[Against Eunomius]

 αʹ. Προοίμιον ὅτι οὐ συμφέρει τοὺς μὴ καταδεχομένους τὴν ὠφέλειαν εὐεργετεῖν πειρᾶσθαι. βʹ. Ὅτι δικαίως πρὸς τὴν ἀντίρρησιν ἤλθομεν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ κατηγο

 αʹ. Ὁ δεύτερος λόγος τὴν σάρκωσιν τοῦ θεοῦ λόγου καὶ τὴν δοθεῖσαν παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου τοῖς μαθηταῖς πίστιν ἐκδιδάσκει, καὶ τοὺς ταύτην ἀνατρέποντας αἱρετι

 αʹ. Ὁ τρίτος οὗτος λόγος τρίτην πτῶσιν τοῦ Εὐνομίου δεικνύει ὡς ἑαυτὸν διελέγχοντος καὶ ποτὲ μὲν λέγοντος ὅτι διὰ τὸ γεννηθῆναι κατὰ φύσιν δεῖ υἱὸν τὸ

 αʹ. Ὁ τέταρτος οὗτος λόγος τὴν περὶ τοῦ γεννήματος φυσιολογίαν καὶ τὴν περὶ τῆς ἀπαθοῦς γεννήσεως τοῦ μονογενοῦς καὶ τὸ Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος ἔτι τε τὴν

 αʹ. Ὁ δὲ πέμπτος λόγος τὰ παρὰ τῆς τοῦ ἀποστόλου Πέτρου φωνῆς ῥηθέντα ἐπαγγέλλεται εἰπεῖν, ἀναβάλλεται δέ, καὶ πρότερον μὲν περὶ τῆς κτίσεως διαλέγετα

 αʹ. Καὶ ὁ ἕκτος δὲ λόγος οὐ ψιλὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐλθόντα, ὡς ὁ Εὐνόμιος τὸν μέγαν Βασίλειον εἶπεν εἰρηκέναι ψευδῶς διαβάλλων, δ

 αʹ. Οὗτος δὲ ὁ ζʹ λόγος τὴν κύριος λέξιν οὐκ οὐσίας ὄνομα κατὰ τὴν Εὐνομίου ἔκθεσιν, ἀλλ' ἀξίας ἔκ τε τῶν πρὸς Κορινθίους διαφόρων ῥητῶν καὶ τῶν πρὸς

 αʹ. Ὁ δὲ ηʹ λόγος τὴν παρὰ τῶν αἱρετικῶν βλασφημίαν τῶν ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων τὸν μονογενῆ λεγόντων καὶ ὅτι ἦν ὅτε οὐκ ἦν πάνυ θαυμαστῶς ἀνατρέπει καὶ οὐ πρόσφ

 αʹ. Ὁ θʹ λόγος τὴν Εὐνομίου θεολογίαν μέχρι μέν τινος καλῶς ῥηθεῖσαν λέγει. εἶτ' ἐφεξῆς ἐκ τῶν Φίλωνος λόγων τὸ Ὁ θεὸς πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ὅσα γεννητά, διὰ

 αʹ. Ὁ ιʹ δὲ λόγος τὸ ἀνέφικτον καὶ ἀκατάληπτον τῆς τῶν ὄντων εὑρέσεως διεξέρχεται. ἐν ᾧ καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς φύσεως καὶ διαπλάσεως τοῦ μύρμηκος παραδόξως ἐ

 αʹ. Ὁ ιαʹ λόγος οὐ τῷ πατρὶ μόνον τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν ὀφείλεσθαι, ὥς φησιν ὁ Εὐνόμιος ὁ μιμητὴς Μανιχαίου καὶ Βαρδησάνου, ἀλλὰ « ὅτι » καὶ τῷ υἱῷ

 αʹ. Οὗτος δὲ ὁ ιβʹ λόγος τὸν πρὸς τὴν Μαρίαν παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου ῥηθέντα λόγον Μή μου ἅπτου, οὔπω γὰρ ἀναβέβηκα, θαυμαστῶς ἑρμηνεύει. βʹ. Εἶτα τὴν παρὰ το

 Οὐκ ἦν, ὡς ἔοικε, τὸ πάντας ἐθέλειν εὐεργετεῖν καὶ τοῖς ἐπιτυχοῦσι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν παρ' ἑαυτοῦ χάριν ἀνεξετάστως προΐεσθαι κατὰ πάντα καλὸν καὶ τῆς τ

 εἰ μὲν οὖν ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἡ θεοειδὴς ἐκείνη καὶ ἁγία ψυχὴ διὰ σαρκὸς ἐφεώρα τὸν ἀνθρώπινον βίον, καὶ τὸ ὑψηλὸν στόμα κατὰ τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀποκληρωθεῖσαν χάρ

 Μηδεὶς δὲ μεγαλορρημονεῖν με διὰ τούτων οἰέσθω τῶν λόγων, ὡς ὑπὲρ τὴν προσοῦσαν δύναμιν ἐπὶ ματαίοις κομπάζοντα. οὐ γὰρ ἀπειροκάλως εἰς λόγων ἅμιλλαν

 Ἐν τούτοις τοίνυν καὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις τὸ πλέον ἔχειν αὐτὸν συγχωρήσας καὶ κατὰ ἐξουσίαν ἐμφορεῖσθαι τῆς νίκης πᾶσαν τὴν περὶ ταῦτα σπουδὴν ἑκὼν ὑπερβήσ

 Ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ καὶ αὐτῷ τῷ παραιτεῖσθαι πλέον τοῦ δέοντος ἐμβραδύνω τοῖς ἀνονήτοις « καὶ » καθάπερ ὁ διὰ βορβόρου τινὸς διελαύνων τὸν ἵππον καὶ τῆς ἐκεῖθ

 Ἆρ' οὐχὶ τῷ ὄντι τὰ μέγιστα διὰ τούτων ἠδίκηται ἢ αὐτὸς οὗτος ὁ λογογράφος ἢ ὁ προστάτης αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ ὁμοίου βίου καθηγητὴς Ἀέτιος ὅν μοι δοκεῖ μὴ τ

 τέως δὲ νῦν ὁ διὰ τὸ ἀληθεύειν μισεῖσθαι παρὰ τῶν ἀπίστων ἐν προοιμίοις αἰτιασάμενος οἵᾳ κέχρηται τῇ ἀληθείᾳ σκοπήσωμεν: οὐδὲ γὰρ ἴσως ἀπὸ καιροῦ καὶ

 Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν οὐκ οἶδα πῶς παρενέπεσεν ἐκ τῆς ἀκολουθίας τοῦ λόγου τῷ μὴ καλῶς προῆχθαι τὴν ἀπολογίαν. οὐδὲ γὰρ περὶ τοῦ πῶς ἐχρῆν ἀπολογήσασθαι πρόκ

 ὑπέθετό τινα τόπον ἐν ᾧ τὸν περὶ τῶν δογμάτων ἀγῶνα συστῆναί φησιν, ἀνώνυμον δὲ τοῦτον καὶ οὐδενὶ γνωρίμῳ σημείῳ δηλούμενον, ὥστε ἀνάγκην εἶναι τῷ ἀκρ

 Διὰ τοῦτο πάντα τὸν ἐν τῷ μέσῳ λόγον καταλιπών, ὕβριν ὄντα καὶ χλευασμὸν καὶ λοιδορίαν καὶ σκώμματα, πρὸς τὴν τοῦ δόγματος ἐξέτασιν κατεπείξω τὸν λόγο

 Ἀλλὰ καὶ « τὸν σοφιστικὸν λόγον » ἐπονειδίζων ἑτέροις, θεωρεῖτε οἵαν τῆς τἀληθοῦς ἀποδείξεως ποιεῖται τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν. εἶπεν ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ

 Ἀλλ' ἐν μὲν τοῖς ἡμετέροις τοιοῦτος: ἐν δὲ τοῖς λοιποῖς τῶν ἐφ' ὕβρει ῥηθέντων ἆρά τι ἀληθεύων ἐπιδειχθήσεται ἐν οἷς « δειλόν τε καὶ ἄτολμον καὶ τοὺς

 Ἀλλὰ γὰρ οὐκ οἶδ' ὅπως τοσοῦτον ἔξω τῶν προκειμένων παρηνέχθη ὁ λόγος πρὸς ἕκαστον τῶν ἐφ' ὕβρει ῥηθέντων παρὰ τοῦ συκοφάντου ἐπιστρεφόμενος. καίτοι τ

 ἀλλὰ παντὶ πρόδηλον οἶμαι τὴν αἰτίαν εἶναι τῆς καινῆς ταύτης ὀνοματοποιΐας, ὅτι πάντες ἄνθρωποι πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ προσηγορίαν ἀκούσαντες εὐθὺς τὴν οἰκεί

 Ἀλλὰ μὴν οὐδὲ δυνάμεως οὐδὲ ἀγαθότητος οὐδὲ ἄλλου τινὸς τῶν τοιούτων ὑπεροχὴν τὸ ἄνω φήσει τῆς οὐσίας ἐνδείκνυσθαι. καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο παντὶ γνώριμον,

 Τί τοίνυν τῆς ὑποταγῆς ἐστι τὸ σημαινόμενον καὶ ἐπὶ τίνων ἡ θεία γραφὴ τῷ τοιούτῳ προσχρῆται ῥήματι, πρῶτον κατανοήσωμεν. τιμῶν τὸν ἄνθρωπον τῷ κατ' ε

 Εἶτά φησι: « συμπεριλαμβανομένων δηλαδὴ καὶ τῶν ταῖς οὐσίαις ἑπομένων ἐνεργειῶν καὶ τῶν ταύταις προσφυῶν ὀνομάτων ». τούτων δὲ ὁ νοῦς ἐστὶ μὲν οὐ λίαν

 Εἶτα κἀκεῖνο τούτοις προσεξετάσωμεν. « ἔργον » ὀνομάζει τῆς οὐσίας τὴν οὐσίαν, τὴν μὲν δευτέραν τῆς πρώτης, τῆς δὲ δευτέρας πάλιν τὴν τρίτην, τίνι τρό

 « Πάλιν δ' αὖ ἑκάστης τούτων οὐσίας εἰλικρινῶς ἁπλῆς καὶ πάντη μιᾶς οὔσης τε καὶ νοουμένης κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀξίαν, συμπεριγραφομένων δὲ τοῖς ἔργοις τῶν

 Καὶ ὅτι ταῦτα νοῶν τούτοις τοῖς λόγοις κέχρηται, διὰ τῶν ἐφεξῆς σαφέστερον δείκνυται, δι' ὧν φανερώτερον εἰς χαμαιζήλους τινὰς καὶ ταπεινὰς ὑπολήψεις

