεται τροπὴν δέ τινα τῶν ποιοτήτων γεγονέναι φημὶ, καθʼ ἃς δημιουργὸν εἶναι λέγω τὸν θεὸν, καὶ ὥσπερ εἰ τύχοι λέγειν ἐκ λίθων οἰκίαν γεγονέναι, ἐφʼ ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν ὡς οὐκέτι λίθοι μένουσι τῇ οὐσίᾳ, οἰκία γενόμενοι οἱ λίθοι

Ou ti moi dokei allagēn tina ousiōn gegonenai kai gar atopon touto legein moi phainetai tropēn de tina tōn poiotētōn gegonenai phēmi, kathʼ has dēmiourgon einai legō ton theon, kai hōsper ei tychoi legein ek lithōn oikian gegonenai, ephʼ hōn ouk estin eipein hōs ouketi lithoi menousi tę̄ ousią, oikia genomenoi hoi lithoi

—I do not think any change of substances took place, for it seems absurd to me to say this; but I say a change of the qualities took place, in respect of which I call God a creator; just as if one should happen to say that a house came to be from stones, in which case one cannot say that the stones no longer remain stones in substance when they have become a house

Notes and citation

Summary: The opponent says God changed only the qualities, as stones become a house.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; wrong breathing in the digital text): οἶ λίθοι → οἱ λίθοι; γεγο- νέναι → γεγονέναι.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.41 (Dindorf 1:398; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-41). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.42Dindorf 1:398–399

τῇ γὰρ ποιότητι τῆς συνθέσεως τὴν οἰκίαν γεγονέναι φημὶ, τραπείσης δηλονότι τῆς προτέρας τῶν λίθων ποιότητος), οὕτω μοι δοκεῖ καὶ τὸν θεὸν, ὑπομενούσης τῆς οὐσίας, τροπήν τινα τῶν ποιοτήτων αὐτῆς πεποιηκέναι, καθʼ ἣν τὴν τοῦδε τοῦ κόσμου γένεσιν πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ γεγονέναι λέγω.

tę̄ gar poiotēti tēs syntheseōs tēn oikian gegonenai phēmi, trapeisēs dēlonoti tēs proteras tōn lithōn poiotētos), houtō moi dokei kai ton theon, hypomenousēs tēs ousias, tropēn tina tōn poiotētōn autēs pepoiēkenai, kathʼ hēn tēn toude tou kosmou genesin pros tou theou gegonenai legō.

(for I say the house came to be by the quality of construction, the former quality of the stones plainly having been changed), so it seems to me that God too, the substance remaining, made a certain change of its qualities, by which I say the generation of this world came about from God.

Notes and citation

Summary: God, the opponent says, made the world by changing matter's qualities.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (word split in the digital text): τῆς σὺν θέσεως → τῆς συνθέσεως.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.42 (Dindorf 1:398–399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-42). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.43Dindorf 1:399

Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν τροπήν τινα τῶν ποιοτήτων πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ γεγονέναι φῄς, ἀπόκριναί μοι βραχέα πυθέσθαι προαιρουμένῳ. λέγε δὴ εἰ ὁμοίως καὶ σοὶ δοκεῖ τὰ κακὰ ποιότητας εἶναι τῶν οὐσιῶν; Δοκεῖ.

Epei toinyn tropēn tina tōn poiotētōn pros tou theou gegonenai phę̄s, apokrinai moi brachea pythesthai proairoumenǭ. lege dē ei homoiōs kai soi dokei ta kaka poiotētas einai tōn ousiōn? Dokei.

—Since, then, you say a change of the qualities was made by God, answer me briefly, as I wish to ask. Tell me whether you too think likewise that evils are qualities of substances? —I do.

Notes and citation

Summary: The opponent agrees evils are qualities.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.43 (Dindorf 1:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-43). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.44Dindorf 1:399

Ἄνωθεν δὲ ἦσαν αἱ ποιότητες αὗται ἐν τῇ ὕλῃ, ἢ ἀρχὴν ἔσχον τοῦ εἶναι; Συνεῖναί φημι ἀγεννήτως τῇ ὕλῃ ταυτασὶ τὰς ποιότητας.

Anōthen de ēsan hai poiotētes hautai en tę̄ hylę̄, ē archēn eschon tou einai? Syneinai phēmi agennētōs tę̄ hylę̄ tautasi tas poiotētas.

—And were these qualities in matter from the beginning, or did they have a beginning of being? —I say these qualities coexisted with matter unbegotten.

Notes and citation

Summary: He says the qualities coexisted with matter eternally.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong breathing in the digital text): αἶ ποιότητες αὗται → αἱ ποιότητες αὗται.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.44 (Dindorf 1:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-44). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.45Dindorf 1:399

Οὐχὶ δὲ τὸν θεὸν φὴς τροπήν τινα τῶν ποιοτήτων πεποιηκέναι; Τοῦτό φημι.

Ouchi de ton theon phēs tropēn tina tōn poiotētōn pepoiēkenai? Touto phēmi.

—And do you not say that God made a certain change of the qualities? —I say so.

Notes and citation

Summary: God changed the qualities.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.45 (Dindorf 1:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-45). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.46Dindorf 1:399

Πότερον οὖν εἰς τὸ κρεῖττον, ἢ εἰς τὸ χεῖρον; Εἰς τὸ κρεῖττον λέγειν μοι δοκεῖ.

Poteron oun eis to kreitton, ē eis to cheiron? Eis to kreitton legein moi dokei.

—For the better, or for the worse? —For the better, it seems to me right to say.

Notes and citation

Summary: He changed them for the better.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.46 (Dindorf 1:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-46). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.47Dindorf 1:399

Οὐκοῦν εἰ ποιότητες τῆς ὕλης τὰ κακὰ, τὰς δὲ ποιότητας αὐτῆς εἰς τὸ κρεῖττον ἔτρεψεν ὁ θεὸς, πόθεν τὰ κακὰ ζητεῖν ἀνάγκη; οὐ γὰρ ἔμειναν αἱ ποιότητες ὁποῖαί ποτʼ ἦσαν τῇ φύσει. ἢ, εἰ μὲν πρότερον οὐκ ἦσαν ποιότητες κακαὶ, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ τραπῆναι πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ τὰς πρώτας τοιαύτας περὶ τὴν ὕλην γεγονέναι ποιότητας φῄς, αἴτιος ἔσται τῶν κακῶν ὁ θεὸς, τρέψας τὰς οὐκ οὔσας ποιότητας κακὰς εἰς τὸ εἶναι κακάς·

Oukoun ei poiotētes tēs hylēs ta kaka, tas de poiotētas autēs eis to kreitton etrepsen ho theos, pothen ta kaka zētein anankē? ou gar emeinan hai poiotētes hopoiai potʼ ēsan tę̄ physei. ē, ei men proteron ouk ēsan poiotētes kakai, ek de tou trapēnai pros tou theou tas prōtas toiautas peri tēn hylēn gegonenai poiotētas phę̄s, aitios estai tōn kakōn ho theos, trepsas tas ouk ousas poiotētas kakas eis to einai kakas;

—Then if evils are qualities of matter, and God changed its qualities for the better, we must ask where evils come from. For the qualities did not remain such as they were by nature. Or, if there were formerly no evil qualities, but you say that from God's changing them the first such qualities arose in matter, God will be the cause of evils, having changed qualities that were not evil into being evil;

Notes and citation

Summary: If God improved matter's qualities, evil is unexplained, or God caused it.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; wrong accent in the digital text; wrong breathing in the digital text): ἔμειναν αἶ ποιότητες → ἔμειναν αἱ ποιότητες; ὁποῖαί ποτʼ ἤσαν → ὁποῖαί ποτʼ ἦσαν; πρό- τερον → πρότερον.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.47 (Dindorf 1:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-47). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.48Dindorf 1:399

ἢ τὰς μὲν κακὰς ποιότητας εἰς τὸ κρεῖττον οὐ δοκεῖ σοι τρέψαι τὸν θεὸν, τὰς δὲ λοιπὰς καὶ μόνας, ὅσαι ἀδιάφοροι ἐτύγχανον τῆς διακοσμήσεως ἕνεκα, πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ τετράφθαι λέγεις; Οὕτως ἄνωθεν ἔσχον ἐγώ.

