# To Tatian on the Soul

- Author: [Gregory Thaumaturgus](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/gregory-thaumaturgus/)
- Latin title: *Ad Tatianum de anima*
- Date: 3rd–5th century (disputed) (disputed)
- Source: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologiae cursus completus, Series Graeca 10 (Paris: Migne, 1857), cols. 1137–1146

- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Editions and translations: CPG 1765 (cited only; number not yet checked)
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/
- Passages: 8

## To Tatian on the Soul (opening)

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-0
- Source: PG 10
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The author explains that Tatian asked for a treatise on the soul argued without Scripture, to refute the heterodox, and that he will proceed in an orderly way.

### Greek text

τὰ χω. τιν ὡς ράξασιν ἀποστεῖλαι. καὶ ταῦτα ἱξίους ποιεῖν, μὴ ταῖς τῶν Γραφῶν μαρτυρίαις χρησαμένους " ὅπερ εὖ ἔστι τε καὶ τοῖς εὐσεδῶς φρονεῖν ἐθέλουσιν ἀληθὴς τυγχάνες διδασχαλία παντὸς ἀνθρωπίνου λογισμοῦ ἀποδειχτιχωτέρα" ἔφης γὰρ μὴ πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κληροφορίαν τοῦτο ἐπιζητεῖν, πεπαιδευμένος ἤδη ταῖς θείαις προσανέχειν Γραφαῖς καὶ παραδόσεσι, καὶ μὴ στροφαῖς τῶν ἀνθρωπένων λόγων δονεῖσθαι τὴν διάνοιαν. ἀλλὰ κρὸς ἀνατροπὴν τῆς τῶν ἑτεροδόξων γνώμης, οἷ πείθεσθαι ταῖς Γραφαῖς οὐχ ἀνέχον- «αι δεινότητι δέ τινι περιτρέπειν τοὺς ἀήθεις τῶν «τοιούτων λόγων πειρῶνται. Διὸ ἑτοίμως ὑπαχοῦσαι «τῷδε σῷ ἐπιτάγματι προήχθημεν, μηδὲν ὑποστειλάμενοι ὡς ἄπειροι τῆς τοιᾶσδε χατασχευῆς τῶν λόγῶν, ἀλλὰ τῇ σῇ περὶ ἡμᾶς εὐνοίᾳ θαῤῥήσαντες : καὶ, γὰρ οἶδας ἃ μὲν χαλῶς ἔχειν δοχιμάζεις, ταῦτα εἰς. «ὃ κοινὸν προτιθέναι" τὰ δὲ ἔλαττον τοῦ δέοντος πτεσθαι. ἑχάτερα χάριτι τῇ πρὸς ἡμᾶς καὶ φιλίᾳ “ποιῶν. Ταῦτα οὖν εἰδὼς, μετὰ -πάσης πεποιθήσεως ὡρμῆθην ἐπὶ τὴν ἔχθεσιν. Ποιήσομαι δὲ τὸν γόγον τάξει τινὶ καὶ ἀχολουθίς χρησάμενος, ἦνπερ καὶ οἱ ᾿ νῶς τὴϑν τι ἐθέλοντας. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ἀπάντων ὑποθήσομαι, τίνι χριτηαιὶ

### English translation (Claude)

… to send … and you thought it right to do this without using the testimonies of the Scriptures; though for those who wish to think piously the teaching of the Scriptures is in fact the true teaching, more demonstrative than any human reasoning. For you said that you sought this not for your own assurance, since you have already been trained to hold fast to the divine Scriptures and traditions and not to let your mind be shaken by the twists of human arguments, but for the overthrow of the opinion of the heterodox, who do not endure to be persuaded by the Scriptures but try by a certain cleverness to overturn those who are unused to such arguments. Therefore we were led to obey this command of yours readily, holding back nothing as though we were inexperienced in such construction of arguments, but trusting in your goodwill toward us. For you know how to set before the public what you judge to be good, and to [keep back] what falls short of what is needed, doing both out of kindness and friendship toward us. Knowing this, then, I have set out on the exposition with all confidence. I will make the argument following a certain order and sequence, which those also [follow] … who wish … First of all, then, I will lay down by what criterion …

### Translation notes

- The treatise is ascribed to Gregory Thaumaturgus; its authenticity is doubted. The beginning is lost, and the scan's opening line (Migne's note) and closing debris are removed. Lost or garbled words are marked “…”.

