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of our nature, "7but that from the beginning that fleshy nature was in the Son. And wrongly "7interpreting a certain evangelical saying, he brings it forward as a testimony of such an absurdity "7saying that «no one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from hea"7ven, the Son of Man», as if even before He came down He was the Son "7of Man and came down bringing with Him that flesh of His own, which in hea6.27.5 "7vens He happened to have, being pre-eternal and consubstantial. For he says "7again a certain apostolic saying that «the second man is from heaven»; then "7he constructs that that man who came from above did not have a mind, but "7that the divinity of the Only-begotten, having filled the nature of the mind, became "7the third part of the human compound, soul and body "7being humanly about him, but a mind not being present, but the Logos of God "7filling its place. 6.27.6 And this is not yet the terrible thing, but what is "7the most difficult of all, that he makes the only-begotten God Himself, the judge of all beings, "7the author of life, the destroyer of death, to be mortal, "7and to have received suffering in His own divinity, and in that three-day "7death of the body the divinity also to have died along with the "7body and thus to have been raised again from death by the Father. "7But the other things which he adds to such absurdities, it would be long to go through.» 6.27.7 So let whoever cares consider from what has been said what sort of things and how Apollinarius and Eunomius believe concerning God. But if he has decided to labor for an accurate understanding of such things, let him seek for more from what was written either by them or by others about them, since for me it is neither easy to comprehend such things nor 6.27.8 to translate them. But as it seems, in addition to the reasons mentioned, the fact that these doctrines did not prevail and spread to many must be credited especially to the monks of that time; for those who were pursuing the philosophic life in 6.27. Syria and Cappadocia and the surrounding regions held fast to the doctrines of Nicaea. For the East, beginning from the Cilicians as far as the Phoenicians, was in danger of becoming part of Apollinarius's faction, and Eunomius's from the Cilicians and Mount Taurus as far as the Hellespont and Constantinople. For each easily persuaded those 6.27.10 among whom he lived and his neighbors to think his own things. And something quite similar to the time of Arius happened with these men; for the multitude here, marveling at the virtue of the works of the aforesaid monks, believed that they held correct doctrines, and they turned away from those who thought otherwise, as being not pure from spurious doctrines, just as the Egyptians, following the monks among them, were opposed to the followers of Arius. 