ē tas men kakas poiotētas eis to kreitton ou dokei soi trepsai ton theon, tas de loipas kai monas, hosai adiaphoroi etynchanon tēs diakosmēseōs heneka, pros tou theou tetraphthai legeis? Houtōs anōthen eschon egō.

or do you think that God did not change the evil qualities for the better, but say that only the remaining ones, those that happened to be indifferent, were changed by God for the sake of ordering the world? —That is what I held from the beginning.

Notes and citation

Summary: The opponent says God changed only the indifferent qualities.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): διακοσμή- σεως → διακοσμήσεως.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.48 (Dindorf 1:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-48). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.49Dindorf 1:399–400

Πῶς τοίνυν αὐτὸν τὰς τῶν φαύλων ποιότητας ὡς εἶχον καταλελοιπέναι λέγεις; πότερον δυνάμενον μὲν κἀκείνας ἀνελεῖν, οὐ βουληθέντα δὲ, ἢ τὸ δύνασθαι μὴ ἔχοντα; εἰ μὲν γὰρ δυνάμενον λέξεις, οὐ βουληθέντα δὲ, αὐτὸν αἴτιον τούτων εἰπεῖν ἀνάγκη, ὅτι δυνάμενος ποιῆσαι μὴ εἶναι κακὰ, συνεχώρησεν αὐτὰ μένειν ὡς ἦν, καὶ μάλιστα ὅτε δημιουργεῖν τὴν ὕλην ἤρξατο.

Pōs toinyn auton tas tōn phaulōn poiotētas hōs eichon kataleloipenai legeis? poteron dynamenon men kakeinas anelein, ou boulēthenta de, ē to dynasthai mē echonta? ei men gar dynamenon lexeis, ou boulēthenta de, auton aition toutōn eipein anankē, hoti dynamenos poiēsai mē einai kaka, synechōrēsen auta menein hōs ēn, kai malista hote dēmiourgein tēn hylēn ērxato.

—How then do you say he left the qualities of bad things as they were? Was he able to remove them too but unwilling, or did he lack the power? If you say he was able but unwilling, you must say that he is the cause of them, since, being able to make evils not exist, he allowed them to remain as they were, especially when he began to fashion matter.

Notes and citation

Summary: If God could remove evil but did not, he is its cause.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong accent in the digital text): ποιήσαι μὴ εἶναι → ποιῆσαι μὴ εἶναι.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.49 (Dindorf 1:399–400; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-49). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.50Dindorf 1:400

εἰ γὰρ μηδʼ ὅλως ἔμελεν αὐτῷ τῆς ὕλης, οὐκ ἂν αἴτιος ἦν ὧν συνεχώρει μένειν· ἐπεὶ δὲ μέρος μέν τι αὐτῆς ἐδημιούργει, μέρος δέ τι οὕτως εἴα, δυνάμενος κἀκεῖνα τρέπειν εἰς τὸ κρεῖττον, αἰτίαν ὀφλισκάνειν ἄξιος εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ, καταλιπὼν μέρος ὕλης εἶναι πονηρὸν ἐπʼ ὀλέθρῳ οὗ ἐδημιούργησε μέρους.

ei gar mēdʼ holōs emelen autǭ tēs hylēs, ouk an aitios ēn hōn synechōrei menein; epei de meros men ti autēs edēmiourgei, meros de ti houtōs eia, dynamenos kakeina trepein eis to kreitton, aitian ophliskanein axios einai moi dokei, katalipōn meros hylēs einai ponēron epʼ olethrǭ hou edēmiourgēse merous.

For if he had no care at all for matter, he would not be the cause of what he allowed to remain; but since he fashioned part of it and left part as it was, though able to change that too for the better, he seems to me to deserve to incur the blame, having left part of matter evil to the ruin of the part he fashioned.

Notes and citation

Summary: By fashioning part of matter and leaving part evil, God would be to blame.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (repeated syllables in the digital text; wrong accent in the digital text): ἂν αἴτιος ἦν ὦν → ἂν αἴτιος ἦν ὧν; ἄξιος εἷναί → ἄξιος εἶναί; ὀλέθρῳ θρῷ → ὀλέθρῳ.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.50 (Dindorf 1:400; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-50). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.51Dindorf 1:400

ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τὰ μέγιστα κατὰ τοῦτο τὸ μέρος ἠδικῆσθαί μοι δοκεῖ, τοῦθʼ ὅπερ κατεσκεύασε τῆς ὕλης μέρος ἀντιλαμβανόμενον τανῦν τῶν κακῶν. εἰ γάρ τις ἐξετάζοι ἐπʼ ἀκριβὲς τὰ πράγματα, χαλεπώτερον νῦν εὑρήσει τὴν ὕλην πεπονθυῖαν τῆς προτέρας ἀκοσμίας. πρὶν γὰρ αὐτὴν διακριθῆναι τὸ μηδὲ αἰσθέσθαι τῶν κακῶν παρῆν αὐτῇ· νυνὶ δὲ ἕκαστον τῶν μερῶν αὐτῆς αἴσθησιν λαμβάνει τῶν κακῶν.

alla mēn kai ta megista kata touto to meros ēdikēsthai moi dokei, touthʼ hoper kateskeuase tēs hylēs meros antilambanomenon tanyn tōn kakōn. ei gar tis exetazoi epʼ akribes ta pragmata, chalepōteron nyn heurēsei tēn hylēn peponthuian tēs proteras akosmias. prin gar autēn diakrithēnai to mēde aisthesthai tōn kakōn parēn autę̄; nyni de hekaston tōn merōn autēs aisthēsin lambanei tōn kakōn.

Moreover, it seems to me that the greatest wrong has been done in this respect to the very part of matter he constructed, which now perceives evils. For if one examines things exactly, he will find that matter now suffers worse than in its former disorder. For before it was distinguished, it was not even able to perceive evils; but now each of its parts receives perception of evils.

