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of choice, but that they transgressed the laws by the necessity of fate or nature. But if they do not grant pardon to those who sin, they teach openly that wickedness is the work of choice. 5.81 These things we have both been taught and teach concerning the nature of man; and we are amazed seeing the wisdom of the Creator that is manifest in us, the various operations of the senses proceeding from one brain, but each offering to it a different perception, one of sight, another of hearing, and another of smell, and another of taste, and another of touch; and again, the utility of all the parts, both those that are seen and those that are hidden, and the memory, receiving very many and various things and not confusing them, but preserving them incorrupt and bringing them forth, just as it received them long and very long ago, and the many kinds of knowledge not conflicting with each other, but each being displayed at the 5.82 proper time. And when we learn these and similar things, we cry out with the prophet: "Your knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too strong, I cannot attain to it." For what discourse is sufficient to attain either to the harmony manifest in the body or to the wisdom contemplated in the soul? For though many things have been written about these matters by Hippocrates and Galen, and indeed by Plato and Xenophon and Aristotle and Theophrastus and countless others, many more times what has been said has been left out, since the human intellect is unable to grasp the things made by the divine wisdom. For this reason, the prophet hymned what he did comprehend, but being unable to attain to all the things contemplated in us, he clearly confessed his defeat, deeming such a confession sufficient for a worthy hymn.

6.t CONCERNING DIVINE PROVIDENCE.

6.1 Of those who embrace the life of the sea, some row the cargo ships, others direct them with the rudders, and indeed every fisherman, riding on a fishing boat, lets down his net and hunts the creatures of the waters, and another, seated on a rock, lets down a line and, baiting it, catches some of the fish with a hook; but there are some who also suffer shipwreck and are submerged, either having put to sea unseasonably out of poor judgment, or having recklessly dared the 6.2 storm. I have not related these trifles for no reason, but in an attempt to show, through an image, the foolishness of those who find fault with creation and who openly accuse the things that are administered within it. For some look upon creation and sing praises to the Creator, while others, admiring it more than is right, foolishly deify it; and some greatly admire each of the things that happen and see the Helmsman of the universe directing things most excellently and praise the wisdom that is manifest at the rudder, but others are indignant at all that happens, and nothing at all of what is done pleases them, but they accuse wealth and mock poverty, and they blame sickness and are annoyed with those who are healthy, and, to speak summarily, none of the things that happen delights them, neither good fortune nor bad fortune, but they are vexed by both a good season and the barrenness of the land, and having many children and having no children and peace and war alike distress them. 6.3 For this reason they accuse the rudders of providence; or rather, as far as it is up to them, they drive it out completely; and they introduce fate and destiny and chance and the Fates, and they set a violent necessity over each person, and they say that this makes both murderers and burglars and adulterers act against their 6.4 will. Come, then, let us examine again the Greek opinions, and compare them with the apostolic and prophetic doctrines. But the poets

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γνώμης, ἀλλ' εἱμαρμένης ἢ φύσεως ἀνάγκῃ παραβαθέντας τοὺς νόμους. Εἰ δὲ ξυγγνώμην τοῖς πλημμελοῦσιν οὐ νέμουσι, διδά σκουσιν ἄντικρυς, ὡς γνώμης ἔργον ἡ πονηρία. 5.81 Ταῦτα καὶ περὶ τῆς τἀνθρώπου φύσεως φρονεῖν καὶ ἐδιδάχθημεν καὶ διδάσκομεν· καὶ ἀγάμεθα ὁρῶντες τὴν ἐν ἡμῖν φαινομένην τοῦ ποιητοῦ σοφίαν, τὰς διαφόρους τῶν αἰσθήσεων ἐνεργείας ἐξ ἑνὸς μὲν ἐγκεφάλου προφερομένας, ἄλλην δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ ἄλλην προσφερούσας ἀντίληψιν, τὴν μὲν ὁράσεως, τὴν δὲ ἀκροάσεως, καὶ ἄλλην ὀσφρήσεως, καὶ ἑτέραν γεύσεως, καὶ ἄλλην ἁφῆς· καὶ αὖ πάλιν τῶν μορίων ἁπάντων τὴν χρείαν, καὶ τῶν φαινομένων καὶ τῶν κεκρυμμένων, καὶ τὴν μνήμην πάμπολλα καὶ διάφορα δεχομένην καὶ μὴ ξυγχέουσαν, ἀλλ' ἀκήρατα ταῦτα διατηροῦσαν καὶ προφέρουσαν, ὁποῖά περ ἐδέξατο πάλαι καὶ πρόπαλαι, καὶ τὰς πολλὰς ἐπιστήμας οὐ λυμαινομένας ἀλλήλαις, ἀλλ' ἑκάστην εἰς 5.82 καιρὸν δεικνυμένην. Ὅταν δὲ ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τούτοις προσόμοια καταμάθωμεν, μετὰ τοῦ προφήτου βοῶμεν· "Ἐθαυμαστώθη ἡ γνῶσίς σου ἐξ ἐμοῦ, ἐκραταιώθη· οὐ μὴ δύνωμαι πρὸς αὐτήν." Τίς γὰρ ἱκανὸς ἐξικέσθαι λόγος ἢ τῆς ἐν τῷ σώματι φαινομένης ἁρμονίας ἢ τῆς ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ θεωρουμένης σοφίας; πολλῶν γὰρ δὴ τούτων πέρι καὶ Ἱπποκράτει καὶ Γαληνῷ ξυγγραφέντων, καὶ μέντοι καὶ Πλάτωνι καὶ Ξενοφῶντι καὶ Ἀριστοτέλει καὶ Θεο φράστῳ καὶ μυρίοις ἑτέροις, τῶν εἰρημένων πολλαπλάσια παρα λέλειπται, τῶν ὑπὸ τῆς θείας γεγονότων σοφίας τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης διανοίας ἐφικέσθαι μὴ δυναμένης. Οὗ δὴ χάριν καὶ ὁ προφήτης ἐφ' οἷς μὲν κατέλαβεν, ὕμνησεν, ἐφικέσθαι δὲ τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν θεω ρουμένων ἁπάντων οὐ δυνηθείς, τὴν ἧτταν σαφῶς ὡμολόγησεν, ἀρκεῖν νομίσας εἰς ὑμνῳδίαν ἀξίαν τὴν τοιαύτην ὁμολογίαν.

