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this would be, but now that I have understood them I believe, having also happened upon the sacred writings of the holy prophets, who also foretold by the spirit of God the things that have already happened, in what way they happened, and the present things, in what way they are happening, and the things to come, in what order they will be accomplished. Having, then, received proof of the things which are happening and have been foretold, I do not disbelieve, but I believe, obeying God; to whom, if you wish, you also should submit, believing him, lest if you disbelieve now, you should be convinced then, when you are being tormented in eternal punishments. Since these punishments were foretold by the prophets, the poets and philosophers who came later stole from the holy scriptures, in order that their own doctrines might be considered trustworthy. Nevertheless, they too foretold the punishments that would be inflicted on the impious and unbelieving, so that it might be a testimony to all, to prevent anyone from saying, "We did not hear, nor did we know." And if you wish, you too should study the prophetic writings diligently; and they will guide you more clearly to escape the eternal punishments and to obtain the eternal good things of God. For he who gave a mouth for speaking and formed an ear for hearing and made eyes for seeing will examine all things and will judge justly, rendering to each according to the merit of his works. To those who by patience in well-doing seek for immortality, he will give eternal life, joy, peace, rest, and a multitude of good things, which neither eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man; but to the unbelieving and disdainful and to those who do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness, when they are involved in adulteries and fornications and homosexual acts and covetousness and in unlawful idolatries, there will be anger and wrath, tribulation and anguish; and in the end, eternal fire will possess such men. Since you added, O friend, "Show me your God," this is my God, and I advise you to fear him and to believe him. Since a few days ago we had a conversation, most excellent Autolycus, when you asked who my God is and for a short time lent your ears to our talk, I set forth to you about my religion. Moreover, having taken leave of one another with the greatest friendship, we went each to his own house, although at first you were harsh towards us. For you know and remember that you considered our discourse to be foolishness. Since, then, after this you urged me, although I am unskilled in speech, I wish even now through this treatise to show you more accurately the fruitless labor and vain religion in which you are held, and at the same time, through a few of the histories which you read, but perhaps do not yet understand, to make the truth plain to you. For it seems ridiculous to me that stonecutters and molders or painters or founders should mold and paint and carve and cast and make gods, who, when they are made by the artisans,

