§4. After this he shows that the Son, who truly is, and is in the bosom of the Father, is simple and uncompounded, and that, He Who redeemed us from bondage is not under dominion of the Father, nor in a state of slavery: and that otherwise not He alone, but also the Father Who is in the Son and is One with Him, must be a slave; and that the word “being” is formed from the word to “be.” And having excellently and notably discussed all these matters, he concludes the book.

But not yet has the most grievous part of his profanity been examined, which the sequel of his treatise goes on to add. Well, let us consider his words sentence by sentence. Yet I know not how I can dare to let my mouth utter the horrible and godless language of him who fights against Christ. For I fear lest, like some baleful drugs, the remnant of the pernicious bitterness should be deposited upon the lips through which the words pass. “He that cometh unto God,” says the Apostle, “must believe that He is899    Heb. xi. 6.    The grammar of this section of the analysis is in parts very much confused; the general drift of its intention, rather than its literal meaning, is given in the translation. Grammatically speaking it appears to attribute to S. Gregory some of the opinions of Eunomius. The construction, however, is so ungrammatical that the confusion is probably in the composer’s expression rather than in his interpretation of what he is summarizing..” Accordingly, true existence is the special distinction of Godhead. But Eunomius makes out Him Who truly is, either not to exist at all, or not to exist in a proper sense, which is just the same as not existing at all; for he who does not properly exist, does not really exist at all; as, for example, he is said to “run” in a dream who in that state fancies he is exerting himself in the race, while, since he untruly acts the semblance of the real race, his fancy that he is running is not for this reason a race. But even though in an inexact sense it is so called, still the name is given to it falsely. Accordingly, he who dares to assert that the Only-begotten God either does not properly exist, or does not exist at all, manifestly blots out of his creed all faith in Him. For who can any longer believe in something non-existent? or who would resort to Him Whose being has been shown by the enemies of the true Lord to be improper and unsubstantial?

But that our statement may not be thought to be unfair to our opponents, I will set side by side with it the language of the impious persons, which runs as follows:—“He Who is in the bosom of the Existent, and Who is in the beginning and is with God, not being, or at all events not being in a strict sense, even though Basil, neglecting this distinction and addition, uses the title of ‘Existent’ interchangeably, contrary to the truth—” What do you say? that He Who is in the Father is not, and that He Who is in the beginning, and Who is in the bosom of the Father, is not, for this very reason, that He is in the beginning and is in the Father, and is discerned in the bosom of the Existent, and hence does not in a strict sense exist, because He is in the Existent? Alas for the idle and irrational tenets! Now for the first time we have heard this piece of vain babbling,—that the Lord, by Whom are all things, does not in a strict sense exist. And we have not yet got to the end of this appalling statement; but something yet more startling remains behind, that he not only affirms that He does not exist, or does not strictly speaking exist, but also that the Nature in which He is conceived to reside is various and composite. For he says “not being, or not being simple.” But that to which simplicity does not belong is manifestly various and composite. How then can the same Person be at once non-existent and composite in essence? For one of two alternatives they must choose: if they predicate of Him non-existence they cannot speak of Him as composite, or if they affirm Him to be composite they cannot rob Him of existence. But that their blasphemy may assume many and varied shapes, it jumps at every godless notion when it wishes to contrast Him with the existent, affirming that, strictly speaking, He does not exist, and in His relation to the uncompounded Nature denying Him the attribute of simplicity:—“not existing, not existing simply, not existing in the strict sense.” Who among those who have transgressed the word and forsworn the Faith was ever so lavish in utterances denying the Lord? He has stood up in rivalry with the divine proclamation of John. For as often as the latter has attested “was” of the Word, so often does he apply to Him Who is an opposing “was not.” And he contends against the holy lips of our father Basil, bringing against him the charge that he “neglects these distinctions,” when he says that He Who is in the Father, and in the beginning, and in the bosom of the Father, exists, holding the view that the addition of “in the beginning,” and “in the bosom of the Father,” bars the real existence of Him Who is. Vain learning! What things the teachers of deceit teach! what strange doctrines they introduce to their hearers! they instruct them that that which is in something else does not exist! So, Eunomius, since your heart and brain are within you, neither of them, according to your distinction, exists. For if the Only-begotten God does not, strictly speaking, exist, for this reason, that He is in the bosom of the Father, then everything that is in something else is thereby excluded from existence. But certainly your heart exists in you, and not independently; therefore, according to your view, you must either say that it does not exist at all, or that it does not exist in the strict sense. However, the ignorance and profanity of his language are so gross and so glaring, as to be obvious even before our argument, at all events to all persons of sense: but that his folly as well as his impiety may be more manifest, we will add thus much to what has gone before. If one may only say that that in the strict sense exists, of which the word of Scripture attests the existence detached from all relation to anything else, why do they, like those who carry water, perish with thirst when they have it in their power to drink? Even this man, though he had at hand the antidote to his blasphemy against the Son, closed his eyes and ran past it as though fearing to be saved, and charges Basil with unfairness for having suppressed the qualifying words, and for only quoting the “was” by itself, in reference to the Only-Begotten. And yet it was quite in his power to see what Basil saw and what every one who has eyes sees. And herein the sublime John seems to me to have been prophetically moved, that the mouths of those fighters against Christ might be stopped, who on the ground of these additions deny the existence, in the strict sense, of the Christ, saying simply and without qualification “The Word was God,” and was Life, and was Light900    Cf. S. John i. 1, 4    οὐσίας, not merely speaking of Him as being in the beginning, and with God, and in the bosom of the Father, so that by their relation the absolute existence of the Lord should be done away. But his assertion that He was God, by this absolute declaration detached from all relation to anything else, cuts off every subterfuge from those who in their reasonings run into impiety; and, in addition to this, there is moreover something else which still more convincingly proves the malignity of our adversaries. For if they make out that to exist in something is an indication of not existing in the strict sense, then certainly they allow that not even the Father exists absolutely, as they have learnt in the Gospel, that just as the Son abides in the Father, so the Father abides in the Son, according to the words of the Lord901    S. John xiv. 11    The passage is a little obscure: if the force of the dative τῷ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἀκτίστῳ be that assigned to it, the meaning will be that, if no exception is made in the statement that the Son is the Maker of every intelligible being, the Deity will be included among the works of the Son, Who will thus be the Maker of Himself, as of the sensible creation.. For to say that the Father is in the Son is equivalent to saying that the Son is in the bosom of the Father. And in passing let us make this further inquiry. When the Son, as they say, “was not,” what did the bosom of the Father contain? For assuredly they must either grant that it was full, or suppose it to have been empty. If then the bosom was full, certainly the Son was that which filled the bosom. But if they imagine that there was some void in the bosom of the Father, they do nothing else than assert of Him perfection by way of augmentation, in the sense that He passed from the state of void and deficiency to the state of fulness and perfection. But “they knew not nor understood,” says David of those that “walk on still in darkness902    Cf. Ps. lxxxii. 5.    It is not quite clear how much of this is citation, and how much paraphrase of Eunomius’ words..” For he who has been rendered hostile to the true Light cannot keep his soul in light. For this reason it was that they did not perceive lying ready to their hand in logical sequence that which would have corrected their impiety, smitten, as it were, with blindness, like the men of Sodom.

