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For it was not more appropriate to speak of its quality, but rather, if at all, of its quantity. But who is so completely childish in his mind as to be ignorant that days, and hours, and months, and years, are measures of time, not parts? And time is the interval coextensive with the constitution of the cosmos; by which every motion is measured, whether of stars, or of living things, or of anything else that moves, according to which we say one is faster or slower than another; faster being that which traverses a greater distance in less time, and slower being that which moves a lesser distance in more time. But he, since the stars move in time, declares them to be creators of time. Therefore, according to the argument of this wisest of men, since beetles also move in time, let us define time as a certain motion of beetles; for what was said by him differs in no way from this, except in the dignity of the names. And so much for that; but consider what follows. {EUN.} But indeed, he says, it is not possible for anything to subsist 29.561 in the essence of God, such as form, or bulk, or magnitude, because God is entirely free from composition. But if none of these or such things either is or could it ever be piously conceived to be conjoined with the essence of God, what argument will still allow the begotten to be likened to the unbegotten? since likeness in essence, or comparison, or communion, leaves no superiority or difference, but clearly produces equality, and with equality, declares the one likened or compared to be unbegotten. But no one is so foolish and daring in impiety as to say the Son is equal to the Father, when the Lord Himself expressly said: The Father who sent Me is greater than I; and again a little later. But as to the points in which the God of all is unbegotten and incomparable, though many have been omitted, I think what has been said is sufficient for proof. {BAS.} Whenever he is about to embark on a wicked argument, he prefaces it with some things that are agreed upon by all, so that through his reasonableness in these matters, he may not be disbelieved concerning the rest. Nothing, he says, can subsist in the essence of God, neither form, nor bulk, nor magnitude, because God is entirely free from composition. Up to this point he is reasonable; but in what follows he has returned to his old self. For as if it necessarily follows from what he has set forth, he attaches his blasphemy, saying: But if none of these or such things either is or could it ever be piously conceived to be conjoined with the essence, what argument will allow the begotten to be likened to the unbegotten? What sequence do these things have with each other, that if God is uncompounded, the Son cannot admit of likeness to Him? For tell me: will you not similarly say that the Son has in Himself neither form, nor bulk, nor magnitude, and is entirely free from composition? For