Protrepticus

 Raging for corruptions, celebrating insolence, deifying sorrows, the first to lead men by the hand to idols, yes, indeed, to stones and wood, that is,

 May inspire, and which may receive the 1.5.4 lord. yes, indeed, david the king, the harpist, whom we mentioned a little before, was exhorting towards

 And to statues and to certain such images having bound them fast with the wretched bond of superstition, that which is indeed said, bringing living me

 Let her who does not give birth hear let her who does not travail break forth with a cry, for the children of the desolate are more than of her who

 Breathing roughly is interpreted as the female serpent but deo and kore have already become a mystic drama, and eleusis holds torches for their wande

 A herdsman, the goad, calling the narthex a herdsman's goad, i suppose, which the bacchants indeed wreathe. 2.17.1 do you wish that i should narrate t

 And the swineherd eubouleus from whom sprang the hierophantic family of the eumolpidae and kerykes, 2.20.3 this very one at athens. and indeed (for i

 A teacher of the woman's 2.24.2 disease to the other scythians. for which reason (for it must by no means be concealed), it comes over me to wonder in

 They have fabricated certain saviors, the dioscuri and heracles, averter of evil, and asclepius the physician. 2.27.1 these are the slippery and harmf

 Apollodorus says, and callimachus, phoebus is appointed over the sacrifices of asses among the hyperboreans. and the same poet elsewhere says, fat sac

 And of gods. he was so poured out in matters of love, as to desire all, and to fulfill his desire upon all. at any rate, he was filled with women no

 Is fashioned in the manner of a member and sits upon the branch, fulfilling the promise to the dead man. a mystical memorial of this passion, phalli a

 Is taught to be prudent. the myth is laid bare for you leda died, the swan died, the eagle died. you seek your zeus? do not meddle with the sky, but

 2.39.8 they acclaimed. but heraclides in *foundations of temples* says that in acarnania, where the actium promontory is and the temple of actian apol

 He records 3.42.7 to have offered a whole burnt-offering. and erechtheus the attic and marius the roman sacrificed their own daughters of whom the on

 In athens, on the acropolis, is that of cecrops, as antiochus says in the ninth book of his histories. and what of erichthonius? was he not buried in

 The so-called palladium, fallen from heaven, which diomedes and odysseus are said to have stolen from ilium, and to have entrusted to demophon, was ma

 Nor insult the blooming youth keep it pure, that it may be beautiful. become a king of beauty, not a tyrant let it remain free then i will recogniz

 Worshippers of stones, having learned by deed not to worship senseless matter, being overcome by the need itself, are destroyed by superstition but t

 And private individuals dignified themselves with divine titles, as menecrates the physician, who was surnamed zeus. why must i list alexarchus (he wa

 4.56.4 offspring of the earth, all these things that you see? why then, o foolish and empty-minded ones (for i will say it again), having blasphemed t

 They boast, having enrolled them as their own household slaves, having made them compelled slaves by their incantations. therefore, the remembered mar

 You shall make, says the prophet, any likeness of anything that is in heaven above and that is in the 4.62.3 earth beneath. would we, then, still s

 Those who worship it have suffered for others named this fire hephaestus. 5.65.1 but the magi of the persians have honored fire, as have many of the

 Of truth, do you show that those who have trusted in you are subjected to a flow and current and disorderly eddies? and why do you fill my life with i

 By counsel but indeed they raise pure arms to heaven, rising early from bed, always cleansing their skin with water, and they honor only the one who

 A comfort of the gods, images of stone, or bronze or gold-wrought or ivory figures and allotting sacrifices to them and empty festivals, thus we thin

 You will empty injustice. 8.77.1 now that the other things have been duly completed by us in order, it is time to turn to the prophetic writings for

 I swear by myself. but he is vexed with the idolaters, saying to whom have you likened the lord? or to what likeness have you likened him? did a car

 For how is it permitted for the foreigner to enter? but when, i suppose, he is enrolled and made a citizen and receives the father, then he will be i

 The wanderers of the hebrews for they are said not to have entered into the rest because of unbelief, until, having followed the successor of moses,

