B. By no means.

A. Who then is it who is asking for glory which He says was inexistent in Himself oven before the very foundation of the world, He ever and continually being with God? is it not God the Word Co-eternal with the Father, Co-throned and Co-existent with Him, of Whom the all-wise Evangelist John saith, The Word was with God and the Word was God?

B. How should it not be so?

A. As therefore being Lord of glory and then letting Himself down to the ill-repute of bondman's form, He asks for a recovery of His ever inherent glory, doing this too as beseemeth man: thus being always God He goes up from the measures of our estate to the excellence and glory of His Proper Godhead, in order that as to One Son henceforth by Nature and Very, albeit made as we and Incarnate, every knee should bow, as I just said. For I think that so minded and thus believing, we shall rid heaven and earth from the charge of worshipping a man. For it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shall thou adore.

B. The argument hereon will need very much support: proceed therefore I pray and elucidate the Mystery to us by means of other conceptions also.

A.  I will then proceed very gladly, but I would say that they have missed the truth in coupling, as though another son, him who is of the seed of David with Him Who is by Nature and truly, I mean the Only-Begotten, albeit holy Writ clearly cries aloud, The first man of earth earthy, the secondout of Heaven, and moreover the Son Himself, I have come down from heaven not in order to do Mine Own Will but the Will of Him that sent Me, and this is the will of Him that sent Me that everything which He hath given Me I should not lose ought from it but should raise it at the last Day. Whom then do they say is He Who hath come down out of Heaven? for the body hath been born of a woman.

B.  The Word that is begotten from forth God the Father, for I suppose that they will not please to think anything else than this.  

A. Right my friend, and the all-wise John too hath somewhere written, He that cometh from above is above all. Then how, when it pleaseth the Father that all which is given Him should rise, and the thing is good and moreover God-befitting (for to save is like God), does He say that He came down not to do His own will but that of the Father? will then any man among us suppose that the Son Who is born of Him comes behind the Clemency of God the Father and is in no wise good, but that raising up that which is given and ridding it of decay is a thing uncongenial to Him?

B. There is risk of it.

A. Yet we should with reason deem that since He is the genuine Offspring of a Good Father, He will be conceived of as Himself also Good, or Goodness itself. For from the fruit the tree is known , according to His own voice, and He will be True, saying He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father, I and the Father are One.

B. You say well: clear up then yourself what seems to have been obscurely said.

A. We say that annulling death and driving away decay from men's bodies was a thing not unwilled by the Son, for He delighteth not in the destruction of the living, and the generations of the world were healthful, as it is written, but by envy of the devil death entered into the world. But in no other way was it possible to shake off the cheerless mastery of death save by only the Incarnation of the Only-Begotten. Therefore hath He appeared as we and He made His own a body subject to decay according to the inherent plan of its nature, in order that since Himself is Life (for He hath been begotten of the Father Which is Life) He might implant therein His Proper Good, life. And when He had once chosen out of His Clemency and Loving-kindness to undergo likeness with us, needs must the Passion too befall Him, when the impiety of the Jews was raging against Him. But the disrepute in His Passion was burdensome to Him. And in truth when the time was coming on, wherein He had to endure the cross for the life of all, in order that He might shew that the Passion was not willed , He made His approach as beseems man and in form of prayer, saying, Father if it be possible let this cup pass from Me, yet not as I w ill but as Thou. He says that He came down out of Heaven, to make that which was grievous, not unwilled, in order that He might achieve resurrection for then on the earth, which He Alone hath new-wrought for the race of man. For He has been made First-born from forth the dead according to the flesh and first-fruits of them that are fallen asleep.

B. His therefore and not another's will be said to be the Passion in that He hath appeared as man, even though He hath remained Impassible as He is conceived of as God.

A. Thus I say: call to mind the God-inspired Scripture which says, The first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam a quickening spirit.

