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we understand from this that there is certainly a soul in the body governing these things, even if we do not see it. Thus, in the order and harmony of the universe, it is necessary to understand God as the ruler of the universe, and Him as one and not many. And this order of the arrangement, and the harmony of all things with concord, shows not many but one Word as its ruler and governor. For if there were many rulers of creation, such an order of all things would not have been preserved; but again, all things would be disordered because of the many, each one drawing all things toward his own will, and fighting against the other. For just as we were saying that polytheism is atheism, so it is necessary that polyarchy is anarchy. For with each one canceling the rule of the other, no ruler would then appear, but there would be anarchy among all. And where there is no ruler, there disorder certainly arises. And conversely, the one order and concord of many and different things shows one ruler. For just as if someone from afar hears a lyre composed of many and different strings, and marvels at the harmony of their symphony, because not only the low note produces the sound, nor only the high, nor only the middle, but all sound together in equal opposition to each other; and certainly from these things he understands that the lyre does not move itself, nor is it struck by many; but that there is one musician who with his skill has blended the sound of each string into the harmonious symphony, even if he does not see him; so, since the order in the whole world is all-harmonious, and neither the things above are in conflict with the things below, nor the things below with the things above, but one order of all things is accomplished, it is consistent to understand one and not many as the ruler and king of all creation, who with his own light illuminates and moves all things.

39 For neither should one think that the rulers and makers of creation are many, but for accurate piety and truth it is fitting to believe in one creator of it; and creation itself manifestly shows this. For a sure sign that the maker of the universe is one is this, that the world is not many but one. For it would be necessary, if there were many gods, for there to be many and different worlds. For it would not be fitting for the many to construct one world, nor for the one to be made by many, on account of the absurdities shown from these things. First, because if the one world had been made by many, it would be a weakness of the makers; because one work was completed by many; and from this there would be no small sign of the imperfect skill of each for making. For if one were sufficient, the many would not have been supplying the lack of one another. But to say there is anything lacking in God is not only impious, but is also beyond what is forbidden. For even among men, one would not call a craftsman perfect, but weak, if not alone, but with many he should complete one work. But if each was able to complete the whole, but all worked together for the sake of partnership in the thing being made; such a thing would be ridiculous, if each worked for the sake of reputation, so that he might not be suspected of being incapable. And again, to speak of vainglory among gods is of the most absurd things. Then, if each was sufficient for the creation of the whole, what is the need of the many, when one is self-sufficient for the universe? Besides, it would appear impious and absurd if the creation happens to be one, but the makers are different and many, since it is a natural principle that the one and perfect is better than the different. And this too must be known, that if the world had been made by many, it would have had different motions and ones unlike itself. For looking to each of the makers, it would have had different motions. But in the difference, as has been said before, there would again be disorder and confusion of the universe; since not even a ship governed by many will sail straight, unless one pilot holds its rudders; nor a lyre by

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ἐννοοῦμεν ἐκ τούτου πάν τως εἶναι ψυχὴν ἐν τῷ σώματι τὴν τούτων ἡγεμονεύουσαν, κἂν μὴ βλέπωμεν αὐτήν. οὕτως ἐν τῇ τοῦ παντὸς τάξει καὶ ἁρμονίᾳ τὸν τοῦ παντὸς ἡγεμόνα νοεῖν ἀνάγκη Θεόν, καὶ τοῦτον ἕνα καὶ οὐ πολλούς. καὶ ἡ τάξις δὲ αὕτη τῆς διακοσμήσεως, καὶ ἡ τῶν πάντων μεθ' ὁμονοίας ἁρμονία, οὐ πολλοὺς ἀλλ' ἕνα τὸν αὐτῆς ἄρχοντα καὶ ἡγεμόνα δείκνυσι Λόγον. οὐκ ἂν γάρ, εἴπερ ἦσαν πολλοὶ τῆς κτίσεως ἄρχοντες, ἐσώζετο τοιαύτη τάξις τῶν πάντων· ἀλλ' ἦν πάλιν ἄτακτα πάντα διὰ τοὺς πολλούς, ἕλκοντος ἑκάστου πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ βούλησιν τὰ πάντα, καὶ μαχομένου πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐλέγομεν τὴν πολυθεότητα ἀθεότητα εἶναι, οὕτως ἀνάγκη τὴν πολυαρχίαν ἀναρχίαν εἶναι. ἑκάστου γὰρ τὴν τοῦ ἑτέρου ἀρχὴν ἀναιροῦντος, οὐδεὶς ἐφαίνετο λοιπὸν ὁ ἄρχων, ἀλλ' ἦν ἀναρχία παρὰ πᾶσιν. ἔνθα δὲ μὴ ἔστιν ἄρχων, ἐκεῖ πάντως ἀταξία γίνεται. καὶ ἔμπαλιν ἡ τῶν πολλῶν καὶ διαφόρων μία τάξις καὶ ὁμόνοια ἕνα καὶ τὸν ἄρχοντα δείκνυσι. καθάπερ γὰρ εἴ τις πόρρωθεν ἀκούει λύρας ἐκ πολλῶν καὶ διαφόρων νευρῶν συγκειμένης, καὶ θαυμάζοι τούτων τὴν ἁρμονίαν τῆς συμφωνίας, ὅτι μὴ μόνη ἡ βαρεῖα τὸν ἦχον ἀποτελεῖ, μηδὲ μόνη ἡ ὀξεῖα, μηδὲ μόνη ἡ μέση, ἀλλὰ πᾶσαι κατὰ τὴν ἴσην ἀντίστασιν ἀλλήλαις συνηχοῦσι· καὶ πάντως ἐκ τούτων ἐννοεῖ οὐχ ἑαυτὴν κινεῖν τὴν λύραν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὑπὸ πολλῶν αὐτὴν τύπτεσθαι· ἕνα δὲ εἶναι μουσικὸν τὸν ἑκάστης νευρᾶς ἦχον πρὸς τὴν ἐναρμόνιον συμφωνίαν κεράσαντα τῇ ἐπιστήμῃ, κἂν μὴ τοῦτον βλέπῃ· οὕτω παναρμονίου οὔσης τῆς τάξεως ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ παντί, καὶ μήτε τῶν ἄνω πρὸς τὰ κάτω, μήτε τῶν κάτω πρὸς τὰ ἄνω στασιαζόντων, ἀλλὰ μιᾶς τῶν πάντων ἀποτελουμένης τάξεως, ἕνα καὶ μὴ πολλοὺς νοεῖν ἀκόλουθόν ἐστι τὸν ἄρχοντα καὶ βασιλέα τῆς πάσης κτίσεως, τὸν τῷ ἑαυτοῦ φωτὶ τὰ πάντα καταλάμποντα καὶ κινοῦντα.

