On Providence (ten orations) 3.1–3.8
Greek text: PG 83.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 3
3.1PG 83
Οἱ μὲν εὖ μάλα πως τὸ σῶμα διακείμενοι, τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν ἰατρῶν θεραπείας; οὐ δέονται" ἀχραιφνὴς γὰρ ὑγεία τῆς τῶν φαρμάκων ἐπικουρίας οὐκ ἐνδεής" οἱ δ᾽ ὑπὸ νόσου πολεμούμενοι, καλεῖν εἰώθασι τοὺς ἰατροὺς εἰς βοήθειαν, καὶ τοῖς ὅπλοις τῆς τέχνης κατὰ τῶν παθῶν χρώμενοι συνεργοῖς, ὥσπερ τινὰς πολεμίους ἐκ τῶν σωμάτων διώκειν ἐπιχειροῦσιν. Ἰατρικὴ γὰρ τέχνη σωμάτων ἐπίκουρος, καὶ παθῶν ἐπίόουλος. Καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς τοίνυν οἱ μὲν ἐῤῥωμένας ἔχοντες, καὶ τῇ τῆς εὑσεύείας ὑγείᾳ λαμπρυνομένας, τῶν διδασχαλιχῶν φαρμάκων οὐ χρήζουσιν" οἱ δὲ προλήψει πονηρᾷ κατεχόμενοι, καὶ τῶν βδελυρῶν δογμάτων τὴν νόσον δεξάμενοι, καὶ τῷ χρόνῳ τὴν διάθεσιν ἕξιν ἐργασάμενοι, πολλῶν μὲν δέονται καθαρτη ρίων, τὴν μοχθηρὰν ἐχείνην ὕλην ἀναμοχλεῦσαι δυναμένων, καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς καθαρὰς ἀποφῆναι" πολλῶν δὲ φαρμάκων, τοὺς γεννητιχοὺς ἐκείνης πόρους τῷ δραστηρίῳ χλώντων τε καὶ φραττόντων, καὶ τὰς Ἢ πονηρὰς ὠδῖνας παυόντων. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν παγχάλεπὸς καὶ δυστράπελος τῶν τὴν κτίσιν προνοίας ἀποστερεῖν ἐπιχειρούντων ἧ νόσος, δύο μὲν αὐτοῖς ἤδη φάρμακα προηνέγχαμεν, ἐκ τῶν τῆς κτίσεως μορίων ταῦτα χεράσαντες " ἵνα δὲ πρόῤῥιζον ἀνασπάσωμεν τὴν νόσον, καὶ τέλεον αὐτοὺς τῆς χαλεπῆς ἀπαλλάξωμεν ἀῤῥωστίας, καὶ τρίτον αὑτοῖς κατασκευάσαι τε καὶ προσενεγκεῖν πειρασόμεθα. Τῆς δὲ κατασκευῆς τὰς ὕλας οὐκ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ γῆς, καὶ θαλάττης, οὐδ᾽ ἐξ ἡλίου, καὶ σελήνης, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων φωστήρων, οὐδ᾽ ἐξ ἀέρος, καὶ νεφῶν, καὶ πνευμάτων, οὐδ᾽ ἐκ ποταμῶν, και πηγῶν, καὶ φρεάτων, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν βλασφημεῖν ἐπιχειρούντων ληψόμεθα. Στόμα γὰρ εἰληφότες παρὰ τοῦ κτίσαντος, ἵν᾽ ὑπὲρ ὧν ἀπολαυουσιν ἀγαθῶν τῷ δοτῆρι τὸν ὕμνον προσφέρωσιν, οὐ μόνον ὑμνεῖν οὐκ ἐθέλουσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ βλασφημίαις τὴν γλῶσσαν μιαίνουσι, καὶ τὸ λογικὸν ἀτιμάζουσιν ὄργανον. ᾿Αρχεῖ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο μόνον τὸ μόριον δεῖξαι τοῦ πεποιηκότος, οὐ τὴν σοφίαν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἄπλητον φιλανθρωπίαν. Ὀργάνῳ γὰρ ἔοικεν ἀπὸ χαλκῶν συγκειμένῳ καλάμων, καὶ ὑπ᾽ ἀσκῶν ἐχφυσουμένῳ, καὶ κινουμένῳ ὑπὸ τῶν τοῦ τεχνίτου δακτύλων, καὶ ἀποτελοῦντι τὴν ἐναρμόνιον ἐχείνην χήν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐκ ἧ φύσις παρὰ τῆς τέχνης, ἡ τέχνη δὲ παρὰ τῆς φύσεως ἐδιδάχθη τῆς τερπνῆῇς ἐκείνης ἢχῆς τὸ μηχάνημα" ἀρχέτυπον γὰρ τῆς τέχνης ἣ φύσις, ἴνδαλμα δὲ τῆς φύσεως ἡ τέχνη. ἤΆθρει τοιγαροῦν ὁ λόγου μὲντετυχηχὼς, ἀτιμάζων δὲ τῇ τιμῇ τὸν τιμήσαντα, πῶς ὑπόκειται μὲν ὃ πνεύμων δίκην ἀσχοῦ, ἀποθλίδουσι δὲ αὐτὸν, οὐ πόδες ἀνθρώπου, ἀλλ᾽ οἱ περικείμενοι τῷ θώρακι μύες, συστέλλοντες αὐτὸν καὶ διαστέλλοντες. ᾿Αναπέμπει δὲ οὑτοσὶ διὰ τῆς τραχείας ἀρτηρίας τὸ πνεῦμα, τὸ δὲ συνωθούμενον, ἀνοίγει μὲν τὴν ἐπιγλωττίδα, φέρεται δὲ διὰ τοῦ φάρυγγος ἐπὶ τὸ στόμα.
Hoi men eu mala pōs to sōma diakeimenoi, tēs apo tōn iatrōn therapeias? ou deontai" achraiphnēs gar hygeia tēs tōn pharmakōn epikourias ouk endeēs" hoi d᾽ hypo nosou polemoumenoi, kalein eiōthasi tous iatrous eis boētheian, kai tois hoplois tēs technēs kata tōn pathōn chrōmenoi synergois, hōsper tinas polemious ek tōn sōmatōn diōkein epicheirousin. Iatrikē gar technē sōmatōn epikouros, kai pathōn epiooulos. Kai tas psychas toinyn hoi men errhōmenas echontes, kai tę̄ tēs heuseueias hygeią lamprynomenas, tōn didaschalichōn pharmakōn ou chrēzousin" hoi de prolēpsei ponērą katechomenoi, kai tōn bdelyrōn dogmatōn tēn noson dexamenoi, kai tǭ chronǭ tēn diathesin hexin ergasamenoi, pollōn men deontai kathartē riōn, tēn mochthēran echeinēn hylēn anamochleusai dynamenōn, kai tas psychas katharas apophēnai" pollōn de pharmakōn, tous gennētichous ekeinēs porous tǭ drastēriǭ chlōntōn te kai phrattontōn, kai tas Ē ponēras ōdinas pauontōn. Epeidē toinyn panchalepos kai dystrapelos tōn tēn ktisin pronoias aposterein epicheirountōn hē nosos, dyo men autois ēdē pharmaka proēnenchamen, ek tōn tēs ktiseōs moriōn tauta cherasantes " hina de prorrhizon anaspasōmen tēn noson, kai teleon autous tēs chalepēs apallaxōmen arrhōstias, kai triton hautois kataskeuasai te kai prosenenkein peirasometha. Tēs de kataskeuēs tas hylas ouk ex ouranou, kai gēs, kai thalattēs, oud᾽ ex hēliou, kai selēnēs, kai tōn allōn phōstērōn, oud᾽ ex aeros, kai nephōn, kai pneumatōn, oud᾽ ek potamōn, kai pēgōn, kai phreatōn, all᾽ ex autōn tōn blasphēmein epicheirountōn lēpsometha. Stoma gar eilēphotes para tou ktisantos, hin᾽ hyper hōn apolauousin agathōn tǭ dotēri ton hymnon prospherōsin, ou monon hymnein ouk ethelousin, alla kai blasphēmiais tēn glōssan miainousi, kai to logikon atimazousin organon. ᾿Archei de kai touto monon to morion deixai tou pepoiēkotos, ou tēn sophian monon, alla kai tēn aplēton philanthrōpian. Organǭ gar eoiken apo chalkōn synkeimenǭ kalamōn, kai hyp᾽ askōn echphysoumenǭ, kai kinoumenǭ hypo tōn tou technitou daktylōn, kai apotelounti tēn enarmonion echeinēn chēn. ᾿All᾽ ouk hē physis para tēs technēs, hē technē de para tēs physeōs edidachthē tēs terpnēę̄s ekeinēs ēchēs to mēchanēma" archetypon gar tēs technēs hē physis, indalma de tēs physeōs hē technē. ēAthrei toigaroun ho logou mentetychēchōs, atimazōn de tę̄ timę̄ ton timēsanta, pōs hypokeitai men ho pneumōn dikēn aschou, apothlidousi de auton, ou podes anthrōpou, all᾽ hoi perikeimenoi tǭ thōraki myes, systellontes auton kai diastellontes. ᾿Anapempei de houtosi dia tēs tracheias artērias to pneuma, to de synōthoumenon, anoigei men tēn epiglōttida, pheretai de dia tou pharyngos epi to stoma.
Those whose bodies are in very good condition need no treatment from physicians, for unimpaired health does not need the help of drugs; but those attacked by disease usually call in physicians to help them, and using the weapons of the art as allies against their ailments, they try to drive them out of their bodies as though they were enemies. For the art of medicine is the ally of bodies and the plotter against ailments. So too with souls: those who have them strong and shining with the health of piety have no need of the medicines of teaching; but those held fast by a wicked prejudice, who have caught the disease of loathsome doctrines and by time have turned the condition into a settled habit, need many purgatives able to stir up that vicious matter and render their souls pure, and many medicines that by their potency close and block the passages that breed it and stop its evil labor pains. Since, then, the disease of those who try to deprive creation of providence is very severe and hard to turn, we have already brought them two medicines, blending them from the parts of creation; but in order to tear the disease out by the roots and free them completely from their grievous sickness, we will try to prepare and bring them a third. We will take the materials for preparing it not from heaven, earth, and sea, nor from the sun, moon, and other lights, nor from air, clouds, and winds, nor from rivers, springs, and wells, but from those very people who try to blaspheme. For having received a mouth from the one who created them, so that they might offer a hymn to the giver for the good things they enjoy, they are not only unwilling to sing his praise but even defile their tongue with blasphemies and dishonor the instrument of reason. This one part alone is enough to show not only the wisdom of its maker but also his boundless love for humankind. For it is like an organ made of bronze pipes, blown by bellows, moved by the fingers of the craftsman, and producing that harmonious sound. Yet nature was not taught by art, but art learned from nature the device of that delightful sound; for nature is the archetype of art, and art an image of nature. Consider, then, you who have received reason but by your honor dishonor the one who honored you, how the lung lies beneath like the bellows, and it is pressed not by a man's feet but by the muscles around the chest, which contract and expand it. It sends the breath up through the windpipe, and the breath, pushed together, opens the epiglottis and is carried through the throat to the mouth.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret begins his third discourse by offering a third medicine to those who deny providence, taken from their own bodies, starting with the organs of speech, which work like a pipe organ.
