Book X.

§1. The tenth book discusses the unattainable and incomprehensible character of the enquiry into entities. And herein he strikingly sets forth the points concerning the nature and formation of the ant, and the passage in the Gospel, “I am the door” and “the way,” and also discusses the attribution and interpretation of the Divine names, and the episode of the children of Benjamin.

Let us, however, keep to our subject. A little further on he contends against those who acknowledge that human nature is too weak to conceive what cannot be grasped, and with lofty boasts enlarges on this topic on this wise, making light of our belief on the matter in these words:—“For it by no means follows that, if some one’s mind, blinded by malignity, and for that reason unable to see anything in front or above its head, is but moderately competent for the apprehension of truth, we ought on that ground to think that the discovery of reality is unattainable by the rest of mankind.” But I should say to him that he who declares that the discovery of reality is attainable, has of course advanced his own intellect by some method and logical process through the knowledge of existent things, and after having been trained in matters that are comparatively small and easily grasped by way of apprehension, has, when thus prepared, flung his apprehensive fancy upon those objects which transcend all conception. Let, then, the man who boasts that he has attained the knowledge of real existence, interpret to us the real nature of the most trivial object that is before our eyes, that by what is knowable he may warrant our belief touching what is secret: let him explain by reason what is the nature of the ant, whether its life is held together by breath and respiration, whether it is regulated by vital organs like other animals, whether its body has a framework of bones, whether the hollows of the bones are filled with marrow, whether its joints are united by the tension of sinews and ligaments, whether the position of the sinews is maintained by enclosures of muscles and glands, whether the marrow extends along the vertebræ from the sinciput to the tail, whether it imparts to the limbs that are moved the power of motion by means of the enclosure of sinewy membrane; whether the creature has a liver, and in connection with the liver a gall-bladder; whether it has kidneys and heart, arteries and veins, membranes and diaphragm; whether it is externally smooth or covered with hair; whether it is distinguished by the division into male and female; in what part of its body is located the power of sight and hearing; whether it enjoys the sense of smell; whether its feet are undivided or articulated; how long it lives; what is the method in which they derive generation one from another, and what is the period of gestation; how it is that all ants do not crawl, nor are all winged, but some belong to the creatures that move along the ground, while others are borne aloft in the air. Let him, then, who boasts that he has grasped the knowledge of real existence, disclose to us awhile the nature of the ant, and then, and not till then, let him discourse on the nature of the power that surpasses all understanding. But if he has not yet ascertained by his knowledge the nature of the tiny ant, how comes he to vaunt that by the apprehension of reason he has grasped Him Who in Himself controls all creation, and to say that those who own in themselves the weakness of human nature, have the perceptions of their souls darkened, and can neither reach anything in front of them, nor anything above their head?

But now let us see what understanding he who has the knowledge of existent things possesses beyond the rest of the world. Let us listen to his arrogant utterance:—“Surely it would have been idle for the Lord to call Himself ‘the door,’ if there were none to pass through to the understanding and contemplation of the Father, and it would have been idle for Him to call Himself ‘the way,’ if He gave no facility to those who wish to come to the Father. And how could He be a light, without lightening men, without illuminating the eye of their soul to understand both Himself and the transcendent Light?” Well, if he were here enumerating some arguments from his own head, that evade the understanding of the hearers by their subtlety, there would perhaps be a possibility of being deceived by the ingenuity of the argument, as his underlying thought frequently escapes the reader’s notice. But since he alleges the Divine words, of course no one blames those who believe that their inspired teaching is the common property of all. “Since then,” he says, “the Lord was named ‘a door,’ it follows from hence that the essence of God may be comprehended by man.” But the Gospel does not admit of this meaning. Let us hear the Divine utterance itself. “I am the door,” Christ says; “by Me if any man enter in he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture872    To make the grammar of the sentence exact τὴν should here be substituted for τὸν, the object of the verb being apparently γέννησιν not λόγον. The whole section of the analysis is rather confused, and does not clearly reproduce S. Gregory’s division of the subject. A large part of this section, and of that which follows it, is repeated with very slight alteration from Bk. II. §9 (see pp. 113–115 above). The resemblances are much closer in the Greek text than they appear in the present translation, in which different hands have been at work in the two books.    Cf. S. Basil adv. Eun. II. 12, quoted above, p. 207.    S. John x. 9.” Which then of these is the knowledge of the essence? For as several things are here said, and each of them has its own special meaning, it is impossible to refer them all to the idea of the essence, lest the Deity should be thought to be compounded of different elements; and yet it is not easy to find which of the phrases just quoted can most properly be applied to that subject. The Lord is “the door,” “By Me,” He says, “if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and shall find pasture.” Are we to say873    i.e.S. Basil.    