Contra Julianum Of the blessed Cyril, archbishop of Alexandria, an address to

 a fine thing for those who will encounter it, and for those who have a heart easily led astray and most readily carried away to things that are not fi

 1.1 Book One The wise and discerning, and those knowledgeable in the sacred doctrines, marvel at the beauty of the truth, and in every discourse have

 those after them would know the things of the first, and not rather those before them the things of the later Therefore, since the sons of the Hellen

 it was necessary to hide in the city of the Sun in Sippar. And Xisuthros, having accomplished these things, immediately sailed to Armenia, and straigh

 he made human affairs a preliminary exercise for more divine ones. Having brought the times down from Abraham to Moses, let us therefore begin here ag

 Azariah, also called Uzziah, governing the affairs of the Hebrews, and Arbaces of the Medes, and Proca Silvius of the Latins. 1.14 Therefore, from the

 coming together into a harmony of sound, Osirapis, so that in the same name Osiris and Apis might be understood. For both of these a death and a buria

 brought to them from Phoenicia, except that the things of Moses had been written And Solon, the discoverer of the laws in Athens, and indeed Plato hi

 stars and the elements of the world, fire and water, air and earth, from which all individual things are said to be composed but others again, having

 a time for the increase of what he had rightly learned sharpened his mind, then indeed, then he was taught the doctrines concerning the divinity more

 but the divine Abraham running up did not speak as to three: Lords, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant, but named the

 Upon the Sodomites who had sinned unbearably he sent the fire he rained, it says, upon Sodom fire and brimstone, the Lord from the Lord. 1.29 But to

 of nature and preeminence and worth would be reckoned both creator and creation, generated and ungenerated nature, incorruptible and under corruption,

 we are accustomed to grant the proper place, far from it but we also reckon ourselves among the children of Abraham. For we are the sons according to

 full of various counsels, and likewise that Leto suggests forgetfulness, and Hermes both memory and reason. Then he takes up natural philosophy and ex

 to them, and are some torn apart so as to think and say different things? But I would say, O excellent one, that those who were the first and earliest

 is, being a mixture of all the ages, and light of his own powers and works, the beginning of all things, a luminary in heaven, and father of all, mind

 Indeed, the sun which seems all-shining does not even seem to allow one to see himself, but if anyone gazes upon him shamelessly, he takes away his si

 what has been said by them concerning the Holy Spirit. For Porphyry says, setting forth the opinion of Plato, that the divine substance proceeded as f

 that not a few of the wise men among the Greeks, being self-willed, have gone astray, and have held opinions that rise up against each other, but ther

 found saying, setting this forth both in the middle and at the end, he would show that the arguments of his refutation were not, I suppose, produced i

 they set up their plot for the souls of the more simple. For they deceived those throughout all the earth, saying that the heaven and the other elemen

 having contrasted them with the Greeks' as being superior, how does he demand that we be silent, and make no mention at all of the things among them,

 Then do you think you have deliberated well, and not rather that you will suffer the very worst of all evil reputation? But if he should wish to under

 they reject certain foods, but they fear none of the strange things. And in addition to this they delight the supreme Zeus, having chosen to honor his

 belching forth according to what seems right to each, how could they not be thought to be guessers rather than men of knowledge of the truth? For some

 Of Plato. Consider, then, what he says about the creator and what words he puts in his mouth in the cosmogony, so that we may compare the cosmogony of

 distributed to all upon the earth, Moses was a helper and was shown to be an introducer of the most beautiful teachings to all, first by having cried

 it is not easy even for those who have known him to say he is capable in all things. And again, elsewhere: To this common conception of all men there

 the earth, and Apollo the sun and the golden-spindled, resounding one, that is Artemis, the moon? And simply applying to each of the things made by Go

 The supreme nature is understood and exists beyond all, beyond mind, reason, and wonder, having willed to make the living being like itself, as far as