### Citation (SBL)

Ps.-Gregory Thaumaturgus, Tat. pref. (PG 10; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-0).

## To Tatian on the Soul 1

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-1
- Source: PG 10
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The author lists the questions to be treated (whether the soul is corporeal, simple, immortal, a substance, rational), promises to argue from common notions, and begins: the soul, known only by thought, is known from its operations.

### Greek text

§Q1§ §Q1§ ᾿ σῶμά ἐστιν, ἢ ἀσώματος" ἔπειτα, εἰ ἀπλῆ, ἢ σύν- ᾿ θετος" εἶτ᾽ αὖθις, εἰ θνητὴ, … τελευταῖον ὧν δείχνυται ὑπάρχουσα" εἶθ᾽ ἑξῆς, εἰ οὐσίᾳ τυγχάνει εἶτα τούτοις ἀχολούθως, εἰ ὃ, εἰ λογικὴν ἢ ἄλογος. Ταῦτα γὰρ μάλιστα ἐν τῷ περὶ ὀυγῆε ζητεῖσθαι εἴωθε λόγῳ, ὡς χυριῴτατα καὶ δυνάμενα αὐτῆς τὴν. ἰδιότητα χαραχτηρίζειν. ᾿Αποδείξεσι δὲ πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἐξετασθησομένων βεδαίωσιν, ταῖς χοιναῖς χρησόμεθα ἐννοίαις, αἷς τὸ ἀξιόπιστον τὰ ἐν χερσὶ πράγ-, ματα μαρτυρεῖν πέφυχε. Συντομίας δὲ χάριν καὶ τοῦ.. χρησίμου, μόνοις τοῖς πρὸς τὸ ἀναγχαῖον. τοῦ ζητουμένου ἔχουσι τὴν ἀπόδειξιν, τὰ νῦν χρησόμεθα ᾿συὰ- " λογισμοῖς" ὅπως σαφῆ τε καὶ εὐπαράδεχτα τὰ νοήματα γενόμενα, ἑτοιμότητά τινα ἡμῖν ἐμποιήσῃ πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀνθισταμένων ἀπάντησιν. ᾿Αρξόμεθα οὖν τοῦ λόγου ἐντεῦθεν. Τίγι τὸ καταληπτιχὸν κριτήριον τῆς ψυχῆς. Α’, Πάντα τὰ ὄντα, ἣ αἰσθήσει γνωρίζεται, ἢ νοήσει χαταλαμθδάνεται. Καὶ τὸ μὲν αἰσθήσει ὑποπίπτον, ἰχανὴν ἀπόδειξιν ἔχει τὴν αἴσθησιν" ἅμα τὰρ τῇ προσθδολῇ, καὶ τὴν φαντασίαν ἡμῖν ἐμποιεῖ τοῦ ὑποχειμένου. Τὸ δὲ νοήσει καταλαμδανόμενον, οὐχ ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐχ τῶν ἐνεργειῶν γνωρίζεται. τοίνυν ψυχὴ ἄγνωστος οὖσα ἐξ ξαυτῆς, ἐκ τῶν ἀπο- Εἰ ἔστιν ἡ νὰ

### English translation (Claude)

… [whether the soul is a] body or incorporeal; then, whether it is simple or composite; then again, whether it is mortal …; last, … ; then, next, whether it is a substance; then, following these, whether … , whether rational or irrational. For these are the questions most usually asked in a discussion of the soul, as the most essential and the ones able to characterize its distinctive nature. As proofs to establish what will be examined we shall use common notions, whose credibility the matters at hand naturally attest. For brevity's sake and for usefulness we shall now use only those syllogisms that contain the proof bearing on what is necessary to the question, so that the thoughts, made clear and easy to accept, may give us a certain readiness in meeting our opponents. Let us begin the discussion here.
By what criterion the soul is apprehended. 1. All things that exist are either known by sense or apprehended by thought. What falls under sense has sense as a sufficient proof; for at the very moment of contact it produces in us the impression of the object. But what is apprehended by thought is known not from itself but from its operations. The soul, then, being unknown from itself, [is known] from its [effects] …
[Whether the soul exists.]

