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of qualities, of positions, of powers, of rhythms? how nerves, and veins, and flesh, and bones, and membranes, and arteries, and joints, and cartilages, and all the other many things than these which the sons of physicians speak of with precision, which hold our nature together, and these from one seed? Does this not seem to you much more perplexing than these things, how the moist and soft is solidified into the hard and cold, the bone? how into hot and moist, the blood, having been united? how into cold and soft the nerve? how into cold and moist the artery? Whence are these things, tell me? Do you not question these things? Do you not see every day a resurrection and a death occurring in the stages of life? where has youth gone? whence has old age come? How is it that the old man cannot make himself young, but begets another, a very young child, and what he cannot provide for himself, he provides for another. 3. This may be seen also in the case of trees and of animals. And yet that which provides for another, ought first to provide for itself. But these things human reasoning demands; but when God creates, let all things give way. If these things are so perplexing, and beyond measure perplexing, there has now entered my mind a thought of those madmen, who busy themselves about the incorporeal generation of the Son. The things that happen every day, and are subject to our hands, and have been investigated countless times, no one has yet been able to discover; 62.438 how then do they busy themselves about that ineffable and unutterable generation, tell me? has not the mind of such men grown weary of treading on emptiness? has it not been turned to countless dizzyings? has it not become dumbfounded? And yet not even so are they taught a lesson. Being able to say nothing about grapes and figs, they busy themselves about God. For tell me, how is that grapestone resolved into leaves and stems? how before this was it not in it, nor was seen? But it is not the grapestone, he says, but the earth that does it all. And how without this does it bear nothing of itself? But let us not be foolish; what comes to be is neither of the earth, nor of the millet seed, but of the Lord of both the earth and of the seeds. For this reason He made these things to come to be both without these things and with these things, the one showing His power, when He said, Let the earth bring forth grass; the other, after showing His power, also teaching us to be industrious and hardworking. Why then have these things been said by us? Not simply, but that we may also believe in the resurrection; and when, wishing to comprehend something by reasoning, we are again unable, we should not be vexed nor indignant, but returning with good judgment, and checking our reasoning, we should take refuge in the power and resourcefulness of God. Knowing these