XXVII. That it is possible, when the human body is dissolved into the elements of the universe, that each should have his own body restored from the common source140    Otherwise Chap. xxviii. The title in the Bodleian ms. of the Latin version is:—“That although bodies rise together they will yet receive their own souls.”.

1. Yet it may be thou thinkest, having regard to the elements of the universe, that it is a hard thing when the air in us has been resolved into its kindred element, and the warmth, and moisture, and the earthy nature have likewise been mingled with their own kind, that from the common source there should return to the individual what belongs to itself.

2. Dost thou not then judge by human examples that even this does not surpass the limits of the Divine power? Thou hast seen surely somewhere among the habitations of men a common herd of some kind of animals collected from every quarter: yet when it is again divided among its owners, acquaintance with their homes and the marks put upon the cattle serve to restore to each his own. If thou conceivest of thyself also something like to this, thou wilt not be far from the right way: for as the soul is disposed to cling to and long for the body that has been wedded to it, there also attaches to it in secret a certain close relationship and power of recognition, in virtue of their commixture, as though some marks had been imprinted by nature, by the aid of which the community remains unconfused, separated by the distinctive signs. Now as the soul attracts again to itself that which is its own and properly belongs to it, what labour, I pray you, that is involved for the Divine power, could be a hindrance to concourse of kindred things when they are urged to their own place by the unspeakable attraction of nature, whatever it may be? For that some signs of our compound nature remain in the soul even after dissolution is shown by the dialogue in Hades141    Cf. S. Luke xvi. 24–31., where the bodies had been conveyed to the tomb, but some bodily token still remained in the souls by which both Lazarus was recognized and the rich man was not unknown.

3. There is therefore nothing beyond probability in believing that in the bodies that rise again there will be a return from the common stock to the individual, especially for any one who examines our nature with careful attention. For neither does our being consist altogether in flux and change—for surely that which had by nature no stability would be absolutely incomprehensible—but according to the more accurate statement some one of our constituent parts is stationary while the rest goes through a process of alteration: for the body is on the one hand altered by way of growth and diminution, changing, like garments, the vesture of its successive statures, while the form, on the other hand, remains in itself unaltered through every change, not varying from the marks once imposed upon it by nature, but appearing with its own tokens of identity in all the changes which the body undergoes.

4. We must except, however, from this statement the change which happens to the form as the result of disease: for the deformity of sickness takes possession of the form like some strange mask, and when this is removed by the word142    The word, that is of the Prophet, or of the Saviour, as in the cases cited., as in the case of Naaman the Syrian, or of those whose story is recorded in the Gospel, the form that had been hidden by disease is once more by means of health restored to sight again with its own marks of identity.

5. Now to the element of our soul which is in the likeness of God it is not that which is subject to flux and change by way of alteration, but this stable and unalterable element in our composition that is allied: and since various differences of combination produce varieties of forms (and combination is nothing else than the mixture of the elements—by elements we mean those which furnish the substratum for the making of the universe, of which the human body also is composed), while the form necessarily remains in the soul as in the impression of a seal, those things which have received from the seal the impression of its stamp do not fail to be recognized by the soul, but at the time of the World-Reformation, it receives back to itself all those things which correspond to the stamp of the form: and surely all those things would so correspond which in the beginning were stamped by the form; thus it is not beyond probability that what properly belongs to the individual should once more return to it from the common source143    The “form” seems to be regarded as a seal, which, while taking its pattern from the combination of elements, yet marks those elements which have been grouped together under it; and which at the same time leaves an impression of itself upon the soul. The soul is thus enabled to recognize the elemental particles which make up that body which belonged to it, by the τύπος imprinted on them as well as on itself..

6. It is said also that quicksilver, if poured out from the vessel that contains it down a dusty slope, forms small globules and scatters itself over the ground, mingling with none of those bodies with which it meets: but if one should collect at one place the substance dispersed in many directions, it flows back to its kindred substance, if not hindered by anything intervening from mixing with its own kind. Something of the same sort, I think, we ought to understand also of the composite nature of man, that if only the power were given it of God, the proper parts would spontaneously unite with those belonging to them, without any obstruction on their account arising to Him Who reforms their nature.

