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gazing at what they were watching, 429 Artiphaes whirling through the air from the east upon the land of the Hebrews, they recognized the king; Then it was that the counsels of their art fell together for the astrologers, when the astrologers worshipped the king along with the heavenly beings. But they traverse their own path, which Christ the king appointed, fiery, ever-running, unshaken, fixed stars and planets turning back, as they say, whether their nature is some un-nurtured fire, or some body, the fifth which they call it, having a circular path; But we complete our own path. For we hasten to a rational and heavenly nature, though prisoners of the earth. 430 2. Concerning the same. Away with those who have denied the Divine, And do not refer the ineffable harmony of the universe to some cause, both creative and holding all things together. Away with those who know a swarm of gods, or the power of good and evil demons. Away with those who have denied Providence, as if fearing to be saved by God; but either assigning the universe to an unstable motion, or even giving it to the movements of the stars, which are moved how, and whence, and by whom; 431 If by God, how is that first which God turns? For it is for the one who weaves to also unweave. But if not by God, how will it stand from anarchy, or from a battle of the stronger? And how is it not a battle? For the denial of providence is rebellion against God; Unless you also make God subject to fate, unwillingly bearing the tyranny of the weaving. Thus they are convicted by their own words. But for us, one God leads this whole universe, wisely turning and weaving it, as he may wish, by his own nods and words, even if he does not seem to turn all things aright. Indeed many even of the wisest are weary with the inequalities here, both long ago and even now. Why must I speak of all? But consider for me 432 what David suffers; seeing the wicked faring well (as it seems), he is exceedingly dizzy, lest someone give the nature of things to chance, as if no one were watching over us. But he himself knows the solution: 'For consider for me the end of all things,' he says, 'how it is reversed.' You have sown; you will see also the ear of the grain. But if you are ignorant of the reasons, the Logos is not; For neither, if you are ignorant of the painting, is the painter also; nor if you are ignorant of the lines, is the geometer so too. You have understood one thing, but follow the other wisely. This too is reason, to obey reason. If all things are clear, where is faith, tell me. For faith is an unquestioning consent And I perhaps wisely think this also; 433 I did not promise these things to you when you entered, 433 to be rich, to be without care, to be strong, or