 I will place upon you who are under me this commandment given to you through my Word for this law you have. For as I said just now, the Creator estab

 proclaimed, and thinks it a small thing to have been given by God to human nature to be made by Him in His image and likeness. And yet how would not a

 Did the Creator of all things entrust to other gods the necessity of laboring over the creation of the three kinds? From indolence, then, they might s

 it will campaign against His glory to think that others are also able to create and to call into existence the things that once were not for it is no

 of all nature. If, then, two things are acknowledged as existing, that which comes into being and that which makes, they are one by union, the one pre

 weave mortal to it? It is clear, then, that the demiurgic gods, having received creative power from their own father, generated the mortal animals upo

 of the ruling substances, and so he says: For Empedocles, Strife divides, and Friendship unites and this is also incorporeal for him, but the element

 of others, whatever things may have been made, and reaching even to the most insignificant of them. Is this not then a joke, tell me, and babbling hen

 if each one should need it, and showing that such a great and immeasurable creation is not without a superintendent, through which things it is well-o

 of God, and the earth his footstool. Rightly so, o noble one for I will recall God himself saying through one of the holy prophets. Heaven is my thro

brought to them from Phoenicia, except that the things of Moses had been written; And Solon, the discoverer of the laws in Athens, and indeed Plato himself, having been in Egypt in order to seem to know something more than all others, surely must have marveled also at the things of Moses. That Moses was very well known to the Greek historians, it is possible to see from the very things they have written. For Polemon in the first of his Hellenic histories mentioned him, and Ptolemy of Mendes and indeed Hellanicus and Philochorus, Castor and others in addition to these. And Diodorus, having diligently investigated the affairs of the Egyptians, says he heard about him from the wise men there, and has written in these very words: For after the ancient constitution of life in Egypt, which is fabled to have existed in the time of gods and heroes, they say that a man, great in soul and most remarkable in his life of those remembered among the Jews, Moses, who is called a god, first persuaded the multitudes to use written laws. For since they beheld Moses as one who had become full of all virtue, they also called him a god, some of those in Egypt, I suppose, honoring him, or perhaps having learned what was said to him by the God over all: 'Behold, I have made you a god to Pharaoh.' 1.20 Concerning antiquity, then, I think, and indeed that the things of Moses rise up before the wisdom honored among the Greeks and have an older glory, a sufficient argument has been worked out by us, having an irreproachable and clear proof; and I say that after this we must investigate the opinion of the Hebrews which they have held concerning God and the genesis or construction of the cosmos, and then thus also make clear to the readers what seemed right to the wise men of the Greeks. For where they agree with the words of the God-inspired Scripture, one might perceive them being better than themselves and agreeing with one another; but where each one gives an account of his own discoveries, it is easier to show that they are at variance and intoxicated with strange opinions. For it was not at all possible to perceive the things beyond mind and the reason within us, unless the God who rules over all sent light into the mind and brought forth wisdom and broadened the tongue and permitted them, as far as is possible, both to understand and to speak something of the ineffable things concerning himself. Such grace would not be added indiscriminately to all, but rather to those who would be beyond the passions of the flesh and delivered from earthly impurity, perfect in mind and knowledgeable of the virtuous deeds that lead to piety. And to this end the God of all urges us, speaking through the voice of David: 'Be still, and know that I am God,' and indeed our Lord Jesus Christ: 'Blessed are the pure in heart,' He says, 'for they shall see God.' But the nature that is beyond all would be seen not with the eyes of the body, but with the hidden inner eyes of the mind, which directs its subtle and precise inquiry toward it and draws the rays of the vision of God to the imaginings that are beyond sense. 1.21 Therefore, the men who lived from Adam until Noah honored one God, the creator and Lord of all things by nature and in truth; for no one is accused of having turned to other gods or dedicated worship to unclean demons. But after the flood and the building of the tower and the differences of tongues, those scattered throughout the earth held a dissonant opinion about God himself. For having turned their minds away from the truth and anchored them in temporary and earthly things and in the pleasures of the body, they were carried away into every most outlandish thing, and, as it were, they divided among themselves the crimes of polytheistic error. So some supposed heaven to be God, others the sun and moon, and in addition the

