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some from the Chaldeans, others from the Egyptians, and still others from the Phoenicians; second, that they erred and do err concerning God, not making mention of him but of vain and useless things. For thus they eagerly remember Homer and Hesiod and the other poets, but not only have they forgotten the glory of the incorruptible and only God, but they have also spoken against it. Moreover, they also persecuted those who worshiped him and persecute them daily. Nay, but they also assign prizes and honors to those who eloquently revile God, but those who strive for virtue and practice a holy life, some they stoned, others they put to death, and to this day they subject them to cruel tortures. Therefore, such men have necessarily lost the wisdom of God and have not found the truth. If, then, you wish, study these things carefully, so that you may have a counselor and a pledge of the truth.

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οἱ μὲν παρὰ Χαλδαίων, οἱ δὲ παρὰ Aἰγυπτίων, ἄλλοι δ' αὖ ἀπὸ Φοινίκων· δεύτερον ὅτι ἔπταιον καὶ πταίουσιν περὶ θεοῦ μὴ ποιού- μενοι τὴν μνείαν ἀλλὰ περὶ ματαίων καὶ ἀνωφελῶν πραγμάτων. οὕτως μὲν γὰρ καὶ Ὁμήρου καὶ Ἡσιόδου καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ποιητῶν φιλοτίμως μέμνηνται, τῆς δὲ τοῦ ἀφθάρτου καὶ μόνου θεοῦ δόξης οὐ μόνον ἐπελάθοντο ἀλλὰ καὶ κατελάλησαν· ἔτι μὴν καὶ τοὺς σεβομένους αὐτὸν ἐδίωξαν καὶ τὸ καθ' ἡμέραν διώκουσιν. οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς εὐφώνως ὑβρίζουσι τὸν θεὸν ἆθλα καὶ τιμὰς τιθέασιν, τοὺς δὲ σπεύδοντας πρὸς ἀρετὴν καὶ ἀσκοῦντας βίον ὅσιον, οὓς μὲν ἐλιθοβόλησαν, οὓς δὲ ἐθανάτωσαν, καὶ ἕως τοῦ δεῦρο ὠμοῖς αἰκισμοῖς περιβάλλουσιν. διὸ οἱ τοιοῦτοι ἀναγκαίως ἀπώλεσαν τὴν σοφίαν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν οὐχ εὗρον. Eἰ οὖν βούλει, ἀκριβῶς ἔντυχε τούτοις, ὅπως σχῇς σύμβουλον καὶ ἀρραβῶνα τῆς ἀληθείας.