things, therefore, let us put a bridle on our reasonings; let us not transgress the boundaries and measures of the knowledge given to us. For if anyone thinks, he says, that he knows anything, he has not yet known anything as he ought to know. I speak not only concerning God, but concerning every matter. For what do you wish to learn about the earth? what do you know, tell me? how great is its measure? how large its size? what is its position? what its substance? what its place? where does it stand, and upon what? But you would be able to say none of these things. But that it is cold and dry and black, these things you could say, but nothing further. But concerning the sea? But likewise you will fall into perplexity, not knowing where it begins, where it ends, upon what it is borne, what supports its bottom, what place it has, and whether after it there is a continent, or if it ends in water and air. But what do you know of the things in it? Shall I speak of the air? or the elements? But you will say nothing. Let me leave these things. Do you wish us to select the smallest of plants? the fruitless grass, which we all know, tell me how it is born? is not the underlying substance water and earth and dung? what is it that makes it appear so beautiful, and have a wonderful color? whence is it that that beauty so withers? It is not the work of water, it is not the work of earth. You see that everywhere of faith

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ποιοτήτων, θέσεων, δυνάμεων, ῥυθμῶν; πῶς νεῦρα, καὶ φλέβες, καὶ σάρκες, καὶ ὀστᾶ, καὶ ὑμένες, καὶ ἀρτηρίαι, καὶ ἄρθρα, καὶ χόνδροι, καὶ ὅσα ἕτερα τούτων πλείονα παῖδες ἰατρῶν ἀκριβολογοῦνται, ἃ τὴν ἡμετέραν συνέχει φύσιν, καὶ ταῦτα ἀπὸ τοῦ ἑνὸς σπέρματος; Ἆρα πολλῷ σοι δοκεῖ τούτων εἶναι τοῦτο ἀπορώτερον, πῶς τὸ ὑγρὸν καὶ μαλακὸν εἰς σκληρὸν καὶ ψυχρὸν πήγνυται, τὸ ὀστοῦν; πῶς εἰς θερμὸν καὶ ὑγρὸν, καὶ τὸ αἷμα, ἑνωθέν; πῶς εἰς ψυχρὸν καὶ μαλθακὸν τὸ νεῦρον; πῶς εἰς ψυχρὸν καὶ ὑγρὸν τὴν ἀρτηρίαν; πόθεν ταῦτα, εἰπέ μοι; ταῦτα οὐ διαπορεῖς; Οὐχὶ ὁρᾷς καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἀνάστασιν καὶ θάνατον ἐν ταῖς ἡλικίαις γινόμενον; ποῦ ἡ νεότης ἀπῆλθεν; πόθεν τὸ γῆρας ἦλθε; πῶς ὁ γεγηρακὼς ἑαυτὸν μὲν νέον ποιῆσαι οὐ δύναται, ἕτερον δὲ παιδίον τίκτει νεώτατον, καὶ ὃ ἑαυτῷ οὐ δύναται παρασχεῖν, ἑτέρῳ παρέχει. γʹ. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν δένδρων καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ζώων ἔστιν ἰδεῖν. Καίτοι τὸ ἑτέρῳ παρέχον, ἑαυτῷ πρότερον ὀφείλει παρασχεῖν. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ὁ λογισμὸς ὁ ἀνθρώπινος ἀπαιτεῖ· ὅταν δὲ ὁ Θεὸς δημιουργῇ, πάντα ὑποχωρείτω. Εἰ ταῦτα οὕτως ἄπορα, καὶ μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς ἄπορα, ὑπεισῆλθέ μοι νῦν ἔννοια τῶν μαινομένων, καὶ τὴν γέννησιν τὴν ἀσώματον πολυπραγμονούντων τοῦ Υἱοῦ. Τὰ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν γινόμενα, καὶ χερσὶν ὑποβαλλόμενα, καὶ μυριάκις ζητηθέντα οὐδεὶς οὐδέπω εὑρεῖν δεδύνηται· 62.438 πῶς οὖν τὴν ἄῤῥητον ἐκείνην καὶ ἄφραστον γέννησιν πολυπραγμονοῦσιν, εἰπέ μοι; οὐκ ἀπέκαμεν ἡ διάνοια τῶν τοιούτων κενεμβατοῦσα; οὐκ εἰς μυρίους ἰλίγγους περιετράπη; οὐχὶ ἀχανὴς γέγονε; Καὶ ὅμως οὐδὲ οὕτω παιδεύονται. Περὶ σταφυλῶν καὶ σύκων οὐδὲν εἰπεῖν δυνάμενοι, περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ πολυπραγμονοῦσιν. Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, πῶς τὸ γίγαρτον ἐκεῖνο ἀναλύεται εἰς φύλλα καὶ στελέχη; πῶς πρὸ τούτου οὐκ ἦν ἐν αὐτῷ, οὐδὲ ἑωρᾶτο; Ἀλλ' οὐ τὸ γίγαρτόν ἐστι, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ τῆς γῆς τὸ πᾶν. Καὶ πῶς χωρὶς τούτου οὐδὲν φέρει ἀφ' ἑαυτῆς; Ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀνοηταίνωμεν· οὔτε τῆς γῆς ἐστιν, οὔτε τῆς κέγχρου τὸ γινόμενον, ἀλλὰ τοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ τῶν σπερμάτων Κυρίου. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ χωρὶς τούτων καὶ μετὰ τούτων ταῦτα ἐποίησε γίνεσθαι τὸ μὲν τὴν αὐτοῦ δύναμιν δεικνὺς, ἡνίκα ἔλεγεν, Ἐξαγαγέτω ἡ γῆ βοτάνην χόρτου· τὸ δὲ, μετὰ τοῦ δεῖξαι τὴν αὐτοῦ δύναμιν, καὶ ἡμᾶς παιδεύων εἶναι φιλοπόνους καὶ φιλεργούς. Τί δὴ ταῦτα ἡμῖν εἴρηται; Οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ' ἵνα καὶ τῇ ἀναστάσει πιστεύωμεν· καὶ ὅταν τι πάλιν λογισμοῖς βουλόμενοι καταλαβεῖν οὐκ ἰσχύωμεν, μὴ δυσχεραίνωμεν μηδὲ ἀγανακτῶμεν, ἀλλ' εὐγνωμόνως ὑποστρέφοντες, καὶ ἀναχαιτίζοντες τὸν λογισμὸν, καταφεύγωμεν ἐπὶ τὸ δυνατὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ εὐμήχανον. Ταῦτα οὖν εἰδότες, χαλινὸν ἐπιθῶμεν τοῖς λογισμοῖς· μὴ ὑπερβαίνωμεν τοὺς ὅρους καὶ τὰ μέτρα τὰ δεδομένα τῆς γνώσεως ἡμῖν. Εἰ γάρ τις δοκεῖ, φησὶν, εἰδέναι τι, οὐδέπω οὐδὲν ἔγνωκε καθὼς δεῖ γνῶναι. Οὐ λέγω περὶ Θεοῦ μόνον, ἀλλὰ περὶ παντὸς πράγματος. Τί γὰρ βούλει μαθεῖν περὶ γῆς; τί οἶδας, εἰπέ μοι; πόσον τὸ μέτρον αὐτῆς; πηλίκον τὸ μέγεθος; ὁποία ἡ θέσις; τίς ἡ οὐσία; ποῖος ὁ τόπος; ποῦ ἕστηκε, καὶ ἐπὶ τίνος; Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ἂν τούτων ἔχοις εἰπεῖν. Ἀλλ' ὅτι μέν ἐστι ψυχρὰ καὶ ξηρὰ καὶ μέλαινα, ταῦτα ἂν ἔχοις εἰπεῖν, περαιτέρω δὲ οὐδέν. Ἀλλὰ περὶ τῆς θαλάττης; Ἀλλ' ὁμοίως εἰς ἀμηχανίαν ἐμπεσῇ, οὐκ εἰδὼς ποῦ μὲν ἄρχεται, ποῦ δὲ λήγει, ἐπὶ τίνος δὲ φέρεται, τί τὸν πυθμένα αὐτῆς διαβαστάζει, ποῖος δὲ αὐτῇ τόπος ἐστὶ, πότερον δὲ καὶ μετ' αὐτήν ἐστιν ἤπειρος, ἢ εἰς ὕδωρ τελευτᾷ καὶ ἀέρα. Ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ τί οἶδας; Ἀλλὰ τὸν ἀέρα εἴπω; ἀλλὰ τὰ στοιχεῖα; Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ἐρεῖς. Ἀφῶ ταῦτα, Βούλει τῶν φυτῶν τὸ μικρότατον ἐκλεξώμεθα; τὴν χλόην τὴν ἄκαρπον, ἥνπερ ἅπαντες ἴσμεν, εἰπὲ πῶς τίκτεται; οὐχὶ ὕδωρ ἐστὶ τὸ ὑποκείμενον καὶ γῆ καὶ κόπρος; τί τὸ ποιοῦν αὐτὴν οὕτω καλὴν φαίνεσθαι, καὶ χρῶμα ἔχειν θαυμαστόν; πόθεν ἐκεῖνο τὸ κάλλος οὕτω μαραίνεται; Οὐκ ἔστιν ὕδατος, οὐκ ἔστι γῆς τὸ ἔργον. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι πανταχοῦ πίστεως