 10.89.1 but to overturn a custom handed down to us from our fathers, you say, is not reasonable. and why, then, do we not use our first food, milk, to

 Demands repentance. but i want to ask you, if it does not seem absurd to you that you, men, having been born a creation of god and having received you

 Punishment? why do we not accept the gift? why do we not choose the better things, god instead of the wicked one, and prefer wisdom to idolatry, and e

 10.98.3 promised? who has promised immortality? only the creator of all things, the father, the master-craftsman, fashioned us, man, such a living s

 To wipe away the hindrances to salvation, both pride and wealth and fear, uttering this very poetic saying: where, indeed, do i carry these many posse

 They inhumanly attempt to slaughter him who teaches humanely, who calls them to righteousness, neither awaiting the grace from above nor shunning the

 A portion to those who have turned to any part of life, and to consider wisdom the same waveless harbor of salvation 10.107.3 through which those who

 He who also was, through what he taught and showed, having presented himself, our truce-bearer and reconciler and savior, the word, a life-giving, pea

 Since you were not ashamed of your brother. 11.114.1 let us then take away, let us take away the forgetfulness of the truth having cast down the igno

 The trumpet with its great blast sounded, gathered soldiers, and announced war but christ, having breathed a peaceful melody to the ends of the earth

 Bound, you shall be loosed from all corruption, the word of god will steer you, and the holy spirit will bring you to anchor in the harbors of the hea

 12.121.1 let us hasten, let us run, o god-loving and god-like images of the word [men] let us hasten, let us run, let us take up his yoke, let us mou

the wanderers of the Hebrews; for they are said not to have entered into the rest because of unbelief, until, having followed the successor of Moses, they at last learned by experience, that they could not otherwise 9.85.3 be saved, than by believing in Jesus. But the Lord, being a lover of mankind, exhorts all men "to the knowledge of the truth," He who sends the Comforter. What then is the knowledge? Godliness; "but godliness is profitable for all things," according to Paul, "having promise of the life 9.85.4 that now is, and of that which is to come." For how much, confess, O men, if eternal salvation were for sale, would you have bought it? Not even if one were to measure out the whole Pactolus, the mythical stream of gold, would he count out a price equivalent to salvation. 9.86.1 Do not, then, lose heart; it is possible for you, if you are willing, to purchase this priceless salvation with your own treasure, love and faith, which is a wage worthy of life. This price God gladly receives. "For we have hoped in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially 9.86.2 of those who believe." But the rest, clinging to the world, like some seaweed to marine rocks, make light of immortality, just as the old man of Ithaca longed not for the truth and the fatherland in heaven, nor for the light that truly is, but for the smoke. But godliness, making man like God as far as possible, takes as its suitable teacher God, who alone is able to fashion man worthily in the image of God. 9.87.1 The apostle, knowing this teaching to be truly divine, says, "But you, O Timothy, from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ." For truly sacred are the letters that make one sacred 9.87.2 and make one divine, from which sacred letters and syllables the composed scriptures, the compositions, are, as the same apostle consequently calls them, "God-breathed," "being profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 9.87.3 No one would be so struck by the exhortations of the other saints as by the Lord Himself, the lover of mankind; for His only work is this, that man should be saved. He Himself cries out, therefore, urging to salvation, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand"; He converts men who are drawing near 9.87.4 through fear. In this way also the apostle of the Lord, exhorting the Macedonians, becomes an interpreter of the divine voice, saying, "The Lord is at hand," "beware lest we be found empty." But you are so fearless, or rather, faithless, obeying neither the Lord Himself nor Paul, and this though he beseeches on Christ's behalf. 9.88.1 "Taste and see that God is good." Faith will lead you in, experience will teach, scripture will instruct, saying, "Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." Then, as to those who have already believed, He briefly adds, "What man is he that desires life, and loves to see good days?" We are, we will say, the worshippers of the good, the 9.88.2 zealous for good things. Hear, then, "you who are far off," hear, "you who are near"; the Word has not been hidden from any; it is a common light, it shines on all men; no one is a Cimmerian in the Word; let us hasten to salvation, to regeneration; let us, the many, hasten to be gathered together into one love, according to the union of the monadic essence. As we are being made good, let us accordingly 9.88.3 pursue unity, seeking out the good Monad. And the union of the many, having received from polyphony and dispersion a divine harmony, becomes one symphony, following one leader and teacher, the Word, resting upon truth itself, saying "Abba, the Father"; this true voice God welcomes from His children, gathering it as the first-fruit.