I do not think that even if you were mad you would ever dare to say the Son is anything other than incorporeal and formless and without shape, and all the other things you would say of the Father. How then is it not pious to compare one who has no form to one who has no form? And one who has no magnitude to one who does not have it? And one who is entirely uncompounded to one who is uncompounded? He 29.564 places likeness in form, and equality in bulk; but as for magnitude, whatever he thinks it is besides bulk, he himself could more appropriately explain. {EUN.} For this reason, he says, He is neither equal nor like, since He is without quantity and without form. {BAS.} But I place the likeness in this very thing. Since just as the Father is free of all composition, so also the Son is entirely simple, and uncompounded, and the likeness is to be considered not according to the identity of form, but according to the essence itself. For in those things which are encompassed by form and shape, likeness consists in the identity of the form; but it remains for a formless and shapeless nature to have its likeness in its very essence; and equality not in the measurement of bulk, but in the identity of power. Christ, he says, is the power of God, and the wisdom of God; of all the Father's

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Οὐ γὰρ ποιὰν, ἀλλ' εἴπερ ἄρα, ποσὴν, μᾶλλον ἦν εἰπεῖν οἰκειότερον. Ἀλλὰ τίς οὕτω παῖς παντελῶς τὴν διάνοιαν, ὥστε ἀγνοεῖν, ὅτι ἡμέραι μὲν, καὶ ὧραι, καὶ μῆνες, καὶ ἐνιαυτοὶ, μέτρα τοῦ χρόνου εἰσὶν, οὐχὶ μέρη; Χρόνος δέ ἐστι τὸ συμπαρεκτεινόμενον τῇ συστάσει τοῦ κόσμου διάστημα· ᾧ πᾶσα παραμε τρεῖται κίνησις, εἴτε ἀστέρων, εἴτε ζώων, εἴτε οὑτι νοσοῦν τῶν κινουμένων, καθὸ λέγομεν ταχύτε ρον ἢ βραδύτερον ἕτερον ἑτέρου· ταχύτερον μὲν τὸ ἐν ἐλάττονι χρόνῳ πλεῖον διάστημα μεταβαῖνον, βρα δύτερον δὲ τὸ ἔλαττον ἐν πλείονι χρόνῳ κινούμενον. Ὁ δὲ, ἐπειδὴ ἐν χρόνῳ οἱ ἀστέρες κινοῦνται, χρόνου αὐτοὺς εἶναι δημιουργοὺς ἀποφαίνεται. Οὐκοῦν κατὰ τὸν τοῦ σοφωτάτου λόγον, ἐπειδὴ καὶ κάνθαροι ἐν χρόνῳ κινοῦνται, ὁρισώμεθα τὸν χρόνον εἶναι ποιάν τινα κανθάρων κίνησιν· οὐδὲν γὰρ τούτου τὸ παρ' αὐτοῦ λεχθὲν διαφέρει, πλὴν τῆς σεμνότητος τῶν ὀνομάτων. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν τοιαῦτα, σκέψασθε δὲ τὰ ἐφεξῆς. {ΕΥΝ.} Ἀλλὰ μὴν, φησὶν, οὐδὲ ἐνυπάρχειν 29.561 τι τῇ οὐσίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνατὸν, οἷον εἶδος, ἢ ὄγκον, ἢ πηλικότητα, διὰ τὸ πάντη συνθήκης ἐλεύθερον εἶναι τὸν Θεόν. Εἰ δὲ τούτων καὶ τῶν τοιούτων τι μήτε ἐστὶ μήτε ποτὲ γένοιτ' ἂν εὐαγὲς ἐπινοῆσαι συμπε πλεγμένον τῇ οὐσίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ποῖος ἔτι συγχω ρήσει λόγος πρὸς τὴν ἀγέννητον ὁμοιοῦν τὴν γεννη τήν; τῆς κατ' οὐσίαν ὁμοιότητος, ἢ συγκρίσεως, ἢ κοινωνίας, μηδεμίαν ὑπεροχὴν ἢ διαφορὰν κατα λιπούσης, ἰσότητα δὲ σαφῶς ἐργαζομένης, μετὰ δὲ τῆς ἰσότητος ἀγέννητον ἀποφαινούσης τὸν ὁμοιούμε νον, ἢ συγκρινόμενον. Οὐδεὶς δὲ οὕτως ἀνόητος καὶ πρὸς ἀσέβειαν τολμηρὸς, ὥστε ἴσον εἰπεῖν τῷ Πατρὶ τὸν Υἱὸν, αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου διαῤῥήδην εἰπόν τος· Ὁ Πατὴρ ὁ πέμψας με μείζων μου ἐστί· καὶ πάλιν μετ' ὀλίγα. Ἀλλ' ὅτι μὲν οἷς ὁ τῶν πάν των Θεὸς ἀγέννητος καὶ ἀσύγκριτος, πλειόνων ὄντων τῶν παραλελειμμένων, ἀποχρῆν ἡγοῦμαι καὶ τὰ ῥηθέντα πρὸς ἀπόδειξιν. {ΒΑΣ.