Contents of Book VII.

§1. The seventh book shows from various statements made to the Corinthians and to the Hebrews, and from the words of the Lord, that the word “Lord” is not expressive of essence, according to Eunomius’ exposition, but of dignity. and after many notable remarks concerning “the Spirit” and the Lord, he shows that Eunomius, from his own words, is found to argue in favour of orthodoxy, though without intending it, and to be struck by his own shafts.

§2. He then declares that the close relation between names and things is immutable, and thereafter proceeds accordingly, in the most excellent manner, with his discourse concerning “generated” and “ungenerate.”

§3. Thereafter he discusses the divergence of names and of things, speaking, of that which is ungenerate as without a cause, and of that which is non-existent, as the Scindapsus, Minotaur, Blityri, Cyclops, Scylla, which never were generated at all, and shows that things which are essentially different, are mutually destructive, as fire of water, and the rest in their several relations. But in the case of the Father and the Son, as the essence is common, and the properties reciprocally interchangeable, no injury results to the Nature.

§4. He says that all things that are in creation have been named by man, if, as is the case, they are called differently by every nation, as also the appellation of “Ungenerate” is conferred by us: but that the proper appellation of the Divine essence itself which expresses the Divine Nature, either does not exist at all, or is unknown to us.

§5. After much discourse concerning the actually existent, and ungenerate and good, and upon the consubstantiality of the heavenly powers, showing the uncharted character of their essence, yet the difference of their ranks, he ends the book.

αʹ. Οὗτος δὲ ὁ ζʹ λόγος τὴν κύριος λέξιν οὐκ οὐσίας ὄνομα κατὰ τὴν Εὐνομίου ἔκθεσιν, ἀλλ' ἀξίας ἔκ τε τῶν πρὸς Κορινθίους διαφόρων ῥητῶν καὶ τῶν πρὸς Ἑβραίους τῆς τε τοῦ κυρίου φωνῆς ἀποδείκνυσι, πολλά τε περὶ πνεύματος καὶ κυρίου θαυμαστῶς φιλοσοφήσας τὸν Εὐνόμιον ἀπὸ τῶν ἰδίων ἐλέγχει ῥημάτων τοῖς ὀρθοῖς συνηγοροῦντα καὶ μὴ βουλόμενον δόγμασι καὶ τοῖς ἰδίοις βαλλόμενον βέλεσιν.
βʹ. Εἶτα λέγει ὅτι ἡ προσφυὴς τῶν ὀνομάτων πρὸς τὰ πράγματα σχέσις ἀμετάθετός ἐστιν, εἶθ' οὕτως τὸν περὶ « τοῦ » γεννητοῦ καὶ ἀγεννήτου λόγον ὡς κάλλιστα διέξεισι.
γʹ. Μεθ' ἃ περὶ παραλλαγῆς ὀνομάτων καὶ πραγμάτων διεξιὼν περὶ τῶν ἄνευ αἰτίας ἀγεννήτων καὶ ἀνυπάρκτων, οἷον σκινδαψοῦ καὶ Μινωταύρου καὶ βλίτυρι καὶ Κύκλωπος καὶ Σκύλλης, τῶν μηδ' ὅλως γεννηθέντων, διεξελθὼν τὰ κατ' οὐσίαν ἀλλότρια φθαρτικὰ ἀλλήλων ὑπάρχοντα δείκνυσιν, ὡς πῦρ ὕδατος καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἀλλήλων: ἐπὶ δὲ πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ κοινῆς τῆς οὐσίας οὔσης καὶ ἐν ἀλλήλοις τῶν ἰδιοτήτων οὐσῶν οὐδεμία τῇ φύσει λώβη ἐπάγεται.
δʹ. Ἔπειτα λέγει ὅτι πάντα τὰ ἐν τῇ κτίσει ὄντα πράγματα παρὰ ἀνθρώπων ὠνόμασται, εἰ καὶ διαφόρως παρ' ἑκάστου καλεῖται ἔθνους, ὡς καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἀγεννήτου « προσηγορία » παρ' ἡμῶν ὠνόμασται: αὐτῆς δὲ τῆς θείας οὐσίας προσηγορίαν κυρίαν τῆς θείας ἔχουσαν φύσεως ἔμφασιν ἢ καθόλου μὴ εἶναι ἢ ἡμῖν ἄγνωστον εἶναι.
εʹ. Πολλά τε περὶ τοῦ ὄντος καὶ ἀγεννήτου καὶ ἀγαθοῦ διαλεχθεὶς περί τε τῆς ὁμοουσιότητος καὶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ψυχῶν καὶ τῆς τῶν σωμάτων ὁμοουσιότητος ἔτι τε τῶν οὐρανίων δυνάμεων τὸ μὴ παρηλλαγμένον τῆς οὐσίας δείξας, ἀλλὰ τὴν τῶν ἀξιωμάτων διαφοράν, τὸν λόγον πληροῖ.