Theophany 1.75–2.16

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

If then the child, when brought up to the (full) stature of his nature, and supplied with the provision and instruction proper fer it, receives all this change and variety;—-and no one can disbelieve (this) his change, on account of the openness of the experiment ;——-Why need we wonder, if even this perfectible mind which is in man, such as it is when still in childhood, with respect to its more complete and perfect growth, should, when it comes forth to the full growth of its stature, be in dignity as the Angels? We do see however, that the nature of man undergoes dissolution by death. But, What of this? Is it not that we are the more convinced by it, that the soul is immortal ? For if, when immersed in a corruptible and mortal body, it evince all this force of superiority, which we have already shewn; How shall it not, when it shall have separated itself from its participation in corruption, and shall have laid down mortality as a bandage, then act in its own power, in a manner less impeded than it now does? Do you not perceive, that so long as it entertains an attachment to the body’, it thence acts basely ? But, if it refuse participation (with the body), it (then) subsists within itself. And hence, is its essence clearly known to be incorporeal. For, How can that which is opposed to the body, be of (its) nature? The thoughts too of the soul are healthy, so long as the bodily passions are infirm, but the same will be dark and obscure when the body labours under the lusts. Hence, so long as the soul is infatuated, its whole attachment will be to the body; and, when attached to the body, it will be shorn of its excellence. When however, it becomes strong in opposition to the body, and flies from the lustful passions, it (then) becomes wise; and, when it has become wise, it turns away its face from a participation in mortality, and forthwith gives up itself to the knowledge which is pure, and, in a small degree, withdraws itself from the stimulating nature of the body. When moreover, it is powerful with respect to the riches which are its own, it (then) happily becomes more abundantly enlightened, directed, and stirred up. Then too, will it partake in knowledge, wisdom, and every sort of excellence, when it has ceased to countenance the motions of the bodily passions. And, so long as it counts upon (this) excellence, it deigns not to draw near with the eyes of the body; nor will it act by any other of its senses. When moreover, it (thus) vigorously shuts itself up, carries itself within, and withdraws to a distance from the things which affect the senses, and are visible; and (when) near only to the body, still turns with the eye of the soul to another quarter, and is itself united with itself; then again, will it avail itself of the mind that is enlightened, and of the recollection which is pure; and will put forth, and nourish for itself, the reason which is imperturbed: and (thus) will every reasoning power exert itself without controul. But, should any of the things which are hurtful suddenly happen to the body, so that a mote should injure the sight of the eyes'; immediately would the sight of the soul be disturbed: and, should remissness be given to the body, and the soul partake in the drunkenness, gluttony, lusts, and the rest of its pleasures ; (thus) reduced in itself to vice—the corruptible body too domineering over it like a wild and fierce beast, and itself remaining below (as it were) in the depths,—will be filled with error, folly, and every sort of infatuation. What necessity then is there, that we should fear death, which is (only) the determination of the freedom of the soul from the body’? And, for What (purpose) is the laying down of that which is faulty? Is it not for receiving the aid of that, which is more excellent? and, that we should confess the lives of those who loved God, then to be in truth, holy and happy, when nothing of an adverse nature shall controul them? If then, while this rational nature continues in this locality,—and resides in this vessel (as it were) on the earth, clothed with a dense and earthly body, not unlike some earthen vessel, (and) wholly compressed within this its vesture,—it be such that it will mount on high in thought, will mortify the members of the body together with their lusts, by means of patience, and the restraint of the desires; will be hastened, and hastening on, to the life of those that are incorporeal ; will separate and deliver itself at all times, by the precepts of wisdom from an admixture with that which is vile; and will ever delight itself beforehand (with the thoughts) that it shall soon submit to death :—if indeed (such) be, at any time, released from the bonds and agitation of wing (common to) the cares and anxieties that are here, and thus fly away in his departure, and change the place on earth, and meet with that which he loved :— how he will then be circumstanced, ask not. For, when he shall receive his body, and shall have changed his nature from corruption to incorruption ; his shall be a conversation which is equal to that of the Angels in heaven: in the semblance of light, and of the sun-beam, shall he be; and of the form, in which even the Angels of God live; and, as reason with probability holds, he shall partake at once in their superiority and immortality.

