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is filled with the dead, it becomes a repository of bodies. 4.4 These things being so, it is not possible for the earth to be a goddess, but a work of God for the use of men.

5.1 But those who think water is a god are mistaken. For it also was made for the use of men and is mastered by them, is polluted and perishes and is altered when it is boiled and changed by colors and congealed by cold and defiled by blood. 5.2 and is brought to the washing of all unclean things. Therefore it is impossible for water to be a god, but it is a work of God. 5.3 But those who think fire is a god are mistaken. For it also was made for the use of men and is mastered by them, being carried from place to place for boiling and roasting all kinds of meats, and also the bodies of the dead. And it is destroyed in many ways, being extinguished by men. Therefore it is not possible for fire to be a god, but it is a work of God. 5.4 But those who think the breath of the winds is a goddess are mistaken. For it is clear that it serves another and has been prepared by God for the sake of men, for the transport of ships and the bringing in of foods and for their other needs. And it increases and ceases by the command of God. 5.5 Therefore the breath of the winds is not considered to be a goddess, but a work of God.

6.1 But those who think the sun is a god are mistaken. For we see it moving by necessity and turning and passing from sign to sign, setting and rising to warm the plants and shoots for the use of men, and moreover having divisions in common with the rest of the stars. 6.2 And being much smaller than the heaven, and eclipsed of its light, and having no sovereignty. Therefore the sun is not considered to be a god, but a work of God. 6.3 But those who think the moon is a goddess are mistaken. For we see it moving by necessity and turning and passing from sign to sign, setting and rising for the use of men, and being smaller than the sun, both waxing and waning, and having eclipses. Therefore the moon is not considered to be a goddess, but a work of God.

7.1 But those who think man is a god are mistaken. For we see him moved, being carried by necessity, and being nourished and growing old, even when he does not wish it. 7.2 And at one time he rejoices, and at another he is grieved, being in need of food and drink and clothing. 7.3 And he is wrathful and jealous, and lustful, and repentant, and has many defects. And he is destroyed in many ways by elements and by animals. and by the death which is set over him. Therefore it is not possible for man to be a god, but a work of God. 7.4 Therefore the Chaldeans have been greatly mistaken, following after their own desires. For they worship corruptible elements and dead statues, and do not perceive that they are deifying these things.

8.1 Let us come then to the Greeks, that we may see if they have any understanding concerning God. 8.2 The Greeks then, saying they are wise, have become more foolish than the Chaldeans, by introducing many gods that have come into being, some male and some female, slaves to all kinds of passions and creators of all sorts of lawlessness.-whom they themselves set forth as being adulterers and murderers, wrathful and jealous and passionate, patricides and fratricides, thieves and robbers, lame and crippled and sorcerers and madmen; and of these some have died, and some have been struck by lightning and been cut down and been mourned, and have been enslaved to men and become fugitives and been transformed into animals for wicked and shameful unions- 8.3 Whence the Greeks introduced ridiculous and foolish and impious words, O king, calling such non-existent beings gods according to

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γεμίζεται νεκρῶν θήκη γίνεται σωμάτων. 4.4 τούτων οὕτως ὄντων, οὐκ ἐνδέχεται τὴν γῆν εἶναι θεάν, ἀλλ' ἔργον θεοῦ εἰς χρῆσιν ἀνθρώπων.

5.1 Οἱ δὲ νομίζοντες τὸ ὕδωρ εἶναι θεὸν ἐπλανήθησαν. καὶ αὐτὸ γὰρ εἰς χρῆσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων γέγονε καὶ κατακυριεύεται ὑπ' αὐτῶν, μιαίνεται καὶ φθείρεται καὶ ἀλλοιοῦται ἑψούμενον καὶ ἀλλασσόμενον χρώμασι καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ κρύους πηγνύμενον καὶ αἵμασι μολυνόμενον. 5.2 καὶ εἰς πάντων τῶν ἀκαθάρτων πλύσιν ἀγόμενον. διὸ ἀδύνατον τὸ ὕδωρ εἶναι θεὸν ἀλλ' ἔργον θεοῦ. 5.3 οἱ δὲ νομίζοντες τὸ πῦρ εἶναι θεὸν πλανῶνται. καὶ αὐτὸ γὰρ εἰς χρῆσιν ἐγένετο ἀνθρώπων καὶ κατακυριεύεται ὑπ' αὐτῶν περιφερόμενον ἐκ τόπου εἰς τόπον εἰς ἕψησιν καὶ ὄπτησιν παντοδαπῶν κρεῶν, ἔτι δὲ καὶ νεκρῶν σωμάτων. φθείρεται δὲ καὶ κατὰ πολλοὺς τρόπους ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων σβεννύμενον. διὸ οὐκ ἐνδέχεται τὸ πῦρ εἶναι θεὸν ἀλλ' ἔργον θεοῦ. 5.4 οἱ δὲ νομίζοντες τὴν τῶν ἀνέμων πνοὴν εἶναι θεὰν πλανῶνται. φανερὸν γάρ ἐστι ὅτι δουλεύει ἑτέρῳ καὶ χάριν τῶν ἀνθρώπων κατεσκεύασται ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ πρὸς μεταγωγὴν πλοίων καὶ συγκομιδὰς τῶν σιτίων καὶ εἰς λοιπὰς αὐτῶν χρείας. αὔξει τε καὶ λήγει κατ' ἐπιταγὴν θεοῦ. 5.5 διὸ οὐ νενόμισται τὴν τῶν ἀνέμων πνοὴν εἶναι θεὰν ἀλλ' ἔργον θεοῦ.

6.1 Οἱ δὲ νομίζοντες τὸν ἥλιον εἶναι θεὸν πλανῶνται. ὁρῶμεν γὰρ αὐτὸν κινούμενον κατὰ ἀνάγκην καὶ τρεπόμενον καὶ μεταβαίνοντα ἀπὸ σημείου εἰς σημεῖον, δύνοντα καὶ ἀνατέλλοντα τοῦ θερμαίνειν τὰ φυτὰ καὶ βλαστὰ εἰς χρῆσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἔτι δὲ καὶ μερισμοὺς ἔχοντα μετὰ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀστέρων. 6.2 καὶ ἐλάττονα ὄντα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πολύ, καὶ ἐκλείποντα τοῦ φωτός, καὶ μηδεμίαν αὐτοκράτειαν ἔχοντα. διὸ οὐ νενόμισται τὸν ἥλιον εἶναι θεὸν ἀλλ' ἔργον θεοῦ. 6.3 οἱ δὲ νομίζοντες τὴν σελήνην εἶναι θεὰν πλανῶνται. ὁρῶμεν γὰρ αὐτὴν κινουμένην κατὰ ἀνάγκην καὶ τρεπομένην καὶ μεταβαίνουσαν ἀπὸ σημείου εἰς σημεῖον, δύνουσάν τε καὶ ἀνατέλλουσαν εἰς χρῆσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ ἐλάττονα οὖσαν τοῦ ἡλίου, αὐξομένην τε καὶ μειουμένην καὶ ἐκλείψεις ἔχουσαν. διὸ οὐ νενόμισται τὴν σελήνην εἶναι θεὰν ἀλλ' ἔργον θεοῦ.

7.1 Οἱ δὲ νομίζοντες τὸν ἄνθρωπον εἶναι θεὸν πλανῶνται. ὁρῶμεν γὰρ αὐτὸν κινούμενον κυούμενον κατὰ ἀνάγκην, καὶ τρεφόμενον καὶ γηράσκοντα, καὶ μὴ θέλοντος αὐτοῦ. 7.2 καὶ ποτὲ μὲν χαίρει, ποτὲ δὲ λυπεῖται, δεόμενος βρωμάτων καὶ ποτοῦ καὶ ἐσθῆτος. 7.3 εἶναι δὲ αὐτὸν ὀργίλον καὶ ζηλωτήν, καὶ ἐπιθυμητήν, καὶ μεταμελόμενον καὶ πολλὰ ἐλαττώματα ἔχοντα. φθείρεται δὲ κατὰ πολλοὺς τρόπους ὑπὸ στοιχείων καὶ ζῴων. καὶ τοῦ ἐπικειμένου αὐτῷ θανάτου. οὐκ ἐνδέχεται οὖν εἶναι τὸν ἄνθρωπον θεὸν ἀλλ' ἔργον θεοῦ. 7.4 πλάνην οὖν μεγάλην ἐπλανήθησαν οἱ Χαλδαῖοι ὀπίσων τῶν ἐπιθυμημάτων αὐτῶν. σέβονται γὰρ φθαρτὰ στοιχεῖα καὶ τὰ νεκρὰ ἀγάλματα καὶ οὐκ αἰσθάνονται ταῦτα θεοποιούμενοι.

8.1 Ἔλθωμεν οὖν ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἵνα ἴδωμεν εἴ τι φρονοῦσι περὶ θεοῦ. 8.2 οἱ οὖν Ἕλληνες σοφοὶ λέγοντες εἶναι ἐμωράνθησαν χεῖρον τῶν Χαλδαίων, παρεισάγοντες πολλοὺς θεοὺς γεγενῆσθαι τοὺς μὲν ἄρρενας τοὺς δὲ θηλείας παντοίων δούλους παθῶν καὶ παντοδαπῶν δημιουργοὺς ἀνομημάτων.-οὓς ἐκεῖνοι αὐτοὶ ἐξέθεντο μοιχοὺς εἶναι καὶ φονεῖς, ὀργίλους καὶ ζηλωτὰς καὶ θυμαντικοὺς, πατροκτόνους καὶ ἀδελφοκτόνους, κλέπτας καὶ ἅρπαγας χωλοὺς καὶ κυλλοὺς καὶ φαρμακοὺς καὶ μαινομένους καὶ τούτων τινὰς μὲν τετελευτηκότας, τινὰς δὲ κεκεραυνωμένους καὶ κοπτομένους καὶ θρηνουμένους καὶ δεδουλευκότας ἀνθρώποις καὶ φυγάδας γενομένους καὶ εἰς ζῷα μεταμορφουμένους ἐπὶ πονηραῖς καὶ αἰσχραῖς μίξεσιν- 8.3 ὅθεν γελοῖα καὶ μωρὰ καὶ ἀσεβῆ παρεισήγαγον οἱ Ἕλληνες, βασιλεῦ, ῥήματα, τοὺς τοιούτους μὴ ὄντας προσαγορεύοντες θεοὺς κατὰ