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[whom they name Son;] but in that again they declare the God of all to be the creator of such a creature, from whom they say the substance wrought by 20generation20 is alien in nature to its maker, in this they have a greater impiety than those mentioned, because not only do they give hypostasis to that which is by nature contrary to the good, but because they say that the good God is the cause of another god who is different in nature, all but openly shouting in their dogma, that there is something contrary to the nature of the good, 1.1.523 having its hypostasis from the good itself. For since the substance of the Father is believed to be good, but that of the Son, because it is not in the same state as the Father according to the principle of nature, as it seems to the heresy, is consequently found among things contrary, what is established through these things? That what is opposed to the good both subsists and that what is contrary by nature subsists from the good itself. This I say is even more frightful than the absurdity of the Manichaeans. 1.1.524 But if they deny in word the blasphemy which the consequence of their dogma shows, and say that the only-begotten has inherited the good things of the Father, not being truly Son according to the opinion of the pious, but having his hypostasis through creation, let us examine this again, whether it is possible for such a 1.1.525 supposition to be established according to a reasonable argument. For if it is granted according to their argument that the Lord of all has inherited, not being truly Son, but having been created and made, he rules over those of the same kind, how will the rest of creation accept it and not rebel, being thrust into subjection by one of the same nature, if, having nothing inferior by nature (for it too is created just as he is), it should then be condemned 1.1.526 to serve and submit to one of the same nature? For such a thing is like a tyranny, not to assign power by superiority of substance, but while the nature remains in equal honor, for creation to be divided into servitude and lordship, so that within it one part rules, and the other is in subjection, as if by casting of lots this dignity had by chance been added to the one who by lot 1.1.527 received preference over his equals. For not even man, being of equal honor with the subject nature, obtained by lot his rule over the irrational creatures, but being superior in reason he rules over the others, having been set over them because his nature has been changed toward the better. But human dynasties for this reason have swift reversals, because what is by nature of equal honor does not accept not having an equal share [in] the better part, but a certain natural desire 1.1.528 is inherent in all to be made equal to what is dominant, when it is of the same nature. But how will it be true that all things were made through him, if it is true that he, the Son, is also one of the things that were made? For either he will have made himself, so that what is written, that *All things were made through him*, might not be false, and thus the absurdity which they contrived against our dogma, to say that he was begotten by himself, will hold true against them, or if this is illogical and has no existence, that other thing will certainly be shown to be unfounded, to maintain that all creation 1.1.529 was made through him. For the exception of one makes the statement about all things false, so that from the determination that the only-begotten is created, the argument will in no way escape one of two evil and absurd consequences: either that he is not the cause of all things that have come into being, if he himself were excepted from all things, whom they maintain is one of the works, or that he is shown to be his own maker, if he who proclaimed that nothing that has been made was made without him does not lie. 1.1.530 Such then are the things from them. But if someone, attending to the sound teaching, should believe the Son to be from the divine and pure nature, all things will appear consonant with the dogma of piety, that the Lord is the maker of all things, that he is king of all beings, not set over those of the same nature by lot or by some tyrannical dominion, but by the of the