Reading ταὐτὰ for ταῦτα, which appears in the text of Oehler as well as in the earlier editions.    Reading εἴπωμεν, for which Oehler’s text substitutes εἴπομεν “entrance” of which he speaks in place of the essence of God, or “salvation” of those that enter in, or “going out,” or “pasture,” or “finding”?—for each of these is peculiar in its significance, and does not agree in meaning with the rest. For to get within appears obviously contrary to “going out,” and so with the other phrases. For “pasture,” in its proper meaning, is one thing, and “finding” another thing distinct from it. Which, then, of these is the essence of the Father supposed to be? For assuredly one cannot, by uttering all these phrases that disagree one with another in signification, intend to indicate by incompatible terms that Essence which is simple and uncompounded. And how can the word hold good, “No man hath seen God at any time874    ἀνωτάτω may be “supreme,” in the sense of “ultimate” or “most remote,” or in the more ordinary sense of “most exalted.”    Reading τι τῶν κατὰ γνωμὴν, for τι τῶν καταγνωμῶν, which is the reading of the editions, but introduces a word otherwise apparently unknown.    S. John i. 18” and, “Whom no man hath seen nor can see875    i.e.S. Basil.    So in Book I. πρῶτον μὲν τῆς Προυνίκου σοφίας γίνεται μαθητὴς, and Book XIII. p. 844 (Paris Edit.). It may be questioned whether the phrase in Books I. and XIII., and that here, refers to a supposed connection of Eunomius with Gnosticism. The Προύνικος Σοφία of the Gnostics was a “male-female,” and hence the masculine τὸν παιδεύτην might properly be applied to it. If this point were cleared up, we might be more certain of the meaning to be attached to the word ὀκτάδας, which is also possibly borrowed from the Gnostic phraseology, being akin to the form ὀγδοάδας. [On the Gnostic conception of “Prunicus,” see the note on the subject in Harvey’s Irenæus (vol. I. p. 225), and Smith and Wace’s Dict. Chr. Biogr. s.v. On the Gnostic Ogdoads, see Mansel’s Gnostic Heresies, pp. 152 sqq., 170 sqq., and the articles on Basilides and Valentinus in Dict. Chr. Biogr.]    1 Tim. vi. 16.” and, “There shall no man see the face of the Lord and live876    Or (reading as proposed above, p. 114, οἰκονομεῖ for οἰκοδομεῖ), “the ordering of nature.”    Cf. Exod. xxxiii. 20.” if to be inside the door, or outside, or the finding pasture, denote the essence of the Father? For truly He is at the same time a “door of encompassing877    Ps. cxli. 3 (LXX.).” and a “house of defence878    Ps. xxxi. 3.” as David calls Him, and through Himself He receives them that enter, and in Himself He saves those who have come within, and again by Himself He leads them forth to the pasture of virtues, and becomes all things to them that are in the way of salvation, that so He may make Himself that which the needs of each demand,—both way, and guide, and “door of encompassing,” and “house of defence,” and “water of comfort879    Ps. xxiii. 2.” and “green pasture880    Ps. xxiii. 2.” which in the Gospel He calls “pasture”: but our new divine says that the Lord has been called “the door” because of the knowledge of the essence of the Father. Why then does he not force into the same significance the titles, “Rock,” and “Stone,” and “Fountain,” and “Tree,” and the rest, that so he might obtain evidence for his own theory by the multitude of strange testimonies, as he is well able to apply to each of these the same account which he has given of the Way, the Door, and the Light? But, as I am so taught by the inspired Scripture, I boldly affirm that He Who is above every name has for us many names, receiving them in accordance with the variety of His gracious dealings with us881    This point has been already discussed by S. Gregory in the second and third books. See above. pp. 119, 149. It is also dealt with in the short treatise “On the Faith,” addressed to Simplicius, which will be found in this volume., being called the Light when He disperses the gloom of ignorance, and the Life when He grants the boon of immortality, and the Way when He guides us from error to the truth; so also He is termed a “tower of strength882    Ps. lxi. 3.,” and a “city of encompassing883    Ps. xxxi. 21 (LXX.).,” and a fountain, and a rock, and a vine, and a physician, and resurrection, and all the like, with reference to us, imparting Himself under various aspects by virtue of His benefits to us-ward. But those who are keen-sighted beyond human power, who see the incomprehensible, but overlook what may be comprehended, when they use such titles to expound the essences, are positive that they not only see, but measure Him Whom no man hath seen nor can see, but do not with the eye of their soul discern the Faith, which is the only thing within the compass of our observation, valuing before this the knowledge which they obtain from ratiocination. Just so I have heard the sacred record laying blame upon the sons of Benjamin who did not regard the law, but could shoot within a hair’s breadth884    Cf. Judges xx. 16., wherein, methinks, the word exhibited their eager pursuit of an idle object, that they were far-darting and dexterous aimers at things that were useless and unsubstantial, but ignorant and regardless of what was manifestly for their benefit. For after what I have quoted, the history goes on to relate what befel them, how, when they had run madly after the iniquity of Sodom, and the people of Israel had taken up arms against them in full force, they were utterly destroyed. And it seems to me to be a kindly thought to warn young archers not to wish to shoot within a hair’s-breadth, while they have no eyes for the door of the faith, but rather to drop their idle labour about the incomprehensible, and not to lose the gain that is ready to their hand, which is found by faith alone.