### Translation notes

- The list of questions is partly garbled in the scan; garbled words are marked “…” and a few debris letters are removed. The last line is the garbled heading of the next chapter, “Whether the soul exists” (2).

### Citation (SBL)

Ps.-Gregory Thaumaturgus, Tat. 1 (PG 10; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-1).

## To Tatian on the Soul 2

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-2
- Source: PG 10
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The body moves neither by outside force nor by nature like fire, since a dead body does not move; so it is moved by a soul, which gives it life.

### Greek text

Τὸ σῶμα ἡμῶν κινούμενον, ἣ ἔξωθεν, ἢ ἕνδοθεν χινεῖται. Καὶ ὅτι μὲν ἔξωθεν οὐ χινεῖται, δῆλον ἐχ τοῦ ἦτε ὦ φθούμενον, μὴτε ἑλχόμενον χινεῖσθαι, ὡς τὰ ἄψυχα. Καὶ ἔνδοθεν δὲ πάλιν χινούμενον, οὐ φυσικῶς κινεῖται, ὡς τὸ πῦρ. Ἐ Χεῖνό. γὰρ οὗ παῦἔται τοῦ χινεῖσθαι, εἰς ὅσον ἐστὶ πῦρ’ ᾿ὥσπεῤ τὸ σῶμα νεκρὸν γεγενημένον, ἀκινητεῖ σῶμα ὅν. Οὐχοὖν εἰ μήτε ἔξωθεν κινεῖται, ὡς καὶ ἄψυχα, μῆτε φυσικῶς ὡς τὸ πῦῤ, δῆλον ὅτι ὑπὸ ψυχῆς κινεῖται τῆς καὶ τὸ ζῇν αὐτῷ παρεχούσης. Εἰ τοίνυν τῷ σώματι ἡμῶν ἡ ψυχὴ δείχνυται τὸ ζῇν παρέχσυακ,

### English translation (Claude)

Our body, when it moves, is moved either from without or from within. That it is not moved from without is clear from the fact that it moves without being pushed or pulled, as inanimate things are. And again, though moved from within, it is not moved by nature, as fire is; for fire does not cease moving as long as it is fire, whereas the body, once it has become dead, is motionless though it is still a body. So if it is moved neither from without, as inanimate things are, nor by nature, as fire is, it is clear that it is moved by a soul, which also provides it with life. If, then, the soul is shown to provide life to our body, …

### Translation notes

- The ref breaks off mid-sentence; the conclusion is lost in the scan.

### Citation (SBL)

Ps.-Gregory Thaumaturgus, Tat. 2 (PG 10; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-2).

## To Tatian on the Soul 3

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-3
- Source: PG 10
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The soul is a substance, because it receives contraries such as justice and injustice while remaining itself, and because what gives life to a substance cannot itself lack substance.

### Greek text

§Q3§ §Q3§ Εἰ οὐσία ἐστὶν ἡ ψυχή. Τ᾽. Ὅτι μὲν οὐσία ἐστὶν ἡ ψυχὴ, δείκνυται δὕτως: Πρῶτον μὲν, ὅτι τῆς οὐσίας ὄρος, καὶ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς ἂν εἰχότως λεχθείη. Ἔστι δὲ οὗτος" Οὐσία ἐστὶ τὸ ᾿«αυτὸν, καὶ ἕν ἀριθμῷ, τῶν ἐναντίων παραμέρος εἶναι δεχτιχόν. Ὅτι δὲ ἡ ψυχὴ αὔτη εἧς ἰδίας φύσεως μὴ ἐξισταμένη, τὰ ἐναντία δέχεται παραμέρος, παντὶ που δῆλον" δικαιοσύνη γὰρ καὶ ἀδιχία, ἀνδρία τε χἀὶ δειλία, σωφροσύνη τε καὶ ἀχολασία, ἐν αὐτῇ θεωροῦνται ἐναντία ὄντα. Ἐὶ τοίνυν ἰδίωμα οὐσίας, τὸ τῶν ἐναντίων εἶναι παραμέρος δεκτικὸν, δείχνυται δὲ ἡ ψυχὴ τούτων ἐπιδεχομένη τὸν ὄρον, οὐσία ἄρα ἣ ψυχή. Ἔπειτα καὶ τοῦ σώματος οὐσίας ὄντος, καὶ τὴν ψυχῆν οὐσίαν εἶναι ἀνάγχη " οὐδὲ ἐἶναι" τὸ δὲ ζωοποιοῦν, εἶναι ἀνούσιον. Εἰ μή τις, καὶ τὸ μὴ ὄν, τοῦ ὄντος αἴτιον φήσειεν εἶναι" ἣ πάλιν, τὸ ἐν ᾧ τὴν ὕπαρξιν ἔχον, καὶ οὗ ἄνευ εἶναι μὴ δυνάμενον [ἀἅ.1. καὶ ὁ ἄνευ τοῦ εἶνα; μὴ δυνάμενον], αἴτιον ἐχείνου εἶναι τοῦ ἐν ᾧ ἐστι, μανείς τι εἴποι.