But he also says that the essence of the Son is controlled by the Father, his exact words being as follows:—“For He Who is and lives because of the Father, does not appropriate this dignity, as the essence which controls even Him attracts to itself the conception of the Existent.” If these doctrines approve themselves to some of the sages “who are without,” let not the Gospels nor the rest of the teaching of the Holy Scripture be in any way disturbed. For what fellowship is there between the creed of Christians and the wisdom that has been made foolish903    Cf. 1 Cor. i. 20    The reference is to Exod. xxxv. 30.? But if he leans upon the support of the Scriptures, let him show one such declaration from the holy writings, and we will hold our peace. I hear Paul cry aloud, “There is one Lord Jesus Christ904    Cf. 1 Cor. viii. 6.    Reading τερατείαν for the otherwise unknown word περατείαν, which Oehler retains. If περατείαν is the true reading, it should probably be rendered by “fatalism,” or “determination.” Gulonius renders it by “determinationem.” It may be connected with the name “Peratae,” given to one of the Ophite sects, who held fatalist views..” But Eunomius shouts against Paul, calling Christ a slave. For we recognize no other mark of a slave than to be subject and controlled. The slave is assuredly a slave, but the slave cannot by nature be Lord, even though the term be applied to Him by inexact use. And why should I bring forward the declarations of Paul in evidence of the lordship of the Lord? For Paul’s Master Himself tells His disciples that He is truly Lord, accepting as He does the confession of those who called Him Master and Lord. For He says, “Ye call Me Master and Lord; and ye say well, for so I am905    Cf. S. John xiii. 13.    ὑποστασέως.” And in the same way He enjoined that the Father should be called Father by them, saying, “Call no man master upon earth: for one is your Master, even Christ: and call no man father upon earth, for one is your Father, Which is in heaven906    Cf. S. Matt. xxiii. 8–10.    The word seems to be used, as “octads” in Book IX. seems to be used, of sections of Eunomius’ production..” To which then ought we to give heed, as we are thus hemmed in between them? On one side the Lord Himself, and he who has Christ speaking in him907    Cf. 2 Cor. xiii. 3.    Cf. S. John iii. 3 and 6., enjoin us not to think of Him as a slave, but to honour Him even as the Father is honoured, and on the other side Eunomius brings his suit against the Lord, claiming Him as a slave, when he says that He on Whose shoulders rests the government of the universe is under dominion. Can our choice what to do be doubtful, or is the decision which is the more advantageous course unimportant? Shall I slight the advice of Paul, Eunomius? shall I deem the voice of the Truth less trustworthy than thy deceit? But “if I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin908    S. John xv. 22    Cf. S. John vi. 51 and 54..” Since then, He has spoken to them, truly declaring Himself to be Lord, and that He is not falsely named Lord (for He says, “I am,” not “I am called”), what need is there that they should do that, whereon the vengeance is inevitable because they are forewarned?

But perhaps, in answer to this, he will again put forth his accustomed logic, and will say that the same Being is both slave and Lord, dominated by the controlling power but lording it over the rest. These profound distinctions are talked of at the cross-roads, circulated by those who are enamoured of falsehood, who confirm their idle notions about the Deity by illustrations from the circumstances of ordinary life. For since the occurrences of this world give us examples of such arrangements909    Oehler’s punctuation seems here to require alteration.    Cf. Ps. iv. 2 (LXX.). The alteration made is the substitution of ἀπώλειαν for ματαιότητα (thus in a wealthy establishment one may see the more active and devoted servant set over his fellow-servants by the command of his master, and so invested with superiority over others in the same rank and station), they transfer this notion to the doctrines concerning the Godhead, so that the Only-begotten God, though subject to the sovereignty of His superior, is no way hindered by the authority of His sovereign in the direction of those inferior to Him. But let us bid farewell to such philosophy, and proceed to discuss this point according to the measure of our intelligence. Do they confess that the Father is by nature Lord, or do they hold that He arrived at this position by some kind of election? I do not think that a man who has any share whatever of intellect could come to such a pitch of madness as not to acknowledge that the lordship of the God of all is His by nature. For that which is by nature simple, uncompounded, and indivisible, whatever it happens to be, that it is throughout in all its entirety, not becoming one thing after another by some process of change, but remaining eternally in the condition in which it is. What, then, is their belief about the Only-begotten? Do they own that His essence is simple, or do they suppose that in it there is any sort of composition? If they think that He is some multiform thing, made up of many parts, assuredly they will not concede Him even the name of Deity, but will drag down their doctrine of the Christ to corporeal and material conceptions: but if they agree that He is simple, how is it possible in the simplicity of the subject to recognize the concurrence of contrary attributes? For just as the contradictory opposition of life and death admits of no mean, so in its distinguishing characteristics is domination diametrically and irreconcilably opposed to servitude. For if one were to consider each of these by itself, one could not properly frame any definition that would apply alike to both, and where the definition of things is not identical, their nature also is assuredly different. If then the Lord is simple and uncompounded in nature, how can the conjunction of contraries be found in the subject, as would be the case if servitude mingled with lordship? But if He is acknowledged to be Lord, in accordance with the teaching of the saints, the simplicity of the subject is evidence that He can have no part or lot in the opposite condition: while if they make Him out to be a slave, then it is idle for them to ascribe to Him the title of lordship. For that which is simple in nature is not parted asunder into contradictory attributes. But if they affirm that He is one, and is called the other, that He is by nature slave and Lord in name alone, let them boldly utter this declaration and relieve us from the long labour of answering them. For who can afford to be so leisurely in his treatment of inanities as to employ arguments to demonstrate what is obvious and unambiguous? For if a man were to inform against himself for the crime of murder, the accuser would not be put to any trouble in bringing home to him by evidence the charge of blood-guiltiness. In like manner we shall no longer bring against our opponents, when they advance so far in impiety, a confutation framed after examination of their case. For he who affirms the Only-begotten to be a slave, makes Him out by so saying to be a fellow-servant with himself: and hence will of necessity arise a double enormity. For either he will despise his fellow-slave and deny the faith, having shaken off the yoke of the lordship of Christ, or he will bow before the slave, and, turning away from the self-determining nature that owns no Lord over it, will in a manner worship himself instead of God. For if he sees himself in slavery, and the object of his worship also in slavery, he of course looks at himself, seeing the whole of himself in that which he worships. But what reckoning can count up all the other mischiefs that necessarily accompany this pravity of doctrine? For who does not know that he who is by nature a slave, and follows his avocation under the constraint imposed by a master, cannot be removed even from the emotion of fear? And of this the inspired Apostle is a witness, when he says, “Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear910    Rom. viii. 15.    ῾Η σφραγίς. The term is used elsewhere by Gregory in this sense, in the Life of S. Gregory Thaumaturgus, and in the Life of S. Macrina..” So that they will be found to attribute, after the likeness of men, the emotion of fear also to their fellow-servant God.

