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Let us consider. Manichaean: Let us consider. 3 Orthodox: In how many ways is the term 'beginning' understood? Manichaean: You tell me. Orthodox: That which has no beginning is beginningless, but the name 'beginning' is homonymous; for it signifies many things. For it is called a beginning in respect to time, as we call the rising of the sun the beginning of the day, and the beginning of the year. It is also called a beginning in respect to places, as we say: The beginning of a road, and paradise the beginning of the Phison. It is also called a beginning in respect to rank and authority, as we say that the king is also the beginning of his subjects. It is also called a beginning for that which is first by nature, as in the case of number. For if there are two, there must necessarily be one, but if there is one, there are not necessarily two; for two will be one and one, but one is not two. Therefore, the beginning of two is one. It is also called a beginning in respect to order, as first the rank of the reader, then of the subdeacon, then of the deacon, and so of the presbyter, and so of the bishop. It is also called a beginning in respect to cause, and this in three ways: either natural, as the father is the beginning of the son, or creative, as the creator is the beginning of creation, or imitative, as that which is depicted is the beginning of the image. Since, then, 'beginning' is spoken of in so many ways, that is what is truly called beginningless: that which is called beginningless in every way. How then do you say there are two beginningless beginnings? Manichaean: In every way; for thus they will be beginningless. Orthodox: But you have lied against your own head; and having begun with a lie, you will have a rejected end. Manichaean: How do you say this? Orthodox: By saying 'two', you began from number, but two is not a beginning; for the beginning of two is another, the monad. Therefore, when discussing a beginning, speak of one beginning, so that the beginning may be perfect; for by nature the monad is the beginning of the dyad. If, therefore, there are two beginnings, where is the beginning which is first by nature, that is, the monad? 4 Manichaean: You then say there are three hypostases, and how do you say that one must begin from a monad? Orthodox: Even if I speak of three hypostases, still I affirm one beginning; for the Father is the beginning of the Son and the Spirit, not in respect to time, but in respect to cause. For the Word and the Spirit are from the Father, even if not after the Father. For just as light is from fire and the fire does not precede the light in time—for it is impossible for fire to be without light, but the fire is the beginning and cause of the light from it—so also the Father is the beginning and cause of the Word and of the Spirit—for the Word and Spirit are from the Father—but he does not precede in time; for it is