B. Do we then say that the Word from forth God, has been called the last Adam?

A. Not bare (as I said), but made in likeness with us. We say therefore that He is, if to quicken be no work of man but God-befitting. He has too the name of the last Adam, as made out of Adam according to the flesh and a second beginning of those on earth, the nature of man being transelemented in Him unto newness of life, life in holiness and incorruption through the resurrection from the dead: for thus was death done to nought, in that the Life by Nature endureth not to submit its own body to decay, because it was not possible that Christ should be holden of it, according to the voice of the most wise Paul , and thus passed through unto us too the good from this achievement.  

B. You say well.

A. Look now at this besides.

B. What do you mean?

A.  Christ said somewhere to the holy Apostles, Go disciple all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. We have therefore been baptized into the Holy and Consubstantial Trinity, Father Son and Holy Ghost. Is it not true what I say?

Β: Οὐδαμῶς.

Α: Τίς οὖν ἄρα ἐστὶν ὁ δόξαν αἰτῶν ἣν καὶ πρὸ αὐτῆς τῆς τοῦ κόσμου καταβολῆς ἐνυπάρχειν ἑαυτῷ φησιν, ἀεὶ καὶ διὰ παντὸς ὄντι παρὰ Θεῷ; Οὐχ ὁ συναΐδιος τῷ Πατρὶ Θεὸς Λόγος, ὁ συνθρονός τε καὶ συνυφεστηκὼς αὐτῷ, περὶ οὗ φησιν ὁ πάνσοφος εὐαγγελιστὴς Ἰωάννης· Ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος;

Β: Πῶς γὰρ οὔ;

Α: Ὥσπερ οὖν τῆς δόξης Κύριος ὤν, εἶτα καθεὶς ἑαυτὸν διὰ μέσου πρὸς τὸ δυσκλεὲς τῆς δούλου μορφῆς, τῆς ἐνούσης ἀεὶ δόξης ἑαυτῷ τὴν ἀνάληψιν αἰτεῖ, καὶ τοῦτο δρῶν ἀνθρωποπρεπῶς, οὕτω καὶ Θεὸς ὑπάρχων ἀεί, πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἰδίας θεότητος ὑπεροχήν τε καὶ δόξαν ἐκ τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς μέτρων ἀναφοιτᾷ, ἵν' ὡς ἑνὶ λοιπὸν Υἱῷ τῷ κατὰ φύσιν καὶ ἀληθινῷ, καίτοι καθ' ἡμᾶς γεγονότι καὶ σεσαρκωμένῳ, κάμπτῃ πᾶν γόνυ, καθάπερ ἔφην ἀρτίως. Ταυτὶ γάρ, οἶμαι, φρονοῦντες ὡδέ τε πιστεύοντες, ἐγκλημάτων ἀνθρωπολατρίας οὐρανόν τε καὶ γὴν ἀπαλλάξομεν. Γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις, καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις.

Β: Πλείστων ἂν δέοιτο τῶν ἐπικουρημάτων ὁ ἐπὶ τῷδε λόγος. Ἴθι δὴ οὖν καὶ δι' ἑτέρων ἡμῖν ἐννοιῶν διασάφει τὸ μυστήριον.

Α: Οὐκοῦν εἶμί τοι, καὶ μάλα προθύμως. Φαίην δ' ἂν ὅτι ἡμαρτήκασι τἀληθοῦς, ὡς ἕτερον ἡμῖν υἱὸν τὸν ἐκ σπέρματος τοῦ ∆αυεὶδ παραζευγνύντες τῷ φύσει καὶ ἀληθῶς, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τῷ Μονογενεῖ, καίτοι βοῶντος σαφῶς ἱεροῦ Γράμματος· Ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος ἐκ γῆς χοϊκός, ὁ δεύτερος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ μὴν καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, Ὅτι καταβέβηκα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ οὐχ ἵνα ποιῶ τὸ θέλημα τὸ ἐμόν, ἀλλὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με. Τοῦτο δέ ἐστι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με, ἵνα πᾶν ὃ δέδωκέ μοι μὴ ἀπολέσω ἐξ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸ τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ. Τίνα δὴ οὖν ἄρα φασὶ τὸν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καθιγμένον; Γεγέννηται γὰρ τὸ σῶμα ἐκ γυναικός.