Such is the God of heresy. But what we, who, in the words of the Apostle, have been called to liberty by Christ911    Cf. Gal. v. 13    These last words are apparently a verbal quotation, those preceding more probably a paraphrase of Eunomius statement., Who hath freed us from bondage, have been taught by the Scriptures to think, I will set forth in few words. I take my start from the inspired teaching, and boldly declare that the Divine Word does not wish even us to be slaves, our nature having now been changed for the better, and that He Who has taken all that was ours, on the terms of giving to us in return what is His, even as He took disease, death, curse, and sin, so took our slavery also, not in such a way as Himself to have what He took, but so as to purge our nature of such evils, our defects being swallowed up and done away with in His stainless nature. As therefore in the life that we hope for there will be neither disease, nor curse, nor sin, nor death, so slavery also along with these will vanish away. And that what I say is true I call the Truth Himself to witness, Who says to His disciples “I call you no more servants, but friends912    Cf. S. John xv. 15    Cf. Hab. ii. 15 (LXX.). It is possible that the reading θολεράν for δολεράν, which appears both in Oehler’s text and in the Paris edition, was a various reading of the passage in the LXX., and that S. Gregory intended to quote exactly..” If then our nature will be free at length from the reproach of slavery, how comes the Lord of all to be reduced to slavery by the madness and infatuation of these deranged men, who must of course, as a logical consequence, assert that He does not know the counsels of the Father, because of His declaration concerning the slave, which tells us that “the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth913    Cf. S. John xv. 15”? But when they say this, let them hear that the Son has in Himself all that pertains to the Father, and sees all things that the Father doeth, and none of the good things that belong to the Father is outside the knowledge of the Son. For how can He fail to have anything that is the Father’s, seeing He has the Father wholly in Himself? Accordingly, if “the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth,” and if He has in Himself all things that are the Father’s, let those who are reeling with strong drink at last become sober, and let them now, if never before, look up at the truth, and see that He who has all things that the Father has is lord of all, and not a slave. For how can the personality that owns no lord over it bear on itself the brand of slavery? How can the King of all fail to have His form of like honour with Himself? how can dishonour—for slavery is dishonour—constitute the brightness of the true glory? and how is the King’s son born into slavery? No, it is not so. But as He is Light of Light, and Life of Life, and Truth of Truth, so is He Lord of Lord, King of King, God of God, Supreme of Supreme; for having in Himself the Father in His entirety, whatever the Father has in Himself He also assuredly has, and since, moreover, all that the Son has belongs to the Father, the enemies of God’s glory are inevitably compelled, if the Son is a slave, to drag down to servitude the Father as well. For there is no attribute of the Son which is not absolutely the Father’s. “For all Mine are Thine,” He says, “and Thine are Mine914    S. John xvii. 10..” What then will the poor creatures say? Which is more reasonable—that the Son, Who has said, “Thine are Mine, and I am glorified in them915    S. John xvii. 10.,” should be glorified in the sovereignty of the Father, or that insult should be offered to the Father by the degradation involved in the slavery of the Son? For it is not possible that He Who contains in Himself all that belongs to the Son, and Who is Himself in the Son, should not also absolutely be in the slavery of the Son, and have slavery in Himself. Such are the results achieved by Eunomius’ philosophy, whereby he inflicts upon his Lord the insult of slavery, while he attaches the same degradation to the stainless glory of the Father.

Let us however return once more to the course of his treatise. What does Eunomius say concerning the Only-begotten? That He “does not appropriate the dignity,” for he calls the appellation of “being” a “dignity.” A startling piece of philosophy! Who of all men that have ever been, whether among Greeks or barbarian sages, who of the men of our own day, who of the men of all time ever gave “being” the name of “dignity”? For everything that is regarded as subsisting916    ἐν ὑποστάσει θεωρούμενον is said, by the common custom of all who use language, to “be”: and from the word “be” has been formed the term “being.” But now the expression “dignity” is applied in a new fashion to the idea expressed by “being.” For he says that “the Son, Who is and lives because of the Father, does not appropriate this dignity,” having no Scripture to support his statement, and not conducting his statement to so senseless a conclusion by any process of logical inference, but as if he had taken into his intestines some windy food, he belches forth his blasphemy in its crude and unmethodized form, like some unsavoury breath. “He does not appropriate this dignity.” Let us concede the point of “being” being called “dignity.” What then? does He Who is not appropriate being? “No,” says Eunomius, “because He exists by reason of the Father.” Do you not then say that He Who does not appropriate being is not? for “not to appropriate” has the same force as “to be alien from”, and the mutual opposition of the ideas917    The ideas of “own” implied in “appropriate,” and that of incongruity implied in “alienation.” is evident. For that which is “proper” is not “alien,” and that which is “alien” is not “proper.” He therefore Who does not “appropriate” being is obviously alien from being: and He Who is alien from being is nonexistent.