### English translation (Claude)

Whether the soul is a substance. 3. That the soul is a substance is shown thus. First, because the definition of substance may fittingly be said of it too. The definition is this: substance is that which, being the same and one in number, is capable of receiving contraries in turn. That the soul, without departing from its own nature, receives contraries in turn is clear to everyone: for justice and injustice, courage and cowardice, temperance and licentiousness are seen in it, and these are contraries. If, then, it is the property of a substance to be capable of receiving contraries in turn, and the soul is shown to admit this definition, the soul is therefore a substance. Next, since the body too is a substance, the soul too must be a substance; … [for it cannot be that what is given life] is … and that what gives life is without substance, unless one were to say that the non-existent is the cause of the existent; or again, that what has its existence in something and cannot exist without it is the cause of that in which it is, which only a madman would say.

### Translation notes

- Chapters follow Migne's numbering in PG 10 (Greek headings, with the Latin chapter numerals of his parallel column). Words are lost in the scan where marked “…”; Migne's Latin and his bracketed alternative reading are not translated.

### Citation (SBL)

Ps.-Gregory Thaumaturgus, Tat. 3 (PG 10; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-3).

## To Tatian on the Soul 4

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-4
- Source: PG 10
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The soul is incorporeal: it adds no bulk to the body, is not moved from without or within as bodies are, is nourished by reason, and has no color, size, or shape.

### Greek text

Εἰ ἀσώματος ἡ ψυχή. Ὅτι μὲν ἐν τῷ σώματι ἡμῶν ἡ ψυχή ἐστιν, ἐδείχθη“ δεῖ τοίνυν εἰδέναι πῶς ἐν τῷ σώατι" καὶ εἰ μὲν παράχειται αὑτῷ ὡς ψηφὶς ψηφίδι, δῶμα μὲν ἔσται ἡ Ψυχὴ, ὅλον δὲ τὸ σῶμα οὐχ ἕσται §Q4§ §Q4§ κεῖται). Εἰ δὲ ἐμμέμιχται, ἣ ἐγχέχραται, πολυμερὴς ἂν γένοιτο ἧἣ ψυχὴ, καὶ οὐχ ἀπλῇ, τοῦ ἰδίου τῆς ψυχῆς λόγου ἐχδεδλημένη. Τὸ γὰρ᾽ πολυμερὲς, καὶ ᾿ διαιρετὸν, καὶ διαλυτόν" τὸ δὲ διαλυτὸν, σύνθεταν“ τὸ δὲ σύνθετον, τριχῆ διαστατόν. Τὸ δὲ σῶμα σώματι προστιθέμενον, ὄγχον ποίεζ' ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ ἐν τῷ σώματι οὗδα, ὄγχον οὐ ποιεῖ, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ζωοποιεῖ, Οὐχ ἄρα ἔσται. ἡ ψυχὴ σῶμα, ἀλλ᾽ ἀσώματος. Ἔτι εἰ σῶμά [ἐστιν] ἡ ψυχὴ, ἣ ἔξωθεν ἣ ἔνδοθεν κινεῖται. Οὔτε δὲ ἔξωθεν χινεῖται" οὐ γὰρ ὠθεῖται, ἢ ἕλχεται, ὡς τὰ ἄψυχα᾽ οὔτε δὲ ἔσωθεν χινεῖται, ὡς τὰ ἔμψυχα" ἄτοπον γὰρ ψυχῆς ψυχὴν λέγειν’ οὐχ ἔσται οὖν σῶμα’ ἀσώματος. ἄρα. Καὶ πάλιν, εἰ σῶμά ἔστιν ἡ ψυχὴ, καὶ τὰς ποιότητας αἰσθητὰς ἔχει, καὶ τρέφεται ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τρέφεται. Καὶ εἰ τρέφεται, οὐ σωματιχῶς τρέφεται ὡς τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλ᾽ ἀσωμάτως " λόγῳ γὰρ τρέφεται οὐ τοίνυν ποιότητὰς αἰσθητὰς ἔχει" οὔτε γὰρ ὁρᾶται δικαιοσύνη, οὔτε ἀνδρία, οὔτε τῶγ τοιούτων οὐδέν ". τῆς δὲ Ψυχῆς αἱ ποιότητες αὗται" οὐχ ἔστιν οὖν σῶμα " ἀσώματος ἄρα. Ἔτι, πάσης τῆς σωματιχής οὐσίας. εἰς ἔμψυχον καὶ ἄψυχον διαιρουμένης, εἰπάτωσαν οἱ σῶμα σωματιχὴν] τὴν ψυχὴν λέγοντες, εἰ ἄψυχον αὐτὴν᾽ ᾿ λεχτέον, ἣ ἔμψυχον. Ἔτι, εἰ πᾶν σῶμα καὶ χέχρωσται, καὶ πεπόσωται, καὶ ἐσχημάτισται " οὐδὲν δὲ τούτων ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ θεωρεῖται, οὐχ. ἄρα σῶμα ἣ Ψυχή.

