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unwinding the seasons within themselves, seeing these things, we do not doubt that the phenomena through which we see exist, but we are so far from understanding the principle of the substance of each of the beings, as if we had not known the visible thing by sense from the beginning at all; so also we know that the maker of the world exists, but we do not deny that we are ignorant of the principle of His substance. 2.1.72 But let those who boast that they know these things first speak about the things beneath them: what they think the heavenly body is, what the mechanism is that revolves through everything, and in what its motion occurs? For whatever one might reason out in his mind, the reasoning, 2.1.73 proceeding, will certainly end in what is impossible and incomprehensible. For if someone were to say that another body of similar shape, fitted around it in a mold, contains the motion, so that, its course always being bent in a similar way, it revolves around itself, being prevented by the necessity of the container from being carried off in a straight line, how will he say that these bodies endure, not being worn out 2.1.74 by the continuous friction with one another? And how is the motion activated, when two bodies of the same nature are fitted to one another in a mold, when one of them remains motionless? For by the immobility of the one that has grasped it around, the one squeezed inside will be entirely unable to perform its own action. And what is it that establishes the stability of that container, so that it remains unshaken, not being agitated by the motion of the 2.1.75 fitted body? And if, according to the busy curiosity of the mind, some foundation for that body were to be supposed, which preserves its position in stability, the argument, proceeding in sequence, will certainly meddle with a basis for that basis, and another for this, and another for the next, and so the investigation, going up through similar things, will be carried to infinity and will end in an impasse, examining again what is beyond the body that is posited for the constitution of the universe, so that the argument nowhere comes to a stand, 2.1.76 seeking the enclosure of that which always contains. But not this; rather some void, according to the vain supposition of those who have philosophized about these things, is poured around the heavenly vaults, and slipping in this, the vortex of the universe turns back upon itself, finding no resistance from anything solid which would be able to stop it by opposition and check its motion as it proceeds in a circle. What then is that void, which they say is neither body nor concept, and to what extent does it stand, and what succeeds it? And what is the relationship of the solid and resistant to that empty and unsubstantial thing? What mediates between things that differ in nature? 2.1.77 And how through things of different natures is so great a harmony of the universe constituted? And what might one say the heaven itself is, some mixture of the elements contained within, or one thing out of all, or something else besides these? And what of the stars themselves, and from where do they gleam with their light, what is it and how is it composed? And what is the reason for their difference in both beauty and size? And what are the seven inner circles, which are carried around in a motion contrary to the universe, by what necessity