τῶν Ἑβραίων πλανῆται· οὐ γὰρ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσιν λέγονται διὰ τὴν ἀπιστίαν, πρὶν ἢ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς κατακολουθήσαντας τῷ Μωυσέως διαδόχῳ ὀψέ ποτε ἔργῳ μαθεῖν, οὐκ ἂν ἄλλως 9.85.3 σωθῆναι, μὴ οὐχὶ ὡς Ἰησοῦς πεπιστευκότας. Φιλάνθρωπος δὲ ὢν ὁ κύριος πάντας ἀνθρώπους "εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν τῆς ἀληθείας" παρακαλεῖ, ὁ τὸν παράκλητον ἀποστέλλων. Τίς οὖν ἡ ἐπίγνωσις; Θεοσέβεια· "θεοσέβεια δὲ πρὸς πάντα ὠφέλιμος" κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον, "ἐπαγγελίαν ἔχουσα ζωῆς 9.85.4 τῆς νῦν καὶ τῆς μελλούσης." Πόσου, ὁμολογήσατε, ὦ ἄνθρωποι, εἰ ἐπιπράσκετο σωτηρία ἀίδιος, ὠνήσασθε ἄν; Οὐδὲ εἰ τὸν Πακτωλόν τις ὅλον, τοῦ χρυσίου τὸ ῥεῦμα τὸ μυθικόν, ἀπομετρήσαι, ἀντάξιον σωτηρίας μισθὸν ἀριθμήσει. 9.86.1 Μὴ οὖν ἀποκάμητε· ἔξεστιν ὑμῖν, ἢν ἐθέλητε, ἐξω νήσασθαι τὴν πολυτίμητον σωτηρίαν οἰκείῳ θησαυρῷ, ἀγάπῃ καὶ πίστει, ζωῆς ὅς ἐστιν ἀξιόλογος μισθός. Ταύτην ἡδέως τὴν τιμὴν ὁ θεὸς λαμβάνει. "Ἠλπίκαμεν γὰρ ἐπὶ θεῷ ζῶντι, ὅς ἐστι σωτὴρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, μάλιστα 9.86.2 πιστῶν." Οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι περιπεφυκότες τῷ κόσμῳ, οἷα φυκία τινὰ ἐνάλοις πέτραις, ἀθανασίας ὀλιγωροῦσιν, καθάπερ ὁ Ἰθακήσιος γέρων οὐ τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τῆς ἐν οὐρανῷ πατρί δος, πρὸς δὲ καὶ τοῦ ὄντως ὄντος ἱμειρόμενοι φωτός, ἀλλὰ τοῦ καπνοῦ. Θεοσέβεια δὲ ἐξομοιοῦσα τῷ θεῷ κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν τὸν ἄνθρωπον κατάλληλον ἐπιγράφεται διδάσκαλον θεὸν τὸν καὶ μόνον ἀπεικάσαι κατ' ἀξίαν δυνάμενον ἄνθρωπον θεῷ. 9.87.1 Ταύτην ὁ ἀπόστολος τὴν διδασκαλίαν θείαν ὄντως ἐπιστάμενος "σὺ δέ, ὦ Τιμόθεε," φησίν, "ἀπὸ βρέφους ἱερὰ γράμματα οἶδας, τὰ δυνάμενά σε σοφίσαι εἰς σωτηρίαν διὰ πίστεως ἐν Χριστῷ." Ἱερὰ γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς τὰ ἱερο 9.87.2 ποιοῦντα καὶ θεοποιοῦντα γράμματα, ἐξ ὧν γραμμάτων καὶ συλλαβῶν τῶν ἱερῶν τὰς συγκειμένας γραφάς, τὰ συντάγματα, ὁ αὐτὸς ἀκολούθως ἀπόστολος "θεοπνεύστους" καλεῖ, "ὠφελίμους οὔσας πρὸς διδασκαλίαν, πρὸς ἔλεγχον, πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν, πρὸς παιδείαν τὴν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, ἵνα ἄρτιος ᾖ ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος πρὸς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἐξηρτημένος." 