### English translation (Claude)

Whether the soul is incorporeal. That the soul is in our body has been shown; we must then know how it is in the body. If it lies beside it as pebble beside pebble, the soul will be a body, and the whole body will not be … lies [beside it]. But if it is mingled or blended, the soul would become many-parted and not simple, expelled from the proper definition of the soul. For the many-parted is divisible and dissoluble; the dissoluble is composite; and the composite has three dimensions. And body added to body makes bulk; but the soul in the body makes no bulk but rather gives life. So the soul will not be a body, but incorporeal. Again, if the soul is a body, it is moved either from without or from within. But it is not moved from without, for it is not pushed or pulled, as inanimate things are; nor is it moved from within, as ensouled things are, for it is absurd to speak of a soul of the soul. So it will not be a body; it is therefore incorporeal. And again, if the soul is a body, it has sensible qualities and is nourished; but it is not nourished. And if it is nourished, it is not nourished bodily, as the body is, but incorporeally, for it is nourished by reason. So it does not have sensible qualities; for neither justice nor courage nor anything of the kind is seen, and these are the qualities of the soul. So it is not a body; it is therefore incorporeal. Again, since all bodily substance is divided into ensouled and soulless, let those who say the soul is a body tell us whether it is to be called soulless or ensouled. Again, if every body has color, quantity, and shape, and none of these is seen in the soul, the soul is therefore not a body.

### Translation notes

- The second part of the chapter follows Migne's Latin in the scan (removed); the first words there are lost (“…”).

### Citation (SBL)

Ps.-Gregory Thaumaturgus, Tat. 4 (PG 10; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-4).

## To Tatian on the Soul 5

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-5
- Source: PG 10
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Being incorporeal, the soul is simple, uncompounded and without parts.

### Greek text

“τ Εἰ ἀπλῆ ἡ ψυχὴ, ἢ σύνθετος. Ἑ;. Δείχνυται τοίνυν, ὅτι εἰ: "ἁπλῆ ἡ ψυχὴ, ἐξ ὧν μάλιστα ἀσώματος ἀπεδείχθη. Εἰ γὰρ σῶμα οὐκ ἔστι, σῶμα δὲ πᾶν σύνθετόν ἐστι" τὸ δὲ συγχείμενον ἐχ. μερῶν σύγχειται, οὐχοῦν καὶ πολυμερὴς ἔσται. ᾿Ασώματος δὲ οὖσα, ἀπλῇ ἐστιν" ἐπειδὰν καὶ ἀσύνθετος, καὶ αὶ ἀμερής. ' ᾿ς

### English translation (Claude)

Whether the soul is simple or composite. 5. That the soul is simple is shown, then, above all from the arguments by which it was proved incorporeal. For if it is not a body, and every body is composite, and what is composed is composed of parts and so will be many-parted, then, being incorporeal, it is simple, since it is both uncompounded and without parts.

