represented. By nature, at any rate, Apollophanes [says] these things are not true. Indeed, this is especially borne out in the sacred reports of the Persians, and even now the Magi celebrate the memorials of the threefold Mithras. But let it be permitted for him to disbelieve these things because of ignorance or inexperience. But say to him: What do you say about the eclipse that happened at the time of the saving cross? For we both, being present and standing together at Heliopolis at that time, saw the moon unexpectedly fall upon the sun—for it was not the time of conjunction—; and again, from the ninth hour until evening, supernaturally standing opposite it, across the diameter of the sun. Remind him of something else as well; for he knows that we saw the eclipse itself begin from the east and come to the edge of the sun, then turn back, and again the eclipse and the clearing did not happen from the same point, but from the diametrically opposite one. So great are the supernatural events of that time and possible for Christ alone, the cause of all, who does “great and marvelous things, of which there is no number.” These things, if it is right for you, say, and if it is possible, Apollophanes, refute also before me, who was then present with you and saw and examined and concluded all things with you. Indeed, Apollophanes then, I know not from where, began a prophecy and said to me, as if interpreting the events: These things, O good Dionysius, are the exchanges of divine matters. Let so much be said by us as in a letter. But you are able to fill in what is lacking and to bring the man, who is wise in many things, completely to God, and who perhaps will not refuse to learn meekly the supremely wise truth of our religion.

TO DEMOPHILUS THE THERAPEUTES

The histories of the Hebrews say, O noble Demophilus, that that sacred Moses was deemed worthy of the theophany on account of his great meekness. And if ever they write of him as outside the divine vision, they do not cast him from God before his meekness. But they say that the Lord was angered in wrath at him when he was being exceedingly stubborn and resisting the divine counsels. But when they make him proclaimed for his God-chosen dignities, he is proclaimed on account of his pre-eminent and good imitation of God. For he was exceedingly meek, and on account of this he is called a servant of God and more worthy of the vision of God than all the prophets. But also when certain insolent men contended with him and Aaron over the high priesthood and the leadership of the nation, he was above all ambition and love of power and yielded the leadership of the people to the one chosen by God. But when they conspired against him and, reproaching him for former things, threatened him and were already nearly attacking, the meek one cried out to the Good One for salvation, and declared with great forbearance that he was blameless of all evils toward those he ruled; for he knew that one who converses with the good God must be conformed, as far as possible, to the greatest possible likeness, and be conscious in himself of works that love the good. And what made the forefather of God, David, beloved of God? For he was good, and good even toward his enemies; “I have found,” says the Supremely Good, the Lover of good,

βευθέντα. Φ»σει δὲ πάντως Ἀπολλοφάνης οὐκ εἶναι ταῦτα ἀληθῆ. Μάλιστα μὲν οὖν τοῦτο ταῖς Περσῶν ἱερατικαῖς ἐμφέρεται φήμαις, καὶ εἰσέτι μάγοι τὰ μνημόσυνα τοῦ τριπλασίου Μίθρου τελοῦσιν. Ἀλλ' ἐξέστω αὐτῷ τούτοις διὰ τὴν ἄγνοιαν ἢ τὴν ἀπειρίαν ἀπιστεῖν. Eἰπὲ δὲ αὐτῷ· Τί λέγεις περὶ τῆς ἐν τῷ σωτηρίῳ σταυρῷ γεγονυίας ἐκλείψεως; Ἀμφοτέρω γὰρ τότε κατὰ Ἡλιούπολιν ἅμα παρόντε καὶ συνεστῶτε παραδόξως τῷ ἡλίῳ τὴν σελήνην ἐμπίπτουσαν ἑωρῶμεν-οὐ γὰρ ἦν συνόδου καιρός-· αὖθίς τε αὐτὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐνάτης ὥρας ἄχρι τῆς ἑσπέρας εἰς τὸ τοῦ ἡλίου διάμετρον ὑπερφυῶς ἀντικαταστᾶσαν. Ἀνάμνησον δέ τι καὶ ἕτερον αὐ τόν· οἶδε γάρ, ὅτι καὶ τὴν ἔμπτωσιν αὐτὴν ἐξ ἀνατολῶν ἑωράκαμεν ἀρξαμένην καὶ μέχρι τοῦ ἡλιακοῦ πέρατος ἐλθοῦσαν, εἶτα ἀναποδίσασαν καὶ αὖθις οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν ἔμπτωσιν καὶ τὴν ἀνακάθαρσιν, ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ διάμετρον ἐναντίου γεγενημένην. Τοσαῦτά ἐστι τοῦ τότε καιροῦ τὰ ὑπερφυῆ καὶ μόνῳ Χριστῷ τῷ παναιτίῳ δυνατά, τῷ ποιοῦντι «μεγάλα καὶ ἐξαίσια, ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν ἀριθμός». Ταῦτα, εἴ σοι θεμιτόν, εἰπέ, καὶ δυνατόν, Ἀπολλόφανες, ἐξέλεγχε καὶ πρὸς ἐμὲ τὸν τότε καὶ συμπαρόντα σοι καὶ συνεωρακότα καὶ συν ανακρίναντα πάντα καὶ συναγάμενον. Ἀμέλει καὶ μαντείας τότε, οὐκ οἶδ' ὅθεν, ὁ Ἀπολλοφάνης ἀπάρχεται καὶ πρὸς ἐμὲ ὥσπερ τὰ γιγνόμενα συμβάλλων ἔφη· Ταῦτα, ὦ καλὲ ∆ιονύσιε, θείων ἀμοιβαὶ πραγμάτων. Τοσαῦτα ὡς κατ' ἐπιστολὴν ἡμῖν εἰρήσθω. Σὺ δὲ ἱκανὸς καὶ τὰ ἐλλείποντα προσαναπληρῶσαι καὶ προσαγαγεῖν τελέως τῷ θεῷ τὸν ἄνδρα σοφὸν τὰ πολλὰ ὄντα καὶ ἴσως οὐκ ἀπαξιώσοντα πραέως μαθεῖν τὴν ὑπέρσοφον τῆς θρησκείας ἡμῶν ἀλήθειαν.