Notes and citation

Summary: Ordered matter now suffers evil it could not perceive before.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.51 (Dindorf 1:400; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-51). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.52Dindorf 1:400

καί μοι ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπου τὸ παράδειγμα λάβε. πρὶν γὰρ εἰκονισθῇ καὶ ζῷον γένηται τῇ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ τέχνῃ, τὸ μηδενὸς ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι τῶν κακῶν παρὰ τῆς φύσεως εἶχεν· ἀφʼ οὗ δὲ πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος γίνεται, καὶ τὴν αἴσθησιν τοῦ προσπελάζοντος κακοῦ προσλαμβάνει, καὶ τοῦθʼ, ὅπερ ἐπὶ εὐεργεσίᾳ τῆς ὕλης πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ γεγονέναι λέγεις, εὑρίσκεται μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τῷ χείρονι προσγενόμενον αὐτῇ.

kai moi epʼ anthrōpou to paradeigma labe. prin gar eikonisthę̄ kai zǭon genētai tę̄ tou dēmiourgou technę̄, to mēdenos antilambanesthai tōn kakōn para tēs physeōs eichen; aphʼ hou de pros tou theou anthrōpos ginetai, kai tēn aisthēsin tou prospelazontos kakou proslambanei, kai touthʼ, hoper epi euergesią tēs hylēs pros tou theou gegonenai legeis, heurisketai mallon epi tǭ cheironi prosgenomenon autę̄.

Take the example of man. Before he was formed and became a living creature by the creator's art, he had from nature the advantage of perceiving no evil; but from the time he becomes a man by God's act, he also acquires perception of approaching evil; and what you say came about from God for the benefit of matter is found rather to have befallen it for the worse.

Notes and citation

Summary: Creating man would only have made matter able to suffer evil.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (missing iota subscript in the digital text): ἐπὶ εὐεργεσία → ἐπὶ εὐεργεσίᾳ.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.52 (Dindorf 1:400; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-52). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.53Dindorf 1:400

εἰ δʼ ἐκ τοῦ μὴ δύνασθαι τὸν θεὸν ἀνελεῖν τὰ κακὰ τὸ μὴ πεπαῦσθαι λέγεις, ἀδύνατον τὸν θεὸν φήσεις ὑπάρχειν. τὸ δὲ ἀδύνατον ἤτοι τῷ φύσει ἀσθενῆ ὑπάρχειν αὐτὸν ἔσται, ἢ τῷ νικᾶσθαι τῷ φόβῳ δεδουλωμένον πρός τινος κρείττονος.

ei dʼ ek tou mē dynasthai ton theon anelein ta kaka to mē pepausthai legeis, adynaton ton theon phēseis hyparchein. to de adynaton ētoi tǭ physei asthenē hyparchein auton estai, ē tǭ nikasthai tǭ phobǭ dedoulōmenon pros tinos kreittonos.

But if you say that evils have not ceased because God is unable to remove them, you will be saying that God is powerless. And his powerlessness will be either because he is weak by nature, or because he is overcome, enslaved by fear of something stronger.

Notes and citation

Summary: If God cannot remove evil, he is weak or subject to a stronger power.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.53 (Dindorf 1:400; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-53). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.54Dindorf 1:400–401

εἰ μὲν οὖν τὸν θεὸν φύσει ἀσθενῆ ὄντα τολμήσεις εἰπεῖν, περὶ τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτῆς κινδυνεύειν μοι δοκεῖς· εἰ δὲ τῷ νικᾶσθαι φόβῳ πρός του μείζονος, μείζονα ἔσται τοῦ θεοῦ τὰ κακὰ, νικῶντα τῆς προαιρέσεως αὐτοῦ τὴν ὁρμήν· ὅπερ ἄτοπον εἶναί μοι λέγειν περὶ θεοῦ δοκεῖ.

ei men oun ton theon physei asthenē onta tolmēseis eipein, peri tēs sōtērias autēs kindyneuein moi dokeis; ei de tǭ nikasthai phobǭ pros tou meizonos, meizona estai tou theou ta kaka, nikōnta tēs proaireseōs autou tēn hormēn; hoper atopon einai moi legein peri theou dokei.

If, then, you dare to say that God is weak by nature, you seem to me to be risking your very salvation; and if that he is overcome by fear of something greater, evils will be greater than God, overcoming the impulse of his will; which seems to me absurd to say of God.

Notes and citation

Summary: Either alternative is absurd and impious.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.54 (Dindorf 1:400–401; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-54). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.55Dindorf 1:401

διὰ τί γὰρ οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ταῦτʼ ἔσονται θεοὶ, νικᾶν κατὰ τὸν λόγον τὸν σὸν δυνάμενα τὸν θεὸν, εἴπερ θεὸν ἐκεῖνό φαμεν ὃ τὴν ἁπάντων ἐξουσίαν ἔχει;

dia ti gar ouchi mallon tautʼ esontai theoi, nikan kata ton logon ton son dynamena ton theon, eiper theon ekeino phamen ho tēn hapantōn exousian echei?

For why will not these rather be gods, being able on your account to overcome God, if we call God that which has authority over all things?

Notes and citation

Summary: Evils able to overcome God would themselves be gods.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; wrong accent in the digital text): νικὰν κατὰ → νικᾶν κατὰ; ἐξου- σίαν → ἐξουσίαν.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.55 (Dindorf 1:401; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-55). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.56Dindorf 1:401

Βραχέα δέ σου καὶ περὶ τῆς ὕλης αὐτῆς πυθέσθαι βούλομαι· καί μοι φέρων λέγε, πότερον ἁπλῆ τις ἦν ἡ ὕλη, ἢ σύνθετος γὰρ διαφορὰ τῶν γεγονότων εἰς τοιαύτην με περιίστησιν ἐξέτασιν τοῦδε τοῦ λόγου. εἰ γὰρ ἁπλῆ τις ἐτύγχανεν ἡ ὕλη καὶ μονοειδὴς, σύνθετος δὲ ὁ κόσμος, καὶ ἐκ διαφόρων οὐσιῶν τε καὶ κράσεων τὴν σύστασιν ἔχει * * * τὸ γὰρ σύνθετον ἁπλῶν τινων μίξιν μηνύει.

Brachea de sou kai peri tēs hylēs autēs pythesthai boulomai; kai moi pherōn lege, poteron haplē tis ēn hē hylē, ē synthetos gar diaphora tōn gegonotōn eis toiautēn me periistēsin exetasin toude tou logou. ei gar haplē tis etynchanen hē hylē kai monoeidēs, synthetos de ho kosmos, kai ek diaphorōn ousiōn te kai kraseōn tēn systasin echei * * * to gar syntheton haplōn tinōn mixin mēnyei.

I want to ask you briefly about matter itself too. Come, tell me whether matter was something simple or composite; for the difference among things that have come into being leads me to such an examination of this account. For if matter was something simple and of one form, while the world is composite and has its constitution from different substances and mixtures * * * for the composite indicates a mixture of certain simple things.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: Maximus asks whether matter is simple or composite.

Maximus (= Methodius). The digital text marks a gap (* * *) where words are lost.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; wrong accent in the digital text): ἁπλῆ τις ἢν → ἁπλῆ τις ἦν; πυ- θέσθαι → πυθέσθαι; γε- γονότων → γεγονότων.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.56 (Dindorf 1:401; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-56). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.57Dindorf 1:401

εἰ δʼ αὖ πάλιν τὴν ὕλην σύνθετον λέγειν ἐθέλοις, πάντως ἐξ ἁπλῶν τινων συντεθεῖσθαι φήσεις. εἰ δὲ ἐξ ἁπλῶν συνετέθη, ἦν ποτε καθʼ ἑαυτὰ τὰ ἁπλὰ, ὧν συντεθέντων γέγονεν ἡ ὕλη, ἐξ οὗπερ καὶ γεννητὴ οὖσα δείκνυται.

ei dʼ au palin tēn hylēn syntheton legein ethelois, pantōs ex haplōn tinōn syntetheisthai phēseis. ei de ex haplōn synetethē, ēn pote kathʼ heauta ta hapla, hōn syntethentōn gegonen hē hylē, ex houper kai gennētē ousa deiknytai.