- The "organ" is the pipe organ worked by bellows, known in Theodoret's day.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris; debris from Migne's Latin column inside the word ληψόμεθα; debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek): τοὺς (ἃ ἰατροὺς → τοὺς ἰατροὺς; ϑδὰ εἱ δϑῖ, τη Υΐ, πος δὰ 8016, ἃ} → ; ληψό- Α 1118 ᾿ρ58, 4! Ὀ]Δϑρ τ μεθα → ληψόμεθα.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 3.1 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
3.2PG 83
Ὁ δὲ λόγος, τῆς γλώττης οἷόν τινος δεξιᾶς. ἐπειλημμένος, ταύτην τοῖς ὁδοῦσι καθάπερ τοῖς χαλκοῖς ἐκείνοις προσφέρει χαλάμοις, καὶ ἄνω καὶ ῥᾳδίως κατασκευάζει ' συνεργεῖ δὲ αὐτῇ πρὸς τὴν εὐκολίαν τοῦ δρόμου, ὁ ὑποκείμενος ἀδὴν, οἷόν τις λιδὰς ἀναδλύζων νοτίδα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αὐτὴν ὁ συχνὸς χκαταξηραίνει δρόμος, ἐδεῖτο μετρίας ὑγρότητος, τεγγούσης αὑτὴν καὶ λειαινούσης, καὶ τὴν κίνησιν τῆς τοῖς ὁδοῦσι τοῦ λόγου προσομιλοῦντος, καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος, ὡς ἔφην, φερομένου, καὶ τῶν χειλέων πτυσσομένων, καὶ τοῦ ἀέρος τῇ φορᾷ τοῦ πνεύματος ἀποτελεῖται φωνὴ, καὶ γίνεται ὄχημα τοῦ λόγου τὸ ἔνδοθεν ἐκφερόμενον πνεῦμα, καὶ ὡς περιττὸν ἀπωθεῖται τὸ λιγνυῶδες ἡ φύσις. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοῦ ἐμφύτου θερμοῦ πηγὴν τὴν καρδίαν ὁ Πλάστης πεποίηκε, καὶ ἐκ τοῦδε τοῦ μορίου πᾶν τὸ σῶμα τῆς θερμῆς μεταλαμδάνει ποιότητος, ἐδεῖτο δὲ καὶ μικρᾶς τινος ἀναψύξεως πολλῷ τῷ θερμῷ συνεχομένη, καταπνεῖσθαι αὑτὴν δικ τοῦ πνεύμονος πεποίηκεν ὁ τῆς φύσεως Π᾿οιητῆς. Οὗτος γὰρ διὰ μὲν τῆς τραχείας ἀρτηρίας τὸ χαθαοὃν ἔξωθεν δέχεται πνεῦμα, διὰ δὲ τῆς λείας τοῦτο παραπέμπει τῇ εὐωνύμῳ τῆς καρδίας κοιλίᾳ " ἐκεῖθεν γὰρ, ὥς φασιν οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἀχριδῶς ἱστορήσαντες, αὕτη, τὴν ἔκφυσιν ἔχει. Παραπέμπων δὲ οὗτος ὁ πνεύμων τὸ καθαρὸν πνεῦμα, τὸ λιγνυῶδες λαμδάνει, καὶ τοῦτο ὡς περιττὸν διὰ τῆς τραχείας ἀρτηρίας ἐπὶ τὰ ἔξω πάλιν ὠθεΐ, καὶ γίνεται τὸ περιττὸν καὶ ἄχρηστον παντελῶς, τοῦ νοῦ βουληθέντος, καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν ἐν ῥυθμῷ καὶ ἁρμονίᾳ κινήσαντος, ὄχημα τοῦ λόγου " καὶ τὸ ὡς βλαδερὸν ὑπὸ τῆς καρδίας ἐχφορούμενον, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύμονος ὠθούμενον, τῆς ἐνάρθρονυ φωνῇς γίνεται συνεργόν. ᾿Αληθῶς " ε[Ὥβάθος πλούτον καὶ σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοὺ !Ἐ » ἀληθῶς’ ε Τίς λαλήσει τὰς δυναστείας τοῦ Κυρίου, ἀχουστὰς ποιήσει πάσας τὰς αἰνέσεις αὐτοῦ; ν» ᾿Αληθῶς " ε Ὡς ἐμεγαλύνθη τὰ ἔργα σον, Κύριε! πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας. ν» Ποῖος ἀπόχρη λόγος εἰς ὑμνῳδίαν τοῦ Κτίσαντος :; Ποῖος ἀρκεῖ λόγος εἷς τὴν τῆς οἰκείας δημιουργίας διήγησιν; Τίς ἱκανὸς ἑρμηνεῦσαι λόγος τοῦ λόγου τὰ ὄργανα; Τίς εἰς τοσοῦτον σοφίας ἀφίκετο, ὡς τοῦ Πλάστου τὴν σοφίαν ἀχριθῶς θεωρῆσαι; Σὺ ὃὲΣ ταῦτα βλέπων, καὶ τούτων ἀπολαύων, οὐδ᾽ ὑμνεῖν ἐθέλεις τὸν τούτων ἃ αἴτιόν σοι γεγενημένον, ἀλλ᾽ ἀμέλειαν κατηγορεῖς τοῦ πᾶσαν ἐπιμέλειαν ὧν πεποίηκε ποιουμένου. Καὶ μὴν ἤρκει τοῦτο μόνον τὸ μόριον δεῖξαι τοῦ Ποιητοῦ τὴν περὶ τὸ ζῶον γχηδεμονίαν. Λογικὸν γὰρ ἐργασάμενος, πεποίηκε πρόσφορα τῷ λόγῳ τὰ ὄργανα. Ἐν τεῦθεν ἣ τέχνη τὴν μίμησιν ἐρανισαμένη, καὶ αὐλοὺς ἀτεχτήνατο, χοαὶ λύρας καὶ κιθάρας συνέθηκε " καὶ ἀντὶ μὲν τῶν ὀδόντων, διέτεινε τὰς χορδὰς, ἀντὶ δὲ τῶν χειλέων ἐνέθηχε τὸν χαλκόν" γλῶττα ξδὲ ταῖς χορδαῖς γίνεται τὸ πλῆκτρον" ἡ δὲ διὰ τῆς χειρὸς ἐπὶ τὴν ὀξεῖαν καὶ βαρεῖαν. διάθδασις, μιμεῖται τὸν λόγον, ἄνω καὶ κάτω διατρέχειν τὴν γλῶτταν παρασχευάξζοντα. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως καὶ τοσαύτης ἀχριθείας ἐν τῇ τέχνῃ φαινομένης, τὸν μὲν ῥυθμὸν καὶ τὴν ἁρμονίαν τοῦ μέλους θαυμάζουσιν οἱ ἀκούοντες, δὲ τῶν λόγων οὐκ ἐπακούουσι" μίμημα γὰρ τῆς φύσεως ἡ τέχνη. ἡ δὲ φύσις ἔναρθρον ἀποτελεῖ τὴν φωνήν. Θεοῦ γὰρ αὕτη ποίημα, τοῦ τῶν ἁπάντων Δημιουργοῦ, Καὶ καθάπερ ἡ τέχνη μιμεῖται τὸ ζῶον, καὶ τὸν χαλκὸν ἣ τὸν λίθον εἰς ἀνθρωπείαν ἐντυποῖ μορφὴν, καὶ ὀφθαλμοὺς, καὶ ῥῖνα, καὶ στόμα, καὶ ἀκοὰς, τράχηλόν τε καὶ χεῖρας, καὶ στήθη καὶ κοιλίαν, μηρούς τε καὶ σκέλη καὶ πόδας περιτίθησιν, αἴσθησιν δὲ καὶ λογισμὸν, καὶ τὴν ἑκούσιον κίνησιν οὐκέτι ἰσχύει χαρίσασθαι" οὕτω λύρα καὶ κιθάρα, καὶ τὸ ἐκ τῶν χαλκῶν καλάμων ὄργαγον, ἐναρμόνιον. μὲν ἐχὴν καὶ ῥυθμὸν διὰ τῶν ἐμφυσημάτων ἣ χρουσμάτων ἀποτελεῖ, ἔναρθρον δὲ φωνὴν
Ho de logos, tēs glōttēs hoion tinos dexias. epeilēmmenos, tautēn tois hodousi kathaper tois chalkois ekeinois prospherei chalamois, kai anō kai rhądiōs kataskeuazei ' synergei de autę̄ pros tēn eukolian tou dromou, ho hypokeimenos adēn, hoion tis lidas anadlyzōn notida. Epeidē gar autēn ho sychnos chkataxērainei dromos, edeito metrias hygrotētos, tengousēs hautēn kai leiainousēs, kai tēn kinēsin tēs tois hodousi tou logou prosomilountos, kai tou pneumatos, hōs ephēn, pheromenou, kai tōn cheileōn ptyssomenōn, kai tou aeros tę̄ phorą tou pneumatos apoteleitai phōnē, kai ginetai ochēma tou logou to endothen ekpheromenon pneuma, kai hōs peritton apōtheitai to lignyōdes hē physis. Epeidē gar tou emphytou thermou pēgēn tēn kardian ho Plastēs pepoiēke, kai ek toude tou moriou pan to sōma tēs thermēs metalamdanei poiotētos, edeito de kai mikras tinos anapsyxeōs pollǭ tǭ thermǭ synechomenē, katapneisthai hautēn dik tou pneumonos pepoiēken ho tēs physeōs P᾿oiētēs. Houtos gar dia men tēs tracheias artērias to chathaoon exōthen dechetai pneuma, dia de tēs leias touto parapempei tę̄ euōnymǭ tēs kardias koilią " ekeithen gar, hōs phasin hoi ta toiauta achridōs historēsantes, hautē, tēn ekphysin echei. Parapempōn de houtos ho pneumōn to katharon pneuma, to lignyōdes lamdanei, kai touto hōs peritton dia tēs tracheias artērias epi ta exō palin ōtheï, kai ginetai to peritton kai achrēston pantelōs, tou nou boulēthentos, kai tēn glōttan en rhythmǭ kai harmonią kinēsantos, ochēma tou logou " kai to hōs bladeron hypo tēs kardias echphoroumenon, kai hypo tou pneumonos ōthoumenon, tēs enarthrony phōnę̄s ginetai synergon. ᾿Alēthōs " e[Hōbathos plouton kai sophias kai gnōseōs tou Theou !E » alēthōs’ e Tis lalēsei tas dynasteias tou Kyriou, achoustas poiēsei pasas tas aineseis autou? n» ᾿Alēthōs " e Hōs emegalynthē ta erga son, Kyrie! panta en sophią epoiēsas. n» Poios apochrē logos eis hymnǭdian tou Ktisantos :? Poios arkei logos heis tēn tēs oikeias dēmiourgias diēgēsin? Tis hikanos hermēneusai logos tou logou ta organa? Tis eis tosouton sophias aphiketo, hōs tou Plastou tēn sophian achrithōs theōrēsai? Sy hoeS tauta blepōn, kai toutōn apolauōn, oud᾽ hymnein etheleis ton toutōn ha aition soi gegenēmenon, all᾽ ameleian katēgoreis tou pasan epimeleian hōn pepoiēke poioumenou. Kai mēn ērkei touto monon to morion deixai tou Poiētou tēn peri to zōon nchēdemonian. Logikon gar ergasamenos, pepoiēke prosphora tǭ logǭ ta organa. En teuthen hē technē tēn mimēsin eranisamenē, kai aulous atechtēnato, choai lyras kai kitharas synethēke " kai anti men tōn odontōn, dieteine tas chordas, anti de tōn cheileōn enethēche ton chalkon" glōtta xde tais chordais ginetai to plēktron" hē de dia tēs cheiros epi tēn oxeian kai bareian. diathdasis, mimeitai ton logon, anō kai katō diatrechein tēn glōttan parascheuaxzonta. ᾿All᾽ homōs kai tosautēs achritheias en tę̄ technę̄ phainomenēs, ton men rhythmon kai tēn harmonian tou melous thaumazousin hoi akouontes, de tōn logōn ouk epakouousi" mimēma gar tēs physeōs hē technē. hē de physis enarthron apotelei tēn phōnēn. Theou gar hautē poiēma, tou tōn hapantōn Dēmiourgou, Kai kathaper hē technē mimeitai to zōon, kai ton chalkon hē ton lithon eis anthrōpeian entypoi morphēn, kai ophthalmous, kai rhina, kai stoma, kai akoas, trachēlon te kai cheiras, kai stēthē kai koilian, mērous te kai skelē kai podas peritithēsin, aisthēsin de kai logismon, kai tēn hekousion kinēsin ouketi ischyei charisasthai" houtō lyra kai kithara, kai to ek tōn chalkōn kalamōn orgagon, enarmonion. men echēn kai rhythmon dia tōn emphysēmatōn hē chrousmatōn apotelei, enarthron de phōnēn
Reason, taking hold of the tongue as of a right hand, brings it to the teeth as to those bronze pipes, and … easily up and down; and the gland lying beneath helps it to run smoothly, gushing up moisture like a spring. For since constant running dries the tongue out, it needed moderate moisture to wet and smooth it, and … the movement of the tongue … touching the teeth, and the breath being carried, as I said, and the lips folding, and the air being struck by the stream of breath, a voice is produced; the breath carried out from within becomes the vehicle of speech, and nature thrusts out the smoky part as superfluous. For since the Fashioner made the heart the spring of the inborn heat, and from this part the whole body receives the quality of heat, and since the heart, held fast by so much heat, also needed some little cooling, the Maker of nature made it to be fanned by the lung. For the lung receives pure air from outside through the windpipe and sends it on through the smooth artery to the left chamber of the heart; for from there, as those who have studied such matters precisely say, that artery has its origin. And as the lung sends on the pure air, it takes in the smoky air, and pushes it out again through the windpipe as superfluous; and what is superfluous and utterly useless becomes, when the mind wills and moves the tongue in rhythm and harmony, the vehicle of speech; and what is carried out by the heart as harmful and pushed out by the lung becomes a co-worker of articulate voice. Truly, "O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!" Truly, "Who will tell the mighty deeds of the Lord, and make all his praises heard?" Truly, "How great are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you have made them all." What words suffice to praise the Creator? What words are enough to tell of his own handiwork? What words are able to explain the instruments of speech? Who has reached such wisdom as to contemplate precisely the wisdom of the Fashioner? Yet you, seeing these things and enjoying them, are unwilling even to praise the one who has become the cause of them for you, but accuse of neglect the one who takes every care of what he has made. Indeed this one part would have been enough to show the Maker's care for the living creature. For having made it rational, he made instruments suited to reason. From this art gathered its imitation, built flutes, and put together lyres and citharas; instead of the teeth it stretched strings, instead of the lips it set bronze; the plectrum serves the strings as the tongue; and the hand's movement between high and low notes imitates reason, which makes the tongue run up and down. Yet even though such precision appears in the art, the hearers admire the rhythm and harmony of the melody, but do not hear the meaning of words; for art is an imitation of nature. But nature produces articulate voice, for it is the work of God, the Creator of all things. And just as art imitates the living creature, and moulds bronze or stone into human form, giving it eyes, nose, mouth, ears, neck and hands, chest and belly, thighs, legs, and feet, but has no power to grant sensation, reasoning, and voluntary movement, so the lyre, the cithara, and the organ of bronze pipes produce harmonious sound and rhythm by blowing or striking, but articulate voice
Rom 11:33 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 106:2 (105:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 104:24 (103:24 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret describes how tongue, teeth, lips, lungs, and heart work together to produce speech, turning even the heart's waste breath into the vehicle of reason, and shows that musical instruments only imitate this without producing articulate words.
- Quotations: Rom 11:33; Ps 106:2 (LXX 105:2); Ps 104:24 (LXX 103:24).
- Words are lost in the OCR in the first sentence (after "and"; the printed text has ἄνω καὶ ῥᾳδίως κατασκευάζει) and in the sentence on moisture (the printed text has καὶ τὴν κίνησιν τῆς τοῖς ὁδοῦσι τοῦ λόγου); marked … and not supplied. "The meaning of words" renders a damaged phrase (printed δὲ τῶν λόγων).