6.28.1 It seems to me timely, having mentioned those who at that time pursued the philosophic life in Christianity, to go through as many as I can. For at that time a very great abundance of God-loving men flourished. Among those we know, John was distinguished at this time in Egypt, to whom God revealed the future, which was unknown to others, no less than to the prophets of old, and gave him the gift of healing those suffering from incurable pas6.28.2sions and diseases, and Hor, who from his youth lived in the deserts, always hymning the divine, and was nourished on herbs and certain roots, and drank water if he found it anywhere; and when he was old, having moved to the Thebaid by divine command, he was the leader of very many monasteries, he himself not being without a share of divine deeds; for by praying alone he drove out diseases and demons, and though he had not learned letters he did not need books for remembrance, but whatever he took into his mind happened to be stronger than 6.28.3 forgetfulness. And in this region Ammon also pursued the philosophic life, the leader of those called Tabennesiotes, having about three thousand disciples; and Benos and Theonas led monastic orders, both workers of wonderful deeds and full of divine foreknowledge and prophecy. And it is said that Theonas, being knowledgeable in Egyptian and Greek and Ro-man learning, practiced silence for thirty years; and that Benos was seen by no one

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φύσεως ἡμῶν, "7ἀλλ' ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐν τῷ υἱῷ τὴν σαρκώδη ἐκείνην φύσιν εἶναι. καὶ κακῶς "7ἐκλαβὼν εὐαγγελικήν τινα ῥῆσιν εἰς μαρτυρίαν τῆς τοιαύτης ἀτοπίας προ"7βάλλεται λέγων ὅτι «οὐδεὶς ἀναβέβηκεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰ μὴ ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρα"7νοῦ καταβάς, ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου», ὡς καὶ πρὶν κατελθεῖν αὐτὸν υἱὸν "7ἀνθρώπου εἶναι καὶ κατελθεῖν ἰδίαν ἐπαγόμενον σάρκα ἐκείνην, ἣν ἐν οὐ6.27.5 "7ρανοῖς ἔχων ἐτύγχανε προαιώνιόν τινα καὶ συνουσιωμένην. λέγει γὰρ "7πάλιν ἀποστολικήν τινα ῥῆσιν ὅτι «ὁ δεύτερος ἄνθρωπος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ»· εἶτα "7κατασκευάζει τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐκεῖνον τὸν ἄνωθεν ἥκοντα νοῦν μὴ ἔχειν, ἀλλὰ "7τὴν θεότητα τοῦ μονογενοῦς τὴν τοῦ νοῦ φύσιν ἀναπληρώσασαν μέρος γενέ"7σθαι τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου συγκρίματος τὸ τριτημόριον, ψυχῆς τε καὶ σώματος "7κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον περὶ αὐτὸν ὄντων, νοῦ δὲ μὴ ὄντος, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἐκείνου 6.27.6 "7τόπον τοῦ θεοῦ λόγου ἀναπληροῦντος. καὶ οὔπω τοῦτο δεινόν, ἀλλὰ τὸ "7πάντων χαλεπώτατον, ὅτι αὐτὸν τὸν μονογενῆ θεόν, τὸν κριτὴν τῶν ὄντων, "7τὸν ἀρχηγὸν τῆς ζωῆς, τὸν καθαιρέτην τοῦ θανάτου, θνητὸν εἶναι κατα"7σκευάζει, καὶ τῇ ἰδίᾳ αὐτοῦ θεότητι πάθος δέξασθαι καὶ ἐν τῇ τριημέρῳ "7ἐκείνῃ νεκρώσει τοῦ σώματος καὶ τὴν θεότητα συναπονεκρωθῆναι τῷ "7σώματι καὶ οὕτω παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς πάλιν ἀπὸ τοῦ θανάτου διαναστῆναι. "7τὰ δὲ ἄλλα ὅσα προστίθησι ταῖς τοιαύταις ἀτοπίαις, μακρὸν ἂν εἴη διεξιέ"7ναι.» 6.27.7 Οἷα μὲν οὖν καὶ ὅπως περὶ θεοῦ δοξάζουσιν ᾿Απολινάριός τε καὶ Εὐνόμιος, ἐκ τῶν εἰρημένων ὅτῳ μέλει σκοπείτω. εἰ δὲ περὶ μάθησιν ἀκριβῆ τῶν τοιούτων πονεῖν ἔγνωκεν, ἐκ τῶν γεγραμμένων ἢ αὐτοῖς ἢ ἑτέροις περὶ αὐτῶν ἐπιζητείτω τὰ πλείω, ἐπεὶ ἐμοὶ οὔτε συνιέναι τὰ τοιαῦτα οὔτε 6.27.8 μεταφράζειν εὐπετές. ὡς ἔοικε δέ, πρὸς ταῖς εἰρημέναις αἰτίαις τὸ μὴ κρατῆσαι τάδε τὰ δόγματα καὶ εἰς πολλοὺς προελθεῖν μάλιστα τοῖς τότε μοναχοῖς λογιστέον· ἀπρὶξ γὰρ εἴχοντο τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ δογμάτων οἵ τε ἐν 6.27. Συρίᾳ καὶ Καππαδοκίᾳ καὶ πέριξ τούτων φιλοσοφοῦντες. ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἕως ἀπὸ Κιλίκων ἀρξαμένη μέχρι Φοινίκων ἐκινδύνευσε γενέσθαι τῆς ᾿Απολιναρίου μερίδος, Εὐνομίου δὲ ἀπὸ Κιλίκων καὶ Ταύρου τοῦ ὄρους μέχρι τοῦ ῾Ελλησπόντου καὶ τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως. ῥᾳδίως γὰρ ἑκάτερος παρ' 6.27.10 οἷς διέτριβε καὶ τοὺς πέλας τὰ αὐτοῦ φρονεῖν ἔπειθε. παραπλήσιον δέ πως τοῖς ἐπὶ ᾿Αρείου καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις συμβέβηκε· τὸ γὰρ τῇδε πλῆθος τοὺς δηλωθέντας μοναχοὺς τῆς ἀρετῆς τῶν ἔργων ἐκθαυμάζον ὀρθῶς αὐτοὺς δοξάζειν ἐπίστευε, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλως φρονοῦντας οἷά γε μὴ καθαρεύοντας νόθων δογμάτων ἀπεστρέφοντο, ὥσπερ Αἰγύπτιοι τοῖς παρ' αὐτοῖς μοναχοῖς ἑπόμενοι ἐναντίως εἶχον πρὸς τοὺς ᾿Αρείου. 6.28.1 Εἰς καιρὸν δέ μοι δοκεῖ ἐπιμνησθέντι τῶν τότε ἐν Χριστιανισμῷ φιλοσοφούντων ὅσους ἂν δυναίμην διεξελθεῖν. πλείστη γὰρ κατ' ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ φορὰ θεοφιλῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐπήνθει. διέπρεπε δὲ κατὰ τούτους ὧν ἴσμεν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ᾿Ιωάννης, ᾧ τὸ μέλλον καὶ ἄλλοις ἄδηλον ὁ θεὸς ἐδήλωσεν οὐχ ἧττον ἢ τοῖς πάλαι προφήταις καὶ δῶρον ἔδωκεν ἰᾶσθαι τοὺς ἀνιάτοις πά6.28.2 θεσι καὶ νόσοις κάμνοντας, καὶ ῍Ωρ ὃς ἐκ νέου διέτριβεν ἐν ἐρημίαις, ἀεὶ τὸ θεῖον ὑμνῶν, ἐτρέφετο δὲ βοτάναις καὶ ῥίζαις τισίν, ὕδωρ δὲ ἔπινεν εἴ πῃ ηὗρεν· ἐπεὶ δὲ γέρων ἦν, κατὰ θείαν πρόσταξιν μετοικισθεὶς εἰς Θηβαΐδα πλείστων ἡγεῖτο μοναστηρίων, οὐδ' αὐτὸς θείων πράξεων ἀμοιρῶν· μόνον γὰρ εὐχόμενος νόσους καὶ δαίμονας ἤλαυνε, καὶ γράμματα μὴ μαθὼν οὐκ ἐδεῖτο βιβλίων εἰς ἀνάμνησιν, ἀλλὰ πᾶν ὅπερ ἂν ἔλαβεν εἰς νοῦν κρεῖττον 6.28.3 λήθης ἐτύγχανε. περὶ δὲ τοῦτο τὸ κλίμα ἐφιλοσόφει καὶ ᾿Αμμὼν ὁ τῶν καλουμένων Ταβεννησιωτῶν ἡγούμενος, ἀμφὶ τρισχιλίους μαθητὰς ἔχων· καὶ Βῆνος δὲ καὶ Θεωνᾶς μοναχικῶν ἡγοῦντο ταγμάτων, ἄμφω μὲν δημιουργὼ παραδόξων πραγμάτων καὶ θείας προγνώσεως καὶ προφητείας ἔμπλεω. λέγεται δὲ Θεωνᾶν μὲν ἵστορα ὄντα τῆς Αἰγυπτίων καὶ ῾Ελλήνων καὶ ῾Ρω-μαίων παιδεύσεως, ἐπὶ τριάκοντα ἔτεσι σιωπὴν ἀσκῆσαι· Βῆνον δὲ παρ' οὐδενὸς θεαθῆναι