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Giving something of mine, but no more, Mingling the flesh, but scraping away the mind, As if fearing this, that you might be wholly joined? How then will one contain two perfect things? Or are we also afraid that the skin will be torn? O the folly! But one Soul has received mind and reason; where at all for you is there a great Mind, when God is present? But if the flesh is mindless, I have been deceived. My skin; whose soul? What is the birth of God from the Virgin? 469 How did the nature of things separated come into one? It is ineffable, as it seems to me at least, measuring with small reason things that are beyond reason. The Spirit came upon a virgin, purifying, And the Word fashioned for himself a mortal within, A whole exchange for the whole of a dead mortal. Since God is unmixed with flesh, But soul and mind are as if on a borderland, of the flesh, as a fellow-dweller, but as an image, of God; The nature of God, having mixed with what is akin, From there it also had a share in substance. Thus the deifying and the deified is one God. What then has happened to both? As is my argument, The one was mixed with substance, the other as substance 470 shared in my things, except for the passions of sin. I ask, to whom was the blood of God shed? If to the evil one; alas, Christ's blood to the evil one; But if to God; how, when we are held by another? Since a ransom is always for the one holding power. Or is this true, that he offers himself to God, So that he himself might snatch us from the one holding power, And take as an exchange for the fallen one Christ; for the one who anointed is not to be captured. Thus we think. And we respect the types. You have these things here; worship the Trinity. XI. Concerning the Incarnation. A fool, who the Lord, the Word of God, ever existing, does not worship equally with the heavenly Father. 471 A fool, who the Lord, the Word, having appeared here as a mortal, does not worship equally with the heavenly Word. He either cuts the Word from the great Father, or from the Word the human form, and our substance. He was God, but the Father's Word was made our man, So that he might mix God, being mixed with earthly ones. One God from both; so much a mortal, as to make me a God instead of a mortal. Be gracious, you who are wounded from above. So much may you hold. But what for me is mind, and the ineffable mixing? Concerning God, mortals, be content with measures of reason. If indeed I might persuade, it would be better. But if you blacken the paper with many thousands of words, Come hither, on your tablets