7. Furthermore, in the case of plants that grow from the ground, we do not observe any labour on the part of nature spent on the wheat or millet or any other seed of grain or pulse, in changing it into stalk or spike or ears; for the proper nourishment passes spontaneously, without trouble, from the common source to the individuality of each of the seeds. If, then, while the moisture supplied to all the plants is common, each of those plants which is nourished by it draws the due supply for its own growth, what new thing is it if in the doctrine of the resurrection also, as in the case of the seeds, it happens that there is an attraction on the part of each of those who rise, of what belongs to himself?

8. So that we may learn on all hands, that the preaching of the resurrection contains nothing beyond those facts which are known to us experimentally.

9. And yet we have said nothing of the most notable point concerning ourselves; I mean the first beginning of our existence. Who knows not the miracle of nature, what the maternal womb receives—what it produces? Thou seest how that which is implanted in the womb to be the beginning of the formation of the body is in a manner simple and homogeneous: but what language can express the variety of the composite body that is framed? and who, if he did not learn such a thing in nature generally, would think that to be possible which does take place—that that small thing of no account is the beginning of a thing so great? Great, I say, not only with regard to the bodily formation, but to what is more marvellous than this, I mean the soul itself, and the attributes we behold in it.

ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΚΖʹ. Ὅτι δυνατόν ἐστιν, εἰς τὰ τοῦ παντὸς στοιχεῖα τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου σώματος ἀναλυθέντος, πάλιν ἐκ τοῦ κοινοῦ ἑκάστῳ τὸ ἴδιον ἀποσωθῆναι.

Ἀλλὰ τυχὸν πρὸς τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ παντὸς βλέπων, δύσκολον οἴει τοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν ἀέρος πρὸς τὸ συγγενὲς στοιχεῖον ἀναχεθέντος, καὶ τοῦ θερμοῦ τε καὶ ὑγροῦ, καὶ τοῦ γεώδους ὡσαύτως τοῖς ὁμοφύλοις ἐγκαταμιχθέντων, πάλιν ἐκ τοῦ κοινοῦ τὸ οἰκεῖον ἐπὶ τὸ ἴδιον ἀναδραμεῖν. Εἶτα οὐ λογίζῃ διὰ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ὑποδειγμάτων, τὸ μηδὲ τοῦτο τῆς θείας δυνάμεως ὑπερβαίνειν