 διδόσθω δὲ καθ' ὑπόθεσιν μὴ οὕτως ἔχειν. καὶ γὰρ ὁμολογοῦσι δῆθεν καὶ τῷ λόγῳ φιλανθρωπεύονται συγχωροῦντες « τὸ » εἶναι τῷ τε μονογενεῖ υἱῷ καὶ τῷ πν

 εἶτα βραχύτητά τινα τῇ οὐσίᾳ κατ' ἐλάττωσιν ἐνθεωροῦσιν, οὐκ οἶδα τίνι μεθόδῳ τὸν ἄποσόν τε καὶ ἀμεγέθη τῇ ἑαυτῶν ὑπολήψει παραμετρήσαντες καὶ εὑρεῖν

 Δῆλον οὖν ὅτι αἰνίγματα τινῶν ἐστι τὰ λεγόμενα βαθυτέραν τινὰ τῆς προχείρου διανοίας τὴν θεωρίαν ἐμπεριέχοντα, ὡς ἐκ τούτων μηδενὶ λόγῳ τὴν τοῦ ἐκτίσθ

 Τί τοίνυν προστίθησι τῇ ἀκολουθίᾳ τῶν εἰρημένων, σκοπήσωμεν. μετὰ τὸ εἰπεῖν: « ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἐλάττους τε καὶ μείζους τὰς οὐσίας οἴεσθαι δεῖν εἶναι καὶ τὰ

 καὶ ἔτι πρὸς τούτοις, ὅπερ καὶ μᾶλλον ἀπελέγχει τὴν ἀτοπίαν τοῦ δόγματος, οὐ μόνον τῷ υἱῷ κατασκευασθήσεται χρονική τις ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς ὑπάρξεως ἐκ τοῦ τοι

 Ἀλλ' ἴσως ἐρεῖ τις τῶν ἐνισταμένων τῷ λόγῳ, ὅτι καὶ ἡ κτίσις ὁμολογουμένην ἀρχὴν τοῦ εἶναι ἔχει, καὶ οὔτε συνεπινοεῖται τῇ ἀϊδιότητι τοῦ δημιουργοῦ τὰ

 Οἷα δὲ τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἐπάγει καὶ τὰ ἀκόλουθα. « ἅτε », φησί, « τῶν αὐτῶν ἐνεργειῶν τὴν ταὐτότητα τῶν ἔργων ἀποτελουσῶν, καὶ τῶν παρηλλαγμένων ἔργων π

 ἀλλ' ὁ σοφὸς οὗτος τῶν « παρηλλαγμένων ἔργων παρηλλαγμένας καὶ τὰς ἐνεργείας » ἡμῖν ἀποφαίνεται, ἢ τὸ εἶδος τῆς θείας ἐνεργείας μήπω μαθών, ὅ φησιν ἡ

 Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἐφεξῆς λόγον ἐπισκοπήσωμεν. καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ ταῖς ἐνεργείαις φησὶν ἀμφιβολίαν διαλύειν ἐκ τῶν οὐσιῶν. πῶς ἄν τις αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν ματαίων ὑπολήψεω

 Ἡδέως δ' ἂν καὶ τοῦτο παρ' αὐτοῦ μάθοιμι. ἐπὶ μόνης τῆς θείας φύσεως τὴν ἐπὶ ταῖς ἐνεργείαις ἀμφιβολίαν ἐκ τῆς ἐργασαμένης οὐσίας διαλύεσθαι λέγει, ἢ

 καίτοι γε δι' αὐτῶν τούτων ὧν αὐτός φησιν, εἴπερ τοῖς ἰδίοις κατακολουθεῖν ἠπίστατο λόγοις, ὡδηγήθη ἂν πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ἐκκλησιαστικοῦ δόγματος συγκατάθεσ

 Ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ τοῦτο νοηθῇ, ὡς ἐξ ἀνάγκης τινὸς βιασθεὶς « ἀποστῆναι μὲν λέγει τῶν τῆς προνοίας ἔργων, ἀναχθῆναι δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν τῆς γεννήσεως τρόπον, διὰ τὸ

 ἄνεισι γοῦν ἐπὶ τὴν γεννήσασαν οὐσίαν καὶ δι' ἐκείνης τὴν γεννηθεῖσαν ἐπισκοπεῖ: « διὰ τὸ τῇ φυσικῇ », φησί, « τοῦ γεννήσαντος ἀξίᾳ δείκνυσθαι τὸν τῆς

 Τὰ μὲν οὖν πρὸ τῶν ἀνεγνωσμένων αὐτῷ γεγραμμένα, ὡς ψιλὴν ἔχοντα κατὰ τοῦ διδασκάλου καὶ πατρὸς ἡμῶν τὴν ἀναισχυντίαν καὶ οὐδὲν πρὸς τὸν προκείμενον σ

 Ἀκούσαντες τοίνυν ὅτι Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν, τό τε ἐξ αἰτίου τὸν κύριον καὶ τὸ κατὰ τὴν φύσιν ἀπαράλλακτον τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκ τῆς φωνῆς ἐπα

 Τὰ μὲν οὖν παρ' ἐκείνων τοιαῦτα. εἰ δέ τις τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ προσέχων ἐκ τῆς θείας τε καὶ ἀκηράτου φύσεως τὸν υἱὸν εἶναι πιστεύοι, πάντα συνῳδὰ