- "The smooth artery": the pulmonary vessel, in the physiology of Galen, which Theodoret follows.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek): δ Γᾶ- ὯΔΠ| ἤδης υόοσ οὐϊῖ, ρἰδη6 5} Ἐξ πυ πὶ 6ϑῖ. Νοη ἃ συ πὶ πὶ Διο 830ἰῃδὰοἴ. ὐπι ὀπὶ δβϑἰἀπ8 116 πίῃ 06 Οὐ} ρα Ἰν πὴ συ ἢ υἱὲ οἱ ἄπληστον. ἀδρθηίοῦ προνοεῖ, βογιβοηϑ νου! υπν Πἶἰλὶ : εἱ (ϑρὶ γι - Α → ; τῆς οἱ ἰβαρ θα ον ἴθὅλη καρδίας → τῆς καρδίας; τη αὐ (οοἷς ουγαπὶ ρος αἰ θη 55 μαιη. Εὖ ἀμ 581. ἀμ πὰ → ; συ τὸ ἁγίουμη, σι οα 6 δἱ οἰἴμαγα, οἱ φυοὰ δκ τ υἱ τη → .
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 3.2 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
3.3PG 83
μόνον ἀποτελεῖ τὸ ἀρχέτυπον ὄργανον. Τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ ποίημα, ἐκεῖνα δὲ πάντα τῆς τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ εἰκόνος. Ὧς Ποιητοῦ γὰρ εἰκὼν ὁ ἄνθρωπος, τὸν Ποιητὴν μιμεῖσθαι φιλονειχεῖ. Καὶ ἔοικε τὰ γινόμενα σχιαῖΐῖς πρὸς ἀλήθειαν ἀμιλλωμέναις, αἵ τὸν μὲν τύπον ἔχουσι, τῆς δὲ ἐνεργείας ἐστέρηνται. Τοσαύτην τοιγαροῦν ὁρῶν ἐν τοῖς ὀργάνοις τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ τὴν πρόνοιαν, παῦσαι ταύτῃ ᾿ ῥᾳθυμίαν ἐγκαλῶν. Ἵνα δὲ μάθῃς καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἄλλων μελῶν τὴν περὶ ἡμᾶς τοῦ πεποιηκότος κηδεμονίαν, δεῦρο, πάλιν πρὸς αὐτὴν σε τὴν καρδίαν ἀγάγωμεν. Ταύτην τοίνυν κοριώτατον οὔσαν μόριον, καὶ τὴν Α ἡγεμονίαν τοῦ σώματος πεπιστευμένην, καθάπερ ἀὐτῇ ἰσχυρὸν τὸν θώρακα περιτίθησιν, ἵνα μηδὲν αὐτὴν ῥαδίως τῶν ἔξωθεν προσπιπτόντων λυ πῇ. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ διηνεκὼς κινεῖται (ἀρτηριῶν γὰρ αὕτη πηγὴ), κάτωθεν μὲν ὑπέστρωσεν αὑτῇ οἷόν τινα κολύπορον καὶ ἀρτηριῶδες τοῦ πνεύμονος σῶμα" ἄνωθεν δὲ, νό τα χωνοειδὲς αὐτῆς ἰσχυρὸν ἀπειργάσατο, καὶ χιτῶνα ὑμενώδη μὲν, στεγανὸν δὲ καὶ ἰσχυρὸν περιτέθεικεν. Ὕλην δὲ τροφῆς αὐτῇ χορηγεῖ, οὐ τὸ πνεῦμα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ αἷμα" ἕλκει δὲ τοῦτο, οἷον διά τινὸς ὀλχοῦ τῆς κοίλης φλεθὸς, ἀπὸ τῶν τοῦ ἥπατος μορίων. Τὸ δὲ ἧπαρ ἐκ τῆς γαστρὸς ταύτην ἀνιμᾶται τὴν ὕλην. Ἧ δὲ γαστὴρ, Β διὰ τοῦ στομάχου τὴν ὑπὸ νῶν ὀδόντων τεμνομένην, γαὶ ὑπὸ τῶν μυλῶν λεπτυνομένην τε καὶ λεαινομένιν ἕλκει τροφήν" ξλχουσα δὲ, πρότερον χατἄχει καὶ χυλοξ, καὶ ἀλλοιοῖ, καὶ μεταδάλλει, καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτὴν ὁμοιοῖ" εἶτα δια πεφθεῖσαν καλῶς καὶ ἀλλοιωθεῖσαν, ἀποκρίνει δικαίως, καὶ παραχωρεῖ μὲν τῷ ἤπατι διηθεῖν καὶ ἕλκειν ταύτης τὸ καθαρὸν, τὸ δὲ᾽ περιττὸν ἀπωθεῖται, καὶ τοῖς ἐντέροις παραπέμπει, Οὕτω τὸ ἧπαρ τὸ καθαρὸν τῆς τροφῆς ὑποδεξάμενον, οὐκ ἀρκεῖται τῇ γενομένῃ καθάρσει καὶ διακρίσει, ἀλλ᾽ οἷόν τισε πάλιν ἠθμοῖς, ταύτην διαιρεῖ καὶ καθαίρει, καὶ τὴν μὲν οἷον ὑποστάθμην καὶ παχυτάτην τρύγα, διά τινων αἰτιῶν ἕλκων ὁ σπλὴν, ταύτην ποιεῖται τροφήν" τὸ δὲ πέρα τοῦ μέτρου πεφθὲν, καὶ τὴν χολώδη μεταλαδὸν ποιότητα, καὶ εἰς τὸ ἀγγεῖον “ τὸ δὲ ῥοῶδες καὶ λίαν λεπτὸν, καὶ τροφῆῇς ἄμοιρον, εἰς τὸ τῶν ὕγρων περιττωμάτων δοχεῖον χωρεῖ. Οὕτως ἀχραιφνῶς καθαρὰν τὴν τροφὴν ἐχείνὴν γενομένην, καὶ ὁμοιωθεῖσαν τῷ ἥπατι, καὶ εἰς φλὲψ, χορηγεῖ μὲν τῇ καρδίᾳ τὴν χρείαν, ἄνεισι δὲ ἄνω, καὶ εἰς πολλὰς διασχιζομένη φλέθας, τρέφει μὲν τὸν θώρακα, τρέφει δὲ ὥμους, καὶ χεῖρας, ἀφἐκνεῖται δὲ μέχρις ὀνύχων, περιπλέχεται τῷ τραχήλῳ, χαταλαμδάνει τὴν κεφαλὴν, κάτεισιν εἰς γλοντοὺς, καὶ μηροὺς, καὶ γόνατα, καὶ σκέλῃ, καὶ πόδας, καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς, ἅπαν τὸ τοῦ σώματος᾽ περινοστεῖ.
monon apotelei to archetypon organon. Touto men gar autou tou Dēmiourgou poiēma, ekeina de panta tēs tou Dēmiourgou eikonos. Hōs Poiētou gar eikōn ho anthrōpos, ton Poiētēn mimeisthai philoneichei. Kai eoike ta ginomena schiaiïis pros alētheian amillōmenais, hai ton men typon echousi, tēs de energeias esterēntai. Tosautēn toigaroun horōn en tois organois tou Dēmiourgou tēn pronoian, pausai tautę̄ ᾿ rhąthymian enkalōn. Hina de mathę̄s kai ek tōn allōn melōn tēn peri hēmas tou pepoiēkotos kēdemonian, deuro, palin pros autēn se tēn kardian agagōmen. Tautēn toinyn koriōtaton ousan morion, kai tēn A hēgemonian tou sōmatos pepisteumenēn, kathaper autę̄ ischyron ton thōraka peritithēsin, hina mēden autēn rhadiōs tōn exōthen prospiptontōn ly pę̄. Epeidē de diēnekōs kineitai (artēriōn gar hautē pēgē), katōthen men hypestrōsen hautę̄ hoion tina kolyporon kai artēriōdes tou pneumonos sōma" anōthen de, no ta chōnoeides autēs ischyron apeirgasato, kai chitōna hymenōdē men, steganon de kai ischyron peritetheiken. Hylēn de trophēs autę̄ chorēgei, ou to pneuma monon, alla kai to haima" helkei de touto, hoion dia tinos olchou tēs koilēs phlethos, apo tōn tou hēpatos moriōn. To de hēpar ek tēs gastros tautēn animatai tēn hylēn. Hē de gastēr, B dia tou stomachou tēn hypo nōn odontōn temnomenēn, gai hypo tōn mylōn leptynomenēn te kai leainomenin helkei trophēn" xlchousa de, proteron chatachei kai chylox, kai alloioi, kai metadallei, kai pros heautēn homoioi" eita dia pephtheisan kalōs kai alloiōtheisan, apokrinei dikaiōs, kai parachōrei men tǭ ēpati diēthein kai helkein tautēs to katharon, to de᾽ peritton apōtheitai, kai tois enterois parapempei, Houtō to hēpar to katharon tēs trophēs hypodexamenon, ouk arkeitai tę̄ genomenę̄ katharsei kai diakrisei, all᾽ hoion tise palin ēthmois, tautēn diairei kai kathairei, kai tēn men hoion hypostathmēn kai pachytatēn tryga, dia tinōn aitiōn helkōn ho splēn, tautēn poieitai trophēn" to de pera tou metrou pephthen, kai tēn cholōdē metaladon poiotēta, kai eis to angeion “ to de rhoōdes kai lian lepton, kai trophēę̄s amoiron, eis to tōn hygrōn perittōmatōn docheion chōrei. Houtōs achraiphnōs katharan tēn trophēn echeinēn genomenēn, kai homoiōtheisan tǭ hēpati, kai eis phleps, chorēgei men tę̄ kardią tēn chreian, aneisi de anō, kai eis pollas diaschizomenē phlethas, trephei men ton thōraka, trephei de hōmous, kai cheiras, aphekneitai de mechris onychōn, periplechetai tǭ trachēlǭ, chatalamdanei tēn kephalēn, kateisin eis glontous, kai mērous, kai gonata, kai skelę̄, kai podas, kai hapaxaplōs, hapan to tou sōmatos᾽ perinostei.
only the archetypal instrument produces. For this is the work of the Creator himself, while all those are the work of the Creator's image. For man, being the image of the Maker, strives to imitate the Maker. And what he makes is like shadows competing with the reality, which have the outline but lack the activity. Seeing, then, so much providence of the Creator in the instruments of speech, stop charging it with indifference. And so that you may learn the Maker's care for us from the other members too, come, let us lead you again to the heart itself. This, then, being the most sovereign part, entrusted with the government of the body, he surrounds as it were with the strong chest, so that nothing striking from outside may easily hurt it. And since it moves continually (for it is the spring of the arteries), he spread beneath it, as it were, the porous and artery-rich body of the lung; above, he made its conical part strong, and put around it a membranous coat, but one tight and strong. He supplies it with material for nourishment, not breath only but also blood; it draws this, as through a channel, through the hollow vein from the parts of the liver. The liver draws up this material from the belly. The belly draws through the gullet the food cut by the teeth and ground fine and smooth by the molars; and drawing it, it first holds it fast, turns it into juice, alters it, changes it, and makes it like itself; then, when it has been well digested and altered, it separates it justly, letting the liver strain out and draw off its pure part, and pushing away the superfluous part and sending it on to the intestines. So the liver, receiving the pure part of the food, is not content with the purification and separation that has taken place, but as with strainers it divides and purifies it again; the dregs, as it were, and the thickest lees the spleen draws off by certain causes and makes its own food; what has been digested beyond measure takes on a bilious quality and goes into the vessel …; what is watery, very thin, and without nourishment goes into the receptacle of the liquid residues. So that food, made perfectly pure and likened to the liver, and … the vein, supplies the heart's need, goes up, and dividing into many veins, nourishes the chest, nourishes the shoulders and hands, reaches as far as the nails, winds around the neck, takes hold of the head, goes down into the buttocks, thighs, knees, legs, and feet, and in a word goes around the whole body
Gen 1:27 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Since human art only imitates God's work as shadows imitate reality, Theodoret turns to the heart and traces how food is digested and purified by belly, liver, and spleen and carried as blood through the veins to the whole body.
- Theodoret's physiology follows the medicine of his time (Galen): the liver makes blood from the food and sends it out through the veins. The OCR has lost words at "goes into the vessel …" (the gall bladder) and "and … the vein" (probably "sent up into the hollow vein"); marked … and not supplied.