But his cogent proof of this absurdity he brings forward in the words, “as the essence which controls even Him attracts to itself the conception of the Existent.” Let us say nothing about the awkwardness of the combination here: let us examine his serious meaning. What argument ever demonstrated this? He superfluously reiterates to us his statement of the Essence of the Father having sovereignty over the Son. What evangelist is the patron of this doctrine? What process of dialectic conducts us to it. What premises support it? What line of argument ever demonstrated by any logical consequence that the Only-begotten God is under dominion? “But,” says he, “the essence that is dominant over the Son attracts to itself the conception of the Existent.” What is the meaning of the attraction of the existent? and how comes the phrase of “attracting” to be flung on the top of what he has said before? Assuredly he who considers the force of words will judge for himself. About this, however, we will say nothing: but we will take up again that argument that he does not grant essential being to Him to Whom he does not leave the title of the Existent. And why does he idly fight with shadows, contending about the non-existent being this or that? For that which does not exist is of course neither like anything else, nor unlike. But while granting that He is existent he forbids Him to be so called. Alas for the vain precision of haggling about the sound of a word while making concessions on the more important matter! But in what sense does He, Who, as he says, has dominion over the Son, “attract to Himself the conception of the Existent”? For if he says that the Father attracts His own essence, this process of attraction is superfluous: for existence is His already, without being attracted. If, on the other hand, his meaning is that the existence of the Son is attracted by the Father, I cannot make out how existence is to be wrenched from the Existent, and to pass over to Him Who “attracts” it. Can he be dreaming of the error of Sabellius, as though the Son did not exist in Himself, but was painted on to the personal existence of the Father? is this his meaning in the expression that the conception of the Existent is attracted by the essence which exercises domination over the Son? or does he, while not denying the personal existence of the Son, nevertheless say that He is separated from the meaning conveyed by the term “the Existent”? And yet, how can “the Existent” be separated from the conception of existence? For as long as anything is what it is, nature does not admit that it should not be what it is.

Ἀλλ' οὔπω τὰ χαλεπὰ τῆς βλασφημίας ἐξήτασται, ἅπερ ἤδη τῶν γεγραμμένων ἡ ἀκολουθία προστίθησι: καὶ δὴ τὰ εἰρημένα κατὰ λέξιν διασκεψώμεθα. οὐκ οἶδα δὲ πῶς ἔστι τολμῆσαι προενεγκεῖν διὰ στόματος τὴν φρικώδη τε καὶ ἄθεον τοῦ χριστομάχου λογογραφίαν. δέδοικα γὰρ μή ποτε καθ' ὁμοιότητα τῶν δηλητηρίων φαρμάκων ἐναπόθηται τῷ στόματι, δι' οὗ τὸ ῥῆμα παρέρχεται, τῆς φθοροποιοῦ πικρίας τὸ λείψανον. Πιστεῦσαι δεῖ τὸν προσερχόμενον θεῷ, φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος, ὅτι ἔστιν. οὐκοῦν ἴδιον θεότητος γνώρισμα τὸ ἀληθῶς εἶναι. ὁ δὲ κατασκευάζει τὸν ἀληθῶς ὄντα ἢ μὴ καθόλου εἶναι ἢ μὴ κυρίως εἶναι, ὅπερ ἴσον ἐστὶ τῷ μηδὲ ὅλως εἶναι. ὁ γὰρ μὴ κυρίως ὢν οὐδὲ ἔστιν ὅλως. οἷον τρέχειν λέγεται κατὰ τὴν ἐνύπνιον φαντασίαν ὁ τῇ σπουδῇ τοῦ δρόμου ἐμφανταζόμενος: ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ψευδῶς τὴν δόκησιν τοῦ ἀληθοῦς ὑποκρίνεται δρόμου, διὰ τοῦτο ἡ φαντασία δρόμος οὐκ ἔστιν. ἀλλὰ κἂν οὕτως ἐκ καταχρήσεως λέγηται, ψευδωνύμῳ τῇ κλήσει κατονομάζεται. οὐκοῦν ὁ τολμῶν τὸν μονογενῆ θεὸν ἢ μὴ εἶναι λέγειν ἢ μὴ κυρίως εἶναι σαφῶς τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν πίστιν διαγράφει τοῦ δόγματος. τίς γὰρ ἂν ἔτι μὴ ὄντι πιστεύσειεν; ἢ τίς ἂν πρόσθοιτο τούτῳ, οὗ τὸ εἶναι ἄκυρον ἀποδέδεικται παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ κυρίου καὶ ἀνυπόστατον;
Καὶ ὡς ἂν μὴ δόξειεν διά τινος συκοφαντίας κατὰ τῶν ὑπεναντίων ὁ παρ' ἡμῶν γίνεσθαι λόγος, αὐτὴν παραθήσομαι τῶν ἀσεβῶν τὴν λέξιν ἔχουσαν οὕτως: « οὐκ ὢν οὐδὲ κυρίως ὤν », φησίν, « ὁ ἐν κόλποις ὢν τοῦ ὄντος καὶ ἐν ἀρχῇ ὢν καὶ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ὤν, κἂν Βασίλειος τοῦ διορισμοῦ τούτου καὶ τῆς προσθήκης ἀμελήσας ἐπαλλάττῃ τὴν τοῦ ὄντος προσηγορίαν παρὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ». τί λέγεις; ὁ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ ὢν οὐκ ἔστι, καὶ ὁ ἐν ἀρχῇ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἐν τοῖς κόλποις ὢν διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστιν, ὅτι ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐστι καὶ ἐν τῷ πατρί ἐστι καὶ ἐν τοῖς κόλποις καθορᾶται τοῦ ὄντος; καὶ διὰ τοῦτο κυρίως οὐκ ἔστιν, ὅτι ἐν τῷ ὄντι ἐστίν; ὢ καινῶν τε καὶ παραλόγων δογμάτων. νῦν πρώτως τῆς κενοφωνίας ταύτης ἠκούσαμεν, ὅτι ὁ κύριος δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα κυρίως οὐκ ἔστι. καὶ οὔπω τοῦτο δεινόν, ἀλλ' ἔτι καὶ [τὸ] τούτου παραλογώτερον τὸ μὴ μόνον μὴ εἶναι αὐτὸν λέγειν ἢ μὴ κυρίως εἶναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ συνθέτῳ τε καὶ ποικίλῃ ἐνθεωρεῖσθαι φύσει: « οὐκ ὢν γάρ », φησίν, « οὐδὲ ἁπλοῦς ὤν ». ᾧ δὲ τὸ ἁπλοῦν οὐ πρόσεστιν, τὸ ποικίλον δηλονότι προσμαρτυρεῖται καὶ σύνθετον. πῶς οὖν ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὅλως καὶ σύνθετος κατὰ τὴν οὐσίαν ἐστίν; χρὴ γὰρ τῶν δύο τὸ ἕτερον, ἢ καθόλου προσμαρτυροῦντας αὐτῷ τὸ ἀνύπαρκτον μηδὲ σύνθετον λέγειν, ἢ τὸ σύνθετον ἐπικαλοῦντας αὐτῷ μὴ ἐξαιρεῖν τοῦ ὄντος. ἀλλ' ὡς ἂν πολυειδῶς τε καὶ ποικίλως γίνοιτο παρ' αὐτῶν ἡ βλασφημία, πᾶσιν ἐφάλλεται τοῖς ἀθέοις νοήμασι, τῇ μὲν πρὸς τὸ ὂν συγκρίσει μὴ εἶναι κυρίως λέγουσα, τῇ δὲ πρὸς τὸ ἁπλοῦν σχέσει ἀμοιρεῖν τῆς ἁπλότητος. οὐκ ὢν οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς οὐδὲ κυρίως ὤν. τίς τῶν παραβεβηκότων τὸν λόγον καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἐξομοσαμένων τοσοῦτον ἐνεδαψιλεύσατο ταῖς ἀρνητικαῖς τοῦ κυρίου φωναῖς καὶ ἀντεφιλοτιμήθη τῷ θείῳ τοῦ Ἰωάννου κηρύγματι; ὁσάκις γὰρ ἐκεῖνος τὸ ”ἦν” τῷ λόγῳ προσεμαρτύρησε, τοσαυτάκις οὗτος ἀντιθεῖναι τὸ „οὐκ ἦν„ τῷ ὄντι ἐφιλονείκησε. καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ στόματι τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν διαμάχεται, ταῦτα προφέρων κατ' αὐτοῦ τὰ ἐγκλήματα ὅτι ἀμελεῖ τῶν διορισμῶν τούτων Βασίλειος, ὄντα λέγων τὸν ἐν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ καὶ ἐν τοῖς κόλποις ὄντα, ὡς τῆς τοιαύτης προσθήκης, τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν καὶ τὸν κόλπον, παραγραφομένης τοῦ ὄντος τὴν ὕπαρξιν. ὢ καινῶν μαθημάτων, οἷα παιδεύουσιν οἱ παιδευταὶ τῆς ἀπάτης, οἵων δογμάτων εἰσηγηταὶ τοῖς ἀκούουσι γίνονται. τὸ ἔν τινι ὂν μὴ εἶναι διδάσκουσιν. οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὴ ἐντὸς σοῦ ἐστιν, Εὐνόμιε, ἡ καρδία καὶ ὁ ἐγκέφαλος, οὐκ ἔστι κατὰ τὸν σὸν διορισμὸν τούτων ἑκάτερον. εἰ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο κυρίως ὁ μονογενὴς θεὸς οὐκ ἔστιν, διότι ἐν τοῖς τοῦ πατρός ἐστι κόλποις, πᾶν τὸ ἔν τινι ὂν τοῦ εἶναι πάντως ἐξῄρηται. ἀλλὰ μὴν ἐν σοὶ ἡ καρδία καὶ οὐ καθ' ἑαυτὴν ἐστίν. ἄρα κατὰ τὸν σὸν λόγον ἢ καθόλου χρὴ μὴ εἶναι λέγειν αὐτὴν ἢ μὴ κυρίως εἶναι.
Ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν ἀπαίδευτον ἐν τοῖς εἰρημένοις παρ' αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ βλάσφημον τοσοῦτόν τε καὶ τοιοῦτον, ὡς καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἡμετέρων λόγων καταφανὲς εἶναι τοῖς γε νοῦν ἔχουσιν: ὡς δ' ἂν μᾶλλον ἐπίδηλος αὐτοῦ γένοιτο μετὰ τῆς ἀσεβείας ἡ ἄνοια, τοῦτο τοῖς προειρημένοις προσθήσομεν. εἰ μόνον ἔστι κυρίως εἶναι λέγειν, ᾧ τῆς γραφῆς ὁ λόγος ἀπολελυμένον τε καὶ ἄσχετον μαρτυρεῖ τὸ εἶναι, διὰ τί καθάπερ οἱ ὑδροφοροῦντες ἐν ἐξουσίᾳ τοῦ πιεῖν ὄντες τῇ δίψῃ φθείρονται; καὶ οὕτως πρόχειρον ἔχων τῆς κατὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ βλασφημίας τὸ ἀντιφάρμακον ἐπιμύσας παρέδραμεν, ὥσπερ τὸ σωθῆναι φοβούμενος, καὶ ἀδικεῖν αἰτιᾶται Βασίλειον ὅτι τοὺς προσδιορισμοὺς σιωπήσας μόνον ἐφ' ἑαυτοῦ τὸ ἦν ἐπὶ τοῦ μονογενοῦς διηγήσατο. καίτοι γε δυνατὸν ἦν, ἃ ἐκεῖνος εἶδε καὶ ἕκαστος τῶν ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐχόντων ὁρᾷ, καὶ τοῦτον ἰδεῖν. ὅ μοι δοκεῖ προφητικῶς κινηθεὶς ὁ ὑψηλὸς Ἰωάννης, ὡς ἂν ἐμφραγείη τὰ στόματα τῶν χριστομάχων τῶν διὰ τὰς προσθήκας ταύτας ἀθετούντων τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ κυρίως εἶναι, ἁπλῶς καὶ ἀδιορίστως εἰπεῖν ὅτι θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος καὶ ζωὴ ἦν καὶ φῶς ἦν, οὐ μόνον ἐν ἀρχῇ καὶ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καὶ ἐν κόλποις τοῦ πατρὸς ὤν, ὥστε διὰ τῆς τοιαύτης σχέσεως ἀναιρεῖσθαι τοῦ κυρίου τὸ κυρίως εἶναι: ἀλλὰ τῷ εἰπεῖν ὅτι θεὸς ἦν, τῇ ἀσχέτῳ ταύτῃ καὶ ἀπολύτῳ φωνῇ πᾶσαν περιδρομὴν τῶν εἰς ἀσέβειαν τρεχόντων τοῖς λογισμοῖς ὑποτέμνεται καὶ ἔτι πρὸς τούτοις, ὃ καὶ μᾶλλον, ἐλέγχει τὴν τῶν ἀντικειμένων κακόνοιαν. εἰ γὰρ τὸ ἔν τινι εἶναι σημεῖον ποιοῦνται τοῦ μὴ κυρίως εἶναι, οὐδὲ τὸν πατέρα κυρίως εἶναι πάντως συντίθενται, μεμαθηκότες ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ ὅτι ὥσπερ ὁ υἱὸς ἐν τῷ πατρί, οὕτω καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν τῷ υἱῷ μένει κατὰ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου φωνήν. ἴσον γάρ ἐστι τῷ ἐν κόλποις εἶναι τοῦ πατρὸς τὸν υἱὸν τὸ ἐν τῷ υἱῷ τὸν πατέρα εἶναι λέγειν. ἐν παρόδῳ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο προσεξετάσωμεν. ὅτε οὐκ ἦν, ὥς φασιν, ὁ υἱός, τί περιεῖχε τοῦ πατρὸς ὁ κόλπος; πάντως γὰρ ἢ πλήρη δώσουσιν αὐτὸν εἶναι ἢ κενὸν ὑποθήσονται. εἰ μὲν οὖν πλήρης ἦν ὁ κόλπος, ὁ υἱὸς πάντως ἦν τοῦ κόλπου τὸ πλήρωμα: εἰ δέ τινα κενότητα τοῖς τοῦ πατρὸς ἐνθεωροῦσι κόλποις, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ ἐκ παραυξήσεως αὐτῷ προσμαρτυροῦσι τὴν τελειότητα, ἀπὸ τοῦ κενοῦ τε καὶ λείποντος ἐπὶ τὸ πλῆρες μεθισταμένου καὶ τέλειον. ἀλλ' Οὐκ ἔγνωσαν οὐδὲ συνῆκαν, φησὶν ὁ Δαβὶδ περὶ τῶν ἐν σκότει διαπορευομένων. ὁ γὰρ ἐκπεπολεμωμένος τῷ ἀληθινῷ φωτὶ ἐν φωτὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἔχειν οὐ δύναται. διὰ τοῦτο προσκείμενον ἐκ τοῦ ἀκολούθου τὸ τὴν ἀσέβειαν ταύτην ἐπανορθούμενον ὥσπερ ἀορασίᾳ πληγέντες κατὰ τοὺς Σοδομίτας οὐ κατενόησαν.
Ἀλλὰ καὶ κυριεύεσθαι λέγει παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ υἱοῦ τὴν οὐσίαν, οὕτω λέγων τῷ ῥήματι: « οὐ γὰρ οἰκειοῦται ταύτην τὴν ἀξίαν ὁ διὰ τὸν πατέρα ὢν καὶ ζῶν, τῆς καὶ τούτου κυριευούσης οὐσίας πρὸς ἑαυτὴν ἑλκούσης τὴν τοῦ ὄντος ἔννοιαν ». εἰ μὲν οὖν τινι τῶν ἔξω σοφῶν ταῦτα δοκεῖ, μηδὲν ἐνοχλείσθω τὰ εὐαγγέλια μηδὲ ἡ λοιπὴ τῆς θεοπνεύστου γραφῆς διδασκαλία (τίς γὰρ κοινωνία τῷ Χριστιανῷ λόγῳ πρὸς τὴν μωρανθεῖσαν σοφίαν;): εἰ δὲ τοῖς γραφικοῖς ἐπερείδεται, δειξάτω τοιαύτην ἐκ τῶν ἁγίων φωνήν, καὶ ἡμεῖς σιωπήσομεν. βοῶντος ἀκούω τοῦ Παύλου ὅτι Εἷς κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστός. ἀλλ' ἀντιβοᾷ τῷ Παύλῳ Εὐνόμιος δοῦλον ὀνομάζων τὸν Χριστόν. ἄλλο γάρ τι δουλείας ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἐπιγινώσκομεν γνώρισμα πλὴν τοῦ ὑποχείριον εἶναι καὶ κυριεύεσθαι. ὁ δοῦλος δοῦλος πάντως ἐστίν: ὁ δὲ δοῦλος τῇ φύσει κύριος εἶναι οὐ δύναται, κἂν ἐκ καταχρήσεως λέγηται. καὶ τί μοι φέρειν εἰς μαρτυρίαν τῆς τοῦ κυρίου κυριότητος τὰς τοῦ Παύλου φωνάς; αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ Παύλου δεσπότης πρὸς τοὺς μαθητάς φησιν ἀληθῶς εἶναι κύριος, ἀποδεχόμενος τὴν ὁμολογίαν τῶν διδάσκαλον αὐτὸν καὶ κύριον ὀνομαζόντων. λέγει γὰρ ὅτι Ὑμεῖς καλεῖτέ με κύριον καὶ διδάσκαλον καὶ καλῶς λέγετε: εἰμὶ γάρ. τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ τοῦτο καὶ τὸν πατέρα παρ' αὐτῶν ἐνομοθέτησε λέγεσθαι εἰπὼν Μὴ καλέσητε καθηγητὴν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς: εἷς γάρ ἐστιν ὑμῶν καθηγητὴς ὁ Χριστός: καὶ μὴ καλέσητε πατέρα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς: εἷς γάρ ἐστιν ὑμῶν πατὴρ ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. τίνι τοίνυν προσεκτέον ἡμῖν ἐν μέσῳ τούτων ἀπειλημμένοις; ἐκεῖθεν αὐτός τε ὁ κύριος καὶ ὁ λαλοῦντα ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὸν Χριστὸν τὸ μὴ χρῆναι δοῦλον αὐτὸν ἐννοεῖν ἐγκελεύεται, ἀλλ' οὕτω τιμᾶν αὐτὸν καθὼς τιμᾶται ὁ πατήρ: ἐντεῦθεν Εὐνόμιος δουλείας ἐπάγει τῷ κυρίῳ γραφήν, κυριεύεσθαι λέγων τὸν τοῦ παντὸς ἐξημμένον τὸ κράτος. ἆρ' ἀμφίβολος ἡμῖν τοῦ πρακτέου ἡ αἵρεσις ἢ παρ' ὀλίγον ἐστὶν ἡ τοῦ λυσιτελεστέρου διάκρισις; ἀτιμάσω Παύλου τὴν συμβουλήν, ὦ Εὐνόμιε; ἀπιστοτέραν ἡγήσομαι τῆς σῆς ἀπάτης τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας φωνήν; ἀλλ' Εἰ μὴ ἦλθον καὶ ἐλάλησα, φησίν, αὐτοῖς, ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ εἶχον. ἐπεὶ οὖν αὐτὸς ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς, ἀληθῶς λέγων ἑαυτὸν εἶναι κύριον, οὐχὶ ψευδῶς ὀνομάζεσθαι (εἰμὶ γάρ, φησίν, οὐχὶ ὀνομάζομαι), τί ἀναγκαῖον ποιεῖν ᾧ ἀναπόδραστός ἐστιν ἐκ τοῦ προγνῶναι ἡ τιμωρία;