 ἐπεὶ δὲ πολύς ἐστιν εὐροῶν ταῖς λοιδορίαις καὶ πάσης μὲν ἀρχῆς κατασκευὴν τὴν ὕβριν ποιούμενος, ἀντὶ δὲ πάσης ἀποδείξεως τῶν ἀμφισβητουμένων τὴν λοιδο

 ἢ βούλει καὶ τοὺς ἀφύκτους συλλογισμοὺς καὶ τὰς ποικίλας τῶν σοφισμάτων ἀναστροφάς, δι' ὧν ἐλέγχειν οἴεται τὸν λόγον, ἐπισκεψώμεθα ἀλλὰ δέδοικα μὴ τὸ

 οὐ βούλεται ὁ Εὐνόμιος ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς φωνῆς καὶ τοῦ ἀγεννήτου τὴν σημασίαν παρίστασθαι, ἵνα τὸ ποτὲ μὴ εἶναι τὸν μονογενῆ κατασκευάσῃ. καὶ γὰρ καὶ

 Ἰδοὺ γὰρ πῶς μνησικακεῖ τῷ τὸ σαθρὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀσθενὲς τῆς κακουργίας φωράσαντι, καὶ ὡς ἀμύνεται αὐτὸν δι' ὧν δύναται: δύναται δὲ διὰ λοιδορίας μόνης

 Εἴρηται τοίνυν « παρέπεσθαι τῷ θεῷ τὸ ἀγέννητον ». ἐκ τοῦ λόγου τούτου τῶν ἔξωθέν τι τῷ θεῷ παρακολουθούντων τὴν ἀγεννησίαν αὐτὸν λέγειν ὑπενοήσαμεν.

 Τὸ ἀΐδιον τῆς θείας ζωῆς, ὡς ἄν τις ὅρῳ τινὶ περιλαβὼν ὑπογράψειε, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν. ἀεὶ μὲν ἐν τῷ εἶναι καταλαμβάνεται, τοῦ δὲ ποτὲ μὴ εἶναι καὶ ποτὲ μ

 [Book II]

 ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΥ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΥ ΝΥΣΣΗΣ « ΛΟΓΟΣ ΑΝΤΙΡΡΗΤΙΚΟΣ ΠΡΟΣ ΤΗΝ ΕΥΝΟΜΙΟΥ ΕΚΘΕΣΙΝ » Ἡ τῶν Χριστιανῶν πίστις ἡ εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη κατὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα τοῦ κυρίου π

 Ἐπεὶ οὖν τὸ δόγμα τοῦτο παρ' αὐτῆς ἐκτίθεται τῆς ἀληθείας, εἴ τι παρεπινοοῦσιν ἐπὶ ἀθετήσει τῆς θείας ταύτης φωνῆς οἱ τῶν πονηρῶν αἱρέσεων εὑρεταί, ὡς

 Τί οὖν σημαίνει τὸ ἀκατονόμαστον ὄνομα, περὶ οὗ εἰπὼν ὁ κύριος ὅτι Βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα, οὐ προσέθηκεν αὐτὴν τὴν σημαντικὴν φωνὴν τὴν ὑπὸ τ

 Ἔχει τοίνυν ἡ λέξις τοῦ δόγματος αὐτῶν οὕτω: « πιστεύομεν εἰς τὸν ἕνα καὶ μόνον ἀληθινὸν θεὸν κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ κυρίου διδασκαλίαν, οὐκ ἐψευσμένῃ φων

 « Οὐ τὴν οὐσίαν », φησί, « καθ' ἥν ἐστιν εἷς, χωριζόμενον ἢ μεριζόμενον εἰς πλείους, ἢ ἄλλοτε ἄλλον γινόμενον, ἢ τοῦ εἶναι ὅ ἐστι μεθιστάμενον, οὐδὲ ἐ

 ἃ δὲ τούτοις ἐφεξῆς προστίθησι, ταῦτά ἐστιν. « οὐ κοινωνὸν ἔχων », φησί, « τῆς θεότητος, οὐ μερίτην τῆς δόξης, οὐ σύγκληρον τῆς ἐξουσίας, οὐ σύνθρονον

 Ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ οἷα τοῖς εἰρημένοις προστίθησιν. « οὐκ ἐν τῷ γεννᾶν », φησί, « τὴν ἰδίαν οὐσίαν μερίζων καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς γεννῶν καὶ γεννώμενος ἢ ὁ αὐτὸς πατὴ

 Ὁ μέγας Παῦλος εἰδὼς ὅτι παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ ἀρχηγός τε καὶ αἴτιος ὁ μονογενής ἐστι θεὸς ὁ ἐν πᾶσι πρωτεύων, προσμαρτυρεῖ αὐτῷ τὸ μὴ μόνον τὴν τῶν ὄντων κτί

 Πάλιν δὲ τοῦ Εὐνομίου τὸν λόγον ἐπὶ λέξεως ἀναλάβωμεν. « πιστεύομεν καὶ εἰς τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ υἱόν, τὸν μονογενῆ θεόν, τὸν πρωτότοκον πάσης κτίσεως, υἱὸν ἀ

 Ἀλλὰ τὴν παροιμιώδη φωνὴν πάντως προφέρουσιν, ἥ φησιν ὅτι Κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ, εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ. τοῦτο δὲ διὰ πλειόνων μὲν ἔστιν παραθέσθα

 τίς δὲ καὶ ἡ τοῦ « παντοκράτορος » ἀξία, ἧς « ἀμέτοχον » ὁ Εὐνόμιος τὸν υἱὸν ἀποφαίνεται λεγέτωσαν μὲν οὖν οἱ σοφοὶ παρ' ἑαυτοῖς καὶ ἐνώπιον ἑαυτῶν ἐ