6.t ΠΕΡΙ ΤΗΣ ΘΕΙΑΣ ΠΡΟΝΟΙΑΣ.

6.1 Τῶν τὸν θαλάττιον βίον ἀσπαζομένων οἱ μὲν τὰς φορτίδας ἐρέττουσιν, οἱ δὲ ταύτας τοῖς οἴαξι διευθύνουσιν, καὶ μέντοι καὶ πᾶς ἁλιευτὴς ἐφ' ἁλιάδος ὀχούμενος χαλᾷ δίκτυον καὶ θηρεύει τοὺς τῶν ὑδάτων τροφίμους, καὶ ἄλλος ἐπὶ πέτρας ἱδρυμένος καθίησιν ὁρμιὰν καὶ δελεάζων περιπείρει τῷ ἀγκίστρῳ τῶν ἰχθύων τινάς· εἰσὶ δὲ οἳ καὶ ναυαγίᾳ χρῶνται καὶ ὑποβρύχιοι γίνονται, ἢ ἐξ ἀβουλίας παρὰ καιρὸν ἀναχθέντες ἢ διὰ θράσος τῆς ζάλης 6.2 κατατολμήσαντες. Ταῦτα δὲ οὐ τηνάλλως ὑθλῶν διεξῆλθον, ἀλλὰ τῶν τῇ κτίσει προσπταιόντων καὶ τῶν ἐν ταύτῃ πρυτανευομένων ἀνέδην κατηγορούντων ἐπιδεῖξαι τὴν ἄνοιαν διά τινος εἰκόνος πειρώμενος. Καὶ γὰρ τὴν κτίσιν οἱ μὲν ὁρῶσι καὶ τὸν ποιητὴν ἀνυμνοῦσιν, οἱ δὲ πλεῖον ἢ δεῖ θαυμάζοντες ἠλιθίως θεοποιοῦσι· καὶ οἱ μὲν τῶν γινομένων ἕκαστον ὑπεράγανται καὶ τὸν τῶν ὅλων ὁρῶσι κυβερνήτην ἄριστά γε ἰθύνοντα καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς οἴαξι φαινομένην εὐφημοῦσι σοφίαν, οἱ δὲ τοῖς γινομένοις ἅπασι νε μεσῶσι, καὶ τῶν δρωμένων αὐτοῖς οὐδὲν τὸ παράπαν ἀρέσκει, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλούτου κατηγοροῦσι καὶ κωμῳδοῦσι πενίαν καὶ μέμφον ται νόσῳ καὶ τοὺς ὑγιαίνοντας δυσχεραίνουσι, καὶ ξυλλήβδην εἰπεῖν οὐδὲν αὐτοὺς ἥδει τῶν γινομένων, οὐκ εὐκληρία, οὐ δυσκληρία, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν εὐετηρίαν καὶ τὴν τῆς γῆς δυσκολαί νουσιν ἀκαρπίαν, καὶ ὁμοίως αὐτοὺς ἀνιᾷ καὶ πολυπαιδία καὶ ἀπαιδία καὶ εἰρήνη καὶ πόλεμος. 6.3 Οὗ δὴ εἵνεκα τῶν τῆς προνοίας πηδαλίων κατηγοροῦσι· μᾶλ λον δὲ παντελῶς αὐτήν, ὅσον ἧκεν εἰς αὐτούς, ἐξελαύνουσι· καὶ εἱμαρμένην καὶ πεπρωμένην καὶ τύχην καὶ μοίρας εἰσάγουσι καὶ τὴν βιαίαν ἀνάγκην ἐφιστῶσιν ἑκάστῳ καὶ ταύτην φασὶ παρὰ γνώ μην ποιεῖν καὶ τοὺς ἀνδροφόνους καὶ τοὺς τοιχωρύχους καὶ τῶν 6.4 γάμων τοὺς ἐπιβούλους. Φέρε τοίνυν πάλιν τὰς Ἑλληνικὰς ἐξετάσωμεν δόξας, καὶ τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς ταύτας καὶ προφητικοῖς παραθῶμεν δόγμασιν. Ἀλλὰ τοὺς μὲν ποιητὰς