§55. Summary of foregoing. Cessation of pagan oracles, &c.: propagation of the faith. The true King has come forth and silenced all usurpers.

This, then, after what we have so far said, it is right for you to realize, and to take as the sum of what we have already stated, and to marvel at exceedingly; namely, that since the Saviour has come among us, idolatry not only has no longer increased, but what there was is diminishing and gradually coming to an end: and not only does the wisdom of the Greeks no longer advance, but what there is is now fading away: and demons, so far from cheating any more by illusions and prophecies and magic arts, if they so much as dare to make the attempt, are put to shame by the sign of the Cross. 2. And to sum the matter up: behold how the Saviour’s doctrine is everywhere increasing, while all idolatry and everything opposed to the faith of Christ is daily dwindling, and losing power, and falling. And thus beholding, worship the Saviour, “Who is above all” and mighty, even God the Word; and condemn those who are being worsted and done away by Him. 3. For as, when the sun is come, darkness no longer prevails, but if any be still left anywhere it is driven away; so, now that the divine Appearing of the Word of God is come, the darkness of the idols prevails no more, and all parts of the world in every direction are illumined by His teaching. 4. And as, when a king is reigning in some country without appearing but keeps at home in his own house, often some disorderly persons, abusing his retirement, proclaim themselves; and each of them, by assuming the character, imposes on the simple as king, and so men are led astray by the name, hearing that there is a king, but not seeing him, if for no other reason, because they cannot enter the house; but when the real king comes forth and appears, then the disorderly impostors are exposed by his presence, while men, seeing the real king, desert those who previously led them astray: 5. in like manner, the evil spirits formerly used to deceive men, investing themselves with God’s honour; but when the Word of God appeared in a body, and made known to us His own Father, then at length the deceit of the evil spirits is done away and stopped, while men, turning their eyes to the true God, Word of the Father, are deserting the idols, and now coming to know the true God. 6. Now this is a proof that Christ is God the Word, and the Power of God. For whereas human things cease, and the Word of Christ abides, it is clear to all eyes that what ceases is temporary, but that He Who abides is God, and the true Son of God, His only-begotten Word.

Τοῦτο οὖν μετὰ τὰ προειρημένα καταμαθεῖν σε ἄξιόν ἐστιν καὶ ὡς ἀρχὴν τῶν μὴ λεχθέντων θέσθαι, καὶ θαυμάσαι λίαν ὅτι τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐπιδημήσαντος οὐκ ἔτι μὲν ηὔξησεν ἡ εἰδωλολατρία, καὶ ἡ οὖσα δὲ ἐλαττοῦται, καὶ κατ' ὀλίγον παύεται· καὶ οὐκ ἔτι μὲν ἡ Ἑλλήνων σοφία προκόπτει, καὶ ἡ οὖσα δὲ λοιπὸν ἀφανίζεται· καὶ δαίμονες μὲν οὐκ ἔτι φαντασίαις καὶ μαντείαις καὶ μαγείαις ἀπατῶσι, μόνον δὲ τολμῶντες καὶ ἐπιχειροῦντες καταισ-χύνονται τῷ σημείῳ τοῦ σταυροῦ. Καὶ συλλήβδην εἰπεῖν, θεώρει πῶς ἡ μὲν τοῦ Σωτῆρος διδασκαλία πανταχοῦ αὔξει· πᾶσα δὲ εἰδωλολατρία καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐναντιούμενα τῇ Χριστοῦ πίστει καθ' ἡμέραν ἐλαττοῦται καὶ ἐξασθενεῖ καὶ πίπτει. Οὕτω δὲ θεωρῶν προσκύνει μὲν τὸν ἐπὶ πάντων Σωτῆρα καὶ δυνατὸν Θεὸν Λόγον· καταγίνωσκε δὲ τῶν ἐλαττουμένων καὶ ἀφανιζομένων ὑπ' αὐτοῦ. Ὡς γὰρ ἡλίου παρόντος οὐκ ἔτι τὸ σκότος ἰσχύει, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἴ πού ἐστι περιλειπόμενον ἀπελαύνεται· οὕτως ἐλθούσης τῆς θείας ἐπιφανείας τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου, οὐκ ἔτι μὲν ἰσχύει τὸ τῶν εἰδώλων σκότος, πάντα δὲ τὰ πανταχοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης μέρη τῇ τούτου διδασκαλίᾳ καταλάμπεται. Καὶ ὥσπερ βασιλεύοντός τινος καὶ μὴ φαινομένου ἔν τινι χώρᾳ, ἀλλ' ἔνδον ὄντος ἐν τῷ ἑαυτοῦ οἴκῳ, πολλάκις τινὲς ἄτακτοι καταχρώμενοι τῇ τούτου ἀναχωρήσει ἑαυτοὺς ἀναγορεύ-ουσι, καὶ ἕκαστος κατασχηματισάμενος τοὺς ἀκεραίους φαντασιοκοπεῖ ὡς βασιλεύς, καὶ οὕτως πλανῶνται οἱ ἄνθρωποι τῷ ὀνόματι, ἀκούοντες μὲν εἶναι βασιλέα, οὐχ ὁρῶντες δὲ αὐτόν, διὰ τὸ μάλιστα μηδὲ δύνασθαι αὐτοὺς ἔσω τοῦ οἴκου χωρῆσαι, ἐπειδὰν δὲ ὁ ἀληθῶς βασιλεὺς προέλθῃ καὶ φανῇ, τότε οἱ μὲν ἀπατῶντες ἄτακτοι ἐλέγχονται τῇ τούτου παρουσίᾳ, οἱ δὲ ἄνθρωποι ὁρῶντες τὸν ἀληθῶς βασιλέα, καταλιμπάνουσι τοὺς πάλαι πλανῶντας αὐτούς· οὕτως καὶ πάλαι μὲν ἠπάτων οἱ δαίμονές τε καὶ ἄνθρωποι, Θεοῦ τιμὴν ἑαυτοῖς περιτιθέντες· ὅτε δὲ ἐπεφάνη ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος ἐν σώματι, καὶ ἐγνώρισεν ἡμῖν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Πατέρα, τότε δὴ ἡ μὲν τῶν δαιμόνων ἀπάτη ἀφανίζεται καὶ παύεται· οἱ δὲ ἄνθρωποι, ἀφορῶντες εἰς τὸν ἀληθινὸν τοῦ Πατρὸς Θεὸν Λόγον, καταλιμπάνουσι τὰ εἴδωλα, καὶ λοιπὸν ἐπιγινώσκουσι τὸν ἀληθινὸν Θεόν. Τοῦτο δὲ γνώρισμα τοῦ εἶναι τὸν Χριστὸν Θεὸν Λόγον καὶ Θεοῦ ∆ύναμίν ἐστι· τῶν γὰρ ἀνθρωπίνων παυομένων, καὶ μένοντος τοῦ ῥήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, δῆλόν ἐστι παρὰ πᾶσι, τὰ μὲν παυόμενα εἶναι πρόσκαιρα, τὸν δὲ μένοντα εἶναι Θεὸν καὶ Θεοῦ Υἱὸν ἀληθινὸν μονογενῆ Λόγον.