Β: Τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς δηλονότι γεννηθέντα Λόγον. Οἶμαι γὰρ οὐχ ἕτερόν τι φρονεῖν ἑλέσθαι παρὰ τοῦτο αὐτούς.

Α: Ὀρθῶς, ὦ ἑταῖρε. Γέγραφε δέ που καὶ ὁ πάνσοφος Ἰωάννης· Ὁ ἄνωθεν ἐρχόμενος ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν. Εἶτα πῶς ἐθέλοντος τοῦ Πατρὸς ἀναστῆναι πᾶν τὸ δοθὲν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀγαθοῦ γε ὄντος τοῦ πράγματος, καὶ προσέτι θεοπρεποῦςἐοικὸς γὰρ Θεῷ τὸ σῴζειν ἐστίναὐτὸς ἔφη κατελθεῖν, οὐχ ἵνα ποιῇ τὸ θέλημα τὸ ἑαυτοῦ μᾶλλον, ἀλλὰ τὸ τοῦ Πατρός; Ἆρ' οὖν οἰήσαιτ' ἄν τις τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς ἡμερότητος ἰέναι κατόπιν τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ φύντα Υἱόν, καὶ εἶναι μὲν ἀγαθὸν ἥκιστά γε, τὸ δὲ ἀναστῆσαι τὸ δοθὲν καὶ ἀπαλλάξαι φθορᾶς ἀπᾴδειν αὐτῷ;

Β: Κινδυνεύομεν.

Α: Καίτοι καταλογισαίμεθ' ἄν, καὶ μάλα εἰκότως, ὡς, ἐπείπερ ἐστὶν ἀγαθοῦ Πατρὸς γνήσιον γέννημα, νοοῖτ' ἂν ὑπάρχειν καὶ αὐτὸς ἀγαθός, ἢ γοῦν αὐτόχρημα ὅτι ἀγαθόν. Ἀπὸ γὰρ τοῦ καρποῦ τὸ δένδρον γινώσκεται, κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ φωνήν. Ἀληθεύσει δὲ οὕτω λέγων· Ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμὲ ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα. Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν.

Β: Εὖ ἔφης. ∆ιασάφει δὴ οὖν αὐτὸς τὸ ἀμυδρῶς εἰρῆσθαι δοκοῦν.

Α: Οὐκ ἀβούλητον μὲν γενέσθαι φαμὲν τῷ Υἱῷ τὸ καταργῆσαι θάνατον καὶ ἀποσοβῆσαι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων σωμάτων τὴν φθοράν. Οὐ γὰρ τέρπεται ἐπ' ἀπωλείᾳ ζώντων, σωτήριοι δὲ καὶ αἱ γενέσεις τοῦ κόσμου, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον. Φθόνῳ δὲ διαβόλου θάνατος εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον. Ἀλλ' ἦν οὐχ ἑτέρως τὸ ἀμειδὲς τοῦ θανάτου κατασείεσθαι κράτος, πλὴν ὅτι διὰ μόνης τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως τοῦ Μονογενοῦς. Ταύτῃτοι πέφηνε καθ' ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἴδιον ἐποιήσατο σῶμα τὸ ὑπὸ φθοράν, κατά γε τοὺς ἐνόντας τῇ φύσει λόγους, ἵν' ἐπείπερ ἐστὶν αὐτὸς ἡ ζωὴγεγέννηται γὰρ ἐκ ζωῆς τοῦ Πατρόςἐμφυτεύσῃ τὸ ἴδιον ἀγαθὸν αὐτῷ, τουτέστι τὴν ζωήν. Ἑλομένῳ δὲ ἅπαξ ἐξ ἡμερότητος καὶ φιλανθρωπίας τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὁμοίωσιν ὑπελθεῖν, ἔδει συμβῆναι καὶ τὸ παθεῖν, τῆς Ἰουδαίων ἀνοσιότητος ἐμπαροινούσης αὐτῷ. Ἀλλ' ἦν αὐτῷ φορτικὸν τὸ ἐν τῷ παθεῖν δυσκλεές. Καὶ γοῦν ἐνστάντος καιροῦ καθ' ὃν ἔδει τὸν ὑπέρ γε τῆς ἁπάντων ζωῆς ὑπομεῖναι σταυρόν, ἵνα τὸ παθεῖν ἀβούλητον ἀποφήνῃ, ἀνθρωποπρεπῆ τὴν πρόσοδον καὶ ὡς ἐν σχήματι προσευχῆς ἐποιεῖτο λέγων· Πάτερ, εἰ δυνατόν, παρελθέτω ἀπ' ἐμοῦ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο. Πλὴν οὐχ ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω, ἀλλ' ὡς σύ. Καταβῆναι τὸν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ φησιν, οὐκ ἀβούλητον ποιησόμενον τὸ λυποῦν, ἵνα κατορθώσῃ τοῖς ἐπὶ γῆς τὴν ἀνάστασιν, ἣν δὴ καὶ μόνος αὐτὸς κεκαινοτόμηκε τῇ ἀνθρώπου φύσει. Γέγονε γὰρ πρωτότοκος ἐκ νεκρῶν κατὰ σάρκα, καὶ ἀπαρχὴ τῶν κεκοιμημένων.