39 Οὐδὲ γὰρ πολλοὺς εἶναι δεῖ νομίζειν τοὺς τῆς κτίσεως ἄρχοντας καὶ ποιητάς, ἀλλὰ πρὸς εὐσέβειαν ἀκριβῆ καὶ ἀλήθειαν ἕνα τὸν ταύτης δημιουργὸν πιστεύειν προσήκει· καὶ τοῦτο τῆς κτίσεως αὐτῆς ἐμφανῶς δεικνυούσης. γνώρισμα γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς τοῦ ἕνα τὸν ποιητὴν εἶναι τοῦ παντός ἐστι τοῦτο, τὸ μὴ πολλοὺς ἀλλ' ἕνα εἶναι τὸν κόσμον. ἔδει γάρ, εἴπερ ἦσαν πολλοὶ θεοί, πολλοὺς εἶναι καὶ δια φόρους τοὺς κόσμους. οὔτε γὰρ ἔπρεπε τοὺς πολλοὺς ἕνα κόσμον κατασκευάζειν, οὔτε τὸν ἕνα ὑπὸ πολλῶν ποιεῖσθαι διὰ τὰ ἐκ τούτων δεικνύμενα ἄτοπα. πρῶτον μὲν ὅτι, εἰ ὑπὸ πολλῶν ὁ εἷς ἐγεγόνει κόσμος, ἀσθένεια τῶν ποιησάντων ἦν· ὅτι ἐκ πολλῶν ἓν ἔργον ἀπετελέσθη· καὶ ἐκ τούτου γνώρισμα οὐ τὸ τυχὸν ἦν τῆς ἀτελοῦς ἑκάστου πρὸς τὸ ποιεῖν ἐπιστήμης. εἰ γὰρ ἤρκει εἷς, οὐκ ἂν οἱ πολλοὶ τὴν ἀλλήλων ἀνεπλήρουν ἔλλειψιν. ἐν Θεῷ δὲ λέγειν εἶναί τι ἐλλιπὲς, ἀσεβὲς οὐ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πέρα τῶν ἀθεμίτων ἐστί. καὶ γὰρ καὶ τεχνίτην ἐν ἀνθρώποις οὐκ ἄν τις εἴποι τέλειον, ἀλλὰ ἀσθενῆ, εἰ μὴ μόνος, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῶν ἓν ἀποτελοίη τὸ ἔργον. εἰ δὲ ἕκαστος μὲν ἠδύνατο τὸ ὅλον ἀποτελέσαι, οἱ πάντες δὲ εἰργάσαντο διὰ τὴν τοῦ γιγνομένου κοινωνίαν· γελοῖον μὲν ἂν εἴη τὸ τοιοῦτον, εἰ διὰ δόξαν ἕκαστος εἰργάσατο, ἵνα μὴ ὡς ἀδύνατος ὑπονοηθῇ. κενοδοξίαν δὲ πάλιν λέγειν ἐν θεοῖς τῶν ἀτοπωτάτων ἐστίν. ἔπειτα, εἰ ἕκαστος ἱκανὸς ἦν πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ὅλου δημιουργίαν, τίς ἡ χρεία τῶν πολλῶν, ἑνὸς αὐτάρκους γιγνομένου πρὸς τὸ πᾶν; ἄλλως τε ἀσεβὲς καὶ ἄτοπον ἂν φανείη, εἰ τὸ μὲν ποίημα ἓν τυγχάνει, οἱ δὲ ποιήσαντες διάφοροι καὶ πολλοί, λόγου ὄντος φυσικοῦ τὸ ἓν καὶ τέλειον τῶν διαφόρων κρεῖττον εἶναι. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ἰστέον, ὅτι εἰ ὑπὸ πολλῶν ὁ κόσμος ἐγεγόνει, διαφόρους εἶχε καὶ τὰς κινήσεις καὶ ἀνομοίους ἑαυτῷ. πρὸς ἕκαστον γὰρ τῶν ποιησάντων ἀποβλέπων, διαφόρους εἶχε καὶ τὰς κινήσεις. ἐν δὲ τῇ διαφορᾷ, καθάπερ εἴρηται πρότερον, πάλιν ἦν ἀκοσμία καὶ τοῦ παντὸς ἀταξία· ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲ ναῦς ὑπὸ πολλῶν κυβερνωμένη κατ' ὀρθὸν πλευσεῖται, εἰ μὴ εἷς ταύτης τοὺς οἴακας κρατοίη κυβερνήτης· οὐδὲ λύρα ὑπὸ