Ἀλλὰ τῶν προκειμένων ἐχώμεθα. μικρὸν γὰρ προελθὼν διαμάχεται πρὸς τοὺς ὁμολογοῦντας ἀσθενεῖν τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀλήπτων περίνοιαν καὶ τοιαῦτά τινα μεγαλαυχούμενος διεξέρχεται, τὸ καθ' ἡμᾶς εὐτελίζων τούτοις τοῖς ῥήμασιν: « οὐδὲ γὰρ εἴ τινος ὁ νοῦς διὰ κακόνοιαν ἐσκοτωμένος καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μηδὲν μήτε τῶν πρόσω μήτε τῶν ὑπὲρ κεφαλὴν ἰδεῖν δυνάμενος μετρίως ἔχοι πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας κατάληψιν, διὰ τοῦτο οἴεσθαι χρὴ μηδὲ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀνθρώποις ἐφικτὴν εἶναι τὴν τῶν ὄντων εὕρεσιν ». ἀλλ' εἴποιμ' ἂν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὅτι ὁ « ἐφικτὴν εἶναι » λέγων « τὴν τῶν ὄντων εὕρεσιν » ὁδῷ τινι πάντως καὶ ἀκολουθίᾳ διὰ τῆς τῶν ὄντων γνώσεως προήγαγεν ἑαυτοῦ τὴν διάνοιαν καὶ τοῖς εὐλήπτοις τε καὶ μικροτέροις ἐγγυμνασθεὶς διὰ τῆς καταλήψεως οὕτως καὶ τοῖς ἐπέκεινα πάσης ἐννοίας ἐπέβαλεν ἑαυτοῦ τὴν καταληπτικὴν φαντασίαν. οὐκοῦν ὁ τὴν περὶ τῶν ὄντων εἴδησιν κατειληφέναι μεγαλαυχούμενος τὸ μικρότατον τῶν προφαινομένων ἡμῖν ὅπως ἔχει φύσεως ἑρμηνευσάτω, ὡς ἂν διὰ τοῦ γνωρίμου καὶ περὶ τοῦ κεκρυμμένου πιστώσαιτο, καὶ τίς ἡ τοῦ μύρμηκος φύσις ἑρμηνευσάτω τῷ λόγῳ, εἰ πνεύματι καὶ ἄσθματι συνέχεται αὐτοῦ ἡ ζωή, εἰ σπλάγχνοις οἰκονομεῖται παραπλησίως τοῖς ἄλλοις ζῴοις, εἰ ὀστέοις τὸ σῶμα περιείληπται, εἰ μυελῷ τὰ κοῖλα τῶν ὀστέων κατὰ τὸ ἐντὸς **, εἰ νεύροις καὶ συνδέσμοις τὰς ἁρμονίας τετόνωται, εἰ μυῶν περιβολαῖς καὶ ἀδένων ἡ τῶν νεύρων περικρατεῖται θέσις, εἰ τοῖς νωτιαίοις σπονδύλοις ἐκ τοῦ βρέγματος ἐπὶ τὸ οὐραῖον ὁ μυελὸς παρατείνεται, εἰ τῇ περιοχῇ τοῦ νευρώδους ὑμένος τοῖς κινουμένοις μέλεσι τὴν ὁρμητικὴν ἐνδίδωσι δύναμιν, εἰ ἔστιν ἐν αὐτῷ τὸ ἧπαρ καὶ τὸ χοληδόχον ἀγγεῖον ἐπὶ τοῦ ἥπατος νεφροί τε καὶ καρδία καὶ ἀρτηρίαι καὶ φλέβες ὑμένες τε καὶ φρένες καὶ διαφράγματα, καὶ εἰ ψιλόν ἐστιν ἢ τετρίχωται, καὶ εἰ πρὸς τὸ ἄρρεν τε καὶ θῆλυ διαμερίζεται, ἐν τίνι τε μέρει τοῦ σώματος τὸ ὀπτικὸν ἢ τὸ ἀκουστικὸν ἐγκαθίδρυται, καὶ εἰ τῆς ὀσφραντικῆς μετέχει αἰσθήσεως, εἰ μονώνυχόν ἐστιν ἢ πολυσχιδεῖς ἔχει τὰς βάσεις, πόσον δὲ βιοῖ χρόνον καὶ τίς ὁ τρόπος αὐτοῖς τῆς ἐξ ἀλλήλων γεννήσεως, ἐπὶ πόσον