But if again you wish to call matter composite, you will certainly say it was composed of certain simple things. And if it was composed of simple things, the simple things existed once by themselves, and when they were put together matter came to be; from which it is shown to be begotten.

Notes and citation

Summary: Composite matter must have come from prior simples and so is begotten.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.57 (Dindorf 1:401; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-57). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.58Dindorf 1:401

εἰ γὰρ σύνθετος ἡ ὕλη, τὰ δὲ σύνθετα ἐξ ἁπλῶν τὴν σύστασιν ἔχει, ἢν ποτε καιρὸς ὅτε ἡ ὕλη οὐκ ἦν, τουτέστι πρὶν τὰ ἁπλᾶ συνελθεῖν εἰ δὲ ἢν ποτε καιρὸς ὅτε ἡ ὕλη οὐκ ἣν, οὐκ ἦν δέ ποτε καιρὸς ὅτε τὸ ἀγέννητον οὐκ ἢν, οὐκ ἔσται ἀγέννητος ἡ ὕλη.

ei gar synthetos hē hylē, ta de syntheta ex haplōn tēn systasin echei, ēn pote kairos hote hē hylē ouk ēn, toutesti prin ta hapla synelthein ei de ēn pote kairos hote hē hylē ouk hēn, ouk ēn de pote kairos hote to agennēton ouk ēn, ouk estai agennētos hē hylē.

For if matter is composite, and composite things have their constitution from simple ones, there was once a time when matter was not, that is, before the simple things came together. And if there was once a time when matter was not, while there was never a time when the unbegotten was not, matter will not be unbegotten.

Notes and citation

Summary: So matter had a beginning and is not unbegotten.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong accent in the digital text): καῖρος → καιρὸς.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.58 (Dindorf 1:401; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-58). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.59Dindorf 1:401–402

τὸ δʼ ἐντεῦθεν ἄρα ἔσται πολλὰ τὰ ἀγέννητα. εἰ γὰρ ἦν ἀγέννητος ὁ θεὸς καὶ τὰ ἁπλὰ ἐξ ὧν ἡ ὕλη συνετέθη, οὐκ ἔσται δύο μόνα τὰ ἀγέννητα. δοκεῖ δέ σοι μηδὲν τῶν ὄντων αὐτὸ ἑαυτῷ ἀντικεῖσθαι; Δοκεῖ.

to dʼ enteuthen ara estai polla ta agennēta. ei gar ēn agennētos ho theos kai ta hapla ex hōn hē hylē synetethē, ouk estai dyo mona ta agennēta. dokei de soi mēden tōn ontōn auto heautǭ antikeisthai? Dokei.

From this, then, there will be many unbegotten things. For if God was unbegotten, and also the simple things from which matter was composed, the unbegotten things will not be two only. —Do you think nothing that exists is opposed to itself? —I do.

Notes and citation

Summary: There would then be many unbegotten things; nothing is opposed to itself.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.59 (Dindorf 1:401–402; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-59). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.60Dindorf 1:402

Ἀντίκειται δὲ τῷ πυρὶ τὸ ὕδωρ; Ἀντικεῖσθαί μοι φαίνεται. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τῷ φωτὶ τὸ σκότος καὶ τῷ ψυχρῷ τὸ θερμὸν, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ τῷ ξηρῷ τὸ ὑγρόν; Οὕτως ἔχειν μοι δοκεῖ.

Antikeitai de tǭ pyri to hydōr? Antikeisthai moi phainetai. Homoiōs de kai tǭ phōti to skotos kai tǭ psychrǭ to thermon, pros de toutois kai tǭ xērǭ to hygron? Houtōs echein moi dokei.

—And is water opposed to fire? —It appears to me to be opposed. —And likewise darkness to light, hot to cold, and moreover wet to dry? —So it seems to me.

Notes and citation

Summary: The elements are opposed to one another.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (word split by a stray mark in the digital text): φαίνετ· αι → φαίνεται.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.60 (Dindorf 1:402; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-60). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.61Dindorf 1:402

Οὐκοῦν εἰ μηδὲν τῶν ὄντων αὐτὸ ἑαυτῷ ἀντίκειται, οὐκ ἔσονται ὕλη μία, οὐδὲ μὴν ἐξ ὕλης μιᾶς. ὅμοιον δέ τινα τούτῳ λόγον πάλιν πυθέσθαι σου βούλομαι. δοκεῖ σοι τὰ μέρη μὴ ἀναιρετικὰ τυγχάνειν ἀλλήλων; Δοκεῖ.

Oukoun ei mēden tōn ontōn auto heautǭ antikeitai, ouk esontai hylē mia, oude mēn ex hylēs mias. homoion de tina toutǭ logon palin pythesthai sou boulomai. dokei soi ta merē mē anairetika tynchanein allēlōn? Dokei.

—Then if nothing that exists is opposed to itself, they will not be one matter, nor indeed from one matter. I want to ask you again an argument like this: do you think parts are not destructive of one another? —I do.

Notes and citation

Summary: Opposed elements cannot be one matter.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong breathing and stray mark in the digital text): αὐτὸ έαυτῶ̣ ἀντίκειται → αὐτὸ ἑαυτῷ ἀντίκειται.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.61 (Dindorf 1:402; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-61). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.62Dindorf 1:402

Εἶναι δὲ τῆς ὕλης μέρη τό τε πῦρ καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ, ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τὰ λοιπά; Οὕτως ἔχει. Τί δέ; οὐ δοκεῖ σοι ἀνατρεπτικὸν μὲν εἶναι τοῦ πυρὸς τὸ ὕδωρ, τοῦ δὲ σκότους τὸ φῶς, καὶ τἄλλα ὅσα τούτοις παραπλήσια; Δοκεῖ.

Einai de tēs hylēs merē to te pyr kai to hydōr, hōsautōs de kai ta loipa? Houtōs echei. Ti de? ou dokei soi anatreptikon men einai tou pyros to hydōr, tou de skotous to phōs, kai talla hosa toutois paraplēsia? Dokei.

—And that fire and water are parts of matter, and likewise the rest? —That is so. —Well then, do you not think water is destructive of fire, light of darkness, and so with all other such things? —I do.

Notes and citation

Summary: Fire and water, parts of matter, destroy each other.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (word split and misread in the digital text): ὅσα τοι τοις παραπλήσια → ὅσα τούτοις παραπλήσια.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.62 (Dindorf 1:402; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-62). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.63Dindorf 1:402

Οὐκοῦν εἰ τὰ μέρη οὐκ ἔστιν ἀλλήλων ἀναιρετικὰ, οὐκ ἔσται ἀλλήλων μέρη· εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀλλήλων μέρη, οὐκ ἔσονται ὕλης μιᾶς. ἀλλὰ μὴν οὐδʼ αὐτὰ ἔσονται ὕλη τῷ μηδέν τι τῶν ὄντων αὐτὸ ἑαυτοῦ ἀναιρετικὸν ὑπάρχειν κατὰ τὸν τοῦ ἀντικειμένου λόγον.