 τίς δὲ καὶ ἡ πολύτροπος αὕτη μεσιτεία, ἣν ἐπιθρυλεῖ τῷ θεῷ, « μεσίτην » λέγων « ἐν δόγμασι, μεσίτην ἐν νόμῳ » οὐ ταῦτα παρὰ τῆς ὑψηλῆς φωνῆς τοῦ ἀποσ

 Εἶτα « νομοθετεῖ », φησί, « κατ' ἐπιταγὴν τοῦ αἰωνίου θεοῦ ». τίς ὁ αἰώνιός ἐστι θεὸς καὶ τίς ὁ ὑπουργῶν αὐτῷ περὶ τὴν τοῦ νόμου θέσιν ἀλλὰ παντὶ δῆλ

 Καὶ περὶ μὲν τῆς εἰς τὸν υἱὸν βλασφημίας τοσαῦτα. ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ ὅσα περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος διεξέρχεται. « μετὰ τοῦτον πιστεύομεν », φησίν, « εἰς τὸν

 Προστίθησι δὲ τούτοις ὅτι « οὔτε κατὰ τὸν πατέρα οὔτε τῷ πατρὶ συναριθμούμενος: εἷς γάρ ἐστι καὶ μόνος πατὴρ ὁ ἐπὶ πάντων θεός, οὔτε τῷ υἱῷ συνεξισούμ

 [Book III]

 Εἰ τῷ νομίμως ἀθλοῦντι τῶν ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσι πόνων ὅρος ἐστὶν ἢ τὸ παντελῶς ἀπειπόντα πρὸς τοὺς πόνους τὸν ἀνταγωνιστὴν ἑκουσίως ἐκστῆναι τῷ κεκρατηκότι τ

 τάχα δ' ἂν ἡμῖν ἐκεῖνο προενεχθείη παρ' αὐτῶν τῆς παροιμίας τὸ μέρος ὅπερ οἱ πρόμαχοι τῆς αἱρέσεως εἰς μαρτυρίαν τοῦ ἐκτίσθαι τὸν κύριον προφέρειν εἰώ

 Φανερᾶς τοίνυν τῆς πρὸς ἑαυτὸν μάχης τοῦ Εὐνομίου γεγενημένης, ἐν οἷς ἐναντία λέγων ἑαυτῷ ἀπελήλεγκται, νῦν μὲν διὰ τὸ γεννηθῆναι κατὰ φύσιν λέγων δεῖ

 Οὐκοῦν ἐναργῶς πεφώραται διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων τοῦ λογογράφου ἡ ἀτονία τῆς κακουργίας, ὃς κατασκευάζειν ἐπιχειρῶν τὴν τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ μονογενοῦς πρὸς τὴν τ

 Εἰ δέ τις ἀπαιτοίη τῆς θείας οὐσίας ἑρμηνείαν τινὰ καὶ ὑπογραφὴν καὶ ἐξήγησιν, ἀμαθεῖς εἶναι τῆς τοιαύτης σοφίας οὐκ ἀρνησόμεθα, τοσοῦτον ὁμολογοῦντες

 Ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἐπὶ πλέον παρηνέχθη τῶν προκειμένων ὁ λόγος, τοῖς ἀεὶ κατὰ τὸ ἀκόλουθον ἐφευρισκομένοις ἑπόμενος. οὐκοῦν πάλιν τὴν ἀκολουθίαν ἐπαναλάβωμεν, ἐ

 Ἀλλ' οὐκ οἶδ' ὅπως ἢ διότι μισοῦντες τε καὶ ἀποστρεφόμενοι τὴν ἀλήθειαν υἱὸν μὲν αὐτὸν ὀνομάζουσιν, ὡς δ' ἂν μὴ τὸ κατ' οὐσίαν κοινὸν διὰ τῆς φωνῆς τα

 [Book IV]

 Καιρὸς δ' ἂν εἴη καὶ τὴν περὶ τοῦ γεννήματος φυσιολογίαν τὴν ἐπιμελῶς αὐτῷ φιλοσοφηθεῖσαν ἐξετάσαι τῷ λόγῳ. φησὶ τοίνυν (ἐρῶ δὲ κατὰ λέξιν τὸν καλλιγρ

 Καὶ τοῦτο δείκνυσι περιφανῶς δι' ὧν τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἐπαγωνίζεται λέγων « γεγεννῆσθαι παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ υἱοῦ τὴν οὐσίαν. οὐ κατὰ ἔκτασιν προβληθεῖσαν

 ἀλλ' ὡς ἂν μή τι τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσι τοῖς πόνοις ἡμῶν ἀμφίβολον ὑπολείποιτο τῶν τινα συνηγορίαν τοῖς αἱρετικοῖς δόγμασι παρεχομένων, ἐκ τῆς θεοπνεύστου

 Ἀλλ' ἐπανιτέον πρὸς τοὺς τῇ θείᾳ γεννήσει τὸ πάθος συνάπτοντας καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀπαρνουμένους τὸ ἀληθῶς γεννηθῆναι τὸν κύριον, ἵνα μὴ πάθος νοήσωσι. τὸ γ

 Χρήσιμον δ' ἂν ἴσως εἴη τῆς παρατεθείσης ἡμῖν τοῦ Εὐνομίου ῥήσεως πᾶσαν ἀκολούθως ἰδεῖν τὴν διάνοιαν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀναδραμόντας τοῦ λόγου. τὰ γὰρ νῦν