### Citation (SBL)

Ps.-Gregory Thaumaturgus, Tat. 5 (PG 10; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-5).

## To Tatian on the Soul 6

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-6
- Source: PG 10
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The soul is immortal: nothing that exists destroys itself; being simple it cannot be dissolved; being self-moved it never ceases; and its own evils, the vices, do not take away its life.

### Greek text

ἘἸ ἀδάναξος ἡμῶν ἡ ψυχή. τ ΚΓ, ᾿Αχόλουθον οἶμαι δεῖν τῷ ἁπλῷ, τὸ ἀθάνατον. §Q5§ §Q5§ Καὶ ὅπως, ἄχουσον " Οὐδὲν τῶν ὄντων, αὐτὸ ἕαυτο" §Q6§ §Q6§ φθαρτιχόν ἔστιν, ἐπεὶ οὐχ ἂν οὔτ᾽ ἐξ ἀρχῆς συνέστη. Τὰ γὰρ φθειρόμενα, ἐχ τῶν ἐναντίων φθείρονται " δὼ πᾶν φθειρόμενον. διαλυτόν ἐστι" τὸ δὲ διαλυτὸν, σύνθετον τὸ δὲ σύνθετον, πολυμερές τὸ ὃξ ἐχ μερῶν συγχείμενον, δῆλον ὅτι [ἀἄ.1. δηλονότι] ἐχ διαφόρων σύγχειται μερῶν τὸ δὲ διάφορον, οὐ ταυτόν " οὐχοῦν ἡ ψυχὴ ἁπλῆ οὖσα, καὶ μὴ ἐκ διαφόρων σνγχειμένη μερῶν, ἀσύνθετος καὶ ἀδιάλυτος οὖσα, διὰ τοῦτο ἄφθαρτος καὶ ἀθάνατὰς ἔσται. Ἔτι, πᾶν τὸ ἔχ τινος χινούμενον, οὐχ ἐξ ἕαντοῦ ἔχον τὸ ζωτιχὸν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐχ τοῦ Χινοῦντος, τοδοῦτον μένει, ὅσον ὑπὸ τῆς ἐνεργούσης ἕν αὐτῷ διαχρατεῖται δυνάμεως " ἐπειδὰν δὲ παύσηται τὸ ἐνεργοῦν, διᾷλείπει καὶ αὐτὸ, τὸ ἐξ αὐτοῦ τὴν χίνησιν ἔχον. Ἢ δὲ Ψυχὴ αὑτοχίνητος οὖσα, οὐδέποτε τοῦ εἶναι διαλείπει. ᾿Αχολουθεῖ γὰρ τῷ αὐτοχινήτῳ, τὸ ἀεὶ χινητὸν εἶναι" τὸ δὲ ἀειχίνητον, ἅπαυστόν ἐστι" τὸ δὲ ἄπαυστον, ἀτελεύτητον" τὸ δὲ ἀτελεύτητον, ἄφθαρτον" τὸ δὲ ᾿ ἄφθαρτον, ἀθάνατον. Εἰ τοίνυν ἡ ψυχὴ αὐταχίνητός ἔστιν, ὡς ἀνωτέρω ἀπεδείχθη" ἔσται ἄφθαρτος καὶ ἀθάνατος χατὰ τὸν προλεχθέντα [ἅ.. προτεθέντα) Ἔτι, κᾶν ὑπὸ τῆς ἰδίας χαχίας μὴ φθειρόμανον, ἄφθαρτόν ἐστι᾽ τὸ δὲ χαχὸν τῷ χαλῷ ἐναντίον, δὸ΄᾽ καὶ φθαρτιχόν ἐστιν αὐτοῦ. Οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστιν ἕτερον σώματος χαχία, ἣ πάθος, καὶ νόσος, καὶ θάνατος" ὥσπερ ἀρετὴ, χάλλος, ζωὴ, ὑγεία, καὶ εὐεξία. ποίνυν ἡ Ψυχὴ ὑπὸ τῆς ἰδίας χαχίας οὐ φθείρεξαι, χαχία δὲ ψυχῆς δειλία, ἀχολασία, φθόνος, καὶ τὰ καραπλήσια, ταῦτα δὲ πάντα οὐχ ἀφαιρεῖται αὐτῆς τὸ ζῇν τε καὶ τὸ χινεῖσθαι" ἀθάνατος ἄρα ἐστίν.