Oukoun ei ta merē ouk estin allēlōn anairetika, ouk estai allēlōn merē; ei de ouk estin allēlōn merē, ouk esontai hylēs mias. alla mēn oudʼ auta esontai hylē tǭ mēden ti tōn ontōn auto heautou anairetikon hyparchein kata ton tou antikeimenou logon.

—Then if parts are not destructive of one another, they will not be parts of one another; and if they are not parts of one another, they will not belong to one matter. Indeed, they will not even themselves be matter, since nothing that exists is destructive of itself, according to the account of opposition.

Notes and citation

Summary: So the elements are not parts of one matter.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; misread ending in the digital text): ἀντικειμένον λόγον → ἀντικειμένου λόγον; ἀναι- ρετικὰ → ἀναιρετικὰ.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.63 (Dindorf 1:402; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-63). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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7.22.64Dindorf 1:402–403

οὐδὲ γάρ ἐστί τι αὑτῷ ἀντικείμενον· τὰ γὰρ ἀντικείμενα ἑτέροις ἀντικεῖσθαι πέφυκεν. οἷον τὸ λευκὸν αὐτὸ ἑαυτῷ οὐκ ἀντίκειται, πρὸς δὲ τὸ μέλαν ἀντικείμενον λέγεται καὶ τὸ φῶς ὁμοίως ἑαυτῷ μὴ ἀντικεῖσθαι δείκνυται‚ πρὸς δὲ τὸ σκότος οὕτως ἔχον φαίνεται, καὶ ἄλλα γοῦν ὁμοίως πλεῖστα ὅσα εἰ τοίνυν καὶ ὕλη μία τις ἦν, οὐκ ἂν αὐτὴ αὑτῇ ἀντέκειτο. οὕτω δὲ τῶν ἀντικειμένων ἐχόντων τὸ μὴ εἶναι τὴν ὕλην δείκνυται.’’ Τοσαῦτα καὶ ὁ προδηλωθεὶς συγγραφεύς. αὐτάρκη δὲ περιγραφὴν εἰληφότος τοῦ λόγου, ἐπὶ τὸν ὄγδοον τῆς Εὐαγγελικῆς Προπαρασκευῆς μεταβάντες, τὰ λείποντα τῷ προκειμένῳ σκέμματι, σύμμαχον ἐπικαλεσάμενοι τὸν θεὸν, ἀναπληρώσομεν

oude gar esti ti hautǭ antikeimenon; ta gar antikeimena heterois antikeisthai pephyken. hoion to leukon auto heautǭ ouk antikeitai, pros de to melan antikeimenon legetai kai to phōs homoiōs heautǭ mē antikeisthai deiknytai‚ pros de to skotos houtōs echon phainetai, kai alla goun homoiōs pleista hosa ei toinyn kai hylē mia tis ēn, ouk an autē hautę̄ antekeito. houtō de tōn antikeimenōn echontōn to mē einai tēn hylēn deiknytai.’’ Tosauta kai ho prodēlōtheis syngrapheus. autarkē de perigraphēn eilēphotos tou logou, epi ton ogdoon tēs Euangelikēs Proparaskeuēs metabantes, ta leiponta tǭ prokeimenǭ skemmati, symmachon epikalesamenoi ton theon, anaplērōsomen

For nothing is opposed to itself; opposites are naturally opposed to others. For example, white is not opposed to itself, but is said to be opposed to black; and light likewise is shown not to be opposed to itself, but appears so toward darkness; and so with very many other things. If, then, there were one single matter, it would not be opposed to itself. With opposites standing thus, it is shown that there is no such matter." So much from the author already mentioned. Since the discussion has received a sufficient outline, we shall pass to the eighth book of the Preparation for the Gospel and, calling on God as our ally, fill out what remains of the present inquiry.

Notes and citation

Summary: Maximus concludes there is no single eternal matter; Eusebius ends Book 7.

Maximus (= Methodius).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; missing accent in the digital text; wrong breathing in the digital text): πεφυκεν → πέφυκεν; οἶον τὸ λευκὸν → οἷον τὸ λευκὸν; αὐ- τάρκη → αὐτάρκη.

Extrabiblical texts: Methodius, Autex. (On Free Will; quotation); Origen, Philoc. 24 (Philocalia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 7.22.64 (Dindorf 1:402–403; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-7-22-64). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Preparation 8, chapter 1

8.1.1Dindorf 1:403

ΠΡΟΟΙΜΙΟΝ. Τοὺς βίους τῶν παλαιῶν Ἑβραίων‚ τόν δὴ καὶ τὴν προσηγορίαν ἐπαληθευσάντων θεοφιλῶν ἀνδρῶν, πρόσθεν ἢ Μωσἐα φανῆναι πάσης ἀρετῆς βραβείοις ἀναδησαμένων ‚ τά τε θεοσεβῆ δόγματά τε καὶ παιδεύματα ‚ καὶ προσέτι τὰς παναληθεῖς καὶ εὐσεβεῖς αὐτῶν θεολογίας ‚ ὧν εἰς ἔρωτα καὶ πόθον ἐλθεῖν ὡμολογήκαμεν ‚ διελθὼν ἐν τῷ πρὸ τούτου) μέτειμι νῦν ἀκολούθῳ τῇ τάξει χρώμενος ἐπὶ τὴν κατὰ Μωσἐα πολιτείαν ‚ δεύτερον ἐπέχουσαν εὐσεβείας μετὰ τὸν πρῶτον ἐκεῖνον βαθμὸν ‚ τὸν δὴ καὶ μόνῳ τῷ Ἰουδαίων ἔθνει νενομοθετημένον.

PROOIMION. Tous bious tōn palaiōn Hebraiōn‚ ton dē kai tēn prosēgorian epalētheusantōn theophilōn andrōn, prosthen ē Mōsea phanēnai pasēs aretēs brabeiois anadēsamenōn ‚ ta te theosebē dogmata te kai paideumata ‚ kai proseti tas panalētheis kai eusebeis autōn theologias ‚ hōn eis erōta kai pothon elthein hōmologēkamen ‚ dielthōn en tǭ pro toutou) meteimi nyn akolouthǭ tę̄ taxei chrōmenos epi tēn kata Mōsea politeian ‚ deuteron epechousan eusebeias meta ton prōton ekeinon bathmon ‚ ton dē kai monǭ tǭ Ioudaiōn ethnei nenomothetēmenon.

Preface. In the previous book I went through the lives of the ancient Hebrews, God-loving men who proved the truth of their name and who, before Moses appeared, were crowned with the prizes of every virtue; and their God-fearing doctrines and teachings, and moreover their all-true and pious theology, for which we have confessed that we came to feel love and longing. I now pass, following the proper order, to the polity of Moses, which holds the second step of piety after that first one, and which was legislated for the Jewish nation alone.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius opens Book 8, turning from the Hebrew patriarchs to the Mosaic polity given to the Jews.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong accent in the digital text): ὣν εἰς ἔρωτα → ὧν εἰς ἔρωτα.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 8.1.1 (Dindorf 1:403; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-8-1-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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8.1.2Dindorf 1:403

ὡς γὰρ μόνοις Ἰουδαίοις ‚ οὐκέτι δὲ καὶ τοῖς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἔθνεσιν, ἦν ἁρμόδια τὰ διὰ Μώσεως, οὐδὲ δυνατὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ‚ λέγω δὲ τοῖς πόρρω που τῆς Ἰουδαίας γῆς οἰκοῦσιν Ἕλλησί τε καὶ βαρβάροις, φυλάττεσθαι κατὰ τὸν οἰκεῖον καιρὸν ἀποδείξομεν.

hōs gar monois Ioudaiois ‚ ouketi de kai tois kata tēn oikoumenēn ethnesin, ēn harmodia ta dia Mōseōs, oude dynata pasin anthrōpois ‚ legō de tois porrō pou tēs Ioudaias gēs oikousin Hellēsi te kai barbarois, phylattesthai kata ton oikeion kairon apodeixomen.