∆HΜOΦIΛΩι ΘEΡAΠEΥΤHι

Aἱ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἱστορίαι φασίν, ὦ γενναῖε ∆ημόφιλε, καὶ τὸν ἱερὸν ἐκεῖνον Μωσέα διὰ πολλὴν πραότητα τῆς θεοφανείας ἠξιωμένον. Καὶ εἴ ποτε αὐτὸν ἔξω τῆς θείας ὄψεως ἀναγράφουσιν, οὐ πρὸ τῆς πραότητος ἐκβάλλουσι τοῦ θεοῦ. Λέγουσι δέ, ὅτι λίαν ἀπαυθαδιαζομένῳ καὶ ἀντιτείνοντι ταῖς θείαις βουλαῖς ὠργίσθη θυμῷ κύριος. Ὅταν δὲ αὐτὸν ἀνακήρυκτον ποιῶσι ταῖς θεοκρίτοις ἀξίαις, ἐκ τῆς προὐχούσης τ' ἀγαθοῦ θεομιμησίας ἀνακηρύττεται. Καὶ γὰρ ἦν πρᾶος σφόδρα, καὶ ὑπὲρ τούτου λέγεται θεράπων θεοῦ καὶ εἰς θεοπτίαν ἁπάντων προφητῶν ἀξιώτερος. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅτε πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ τὸν Ἀαρὼν ἰταμοί τινες ὑπὲρ ἀρχιερωσύνης καὶ ἐθναρχίας ἐφιλονείκουν, ὑπερεῖχε μὲν ἁπάσης φιλοτιμίας καὶ φιλαρχίας καὶ παρεχώ ρει τῷ θεοκρίτῳ τὴν τοῦ λαοῦ προστασίαν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ ἐπισυνέστησαν αὐτῷ καὶ περὶ τῶν προτέρων ὀνειδίζοντες ἠπείλουν καὶ ἤδη σχεδὸν ἐπῄεσαν, ἐπεβοᾶτο μὲν ὁ πρᾶος τὸν ἀγαθὸν εἰς σωτηρίαν, ἐπαῤῥησιάζετο δὲ λίαν ἐπιεικῶς, ὅτι πάντων εἴη κακῶν τοῖς ἀρχομένοις ἀναίτιος· ᾔδει γάρ, ὅτι χρὴ τὸν ὁμιλοῦντα θεῷ τἀγαθῷ πρὸς τὸ ὅτι μάλιστα ὁμοιό τατον, ὡς ἐφικτόν, ἀποτετυπῶσθαι καὶ ἑαυτῷ συνειδέναι τὰς ἀγαθοφιλεῖς ἐργατείας. Τί δὲ τὸν θεοπάτορα ∆αυὶδ ἐποίει θεοφιλῆ; Καὶ γὰρ ἀγαθὸν ὄντα, καὶ περὶ ἐχθροὺς ἀγαθόν· «Eὕρηκα» φησίν, ὁ ὑπεράγαθος ὁ φιλάγαθος,