- "The image of the Maker": Gen 1:26-27.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris; debris from Migne's Latin column inside the word γαστρὸς; debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek; leaked footnote): ἢ Ο}}}}δά 5 ἤοῃ!. ΧΙ, ὅδ, 3}044]. ον, δ. ὅ|Ρ54]. οὔ, 92... → ; οϑὺ πιο} } 18. δ ρου πὶ δ ταστρὸς → γαστρὸς; ΡΓΟΡΘ οἱ τηιίαϊατῃη Υἱία οἱ Ὁ θα! γ ἀἀἰβοογηΐ, οὐ: δ οἱ. → ; (ὶ ἰδ δά 56 ἐγα ἢ 5, 615 δἰ] ἃ} θη πὶ ἰδοῖϊ : → ; περινοστεῖ μόὁδὶ, ἰ" → περινοστεῖ.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 3.3 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
3.4PG 83
καὶ οὐδὲν τῶν ζώντων μελῶν ταύτης ἀποστερεῖ τῆς ἀρδείας. ᾿θλχοῖς γάρ τισι καὶ ὀχετοῖς ἑοίκασιν αἱ φλέδες, ἄρδειν τὸ σῶμα πεπιστευμέναι᾽" διὸ καὶ λεπτὸν καὶ μανὸν ἔχουσι τὸν χιτῶνα, ὥστε ῥᾳδίως τὰ παρακείμενα μόρια τὴν τροφὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἀρύεσθαι" αἱ δ᾽ ἀρτηρίαι, οὐ στεγανοὺς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ διπλοῦς ἔχουσι τοὺς χιτῶνας " πνεύματος γὰρ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ αἴματός εἰσι δοχεῖα" λεπτομερῶς δὲ καὶ ῥᾳδίως ἐχρέει τὸ πνεῦμα. Βλέπε τοιγαροῦν κἀνταῦθα τοῦ ἢ οιητοῦ τὴν προμήθειαν. Τὰς μὲν γὰρ φλέδας, ἅτε δὴ αἷμα τοῖς μορίοις τοῦ σώματος κομιζούσας, ἀπὸ λεπτῶν ὑμένων πεποίηκε, καὶ οἷον ἀραιά τινα τῇ Παχυμερὲς γὰρ τὸ αἷμα, καὶ μεγάλων εἰς ἔχχρισιν δεόμενον πόρων. Ἵνα τοίνυν καὶ μὴ ἅπαν ἐχρέῃ, καὶ οἷόν τινα νοτίδα τοῖς παραχειμένοις παρέχῃ, μορίοις, τοιαύτην τοῖς ἀγγείοις τὴν φύσιν πεποίηκε. Τὰς δὲ ἀρτηρίας τὸ πνεῦμα πανταχοῦ χομιζούσας (λεπτομερὲς δὲ τοῦτο, καὶ ῥᾳδίως φροῦδον γινόμενον), καὶ διὰ τῶν οὐκέθ᾽ ὁμοίως ὁ Πλάστης ἐξύφηνεν, οὐδὲ ἐξ ἑνὸς αὐτὰς μόνου χιτῶνος ἐποίησεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ δύο στεγανῶν καὶ λίαν συχνῶν. Παρέθηχε δὲ ταῖς φλεψὶ τὰς ἀρτηρίας, ἵνα τῇ κινήσει τοῦ θερμοῦ πνεύματος τὸ αἷμα νυττόμενον, πανταχοῦ διατρέχῃ. Οἷδε γὰρ ἡ στάσις τὴν πῆξιν ἐργάσασθαι. Τούτου χάριν ἕν τισι μορίοις ἐνἔφυσε ταύτας ἀλλήλαις διὰ σμιχροτάτων τινῶν πόρων, Β ὅπως καὶ τὸ αἶμα βραχέος τινὸς μεταλαμδάνῃ πνεύματος, ὠθοῦντος αὐτὸ καὶ κινεῖσθαι βιαζομένον, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα νοτίδος ἀπολαύῃ, τέγγοντος αὐτὸ καὶ ὑγραίνοντος, καὶ ξηραίνεσθαι αὐτὸ παντελῶς οὐκ ἐῶντος. Τίς τῶν φιλοτέμων πώποτε, καὶ λίαν εὐπόρων, οἰκίαν δειμάμενος, οὕτως ὁλχῶν προμηθεῖται, καὶ χρουνοῖς ἀφθονίαν ἐπινοεῖ, καὶ κρῆνας καὶ ληνοὺς εἰς τέρψιν παρασκευάζει, ὡς ὁ Δημιουργὸς τῶν ὅλων τὴν λογικὴν ταύτην οἰκίαν τεκτηνάμενος, τοσούτοις αὐτὴν καὶ τηλικούτοις περιεστοίχισεν ἀγγείοις χορηγοῦσι τὴν χρείαν; Τίς δὲ τὰς οἰκίας μηχανώμενος, εὑρύνει τὰς εἰσόδους τοῦ πνεύματος, ὡς ὁ ἀριστοτέχνης Θεὸς, καὶ τὸ χαπνῶδες καὶ λιγνυῶδες ἐκ τοῦ σώματος ἐξιέναι πνεῦμα, καὶ τὸ καθαρὸν εἰσρεῖν καὶ διατρέχειν εἰς ἁπάσας τὰς ἀρτηρίας ἐμηχανήσατο; Τίς δὲ φυτουργῶν οὕτως ὀχετηγεῖ τῶν ὑδάτων τὴν φύσιν, καὶ ταῖς ῥίζαις τῶν φυτῶν τὴν ἀρδείαν προσφέρει, ὡς ὁ τὸ ζῶον τοῦτο φυτεύσας, καὶ τὴν κτίσιν ἅπασαν δημιουργήσας, ἀῤῥήτως ἐπιφέρει διὰ τῶν φλεδῶν τὴν ἀρδείαν τοῖς τοῦ σώματος μέλεσιν; Τῶν γὰρ ἀψύχων δένδρων οὐδὲν κατὰ τὴν τροφὴν οἱ ἄνθρωποι διαφέρομεν" ὁμοίως γὰρ ἐκείνοις ταύτης ὑπάρχομεν ἐνδεεῖς. Τέ τε γὰρ δένδρον μὴ τρεφόμενον αὖον γίνεται καὶ ξηρὸν, καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος λιμῷ πιεζόμενος, ὡσαύτως πᾶν τὸ ὑγρὸν ἀποτίθεται, καὶ τῷ θανάτῳ παραπέμπεται.
kai ouden tōn zōntōn melōn tautēs aposterei tēs ardeias. ᾿thlchois gar tisi kai ochetois heoikasin hai phledes, ardein to sōma pepisteumenai᾽" dio kai lepton kai manon echousi ton chitōna, hōste rhądiōs ta parakeimena moria tēn trophēn ekeithen aryesthai" hai d᾽ artēriai, ou steganous monon, alla kai diplous echousi tous chitōnas " pneumatos gar, all᾽ ouk aimatos eisi docheia" leptomerōs de kai rhądiōs echreei to pneuma. Blepe toigaroun kantautha tou ē oiētou tēn promētheian. Tas men gar phledas, hate dē haima tois moriois tou sōmatos komizousas, apo leptōn hymenōn pepoiēke, kai hoion araia tina tę̄ Pachymeres gar to haima, kai megalōn eis echchrisin deomenon porōn. Hina toinyn kai mē hapan echreę̄, kai hoion tina notida tois paracheimenois parechę̄, moriois, toiautēn tois angeiois tēn physin pepoiēke. Tas de artērias to pneuma pantachou chomizousas (leptomeres de touto, kai rhądiōs phroudon ginomenon), kai dia tōn ouketh᾽ homoiōs ho Plastēs exyphēnen, oude ex henos autas monou chitōnos epoiēsen, all᾽ ek dyo steganōn kai lian sychnōn. Parethēche de tais phlepsi tas artērias, hina tę̄ kinēsei tou thermou pneumatos to haima nyttomenon, pantachou diatrechę̄. Hoide gar hē stasis tēn pēxin ergasasthai. Toutou charin hen tisi moriois enephyse tautas allēlais dia smichrotatōn tinōn porōn, B hopōs kai to aima bracheos tinos metalamdanę̄ pneumatos, ōthountos auto kai kineisthai biazomenon, kai to pneuma notidos apolauę̄, tengontos auto kai hygrainontos, kai xērainesthai auto pantelōs ouk eōntos. Tis tōn philotemōn pōpote, kai lian euporōn, oikian deimamenos, houtōs holchōn promētheitai, kai chrounois aphthonian epinoei, kai krēnas kai lēnous eis terpsin paraskeuazei, hōs ho Dēmiourgos tōn holōn tēn logikēn tautēn oikian tektēnamenos, tosoutois autēn kai tēlikoutois periestoichisen angeiois chorēgousi tēn chreian? Tis de tas oikias mēchanōmenos, heurynei tas eisodous tou pneumatos, hōs ho aristotechnēs Theos, kai to chapnōdes kai lignyōdes ek tou sōmatos exienai pneuma, kai to katharon eisrein kai diatrechein eis hapasas tas artērias emēchanēsato? Tis de phytourgōn houtōs ochetēgei tōn hydatōn tēn physin, kai tais rhizais tōn phytōn tēn ardeian prospherei, hōs ho to zōon touto phyteusas, kai tēn ktisin hapasan dēmiourgēsas, arrhētōs epipherei dia tōn phledōn tēn ardeian tois tou sōmatos melesin? Tōn gar apsychōn dendrōn ouden kata tēn trophēn hoi anthrōpoi diapheromen" homoiōs gar ekeinois tautēs hyparchomen endeeis. Te te gar dendron mē trephomenon auon ginetai kai xēron, kai ho anthrōpos limǭ piezomenos, hōsautōs pan to hygron apotithetai, kai tǭ thanatǭ parapempetai.
and deprives none of the living members of its watering. For the veins are like channels and conduits entrusted with watering the body; therefore they have a thin and loose coat, so that the parts lying beside them may easily draw nourishment from them. But the arteries have coats that are not only tight but double, for they are vessels of breath, not of blood, and breath is fine and easily flows out. See, then, the Maker's forethought here too. The veins, since they carry blood to the parts of the body, he made of thin membranes, and as it were loose …; for the blood is coarse-grained and needs large passages to seep out. So, so that it might not all flow out, and yet might provide a kind of moisture to the parts lying beside, he gave the vessels such a nature. But the arteries, which carry breath everywhere (and breath is fine and easily escapes), … the Fashioner did not weave in the same way, nor make them of one coat only, but of two, tight and very dense. And he set the arteries beside the veins, so that the blood, stirred by the movement of the hot breath, might run everywhere; for standing still causes clotting. For this reason he joined them to each other in some parts by very small passages, so that the blood may receive a little breath, which pushes it and forces it to move, and the breath may enjoy moisture, which wets and moistens it and does not let it dry out altogether. Who among the ambitious and very wealthy, building a house, has ever provided channels in this way, devised abundance with fountains, and prepared basins and troughs for delight, as the Creator of all things, building this rational house, has surrounded it with so many and such great vessels supplying its need? Who, contriving houses, widens the entrances for the air as God the supreme craftsman has, who devised that the smoky and sooty breath should leave the body, and the pure should flow in and run through all the arteries? What gardener channels the nature of water in this way and brings watering to the roots of the plants, as the one who planted this living creature and fashioned all creation brings watering ineffably through the veins to the members of the body? For in the matter of nourishment we human beings differ in nothing from lifeless trees; we need it just as they do. For a tree that is not nourished becomes withered and dry, and a man pressed by hunger likewise loses all his moisture and is sent on to death.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret describes the veins and arteries, built differently for blood and breath and joined so that each sustains the other, and asks what builder or gardener ever provided so well for a house or a garden.
- Words are lost in the OCR in the description of the veins ("as it were loose …") and of the arteries ("and through the …"); marked … and not supplied. Theodoret follows the medicine of his time, in which arteries carry breath (pneuma) and veins carry blood.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris and misread letters; OCR misreading of τοῖς; debris from Migne's Latin column inside the word πνεύματος; debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek): ἀπ ἴα αυ δὰ ἱρρίον, → ; ἀποστερεὶ ἢ εἰ «ἧς ἀρδείας → ἀποστερεῖ τῆς ἀρδείας; (65 Δι ὶΐ, 66 μ]]}0ὺ}ὰ ποι τοτγι αὶ δ 610}. Ουδηιοῦγοπι να] ΐης συ → ; ᾳυὶ οἱ ἰδ Υἱ 08 → ; τοιαύτην «οἷς ἀγγείοις → τοιαύτην τοῖς ἀγγείοις; πνεύἢυ-» ἤθη τη, ΄σαυΐ οἱ Δι (1ο5 55 πὴ} οἱ οἰ ἰοοῖα5 ται πο π ἤδη. υἱ ὃ ἀἱοἱ υἱ δΐ5, ἰΐα πο ΐβ ῬΓοδβ8, δἰ Π} 6 Γ οἱ ματος → πνεύματος.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 3.4 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-4
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-de-providentia-3-4) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
3.5PG 83
Καθάπερ τοίνυν τὰ δένδρα, ἣ τὸν ἐκ νεφῶν ὑετὸν, ἣ τὰ ἐκ ποταμῶν καὶ πηγῶν δεχόμενα νάματα, ἕλκει ἢ μὲν διὰ τῶν ῥιξῶν τὴν νοτίδα, τρέφει δὲ τοὺς κλάδους, καὶ τὸν φλοιὸν, καὶ τὴν ἐντεριώνην, τίκτει τε φύλλα, καὶ ἄνθος φύει, καὶ πεπαίνει καρπούς" οὕτω τόδε τὸ ζῶον δέχεται μὲν ἐν τῷ στόματι τὴν τροφὴν, καὶ γίνεται τοῦτο πηγὴ, ὀλκὸν δὲ ὁ οἰσοφάγος μιμεῖται, ὃν στόμαχον ὀνομάζειν εἰώθαμεν ἡ δὲ γαστὴρ, οἷόν τις ῥίξα, ταύτην ὑποδεχομένη, καθάπερ τινὶ τῶν κλάδων ὑποδάθρᾳ, παραπέμπει τῷ ἥπατι. Τὸ δὲ, οὐκ ἀνέχεται μόνον τῆς χρείας ἀπολαύειν, ἀλλὰ πᾶσι τοῖς μορίοις τοῦ σώματος ταύτην διὰ τῶν φλεθῶν τὴν ἀρδείαν προσφέρει. Οὕτω τὸ σῶμα τρεφόμενον, ἕν μὲν τοῖς βρέφεσιν ρον κατὰ βραχὺ προσλαμθάνει τὸν ὄγκον " ὅταν δὲ εἰς τὸ ὡρισμένον ἀφίκηται μέτρον, τηνικαῦτα τῆς μὲν αὔξης παύεται, τρέφεται δὲ μόνον" οὕτως ὁ τῶν ἁπάντων Ποιητὴς τῆς ἡμετέρας φύσεως προμηθεῖται, καὶ οὐ διαπλάττει μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ διατρέφων λεῖ, καὶ οὐ διατρέφει μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἅπασαν ἡμῶν κηδεμονίαν ποιεῖται. ᾿Αλλὰ γὰρ ἀπορῶ, πῶς ὑμνήσω τὸν Ποιητὴν νικᾷ γὰρ τὴν διάνοιαν τῆς περὶ ἡμᾶς προνοίας ἣ ποικιλία, παραχωρεῖ πᾶς λόγος τῇ τῆς δημιουργίας σοφίᾳ, οὐδεὶς ἐξικνεῖται διαγνῶναι τὴν τῶν σωμάτων κατασκευήν. ᾿Απόχρη σοι καὶ τοῦτο μόνον εἰς ὑμνῳδίαν τοῦ κτίσαντος. Οὐκ εἰς γῆν διαχύπτεις τοῖς ἀλόγοις παραπλησίως, οὐδ᾽ εἰς γαστέρα διανεύεις κατὰ τοὺς χοίρους" ἀνάδλεψον μόνον, καὶ βλέπε τὴν πρόνοιαν. Ὅρθιον σὲ μόνον τῶν ζώων ἐδημιούργησεν, ἐπὶ δύο ποδῶν ὀχούμενον, καὶ τούτων δὲ ἕχαστον, οὐκ ἐξ ἑνὸς πεποίηκε χώλου, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τριῶν συνέθηκε, καὶ εἰς τρεῖς ἁρμονίας ἐνέδησε" καὶ τὴν μὲν τῷ ἰσχίῳ τὴν δὲ τοῖς γόνασι συνέφυσε, τὴν ἑτέραν δὲ τοῖς ἀστραγάλοι ἐπίστευσε. Καὶ νεύροις ἰσχυροῖς τὰς σεις ἐνέφυσε᾽ καὶ οὔτε χαλαρὰ λίαν, οὔτε πάλιν κομιδῇ τεταμένα πεποίηκε τὰ δεσμά" τὰ μὲν γὰρ, παντάπασιν ἀφῃρεῖτο τὴν κίνησιν, τὰ δὲ, διαφεύγειν καὶ διολισθαίνειν ἀλλήλων ἐποίει τὰ ἄρθρα. Διὰ ταύτην τὴν αὐτοῦ τὴν προμήθειαν, καὶ βαδίζεις, καὶ τρέχεις, ὅταν θέλῃ:, καὶ στάσεως καὶ καθέδρας τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἔχεις. Ὅρα δὲ καὶ ἕτερον κηδεμονίας εἶδος. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ δυσχεραίνῃς ἐπὶ γυμνῶν τῶν ἄρθρων καθήμενος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἐδάφους καὶ λίθου τὴν καθέδραν ποιούμενος ἄλυπος διαμένης, οἷόν τινά σοι στρωμνὴν αὖτοφυῇ τὸ τῶν γλουτῶν περιτέθειχε σῶμα" σὺ δὲ ὁμοίως ἀχαριστεῖς. Οὐ γὰρ αἰσθάνῃ τῶν δωρεῶν, ἀλλὰ μέμηνας καὶ λυττᾷς κατὰ τῆς οὕτω προμηθουμένης σου σοφίας. Καὶ ὁ μὲν κύων ἐπιγινώσκει τὸν τρέφοντα, χοὶ παρόντι προσεδρεύει, καὶ ἀπόντα ποθεῖ, καὶ ἐπανιόντι δείκνυσι τὴν ἡδονῆν, χαλῶν τὰ ὦτα, καὶ τὴν κέρκον σείων, καὶ τὴν ὑποταγὴν σημαίνων, καὶ τὴν δουλείαν ὁμολογῶν, καὶ τὴν εὐερλόγου παντὸς ἐστερημένος, τῷ δὲ χρόνῳ, καὶ τῷ ἔθει, καὶ φίλου καὶ ἐπιδούλου τὸ διάφορον μανθάνων. Σὺ δὲ, λόγου μετέχων, καὶ νοῦν ἡγεμόνα λαδὼν, τὸν.