impossible for the Father to be from the Son, or the Word from the Spirit. I confess, therefore, one beginning, as the Father is the natural cause of the Word and the Spirit. But you do not say that the evil one is from the good one, nor the good one from the evil one. 5 But that it is not possible for your two beginnings to be beginningless in respect to time, we shall learn thus. That which has not begun to be is unchangeable; for if it changed, it is not entirely beginningless. For by changing from incorporeal to corporeal, or from formless to form, or from motionless to motion, or from quiet and tranquility to conflict, it begins to become that which it was not before. And that which changes from being beginningless to having a beginning is not beginningless; for that which takes a beginning and has begun is not beginningless. Manichaean: What then? Did your God not change when he begot a Son and brought forth a Spirit? Orthodox: Not at all; for I do not say: 'Not being a Father before, he later became a Father,' but he always was, having from himself his Word, and through his Word, from himself, his Spirit proceeding. 6 Manichaean: Then did he not even change when he later created creation, becoming a creator? Orthodox: Not at all. Manichaean: How do you say this? Orthodox: Because he did not bring forth creation from his own substance, but from non-being into being by his will. Manichaean: Then when he willed creation to come into being, did he not change by willing what he did not will before? Orthodox: Not at all; for it is not that not willing before, he later willed, but he always willed in

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διασκεψώμεθα. Μανιχαῖος· ∆ιασκεψώμεθα. 3 Ὀρθόδοξος· Ἡ ἀρχὴ ποσαχῶς λαμβάνεται; Μανιχαῖος· Φράσον σύ. Ὀρθόδοξος· Ἄναρχον μέν ἐστι τὸ μὴ ἐσχηκὸς ἀρχήν, τὸ δὲ τῆς ἀρχῆς ὄνομα ὁμώνυμόν ἐστι· καὶ γὰρ πολλὰ σημαίνει. Λέγεται γὰρ ἀρχὴ κατὰ χρόνον, ὡς λέγομεν ἀρχὴν ἡμέρας τὴν τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατολήν, καὶ ἀρχὴν ἐνιαυτοῦ. Λέγεται ἀρχὴ καὶ κατὰ τόπους, ὡς λέγομεν· Ἀρχὴ ὁδοῦ, καὶ ἀρχὴν τοῦ Φυσὼν τὸν παράδεισον. Λέγεται ἀρχὴ καὶ κατὰ ἀξίωμα καὶ ἐξουσίαν, ὡς λέγομεν ἀρχὴν εἶναι καὶ τὸν βασιλέα τῶν ὑπηκόων. Λέγεται ἀρχὴ καὶ τὸ φύσει πρότερον ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ. ∆ύο μὲν γὰρ ὄντων ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἔσται τὸ ἕν, ἑνὸς δὲ ὄντος οὐκ ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἐστὶ δύο· ἔσται γὰρ δύο ἓν καὶ ἕν, τὸ δὲ ἓν οὐ δύο. Ἀρχὴ οὖν τῶν δύο τὸ ἕν. Λέγεται ἀρχὴ καὶ κατὰ τάξιν ὡς πρῶτον τὸ τοῦ ἀναγνώστου ἀξίωμα, εἶτα ὑποδιακόνου, εἶτα διακόνου, καὶ οὕτως πρεσβυτέρου, καὶ οὕτως ἐπισκόπου. Λέγεται ἀρχὴ καὶ κατὰ τὸ αἴτιον καὶ τοῦτο τριχῶς; ἢ γὰρ φυσικὸν ὡς ἀρχὴ υἱοῦ πατήρ, ἢ ποιητικὸν ὡς ἀρχὴ κτίσεως ὁ κτίστης, ἢ μιμητικὸν ὡς ἀρχὴ εἰκόνος τὸ εἰκονιζόμενον. Κατὰ τοσούτους οὖν τρόπους λεγομένης τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐκεῖνό ἐστι τὸ ὄντως