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

For, just as the form (assigned) to the seed which falls upon the earth, is given for many: the Word’, which is called the seed, now secretly exerting itself within the same seed, but silently after the manner of a spark confined within some dense body ;—and (as) this same seed, when it shall fall to the earth, and its dense clothing which encircles it from without shall dissolve through corruption;—then will it shew itself to be lively (vigorous), put in motion the power that is vested within it, and take of the material which is beneath it: then too will it begin to act, and assume its lively (energetic) nature: its old dense clothing, which is without, will it also cast off, and put on the new, which is greatly its superior ;—

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

So also is the nature of the rational faculty, which is in man, (circumstanced), that it is now bound up in a corruptible body, and of its own power acts but feebly. But, should it be freed from the corruption which surrounds it, and receive (as a possession) the locality which is in heaven, and henceforth be sown and planted (as it were) in the society which (is far) beyond it, and be fitted for the clothing of heaven and of the Angels ;—of what sort it shall be, when it shall partake of the life that is pure, and shall be freed from a participation in mortality, it is neither becoming in me, nor necessary for me, to say: for this will be obvious to all who can see, from the example (given). For the whole of the wheat (seed) is not subject to corruption: it is only the part that is without which perishes, when it falls to the earth: while that concealed worp and living power which is within it, lives and remains; and the excellence which is of this is such, that it will give forth vigorous corn-ears. Of plants too, the same is the Word (invigorating cause), and so it is with every sort of seed. And, Shall man alone be wholly and in every thing subject to corruption, when released by death'? And, Shall the clothing which is without, at once and together with that Word which resides within him, cede to corruption? And, as to the knowledge which is incorporeal,—that which partakes in all these powers; that, which on account of its superiority, is likened to God himself ;——Shall it not be (considered) even as one of those seeds which fall to the earth? or rather greatly (their) superior ? for it is not the beard, nor yet the blade, but those mature and fat corn-ears of his superiority, which he shall give forth. Then, when he shall be taken away from the corruption which is of the earth, and shall have been delivered as from bonds, and shall not imprudently have bartered the conversation which is in heaven, for that on the earth ; and, when he shall be at the side of God; (then) shall he in truth render as the Angels do, the fruits which are acceptable to God: those (I say), the seed and power of which he possessed from ancient times in a mortal body, and contained as it were in an oven’.

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

All these things having been said for the purpose of shewing, that the essence which is in man is intelligent and rational; let us now proceed in our discourse to those consequent upon them. Had man then, brought up as he is in the conversation that is on earth, (but) known his own greatness, and continued careful of the teaching which is of God; there could have no impediment happened to him, that when taken hence, he should not delight himself in a conversation like that of the Angels, and take part in the life which is in the kingdom of his Father who is in heaven. But, because it is not one man, nor two, nor is the multitude small ;—on the contrary, it is the whole rational family on earth which has received the power to govern self—(and) because his nature, which has received the seed of the kingdom from the Divine Word the King, is free; (nevertheless) he has not well availed himself of his power; but has, by means of the subsidiary arts, laboured in all vain glory, . after those other things, which impel men to the bodily desires, and are advantageous to life; has become skilful in agriculture, in the building of ships, in merchandise, and in the purchasing of possessions: nor (this) only, but he has also become great from every quarter, in the abundant increase of the wealth which puts forth no zeal against any kind of lust. All these things however, which conduce to the salvation of the soul, and to that life of righteousness which is well-pleasing to God ; all these, (I say,) has he annihilated in his mind from their very roots; has disregarded his own excellency, and that of the race of his brethren who are in heaven, and has honoured, through the freedom of his will, those abominable bodily lusts, more than (this) his own greatness: of the righteousness of his Father who is in heaven, and of His praise, he has also been unmindful. These irrational itchings and delusions of childhood has he chosen : these which the fools of childhood usually do, who fly from the instruction and careful training of those who would enlarge their minds; extravagantly to honour the things which are sweet for the present, but which corrupt at once both the body and soul; and to hunt out for themselves the error and foolish knowledge of that voluptuousness, which is too vain to be conceived. All mankind being then, thus (circumstanced), the Increment of wickedness, that envious (being), the hater of every good, and deceiver as to every thing lovely, in conjunction with the wicked Demons, became their waylayer: this same, in his wicked zeal, prepared the nets, and snares, and riches,—the abundant means of every sort (of sin,)—-against the salvation of all; and so drove them down from above into the depths of evil, that none on earth could see, but transgressed the law of their nature: and (thus), the germ of wickedness, instead of the seed of excellence, sprung up' within them; and he that was more peaceful, more wise, and more rational, than all that were on the earth, so fell into the last stage of brutality and irrationality, that one of those beloved of God wept over this overthrow of their fall, and cried out saying ; “ Man understood not his own honour; but was given up to be as the brute, and became assimilated to it.”