to have good children; But a good life and the things that are hoped for; so that in place of the present things, you might expect greater things. How then is it just, as in a transaction, for you to seek what was sold, and also to have the payment? Unless this is a privilege for you alone of all. How very insatiable, and of a strange contribution! Either throw those things away, dearest friend, or give these things also; if indeed your word must stand, and you must not go outside of what has been well established. How then, you might say, did those of old have these things also? 434 Not yet then was faith rooted, and the things here were the faith of things understood, like milk for infants growing into men. And a proof of the argument. For then indeed the greatest of evils were somehow pardonable; but the not greatest of evils were to be punished; the worth in both being weighed against each other. But the vengeances of the wise were excessive. Let David persuade you of these things, and Moses, and Elisha, of whom I tremble to remember; The one punished less than his failings, the other for small things, even after having a vision of God; 435 and the Law, and saving so great an army; the other, for a small insult even by infants, returning such a blow beyond expectation. So shadowy then was also the law. So was the purification of sacrifices through blood, and the weak sprinklings of unclean flesh; So best was the flight from worse things, even if nothing more was added, with piety being defined by small bounds for those then. Shall I say something greater than what I have said? It shall be said. They did not yet have so great a contribution as we, in the sufferings of God, 436 and in the Lamb slain for my evils. So theirs was more; and if it was more, grant that there be more of the labors and

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θηεύμενοι, οὓς ἐδόκευον, 429 Ἀρτιφαῆ τροχάοντα κατ' ἠέρος ἀντολίηθεν Ἑβραίων ἐπὶ γαῖαν, ἐτεκμήραντο ἄνακτα· Τῆμος ὅτ' ἀστρολόγοισιν ὁμοῦ πέσε μήδεα τέχνης, Ἀστρολόγων τὸν ἄνακτα σὺν οὐρανίοισι σεβόντων. Ἀλλ' οἱ μὲν περόωεν ἑὴν ὁδὸν, ἥνπερ ἔταξε Χριστὸς ἄναξ, πυρόεντες, ἀείδρομοι, ἀστυφέλικτοι, Ἀπλανέες τε πλάνοι τε παλίμποροι, ὡς ἐνέπουσιν, Εἴτε τις ἄτροφός ἐστι πυρὸς φύσις, εἴτε τι σῶμα, Πέμπτον ὃ δὴ καλέουσι, περίδρομον οἶμον ἔχοντες· Ἡμεῖς δ' ἡμετέρην ὁδὸν ἄνιμεν. Εἰς λογικὴν γὰρ Σπεύδομεν, οὐρανίην τε φύσιν, καὶ δέσμιοι αἴης. 430 ʹ. Περὶ τῆς αὐτῆς. Ἔῤῥοιεν οἱ τὸ Θεῖον ἐξηρνημένοι, Καὶ μηδὲ τὴν ἄφραστον εὐαρμοστίαν Τοῦ παντὸς εἴς τιν' ἀναφέροντες αἰτίαν Ποιητικήν τε καὶ συνεκτικὴν ὅλων. Ἔῤῥοιεν οἱ θεῶν τιν' ἐσμὸν εἰδότες, Ἢ δαιμόνων καλῶν τε καὶ κακῶν κράτος. Ἔῤῥοιεν οἱ Πρόνοιαν ἐξηρνηκότες, Ὥσπερ τὸ σώζεσθ' ἐκ Θεοῦ δεδοικότες· Ἀλλ' ἢ φορᾷ νέμοντες ἀστάτῳ τὸ πᾶν, Ἢ καὶ διδόντες ἀστέρων κινήμασι, Τοῖς πῶς, πόθεν