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foretelling, he calls creation to a fellowship of gladness, not because these things are animate, but because even when we are despondent they seem to appear gloomy, and when we are joyful, they reasonably appear brighter, not changing in themselves but appearing so to us. But if someone should wish to understand the heavenly powers by "the heavens" and the holy prophets by "the foundations of the earth," as they themselves support it, he would not err from the truth; for the Lord also said: "There is joy among the angels over one sinner who repents." Thus also the mountains and the hills and the trees in them will be understood; for after the return of Israel, being cultivated, they flourished and brought gladness to the mountains. 24Thus says the Lord who redeems you and who formed you from the womb. The text taught three things at once: that he is creator and master and guardian. For "Lord" indicates mastery, "redemption" indicates guardianship, and "forming" indicates creation. I am the Lord who accomplishes all these things. I brought upon you the gloomy things and I will bring the pleasant things. Then he shows what is possible from what has already happened: I stretched out the heaven alone and I established the earth. These things are also sufficient to refute the madness of Arius and Eunomius; For who is the one who alone created these things? The Father? Then the Son is not the creator; But the Son? Then the Father is not the creator; but if it is Father and Son, how should we understand "alone"? Clearly, the one divinity of the Trinity. But these things have been sufficiently demonstrated by us in other places; let us therefore proceed with the interpretation. Who else 25will scatter? When I, he says, wish to do something, who will act against it? Who will dare to stand against it? I will scatter the signs of ventriloquists and divinations from the heart. For no one will be able to scatter my signs, but it is easy for me to extinguish their deception. Turning the wise backward and making their counsel foolish. I will show not only that those who divine the future are liars, but I will also expose the folly of those who are puffed up with wisdom. This the divine apostle also said: "Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" 26And establishing the words of his servant. Here he called the prophet himself, who was ministering his words, a servant. And making true the counsel of his messengers. He says this not only of him but also of the others, as many as convey the divine words. He did not say this here simply, but for the confirmation of what was about to be said; for in what follows he prophesies the reign of Cyrus, who first ruled the Persians, <the> reign and the return of the people and the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the utter destruction of Babylon. For this reason he said beforehand: Establishing the words of his servant. He who says to Jerusalem, "You shall be inhabited," and to the cities of Judea, "You shall be rebuilt," and I will raise up its desolate places. The text has shown the omnipotence of the maker; for I only say it, he says, and what I have willed comes to be; for by a word I also brought forth creation. 27He who says to the deep, "You shall be desolate," and I will dry up your rivers. Here he called Babylon "deep," and her rivers |156 a| the multitudes of her inhabitants, whom she, receiving like rivers, imitated the waves of the sea. 28He who says to Cyrus to be prudent and to do all my will. I, he says, will prepare Cyrus to be prudent and to fulfill my will. And showing what will, he added: He who says of Jerusalem, "It shall be rebuilt," and I will lay the foundation of my holy house. 451Thus says the Lord God to my anointed, Cyrus. The divine scripture calls "anointed" not only those who are anointed but also those who are set apart for some need by the God of all. Thus also, mentioning the fathers before the law, he said: "Do not touch my anointed ones." Here, however, he called Cyrus anointed, teaching that he himself appointed him king so as to destroy the dominion of the Babylonians and to end the captivity of the Jews and to build the divine temple. whose right hand I have held, that nations might obey before him, and the strength