9.87.3 Οὐκ ἄν τις οὕτως ἐκπλαγείη τῶν ἄλλων ἁγίων τὰς προτροπὰς ὡς αὐτὸν τὸν κύριον τὸν φιλάνθρωπον· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἀλλ' ἢ τοῦτο ἔργον μόνον ἐστὶν αὐτῷ σῴζεσθαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Βοᾷ γοῦν ἐπείγων εἰς σωτηρίαν αὐτὸς "ἤγγικεν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν·" ἐπιστρέφει τοὺς ἀνθρώπους πλησιάζοντας 9.87.4 τῷ φόβῳ. Ταύτῃ καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος τοῦ κυρίου παρακαλῶν τοὺς Μακεδόνας ἑρμηνεὺς γίνεται τῆς θείας φωνῆς, "ὁ κύριος ἤγγικεν" λέγων, "εὐλαβεῖσθε μὴ καταληφθῶμεν κενοί." Ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐς τοσοῦτον ἀδεεῖς, μᾶλλον δὲ ἄπιστοι, μήτε αὐτῷ πειθόμενοι τῷ κυρίῳ μήτε τῷ Παύλῳ, καὶ ταῦτα ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ δεομένῳ. 9.88.1 "Γεύσασθε καὶ ἴδετε ὅτι χρηστὸς ὁ θεός." Ἡ πίστις εἰσάξει, ἡ πεῖρα διδάξει, ἡ γραφὴ παιδαγωγήσει "δεῦτε, ὦ τέκνα," λέγουσα, "ἀκούσατέ μου, φόβον κυρίου διδάξω ὑμᾶς." Εἶτα ὡς ἤδη πεπιστευκόσι συντόμως ἐπιλέγει "τίς ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος ὁ θέλων ζωήν, ἀγαπῶν ἡμέρας ἰδεῖν ἀγα θάς"; Ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν, φήσομεν, οἱ τἀγαθοῦ προσκυνηταί, οἱ 9.88.2 τῶν ἀγαθῶν ζηλωταί. Ἀκούσατε οὖν "οἱ μακράν," ἀκούσατε "οἱ ἐγγύς"· οὐκ ἀπεκρύβη τινὰς ὁ λόγος· φῶς ἐστι κοινόν, ἐπιλάμπει πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις· οὐδεὶς Κιμμέριος ἐν λόγῳ· σπεύσωμεν εἰς σωτηρίαν, ἐπὶ τὴν παλιγγενεσίαν· εἰς μίαν ἀγάπην συναχθῆναι οἱ πολλοὶ κατὰ τὴν τῆς μοναδικῆς οὐσίας ἕνωσιν σπεύσωμεν. Ἀγαθοεργούμενοι ἀναλόγως 9.88.3 ἑνότητα διώκωμεν, τὴν ἀγαθὴν ἐκζητοῦντες μονάδα. Ἡ δὲ ἐκ πολλῶν ἕνωσις ἐκ πολυφωνίας καὶ διασπορᾶς ἁρμονίαν λαβοῦσα θεϊκὴν μία γίνεται συμφωνία, ἑνὶ χορηγῷ καὶ διδασκάλῳ τῷ λόγῳ ἑπομένη, ἐπ' αὐτὴν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἀναπαυομένη, "Ἀββᾶ" λέγουσα "ὁ πατήρ"· ταύτην ὁ θεὸς τὴν φωνὴν τὴν ἀληθινὴν ἀσπάζεται παρὰ τῶν αὑτοῦ παίδων πρώτην καρπούμενος.