διακομίσαντος ἐκ Φοινίκης αὐτοῖς, πλὴν ὅτι τὰ Μωσέως ἐγέγραπτο· Σόλων δὲ ὁ τῶν Ἀθήνησι νόμων εὑρετὴς καὶ μὴν καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Πλάτων, ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ γεγονότες ὑπὲρ τοῦ τι πλέον τῶν ἁπάντων εἰδέναι δοκεῖν, πάντως που καὶ αὐτὰ τεθαυμάκασιν τὰ Μωσέως. Ὅτι δὲ τοῖς Ἑλλήνων ἱστοριογράφοις γνωριμώτατος ἦν Μωσῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ὧν γεγράφασιν ἔνεστιν ἰδεῖν. Πολέμων τε γὰρ ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν ἱστοριῶν διεμνημόνευσεν αὐτοῦ, καὶ Πτολεμαῖος δὲ ὁ Μενδήσιος καὶ μὴν καὶ Ἑλλάνικος καὶ Φιλόχορος Κάστωρ τε καὶ ἕτεροι πρὸς τούτοις. ∆ιόδωρος δὲ πολυπραγμονήσας τὰ Αἰγυπτίων ἀκηοέναι φησὶ παρὰ τῶν αὐτόθι σοφῶν περὶ αὐτοῦ, γέγραφε δὲ ἐπὶ λέξεως οὕτως· Μετὰ γὰρ τὴν παλαιὰν τοῦ κατ' Αἴγυπτον βίου κατάστασιν, τὴν μυθολογουμένην γενέσθαι ἐπὶ θεῶν καὶ ἡρώων, πεῖσαί φασιν ἐγγράφοις νόμοις πρῶτον χρήσασθαι τὰ πλήθη ἄνδρα καὶ τῇ ψυχῇ μέγαν καὶ τῷ βίῳ καινότατον τῶν μνημονευομένων παρὰ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, Μωσῆν, τὸν καλούμενον θεόν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἁπάσης ἀρετῆς ἔμπλεω γεγονότα κατεθεῶντο Μωσέα, καὶ θεὸν ὠνόμαζον αὐτόν, τιμῶντες, οἶμαί που, τῶν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ τινές, ἢ τάχα που μεμαθηκότες τὸ πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰρημένον παρὰ τοῦ ἐπὶ πάντας Θεοῦ· Ἰδοὺ δέδωκά σε θεὸν Φαραώ. 1.20 Ἀρχαιότητος οὖν, οἶμαι, πέρι, καὶ μὴν ὅτι τῆς παρ' Ἕλλησι τετιμημένης σοφίας προανίσχει τὰ Μωσέως καὶ ἔχει τὴν δόξαν πρεσβυτέραν, ἀποχρῶν ἡμῖν ἐξείργασται λόγος, ἀνεπίπληκτον ἔχων καὶ σαφῆ τὴν ἀπόδειξιν· χρῆναι δέ φημι μετὰ τοῦτο τὴν Ἑβραίων ἡμᾶς πολυπραγμονῆσαι δόξαν ἣν ἐσχήκασι περὶ Θεοῦ καὶ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου γενέσεως ἤτοι κατασκευῆς, εἶθ' οὕτω καὶ τί τοῖς Ἑλλήνων ἔδοξε σοφοῖς ἐμφανὲς καταστῆσαι τοῖς ἐντευξομένοις. Ἔνθα μὲν γὰρ τοῖς τῆς θεοπνεύστου Γραφῆς συμφέρονται λόγοις, ἑαυτῶν ὄντας ἀμείνους κατίδοι τις ἂν καὶ ὁμολογοῦντας ἀλλήλοις· ἔνθα δὲ τῶν οἰκείων ἕκαστος εὑρημάτων ποιεῖται