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

On these accounts therefore, a mighty Saviour, greater than any son of man, was evidently needful to them. And such is He who anxiously undertook to provide for all, THE Word of God: He who has, like a good and loving Father, shewn by deeds His providential care over the rational souls that are on the earth; and who hastened, in the mission of Himself, to the call, and for the healing, of those who were thus fallen and perishing.

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

Tue human race, O my friends, stood (thus) in need of God the Saviour: and God alone was the helper, who could give abundance to those who had suffered loss, and life to them who had become subject to death. The advent therefore of God, and the divine manifestation of the common Saviour of all;—-of him who arose (as the sun) upon mankind was necessary, because all that was upon the earth, had, through the insanity (inculcating) a plurality of gods, and the envy and solicitation of demons, become corrupted to the last stage of vice, and (immersed) in the depth of ungodly error.

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

But again, that the cause of the Divine manifestation of the common Saviour of all among men, might the better be known, let us first of all speak on the great fall of the human race, on their lawless wickedness and iniquity : and then let us pass on to the hidden mysteries of the doctrine of this divine Revelation.

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

For, it was not as some disease which (lay) on man, and was mighty as opposed to every other; but it was, that the evil 'Demon so led, and ruled over, the whole human race, like a pestilence that is mortal, (and) far surpassing eyery thing that is (generally) evil and hateful, that he drove him who was more peaceful than any other being, to the last stage of brutality; and him who was rational, to that of being the most irrational of all. Hence it was that men, in the blindness of their souls, recognized not the God who is over all; The Cause and Maker of all; The Reverend Name of that nature of the Onty (Begotten) which had no beginning, Him who was before all, THz Word of God; The Father of the essence which is intelligent and rational ; Him who rules both in heaven and earth; Him who is at all times present to this world, and is in it, and is the (efficient) Cause of every good to all; That providential care; That Saviour; That Upholder; That Giver of rain, and Dispenser of light, and Prince of life; That Creator of this whole (they recognised not, I say), but gave that Reverend Name to the Sun, the Moon, the very Heavens, and the stars; nor did they confine themselves to these,—

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

But also, to matter warm and cold, wet and dry, to the very waters, the earth, the air and fire ;—things which we perceive with our eyes, have neither soul nor reason ;——and to the rest of the (constituent) portions of the world, they likewise gave the names of " Neptune, Vulcan, Jupiter, , and of others, and honoured them with the title of god: nor did they confine themselves to these,—

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

But, they also made Gods of the earthy nature of the fruits of the earth, and of the provisions intended for the bodies of every kind (of animal, and named them) ' Ceres, Proserpine, Bacchus: and, of other things allied to these, they made Idols: nor did they confine themselves to these .----

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

But, they hesitated not to call the cogitative faculty of their minds, and their reason, which is the interpreter of of these, also Gods. Their faculty of thought they named > Minerva, and their speech Mercury. The powers inventive of moral doctrines, they called “Memory, and the Muses: nor did they confine themselves to these things,—

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

But, increasing in manifold impiety and the excess of wickedness, they made themselves Gods of their own passions; which it was becoming they should have put away, and have cured by the effort of pure reason :—of their lust, their baser infirmities and passions; of their grosser members also fitted for corrupt acts, and of the different parts of the body. And again , the appetency to the intemperate lusts, they named ' Cupid, '' Priapus, 'Venus, and other things allied to these: nor did they confine themselves to these, —

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

But, they also prostrated themselves to that which was born” of the human body, and to the life which is subject to death; they made men into Gods; and published of these, after undergoing a common mortality, that they were Gods and Demigods; imagining that the divine and immortal essence moved about the sides of graves, and among the monuments” of the dead: nor did they confine themselves to these things,—

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

But, they also honoured with the Reverend name, every species of irrational animal, and noxious reptile’?! nor did they confine themselves to these ',—

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

But, they also cut down trees’, and hewed the rocks: the metals too of the earth, brass, iron, and other matter, they sought out, and formed into the appearances of women, forms of men, and into the likenesses of wild beasts, and of reptiles; and to these again they gave the name of Gods”! nor did they confine themselves to these,—

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

But, they also ministered, by means of libations and the fumes of sacrifices, to the evil demons which had insinuated themselves into these same images, which had been set up in the innermost recesses of darkness; and to them they gave the name of Gods! nor did they confine themselves to these, —