For we shall show at the proper time that the ordinances given through Moses were suited to the Jews alone, and no longer to the nations throughout the world, and could not be kept by all people, I mean the Greeks and barbarians who live far from the land of Judea.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius will later show that the Mosaic law suited only the Jews.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 8.1.2 (Dindorf 1:403; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-8-1-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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8.1.3Dindorf 1:403–404

νυνὶ δὲ καὶ τούτου, λέγω δὲ τοῦ κατὰ Μωσέα βίου, τὸν τρόπον ‚ οὐκ ἐμαῖς φωναῖς, αὐτῶν δὲ μόνων πάλιν τῶν παρὰ τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἐπὶ τῇ πατρίῳ δεδοκιμασμένοις παιδεύσει ‚ παραθήσομαι· καὶ γάρ μοι προσήκειν ἡγοῦμαι ταύτῃ, ᾗπερ καὶ ἠρξάμην, διὰ τῶν οἰκείων ἑκάστῳ τὰς τῶν ἀποδείξεων μαρτυρίας παρέχειν.

nyni de kai toutou, legō de tou kata Mōsea biou, ton tropon ‚ ouk emais phōnais, autōn de monōn palin tōn para tois andrasin epi tę̄ patriǭ dedokimasmenois paideusei ‚ parathēsomai; kai gar moi prosēkein hēgoumai tautę̄, hę̄per kai ērxamēn, dia tōn oikeiōn hekastǭ tas tōn apodeixeōn martyrias parechein.

But now I shall set out the manner of this way of life too, I mean the life according to Moses, not in my own words, but again in the words only of those among them approved in their ancestral learning. For I think it right for me, in the way I began, to provide the testimonies for the proofs through each people's own writers.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius will describe the Mosaic life through Jewish writers themselves.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; missing iota subscript in the digital text; stray full stop in the digital text): ἐπὶ. τῇ → ἐπὶ τῇ; ἑκάστω τὰς → ἑκάστῳ τὰς; μαρ- τυρίας → μαρτυρίας.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 8.1.3 (Dindorf 1:403–404; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-8-1-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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8.1.4Dindorf 1:404

ὥσπερ οὑν Φοίνικας καὶ Αἰγυπτίους καὶ Ἕλληνας τῶν παρὰ σφίσιν γνωρίμων κατὰ τὴν οἰκείαν χώραν μάρτυρας ἀνεκαλούμην, ταύτῃ μοι καὶ τούσδε ὁ παρὼν καιρὸς δοκεῖ ἐπιτηδείως εἰσποιεῖσθαι ‚ ἀλλὰ μὴ ἡμὰς αὐτοὺς τὰ ὀθνεῖα νομίζεσθαι κατασχεδιάζειν.

hōsper houn Phoinikas kai Aigyptious kai Hellēnas tōn para sphisin gnōrimōn kata tēn oikeian chōran martyras anekaloumēn, tautę̄ moi kai tousde ho parōn kairos dokei epitēdeiōs eispoieisthai ‚ alla mē hēmas autous ta othneia nomizesthai kataschediazein.

Just as I called Phoenicians, Egyptians, and Greeks as witnesses from those known among them in their own country, so the present occasion seems to me suitable for bringing in these too, so that we may not be thought to improvise foreign matters ourselves.

Notes and citation

Summary: As before with other peoples, the Jews will speak for themselves.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): Αἰ- γυπτίους → Αἰγυπτίους.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 8.1.4 (Dindorf 1:404; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-8-1-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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8.1.5Dindorf 1:404

Πρὶν δʼ ἐπὶ τοῦτʼ ἐλθεῖν, ὅπως εἰς Ἕλληνας τὰ παρʼ αὐτοῖς παρῆλθε λόγια, καὶ τίς ὁ τρόπος συνέστη τῆς τῶν πεπιστευμένων αὐτοῖς θείων γραφῶν ἑρμηνείας ‚ διʼ ὅσων τε καὶ ὁποίων ἀνδρῶν καὶ διʼ ὁπόσης βασιλικῆς σπουδῆς τῆς εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα γλῶσσαν μεταβολῆς ἔτυχε, τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἡγοῦμαι εἰς φανερὸν θέσθαι τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν ‚ οὐκ ἀσυμβούλου μοι γενησομένης καὶ τῆς τούτων ἐκθέσεως εἰς τὴν τῆς γενησομένης Προπαρασκευῆς ἀπόδειξιν.

Prin dʼ epi toutʼ elthein, hopōs eis Hellēnas ta parʼ autois parēlthe logia, kai tis ho tropos synestē tēs tōn pepisteumenōn autois theiōn graphōn hermēneias ‚ diʼ hosōn te kai hopoiōn andrōn kai diʼ hoposēs basilikēs spoudēs tēs eis tēn Hellada glōssan metabolēs etyche, tōn anankaiōn hēgoumai eis phaneron thesthai tois entynchanousin ‚ ouk asymboulou moi genēsomenēs kai tēs toutōn ektheseōs eis tēn tēs genēsomenēs Proparaskeuēs apodeixin.

But before coming to this, I think it necessary to make plain to readers how the oracles among them passed to the Greeks, and how the translation of the divine Scriptures entrusted to them came about: through how many and what sort of men, and with how much royal zeal, they were changed into the Greek language. The setting out of these things too will not be unhelpful for the demonstration of the Preparation in hand.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius first recounts how the Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (garbled word in the digital text): ἑ ἐς τὴν → εἰς τὴν.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 8.1.5 (Dindorf 1:404; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-8-1-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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8.1.6Dindorf 1:404–405

ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὅσον οὔπω τὰ τῆς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν βιωφελοῦς κηρύξεως ἔμελλεν ἐπὶ τῆς Ρωμαίων ἀρχῆς εἰς πάντας ἐκλάμπειν ἀνθρώπους, λόγος τε οὐχ ὁ τυχὼν ᾕρει τὰς περὶ αὐτοῦ προφητείας τόν τε βίον τῶν πάλαι θεοφιλῶν Ἑβραίων καὶ τὰ τῆς εὐσεβοῦς διδασκαλίας αὐτῶν μαθήματα, τῇ πατρίῳ αὐτῶν φωνῇ ἐξ αἰῶνος μακροῦ κεκαλυμμένα ‚ ἤδη ποτὲ εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, οἷς τὶ τῆς θεογνωσίας ἔμελλε προξενεῖσθαι, παρελθεῖν· θεὸς αὐτὸς ὁ τῶνδε τῶν ἀγαθῶν αἴτιος, προλαβὼν τὸ μέλλον ὡς ἂν θεὸς τῇ προγνώσει, τὰς περὶ τοῦ πάντων ἀνθρώπων οὐκ εἰς μακρὸν ἀναφανησομένου σωτῆρος ‚ διδασκάλου τε εὐσεβείας ἑνὸς τοῦ ἐπὶ πάντων θεοῦ πᾶσι τοῖς ὑφʼ ἥλιον ἔθνεσι καταστησομένου ‚ προρρήσεις ἀποκαλυφθῆναι τοῖς πᾶσιν εἰς φῶς τε ἐλθεῖν ἐπʼ ἀκριβὲς μεταβληθείσας δημοσίαις τε βιβλιοθήκαις ἀνατεθείσας διοικεῖται ‚ βασιλεῖ Πτολεμαίῳ τοῦτο πρᾶξαι κατὰ νοῦν ἐμβαλὼν, εἰς προπαρασκευὴν, ὡς ἔοικε, τῆς τῶν ἐθνῶν ἁπάντων ὅσον οὔπω μελλούσης ἐξ αὐτῶν ἔσεσθαι μεταλήψεως.