τὴν ἀπόδοσιν, διαφόρους τε ὄντας καὶ ἀλλοκότοις δόξαις καταμεθυομένους καταδεῖξαι ῥᾷον. Οὐ γὰρ ἦν ὅλως καταθρεῖν δύνασθαι τὰ ὑπὲρ νοῦν καὶ λόγους τοὺς ἐν ἡμῖν, μὴ οὐχὶ τοῦ πάντων κρατοῦντος Θεοῦ καὶ φῶς ἐνιέντος εἰς νοῦν καὶ σοφίαν ἐντίκτοντος καὶ γλῶσσαν εὑρυνόντος καί τι τῶν ἀπορρήτων περὶ αὐτοῦ κατά γε τὸ ἐγχωροῦν ἐφιέντος αὐτοῖς καὶ νοεῖν καὶ φράσαι. Προσγένοιτο δ' ἂν οὐκ ἀδιακρίτως ἅπασιν ἡ τοιάδε χάρις, ἐκείνοις δὲ μᾶλλον οἵπερ ἂν εἶεν καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς ἐπέκεινα παθῶν καὶ γεώδους ἀκαθαρσίας ἀπηλλαγμένοι, ἄρτιοί τε τὸν νοῦν καὶ τῶν εἰς εὐσέβειαν ἀνδραγαθημάτων ἐπιστήμονες. Καὶ πρός γε τοῦτο ἡμᾶς καταθήγει λέγων ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς διὰ φωνῆς τοῦ ∆αβίδ. Σχολάσατε καὶ γνῶτε ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεός, καὶ μὴν καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός· Μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, φησί, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν Θεὸν ὄψονται. Ὁρῷτο δ' ἂν ἡ ὑπὲρ πάντα φύσις οὐ τοῖς τοῦ σώματος ὀφθαλμοῖς, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἔσω κεκρυμμένοις τῆς διανοίας ὄμμασιν, ἰσχνόν τε καὶ ἀκριβὲς ἐνιείσης αὐτῷ τὸ περίεργον καὶ ταῖς ὑπὲρ αἴσθησιν φαντασίαις τὰς τῆς θεοπτίας ἑλκούσης αὐγάς. 1.21 Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐξ Ἀδὰμ καὶ μέχρι τοῦ Νῶε γεγονότες ἄνθρωποι Θεὸν ἕνα τὸν φύσει καὶ ἀληθῶς τῶν ὅλων δημιουργὸν καὶ Κύριον τετιμήκασι· διαβέβληται γὰρ οὐδεὶς ὡς θεοῖς ἑτέροις προσνενευκὼς ἢ δαίμοσιν ἀκαθάρτοις ἀναθεὶς τὸ σέβας. Μετὰ δέ γε τὸν κατακλυσμὸν καὶ τὴν τοῦ πύργου κατασκευὴν καὶ τῶν γλωσσῶν τὰς διαφοράς, ἀσύμβατον καὶ αὐτὴν ἐσχήκασι τὴν περὶ Θεοῦ δόξαν οἱ ἀνὰ τὴν γῆν κατεσκεδασμένοι. Ἀποστήσαντες γὰρ τῆς ἀληθείας τὸν νοῦν καὶ τοῖς προσκαίροις αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπιγείοις πράγμασι καὶ ταῖς τοῦ σώματος ἡδοναῖς ἐνορμίσαντες, εἰς πᾶν ὁτιοῦν κατῴχοντο τῶν ἐκτοπωτάτων, καὶ οἷον διεμοιράσαντο τῆς πολυθέου πλάνης τὰ ἐγκλήματα. Οἱ μὲν οὖν τὸν οὐρανὸν ὑπετόπασαν εἶναι Θεόν, ἥλιον δὲ καὶ σελήνην ἕτεροι, καὶ προσέτι τοὺς