} Ὅταν τινὸς ἅπτεσθαι μέλλῃ πονηροῦ λόγου, προλαμβάνει τινὰ συγχωρούμενα παρὰ πάν των, ἵνα διὰ τῆς ἐν τούτοις εὐγνωμοσύνης μηδὲ περὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀπιστῆται. Οὐδὲν, φησὶν, οἷόν τε ἐνυπάρχειν τοῦ Θεοῦ τῇ οὐσίᾳ, οὔτε εἶδος, οὔτε ὄγκον, οὔτε πηλικότητα, διὰ τὸ πάντη συνθήκης ἐλεύθερον εἶναι τὸν Θεόν. Μέχρι τούτων ἐστὶν εὐγνώμων· ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἑξῆς εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἐπανῆλθεν. Ὡς γὰρ ἀναγκαίως τοῖς προεκτεθεῖσιν ἑπομένην τὴν βλασφημίαν ἐπισυν άπτει, λέγων Εἰ δὲ τούτων καὶ τῶν τοιούτων τι μήτε ἐστὶ, μηδέποτ' ἂν γένοιτο εὐαγὲς ἐπινοῆσαι συμπεπλεγμένον τῇ οὐσίᾳ, τίς συγχωρήσει λόγος πρὸς τὴν ἀγέννητον ὁμοιοῦν τὴν γεννητήν; Ποίαν ἀκολουθίαν ἔχει ταῦτα πρὸς ἄλληλα, εἰ ἀσύνθετός ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς, ἀνεπίδεκτον εἶναι τὸν Υἱὸν τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁμοιότητος; Εἰπὲ γάρ· οὐχὶ δὲ καὶ σὺ τὸν Υἱὸν πα ραπλησίως ἐρεῖς μήτε εἶδος, μήτε ὄγκον, μήτε πηλικότητα ἔχειν ἐν ἑαυτῷ, καὶ πάντη συνθήκης ἐλεύθερον εἶναι; Ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲ μανέντα σε ἡγοῦμαί ποτε τολμήσειν ἄλλο τι εἰπεῖν τὸν Υἱὸν ἢ ἀσώματον καὶ ἀνείδεον καὶ ἀσχημάτιστον, καὶ πάντα ὅσαπερ ἂν ἐπὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς εἴποις. Πῶς οὖν οὐκ εὐσεβὲς τὸν μὴ ἔχοντα εἶδος τῷ εἶδος μὴ ἔχοντι παραβάλλειν; καὶ τὸν μὴ ἔχοντα πηλικότητα τῷ μὴ ἔχοντι ταύ την; καὶ τὸν ἀσύνθετον ὅλως τῷ ἀσυνθέτῳ; Ὁ 29.564 δὲ τὸ ὅμοιον ἐν τῷ εἴδει τίθεται, καὶ τὸ ἴσον ἐν τῷ ὄγκῳ· τὴν δὲ πηλικότητα, ὅ τι καὶ οἴεται παρὰ τὸν ὄγκον εἶναι, αὐτὸς ἂν οἰκειότερον ἐξηγή σαιτο. {ΕΥΝ.} ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὔτε ἴσος, φησὶν, οὔτε ὅμοιος, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἄποσός ἐστι καὶ ἀνείδεος. {ΒΑΣ.} Ἐγὼ δὲ κατ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὴν ὁμοιότητα τίθε μαι. Ἐπειδὴ ὥσπερ ὁ Πατὴρ συνθήκης ἐστὶ πάσης ἐλεύθερος, οὕτω καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς ἁπλοῦς παντελῶς, καὶ ἀσύνθετος, καὶ τὸ ὅμοιον, μὴ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ εἴδους ταὐτότητα θεωρεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ κατ' αὐτὴν τὴν οὐσίαν. Ὅσοις μὲν γὰρ μορφὴ καὶ σχῆμα περίκειται, τού τοις, κατὰ τὴν ταὐτότητα τοῦ εἴδους, ἡ ὁμοιότης· τὴν δὲ ἀνείδεον καὶ ἀσχημάτιστον φύσιν ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ οὐσίᾳ λείπεται ἔχειν τὴν ὁμοιότητα· καὶ τὸ ἴσον μὴ ἐν τῇ τῶν ὄγκων παραμετρήσει, ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ ταὐτότητι τῆς δυνάμεως. Χριστὸς, φησὶ, Θεοῦ δύναμις, καὶ Θεοῦ σοφία· ὅλης τῆς πατρικῆς