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τοῦτο ἔσεσθαι, ἀλλὰ νῦν κατανοήσας αὐτὰ πιστεύω, ἅμα καὶ ἐπι- τυχὼν ἱεραῖς γραφαῖς τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν, οἳ καὶ προεῖπον διὰ πνεύματος θεοῦ τὰ προγεγονότα ᾧ τρόπῳ γέγονεν καὶ τὰ ἐνεστῶτα τίνι τρόπῳ γίνεται καὶ τὰ ἐπερχόμενα ποίᾳ τάξει ἀπαρτισθήσεται. ἀπόδειξιν οὖν λαβὼν τῶν γινομένων καὶ προαναπεφωνημένων οὐκ ἀπιστῶ, ἀλλὰ πιστεύω πειθαρχῶν θεῷ· ᾧ, εἰ βούλει, καὶ σὺ ὑποτάγηθι πιστεύων αὐτῷ, μὴ νῦν ἀπιστήσας πεισθῇς ἀνιώμενος, τότε ἐν αἰωνίοις τιμωρίαις. Ὧν τιμωριῶν προειρημένων ὑπὸ τῶν προφητῶν μεταγενέστεροι γενόμενοι οἱ ποιηταὶ καὶ φιλόσοφοι ἔκλεψαν ἐκ τῶν ἁγίων γραφῶν, εἰς τὸ δόγματα αὐτῶν ἀξιόπιστα γενηθῆναι. πλὴν καὶ αὐτοὶ προεῖπον περὶ τῶν κολάσεων τῶν μελλουσῶν ἔσεσθαι ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀσεβεῖς καὶ ἀπίστους, ὅπως ᾖ ἐμμάρτυρα πᾶσιν, πρὸς τὸ μὴ εἰπεῖν τινας ὅτι οὐκ ἠκούσαμεν οὐδὲ ἔγνωμεν. Eἰ δὲ βούλει, καὶ σὺ ἔντυχε φιλοτίμως ταῖς προφητικαῖς γραφαῖς· καὶ αὐταί σε τρανότερον ὁδηγήσουσιν πρὸς τὸ ἐκφυγεῖν τὰς αἰωνίους κολάσεις καὶ τυχεῖν τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν τοῦ θεοῦ. ὁ γὰρ δοὺς στόμα εἰς τὸ λαλεῖν καὶ πλάσας οὖς εἰς τὸ ἀκούειν καὶ ποιήσας ὀφθαλμοὺς εἰς τὸ ὁρᾶν ἐξετάσει τὰ πάντα καὶ κρινεῖ τὸ δίκαιον, ἀποδιδοὺς ἑκάστῳ κατὰ ἀξίαν τῶν μισθῶν. τοῖς μὲν καθ' ὑπομονὴν διὰ ἔργων ἀγαθῶν ζητοῦσι τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν δωρήσεται ζωὴν αἰώνιον, χαράν, εἰρήνην, ἀνά- παυσιν καὶ πλήθη ἀγαθῶν, ὧν οὔτε ὀφθαλμὸς εἶδεν οὔτε οὖς ἤκουσεν οὔτε ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου ἀνέβη· τοῖς δὲ ἀπίστοις καὶ καταφρονηταῖς καὶ ἀπειθοῦσι τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, πειθομένοις δὲ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ, ἐπὰν ἐμφύρωνται μοιχείαις καὶ πορνείαις καὶ ἀρσενο- κοιτίαις καὶ πλεονεξίαις καὶ ταῖς ἀθεμίτοις εἰδωλολατρείαις, ἔσται ὀργὴ καὶ θύμος, θλίψις καὶ στενοχωρία· καὶ τὸ τέλος τοὺς τοιούτους καθέξει πῦρ αἰώνιον. Ἐπειδὴ προσέθηκας, ὦ ἑταῖρε, "∆εῖξόν μοι τὸν θεόν σου", οὗτός μου θεός, καὶ συμβουλεύω σοι φοβεῖσθαι αὐτὸν καὶ πιστεύειν αὐτῷ. Ἐπειδὴ πρὸ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐγένετο λόγος ἡμῖν, ὦ ἀγαθώ- τατε Aὐτόλυκε, πυθομένου σου τίς μου ὁ θεὸς καὶ δι' ὀλίγου παρα- σχόντος σου τὰ ὦτα τῇ ὁμιλίᾳ ἡμῶν, περὶ τῆς θεοσεβείας μου ἐξεθέμην σοι· ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἀποταξάμενοι ἑαυτοῖς μετὰ πλείστης φιλίας ἐπορεύθημεν ἕκαστος εἰς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ οἶκον, καίπερ σκληρῶς τὰ πρῶτά σου ἔχοντος πρὸς ἡμᾶς· οἶδας γὰρ καὶ μέμνησαι ὅτι ὑπέλαβες μωρίαν εἶναι τὸν λόγον ἡμῶν. σοῦ οὖν μετὰ ταῦτα προ- τρεψαμένου με, κἂν ἰδιώτης ὦ τῷ λόγῳ, πλὴν βούλομαί σοι καὶ νῦν διὰ τοῦδε τοῦ συγγράμματος ἀκριβέστερον ἐπιδεῖξαι τὴν ματαιο- πονίαν καὶ ματαίαν θρησκείαν ἐν ᾗ κατέχῃ, ἅμα καὶ δι' ὀλίγων τῶν κατά σε ἱστοριῶν ὧν ἀναγινώσκεις, ἴσως δὲ οὐδέπω γινώσκεις, τὸ ἀληθὲς φανερόν σοι ποιῆσαι. Καὶ γὰρ γέλοιόν μοι δοκεῖ λιθοξόους μὲν καὶ πλάστας ἢ ζω- γράφους ἢ χωνευτὰς πλάσσειν τε καὶ γράφειν καὶ γλύφειν καὶ χωνεύειν καὶ θεοὺς κατασκευάζειν, οἵ, ἔπαν γένωνται ὑπὸ τῶν τεχνιτῶν,