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[ὃν υἱὸν ὀνομάζουσιν·] ἐν ᾧ δὲ πάλιν τοῦ τοιούτου πλάσματος τὸν θεὸν τῶν ὅλων δημιουργὸν ἀποφαί νονται, παρ' οὗ φασι τὴν 20γέννησιν20 ἐργασθεῖσαν οὐσίαν ἀλλοτρίως ἔχειν κατὰ τὴν φύσιν πρὸς τὸν ποιήσαντα, ἐν τούτῳ τὸ πλέον εἰς ἀσέβειαν παρὰ τοὺς μνημονευθέντας ἔχουσιν, ὅτι οὐ μόνον ὑπόστασιν διδόασι τῷ ἐναντίως πρὸς τὸ ἀγαθὸν κατὰ τὴν φύσιν ἔχοντι, ἀλλ' ὅτι τὸν ἀγαθὸν θεὸν ἄλλου θεοῦ τοῦ κατὰ τὴν φύσιν διηλλαγμένου λέ γουσιν αἴτιον εἶναι, μονονουχὶ φανερῶς βοῶντες ἐν τῷ δόγ ματι, ὅτι ἔστι τι ὑπεναντίον τῇ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ φύσει, παρ' 1.1.523 αὐτοῦ ἔχον τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ τὴν ὑπόστασιν. τῆς γὰρ τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίας ἀγαθῆς εἶναι πεπιστευμένης, τῆς δὲ τοῦ υἱοῦ διὰ τὸ μὴ ὡσαύτως ἔχειν τῷ πατρὶ κατὰ τὸν τῆς φύσεως λόγον, καθὼς δοκεῖ τῇ αἱρέσει, ἐν τοῖς ἐναντίοις κατὰ τὸ ἀκό λουθον εὑρισκομένης, τί διὰ τούτων κατασκευάζεται; τὸ καὶ ὑφεστάναι τὸ τῷ ἀγαθῷ ἀντικείμενον καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ὑποστῆναι τὸ ὑπεναντίον τῇ φύσει. τοῦτό φημι καὶ τῆς τῶν Μανιχαίων ἀτοπίας εἶναι φρικτότερον. 1.1.524 Εἰ δὲ ἀρνοῦνται τῷ λόγῳ τὸ βλάσφημον, ὅπερ ἡ ἀκολουθία τοῦ δόγματος δείκνυσι, φασὶ δὲ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τοῦ πατρὸς τὸν μονογενῆ κεκληρονομηκέναι, μὴ υἱὸν ἀληθῶς ὄντα κατὰ τὴν τῶν εὐσεβῶν δόξαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ κτίσεως τὴν ὑπόστασιν ἔχοντα, καὶ τοῦτο πάλιν κατεξετάσωμεν, εἰ δυ νατόν ἐστι συστῆναι κατὰ τὸν εἰκότα λόγον τὴν τοιαύτην 1.1.525 ὑπόνοιαν. ἐὰν γὰρ δοθῇ κατὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτὼν μὴ ἀλη θῶς υἱὸν ὄντα κεκληρονομηκέναι τῶν πάντων τὸν κύριον, ἀλλὰ κτισθέντα καὶ ποιηθέντα τῶν ὁμογενῶν ἄρχειν, πῶς καταδέξεται καὶ οὐ συστασιάσει ἡ λοιπὴ κτίσις ἐκ τοῦ ὁμοφύλου πρὸς τὸ ὑποχείριον ἀπωσθεῖσα, εἰ μηδὲν κατὰ τὴν φύσιν ἔλαττον ἔχουσα (κτιστὴ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὴ ὥσπερ κἀκεῖνος) ἔπειτα τῷ ὁμοφύλῳ δουλεύειν καὶ ὑποκύπτειν 1.1.526 καταδικάζοιτο; τυραννίδι γὰρ ὅμοιον τὸ τοιοῦτο, μὴ τῇ τῆς οὐσίας ὑπεροχῇ τὸ κράτος νέμειν, ἀλλὰ μενούσης ἐν τῷ ὁμοτίμῳ τῆς φύσεως μερισθῆναι τὴν κτίσιν εἰς δουλείαν καὶ κυριότητα, ὥστε ἐν αὐτῇ τὸ μέν τι ἄρχειν, τὸ δὲ ὑπο χείριον εἶναι, καθάπερ ἐκ διακληρώσεως τούτου τοῦ ἀξιώ ματος συντυχικῶς προσγενομένου τῷ κατὰ τὸν κλῆρον λα 1.1.527 βόντι τὴν τῶν ὁμοίων προτίμησιν. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος ὁμοτίμως ἔχων πρὸς τὴν ὑποχείριον φύσιν τὴν κατὰ τῶν ἀλόγων ἀρχὴν ἐκληρώσατο, ἀλλὰ προτερεύων τῷ λόγῳ κυριεύει τῶν ἄλλων, τῷ πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον αὐτῷ παρηλ λάχθαι τὴν φύσιν προτεταγμένος. αἱ δὲ ἀνθρώπιναι δυνα στεῖαι τούτου χάριν ἀγχιστρόφους ἔχουσι τὰς μεταβολάς, ὅτι οὐ δέχεται τὸ κατὰ τὴν φύσιν ὁμότιμον μὴ ἰσομοιρεῖν [ἐν] τῷ κρείττονι, ἀλλά τις ἔγκειται φυσικὴ πᾶσιν ἐπιθυμία 1.1.528 πρὸς τὸ ἐπικρατοῦν ἐξισάζεσθαι, ὅταν ὁμόφυλον ᾖ. πῶς δὲ ἀληθὲς ἔσται τὸ πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ γεγενῆσθαι, ἐὰν ἀληθὲς ᾖ τὸ καὶ αὐτὸν νὸν υἱὸν ἕν τι τῶν γεγονότων εἶναι; ἤτοι γὰρ καὶ ἑαυτὸν πεποιηκὼς ἔσται, ἵνα μὴ ψεῦδος τὸ γεγραμμένον ᾖ ὅτι Πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ οὕτω κατ' αὐτῶν ἰσχύσει τὸ ἄτοπον ὃ κατὰ τοῦ δόγματος ἡμῶν ἐσο φίσαντο τὸ αὐτὸν ὑφ' ἑαυτοῦ γενέσθαι λέγειν, ἢ εἴπερ τοῦτο παράλογον καὶ φύσιν οὐκ ἔχον, ἀσύστατον πάν τως ἐκεῖνο δειχθήσεται, τὸ τὴν κτίσιν πᾶσαν δι' αὐτοῦ 1.1.529 γεγενῆσθαι διϊσχυρίζεσθαι. ἡ γὰρ τοῦ ἑνὸς ὑπεξαίρεσις ψευδῆ τὸν περὶ πάντων κατασκευάζει λόγον, ὥστε ἐκ μὲν τοῦ κτιστὸν εἶναι τὸν μονογενῆ διορίζεσθαι δύο πονηρῶν καὶ ἀτόπων τὸ ἕτερον πάντως ὁ λόγος οὐ διαφεύξεται, ἢ τὸ μὴ εἶναι πάντων αὐτὸν τῶν γεγονότων αἴτιον, εἴπερ αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος ὑπεξαιροῖτο τῶν πάντων, ὃν ἓν τῶν ἔργων διϊσχυρίζονται, ἢ τὸ καὶ ἑαυτοῦ ποιητὴν ἀποδείκνυσθαι, εἴπερ μὴ ψεύδεται ὁ μηδὲν τῶν γεγονότων χωρὶς ἐκείνου γεγενῆσθαι κηρύξας. 1.1.530 Τὰ μὲν οὖν παρ' ἐκείνων τοιαῦτα. εἰ δέ τις τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ προσέχων ἐκ τῆς θείας τε καὶ ἀκηράτου φύσεως τὸν υἱὸν εἶναι πιστεύοι, πάντα συνῳδὰ τῷ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀναφανήσεται δόγματι, τὸ ποιητὴν εἶναι τῶν πάντων τὸν κύριον, τὸ βασιλεύειν τῶν ὄντων, οὐ κατὰ ἀποκλήρωσιν ἢ κατὰ τυραννικήν τινα δυναστείαν τῶν ὁμοφύλων προτεταγμένον, ἀλλὰ τῇ τῆς