τοὺς ὅρους; Εἶδές που πάντως ἐν ταῖς ἀνθρωπίναις οἰκήσεσι κοινὴν ἀγέλην ζώων τινῶν, ἐκ κοινοῦ συνισταμένην. Ἀλλ' ὅταν πάλιν πρὸς τοὺς κεκτημένους αὐτὴ καταμερίζηται, ἤ τε πρὸς τοὺς οἴκους συνήθεια, καὶ τὰ ἐπικείμενα σημεῖα τὸ ἴδιον ἑκάστῳ ἀποκαθίστησι. Τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ περὶ σεαυτὸν ἐννοῶν, οὐχ ἁμαρτήσεις τοῦ πρέποντος. Φυσικῇ γάρ τινι σχέσει καὶ στοργῇ πρὸς τὸ συνοικῆσαν σῶμα τῆς ψυχῆς διακειμένης, ἔστι τις κατὰ τὸ λεληθὸς αὐτῇ διὰ τῆς συνανακράσεως τοῦ οἰκείου σχέσις τε καὶ ἐπίγνωσις, οἷον σημείων τινῶν παρὰ τῆς φύσεως ἐπικειμένων, δι' ὧν ἡ κοινότης ἀσύγχυτος μένει διακρινομένη τοῖς ἰδιάζουσι. Τῆς τοίνυν ψυχῆς τὸ συγγενές τε καὶ ἴδιον ἐφ' ἑαυτὴν πάλιν ἑλκούσης, τίς πόνος, εἰπέ μοι, τῇ θείᾳ δυνάμει κωλῦσαι τῶν οἰκείων τὴν συνδρομὴν, ἀῤῥήτῳ τινὶ τῇ τῆς φύσεως ὁλκῇ πρὸς τὸ ἴδιον ἐπειγομένων; Τὸ γὰρ ἐπιδιαμένειν τινὰ τῇ ψυχῇ, καὶ μετὰ τὴν διάλυσιν, σημεῖα τοῦ ἡμετέρου συγκρίματος, δείκνυσιν ὁ κατὰ τὸν ᾅδην διάλογος, τῶν μὲν σωμάτων τῷ τάφῳ παραδοθέντων, γνωρίσματος δέ τινος σωματικοῦ ταῖς ψυχαῖς παραμείναντος, δι' οὗ καὶ ὁ Λάζαρος ἐγνωρίζετο, καὶ οὐκ ἠγνοεῖτο ὁ πλούσιος. Οὐκοῦν οὐδὲν ἕξω τοῦ εἰκότος ἐστὶ, πάλιν πιστεύειν ἐκ τοῦ κοινοῦ πρὸς τὸ ἴδιον τὴν ἀνάλυσιν γίνεσθαι τῶν ἀνισταμένων σωμάτων, καὶ μάλιστά γε τῷ φιλοπονώτερον τὴν φύσιν ἡμῶν κατεξετάζοντι. Οὔτε γὰρ δι' ὅλου ἐν ῥύσει καὶ μεταβολῇ τὸ ἡμέτερον. Ἦ γὰρ ἂν ἄληπτον ἦν καθόλου τῷ μηδεμίαν στάσιν ἔχειν ἐκ φύσεως: ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν ἀκριβέστερον λόγον, τὸ μέν τι ἔστηκε τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν, τὸ δὲ δι' ἀλλοιώσεως πρόεισιν. Ἀλλοιοῦται μὲν γὰρ δι' αὐξήσεώς τε καὶ μειώσεως τὸ σῶμα, οἷον ἱμάτιά τινα, τὰς καθεξῆς ἡλικίας μετενδυόμενον. Ἕστηκε δὲ διὰ πάσης τροπῆς ἀμετάβλητον ἐφ' ἑαυτοῦ τὸ εἶδος, τῶν ἅπαξ ἐπιβληθέντων αὐτῷ παρὰ τῆς φύσεως σημείων οὐκ ἐξιστάμενον, ἀλλὰ πάσαις ταῖς κατὰ τὸ σῶμα τροπαῖς μετὰ τῶν ἰδίων ἐμφαινόμενον γνωρισμάτων. Ὑπεξαιρείσθω δὲ τοῦ λόγου ἡ ἐκ πάθους ἀλλοίωσις, ἡ τῷ εἴδει ἐπισυμβαίνουσα: οἶον γάρ τι προσωπεῖον ἀλλότριον ἡ κατὰ τὴν νόσον ἀμορφία διαλαμβάνει τὸ εἶδος, ἧς τῷ λόγῳ περιαιρεθείσης. καθάπερ ἐπὶ Νεεμὰν τοῦ Σύρου, ἢ ἐπὶ τῶν κατὰ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον ἱστορηθέντων, πάλιν τὸ κεκρυμμένον ὑπὸ τοῦ πάθους εἶδος, διὰ τῆς ὑγείας ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνεφάνη γνωρίσμασι.