are they driven? And that immaterial and ethereal fire, and the air poured through the middle, becoming a kind of partition between the heating and consuming nature and that which is moist and easily consumed? And how at the 2.1.78 farthest point is the earth set under the universe? What keeps its position secure? What supports its downward tendency? If someone were to examine us on these and similar matters, would there be anyone so exalted in mind as to promise the knowledge of such things? For nothing else is left for an answer for the reasonable except this, that He who made all things in wisdom alone knows the principle of creation. But we 'By faith understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God,' as the Apostle says. 2.1.79 If, then, the lower creation which reaches as far as our senses is beyond the measures of human knowledge, how is He who established the universe by His will alone within our comprehension? This is vanity and a false madness, as the prophet says, to think that the comprehension of incomprehensible things is possible for anyone. Thus it is possible to see small infants, because of the ignorance of their age, both playing and 2.1.80 being serious at the same time. For often when a ray of the sun flows in to them through a window, delighting in its beauty, it rushes toward the phenomenon and strives to carry the ray in its hand and fights with others and grasps at the light, binding the gleam, as it thinks, with the encirclement of its fingers; but when the intertwining of the fingers is loosened, the grasp of the ray, flowing through their hands, causes laughter and applause for the infants. 2.1.81 So also the children of our generation, as the parable says, sitting in the marketplaces, play; they who the divine power through the principles of providence and of those things in creation

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ὥρας ἐν ἑαυταῖς ἀνελίσσων, ταῦτα ὁρῶντες εἶναι μὲν τὰ φαινόμενα δι' ὧν ὁρῶμεν οὐκ ἀμφι βάλλομεν, οὐσίας δὲ λόγον ἑκάστου τῶν ὄντων τοσοῦτον ἀπέχομεν κατανοῆσαι, ὅσον εἰ μηδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῇ αἰσθήσει τὸ φανὲν ἐγνωρίσαμεν· οὕτω καὶ τὸν ποιητὴν τοῦ κόσμου ὅτι μὲν ἔστιν οἴδαμεν, τὸν δὲ τῆς οὐσίας λόγον ἀγνοεῖν οὐκ ἀρνούμεθα. 2.1.72 Οἱ δὲ γινώσκειν ταῦτα κομπάζοντες πρότερον μὲν περὶ τῶν ὑποβεβηκότων εἰπάτωσαν, τί τὸ οὐράνιον οἴονται σῶμα, τίνα δὲ τὴν κυκλοφοροῦσαν διὰ παντὸς μηχανήν, ἐν τίνι δὲ τὴν κίνησιν γίνεσθαι; ὅπερ γὰρ ἄν τις τῇ διανοίᾳ λογίσηται, πάντως εἰς τὸ ἀμήχανόν τε καὶ ἀκατάληπτον ὁ λογισμὸς 2.1.73 προϊὼν καταλήξει. εἴ τε γὰρ ἕτερον ὁμοιοσχημάτιστον σῶμα λέγοι τις ἐν τύπῳ περιηρμοσμένον περικρατεῖν τὴν φοράν, ὡς ἀεὶ τὸν δρόμον καμπτόμενον ὁμοιοτρόπως περὶ ἑαυτὸν ἑλίσσεσθαι, τῇ ἀνάγκῃ τοῦ περιέχοντος ἐξενεχθῆναι πρὸς τὸ εὐθὺ κωλυόμενον, πῶς ἐρεῖ διαμένειν ταῦτα τὰ σώματα, διὰ τῆς διηνεκοῦς τρίψεως ἐν ἀλλήλοις οὐ δαπανώ 2.1.74 μενα; πῶς δὲ καὶ ἐνεργεῖται ἡ κίνησις, δύο σωμάτων ὁμο φυῶν πρὸς τύπον ἀλλήλοις ἐναρμοττόντων, ὅταν τὸ ἕτερον ἀκίνητον μένῃ; τῇ γὰρ ἀκινησίᾳ τοῦ περιδεδραγμένου τὸ ἐντὸς διασφιγγόμενον ἀδυνατήσει πάντως πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν ἐνέργειαν. τί δὲ καὶ τὸ ἑδράζον τοῦ περιέχοντος ἐκείνου τὴν παγιότητα, ὥστε διαμένειν ἄσειστον, ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ ἐνηρ 2.1.75 μοσμένου κινήσεως μὴ τινασσόμενον; εἰ δὲ κἀκείνου κατὰ τὴν πολυπραγμοσύνην τῆς διανοίας εἶναί τις ἕδρα ὑπο ληφθείη ἡ συντηροῦσα ἐν τῷ παγίῳ τὴν στάσιν, πάντως προϊὼν κατὰ τὸ ἀκόλουθον ὁ λόγος κἀκείνης πολυπραγμο νήσει βάσιν τῆς βάσεως καὶ ταύτης ἄλλην καὶ τῆς ἐφεξῆς ἑτέραν καὶ οὕτω διὰ τῶν ὁμοίων ἡ ἐξέτασις ἀνιοῦσα πρὸς τὸ ἄπειρον ἐνεχθήσεται καὶ εἰς ἄπορον καταλήξει, τοῦ εἰς τὴν τοῦ παντὸς σύστασιν ὑποβεβλημένου σώματος τὸ ἐπέ κεινα πάλιν κατεξετάζουσα, ὡς μηδαμοῦ στῆναι τὸν λόγον 2.1.76 τοῦ ἀεὶ περιέχοντος τὴν περιβολὴν ζητοῦντα. ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν οὐχί· κενὸν δέ τι κατὰ τὴν ματαίαν τῶν ταῦτα πεφι λοσοφηκότων ὑπόνοιαν τοῖς οὐρανίοις περικέχυται νώτοις καὶ τούτῳ ἐνολισθαίνουσα τοῦ παντὸς ἡ δίνησις πρὸς ἑαυ τὴν ἀναστρέφει, μηδεμίαν ἐκ στερεοῦ τινος ἀντιτυπίαν εὑ ρίσκουσα τὴν δυναμένην ἐξ ἀντιβάσεως στῆσαι καὶ ἀνα κόψαι προϊοῦσαν ἐν κύκλῳ τὴν κίνησιν. τί τοίνυν ἐστὶ τὸ κενὸν ἐκεῖνο, ὃ μήτε σῶμά φασι μήτε νόημα, καὶ μέχρι τίνος ἱστάμενον, καὶ τί τὸ διαδεχόμενον; τίς δὲ τοῦ ναστοῦ καὶ ἀντιτύπου ἡ πρὸς τὸ κενὸν καὶ ἀνυπόστατον ἐκεῖνο συγγένεια; τί τὸ μεσιτεῦον τοῖς παρηλλαγμένοις τῇ φύσει; 2.1.77 πῶς δὲ διὰ τῶν ἑτεροφυῶν ἡ τοσαύτη τοῦ παντὸς εὐαρ μοστία συνίσταται; τί δ' ἄν τις εἴποι τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι, μίγμα τι τῶν περιεχομένων στοιχείων ἢ ἓν ἐξ ἁπάν των ἢ ἄλλο τι παρὰ ταῦτα; τί δὲ τοὺς ἀστέρας αὐτούς, πόθεν δὲ αὐτοῖς τὴν αὐγὴν ἀποστίλβειν τί οὖσαν καὶ ὅπως συνισταμένην; τῆς δὲ διαφορᾶς αὐτῶν κατά τε τὸ κάλλος καὶ τὸ μέγεθος ὁ λόγος τίς; τοὺς δὲ ἐντὸς ἑπτὰ κύκλους τὴν ἐναντίαν τῷ παντὶ κίνησιν περιαγομένους τί εἶναι, ὑπὸ ποίας ἀνάγκης ἐλαύνεσθαι; τὸ δὲ ἄϋλον ἐκεῖνο καὶ αἰθέ ριον πῦρ καὶ ὁ ἐγκεχυμένος διὰ μέσου ἀὴρ οἷόν τι διατεί χισμα γινόμενος τῆς θερμαντικῆς τε καὶ ἀναλωτικῆς φύ σεως πρὸς τὴν ὑγρὰν καὶ εὐανάλωτον; καὶ ὅπως κατὰ τὸ 2.1.78 ἔσχατον ἡ γῆ τῷ παντὶ ὑποβέβληται; τί τὸ φυλάσσον ἔχει ἐν τῷ βεβαίῳ τὴν στάσιν; τί τὸ ὑπερεῖδον αὐτῆς τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ κάτω φοράν; εἰ ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτά τις ἡμᾶς κατεξ ετάζοι, ἆρά τις ἔσται τοσοῦτον ἀνεστηκὼς τὴν διάνοιαν ὥστε καθυποσχέσθαι τῶν τοιούτων τὴν γνῶσιν; οὐδὲν γὰρ ἕτερον εἰς ἀπόκρισιν τοῖς εὐγνώμοσιν ἢ τοῦτο λείπεται, ὅτι ὁ τὰ πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ποιήσας μόνος οἶδε τὸν λόγον τῆς κτίσεως. ἡμεῖς δὲ Πίστει νοοῦμεν κατηρτίσθαι τοὺς αἰῶνας ῥήματι θεοῦ, καθώς φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος. 2.1.79 Εἰ οὖν ἡ κάτω κτίσις ἡ μέχρι τῶν αἰσθητηρίων τῶν ἡμετέρων φθάνουσα ὑπὲρ τὰ μέτρα τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ἐστὶ γνώσεως, πῶς ὁ μόνῳ θελήματι τὸ πᾶν συστησάμενος ἐντὸς τῆς ἡμετέρας ἐστὶ καταλήψεως; ματαιότης ταῦτα καὶ μανία ψευδής, καθώς φησιν ὁ προφήτης, τὸ οἴεσθαι δυνατὴν εἶναί τινι τὴν τῶν ἀλήπτων περίνοιαν. οὕτως ἔστιν ἰδεῖν μικρὰ νήπια διὰ τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἡλικίας ἄγνοιαν παίζοντά τε ὁμοῦ 2.1.80 καὶ σπουδάζοντα. πολλάκις γὰρ ἀκτῖνος ἡλιακῆς διὰ θυ ρίδος αὐτοῖς εἰσρυείσης περιχαρέντα τῷ κάλλει πρὸς τὸ φαινόμενον ἵεται καὶ φέρειν φιλονεικεῖ διὰ χειρὸς τὴν ἀκτῖνα καὶ διαμάχεται πρὸς ἄλληλα καὶ περιδράσσεται τοῦ φωτός, τῇ περιβολῇ τῶν δακτύλων, ὡς οἴεται, τὴν αὐγὴν ἐνδησάμενα· ἀλλὰ διαλυθείσης τῶν δακτύλων τῆς ἐμπλοκῆς γέλωτα ποιεῖ τοῖς νηπίοις καὶ κρότον διαρρυεῖσα τῶν χειρῶν 2.1.81 ἡ τῆς ἀκτῖνος λαβή. οὕτω καὶ τὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας γενεᾶς παιδία, καθώς φησιν ἡ παραβολή, ταῖς ἀγοραῖς ἐγκαθή μενα παίζει· οἱ τὴν θείαν δύναμιν διὰ τῶν τῆς προνοίας λόγων καὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ κτίσει