### English translation (Claude)

Whether our soul is immortal. 6. I think immortality must follow from simplicity. And hear how: none of the things that exist is … destructive [of itself], since otherwise it would not even have come into being in the first place. For things that perish perish by their contraries; therefore everything that perishes is dissoluble; the dissoluble is composite; the composite is many-parted; what consists of parts plainly consists of different parts; and the different is not the same. So the soul, being simple and not composed of different parts, being uncompounded and indissoluble, will for this reason be incorruptible and immortal. Again, everything that is moved by something else, having its vital principle not from itself but from what moves it, lasts only as long as it is held together by the power working in it; and when the working power ceases, the thing that has its motion from it fails as well. But the soul, being self-moved, never ceases to be. For it follows from being self-moved that it is ever-moving; the ever-moving is unceasing; the unceasing is endless; the endless is incorruptible; the incorruptible is immortal. If, then, the soul is self-moving, as was shown above, it will be incorruptible and immortal by the argument already stated. Again, what is not destroyed by its own evil is indestructible. Evil is the contrary of good, and therefore destructive of it. For the evil of the body is nothing other than suffering, disease, and death, just as its virtue is beauty, life, health, and good condition. If, then, the soul is not destroyed by its own evil (and the evil of the soul is cowardice, licentiousness, envy, and the like, and none of these takes from it its life and motion), it is therefore immortal.

### Extrabiblical texts

- Plato, Phaedr. 245c (Plato (works)): allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The chapter continues across Migne's Latin in the scan (removed); words lost there are marked “…”. The argument from self-motion follows Plato, Phaedrus 245c–e. Migne's bracketed alternative readings are not translated.

### Citation (SBL)

Ps.-Gregory Thaumaturgus, Tat. 6 (PG 10; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-6).

## To Tatian on the Soul 7

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-7
- Source: PG 10
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The soul is rational, as shown by its invention of useful arts, by the mind's correcting the senses to grasp things as they are, and by its planning everything inwardly before acting.

### Greek text

Ὅτι δὲ λογικὴ ἡμῶν ἡ ψυχὴ, ἐχ πολλῶν ἄν τις δείξεις " καὶ πρῶτον μὲν, ἔχ τοῦ τὰς τέχνας χρησί-. μους οὗτας τῷ βίῳ αὐτὴν εὑρηκέναι. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἁπλῶς; καὶ ὡς ἔτυχε, εἴποι τις συνεστάναι τὰς τέχνας" ἐπεὶ ᾿μῆτε ἀργὰς, καὶ ἀνωφελεῖς αὐτὰς τῷ βίῳ ἀποδείξει. ἢ ἶ βίῳ τὸ δὲ χρήσιμον, ἐπαινετόν" τὸ δὲ ἐπαιγετὸν, λόγῳ χατασχεναστὸν, ψυχῆς δὲ ΤΡΊΡΣ αὗται" ἄρα ἡμῶν ἡ ψυχήν. : Ἔπειτα, ἐκ τοῦ τὰς αἰσθήσεις ἡμῶν μὴ ἱχανὰς εἶναι πρὸς τὴν τῶν παραγμάτων χατάληψιν, λογιχὴ ἡμῶν ἡ ψυχὴ ἀποδείχνυται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀρκούμεθα πρὸς εἴδησιν τῶν ὄντων, τῇ τῆς αἰσθήσεως προσδολῇ. Ἐπεὶ μηδὲ στῆναι περὶ αὐτὰ θέλομεν, αὐτέκα γοῦν τὰ τῷ σχήματι ἴσα, καὶ τῇ χροιᾷ ὅμοια καὶ διῃρημένα ταῖς φύσεσιν |ἄ.. ὄψεσιν], ἡ αἴσθησις ἄλογος οὖσα διαχρῖναι ἀσθενεῖ. Εἰ τοίνυν αἱ αἰσθήσεις ἄλογο: οὖσαι, ψευδῆ ἡμῖν φαντασίαν τῶν ὄντων ἐμποιοῦσιν λογιστέον ἡμῖν, εἰ χκαταληπτέα τὰ ὄντα, ἣ μὴ, ὡς ἀληθῶς καὶ εἰ μὲν καταληπτέα, ἑτέρα ἐστὶν ἢ δύναμις, παὶ κρείττων παρὰ τὰς αἰσθήσεις, ἡ τούτων ἐφιχνουμένη. Εἰ δὲ μὴ χαταλαμθάνεται, οὐδὲ ἔσται ἡμῖν τὰ ᾿ δτέρως παρὰ ἐστι θεωρούμενα [χατἀλαμδάνειν)]. Ὅτι δὲ χαταληπτὰ ἡμῖν ἐστι τὰ πράγματα, δῆλον ἐξ οὗ οἱκπείως ἑχάστῳ πρὸς τὸ χρήσιμον χρώμεθα, καὶ πάλιν ᾿κατασχευάζομεν εἰς ἃ ἐθέλομεν. Οὐχοῦν εἰ τὰ ὄντα ἡμῖν κατάλη πτὰ ἐδείχθη, αἱ δὲ αἰσθήσεις ἄλογοι οὖσαι, ψευδῶς δοχιμάζουσι, γοῦς ἔσται ὁ τὰ πάντα λόγῳ διαχρίγων[.1. ἡ πάντα λόγον διαχρίνων), καὶ ἔστι ὡς ἀληθῶς τὰ ὄντα ἐπιγινώσχων " νοῦς δὲ ψυχῆς τὸ λογιχὰν μέρος" λογικὴ ἄρα ἡ ψυχή.. Ἔτι, ὅτι οὐδὲν ποιοῦμεν μὴ πρότερον ἑαυτοῖς δια- … γοάψαντες " τοῦτο δὲ, οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστιν ἢ τῆς ψυχῆς ἀξίωβα - οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔξωθεν αὐτῇ προσγίνεται ἡ τῶν ὄντων εἴδησις, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὴ ] ὥσπερ ταῖς ἑαυτῆς ἐπινοίαις τὰ ὄντα χοσμεῖ. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐν ἑαυτῇ προαναζωγραἐν οἱ οὕτως εἰς ἔργον ἐχφέρει. ᾿Αξίωμα δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς, οὐδέν ἐσεῖν ἕτερον, ἢ τὸ μετὰ λόγου πάντα ποιεῖν" Ί παυτῇ γὰρ καὶ διαφέρει, καὶ τῶν αἰσθήσεων. Ἐδείχθη ἄρα λογεκὴ; ἡ ψυχή.

### English translation (Claude)

That our soul is rational one could show from many things. First, from its having discovered the arts, which are useful for life. For no one could say that the arts arose simply and by chance, since he could not show them to be idle and useless for life. [If, then, they are useful to] life, and the useful is praiseworthy, and the praiseworthy is constructed by reason, and these are [works] of the soul, our soul is therefore [rational]. Next, our soul is shown to be rational from the fact that our senses are not sufficient for grasping things. For we are not content with the impression of sense for knowing things, since we do not even wish to stop at them; at any rate, things equal in shape and alike in color but differing in nature, sense, being irrational, is too weak to distinguish. If, then, the senses, being irrational, produce in us a false impression of things, we must consider whether things can truly be apprehended or not. And if they can be apprehended, there is another power, stronger than the senses, which reaches them. But if they are not apprehended, neither will the things that are seen otherwise than they are be [apprehended] by us. That things can be apprehended by us is clear from the fact that we use each fittingly for what is useful, and again shape them into what we wish. So if things have been shown to be apprehensible by us, while the senses, being irrational, judge falsely, it will be the mind that discerns all things by reason and recognizes things as they truly are; and the mind is the rational part of the soul; the soul is therefore rational. Further, [it is shown] from our doing nothing without first … it in ourselves; and this is nothing other than a dignity of the soul. For knowledge of things does not come to it from outside; rather it adorns things, as it were, with its own conceptions. For this reason it first sketches them in itself and so brings them out into action. And the dignity of the soul is nothing other than doing all things with reason; in this it differs even from the senses. The soul has therefore been shown to be rational.

### Translation notes

- Several words are garbled in the scan (marked “…” or supplied in brackets by sense). “Differing in nature” follows the text; Migne's alternative reading is “in appearance.” Migne's column numbers and Latin are removed, as is his bracketed repetition of the last sentence.

### Citation (SBL)

Ps.-Gregory Thaumaturgus, Tat. 7 (PG 10; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaumaturgus-tatianum/0/#p-7).