Τῷ τοίνυν θεοειδεῖ τῆς ψυχῆς οὐ τὸ ῥέον ἐν τῇ ἀλλοιώσει καὶ μεθιστάμενον, ἀλλὰ τὸ μόνιμόν τε καὶ ὡσαύτως ἔχον ἐν τῷ καθ' ἡμᾶς συγκρίματι, τούτῳ προσφύεται. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ τὰς κατὰ τὸ εἶδος διαφορὰς αἱ ποιαὶ τῆς κράσεως παραλλαγαὶ μεταμορφοῦσιν, ἡ δὲ κρᾶσις οὐκ ἄλλη τις παρὰ τὴν τῶν στοιχείων μίξιν ἐστὶ, στοιχεῖα δέ φαμεν τὰ τῇ κατασκευῇ τοῦ παντὸς ὑποκείμενα, δι' ὧν καὶ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον συνέστηκε σῶμα, ἀναγκαίως τοῦ εἴδους οἷον ἐκμαγείῳ σφραγίδος τῇ ψυχῇ παραμείναντος, οὐδὲ τὰ ἐναπομαξάμενα τῇ σφραγῖδι τὸν τύπον ὑπ' αὐτῆς ἀγνοεῖται, ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς ἀναστοιχειώσεως ἐκεῖνα δέχεται πάλιν πρὸς ἑαυτὴν, ἅπερ ἂν ἐναρμόσῃ τῷ τύπῳ τοῦ εἴδους: ἐναρμόσειε δὲ πάντως ἐκεῖνα, ὅσα κατ' ἀρχὰς ἐνετυπώθη τῷ εἴδει. Οὐκοῦν οὐδὲν ἔξω τοῦ εἰκότος ἐστὶ, πάλιν ἐκ τοῦ κοινοῦ πρὸς τὸ καθέκαστον ἐπαναλύειν τὸ ἴδιον. Λέγεται δὲ καὶ τὴν ὑδράργυρον προχεθεῖσαν τοῦ περιέχοντος, καθ' ὑπτίου τινὸς καὶ κονιορτώδους χωρίου. εἰς λεπτὰ σφαιρωθεῖσαν, κατὰ τὴν γῆν διασκίδνασθαι, πρὸς οὐδὲν τῶν ἐπιτυχόντων ἐμμιγνυμένην. Εἰ δέ τις πάλιν τὸ πολλαχῆ κατεσπαρμένον εἰς ἒν συναγείρειεν, αὐτομάτως ἀναχεῖσθαι πρὸς τὸ ὁμόφυλον, οὐδενὶ μέσῳ πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν μίξιν διειργομένην. Τοιοῦτόν τι χρῆναι νομίζω καὶ περὶ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον σύγκριμα διανοεῖσθαι: εἰ μόνον γένοιτο παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ἐνδόσιμον, αὐτομάτως τὰ κατάλληλα μέρη τοῖς οἰκείοις ἐπανακίρνασθαι, μηδεμιᾶς ἐργωδίας τῷ ἀναστοιχειοῦντι τὴν φύσιν διὰ τούτων ἐγγινομένης. Καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ γῇ φυομένων, οὐδένα πόνον ὁρῶμεν τῆς φύσεως ἐπὶ τὸν πυρὸν, ἢ τὴν κέγχρον, ἢ ἄλλο τι τῶν σιτηρῶν ἢ χεδροπῶν σπερμάτων, ἐν τῷ μεταβάλλειν εἰς καλάμην καὶ ἀθέρικας καὶ ἀστάχυας. Ἀπραγματεύτως γὰρ κατὰ τὸ αὐτόματον ἡ κατάλληλος τροφὴ ἐκ τοῦ κοινοῦ πρὸς τὴν ἑκάστου τῶν σπερμάτων ἰδιότητα μεταβαίνει. Εἰ οὖν κοινῆς πᾶσι τοῖς φυομένοις τῆς ἰκμάδος ὑποκειμένης, ἕκαστον τῶν δι' αὐτῆς τρεφομένων τὸ κατάλληλον ἔσπασεν εἰς τὴν τοῦ οἰκείου προσθήκην: τί καινὸν, εἰ καὶ ἐν τῷ τῆς ἀναστάσεως λόγῳ παρ' ἑκάστου τῶν ἀνισταμένων, καθὼς ἐπὶ τῶν σπερμάτων, συμβαίνει οὕτως γίνεσθαι τὴν τοῦ οἰκείου ὁλκήν; Ὥστε ἐξ ἁπάντων δυνατὸν εἶναι μαθεῖν, μηδὲν ἔξω τῶν τῇ πείρᾳ γνωριζομένων τὸ κήρυγμα περιέχειν τῆς ἀναστάσεως. Καίτοιγε τὸ γνωριμώτατον τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐσιωπήσαμεν, αὐτὴν λέγω τὴν πρώτην τῆς συστάσεως ἡμῶν ἀφορμήν. Τίς γὰρ οὐκ οἶδε τὴν θαυματοποιίαν τῆς φύσεως, τί λαβοῦσα ἡ μητρῴα νηδὺς, τί ἀπεργάζεται; Ἢ οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅπως ἀπλοῦν τρόπον τινὰ, καὶ ὁμοιομερές ἐστι τὸ εἰς ἀφορμὴν τῆς συστάσεως τοῦ σώματος τοῖς σπλάγχνοις καταβαλλόμενον; τὴν δὲ ποικιλίαν τοῦ κατασκευαζομένου συγκρίματος τίς λόγος ἐκδιηγήσεται; Τίς δ' ἂν μὴ τῇ κοινῇ φύσει τὸ τοιοῦτον μαθὼν, δυνατὸν ἡγήσαιτο τὸ γινόμενον, ὅτι τὸ βραχύ τε καὶ ἀντ' οὐδενὸς ἐκεῖνο τοῦ τοσούτου πράγματός ἐστιν ἀρχή; μέγα δέ φημι, οὐ μόνον εἰς τὴν κατὰ τὸ σῶμα βλέπων διάπλασιν, ἀλλ' ὃ πρὸ τούτου θαυμάζειν ἄξιον, αὐτὴν λέγω τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ τὰ περὶ αὐτὴν θεωρούμενα.