 ἡμεῖς δὲ πάλιν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις κατ' αὐτὴν τὴν λέξιν ἀκολουθήσωμεν, ὡς ἂν φανερὸν γένοιτο πᾶσιν ὅτι πλὴν τοῦ βούλεσθαι κακουργεῖν οὐδεμίαν ἰσχὺν πρὸς

 Ἀλλὰ φιλανθρωπεύεται τοῖς ὑπολοίποις καί φησιν « οὐδενὶ τῶν δι' αὐτῆς καὶ μετ' αὐτὴν γενομένων συγκρίνεσθαι ». τοιαῦτα δωροφοροῦσιν οἱ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχ

 Ἀλλὰ τί χρὴ καταστοχαζομένους τῆς διανοίας ἀνακαλύπτειν τῷ λόγῳ τὴν κεκρυμμένην ἀπάτην καὶ παρέχειν ἴσως ἀφορμὰς τοῖς ἀκούουσιν, ὡς οὐκ ἀληθῶς ἡμῶν τα

 Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ὡς πρόδηλον ἔχοντα τὴν ἀτοπίαν παραδραμοῦμαι τῷ λόγῳ, τὸ δὲ πρὸ αὐτῶν ἐξετάσωμεν. « οὐδέν » φησιν « ἕτερον εὑρίσκεσθαι παρὰ τὴν οὐσίαν

 [Book V]

 Περὶ δὲ τῆς Πέτρου τοῦ ἀποστόλου φωνῆς καιρὸς ἂν εἴη φιλοπονώτερον διεξετάσαι τὰ εἰρημένα αὐτῷ τε τῷ Εὐνομίῳ καὶ τῷ ἡμετέρῳ πατρὶ περὶ τούτου. εἰ δὲ ε

 Ταύτης τοίνυν προεκτεθείσης ἡμῖν τῆς περὶ τῶν ὄντων θεωρίας, καιρὸς ἂν εἴη τὸν προκείμενον ἐξετάσαι λόγον. οὐκοῦν εἴρηται μὲν παρὰ τοῦ Πέτρου πρὸς τοὺ

 Ἡ μὲν δὴ κατηγορία τοιαύτη. δοκεῖ δέ μοι χρῆναι πρῶτον ἐπὶ κεφαλαίων ἕκαστον τῶν ἐπενηνεγμένων ἐν ὀλίγῳ διεξελθεῖν, εἶθ' οὕτως εὐθῦναι τῷ λόγῳ τὰ εἰρη

 Φησὶ « τὸν ἄνθρωπον εἰς ἄνθρωπον κεκενῶσθαι » λέγειν ἡμᾶς καὶ « τὸν ἐξ ὑπακοῆς ἑαυτὸν ταπεινώσαντα τῇ τοῦ δούλου μορφῇ σύμμορφον εἶναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις

 Καὶ γὰρ ἡ ἐφεξῆς κατηγορία παραπλήσιον τὸ παράλογον ἔχει. « δύο » γὰρ « Χριστοὺς καὶ δύο κυρίους » λέγειν ἡμᾶς ᾐτιάσατο, οὐκ ἐκ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐλέγχειν

 [Book VI]

 Ἀλλ' αἰσθάνομαι πέρα τοῦ δέοντος ἐμφιλοχωρήσας τῷ τόπῳ, τῆς ἀνάγκης τῶν νοημάτων πρὸς τὴν θεωρίαν ἡμᾶς ταύτην ἐξαπαγούσης: ἐπαναληπτέον δὲ τὴν ἀκολουθ

 τοῦτο δὲ κἂν ἐκ παρόδου λέγωμεν, οὐκ ἀχρηστότερον ἴσως δοκεῖ τοῦ προκειμένου τὸ ἐπεισόδιον. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰπόντος τοῦ ἁγίου Πέτρου Κύριον αὐτὸν καὶ Χρισ

 Καὶ περὶ μὲν τούτων ἀπόχρη. τὸ δ' ἐπὶ διαβολῇ τοῦ καθ' ἡμᾶς δόγματος παρὰ τοῦ Εὐνομίου λεγόμενον ὡς εἰς ἑαυτὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ κενωθέντος ἤδη μὲν ἱκανῶς δ

 ἀλλ' ἐπανιτέον πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸν σφοδρὸν λογογράφον καὶ τὴν σύντονον ἐκείνην καθ' ἡμῶν ῥητορείαν ἀναληπτέον ἡμῖν. Αἰτιᾶται τὸ μὴ λέγειν πεποιῆσθαι τοῦ υἱο

 [Book VII]

 Ἐπεὶ δέ φησι τὴν Κύριος λέξιν τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ μονογενοῦς, οὐ τῆς ἀξίας κατηγορεῖσθαι, καὶ τὸν ἀπόστολον τούτοις ἐπιμαρτύρεται λέγοντα πρὸς Κορινθίους Ὁ

 Θεοῦ τοίνυν τοῦ μονογενοῦς ἐν ταῖς θείαις κηρυσσομένου γραφαῖς, νοησάτω τὸν ἴδιον λόγον Εὐνόμιος καὶ καταγνώτω πᾶσαν ἠλιθιότητα τοῦ τὸ θεῖον τῷ κτιστῷ