I will inscribe these few-lined letters with my stylus, which has no ink. 472 XII. Concerning the genuine books of the divinely inspired Scripture. In the divine oracles always with both tongue and mind be engaged; for either God gave this as a prize for labors, And to see some hidden small light, or this is best, To be pricked by the great commandments of the pure God; Or thirdly, to lead the mind away from earthly cares by these thoughts. But so that you may not have your mind stolen by strange books (For many are the interpolated evils), Receive from me this approved number, O friend. The historical books are twelve in all Of the more ancient Hebrew wisdom. 473 First, Genesis, then Exodus, and Leviticus. Then Numbers. Then the Second Law. Then Joshua, and Judges. Ruth is the eighth. And the ninth and tenth books, the Acts of Kings, And Chronicles. Last you have Ezra. The poetic books are five, of which Job is first; Then David; then the three of Solomon: Ecclesiastes, Song, and Proverbs. And five likewise of the prophetic Spirit. The twelve are into one writing: Hosea and Amos, and Micah the third; Then Joel, then Jonah, Obadiah, and Nahum, and Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, Haggai, then Zechariah, Malachi. These are one. And second is Isaiah. 474 Then he who was called Jeremiah from infancy. Then Ezekiel, and the grace of Daniel. Of the old I have set down twenty-two books, corresponding to the letters of the Hebrews. And now count also those of the new mystery. Matthew wrote for the Hebrews the wonders of Christ; and Mark for Italy, Luke for Achaia; And for all, John, a great herald, who walks in heaven. Then the Acts of the wise apostles. And ten of Paul

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διδούς τι τῶν ἐμῶν, τὸ δ' οὐκέτι, Τὴν σάρκα κιρνῶν, τὸν δὲ νοῦν ἀποξέων, Ὥσπερ δεδοικὼς τοῦτο, μὴ συνθῇς ὅλος; Πῶς οὖν δύω τέλεια χωρήσει τὸ ἕν; Ἢ καὶ ῥαγῆναι τὴν δορὰν δεδοίκαμεν; Ὦ τῆς ἀνοίας! νοῦν δὲ καὶ λόγον μία Ψυχὴ δέδεκται· ποῦ δ' ὅλως σοι καὶ μέγα Νοῦς, τοῦ Θεοῦ παρόντος; Εἰ δ' ἡ σὰρξ ἄνους Ἐξηπάτημαι. ∆έρμ' ἐμόν· ψυχὴ τίνος; Τίς ἡ Θεοῦ γέννησις ἐκ τῆς Παρθένου; 469 Πῶς εἰς ἒν ἦλθε τῶν διεστώτων φύσις; Ἄῤῥητόν ἐστιν, ὡς δ' ἔμοιγε φαίνεται, Μικρῷ λόγῳ μετροῦντι τὰ κρείσσω λόγου. Τὸ Πνεῦμ' ἐπῆλθε παρθένῳ καθάρσιον, Λόγος δ' ἑαυτῷ πήγνυτ' ἔνδοθι βροτὸν, Ὅλου βροτοῦ θανόντος ἀντάλλαγμ ὅλον. Ἐπεὶ δ' ἄμικτός ἐστι σαρκίῳ Θεὸς, Ψυχὴ δὲ καὶ νοῦς οἷον ἐν μεταιχμίῳ, Σαρκὸς μὲν, ὡς σύνοικος, ὡς δ' εἰκὼν, Θεοῦ· Τῷ συγγενεῖ μιγεῖσα ἡ Θεοῦ φύσις, Ἐκεῖθεν ἔσχε καὶ πάχους κοινωνίαν. Οὕτω τὸ θεῶσαν καὶ θεωθὲν εἷς Θεός. Τί οὖν πέπονθεν ἀμφότερ'; ὡς ἐμὸς