Kathaper toinyn ta dendra, hē ton ek nephōn hyeton, hē ta ek potamōn kai pēgōn dechomena namata, helkei ē men dia tōn rhixōn tēn notida, trephei de tous kladous, kai ton phloion, kai tēn enteriōnēn, tiktei te phylla, kai anthos phyei, kai pepainei karpous" houtō tode to zōon dechetai men en tǭ stomati tēn trophēn, kai ginetai touto pēgē, olkon de ho oisophagos mimeitai, hon stomachon onomazein eiōthamen hē de gastēr, hoion tis rhixa, tautēn hypodechomenē, kathaper tini tōn kladōn hypodathrą, parapempei tǭ hēpati. To de, ouk anechetai monon tēs chreias apolauein, alla pasi tois moriois tou sōmatos tautēn dia tōn phlethōn tēn ardeian prospherei. Houtō to sōma trephomenon, hen men tois brephesin ron kata brachy proslamthanei ton onkon " hotan de eis to hōrismenon aphikētai metron, tēnikauta tēs men auxēs pauetai, trephetai de monon" houtōs ho tōn hapantōn Poiētēs tēs hēmeteras physeōs promētheitai, kai ou diaplattei monon, alla kai diatrephōn lei, kai ou diatrephei monon, alla kai tēn allēn hapasan hēmōn kēdemonian poieitai. ᾿Alla gar aporō, pōs hymnēsō ton Poiētēn niką gar tēn dianoian tēs peri hēmas pronoias hē poikilia, parachōrei pas logos tę̄ tēs dēmiourgias sophią, oudeis exikneitai diagnōnai tēn tōn sōmatōn kataskeuēn. ᾿Apochrē soi kai touto monon eis hymnǭdian tou ktisantos. Ouk eis gēn diachypteis tois alogois paraplēsiōs, oud᾽ eis gastera dianeueis kata tous choirous" anadlepson monon, kai blepe tēn pronoian. Horthion se monon tōn zōōn edēmiourgēsen, epi dyo podōn ochoumenon, kai toutōn de hechaston, ouk ex henos pepoiēke chōlou, all᾽ ek triōn synethēke, kai eis treis harmonias enedēse" kai tēn men tǭ ischiǭ tēn de tois gonasi synephyse, tēn heteran de tois astragaloi episteuse. Kai neurois ischyrois tas seis enephyse᾽ kai oute chalara lian, oute palin komidę̄ tetamena pepoiēke ta desma" ta men gar, pantapasin aphę̄reito tēn kinēsin, ta de, diapheugein kai diolisthainein allēlōn epoiei ta arthra. Dia tautēn tēn autou tēn promētheian, kai badizeis, kai trecheis, hotan thelę̄:, kai staseōs kai kathedras tēn exousian echeis. Hora de kai heteron kēdemonias eidos. Hina gar mē dyscherainę̄s epi gymnōn tōn arthrōn kathēmenos, all᾽ ep᾽ edaphous kai lithou tēn kathedran poioumenos alypos diamenēs, hoion tina soi strōmnēn autophyę̄ to tōn gloutōn peritetheiche sōma" sy de homoiōs acharisteis. Ou gar aisthanę̄ tōn dōreōn, alla memēnas kai lyttąs kata tēs houtō promēthoumenēs sou sophias. Kai ho men kyōn epiginōskei ton trephonta, choi paronti prosedreuei, kai aponta pothei, kai epanionti deiknysi tēn hēdonēn, chalōn ta ōta, kai tēn kerkon seiōn, kai tēn hypotagēn sēmainōn, kai tēn douleian homologōn, kai tēn euerlogou pantos esterēmenos, tǭ de chronǭ, kai tǭ ethei, kai philou kai epidoulou to diaphoron manthanōn. Sy de, logou metechōn, kai noun hēgemona ladōn, ton.
Just as trees, receiving rain from the clouds or streams from rivers and springs, draw up the moisture through their roots, nourish their branches, bark, and pith, put forth leaves, grow flowers, and ripen fruit, so this living creature receives food in its mouth, and this becomes a spring; the oesophagus, which we usually call the stomach, imitates a channel; and the belly, like a root, receives it and, as though by a base for the branches, sends it on to the liver. The liver does not consent to enjoy the benefit alone, but brings this watering through the veins to all the parts of the body. So the body, nourished in this way, gains bulk little by little in infants; when it reaches its appointed measure, it then stops growing and is only nourished. So the Maker of all things takes forethought for our nature: he not only forms it but goes on nourishing it, and not only nourishes it but takes all the rest of his care for us. But I am at a loss how to praise the Maker; for the variety of his providence toward us defeats the mind, every word gives way to the wisdom of his handiwork, and no one is able to understand the construction of bodies. This one thing is enough for you to sing the Creator's praise. You do not stoop toward the earth like the irrational animals, nor bend toward your belly like swine; only look up and see providence. He made you alone of the living creatures upright, carried on two feet, and each of these he did not make of one limb but put together of three and bound into three joints, joining one to the hip, one to the knees, and entrusting the other to the ankles. He set strong sinews in the joints, and made the ligaments neither too slack nor too tight; for the one would have taken away movement altogether, and the other would have made the joints slip and slide away from each other. Through this forethought of his you walk, run when you wish, and have the power to stand and to sit. See another kind of care too. So that you may not be troubled sitting on your bare joints, but may stay free of pain when you sit on the ground or on a stone, he has given you the body of the buttocks as a kind of natural cushion; yet you are ungrateful all the same. For you do not perceive his gifts, but rave and rage against the wisdom that takes such forethought for you. The dog recognizes the one who feeds him, waits on him when he is present, longs for him when he is away, and shows his pleasure when he returns, lowering his ears and wagging his tail, signalling his submission and acknowledging his service, and … the kindness, though he is deprived of all reason, learning by time and habit the difference between a friend and a plotter. But you, who share in reason and have received a mind as your guide, the
Notes and citation
Summary: As a tree draws water through its roots, the body receives food through mouth, belly, and liver; man alone is made upright, with jointed legs and a natural cushion for sitting, yet he is less grateful than a dog to its master.
- "Through this forethought of his" renders a phrase damaged in the OCR (printed Διὰ ταύς. δὶ τρδτὶ … τὴν αὐτοῦ τὴν προμήθειαν), restored by sense in a logged correction. Words are also lost in the sentence on the dog ("and … the kindness"); marked … and not supplied.
- The part ends in mid-sentence; the next part begins with "winged", so the word for the mind (or a line of text) is lost between them.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris; OCR misreading of τῆς; debris from Migne's Latin column inside the word σώματος; debris from Migne's Latin column inside the word ταύτην; restored by sense; stray mark): τοῦ σώματ δέ. ϑοφυϊ μην δέ. τος → τοῦ σώματος; ἃ Οὕτω τὸ σῶμα → Οὕτω τὸ σῶμα; τ«ἧς περὶ → τῆς περὶ; ταύς. δὶ τρδτὶ εἰς λυ ἀΐδια το ἴῃ τὴν αὐτοῦ → ταύτην τὴν αὐτοῦ; τρέχεις (, → τρέχεις,.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 3.5 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-5
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
3.6PG 83
ὑπόπτερον, τὸν καὶ τῶν ὁρωμένων ἁπάντων ὀξύτερον. Ἥλιος μὲν γὰρ ἕν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ τῆς οἰκουμένης διατρέχει τὸν δίαυλον, ὁ δὲ, ἅμα τε νεύει καὶ τὴν οἰκουμένην περινοστεῖ, καὶ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐφικνεῖται τῇ φαντασίᾳ, καὶ τούτους ὑπερθδαίνει, καὶ Θεὸν ὡς δύναται κατοπτρίζεται, καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων τὰς ἀπείρους θεωρεῖ μυριάδας, καὶ τῶν ἀρχαγγέχων τὰς χιλιάδας, πολυπραγμονεῖ τὰ ὑπὸ γῆν, ἐπέκεινα τούτων ὑπερθαίνειν φιλονειχεῖ μὲν, οὐ δύναται δέ" ὄρον γὰρ ἔχει τῆς φαντασίας ἃ μεμάθηκεν εἶναι. Ἰοῦτον ἔχων ἡγεμόνα, καὶ χυδερνήτην, καὶ ἡνίοχον, τῶν θείων δωρεῶν οὐκ αἰσθάνῃ" οὐ λογίξῃ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν τὸ πλῆθος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιμένεις ἀχαριστῶν’ καὶ τοσούτων σοι διδασκάλων προκειμένων, μαθεῖν οὐκ ἐθέλεις τὰ τῆς Προνοίας στοιχεῖα. Ὅρα μὴ σε παντελῶς ἀτηβέλητον καταλίπῃ, καὶ τῇ πείρᾳ μάθῃς προνοίας, καὶ κηδεμονίας, καὶ ἐρημίας διαφοράν. Δεῦρο τοιγαροῦν, ὦ φιλότης, ἐφ᾽ ἕτερόν σε μεταγάγωμεν τοῦ σώματος μέρος. Βλέπε δὴ μόι τὴν ῥάχιν, ἀπὸ μὲν τοῦ πλατέος ὀστοῦ τοῖς γλουτοῖς ἐπικειμένου νὴν ἀρχὴν ἔχουσαν, μέχρι δὲ τραχήλου διήκουσαν, καὶ χίονι παραπλησίως στεγανῷ, καὶ ἐκ σπονδύλων πολλῶν συγκειμένῳ, τὴν τε κοιλίαν φέρουσαν, καὶ ὥμους, καὶ χεῖρας, καὶ αὐχένα, καὶ κεφαλήν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐδὲν ἔξωθεν ὁστοῦν ὁ Ποιητὴς τῇ κοιλίᾳ περιτέθειχεν, ἕνα τὴν τροφὴν ὑποδεχομένη εὑρύνηται ῥᾳδίως, καὶ τὸν ἀρκοῦντα τοῖς σιτίοις ὄγκον ἐργάζηται, ὄπισθεν αὐτὴν ἡ ῥάχις ὑπερείδει, Ἐκ πλειόνων δὲ αὐτὴν ὁστῶν ὁ Ποιητὴς συνέθηκεν, ὅπως καὶ χάμπτηται ῥᾳδίως, χύπτειν τοῦ ζώου βουλομένου, καὶ τῇ κάμψει μὴ θρύπτηται. Τρέφει δὲ ταύτην ὁ νωτιαΐῖος πηγὴν τὸν ἐγκέφαλον ἔχων. Τί με δεῖ λέγειν περὶ χειρῶν, ὧν τὴν χροίαν αἱ παντοδαπαὶ κηρύττουσι τέχναι; ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐχείνων τὴν μνήμην ἐν τῷ μετὰ ταῦτα ποιῃσόμεθα λόγῳ οὐκοῦν καὶ τῆς τῶν χειρῶν χρείας τὴν ἐξήγησιν ἐκείνῳ φυλάξωμεν. ᾿Ανάδῃηθι τοίνυν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον, καὶ θεώρῃσον τὴν τούτου διάπλασιν- καὶ ἀναμνήσθητί μοι τῶν κιόνων, τῶν κάτωθεν ἄνω διατετρημένων, καὶ πολλὰς τοιαύτας διατρήσεις ἐχόντων, καὶ μίαν μέσην μεγίστην, δι᾽ ἧς οἱ τῶν ὑδάτων ὀχετοὶ πλεῖστον μὲν ἀνάγουσιν ὕδωρ, διανγέμοντες δὲ τοῦτο, κατιέναι διὰ τῶν ἄλλων παραχελεύονται, καὶ τὸ μὲν εἰς τὸ νότιον μέρος τῆς πόλεως παραπέμπκουσι, τὸ δὲ εἰς τὸ ἑῷον, ἄλλο δὲ εἰς τὸ ἑσπέριον, ἕτερον δὲ εἰς τὸ βόρειον, Ταύτην ὁ τράχῆλος τὴν χρείαν παρέχει τῷ σώματι. Μιμεῖται γὰρ, ὡς ἔφην ἤδη, τὴν φύσιν ἡ τέχνη, καὶ ἑἐξομοιοζ τὰ οἰκεῖα μηχανήματα τοῖς ἐκείνης ποιήμασιν. Ὁ τράχηλος τοιγαροῦν ἔχει μὲν τοῦ στομάχον τὸ στόμα, παραπέμπει δὲ τῇ γαστρὶ τὰ σιτία καὶ ποτά. "Ἔχει δὲ τὴν τραχεῖαν ἀρτηρίαν ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύμονος μέχρι τοῦ λάρυγγος ἀφιχνονυμένην" ἔχει ὃὲ καὶ τὰς φλέθδας, καὶ τὰς λείας ἀρτηρίας, δι᾽ ὧν ὁ ἐγπόφαλος δέχεται μὲν αἷμα καὶ πνεῦμα’ τρεφόμενος δὲ καὶ αὐξόμενος, διὰ τῶν συμπεφυχότων ὀστῶν τὸν νωτιαΐον μυελὸν παραπέμπει τῇ ῥάχει" ἀφ᾽ οὗ τρέφεται μὲν ἅπασα τῶν ὀστῶν ἡ φύσις, ἀποφύεται δὲ νεῦρα τὰ ἰσχυρότατα, τά τε παχέα, καὶ τὰ λεπτὰ, τά τε πλατέα καὶ τὰ στρογγύλα, δι᾿ ὧν τά τε ἄρθρα δεσμεῖται, καὶ οἱ μύες τὴν χινητικὴν ἐνέργειαν δέχονται. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἰς αὐτὴν ἥκομεν τὴν κεφαλὴν, βλέπε αὐτὴν ὥσπερ ἀκρόπολίν τινα τῆς τοῦ σώματος πόλεως ἐν ὕψει καθημένην, καὶ οἷόν τινα πλοῦτον καὶ θησαυρὸν ἐν φαλον. Τὸ γὰρ κρανίον οἷον ἕρκος καὶ χράνος᾽ ἐπὦνυμον γὰρ τούτου τὸ κράνος, πρὸς τὴν τούτον μίμησιν κατεσκευασμένον᾽ τῷ ἐγκεφάλῳ περικείμενον, τὴν ἔξωθεν ἐπερχομένην βλάθδῃν εἰς δύναμιν ἀπείργει.