epeidē gar hoson oupō ta tēs tou sōtēros hēmōn biōphelous kēryxeōs emellen epi tēs Rōmaiōn archēs eis pantas eklampein anthrōpous, logos te ouch ho tychōn hę̄rei tas peri autou prophēteias ton te bion tōn palai theophilōn Hebraiōn kai ta tēs eusebous didaskalias autōn mathēmata, tę̄ patriǭ autōn phōnę̄ ex aiōnos makrou kekalymmena ‚ ēdē pote eis panta ta ethnē, hois ti tēs theognōsias emelle proxeneisthai, parelthein; theos autos ho tōnde tōn agathōn aitios, prolabōn to mellon hōs an theos tę̄ prognōsei, tas peri tou pantōn anthrōpōn ouk eis makron anaphanēsomenou sōtēros ‚ didaskalou te eusebeias henos tou epi pantōn theou pasi tois hyphʼ hēlion ethnesi katastēsomenou ‚ prorrēseis apokalyphthēnai tois pasin eis phōs te elthein epʼ akribes metablētheisas dēmosiais te bibliothēkais anatetheisas dioikeitai ‚ basilei Ptolemaiǭ touto praxai kata noun embalōn, eis proparaskeuēn, hōs eoike, tēs tōn ethnōn hapantōn hoson oupō mellousēs ex autōn esesthai metalēpseōs.

For since the life-giving proclamation of our Savior was very soon to shine out to all people under the rule of the Romans, and no ordinary reason required that the prophecies about him, the life of the God-loving Hebrews of old, and the lessons of their pious teaching, long hidden in their ancestral language, should now at last pass to all the nations to whom the knowledge of God was to be granted: God himself, the cause of these goods, anticipating the future as God by his foreknowledge, arranged that the predictions about the Savior of all people, who was soon to appear and to establish as teacher of the piety of the one God over all among all nations under the sun, should be revealed to all and come to light, accurately translated and deposited in public libraries. He put it into King Ptolemy's mind to do this, in preparation, it seems, for the participation in them that all the nations were very soon to have.

Notes and citation

Summary: God moved Ptolemy to have the Scriptures translated in preparation for the gospel's spread.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): ἀγα- θῶν → ἀγαθῶν.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 8.1.6 (Dindorf 1:404–405; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-8-1-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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8.1.7Dindorf 1:405

ὧν γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ἄλλως ἐτύχομεν παρὰ Ἰουδαίων, ἀποκρυψάντων ἂν τὰ παρʼ αὐτοῖς λόγια διὰ τὸν πρὸς ἡμᾶς φθόνον, τούτων ἐκ τῆς θεόθεν οἰκονομηθείσης ἑρμηνείας ἠξιώθημεν πρὸς τῶν παρʼ αὐτοῖς ἐπί τε συνέσει καὶ τῇ πατρίῳ παιδείᾳ δεδοκιμασμένων ἀνδρῶν μεταβληθέντων.

hōn gar ouk an allōs etychomen para Ioudaiōn, apokrypsantōn an ta parʼ autois logia dia ton pros hēmas phthonon, toutōn ek tēs theothen oikonomētheisēs hermēneias ēxiōthēmen pros tōn parʼ autois epi te synesei kai tę̄ patriǭ paideią dedokimasmenōn andrōn metablēthentōn.

For we would not otherwise have obtained from the Jews what they would have hidden from us out of envy; but through the translation arranged by God we have been granted these oracles, translated by men among them approved for understanding and ancestral learning.

Notes and citation

Summary: The divinely arranged translation gave Christians the Jewish Scriptures.

Eusebius's remark about Jewish envy is his own polemical claim; translated as written.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 8.1.7 (Dindorf 1:405; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-8-1-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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8.1.8Dindorf 1:405

γράφει δὲ ταῦτα Ἀρισταῖος, ἀνὴρ λόγιος μὲν ἄλλως, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ παρατυχὼν τοῖς πραχθεῖσι κατὰ τὸν δεύτερον Πτολεμαῖον, τὸν ἐπικληθέντα Φιλάδελφον, καθʼ ὃν τὰ τῆς ἑρμηνείας τῶν Ἰουδαϊκῶν γραφῶν, διὰ σπουδῆς τοῦ βασιλέως γενόμενα, τῶν κατὰ τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν βιβλιοθηκῶν ἠξιώθη. ἐπακοῦσαι δὲ αὐτοῦ καιρὸς, τόνδε πρὸς λέξιν ἱστοροῦντος τὸν τρόπον

graphei de tauta Aristaios, anēr logios men allōs, ou mēn alla kai paratychōn tois prachtheisi kata ton deuteron Ptolemaion, ton epiklēthenta Philadelphon, kathʼ hon ta tēs hermēneias tōn Ioudaïkōn graphōn, dia spoudēs tou basileōs genomena, tōn kata tēn Alexandreian bibliothēkōn ēxiōthē. epakousai de autou kairos, tonde pros lexin historountos ton tropon

Aristeas writes about these things, a learned man in other respects, but also present at the events under the second Ptolemy, called Philadelphus, in whose reign the translation of the Jewish Scriptures, accomplished through the king's zeal, was thought worthy of the libraries of Alexandria. It is time to listen to him as he relates it word for word as follows:

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius introduces the Letter of Aristeas.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): ἐπι- κληθέντα → ἐπικληθέντα.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 8.1.8 (Dindorf 1:405; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-8-1-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Preparation 8, chapter 2

8.2.1Dindorf 1:405

“Κατασταθεὶς ἐπὶ τῆς τοῦ βασιλέως βιβλιοθήκης Δημήτριος ὁ Φαληρεὺς ἐχρηματίσθη πολλὰ διάφορα πρὸς τὸ συναγαγεῖν ἅπαντα τὰ κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην βιβλία, καὶ ποιούμενος ἀγορασμοὺς καὶ μεταγραφὰς ἐπὶ τέλος ἤγαγεν ὅσον ἐφʼ ἑαυτῷ τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως πρόθεσιν.

“Katastatheis epi tēs tou basileōs bibliothēkēs Dēmētrios ho Phalēreus echrēmatisthē polla diaphora pros to synagagein hapanta ta kata tēn oikoumenēn biblia, kai poioumenos agorasmous kai metagraphas epi telos ēgagen hoson ephʼ heautǭ tēn tou basileōs prothesin.

"Demetrius of Phalerum, put in charge of the king's library, was given large sums to collect, if possible, all the books in the world; and by making purchases and copies he brought the king's purpose to completion as far as lay in him.