ἄναρχον λεγόμενον· τὸ κατὰ πάντας τοὺς τρόπους ἄναρχον λεγόμενον. Πῶς οὖν δύο ἀρχὰς σὺ φῂς ἀνάρχους; Μανιχαῖος· Κατὰ πάντας τοὺς τρόπους· οὕτως γὰρ ἔσονται ἄναρχοι. Ὀρθόδοξος· Ἀλλ' ἐψεύσω κατὰ τῆς σεαυτοῦ κορυφῆς· ἀπὸ δὲ ψεύδους ἀρξάμενος ἀδόκιμον ἕξεις τὸ τέλος. Μανιχαῖος· Πῶς τοῦτο λέγεις; Ὀρθόδοξος· ∆ύο εἰπὼν ἀπὸ ἀριθμοῦ ἤρξω, τὰ δὲ δύο οὐκ ἀρχή· ἄλλη γὰρ ἀρχὴ τῶν δύο, ἡ μονάς. Περὶ ἀρχῆς οὖν διαλεγόμενος μίαν ἀρχὴν εἰπέ, ἵνα ᾖ τελεία ἡ ἀρχή· φύσει γὰρ μονὰς ἀρχὴ δυάδος. Εἰ οὖν δύο ἀρχαί, ποῦ ἡ φύσει προτέρα ἀρχή, τουτέστιν ἡ μονάς; 4 Μανιχαῖος· Σὺ οὖν τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις λέγεις, καὶ πῶς λέγεις, ὅτι ἀπὸ μονάδος δεῖ ἄρχεσθαι; Ὀρθόδοξος· Εἰ καὶ τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις λέγω, ἀλλὰ μίαν ἀρχήν φημι· ἀρχὴ γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ υἱοῦ καὶ πνεύματος οὐ κατὰ χρόνον, ἀλλὰ κατ' αἰτίαν. Ἐκ πατρὸς γὰρ λόγος καὶ πνεῦμα, εἰ καὶ μὴ μετὰ πατέρα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ πυρὸς φῶς καὶ οὐ προτερεύει κατὰ χρόνον τὸ πῦρ τοῦ φωτός-ἀδύνατον γὰρ εἶναι πῦρ ἀφώτιστον, ἀρχὴ δέ ἐστι καὶ αἰτία τὸ πῦρ τοῦ ἐξ αὐτοῦ φωτός-, οὕτω καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἀρχὴ καὶ αἰτία τοῦ λόγου καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος-ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς γὰρ λόγος καὶ πνεῦμα-, οὐ προτερεύει δὲ χρόνῳ· ἀδύνατον γὰρ εἶναι πατέρα ἐκ τοῦ υἱοῦ ἢ λόγον ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος. Μίαν οὖν ἀρχὴν ὁμολογῶ ὡς καὶ αἴτιον φυσικὸν τὸν πατέρα λόγου καὶ πνεύματος. Σὺ δὲ οὐ λέγεις ἐκ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ τὸν πονηρὸν οὐδὲ τὸν ἀγαθὸν ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ. 5 Ὅτι δὲ οὐ κατὰ χρόνον ἀνάρχους εἶναι δυνατὸν τὰς καθ' ὑμᾶς δύο ἀρχάς, οὕτω γνωσόμεθα. Τὸ μὴ ἀρξάμενον τοῦ εἶναι ἄτρεπτόν ἐστιν· εἰ γὰρ ἐτράπη, οὐ παντελῶς ἐστιν ἄναρχον. Τρεπόμενον γὰρ ἐξ ἀσωμάτου εἰς σῶμα ἢ ἐξ ἀνειδέου εἰς εἶδος ἢ ἐξ ἀκινήτου εἰς κίνησιν ἢ ἐξ ἡσυχίας καὶ ἠρεμίας εἰς στάσιν ἄρχεται τοῦ γίνεσθαι, ὅπερ οὐκ ἦν πρότερον. Καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄναρχον τρεπόμενον ἐξ ἀνάρχου εἰς ἀρχόμενον· τὸ γὰρ ἀρχὴν λαμβάνον καὶ ἠργμένον οὐκ ἄναρχον. Μανιχαῖος· Τί οὖν; Ὁ κατὰ σὲ θεὸς οὐκ ἐτράπη γεννήσας υἱὸν καὶ προαγαγὼν πνεῦμα; Ὀρθόδοξος· Οὐδαμῶς· οὐ γὰρ λέγω· Μὴ ὢν πρότερον πατὴρ ὕστερον γέγονε πατήρ, ἀλλὰ ἀεὶ ἦν ἔχων ἐξ αὑτοῦ τὸν αὐτοῦ λόγον καὶ διὰ τοῦ λόγου αὐτοῦ ἐξ αὑτοῦ τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ ἐκπορευόμενον. 6 Μανιχαῖος· Εἶτα οὐδὲ κτίσας ὕστερον τὴν κτίσιν ἐτράπη δημιουργὸς γενόμενος; Ὀρθόδοξος· Οὐδαμῶς. Μανιχαῖος· Πῶς τοῦτο λέγεις; Ὀρθόδοξος· Ὅτι οὐκ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ τὴν κτίσιν προήγαγεν, ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι θελήματι. Μανιχαῖος· Εἶτα ὅτε ἠθέλησε γενέσθαι τὴν κτίσιν, οὐκ ἐτράπη θελήσας, ὅπερ οὐκ ἤθελε πρότερον; Ὀρθόδοξος· Οὐδαμῶς· οὐ γὰρ πρότερον μὴ θέλων ὕστερον ἠθέλησεν, ἀλλ' ἀεὶ ἤθελεν ἐν