hypopteron, ton kai tōn horōmenōn hapantōn oxyteron. Hēlios men gar hen hēmerą mią tēs oikoumenēs diatrechei ton diaulon, ho de, hama te neuei kai tēn oikoumenēn perinostei, kai tōn ouranōn ephikneitai tę̄ phantasią, kai toutous hyperthdainei, kai Theon hōs dynatai katoptrizetai, kai tōn angelōn tas apeirous theōrei myriadas, kai tōn archangechōn tas chiliadas, polypragmonei ta hypo gēn, epekeina toutōn hyperthainein philoneichei men, ou dynatai de" oron gar echei tēs phantasias ha memathēken einai. Iouton echōn hēgemona, kai chydernētēn, kai hēniochon, tōn theiōn dōreōn ouk aisthanę̄" ou logixę̄ tōn euergesiōn to plēthos, all᾽ epimeneis acharistōn’ kai tosoutōn soi didaskalōn prokeimenōn, mathein ouk etheleis ta tēs Pronoias stoicheia. Hora mē se pantelōs atēbelēton katalipę̄, kai tę̄ peirą mathę̄s pronoias, kai kēdemonias, kai erēmias diaphoran. Deuro toigaroun, ō philotēs, eph᾽ heteron se metagagōmen tou sōmatos meros. Blepe dē moi tēn rhachin, apo men tou plateos ostou tois gloutois epikeimenou nēn archēn echousan, mechri de trachēlou diēkousan, kai chioni paraplēsiōs steganǭ, kai ek spondylōn pollōn synkeimenǭ, tēn te koilian pherousan, kai hōmous, kai cheiras, kai auchena, kai kephalēn. Epeidē gar ouden exōthen hostoun ho Poiētēs tę̄ koilią peritetheichen, hena tēn trophēn hypodechomenē heurynētai rhądiōs, kai ton arkounta tois sitiois onkon ergazētai, opisthen autēn hē rhachis hypereidei, Ek pleionōn de autēn hostōn ho Poiētēs synethēken, hopōs kai champtētai rhądiōs, chyptein tou zōou boulomenou, kai tę̄ kampsei mē thryptētai. Trephei de tautēn ho nōtiaïios pēgēn ton enkephalon echōn. Ti me dei legein peri cheirōn, hōn tēn chroian hai pantodapai kēryttousi technai? ᾿All᾽ echeinōn tēn mnēmēn en tǭ meta tauta poię̄sometha logǭ oukoun kai tēs tōn cheirōn chreias tēn exēgēsin ekeinǭ phylaxōmen. ᾿Anadę̄ēthi toinyn epi ton trachēlon, kai theōrę̄son tēn toutou diaplasin- kai anamnēsthēti moi tōn kionōn, tōn katōthen anō diatetrēmenōn, kai pollas toiautas diatrēseis echontōn, kai mian mesēn megistēn, di᾽ hēs hoi tōn hydatōn ochetoi pleiston men anagousin hydōr, diangemontes de touto, katienai dia tōn allōn paracheleuontai, kai to men eis to notion meros tēs poleōs parapempkousi, to de eis to heǭon, allo de eis to hesperion, heteron de eis to boreion, Tautēn ho trachēlos tēn chreian parechei tǭ sōmati. Mimeitai gar, hōs ephēn ēdē, tēn physin hē technē, kai heexomoioz ta oikeia mēchanēmata tois ekeinēs poiēmasin. Ho trachēlos toigaroun echei men tou stomachon to stoma, parapempei de tę̄ gastri ta sitia kai pota. "Echei de tēn tracheian artērian apo tou pneumonos mechri tou laryngos aphichnonymenēn" echei hoe kai tas phlethdas, kai tas leias artērias, di᾽ hōn ho egpophalos dechetai men haima kai pneuma’ trephomenos de kai auxomenos, dia tōn sympephychotōn ostōn ton nōtiaïon myelon parapempei tę̄ rhachei" aph᾽ hou trephetai men hapasa tōn ostōn hē physis, apophyetai de neura ta ischyrotata, ta te pachea, kai ta lepta, ta te platea kai ta strongyla, di᾿ hōn ta te arthra desmeitai, kai hoi myes tēn chinētikēn energeian dechontai. Epeidē de eis autēn hēkomen tēn kephalēn, blepe autēn hōsper akropolin tina tēs tou sōmatos poleōs en hypsei kathēmenēn, kai hoion tina plouton kai thēsauron en phalon. To gar kranion hoion herkos kai chranos᾽ epōnymon gar toutou to kranos, pros tēn touton mimēsin kateskeuasmenon᾽ tǭ enkephalǭ perikeimenon, tēn exōthen eperchomenēn blathdę̄n eis dynamin apeirgei.
winged, swifter than all things seen. For the sun runs the double course of the world in one day, but the mind, in the same moment as it nods, goes around the world, reaches the heavens in imagination, passes beyond them, beholds God as a mirror as far as it can, contemplates the countless myriads of the angels and the thousands of the archangels, busies itself with what is under the earth, and strives to go beyond these, but cannot; for it has as the limit of its imagination the things it has learned to exist. Having this as your guide, pilot, and charioteer, you do not perceive the divine gifts; you do not reckon up the multitude of benefits, but go on being ungrateful; and though so many teachers are set before you, you will not learn the elements of Providence. Take care that he does not leave you wholly uncared for, and you learn by experience the difference between providence and care on the one hand and abandonment on the other. Come, then, my friend, let us lead you to another part of the body. Look with me at the spine, which begins from the broad bone lying on the buttocks and reaches to the neck, like a column, tight and made of many vertebrae, carrying the belly, the shoulders, the hands, the neck, and the head. For since the Maker put no bone around the belly from outside, so that when it receives food it might widen easily and make room enough for what is eaten, the spine supports it from behind. The Maker put it together from several bones, so that it might bend easily when the creature wishes to stoop, and not break in bending. The spinal marrow nourishes it, having the brain as its spring. Why need I speak of the hands, whose use the arts of every kind proclaim? But we will make mention of them in the next discourse; so let us keep the account of the use of the hands for that. Go up, then, to the neck and consider how it is formed; and recall for me the columns pierced from below upward, which have many such borings and one very large one in the middle, through which the water channels bring up a great deal of water, and, distributing it, bid it go down through the others, sending some to the southern part of the city, some to the eastern, some to the western, some to the northern. This is the service the neck renders to the body. For art, as I have said already, imitates nature, and makes its own devices like nature's works. The neck, then, holds the mouth of the gullet and sends food and drink on to the belly. It holds the windpipe, reaching from the lung to the larynx; it holds also the veins and the smooth arteries, through which the brain receives blood and breath; and being nourished and increasing, the brain sends the spinal marrow through the bones joined together to the spine, from which the whole nature of the bones is nourished, and from which grow the sinews, the strongest ones, thick and thin, broad and round, by which the joints are bound and the muscles receive their power of movement. Since we have come to the head itself, see it seated on high like the citadel of the city of the body, and as it were keeping … the brain like wealth and treasure within it. For the skull, like a fence and a helmet (for the helmet, made in imitation of it, is named after it), lies around the brain and keeps off as far as it can the harm that comes from outside.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
1 Cor 13:12 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The swift mind, able to reach the heavens, should recognize providence; Theodoret describes the spine, the neck with its passages like a city's water columns, and the head as the citadel guarding the brain.
- "Beholds God as a mirror": compare 1 Cor 13:12 and 2 Cor 3:18 (not quoted).
- "The helmet … is named after it": a play on κρανίον (skull) and κράνος (helmet).