Ἀλλ' ἴσως πάλιν ἡμῖν πρὸς ταῦτα τὴν συνήθη σοφίαν ἀντιπροβάλλεται καὶ λέξει τὸν αὐτὸν καὶ δουλεύειν καὶ κύριον εἶναι, ὑπὸ μὲν τοῦ κρατοῦντος κυριευόμενον, τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν κυριεύοντα. λέγεται γὰρ τὰ σοφὰ ταῦτα κατὰ τὰς τριόδους παρὰ τῶν ἐραστῶν τῆς ἀπάτης περιφερόμενα, οἳ διὰ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων περιστάσεων τὰς ματαίας ἑαυτῶν ὑπολήψεις περὶ τὸ θεῖον κρατύνουσιν: ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αἱ κατὰ τὸν βίον τοῦτον συντυχίαι τῶν τοιούτων ἡμῖν πραγμάτων τὰ ὑποδείγματα φέρουσιν, οἷον ἐπ' οἰκίας ἔστιν εὐπορωτέρας ἰδεῖν τὸν δραστικώτερόν τε καὶ εὐνούστερον τῶν ὁμοδούλων προτεταγμένον, προστάγματι τοῦ δεσπότου τὴν κατὰ τῶν ὁμοτίμων ὑπεροχὴν λαχόντα, ταύτην μετάγουσιν ἐπὶ τὰ θεῖα δόγματα τὴν διάνοιαν, ὥστε τὸν μονογενῆ θεὸν ὑπεζευγμένον τῇ δυναστείᾳ τοῦ ὑπερέχοντος μηδὲν ἐμποδίζεσθαι τῇ τοῦ δυναστεύοντος ἐξουσίᾳ πρὸς τὴν τῶν καταδεεστέρων ἡγεμονίαν. ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς ἐρρῶσθαι φράσαντες τῇ τοιαύτῃ σοφίᾳ κατὰ τὸ ἡμέτερον τῆς διανοίας μέτρον τὸν περὶ τούτου λόγον διασκεψώμεθα. ἆρα τὸν πατέρα φύσει κύριον ὁμολογοῦσιν ἢ διὰ χειροτονίας τινὸς πρὸς τοῦτο ἐλθεῖν; ἀλλ' οὐκ οἶμαι εἰς τοῦτο μανίας ἐλθεῖν τὸν καὶ ὁπωσοῦν διανοίας μετέχοντα, ὡς μὴ φύσει προσμαρτυρεῖν τῷ θεῷ τῶν ὅλων τὴν κυριότητα. ὃ γὰρ ἁπλοῦν τῇ φύσει καὶ ἀμερὲς καὶ ἀσύνθετον, ὅπερ ἂν τύχῃ ὄν, ὅλον διόλου τοῦτό ἐστιν, οὐκ ἐκ μεταβολῆς τινος ἕτερον ἐξ ἑτέρου γινόμενον, ἀλλ' ἐν ᾧ ἐστι διαμένον πρὸς τὸ ἀΐδιον. τί οὖν καὶ περὶ τοῦ μονογενοῦς ὑπειλήφασιν; ἆρα ἁπλῆν αὐτοῦ τὴν οὐσίαν ὁμολογοῦσιν ἤ τινα καὶ σύνθεσιν περὶ αὐτὴν ἐννοοῦσιν; εἰ μὲν οὖν ποικίλον τι χρῆμα καὶ πολυμερὲς εἶναι τοῦτον νομίζουσιν, οὐδὲ τὸ ὄνομα πάντως τῆς θεότητος αὐτῷ συγχωρήσουσιν, εἰς ὑλώδεις τινὰς καὶ σωματικὰς ὑπολήψεις τὸ περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δόγμα μετάγοντες: εἰ δὲ ἁπλοῦν εἶναι συντίθενται, πῶς ἔστι τῇ ἁπλότητι τοῦ ὑποκειμένου τὴν τῶν ἐναντίων συνδρομὴν ἐνθεωρῆσαι; ὡς γὰρ τῆς ζωῆς καὶ τοῦ θανάτου ἄμεσός ἐστιν ἡ πρὸς τὸ ἐναντίον ἀντιδιάστασις, οὕτως ἡ κυριότης πρὸς τὴν δουλείαν ἄμικτός ἐστι καὶ ἠλλοτριωμένη τοῖς ἰδιάζουσιν. οὐ γὰρ ἄν τις ἑκάτερον τούτων ἐφ' ἑαυτοῦ θεωρῶν τὸν ἴσον ἀμφοτέροις ἁρμόσειε λόγον: ὧν δὲ ὁ λόγος οὐχ ὁ αὐτός, τούτων καὶ ἡ φύσις πάντως διάφορος. εἰ οὖν ἁπλοῦς κατὰ τὴν φύσιν ὁ κύριος, πῶς ἂν γένοιτο περὶ τὸ ὑποκείμενον ἡ τῶν ἐναντίων διπλόη, δουλείας συνανακιρναμένης τῇ κυριότητι; ἀλλ' εἰ κύριος κατὰ τὴν τῶν ἁγίων διδασκαλίαν ὁμολογεῖται, ἀμέτοχον αὐτὸν εἶναι τοῦ ἐναντίου ἡ ἁπλότης τοῦ ὑποκειμένου μαρτύρεται: εἰ δὲ δουλεύειν αὐτὸν ἀποφαίνονται, μάτην αὐτῷ τὸ ὄνομα προσμαρτυροῦσι τῆς κυριότητος. τὸ γὰρ ἁπλοῦν τῇ φύσει πρὸς τὰ ἐναντία τῶν ἰδιωμάτων οὐ διασχίζεται. εἰ δὲ τὸ μὲν εἶναί φασιν αὐτὸν τὸ δὲ λέγεσθαι, τῇ φύσει μὲν δοῦλον, τῷ ὀνόματι δὲ κύριον, ῥηξάτωσαν ἐν παρρησίᾳ τοιαύτην φωνήν, καὶ ἀναπαύσουσιν ἡμᾶς τῶν μακρῶν περὶ τὴν ἀντίρρησιν πόνων. τίς γὰρ οὕτως ἐν τοῖς ματαίοις εὔσχολος, ὡς τὰ φανερά τε καὶ ἀναμφίβολα διὰ λογισμῶν ἐξελέγχειν; οὐδὲ γὰρ εἴ τις ἑαυτοῦ καταμηνύσειε τοῦ φόνου τὸ μίασμα, πόνος τις ὑπολείπεται τοῖς κατηγόροις δι' ἀποδείξεών τινων ἄγειν τὴν μιαιφονίαν εἰς ἔλεγχον. οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς οὐκέτι τὸν ἐκ τῆς ἐξετάσεως ἔλεγχον τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἐποίσομεν, ὅταν μέχρι τούτου τῇ ἀσεβείᾳ προέλθωσιν. ὁ γὰρ δοῦλον τῇ φύσει λέγων τὸν μονογενῆ θεὸν ὁμόδουλον ἑαυτῷ τοῦτον δι' ὧν λέγει κατασκευάζει. ἐκ δὲ τούτου διπλῆ ἡ ἀτοπία κατ' ἀνάγκην συνενεχθήσεται. ἢ γὰρ καταφρονήσει τοῦ ὁμοδούλου καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἀρνήσεται, τὸν ζυγὸν τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ δεσποτείας ἀποσεισάμενος, ἢ ὑποκύψει τῷ δούλῳ καὶ ἀποστραφεὶς τὴν αὐτοκρατῆ τε καὶ ἀδέσποτον φύσιν τρόπον τινὰ ἑαυτὸν ἀντὶ θεοῦ σεβασθήσεται. εἰ γὰρ ἐν δουλείᾳ μὲν ἑαυτόν, ἐν δουλείᾳ δὲ ὁρᾷ καὶ τὸ σέβασμα, πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἀτεχνῶς βλέπει ὁ ἄλλον ἑαυτὸν ἐν τῷ σεβάσματι βλέπων. ἀλλὰ μὴν τὰ ἄλλα πάντα, ὅσα κατ' ἀνάγκην τῇ κακίᾳ ταύτῃ συνθεωρεῖται τοῦ δόγματος, τίς ἂν ἐξαριθμήσαιτο λόγος; τίς γὰρ οὐκ οἶδεν ὅτι ὁ δοῦλος τῇ φύσει καὶ πρὸς δεσποτικὴν ἀνάγκην ἠσχολημένος οὐδὲ τοῦ κατὰ τὸν φόβον πάθους ἐκτὸς ἂν εἴη; συνέζευκται γάρ πως τῇ φύσει τῆς δουλείας ὁ φόβος. καὶ τούτου μάρτυς ὁ θεῖος ἀπόστολος εἰπὼν ὅτι Οὐκ ἐλάβετε πνεῦμα δουλείας πάλιν εἰς φόβον. ὥστε καθ' ὁμοιότητα τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τὸ κατὰ τὸν φόβον πάθος ἐπιθρυλήσουσι τῷ ὁμοδούλῳ θεῷ.
Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν τῆς αἱρέσεως θεὸς τοιοῦτος. ἡμεῖς δὲ οἱ κατὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον ἐπ' ἐλευθερίᾳ παρὰ Χριστοῦ κληθέντες τοῦ τῆς δουλείας ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσαντος, ὅσα φρονεῖν παρὰ τῶν γραφῶν ἐδιδάχθημεν, δι' ὀλίγων ἐκθήσομαι. ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐκ τῆς θείας διδασκαλίας ὁρμώμενος θαρρῶν ἀποφαίνομαι ὅτι οὐδὲ ἡμᾶς δούλους εἶναι ὁ θεῖος βούλεται λόγος, μετασκευασθείσης ἡμῖν πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον τῆς φύσεως, καὶ ὁ πάντα λαβὼν τὰ ἡμέτερα, ἐφ' ᾧτε ἀντιδοῦναι τὰ ἴδια, ὡς τὰς νόσους καὶ τὸν θάνατον καὶ τὴν κατάραν καὶ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, οὕτω καὶ τὴν δουλείαν ἀνέλαβεν, οὐχ ὡς αὐτὸς ἔχειν ἃ ἔλαβεν, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐκκαθᾶραι τῶν τοιούτων τὴν φύσιν, ἐξαφανισθέντων ἐν τῇ ἀκηράτῳ φύσει τῶν ἡμετέρων. ὡς οὖν οὐκ ἔσται κατὰ τὴν ἐλπιζομένην ζωὴν οὐ νόσος, οὐ κατάρα, οὐχ ἁμαρτία, οὐ θάνατος, οὕτως εἰς ἀφανισμὸν καὶ ἡ δουλεία μετὰ τούτων διελεύσεται. καὶ ὅτι ταῦτα ἀληθῆ λέγω, αὐτὴν πρὸς μαρτυρίαν καλῶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἥ φησι πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς ὅτι Οὐκέτι καλῶ ὑμᾶς δούλους, ἀλλὰ φίλους. εἰ οὖν τὸ καθ' ἡμᾶς ἔσται ποτὲ τοῦ τῆς δουλείας ὀνείδους ἐλεύθερον, πῶς ὁ τοῦ παντὸς δεσπότης ὑπὸ τῆς παραπληξίας τε καὶ μανίας τῶν ἐξεστηκότων τούτων καταδουλοῦται, οἳ κατὰ τὸ ἀκόλουθον πάντως οὐδὲ γινώσκειν αὐτὸν τὰ τοῦ πατρὸς διορίζονται διὰ τὴν περὶ τῶν δούλων ἀπόφασιν, ἥ φησιν ὅτι Ὁ δοῦλος οὐκ οἶδε τί ποιεῖ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ; ἀλλ' ὅταν ταῦτα λέγωσιν, ἀκουσάτωσαν ὅτι πάντα ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ὁ υἱὸς ἔχει, καὶ πάντα βλέπει ὅσα ὁ πατὴρ ποιεῖ, καὶ οὐδὲν τῶν πατρικῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔξω τῆς τοῦ μονογενοῦς ἐστι γνώσεως. πῶς γὰρ ἄν τι τοῦ πατρὸς μὴ ἔχοι, ὅλον ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὸν πατέρα; οὐκοῦν εἰ δοῦλος μὲν οὐ γινώσκει τί ποιεῖ ὁ δεσπότης, ὁ δὲ πάντα ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἔχει, νηψάτωσάν ποτε οἱ τῇ μέθῃ παράφοροι καὶ ἀναβλεψάτωσαν νῦν γοῦν πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ὅτι ὁ πάντα ἔχων ὅσα ὁ πατὴρ ἔχει δεσπότης πάντων καὶ οὐχὶ δοῦλός ἐστι. πῶς γὰρ δύναται ἡ ἀδέσποτος ὑπόστασις δουλικὸν ἔχειν ἐφ' ἑαυτῆς χαρακτῆρα καὶ ὁ τοῦ παντὸς βασιλεὺς μὴ ὁμότιμον ἔχειν ἑαυτῷ τὴν μορφήν; ἢ πῶς ἡ ἀτιμία τῆς ἀληθινῆς ἀπαυγάζεται δόξης; ἀτιμία γάρ ἐστιν ἡ δουλεία. πῶς δὲ ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως υἱὸς εἰς δουλείαν γεννᾶται; οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα, οὐκ ἔστιν. ἀλλ' ὡς φῶς ἐκ φωτὸς καὶ ζωὴ ἐκ ζωῆς καὶ ἐξ ἀληθείας ἀλήθεια, οὕτως καὶ ἐκ κυρίου κύριος, βασιλεὺς ἐκ βασιλέως, ἐκ θεοῦ θεός, ἐξ ἀδεσπότου ἀδέσποτος: ὅλον γὰρ ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὸν πατέρα, εἴ τι ὁ πατὴρ ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ, πάντως ἔχει: καὶ ἐπειδὴ πάντα τοῦ πατρός ἐστιν ὅσα ὁ υἱὸς ἔχει, ἀνάγκη πᾶσα παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ δόξης, εἴπερ ὁ υἱὸς δοῦλος, καὶ τὸν πατέρα εἰς δουλείαν κατάγεσθαι. οὐδὲν γὰρ ἔστι τῶν ἐν τῷ υἱῷ θεωρουμένων, ὃ μὴ τοῦ πατρός ἐστι πάντως. Πάντα γάρ, φησί, τὰ ἐμὰ σὰ καὶ τὰ σὰ ἐμά. τί οὖν ἐροῦσιν οἱ δείλαιοι; τί [οὖν] εὐλογώτερον, τὸν υἱὸν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐνδοξάζεσθαι, τὸν εἰπόντα ὅτι Τὰ σὰ ἐμὰ καὶ δεδόξασμαι ἐν αὐτοῖς, ἢ τὸν πατέρα τῇ ἀτιμίᾳ τῆς δουλείας τοῦ υἱοῦ καθυβρίζεσθαι; οὐ γὰρ ἔστι τὸν πάντα τὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ ἐν ἑαυτῷ περιέχοντα καὶ αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ υἱῷ ὄντα μὴ καὶ ἐν τῇ δουλείᾳ τοῦ υἱοῦ πάντως εἶναι καὶ ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὴν δουλείαν ἔχειν. ταῦτα κατορθοῖ διὰ τῆς σοφίας Εὐνόμιος, δι' ὧν καθυβρίζει τῇ δουλείᾳ τὸν κύριον, τὴν αὐτὴν ἀτιμίαν τῇ ἀκηράτῳ δόξῃ τοῦ πατρὸς προστριβόμενος.