δὲ κυίσκεται τὸ τικτόμενον καὶ πῶς οὔτε πεζοὶ πάντες οἱ μύρμηκες οὔτε ὑπόπτεροι πάντες, ἀλλ' οἱ μὲν τῶν χαμαὶ ἐρχομένων εἰσίν, οἱ δὲ διαέριοι φέρονται. ὁ τοίνυν τῶν ὄντων κατειληφέναι τὴν γνῶσιν κομπάζων τέως ἡμῖν τὴν τοῦ μύρμηκος φύσιν φανερωσάτω, εἶθ' οὕτω φυσιολογείτω τὴν πάντα νοῦν ὑπερέχουσαν δύναμιν. εἰ δὲ τοῦ βραχυτάτου μύρμηκος οὔπω περιέλαβε τῇ γνώσει τὴν φύσιν, πῶς τὸν ἐν ἑαυτῷ πᾶσαν περικρατοῦντα τὴν κτίσιν τῷ καταληπτικῷ περιειληφέναι λόγῳ μεγαλαυχεῖται καὶ τοὺς τὸ ἀσθενὲς τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως ἐφ' ἑαυτῶν ὁμολογοῦντας « ἐσκοτῶσθαι » λέγει τὰ τῆς ψυχῆς αἰσθητήρια « καὶ μήτε » τινὸς « τῶν πρόσω μήτε τῶν ὑπὲρ κεφαλὴν » ἐφικνεῖσθαι;
Ἀλλ' ὁ τὴν γνῶσιν ἔχων τῶν ὄντων ἴδωμεν τί παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐπίσταται, ἀκούσωμεν τῆς ὑπερόγκου φωνῆς. ἢ « μάτην ἂν ὁ κύριος ἑαυτὸν ὠνόμασεν θύραν », φησί, « μηδενὸς ὄντος τοῦ διϊόντος πρὸς κατανόησιν καὶ θεωρίαν τοῦ πατρός, μάτην δ' ἂν ὁδόν, μηδεμίαν παρέχων εὐμάρειαν τοῖς ἐλθεῖν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα βουλομένοις: πῶς δ' ἂν εἴη φῶς, μὴ φωτίζων τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, μὴ καταλάμπων τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ὄμμα πρὸς κατανόησιν ἑαυτοῦ τε καὶ τοῦ ὑπερκειμένου φωτός »; εἰ μὲν οὖν οἴκοθέν τινας λογισμοὺς διεξῄει ἐκφεύγοντας τῇ λεπτότητι τὴν τῶν ἀκουόντων διάνοιαν, δυνατὸν ἂν ἦν ἴσως παρακρουσθῆναι τῇ περινοίᾳ τοῦ λόγου, διαδιδράσκοντος πολλάκις τοῦ ἐγκειμένου νοήματος τὸν ἀκούοντα. ἐπεὶ δὲ τὰ θεῖα προβάλλεται ῥήματα, πάντως οὐδεὶς καταμέμψεται τοὺς τὴν θεόπνευστον διδασκαλίαν πᾶσι κοινὴν προκεῖσθαι πεπιστευκότας. ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν θύρα, φησίν, ὠνομάσθη ὁ κύριος, ἐκ τούτου κατασκευάζεται τὸ καταληπτὴν εἶναι τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν οὐσίαν. ἀλλ' οὐ δέχεται τὴν διάνοιαν ταύτην τὸ εὐαγγέλιον. αὐτῆς γὰρ ἀκούσωμεν τῆς θείας φωνῆς. Ἐγώ εἰμι, φησίν, ἡ θύρα: δι' ἐμοῦ ἐάν τις εἰσέλθῃ, σωθήσεται, καὶ εἰσελεύσεται καὶ ἐξελεύσεται, καὶ νομὴν εὑρήσει. τί τοίνυν ἐκ τούτων ἡ γνῶσις τῆς οὐσίας ἐστίν; πλειόνων γὰρ ὄντων τῶν εἰρημένων καὶ ἰδίαν ἑκάστου διάνοιαν κατὰ τὸ σημαινόμενον ἔχοντος, οὔτε πάντα