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

But, they also drew over to themselves, by means of the ties‘ of those who used abominable incantations, by ?” songs and other forcible and lawless enchantments, those invisible Demons and Powers which fly in the air: and again, they availed themselves of these, as abettors of the error of the deities, which they had (so) fabricated. And thus did they set up mortal men, as the Gods of others. For the Greeks honoured Bacchus, Hercules, AK sculapius, Apollo, and other men, with the names of Gods and Demigods; while the Egyptians imagined of Horus, Isis, Osiris, and again of other men such as these, that they were Gods. Nor did their wise men, who are boasted of for their excessive wisdom, and the invention of Geometry, Astrology, and Arithmetic, know or understand how to weigh or to discriminate in their minds, between the distinguishing measure of the Divine power, and that of irrational mortal nature. On this account, they hesitated not to give the name of Gods, to every frightful image of the animals; to every sort of untamed beast, and reptile; and to the fiercest animals. The Phenicians too, named Malkuthrudun,

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

The whole of the Egyptians, therefore, at once with the Phenicians and the Greeks, (thus) availed themselves, contrary to humanity, of every mortal species, —even as the rising of the sun illuminates (all) the portions of the universe,——of the very elements, of the fruits’ which grow out of the earth, even of their own passions; and again, even of the madness of demons, and (other) delusions; and before these, of mortal men! Nor did they set up, during their lifetimes, the doctrine which is excellent; nor did they point out to men, the instruction which attends purity of life; nor did they shew forth the requirements of (true) philosophy, or discover the practices favourable (to this) : nor did they leave behind themselves any disciples of their superiority, or deliver either precepts or writings conducing to happiness of life'. On the contrary, they busied themselves with women, and the baser lusts; and, as it happened,—I know not by what error of the participation in the deeds of Demons,—-they named (these) Gods and Demigods, and honoured (them) with sacrifices, and services (connected) with the error of enchanters! ‘They also built Fanes and Temples (to these) both in the cities and villages: but Him who alone is beyond the universe, THE Woxrp or God in verity, the King of all, and Maker of all, they set at nought ! These same multiplied all this, in the madness and corruption of (their) mind, to such an extent, that they forthwith called any men, with whom they happened to meet, Gods; and immediately attached themselves to these same passions of mortals! And to these did they ascribe lawless adulteries, abominable deeds, and perverse lives and deaths. Nor did these things come from others, so that they could say these were their calumniators ; but they themselves are the witnesses of these things, confessing the error, the sorrows, the deaths; and prior to these, the adulteries, the corruptions, of men (with men), and the rapes of women’. Nevertheless, they filled all their cities, villages, and (other) places, with the Fanes, Images, and Temples (of these)! ;

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

Nor’ was it this only, but also, from the speeches which they made about their Gods, they received every provision for the life which was lawless and base; and, in the first place, corrupted by every sort of abomination, at once both their souls and bodies. And, that such were the things which they did, when assimilating themselves to their Deities, we can readily shew from this, that the Phenicians our neighbours, as we ourselves have seen, are busied with these things, even now, in Baalbeck; the ancient injurious excesses and corrupting paths of vice, being persevered in there, even to this time; so, that the women ‘there enter not into the bands of lawful marriage, until they have been first corrupted in a way contrary to law, and have been made to partake in the lawless services of the mysteries of Venus. Now indeed, this city alone remains in this sickly state of folly, by way of proof of these ancient vices; when, from ancient times, many thus suffered while the disease inflicted by Demons had more abundant hold.

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

Nor was it this only, but also, the very men who rejected the gods mentioned (above), preached up, by means of hymns, elegies, sacrifices, mysteries, books, and votive offerings to Idols, that Father and Leader of all the Gods, who was overcome by bodily lust, and fell in love with Ganymede’: and, as it were in emulation of their Gods, they transgressed the bounds of nature, and remained in this excess, at a distance not to be described, or (received) as real into the hearing. They fearlessly abused each other, as the Divine declarations affirm: “Man with man working that which was shameful, and receiving in themseives the return of reward, which was due to their error.”

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

Nor’ was it this alone, but they also subverted the common mind of all, placing under an irrational Fate’, and natural necessity, the constitution and essence of every thing. They led too, the lives of beasts, even the life which was no life. Nor did they enquire into the essence of the soul, or think on the righteous judgments of God. The victory attendant on virtue, they never called to mind, nor again, the punishment due to a wicked life.