Notes and citation

Summary: Aristeas: Demetrius of Phalerum collects books for the royal library.

Letter of Aristeas 9.

Extrabiblical texts: Let. Aris. 9 (Letter of Aristeas; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 8.2.1 (Dindorf 1:405; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-8-2-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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8.2.2Dindorf 1:405

παρόντων οὖν ἡμῶν ἐρωτηθεὶς πόσαι τινὲς μυριάδες τυγχάνουσι βιβλίων, εἶπεν, ὑπὲρ τὰς εἴκοσι, βασιλεῦ· σπουδάσω δʼ ἐν ὀλίγῳ χρόνῳ πρὸς τὸ πληρωθῆναι πεντήκοντα μυριάδας τὰ λοιπά. προσήγγελται δέ μοι καὶ τὰ τῶν Ἰουδαίων νόμιμα μεταγραφῆς ἄξια καὶ τῆς παρὰ σοὶ βιβλιοθήκης εἶναι.

parontōn oun hēmōn erōtētheis posai tines myriades tynchanousi bibliōn, eipen, hyper tas eikosi, basileu; spoudasō dʼ en oligǭ chronǭ pros to plērōthēnai pentēkonta myriadas ta loipa. prosēngeltai de moi kai ta tōn Ioudaiōn nomima metagraphēs axia kai tēs para soi bibliothēkēs einai.

When he was asked, then, in our presence, how many tens of thousands of books there were, he said, 'More than two hundred thousand, O king; and I shall make haste in a short time to make up the rest to five hundred thousand. I have been informed that the laws of the Jews too are worth copying and worthy of your library.'

Notes and citation

Summary: Demetrius reports the library's size and proposes adding the Jewish law.

Letter of Aristeas 10.

Extrabiblical texts: Let. Aris. 10 (Letter of Aristeas; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 8.2.2 (Dindorf 1:405; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-8-2-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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8.2.3Dindorf 1:405–406

τί τὸ κωλῦον οὖν, εἶπεν, ἐστί σε τοῦτο ποιῆσαι; πάντα γὰρ ἀποτέτακταί σοι τὰ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν ὁ δὲ Δημήτριος εἶπεν, ἑρμηνείας προσδεῖται· χαρακτῆρσι γὰρ ἰδίοις κατὰ τὴν Ἰουδαίαν χρῶνται, καθάπερ Αἰγύπτιοι τῇ τῶν γραμμάτων θέσει, καθὸ καὶ φωνὴν ἰδίαν ἔχουσιν. ὑπολαμβάνονται δὲ Συριακῇ χρῆσθαι· τὸ δʼ οὐκ ἔστιν, ἀλλʼ ἕτερος τρόπος.

ti to kōlyon oun, eipen, esti se touto poiēsai? panta gar apotetaktai soi ta pros tēn chreian ho de Dēmētrios eipen, hermēneias prosdeitai; charaktērsi gar idiois kata tēn Ioudaian chrōntai, kathaper Aigyptioi tę̄ tōn grammatōn thesei, katho kai phōnēn idian echousin. hypolambanontai de Syriakę̄ chrēsthai; to dʼ ouk estin, allʼ heteros tropos.

'What prevents you from doing this, then?' he said. 'Everything needed has been placed at your disposal.' Demetrius said, 'It needs translation; for in Judea they use their own characters, just as the Egyptians use their arrangement of letters, as they also have their own language. They are supposed to use Syriac, but this is not so; it is another kind.'

Notes and citation

Summary: Demetrius explains the Jewish law needs translation from Hebrew.

Letter of Aristeas 11.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): ἑρμη- νείας → ἑρμηνείας; γραμ- μάτων → γραμμάτων; ὑπο- λαμβάνονται → ὑπολαμβάνονται.

Extrabiblical texts: Let. Aris. 11 (Letter of Aristeas; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 8.2.3 (Dindorf 1:405–406; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-8-2-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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8.2.4Dindorf 1:406

μεταλαβὼν δὲ ἕκαστα ὁ βασιλεὺς εἶπε γραφῆναι πρὸς τὸν ἀρχιερέα τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ὅπως τὰ προειρημένα τελείωσιν λάβῃ.’’ Καὶ μεθʼ ἕτερα ἐπιλέγει

metalabōn de hekasta ho basileus eipe graphēnai pros ton archierea tōn Ioudaiōn, hopōs ta proeirēmena teleiōsin labę̄.’’ Kai methʼ hetera epilegei

The king, having learned each thing, said that a letter should be written to the high priest of the Jews, so that the matters mentioned might be completed." And after other things he adds:

Notes and citation

Summary: The king orders a letter to the Jewish high priest.

Letter of Aristeas 11.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): βα- σιλεὺς → βασιλεὺς.

Extrabiblical texts: Let. Aris. 11 (Letter of Aristeas; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 8.2.4 (Dindorf 1:406; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-8-2-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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8.2.5Dindorf 1:406

“ Ὡς δὲ κατεπράχθη ταῦτα, τὸν Δημήτριον ἐκέλευσεν ἐκδοῦναι περὶ τῆς τῶν Ἰουδαϊκῶν βιβλίων ἀναγραφῆς πάντα γὰρ διὰ προσταγμάτων καὶ μεγάλης ἀκριβείας τοῖς βασιλεῦσι τούτοις διῳκεῖτο ‚ καὶ οὐδὲν ἀπερριμένως οὐδὲ εἰκῆ. διόπερ καὶ τὸ τῆς ἐκδόσεως καὶ τὰ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν ἀντίγραφα κατακεχώρικα, καὶ τὸ τῶν ἀπεσταλμένων πλῆθος, καὶ τὴν ἑκάστου κατασκευὴν ‚ διὰ τὸ μεγαλομερείᾳ καὶ τέχνῃ διαφέρειν ἕκαστον αὐτῶν. τῆς δὲ ἐκδόσεώς ἐστιν ἀντίγραφον τόδε·

“ Hōs de kateprachthē tauta, ton Dēmētrion ekeleusen ekdounai peri tēs tōn Ioudaïkōn bibliōn anagraphēs panta gar dia prostagmatōn kai megalēs akribeias tois basileusi toutois diǭkeito ‚ kai ouden aperrimenōs oude eikē. dioper kai to tēs ekdoseōs kai ta tōn epistolōn antigrapha katakechōrika, kai to tōn apestalmenōn plēthos, kai tēn hekastou kataskeuēn ‚ dia to megalomereią kai technę̄ diapherein hekaston autōn. tēs de ekdoseōs estin antigraphon tode;

"When this had been done, he ordered Demetrius to submit a memorandum about the copying of the Jewish books. For everything was administered by these kings through decrees and with great exactness, and nothing carelessly or at random. That is why I have set down both the memorandum and the copies of the letters, and the number of the gifts sent and the workmanship of each, because each of them excelled in magnificence and art. The copy of the memorandum is this:

Notes and citation

Summary: Aristeas introduces Demetrius's memorandum to the king.

Letter of Aristeas 28.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; wrong breathing in the digital text): Ἰουδαΐκῶν → Ἰουδαϊκῶν; κατακε- χώρικα → κατακεχώρικα.

Extrabiblical texts: Let. Aris. 28 (Letter of Aristeas; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 8.2.5 (Dindorf 1:406; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/7-22-1/#p-8-2-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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