λόγος, Τὸ μὲν κερασθὲν τῷ πάχει, τὸ δ' ὡς πάχος 470 Ἐμῶν μετασχὸν, πλὴν παθῶν ἁμαρτίας. Ζητῶ τὸ αἷμα τῷ προσεῤῥύη Θεοῦ; Εἰ μὲν πονηρῷ· φεῦ, τὸ Χριστοῦ τῷ κακῷ· Εἰ τῷ Θεῷ δέ· πῶς, ἑτέρῳ κρατουμένων Ἡμῶν; ἐπεὶ κρατοῦντός ἐστ' ἀεὶ λύτρον. Ἦ τοῦτ' ἀληθὲς, αὐτὸν προσφέρειν Θεῷ, Ἵν' αὐτὸς ἡμᾶς τοῦ κρατοῦντος ἁρπάσῃ, Λάβῃ τε ἀντάλλαγμα τοῦ πεπτωκότος Τὸν Χριστόν· ὁ χρίσας γὰρ οὐχ ἁλώσιμος. Οὕτω φρονοῦμεν. Τοὺς τύπους δ' αἰδούμεθα. Ἔχεις τὰ τῇδε· προσκύνει τὴν Τριάδα. ΙΑʹ. Περὶ Ἐνανθρωπήσεως. Νήπιος, ὅστις ἄνακτα Θεοῦ Λόγον αἰὲν ἐόντα Οὐ σέβετ' ἰσοθέως Πατρὸς ἐπουρανίου. 471 Νήπιος, ὅστις ἄνακτα Λόγον βροτὸν ἔνθα φανέντα Οὐ σέβετ' ἰσοθέως οὐρανίοιο Λόγου. Τέμνει δ' ἢ μεγάλοιο Πατρὸς Λόγον, ἠὲ Λόγοιο Μορφὴν ἀνδρομέην, καὶ πάχος ἡμέτερον. Ἦν Θεὸς, ἀλλ' ἐπάγη Πατρὸς Λόγος ἡμέτερος φὼς, Ὥς κε Θεὸν μίξῃ, μικτὸς ἐὼν χθονίοις. Εἷς Θεὸς ἀμφοτέρωθε· τόσον βροτὸς, ὅσσον ἔμ' ἔρδειν Ἀντὶ βροτοῖο Θεόν. Ἵλαθι, τρωτὸς ἄνω. Τόσσον ἔχοις. Τί δ' ἔμοιγε νόον, καὶ μίξιν ἄφραστον; Ἀμφὶ Θεὸν, θνητοὶ, στέργετε μέτρα λόγου. Εἰ μὲν δὴ πεπίθοιμι, τὸ λώϊον. Εἰ δὲ μελαίνεις Τὸν χάρτην πολλαῖς χιλιάσιν ἐπέων, ∆εῦρ' ἄγε, πλαξὶ τεαῖς ὀλιγόστιχα ταῦτα χαράξω Γράμματ' ἐμῇ γραφίδι, ἣ μέλαν οὐδὲν ἔχει. 472 ΙΒʹ. Περὶ τῶν γνησίων βιβλίων τῆς θεοπνεύστου Γραφῆς. Θείοις ἐν λογίοισιν ἀεὶ γλώσσῃ τε νόῳ τε Στρωφᾶσθ'· ἢ γὰρ ἔδωκε Θεὸς καμάτων τόδ' ἄεθλον, Καί τι κρυπτὸν ἰδεῖν ὀλίγον φάος, ἢ τόδ' ἄριστον, Νύττεσθαι καθαροῖο Θεοῦ μεγάλῃσιν ἐφετμαῖς· Ἢ τρίτατον, χθονίων ἀπάγειν φρένα ταῖσδε μερίμναις. Ὄφρα δὲ μὴ ξείνῃσι νόον κλέπτοιο βίβλοισι (Πολλαὶ γὰρ τελέθουσι παρέγγραπτοι κακότητες), ∆έχνυσο τοῦτον ἐμεῖο τὸν ἔγκριτον, ὦ φίλ', ἀριθμόν. Ἱστορικαὶ μὲν ἔασι βίβλοι δυοκαίδεκα πᾶσαι Τῆς ἀρχαιοτέρης Ἑβραϊκῆς σοφίης. 473 Πρωτίστη, Γένεσις, εἶτ' Ἔξοδος, Λευιτικόν τε. Ἔπειτ' Ἀριθμοί. Εἶτα ∆εύτερος Νόμος. Ἔπειτ' Ἰησοῦς, καὶ Κριταί. Ῥοὺθ ὀγδόη. Ἡ δ' ἐνάτη δεκάτη τε βίβλοι, Πράξεις βασιλήων, Καὶ Παραλειπόμεναι. Ἔσχατον Ἔσδραν ἔχεις. Αἱ δὲ στιχηραὶ πέντε, ὧν πρῶτός γ' Ἰώβ· Ἔπειτα ∆αυΐδ· εἶτα τρεῖς Σολομωντίαι· Ἐκκλησιαστὴς, Ἄσμα καὶ Παροιμίαι. Καὶ πένθ' ὁμοίως Πνεύματος προφητικοῦ. Μίαν μέν εἰσιν ἐς γραφὴν οἱ δώδεκα· Ὠσηὲ κ' Ἀμὼς, καὶ Μιχαίας ὁ τρίτος· Ἔπειτ' Ἰωὴλ, εἶτ' Ἰωνᾶς, Ἀβδίας, Ναούμ τε, Ἀββακούμ τε, καὶ Σοφονίας, Ἀγγαῖος, εἶτα Ζαχαρίας, Μαλαχίας. Μία μὲν οἵδε. ∆ευτέρα δ' Ἡσαΐας. 474 Ἔπειθ' ὁ κληθεὶς Ἱερεμίας ἐκ βρέφους. Εἶτ' Ἰεζεκιὴλ, καὶ ∆ανιήλου χάρις. Ἀρχαίας μὲν ἔθηκα δύω καὶ εἴκοσι βίβλους, Τοῖς τῶν Ἑβραίων γράμμασιν ἀντιθέτους. Ἤδη δ' ἀρίθμει καὶ νέου μυστηρίου. Ματθαῖος μὲν ἔγραψεν Ἑβραίοις θαύματα Χριστοῦ· Μάρκος δ' Ἰταλίῃ, Λουκᾶς Ἀχαϊάδι· Πᾶσι δ' Ἰωάννης, κήρυξ μέγας, οὐρανοφοίτης. Ἔπειτα Πράξεις τῶν σοφῶν ἀποστόλων. ∆έκα δὲ Παύλου