Ἀλλ' ἐπαναδράμωμεν πάλιν ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν γεγραμμένων ἀκολουθίαν. τί λέγει περὶ τοῦ μονογενοῦς ὁ Εὐνόμιος; ὅτι « οὐκ οἰκειοῦται ταύτην τὴν ἀξίαν. ἀξίαν » γὰρ ὀνομάζει τὴν τοῦ ὄντος προσηγορίαν. ὢ παραλόγου φιλοσοφίας. τίς τῶν πώποτε γεγονότων ἀνθρώπων εἴτε παρ' Ἕλλησιν εἴτε παρὰ τῇ βαρβαρικῇ φιλοσοφίᾳ, τίς τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς, τίς τῶν ἐν παντὶ τῷ χρόνῳ « ἀξίαν » ὄνομα τῷ ὄντι ἔθετο; πᾶν γὰρ τὸ ἐν ὑποστάσει θεωρούμενον ἡ κοινὴ τῶν λόγῳ κεχρημένων συνήθεια ”εἶναι” λέγει: παρὰ δὲ τὸ εἶναι ἡ τοῦ ὄντος ἐπωνυμία παρεσχημάτισται. ἀλλὰ νῦν καινοτομεῖται κατὰ τῆς τοῦ ὄντος σημασίας ἡ τῆς « ἀξίας » φωνή. λέγει γὰρ τὸν υἱὸν μὴ οἰκειοῦσθαι τὴν τοῦ ὄντος ἀξίαν τὸν διὰ τὸν πατέρα ὄντα καὶ ζῶντα, οὔτε « τὴν » γραφὴν ἔχων τοῦ λόγου προστήσασθαι οὔτε διά τινος ἀκολουθίας πρὸς τὴν ἄνοιαν ταύτην προαγαγὼν τὸν λόγον, ἀλλ' ὥς τινα φυσώδη τροφὴν τοῖς σπλάγχνοις ἐνθέμενος ἀκατάσκευόν τε καὶ ἀσυλλόγιστον οἷόν τι πνεῦμα δυσῶδες τὴν βλασφημίαν ἐρεύγεται. « οὐκ οἰκειοῦται », φησί, « ταύτην τὴν ἀξίαν ». δεδόσθω τὸ ὂν « ἀξίαν » κατονομάζεσθαι: τί οὖν ὁ ὢν οὐκ οἰκειοῦται τὸ εἶναι; ὅτι, φησί, διὰ τὸν πατέρα ἐστίν. οὐκοῦν μὴ εἶναι λέγεις τὸν τὸ εἶναι μὴ οἰκειούμενον; τὸ γὰρ « μὴ οἰκειοῦσθαι » τῷ ἀλλοτριοῦσθαι ταὐτὸν σημαίνει, καὶ πρόδηλος ἡ τῶν σημαινομένων ἀντιδιαίρεσις. τό τε γὰρ οἰκεῖον οὐκ ἀλλότριον καὶ τὸ ἀλλότριον οὐκ οἰκεῖον. ὁ οὖν « μὴ οἰκειούμενος » τὸ εἶναι ἠλλοτρίωται πάντως τοῦ εἶναι. ὁ δὲ τοῦ εἶναι ἀλλότριος ἐν τῷ εἶναι οὐκ ἔστιν. ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀνάγκην τῆς ἀτοπίας ταύτης ἐπήγαγεν εἰπὼν « τῆς καὶ τούτου κυριευούσης οὐσίας πρὸς ἑαυτὴν ἑλκούσης τὴν τοῦ ὄντος ἔννοιαν ». τούτου δὲ τὸ μὲν κατὰ τὴν σύμφρασιν ἀσυνάρτητον σιωπάσθω, τὸ δὲ σπουδαζόμενον ἐν τοῖς λεγομένοις ἐξεταζέσθω. τίνος ἀποδείξαντος λόγου τὸ κυριεύειν τοῦ μονογενοῦς τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσίαν πάλιν ἐκ τῆς πληθώρας ἡμῖν προσερεύγεται; τίς εὐαγγελιστὴς τούτου προέστη τοῦ λόγου; τίς ἔφοδος διαλεκτική, ποῖαι προτάσεις, τίνες κατασκευαὶ τὸ κυριεύεσθαι τὸν μονογενῆ θεὸν διὰ τίνος ἀκολουθίας ἀπέδειξαν; ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἑαυτὴν ἕλκει, φησίν, ἡ τοῦ κυριεύουσα οὐσία τὴν τοῦ υἱοῦ ὄντος ἔννοιαν. τί βούλεται αὐτῷ ὁ ἑλκηθμὸς τοῦ ὄντος καὶ πῶς προσερρίφη τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἡ τοῦ « ἕλκειν » λέξις; κρινεῖ πάντως ὁ ἐπεσκεμμένος δύναμιν λόγων. ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο σιγήσομεν, ἐκεῖνον δὲ πάλιν τὸν λόγον ἀναληψόμεθα, ὅτι οὐ δίδωσιν εἶναι κατ' οὐσίαν ᾧ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ ὄντος οὐ καταλείπει. καὶ τί μάτην σκιαμαχεῖ περὶ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος μαχόμενος ὡς τοιοῦδε ὄντος; τὸ γὰρ μὴ ὂν οὔτε ὅμοιόν τινι πάντως ἐστὶν οὔτε ἀνόμοιον. ἀλλὰ διδοὺς τὸ εἶναι ἀπαγορεύει τὸ λέγεσθαι. ὢ κενῆς ἀκριβείας, ἐν τῷ μείζονι συγχωροῦντα μικρολογεῖσθαι περὶ τὸν ψόφον τοῦ ῥήματος. πῶς δὲ ὁ « κυριεύων », ὥς φησι, τοῦ υἱοῦ « πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἕλκει τοῦ ὄντος τὴν ἔννοιαν »; εἰ μὲν γὰρ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ οὐσίαν ἕλκειν φησὶ τὸν πατέρα, περιττὸς οὗτος ὁ ἑλκηθμός: πάρεστι γὰρ αὐτῷ τὸ εἶναι καὶ μὴ ἑλκόμενον: εἰ δὲ τοῦ υἱοῦ τὸ εἶναι παρὰ τοῦ πατρός φησιν ἕλκεσθαι, πῶς ἀποσπασθήσεται τοῦ ὄντος τὸ εἶναι καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἕλκοντα μεταχωρήσει, κατιδεῖν οὐκ ἔχω. ἆρα μὴ τὴν Σαβελλίου πλάνην φαντάζεται, ὡς οὐκ ὄντος τοῦ υἱοῦ καθ' ἑαυτόν, τῇ δὲ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑποστάσει προσαλιφέντος, καὶ τοῦτο βούλεται αὐτῷ τὸ « ἕλκεσθαι τὴν τοῦ ὄντος ἔννοιαν » παρὰ τῆς τοῦ υἱοῦ κυριευούσης οὐσίας; ἢ εἶναι καθ' ὑπόστασιν τὸν υἱὸν οὐκ ἀρνούμενος τῆς τοῦ ὄντος αὐτόν φησι σημασίας ἀπομερίζεσθαι; καὶ πῶς ἔστι διαζευχθῆναι τῆς τοῦ εἶναι διανοίας τὸ ὄν; ἕως γὰρ ἂν ᾖ πᾶν ὅπερ ἂν ᾖ, μὴ εἶναι ὃ ἔστι φύσιν οὐκ ἔχει.