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has the Maker allotted of a species for food, even if it naturally becomes food for some others of a different kind? If, then, they are able to show that human flesh has been allotted to humans for food, nothing will prevent cannibalism from being according to nature, just like anything else permitted by nature, and for those who dare to say such things to feast on the bodies of their dearest ones as being more their own, or even to feast their most devoted friends on these very things. But if it is not even holy to say this, and for humans to partake of human flesh is something most hateful and all-polluting and more accursed than any unlawful and unnatural food or act, and what is contrary to nature could never pass into nourishment for the parts and particles that need it, and what does not pass into nourishment could not be united with those things which it is not its nature to nourish, nor could human bodies ever be combined with like bodies, for which they are nourishment contrary to nature, even if it often passes through their stomach due to some most bitter misfortune; but separating from the nutritive power and scattering again to those things from which it had its first composition, it is united with these for as long a time as each may happen to be, but from there being separated again by the wisdom and power of the one who constituted the nature of every living being together with its proper powers, each is fittingly united to each, even if it be burned by fire, or rotted by water, or consumed by wild beasts or any animals whatsoever, or, having been cut off from the whole body, be dissolved before the other parts; and being united again with each other, it holds the same place for the harmony and composition of the same body and the resurrection and life of the one who was dead or even entirely dissolved. It is not opportune, then, to prolong these things further; for it holds an acknowledged judgment at least for those who are not half-beasts. And since there are many things that are more useful for the present inquiry, I now dismiss those who take refuge in the works of men and men, the makers of these, who are unable to restore works that are shattered, or grown old with time, or otherwise destroyed, and then by analogy with potters and carpenters try to show that God also would neither be willing nor, being willing, be able to raise a dead or even dissolved body, and not considering that through these things they commit outrage against God equally with the worst, by equating the powers of things that are entirely different, or rather even the essences of those who use them and artificial things with natural ones. Now, to be earnest about these things is not blameless; for it is truly foolish to argue against superficial and vain things. But by far more glorious and

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εἴδους εἰς τροφὴν ἀπεκλήρωσεν ὁ ποιήσας, κἂν [ἐν] ἄλλοις τισὶ τῶν ἑτερογενῶν τροφὴ γίνηται κατὰ φύσιν; εἰ μὲν οὖν ἔχουσιν δεικνύναι σάρκας ἀνθρώπων ἀνθρώποις εἰς βρῶσιν ἀποκληρωθείσας, οὐδὲν κωλύσει τὰς ἀλληλοφαγίας εἶναι κατὰ φύσιν ὥσπερ ἄλλο τι τῶν τῇ φύσει συγκεχωρημένων καὶ τούς γε τὰ τοιαῦτα λέγειν τολμῶντας τοῖς τῶν φιλτάτων ἐντρυφᾶν σώμασιν ὡς οἰκειοτέροις ἢ καὶ τοὺς εὐνουστάτους σφίσιν τούτοις αὐτοῖς ἑστιᾶν. εἰ δὲ τοῦτο μὲν οὐδ' εἰπεῖν εὐαγές, τὸ δὲ σαρκῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀνθρώπους μετασχεῖν ἔχθιστόν τι καὶ παμμίαρον καὶ πάσης ἐκθέσμου καὶ παρὰ φύσιν βρώσεως ἢ πράξεως ἐναγέστερον, τὸ δὲ παρὰ φύσιν οὐκ ἄν ποτε χωρήσειεν εἰς τροφὴν τοῖς ταύτης δεομένοις μέρεσιν καὶ μορίοις, τὸ δὲ μὴ χωροῦν εἰς τροφὴν οὐκ ἂν ἑνωθείη τούτοις ἃ μηδὲ τρέφειν πέφυκεν, οὐδὲ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων σώματα συγκραθείη ποτ' ἂν τοῖς ὁμοίοις σώμασιν, οἷς ἐστιν εἰς τροφὴν παρὰ φύσιν, κἂν πολλάκις διὰ τῆς τούτων ἴῃ γαστρὸς κατά τινα πικροτάτην συμ- φοράν· ἀποχωροῦντα δὲ τῆς θρεπτικῆς δυνάμεως καὶ σκιδ- νάμενα πρὸς ἐκεῖνα πάλιν ἐξ ὧν τὴν πρώτην ἔσχεν σύστασιν, ἑνοῦται μὲν τούτοις ἐφ' ὅσον ἂν ἕκαστον τύχῃ χρόνον, ἐκεῖθεν δὲ διακριθέντα πάλιν σοφίᾳ καὶ δυνάμει τοῦ πᾶσαν ζῴου φύσιν σὺν ταῖς οἰκείαις δυνάμεσι συγκρίναντος ἑνοῦται προσφυῶς ἕκαστον ἑκάστῳ, κἂν πυρὶ καυθῇ, κἂν ὕδατι κατασαπῇ, κἂν ὑπὸ θηρίων ἢ τῶν ἐπιτυχόντων ζῴων καταδαπανηθῇ, κἂν τοῦ παντὸς σώματος ἐκκοπὲν προδιαλυθῇ τῶν ἄλλων μερῶν· ἑνωθέντα δὲ πάλιν ἀλλήλοις τὴν αὐτὴν ἴσχει χώραν πρὸς τὴν τοῦ αὐτοῦ σώματος ἁρμονίαν τε καὶ σύστασιν καὶ τὴν τοῦ νεκρωθέντος ἢ καὶ πάντῃ διαλυθέντος ἀνάστασιν καὶ ζωήν. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ πλεῖον μηκύνειν οὐκ εὔκαιρον· ὁμολογουμένην γὰρ ἔχει τὴν ἐπίκρισιν τοῖς γε μὴ μιξο- θήροις. Πολλῶν δὲ ὄντων τῶν εἰς τὴν προκειμένην ἐξέτασιν χρησι- μωτέρων, παραιτοῦμαι δὴ νῦν τοὺς καταφεύγοντας ἐπὶ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἔργα καὶ τοὺς τούτων δημιουργοὺς ἀνθρώπους, οἳ τὰ συντριβέντα τῶν ἔργων ἢ χρόνῳ παλαιωθέντα ἢ καὶ ἄλλως δια- φθαρέντα καινουργεῖν ἀδυνατοῦσιν, εἶτα ἐξ ὁμοίου τοῖς κεραμεῦσι καὶ τέκτοσι δεικνύναι πειρωμένους τὸ καὶ τὸν θεὸν μήτ' ἂν βουλη- θῆναι μήτε βουληθέντα δυνηθῆναι νεκρωθὲν ἢ καὶ διαλυθὲν ἀνα- στῆσαι σῶμα, καὶ μὴ λογιζομένους ὅτι διὰ τούτων <ἐπ' ἴσης> τοῖς χειρίστοις ἐξυβρίζουσιν εἰς θεόν, συνεξισοῦντες τῶν πάντῃ διεστη- κότων τὰς δυνάμεις, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ τῶν ταύταις χρωμένων τὰς οὐσίας καὶ τὰ τεχνητὰ τοῖς φυσικοῖς. περὶ μὲν οὖν τούτων σπουδάζειν οὐκ ἀνεπιτίμητον· ἠλίθιον γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς τὸ τοῖς ἐπι- πολαίοις καὶ ματαίοις ἀντιλέγειν. μακρῷ γε μὴν ἐνδοξότερον καὶ