Β: Αὐτοῦ τοιγαροῦν τὸ πάθος καὶ οὐχ ἑτέρου λέγοιτο ἄν, καθὸ πέφηνεν ἄνθρωπος, εἰ καὶ μεμένηκεν ἀπαθὴς καθὸ νοεῖται Θεός.

Α: Οὕτω φημί. ∆ιαμέμνησο δὲ τῆς θεοπνεύστου λεγούσης Γραφῆς· Ἐγένετο ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος Ἀδὰμ εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν, ὁ ἔσχατος Ἀδὰμ εἰς πνεῦμα ζωοποιοῦν.

Β: Ἆρ' οὖν τὸν ἔσχατον Ἀδὰμ τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ φαμεν ὠνομάσθαι Λόγον;

Α: Οὐ γυμνόν, ὡς ἔφην, γεγονότα δὲ μᾶλλον ἐν ὁμοιώσει τῇ πρὸς ἡμᾶς. Αὐτὸν οὖν εἶναί φαμεν, εἴπερ ἐστὶν οὐκ ἀνθρώπινον, θεοπρεπὲς δὲ μᾶλλον τὸ [ζωοποιεῖν]. Κεχρημάτικε δὲ καὶ ἔσχατος Ἀδάμ, ὡς ἐξ Ἀδὰμ γεγονὼςκατὰ σάρκα, καὶ ἀρχὴ δευτέρα τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς, ἀναστοιχειουμένης ἐν αὐτῷ τῆς ἀνθρώπου φύσεως εἰς καινότητα ζωῆς, τῆς ἐν ἁγιασμῷ τε καὶ ἀφθαρσίᾳ, διὰ τῆς ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστάσεως· κατηργήθη γὰρ οὕτω θάνατος, οὐκ ἀνασχομένης τῆς κατὰ φύσιν ζωῆς ὑποθεῖναι τῇ φθορᾷ τὸ ἴδιον σῶμα, καθότι οὐκ ἦν δυνατὸν κρατεῖσθαι Χριστὸν ὑπ' αὐτῆς, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ θεσπεσίου [Πέτρου] φωνήν. ∆ιέβη δὲ οὕτως καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς τὸ ἐκ τοῦ κατορθώματος ἀγαθόν.

Β: Ἄριστα ἔφης.

Α: Ἄθρει δὲ δή μοι κἀκεῖνο πρὸς τούτοις.

Β: Τὸ τί δὴ φής;

Α: Ἔφη που Χριστὸς τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις· Πορευθέντες μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος. Βεβαπτίσμεθα δὴ οὖν εἰς ἁγίαν καὶ ὁμοούσιον Τριάδα, τὴν ἔν γέ φημι τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ τῷ Υἱῷ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. Ἢ οὐκ ἀληθὲς ὅπερ ἔφην;