τε, κἀκ τίνος, κινουμένοις· 431 Εἰ μὲν Θεοῦ, πῶς πρῶτον, ὃ στρέφει Θεός; Τοῦ γὰρ πλέκοντός ἐστι καὶ μεταπλέκειν. Εἰ δ' οὐ Θεοῦ, πῶς στήσετ' ἐξ ἀναρχίας, Ἢ καὶ μάχης τοῦ κρείσσονος; Πῶς δ' οὐ μάχη; Ἡ γὰρ προνοίας ἄρσις, ἄνταρσις Θεοῦ· Εἰ μὴ σὺ ποιεῖς καὶ Θεὸν πεπρωμένον, Φέροντ' ἄκοντα τὴν πλοκῆς τυραννίδα. Οὕτω μὲν οὗτοι σφῶν ἁλίσκονται λόγοις. Ἡμῖν δ' ἄγει μὲν εἷς Θεὸς τὸ πᾶν τόδε, Σοφῶς ἑλίσσων καὶ πλέκων, ὡς ἂν θέλῃ, Τοῖς αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ νεύμασί τε καὶ λόγοις, Κἂν μὴ τὰ πάντα δεξιῶς στρέφειν δοκῇ. Πολλοί γε μὴν κάμνουσι καὶ σοφωτάτων, Τοῖς τῇδ' ἀνίσοις, καὶ πάλαι καὶ νῦν ἔτι. Τί δεῖ λέγειν ἅπαντας; ἀλλά μοι σκόπει 432 ∆αυῒδ τί πάσχει· τοὺς κακοὺς ὁρῶν καλῶς Πράττοντας (ὡς δοκοῦσι), σφόδρ' εἰλιγγιᾷ, Μή τις φορᾷ δῷ τὴν φύσιν τῶν πραγμάτων, Ὡς οὐκ ἐπιστατοῦντος ἡμῖν οὐδενός. Ὁ δ' αὐτὸς οἶδε τὴν λύσιν· Τὸ γὰρ τελὸς Πάντων σκόπει μοι, φησὶν, ὡς ἀντίστροφον. Ἔσπειρας· ὄψει τῆς σπορᾶς καὶ τὸν στάχυν. Εἰ δ' ἀγνοεῖς σὺ τοὺς λόγους, οὐ καὶ Λόγος· Οὐδὲ γὰρ, εἰ σὺ τῆς γραφῆς, καὶ ζωγράφος· Οὐδ' εἰ σὺ γραμμῶν, καὶ γεωμέτρης ὃ σύ. Τὸ μὲν κατείληφάς τι, τῷ δ' ἕπου σοφῶς. Ἔστιν λόγος καὶ τοῦτο, πείθεσθαι λόγῳ. Εἰ πάντα δῆλα, ποῦ τὸ πιστεύειν, λέγε. Πίστις γάρ ἐστιν ἀπράγμων συναίνεσις Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ τοῦτ' ἐννοῶ σοφῶς ἴσως· 433 Οὐ ταῦτα εἰσιόντι σοι καθυπεσχόμην, 433 Πλουτεῖν, ἀμεριμνεῖν, εὐσθενεῖν, ἢ εὐτεκνεῖν· Εὐζωΐαν δὲ καὶ τὰ προσδοκώμενα· Ὡς ἀντὶ τῶν νῦν προσδοκᾷν τὰ μείζονα. Πῶς οὖν δίκαιον, ὥσπερ ἐν συναλλαγῇ, Καὶ τὸ πραθὲν ζητεῖν σε, καὶ τὸ χρῆμ' ἔχειν; Εἰ μὴ μόνῳ σοι τοῦτο τῶν πάντων γέρας. Ὡς σφόδρ' ἄπληστον, καὶ ξένης συνεισφορᾶς! Ἢ κεῖνα ῥίψον, φίλτατ', ἢ καὶ ταῦτα δός· Εἴ πέρ τι δεῖ σοι τὸν σὸν ἑστάναι λόγον, Μηδ' ἐκτὸς ἔρχῃ τῶν καλῶς συγκειμένων. Πῶς οὖν, ἂν εἴποις, τοῖς πάλαι καὶ ταῦτα ἦν; 434 Οὔπω τότ' ἦν ἧ πίστις ἐῤῥιζωμένη, Καὶ πίστις ἦν τὰ τῇδε τῶν νοουμένων, Ὥσπερ γάλακτι νηπίοις ἀνδρουμένοις. Τεκμήριον δὲ τοῦ λόγου. Καὶ γὰρ τότ' ἦν Τὰ μὲν μέγιστα τῶν κακῶν συγγνωστά πως· Τὰ δ' οὐ μέγιστα τῶν κακῶν τιμητέα· Ἀντιζυγούσης τῆς ἐν ἀμφοῖν ἀξίας. Αἱ δ' ἐκδικήσεις τῶν σοφῶν ὑπέρμετροι. ∆αυΐδ σε ταῦτα πειθέτω, καὶ Μωϋσῆς, Ἐλισσεός τε, οὗ τρέμω μεμνημένος· Ὁ μὲν κολασθεὶς ἐνδεῶς τοῖς πταίσμασι, Ὁ δ' ἀντὶ μικρῶν, καὶ Θεοῦ λαβὼν θέαν· 435 Νόμον τε, καὶ τοσοῦτον ἐκσώσας στρατόν· Ὁ δ' ἐκ βραχείας ὕβρεως καὶ νηπίοις Πληγὴν τοσαύτην ἀντιδοὺς παρ' ἐλπίδας. Οὕτω σκιώδης τηνικαῦτ' ἦν καὶ νόμος. Οὕτω κάθαρσις θυσιῶν δι' αἵματος, Σαρκῶν τ' ἀνάγνων ἀσθενῆ ῥαντίσματα· Οὕτως ἄριστον ἡ φυγὴ τῶν χειρόνων, Εἰ καὶ πλέον τι μὴ προσῆν, μικροῖς ὅροις Τῆς εὐσεβείας περιγραφομένης τοῖς τότε. Εἴπω τι μεῖζον, ὧν ἔφην; Λελέξεται. Οὐδ' εἰσφορὰν τοσαύτην εἶχον οὐδέπω, Ὅσην περ ἡμεῖς, τοῖς Θεοῦ παθήμασιν, 436 Ἀμνῷ τε τῷ σφαγέντι τοῖς ἐμοῖς κακοῖς. Ὥστ' ἦν τὸ κείνων πλεῖον· εἰ δὲ πλεῖον ἦν, ∆ὸς πλεῖον εἶναι τῶν πόνων καὶ