- Words are lost in the OCR before "the brain" in the last sentence but one; marked … and not supplied. A leaked footnote with a variant reading ("swifter than all winged things") is removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR misreading of τοῖς; OCR misreading of τοῦ; debris from Migne's Latin column and a leaked footnote; debris from Migne's Latin column inside the word ἰσχυρότατα; debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek; leaked footnote and debris from Migne's Latin column; stray mark; stray mark and OCR misreading): τῶν οὐρανῶν ({) ἐφἐχνεῖται → τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐφικνεῖται; τῶν ὁρωμένων. Δι Βυΐυβ συγ Βρθοίπιθῃ οοηϑίάογα. Νὅ επίτῃ. υ δῷ Ἢ" θη πᾶ- Υἱϑ, οἱ οἱ᾽ καὶ τῶν ὑποπτέρων ἁπάντων ὀξύτερον. τὐἀΐ6 οἱ δβοίἀυἱς βοποῆς 5 ἰθῖαῦ ᾿σποίυπι οἱ πο- Α → ; Ὀἰ} πὶ αἰ τοις → ; ποία. σης, ἀὰ δογϑὶ δρί δι οοηδίάογα, αυῶ Ὁ] ἃ 880γ0, υἱ ἀ]- 'ή → ; οἵ 58}}8 το υ}} Θχ θοῖ, οὐ} 18 δἰ ποῖ, 56 ἃ οἱ 1108 πη πὶ οἱ δ 1 δ 5ιγα 6 πη) οἰ 8118 ραγίθῃι, δὰ τὰ αἀἱ- Ἢ πολλ, Ὠ 65. ἰδἱά. → ; κηρύττουσι ( τέχναι → κηρύττουσι τέχναι; «οἷῖἴς ἐκείνης → τοῖς ἐκείνης; ἀπὸ «οὔ πνεύμονος → ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύμονος; ἰσχυρό- Α 406 |}}8 πυϊτγίαχη οἱ κατα → ἰσχυρότατα.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 3.6 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-6
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
3.7PG 83
Ἵνα δὲ μὴ ὑπὸ τῶν ὀστῶν, σκληρῶν ὄντων καὶ ἀντιτύπων, μαλακὸς ὧν λίαν οὗτος, καὶ κομιδῇ χαῦνος, λώδην τινὰ νυττόμενος δέξηται, δύο αὐτῷ περιέθηκε χιτῶνας, ἃς μήνιγγας ἰατρῶν ὀνομάζουσι παῖδες. νην, συνέφυσεν αὐτῷ, καὶ λίαν αὐτῷ «κροσψαύέειν πεποίηκε, καὶ συνέχειν αὐτὸν δυναμένην, καὶ πλη-. χτικὴν οὐκ ἔχουσαν δύναμιν διὰ τὴν ἄγαν λεπτότητα᾽ τὴν δὲ ἑτέραν στεγανὴν μὲν καὶ ἰσχυρὰν ἐποίησεν, ἐγκεφάλου δὲ αὕτη καὶ κρανίου τὴν μέσην ἀπεχλήρωσε χώρᾶν, ἵνα μήτε λυπῇ τὸν ἐγκέφαλον σχλῃροτέραν ἔχουσα τὴν οὐσίαν, μήτε ὑπὸ τῶν ὀστῶν λυπῆται, μαλαχωτέραν ἐχείνων ἔχουσα φύσιν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἐγκέφαλος, οἷόν τις πλοῦτος, ὡς ἔφην, ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ καθάπερ ἐν ἀκροπόλει φυλάττεται. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔδει τῷ φρουράρχῳ νῷ καὶ κατασχόκων, τά τε πολέμια καὶ τὰ φίλια προορώντων, δέδωκε καὶ τούτους ὁ Ποιητὴς, καὶ οὐκ ἑνὶ ταύτην τὴν περιωπὴν ἐνεχείρίάεν, ἀλλὰ δύο φύλακας ἔστησε, κιὶ τῷ μὲν τὰ δεξιὰ, τῷ δὲ τὰ εὐώννμα χαραδοχεῖν καὶ περισκοπεῖν ἐνομοθέτησεν. ᾿Επειδὴ δὲ καὶ οὗτοι φυλάκων ἐδέοντο, οὐδὲ τούτων ὁ τῆς πόλεως ταύτης ἠμέλησε Ποιητής" ἀλλ᾽ ἐπέθηκε τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, οἷς κὴν ὁπτιχὴν ἐνεἐχείρισεν αἴσθησιν, οἷόν τινας ἐπάλξεις καὶ προμαχῶνας, τῶν ὀφρύων τὰς προδολὰς, ὅφ᾽ ἃς κρυπτόμενοι περισκοπεῖν ἀσφαλῶς τὰ πόῤῥωθεν δύνανται, Ταύταις δὲ ταῖς ἐπάλξεσιν, οἷόν τινα ὄροφον τῶν ἄνωθεν ἐπιπεμπομένων ὑετῶν, ἐνέφυσε τρίχας τινὰς λεπτὰς, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ ἔξω τοῦ προσώπου νενευχυίας, τὸν ἐκ τοῦ μετώπου καταῤῥεόμενον ἱδρῶτα δεχομένας, ἀλλῆλαις δὲ παραπεμπούσας, καὶ διὰ τῶν κροτάφων ἀποσταζούσας, καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ταύτης ἐλευθερούδας τῆς λώδης. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ πανοπλίας οἱ φύλακες ἐδέοντο, πεοριτίθησι μὲν αὐτοῖς τοὺς τῶν βλεφάρων χιτῶνας, καθάπερ δὲ δόρατα καὶ βέλη τὰς βλεφαρίδας συντίθησιν, οὐκέτι ὁμοίως ταῖς ὀφρύσι χεκλιμένας, ἵνα μὴ ἀντὶ προμάχων ἑἐπίόουλοι γίνωνται" οὔτε μὲν κατ᾽ εὐθεῖαν γραμμὴν τεταμένας, ἵνα μὴ ἀλλήλαις ἐν τῇ μύσει τῶν βλεφάρων προστρίδωνται, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τὸ ἔξω βραχύ τι νενευχυίας. ἵνα τῶν λεπτοτάτων σωμάτων ἀπτος, καὶ κόνις οὐ λεπτὴ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ παχυτέρι κινεῖται, καὶ κάρφη, καὶ ἕτερα τοιαῦτα" ἑἐπίσσι δὲ καὶ κώνωπες, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα ζωΐφια, καὶ τὰς Οὕτω καὶ τοὺς ἀστάχυας χαθώπλισεν ὁ τῶν ἀπάντων Δημιουργός " ταῖς γὰρ θήκαις τῶν πυρῶν ἐπιθεὶς τοὺς ἀνθέριχας, οὐκ ἐᾷ τὰ σπερμολόγα τῶν ὀρνίθων σφόδρα λυμαίνεσθαι τῷ καρπῷ " ἀλλ᾽ οἷόν τινα στεφάνην
Hina de mē hypo tōn ostōn, sklērōn ontōn kai antitypōn, malakos hōn lian houtos, kai komidę̄ chaunos, lōdēn tina nyttomenos dexētai, dyo autǭ periethēke chitōnas, has mēningas iatrōn onomazousi paides. nēn, synephysen autǭ, kai lian autǭ «krospsaueein pepoiēke, kai synechein auton dynamenēn, kai plē-. chtikēn ouk echousan dynamin dia tēn agan leptotēta᾽ tēn de heteran steganēn men kai ischyran epoiēsen, enkephalou de hautē kai kraniou tēn mesēn apechlērōse chōran, hina mēte lypę̄ ton enkephalon schlę̄roteran echousa tēn ousian, mēte hypo tōn ostōn lypētai, malachōteran echeinōn echousa physin. Ho men oun enkephalos, hoion tis ploutos, hōs ephēn, en tę̄ kephalę̄ kathaper en akropolei phylattetai. Epeidē de edei tǭ phrourarchǭ nǭ kai kataschokōn, ta te polemia kai ta philia proorōntōn, dedōke kai toutous ho Poiētēs, kai ouk heni tautēn tēn periōpēn enecheiriaen, alla dyo phylakas estēse, kii tǭ men ta dexia, tǭ de ta euōnnma charadochein kai periskopein enomothetēsen. ᾿Epeidē de kai houtoi phylakōn edeonto, oude toutōn ho tēs poleōs tautēs ēmelēse Poiētēs" all᾽ epethēke tois ophthalmois, hois kēn hoptichēn eneecheirisen aisthēsin, hoion tinas epalxeis kai promachōnas, tōn ophryōn tas prodolas, hoph᾽ has kryptomenoi periskopein asphalōs ta porrhōthen dynantai, Tautais de tais epalxesin, hoion tina orophon tōn anōthen epipempomenōn hyetōn, enephyse trichas tinas leptas, kai epi to exō tou prosōpou neneuchuias, ton ek tou metōpou katarrheomenon hidrōta dechomenas, allēlais de parapempousas, kai dia tōn krotaphōn apostazousas, kai tous ophthalmous tautēs eleutheroudas tēs lōdēs. Epeidē de kai panoplias hoi phylakes edeonto, peoritithēsi men autois tous tōn blepharōn chitōnas, kathaper de dorata kai belē tas blepharidas syntithēsin, ouketi homoiōs tais ophrysi cheklimenas, hina mē anti promachōn heepioouloi ginōntai" oute men kat᾽ eutheian grammēn tetamenas, hina mē allēlais en tę̄ mysei tōn blepharōn prostridōntai, all᾽ epi to exō brachy ti neneuchuias. hina tōn leptotatōn sōmatōn aptos, kai konis ou leptē monon, alla kai pachyteri kineitai, kai karphē, kai hetera toiauta" heepissi de kai kōnōpes, kai hosa toiauta zōïphia, kai tas Houtō kai tous astachyas chathōplisen ho tōn apantōn Dēmiourgos " tais gar thēkais tōn pyrōn epitheis tous antherichas, ouk eą ta spermologa tōn ornithōn sphodra lymainesthai tǭ karpǭ " all᾽ hoion tina stephanēn
And so that the brain, being very soft and quite loose, might not be pricked and harmed by the bones, which are hard and resistant, he put around it two coats, which the sons of the physicians call meninges. … he joined to it and made it touch it closely, able to hold it together and having no power to wound because of its great thinness; the other he made tight and strong, and it fills the space between the brain and the skull, so that it neither hurts the brain, having a harder substance, nor is hurt by the bones, having a softer nature than they. The brain, then, as I said, is guarded like wealth in the head as in a citadel. And since the mind, the commander of the garrison, also needed scouts to look ahead for what is hostile and what is friendly, the Maker gave it these too; and he did not entrust this watch to one, but set two guards, and laid down that one should watch for and look round on the right and the other on the left. And since these too needed guards, the Maker of this city did not neglect them either; but over the eyes, to which he entrusted the sense of sight, he set the projections of the eyebrows as battlements and ramparts, hidden under which they can safely look around at what is far off. And on these battlements, as a roof against the rains sent from above, he made grow certain fine hairs, bent toward the outside of the face, which receive the sweat running down from the forehead, pass it to one another, let it drip off by the temples, and free the eyes from this harm. And since the guards also needed full armor, he put around them the coats of the eyelids, and set the eyelashes like spears and darts, not inclined like the eyebrows, so that instead of defenders they might not become plotters; nor stretched in a straight line, so that they might not rub against one another when the eyelids close, but bent a little outward, so that … of the finest bodies …, and dust not only fine but coarser … is moved, and chaff and other such things … and gnats and all such small creatures, and the … In the same way the Creator of all things armed the ears of grain; for by putting the awns on the husks of the wheat he does not let the seed-picking birds do great harm to the crop, but like … a crown
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret describes the meninges guarding the brain, and the eyes as watchmen protected by eyebrows, eyelids, and eyelashes, as ears of grain are protected by their awns.
- The OCR has lost lines in several places, together with long debris from Migne's Latin column and a leaked footnote (the variant "of the foreheads"): before "he joined to it" (the opening of the account of the thin inner membrane), in the account of the eyelashes (what they keep out), and at the end. These are marked … and not supplied.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (debris from Migne's Latin column and a leaked footnote; some Greek words are lost with it; debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek; footnote marker and OCR misreading): τινγὰς (δ) λεπτὰς → τινὰς λεπτὰς; ὙὐπΟυ 8 γι οι! ἐχδηίυγ οἱ πη βου} τοῖα Υἱτα ἐῃ 400 οὔ- Νὰ γε 10 ὁθ}το ον απὶ δὰ παδ ἄοοἱ 05 δά οἱ ἔυπο αὐἰάδπι εὰ αυῷ δά 5ἰπέδβίγδει, Δ᾽ ὅπ ἃ Ργορυρηδοα!ς δὲ να] ο το οἱ δὰ ἀϊι, φαὶ ἃ τοῖς οἵ οτ τ. τϑὰ- ἮΝ τοῦ μετ. ἰθιὰ. τῶν μετώπων. ἀυπίυτ, πα ἰῃ ρδροθγαγυ πὶ ΘΟΙρΡΓΘΒβί0η6 8686 ἰΠ- Α → ; ([ } νοι οἱ οἱ → ; τ ἰ ἱ Δ ρ} 05 4081 ἃ οἱ ἰδ! 6 ῃ στεφάνην 561. → τινα στεφάνην.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 3.7 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-7
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.