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προμηνύων τὴν κτίσιν εἰς κοινωνίαν τῆς εὐφροσύνης καλεῖ, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ ἔμψυχα τα ῦτα, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἀθυ μούντων ἡμῶν σκυθρωπὰ δοκεῖ φαίνεσθαι καὶ γεγηθότων εἰκότως φαιδρότερα, οὐκ αὐτὰ μεταβαλλόμενα ἀλλ' ἡμῖν οὕτω φαινόμενα. Εἰ δέ τις καὶ τὰς ἐπουρανίους δυνάμεις διὰ τῶν οὐρανῶν νοεῖν βούλοιτο καὶ θεμέλια τῆς γῆς τοὺς ἁγίους προφήτας ὡς αὐτοὺς ταύτην ἐρείδοντας, οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοι τῆς ἀληθείας· καὶ γὰρ ὁ κύριος ἔφη· «Χαρὰ γίνεται τοῖς ἀγγέλοις ἐφ' ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι.» Οὕτω καὶ τὰ ὄρη καὶ οἱ βουνοὶ καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς νοηθήσεται ξύλα· μετὰ γὰρ τὴν ἐπάνοδον τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ γεωργούμενα ἐτεθήλει καὶ εὐφροσύνην τοῖς ὄρεσι προὐξένει. 24Οὕτως λέγει κύριος ὁ λυτρούμενός σε καὶ ὁ πλάσας σε ἐκ κοιλίας. Τρία κατὰ ταὐτὸν ὁ λόγος ἐδίδαξεν· ὅτι καὶ δημιουργός ἐστι καὶ δεσπότης καὶ κηδεμών. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ κύριος τὴν δεσποτείαν δηλοῖ, τὴν δὲ κηδεμονίαν ἡ λύτρωσις, τὴν δὲ δημιουργίαν ἡ πλάσις. Ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ συντελῶν ταῦτα πάντα. Ἐγώ σοι καὶ τὰ σκυθρ ωπὰ ἐπή γαγον καὶ τὰ θυμήρη προσοίσω. Εἶτα δείκνυσιν ἀπὸ τῶν ἤδη γεγενημένων τὸ δυνατόν· Ἐξέτεινα τὸν οὐρανὸν μόνος καὶ ἐστερέωσα τὴν γῆν. Ἱκανὰ καὶ ταῦτα διελέγξαι τὴν Ἀρείου καὶ Εὐνομίου παρα-πληξίαν· Τίς γὰρ ὁ μόνος ταῦτα δημιουργήσας; Ὁ πατήρ; οὐκοῦν οὐ δημιουργὸς ὁ υἱός· Ἀλλ' ὁ υἱός; οὐκοῦν οὐ δημιουργὸς ὁ πατήρ· εἰ δὲ πατὴρ καὶ υἱός, πῶς τὸ μόνος νοήσωμεν; ἦ δηλονότι τὴν μίαν τῆς τριάδος θεότητα. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐν ἑτέροις ἡμῖν ἱκανῶς ἀποδέδεικται· τῆς ἑρμηνείας τοίνυν ἐχώμ εθα. Τίς ἕτερος 25διασκεδάσει; Ἐμοῦ φησι βουλομένου τι πρᾶξαι τίς ἀντιπράξει; Τίς ἀν τιστῆ ναι τολμήσει; ∆ιασκε δάσω σημεῖα ἐγγαστριμύθων καὶ μαντείας ἀπὸ καρδίας. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἐμὰ οὐδεὶς διασκεδάσαι δυνήσεται, ἐμοὶ δὲ ῥᾴδιον κατασβέσαι τὴν πλάνην. Ἀποστρέφων φρονίμους εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω καὶ τὴν βουλὴν αὐτῶν μωραίνων. Οὐ μόνον δὲ τοὺς τὰ ἐσόμενα μαντευο μένους ψευδομένους δείξω, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ βρενθυομένων τὴν ἀφροσύν ην ἐλέγξω. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ θεῖος ἀπόστολος ἔφη· «Οὐχὶ ἐμώρανεν ὁ θεὸς τὴν σοφίαν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου;» 26Καὶ ἱστῶν ῥήματα παιδὸς αὐτοῦ. Αὐτὸν τὸν προφήτην τὸν τοῖσδε τοῖς λόγοις αὐτοῦ διακονοῦντα ἐνταῦθα προσηγόρευσε παῖδα. Καὶ τὴν βουλὴν τῶν ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ ἀληθεύων. Οὐ μόνον δέ φησι τούτου ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶ ν ἄλλων, ὅσοι τοὺς θείους διαπορ θμεύουσι λόγους. Τοῦτο δὲ ἐνταῦθα οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἴρηκεν ἀλλ' εἰς τὴν τῶν ῥηθησομένων βεβαίωσιν· προθεσπίζει γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς τοῦ τε Κύρου τοῦ πρώτου Περσῶν βασιλεύσαντος <τὴν> βασιλείαν καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ τὴν ἐπάνοδον καὶ τὴν τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ οἰκο δομία ν καὶ τὴν τῆς Βαβυλῶνος πανωλεθρίαν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο προλαβὼν ἔφη· Ἱστῶν ῥήματα παιδὸς αὐτοῦ. Ὁ λέγων τῇ Ἱερουσαλήμ· Κατοικηθήσῃ, καὶ ταῖς πόλεσι τῆς Ἰουδαίας· Οἰκοδομηθήσεσθε, καὶ τὰ ἔρημα αὐτῆς ἀναστήσω. Ἔδειξεν ὁ λόγος τὸ παντοδύναμον τοῦ ποιητοῦ· Λέγω γάρ φησι μόνον, καὶ γίνεται ὃ βεβούλευμαι· λόγῳ γὰρ καὶ τὴν κτίσιν παρήγαγον. 27Ὁ λέγων τῇ ἀβύσσῳ· Ἐρημωθήσῃ, καὶ τοὺς ποταμούς σου ξηρανῶ. Ἄβυσσον ἐνταῦθα τὴν Βαβυλῶνα ὠνόμασε, ποταμοὺς δὲ |156 a| αὐτῆς τῶν οἰκητόρων τὰ πλήθη, οὓς δίκην ποταμῶν ὑποδεχομένη τῆς θαλάττης ἐμιμεῖτο τὰ κύματα. 28Ὁ λέγων Κύρῳ φρονεῖν καὶ πάντα τὰ θελήματά μου ποιεῖσθαι. Ἐγώ φησι τὸν Κῦρον παρασκευάσω το ῦ σω φρονεῖν καὶ τὸ ἐμὸν πληροῦν βούλημα. Καὶ δεικνὺς ποῖον βούλημα, ἐπήγαγεν· Ὁ λέγων Ἱερουσαλήμ· Οἰκοδομηθήσῃ, καὶ τὸν οἶκον τὸν ἅγιόν μου θεμελιώσω. 451Οὕτως λέγει κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῷ χριστῷ μου Κύρῳ. Χριστοὺς ἡ θεία γραφὴ προσαγορεύει οὐ μόνον τοὺς χριομένους ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς εἴς τινα χρείαν ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων ἀφοριζομένους. Οὕτω καὶ τῶν πρὸ τοῦ νόμου πατέρων μνημονεύσας ἔφη· «Μὴ ἅπτεσθε τῶν χριστῶν μου.» Ἐνταῦθα μέντοι τὸν Κῦρον χριστὸν ὠνόμασε διδάσκων ὡς αὐτὸς αὐτὸν ἐχειροτόνησε βασιλέα ὥστε καὶ τὴν Βαβυλωνίων δυναστείαν καταλῦσαι καὶ τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων αἰχμαλωσίαν λῦσαι καὶ τὸν θεῖον οἰκοδομῆσαι νεών. Οὗ ἐκράτησα τῆς δεξιᾶς, ἐπακοῦσαι ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ ἔθνη, καὶ ἰσχὺν