δυνατόν ἐστιν τῷ τῆς οὐσίας ἐντίθεσθαι λόγῳ, ὡς ἂν μὴ σύμμικτον ἐκ διαφόρων νοηθείη τὸ θεῖον, καὶ τὸ μᾶλλον κυρίως ἐφαρμόσαι τῷ προκειμένῳ δυνάμενον οὐκ ἔστιν εὐκόλως ἐκ τῶν κατειλεγμένων εὑρεῖν. ἡ θύρα ὁ κύριος: Δι' ἐμοῦ, φησίν, ἐάν τις εἰσέλθῃ, σωθήσεται, καὶ εἰσελεύσεται καὶ ἐξελεύσεται, καὶ νομὴν εὑρήσει. τὴν εἴσοδον εἴπωμεν ἀντὶ τῆς οὐσίας λέγειν αὐτὸν ἢ τὴν σωτηρίαν τῶν εἰσιόντων ἢ τὴν ἔξοδον ἢ τὴν νομὴν ἢ τὴν εὕρεσιν; ἕκαστον γὰρ τούτων ἰδιάζει τῷ σημαινομένῳ καὶ οὐ συμφωνεῖ πρὸς τὸ ἕτερον. τὸ γὰρ ἐντὸς γενέσθαι τῷ ἐξελθεῖν ἐναντίον ἐκ τοῦ προχείρου δοκεῖ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὡσαύτως. ἄλλο γάρ τι τῷ ἰδίῳ λόγῳ ἐστὶν ἡ νομή, ἕτερον δέ τι παρὰ τοῦτο ἡ εὕρεσις. τί οὖν ἐκ τούτων ἡ τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσία νομίζεται; οὐ γὰρ δὴ τὰ πάντα τις εἰπὼν μὴ συμφωνοῦντα τῇ σημασίᾳ πρὸς ἄλληλα τὴν ἁπλῆν τε καὶ ἀσύνθετον οὐσίαν διὰ τῶν ἀσυμφώνων ἐνδείξεται. πῶς δ' ἂν ἀληθεύοι ὁ λόγος ὅτι Θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακε πώποτε, καὶ Ὃν εἶδεν ἀνθρώπων οὐδεὶς οὐδὲ ἰδεῖν δύναται, καὶ ὅτι Οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ὄψεται τὸ πρόσωπον κυρίου καὶ ζήσεται, εἴπερ ἢ τὸ ἐντὸς τῆς θύρας ἢ τὸ ἐκτὸς ἢ τῆς νομῆς ἡ εὕρεσις οὐσία τοῦ πατρὸς εἴη; οὐ μὴν ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστιν, ἀργόν τε καὶ ἄσημον ἐπὶ τοῦ κυρίου τὸ ὄνομα τῆς θύρας ὑπονοήσομεν. ἀληθῶς γὰρ ὁ αὐτός ἐστι καὶ θύρα περιοχῆς καὶ οἶκος καταφυγῆς, καθὼς ὁ Δαβὶδ ὀνομάζει, καὶ δι' ἑαυτοῦ τοὺς εἰσιόντας δέχεται καὶ ἐν ἑαυτῷ τοὺς ἔνδον γενομένους σῴζει καὶ πάλιν δι' ἑαυτοῦ πρὸς τὴν νομὴν τῶν ἀρετῶν προάγει καὶ πάντα γίνεται τοῖς σῳζομένοις, ἵνα ἑκάστῳ πρόσφορον ἑαυτὸν ποιήσῃ, καὶ ὁδὸς καὶ ὁδηγὸς καὶ θύρα περιοχῆς καὶ οἶκος καταφυγῆς καὶ ὕδωρ ἀναπαύσεως καὶ τόπος χλόης, ἣν ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ νομὴν ὀνομάζει: ὁ δὲ καινὸς θεολόγος διὰ τὴν γνῶσιν τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίας θύραν φησὶν ὠνομάσθαι τὸν κύριον. τί οὖν οὐχὶ καὶ τὴν πέτραν καὶ τὸν λίθον καὶ τὴν πηγὴν καὶ τὸ ξύλον καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν ὀνομάτων πρὸς τὴν αὐτὴν ἕλκει διάνοιαν, ὡς ἂν τῷ πλήθει τῶν ἀλλοκότων μαρτυριῶν τὸ ἑαυτοῦ δόγμα πιστώσαιτο, δυνάμενος ἑκάστῳ τούτων τὸν αὐτὸν ἐφαρμόσαι λόγον ὃν περὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ τῆς θύρας καὶ τοῦ φωτὸς διεξῆλθε; ἐγὼ δὲ τοῦτο παρὰ τῆς θεοπνεύστου γραφῆς διδαχθεὶς θαρσῶν ἀποφαίνομαι, ὅτι ὁ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὄνομα ὢν ἡμῖν πολυώνυμος γίνεται κατὰ τὰς τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν ποικιλίας ὀνομαζόμενος, φῶς μὲν ὅταν ἐξαφανίζῃ τῆς ἀγνοίας τὸν ζόφον, ζωὴ δὲ ὅταν τὴν ἀθανασίαν χαρίζηται, ὁδὸς δὲ ὅταν πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἀπὸ τῆς πλάνης χειραγωγήσῃ: οὕτω καὶ πύργος ἰσχύος καὶ πόλις περιοχῆς καὶ πηγὴ καὶ πέτρα καὶ ἄμπελος καὶ ἰατρὸς καὶ ἀνάστασις καὶ πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὀνομάζεται, ποικίλως ἑαυτὸν ταῖς ἡμετέραις εὐεργεσίαις καταμερίζων. τὰς δὲ οὐσίας διὰ τῶν ὀνομάτων ἑρμηνεύοντες οἱ ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν ὀξυωποῦντες, οἱ τὸ μὲν ἀκατάληπτον βλέποντες, τὸ δὲ καταληπτὸν παραβλέποντες, ὃν οὔτε εἶδέ τις ἀνθρώπων οὔτε ἰδεῖν δύναται, τοῦτον οὐ μόνον ὁρᾶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετρεῖν διαβεβαιοῦνται, τὴν δὲ πίστιν οὐ βλέπουσι τῷ τῆς ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμῷ, ὅπερ δὴ μόνον σύμμετρόν ἐστι τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ κατανοήσει, τὴν ἐκ τῶν λογισμῶν ἐπίγνωσιν ἐπίπροσθεν ταύτης ποιούμενοι. οὕτως ἤκουσα τῆς ἱστορίας τῶν υἱῶν Βενιαμὶν κατηγορούσης, οἳ πρὸς μὲν τὸν νόμον οὐκ ἔβλεπον, κατὰ δὲ τριχὸς ἐτοξάζοντο, δηλοῦντος οἶμαι τοῦ λόγου τὴν περὶ τὸ μάταιον αὐτῶν ἀσχολίαν, ὅτι τῶν μὲν ἀνωφελῶν καὶ ἀνυποστάτων ἑκηβόλοι τινὲς ἦσαν καὶ εὐφυεῖς στοχασταί, τῶν δὲ προδήλως ὠφελούντων ἀμαθεῖς τε καὶ ἀμελέτητοι: ἐπάγει γὰρ τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἡ ἱστορία τὴν κατ' αὐτοὺς συμφοράν, ὅπως πρὸς τὴν Σοδομιτικὴν παρανομίαν λυσσήσαντες πανστρατιᾷ τοῦ Ἰσραηλίτου λαοῦ κατ' αὐτῶν ὁπλισθέντος ἐξεπορθήθησαν. καί μοι δοκεῖ φιλάνθρωπον εἶναι γνώμην εἰσηγήσασθαι τοῖς νέοις τοξόταις, μὴ κατὰ τριχὸς ἐθέλειν τοξάζεσθαι, τὴν δὲ θύραν μὴ βλέπειν τῆς πίστεως, ἀλλὰ παρέντας τὴν περὶ τὸ ἄληπτον ματαιοπονίαν μὴ ζημιοῦσθαι τὸ πρόχειρον κέρδος τὸ διὰ μόνης τῆς πίστεως εὑρισκόμενον.