3.8PG 83
᾿Αλλ᾽ ἴσως ἂν εἴποις ἀχαριστίαν νοσῶν’ Τί τοίνυν μοι πλέον τῶν ἀσταχύων κεχάρισται; ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ τῶν Β ἀσταχύων τὴν φύσιν, ἐμδρόντητε, διὰ τὴν σὴν χρείαν πεποίηκε. Τί τοίνυν ἀχαριστεῖς, εἰ καὶ τὰ σὰ διὰ σὲ τοῖς σοῖς ὅπλοις χαθώπλισε; Σὺ σπείρεις τοὺς πυροὺς, ἀχαριστότατε" αὐτὸς ἄρδει καὶ θερμαίνει καὶ τρέφει καὶ φρουρεῖ καὶ φυλάττει, καὶ πέπονά σοι προτίθησι. Σὺ δὲ ἀμήσας, καὶ τῇ ἅλῳ παραδοὺς, καὶ τεμὼν τῇ τέχνῃ, καὶ τῶν ἀχύρων ἀποχρίνας, καὶ μύλῃ λεπτύνας, καὶ τῶν πιτύρων χιπαραδοὺς, ἐντρυφᾷς τοῖς ἄρτοις, καὶ τὸν χορηγὸν ἀγνοεῖς. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ἐπανέλθωμεν. Κατανόησον αὐτοῦ τὴν φύσιν" βλέπε πόσους ἔχει χιτῶνας βλέπε τὴν ἔξωθεν εὐμορφίαν βλέπε τὴν τῆς κόρης λεπτότητα, τὴν περικειμένην ἶριν, ἣν στεφάνὴν ὀνομάζομεν, τὸν χερατοειδῇ κύκλον, τὸν ῥαγοειδῆ χιτῶνα, τὴν χρυσταλλοειδῇ σφαῖραν τὴν ὑπὸ τούτῳ κειμένην, καὶ διὰ μέσον διαχύπτουσαν, τὸ περὶ ταύ-ἅπας ἐρήρεισται, τὴν ἐκ τοῦ ἐγκεφάλου δι' ἀγγείον λεπτοτάτου χορηγουμένην τροφὴν, τὴν διὰ τῶν χανθῶν τοῦ περιττώματος ἐχροήν. Σκόπησον εἰς πόσα τὸ αἷμα μετασχηματίζεται χρώματα. Τοῦτο πρῶτον μὲν ἦν σιτίον’ τοῖς ὀδοῦσι δὲ λεπτυνθὲν, τῇ γαστρὶ παρεπέμφθη᾽ ἐκείνη πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν χρόαν τοῦτο μετέθαλς, καὶ λευκὸν ἀπειργάσατο" τοῦτο τὸ ἧπαρ δεξάμενον, πάλιν εἰς τὸ οἰκεῖον μετατίθησι χρῶμα. Οὕὔτω γενομένη τοῦ αἵματος ἡ φύσις, εἰς ἐγκέφαλον χωροῦσα, πάλιν λευκαίνεται, καὶ εἰς ὀστᾶ μεταπῇγνυται, καὶ εἰς νεῦρα στεγανὰ μὲν, εὐχαμπῇ δὲ με- Ὁ τατίθεται. ᾿Αλλὰ γὰρ ἴσως ὅμοιον ποιῶ τοῖς τὴν ψάμμον ἀριθμεῖν πειρωμένοις, τὴν ἐν τῷ σώματι φαινομένην τοῦ Ποιητοῦ προμήθειαν ἐρευνῆσαι φιλονεικχῶν. Κατὰ σαυτὸν τοιγαροῦν πάσας τῇ θεωρίᾳ περινόστησον τὰς αἰσθήσεις, τὴν γεῦσιν, τὴν ὄσφρησιν, τὴν ἀκοῆν᾽ ὅπως ἣ μὲν τῶν ὀσμῶν τὴν ἀντίληψιν ἔχει, καὶ τὸ μὲν ἡδὺ προσίεται, τὸ δὲ δυσῶδες ἀπωθεῖται, καὶ τῶν τῆς κεφαλῇς περιττωμάτων τὰς ἐκκρίσεις πεπίστευται. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοὺς κάτωθεν ἅπαντας ἀναπεμπομένους ἀτμοὺς ὡς ὑπερκειμένη τοῦ σώματος ὑποδέχεται, ἡ δὲ τούτων πλημμύρα πολλὴν ἂν εἰργάσατο τῷ κυριωτάτῳ μορίῳ, φημὶ δὴ τῷ ἐγκεφάλῳ, τὴν λώδην, οὐδὲ τούτου χατημέλησεν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Ποιητὴς, ἀλλὰ πόρους τινὰς ἐν αὐτοῖς πεποιηκὼς, τὰ ὑγρὰ καὶ τὰ παχέα τῶν περιττωμάτων ἐπὶ τὴν ὑπερῷαν καὶ τοὺς μυκτῆρας ὡδήγησε, καὶ δύο τούτοις ἐχχρίσεων ἀπένειμε μόρια, ἵνα συντόμως τὸ βλαδερὸν ἐχφορῆται" τὸ δὲ ἀτμῶδες καὶ λι- Ὑννῶδες περίττωμα ἄνωθεν διὰ τῶν τοῦ κρανίου ῥαφῶν διαφορεῖσθαι καὶ διεξωθεῖσθαι πεποίηκε. Θεώρῆσον δὲ καὶ τῆς ἀκοῆς τὴν ἐνέργειαν᾽ βλέπε πῶς μυρίας δεχομένη φωνὰς οὐ χορέννυται, οὐ πληροῦται, οὐκ ἴσως ἅπαντα δέχεται, ἀλλ᾽ οἷδεν ὀξείας καὶ βαρείας φωνῆς τὸ διάφορον " εὐφωνίᾳ τέρπεται, καὶ χαχοφωνίαν ἀποστρέφεται. Διὰ ταύτης τῶν θείων Β ἐπαΐομεν λογίων, διὰ ταύτης πᾶσαν ἀνθρωπείαν ἡ φύσις παιδεύεται παίδευσιν, γραμματικὴν, ῥητοχὴν, καὶ εἴ τινα ἑτέραν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡ φύσις ἐξεῦρε. Ταύτην ὑπόθες τοῖς ἡμετέροις λόγοις τὴν ἀχυὴν, δέξαι φάρμακον τὴν ψυχὴν καθαῖρον, καὶ τῆς πονηρᾶς αὐτὴν βλασφημίας ἐλευθεροῦν" ἐπίθες ταύτῃ πύλας, τὸν λόγον, καὶ πυλωρὸν, τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ φόδον, καὶ τῶν προσφερομένων σοι λόγων υΐνου κριτὴς, καὶ τοῖς μὲν εὐσεύδέσιν ὁ πυλωρὸς ἀνοιγέτω τὰς πύλας, τοὺς δὲ βλασφήμους καὶ βδελυροὺς τω, καὶ οἷόν τινα μοχλὸν ἀῤῥαγῆῇ, τὸ στεῤῥὸν ἐπιτιθέτω τῆς πίστεως. Οὕτω γὰρ δυνατὸν, τῶν τε πολεμίων ἀπαλλάττεσθαι, καὶ τοὺς φίλους καὶ εὐερ-. νειν" οὐ χνηθομένους, κατὰ τὸν θεῖον Παῦλον, τὴν ἀκοὴν, οὐδὲ τοῖς τέρπουσι μὲν, βλάπτουσι δὲ τὸ λο- Υιχὸν λόγοις ταύτην ὑποτιθέντας" ἀλλὰ κριτὰς ὁρθοὺς καὶ δικαίους τῶν λεγομένων γιγνομένους, καὶ τοὺς ὄνησιν φέροντας ἐχλεγομένους, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν, κατὰ τὸν προφήτην, διὰ παντὸς προορωμένους, καὶ νύκτωρ καὶ [μεθ᾽ ἡμέραν, καὶ βαδίζοντας καὶ καθημένους, καὶ πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ἣ δρῶντας ἣ πάσχοντας. Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα, καὶ ἡ τιμὴ, καὶ ἡ προσχύνῃησις εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ᾿Αμήν.
᾿All᾽ isōs an eipois acharistian nosōn’ Ti toinyn moi pleon tōn astachyōn kecharistai? ᾿Alla kai tōn B astachyōn tēn physin, emdrontēte, dia tēn sēn chreian pepoiēke. Ti toinyn acharisteis, ei kai ta sa dia se tois sois hoplois chathōplise? Sy speireis tous pyrous, acharistotate" autos ardei kai thermainei kai trephei kai phrourei kai phylattei, kai pepona soi protithēsi. Sy de amēsas, kai tę̄ halǭ paradous, kai temōn tę̄ technę̄, kai tōn achyrōn apochrinas, kai mylę̄ leptynas, kai tōn pityrōn chiparadous, entryphąs tois artois, kai ton chorēgon agnoeis. ᾿All᾽ epi ton ophthalmon epanelthōmen. Katanoēson autou tēn physin" blepe posous echei chitōnas blepe tēn exōthen eumorphian blepe tēn tēs korēs leptotēta, tēn perikeimenēn irin, hēn stephanēn onomazomen, ton cheratoeidę̄ kyklon, ton rhagoeidē chitōna, tēn chrystalloeidę̄ sphairan tēn hypo toutǭ keimenēn, kai dia meson diachyptousan, to peri tau-hapas erēreistai, tēn ek tou enkephalou di' angeion leptotatou chorēgoumenēn trophēn, tēn dia tōn chanthōn tou perittōmatos echroēn. Skopēson eis posa to haima metaschēmatizetai chrōmata. Touto prōton men ēn sition’ tois odousi de leptynthen, tę̄ gastri parepemphthē᾽ ekeinē pros tēn oikeian chroan touto metethals, kai leukon apeirgasato" touto to hēpar dexamenon, palin eis to oikeion metatithēsi chrōma. Houytō genomenē tou haimatos hē physis, eis enkephalon chōrousa, palin leukainetai, kai eis osta metapę̄gnytai, kai eis neura stegana men, euchampę̄ de me- Ho tatithetai. ᾿Alla gar isōs homoion poiō tois tēn psammon arithmein peirōmenois, tēn en tǭ sōmati phainomenēn tou Poiētou promētheian ereunēsai philoneikchōn. Kata sauton toigaroun pasas tę̄ theōrią perinostēson tas aisthēseis, tēn geusin, tēn osphrēsin, tēn akoēn᾽ hopōs hē men tōn osmōn tēn antilēpsin echei, kai to men hēdy prosietai, to de dysōdes apōtheitai, kai tōn tēs kephalę̄s perittōmatōn tas ekkriseis pepisteutai. Epeidē gar tous katōthen hapantas anapempomenous atmous hōs hyperkeimenē tou sōmatos hypodechetai, hē de toutōn plēmmyra pollēn an eirgasato tǭ kyriōtatǭ moriǭ, phēmi dē tǭ enkephalǭ, tēn lōdēn, oude toutou chatēmelēsen ho tōn holōn Poiētēs, alla porous tinas en autois pepoiēkōs, ta hygra kai ta pachea tōn perittōmatōn epi tēn hyperǭan kai tous myktēras hōdēgēse, kai dyo toutois echchriseōn apeneime moria, hina syntomōs to bladeron echphorētai" to de atmōdes kai li- Hynnōdes perittōma anōthen dia tōn tou kraniou rhaphōn diaphoreisthai kai diexōtheisthai pepoiēke. Theōrēson de kai tēs akoēs tēn energeian᾽ blepe pōs myrias dechomenē phōnas ou chorennytai, ou plēroutai, ouk isōs hapanta dechetai, all᾽ hoiden oxeias kai bareias phōnēs to diaphoron " euphōnią terpetai, kai chachophōnian apostrephetai. Dia tautēs tōn theiōn B epaïomen logiōn, dia tautēs pasan anthrōpeian hē physis paideuetai paideusin, grammatikēn, rhētochēn, kai ei tina heteran tōn anthrōpōn hē physis exeure. Tautēn hypothes tois hēmeterois logois tēn achyēn, dexai pharmakon tēn psychēn kathairon, kai tēs ponēras autēn blasphēmias eleutheroun" epithes tautę̄ pylas, ton logon, kai pylōron, ton tou Theou phodon, kai tōn prospheromenōn soi logōn yïnou kritēs, kai tois men euseudesin ho pylōros anoigetō tas pylas, tous de blasphēmous kai bdelyrous tō, kai hoion tina mochlon arrhagēę̄, to sterrhon epitithetō tēs pisteōs. Houtō gar dynaton, tōn te polemiōn apallattesthai, kai tous philous kai euer-. nein" ou chnēthomenous, kata ton theion Paulon, tēn akoēn, oude tois terpousi men, blaptousi de to lo- Uichon logois tautēn hypotithentas" alla kritas horthous kai dikaious tōn legomenōn gignomenous, kai tous onēsin pherontas echlegomenous, kai ton Theon, kata ton prophētēn, dia pantos proorōmenous, kai nyktōr kai [meth᾽ hēmeran, kai badizontas kai kathēmenous, kai pan hotioun hē drōntas hē paschontas. Autǭ hē doxa, kai hē timē, kai hē proschynę̄ēsis eis tous aiōnas. ᾿Amēn.
But perhaps, sick with ingratitude, you might say: "What more, then, has he given me than the ears of grain?" But it was for your use, thunderstruck fool, that he made the nature of the ears of grain too. Why then are you ungrateful, if he armed what is yours, for your sake, with your own weapons? You sow the wheat, most ungrateful one; he waters, warms, nourishes, guards, and protects it, and sets it before you ripe. And you, having reaped it, handed it over to the threshing floor, cut it by your art, separated it from the chaff, ground it with the mill, … the bran, and handed it over …, you feast on loaves and do not know the one who supplies them. But let us return to the eye. Consider its nature: see how many coats it has; see its beauty outside; see the fineness of the pupil, the iris lying around it, which we call the crown, the horn-like circle, the grape-like coat, the crystalline sphere lying under it and peeping out through the middle, … the nourishment supplied from the brain through a very fine vessel, the outflow of residue through the corners. Consider into how many colors the blood is transformed. First it was food; ground fine by the teeth, it was sent to the belly; the belly changed it to its own color and made it white; the liver received it and changed it again to its own color. Having become the nature of blood in this way, it goes to the brain and is whitened again, and is hardened into bones, and changed into sinews, tight yet flexible. But perhaps, in striving to search out the Maker's forethought that appears in the body, I am doing like those who try to count the sand. By yourself, then, go round all the senses in contemplation: taste, smell, hearing; how the one perceives odors, admits the pleasant and pushes away the foul, and has been entrusted with the excretion of the residues of the head. For since the head, lying above, receives all the vapors sent up from below in the body, and their flood would have caused great harm to the most sovereign part, I mean the brain, the Maker of all did not neglect this either; but making certain passages in them, he led the moist and thick residues to the palate and the nostrils, and assigned these two parts for excretion, so that what is harmful might be carried out quickly; the vaporous and smoky residue he made to be dispersed and pushed out above through the sutures of the skull. Consider also the working of hearing: see how, receiving countless sounds, it is not sated, not filled, does not receive everything alike, but knows the difference between high and low voices; it delights in pleasant sound and turns away from harsh. Through it we hear the divine oracles; through it human nature is taught all human learning, grammar, rhetoric, and whatever else human nature has discovered. Lend this hearing to our words; receive a medicine that purifies the soul and frees it from wicked blasphemy; set reason as gates upon it, and the fear of God as gatekeeper, and be a judge of the words brought to you; let the gatekeeper open the gates to pious words, but … the blasphemous and loathsome, and set on them, as an unbreakable bar, the firmness of faith. For so it is possible to be rid of enemies and … friends and benefactors, not "having itching ears," as the divine Paul says, nor lending them to words that delight but harm the reasoning part, but becoming right and just judges of what is said, choosing what brings profit, and, as the prophet says, "setting God always before us," by night and by day, walking and sitting, whatever we do or suffer. To him be glory, honor, and worship to the ages. Amen.
2 Tim 4:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 16:8 (15:8 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 6:7 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret describes the eye, the changes of the blood, the senses of smell and hearing, and urges his hearers to guard their hearing with reason and the fear of God, ending his third discourse.
- "Having itching ears": 2 Tim 4:3. "Setting God always before us": Ps 16:8 (LXX 15:8). "Walking and sitting" echoes Deut 6:7.
- The parts of the eye follow the medical terms of the time (cornea "horn-like", uvea "grape-like", lens "crystalline").
- Words are lost in the OCR in the account of making bread, in the account of the eye (after "peeping out through the middle"), and in the closing exhortation (what is done to blasphemous words, and "friends and benefactors"); marked … and not supplied.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (debris from Migne's Latin column and a leaked footnote; debris from Migne's Latin column read as Greek; footnote marker): γαῖ, δ᾽ δἱ πος οηἢ-δυίοπι Τ ΡΟ αἱ, οἱ αὐ οχ οΔρὶ6 Ἔχο γα 0 (1. δέ. δος. 1014. → ; (1θ) → ; ἀςδι] αἰ 5 δου → ; αὶ ἀυείυ οἰϊεῖαϊῖ. ὐπὶ δηΐπ ἷρ56 ἴῃ δυρογίοτὶ → .
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Prov. 3.8 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-de-providentia/3-8
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.