 Πλὴν ἐπειδή τι μετὰ τὰ εἰρημένα καὶ ἰσχυρότερον ἐπαγγέλλεται λέγειν, ὡς ἂν μὴ φόβῳ τῶν δυνατωτέρων καθυφιέναι δοκοίημεν τὴν ἀντίρρησιν, κἀκεῖνο τοῖς ε

 Ἀλλὰ Πέτρος, φησί, καὶ Παῦλος παρὰ ἀνθρώπων κατωνομάσθησαν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ μεταθεῖναι τὰς προσηγορίας ἐπ' αὐτῶν δυνατὸν γέγονε. τί δὲ τῶν ὄντων οὐ

 Ταῦτα δέ φαμεν οὐχ ὡς ἀρνούμενοι τὸ ἀγεννήτως εἶναι τὸν πατέρα οὐδ' ὡς μὴ συντιθέμενοι τὸ γεννητὸν εἶναι τὸν μονογενῆ θεόν, ἀλλὰ καὶ οὗτος γεγέννηται

 [Book VIII]

 Τὰ μὲν οὖν « ἰσχυρὰ » τῶν Εὐνομίου τοιαῦτα. ἐγὼ δὲ τῶν ἐν ἐπαγγελίᾳ δυνάμεως οὕτω σαθρῶν τε καὶ ἀνυποστάτων ἐπιδειχθέντων τῷ λόγῳ, σιωπᾶν οἶμαι δεῖν ἐ

 Τούτων οὖν ἡμῖν οὕτω διῃρημένων οὐκέτ' ἄν τις ἀμφιβάλλοι πῶς καὶ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ὁ μονογενὴς εἶναι πεπίστευται καὶ ἀϊδίως ἔστι, κἂν δοκῇ κατὰ τὴν πρόχει

 Οὑτωσὶ δὲ τοῦ δόγματος ἡμῖν διευκρινηθέντος καιρὸς ἂν εἴη καὶ τὸν ἐναντίον προθεῖναι καὶ θεωρῆσαι λόγον ἐκ παραλλήλου πρὸς τὰς ἡμετέρας ὑπολήψεις ἀντε

 τούτων τοίνυν τῶν τῆς γεννήσεως τρόπων φανερῶν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὄντων ἡ φιλάνθρωπος τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος οἰκονομία παραδιδοῦσα ἡμῖν τὰ θεῖα μυστήρια διὰ

 Προθήσω δὲ πάλιν αὐτὴν ἐπὶ λέξεως τοῦ ἐναντίου τὴν ῥῆσιν ἔχουσαν οὕτως. « δύο », φησί, « ὄντων τῶν παρ' ἡμῶν εἰρημένων, τοῦ τε πρὸ τῆς ἰδίας γεννήσεως

 [Book IX]

 Ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τοὺς ὑψηλοτέρους μετέρχεται λόγους καὶ μετεωρίσας ἑαυτὸν καὶ ὀγκώσας ἐν διακένῳ φυσήματι λέγειν ἐπιχειρεῖ τι τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ μεγαλοπρεπείας ἐπάξ

 μηδενὸς δὲ ὄντος τοῦ μεσιτεύοντος, ἄμεσον καὶ συναφῆ τὴν κοινωνίαν εἶναι οὐ καταδέχεται Ἀλλ' ὑποκαταβαίνει πρὸς τὰ ἡμέτερα τῆς γνώσεως μέτρα καὶ ἀνθρ

 Ἔχει δὲ οὕτως ἡ λέξις: « πάσης γεννήσεως οὐκ ἐπ' ἄπειρον ἐκτεινομένης, ἀλλ' εἴς τι τέλος καταληγούσης, ἀνάγκη πᾶσα καὶ τοὺς παραδεξαμένους τοῦ υἱοῦ τὴ

 Τὸ δὲ κατασκευάζειν αὐτὸν ἀγέννητον παρ' ἡμῶν λέγεσθαι τὸν μονογενῆ θεὸν ἴσον ἐστὶ τῷ λέγειν ὅτι καὶ γεννητὸν εἶναι τὸν πατέρα διοριζόμεθα. τῆς γὰρ αὐ

 [Book X]

 Ἀλλὰ τῶν προκειμένων ἐχώμεθα. μικρὸν γὰρ προελθὼν διαμάχεται πρὸς τοὺς ὁμολογοῦντας ἀσθενεῖν τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀλήπτων περίνοιαν καὶ τ

 Ἀλλὰ τὰ λειπόμενα τῆς λογογραφίας ἐπισκεψάμενος ὀκνῶ προαγαγεῖν περαιτέρω τὸν λόγον, φρίκης τινὸς ἐκ τῶν λεγομένων τὴν καρδίαν ὑποδραμούσης. βούλεται

 Ἐπεὶ δὲ πολύς ἐστιν ἐν τοῖς ἐφεξῆς τῶν βδελυρῶν ἐπιχειρημάτων ἀνακινῶν τὴν δυσωδίαν, δι' ὧν μὴ εἶναί ποτε τὸν μονογενῆ κατασκευάζει θεόν, καλῶς ἔχειν

 Ἀλλ' οὔπω τὰ χαλεπὰ τῆς βλασφημίας ἐξήτασται, ἅπερ ἤδη τῶν γεγραμμένων ἡ ἀκολουθία προστίθησι: καὶ δὴ τὰ εἰρημένα κατὰ λέξιν διασκεψώμεθα. οὐκ οἶδα δὲ

 [Book XI]

 Ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἐφεξῆς τοῦ λόγου προέλθωμεν. « αὐτοῦ », φησί, « τοῦ μονογενοῦς ἀποδιδόντος τῷ πατρὶ τὴν μόνῳ κατ' ἀξίαν ὀφειλομένην ἐπωνυμίαν. ὁ γὰρ

 οὐδὲ Μαρκίων ὑμᾶς, ὁ τῶν ὑμετέρων δογμάτων προστάτης, κατὰ τοῦτο τὸ μέρος ἐπανωρθώσατο ᾧ κοινὸν μὲν πρὸς τὸ ὑμέτερον φρόνημα τῶν θεῶν ἡ δυὰς καὶ τὸ π

 ἀλλ' ὅπως ἂν διὰ πάντων ἔκδηλον γένοιτο τοῦ σεμνοῦ λογογράφου τὸ φιλομαθὲς καὶ εὐπαίδευτον, καὶ αὐτὴν κατανοήσωμεν ἐπὶ λέξεως τῶν γεγραμμένων τὴν σύντ

 Ἀλλ' ὁρῶ γὰρ εἰς ἄμετρον ἤδη τὸν λόγον παρατεινόμενον καὶ δέδοικα τὸ δοκεῖν ἀδόλεσχός τις εἶναι καὶ περιττὸς τὴν φωνὴν εἰς πλῆθος προαγαγὼν τὴν ἀντίρρ

 Ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ μετριώτερον μετάγει τὸν λόγον, νέμων τι καὶ φιλανθρωπίας αὐτῷ, καί φησιν « οὐ μόνον ὄντα καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντα τὰ ὄντα φαμὲν εἶναι τὸν υἱὸν » ὁ

 [Book XII]

 Ἀλλ' ἴδωμεν καὶ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ ἀκολούθου τῇ βλασφημίᾳ προσκείμενον, ὅπερ ἐστὶν αὐτὸ τὸ κεφάλαιον τῆς τοῦ δόγματος αὐτῶν συνηγορίας. οἴονται γὰρ ἰσχυροτάτην

 Ἔτι καὶ τοῦτο προσεξετάσωμεν, οἵαν πεποίηται τὴν ἀπολογίαν ὑπὲρ ὧν ἀπηλέγχθη παρὰ τοῦ μεγάλου Βασιλείου εἰς τὴν τοῦ σκότους μοῖραν τὸν μονογενῆ θεὸν ἀ

 Ἀλλ' ἐναγωνίζεται τοῖς ματαίοις καί φησιν « ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων καὶ τῶν πεπιστευμένων λογίων παρέχομαι τῶν λεγομένων τὴν πίστιν ». ἡ μὲν οὖν ὑπόσχε

 Πάλιν δὲ τὰ εἰρημένα κατανοήσωμεν. « εἰ μὲν ἔχει δεικνύναι », φησί, « τὸν ἐπὶ πάντων θεόν, ὅσπερ ἐστὶν ἀπρόσιτον φῶς, ἐν σαρκὶ γενόμενον ἢ γενέσθαι δυ

 Ἀλλ' αἰσθάνομαι ὑπατακτοῦντος τοῦ λόγου: οὐ γὰρ ἐπιμένει τῷ καθήκοντι δρόμῳ, κατὰ τοὺς θερμούς τε καὶ θυμώδεις τῶν πώλων ταῖς τῶν ἀνταγωνιστῶν βλασφημ

§4. Then, having shown that Eunomius’ calumny against the great Basil, that he called the Only-begotten “Ungenerate,” is false, and having again with much ingenuity discussed the eternity, being, and endlessness of the Only-begotten, and the creation of light and of darkness, he concludes the book.

With regard to his attempting to show that we say the Only-begotten God is ungenerate, it is as though he should say that we actually define the Father to be begotten: for either statement is of the same absurdity, or rather of the same blasphemous character. If, therefore, he has made up his mind to slander us, let him add the other charge as well, and spare nothing by which it may be in his power more violently to exasperate his hearers against us. But if one of these charges is withheld because its calumnious nature is apparent, why is the other made? For it is just the same thing, as we have said, so far as the impiety goes, to call the Son ungenerate and to call the Father generated. Now if any such phrase can be found in our writings, in which the Son is spoken of as ungenerate, we shall give the final vote against ourselves: but if he is fabricating false charges and calumnies at his pleasure, making any fictitious statement he pleases to slander our doctrines, this fact may serve with sensible men for an evidence of our orthodoxy, that while truth itself fights on our side, he brings forward a lie to accuse our doctrine and makes up an indictment for unorthodoxy that has no relation to our statements. To these charges, however, we can give a concise answer. As we judge that man accursed who says that the Only-begotten God is ungenerate, let him in turn anathematize the man who lays it down that He who was in the beginning “once was not.” For by such a method it will be shown who brings his charges truly, and who calumniously. But if we deny his accusations, if, when we speak of a Father, we understand as implied in that word a Son also, and if, when we use the name “Son,” we declare that He really is what He is called, being shed forth by generation from the ungenerate Light, how can the calumny of those who persist that we say the Only-begotten is ungenerate fail to be manifest? Yet we shall not, because we say that He exists by generation, therefore admit that He “once was not.” For every one knows that the contradiction between “being” and “not being” is immediate, so that the affirmation of one of these terms is absolutely the destruction of the other, and that, just as “being” is the same in regard to every time at which any of the things that “are” is supposed to have its existence (for the sky, and stars, and sun, and the rest of the things that “are,” are not more in a state of being now than they were yesterday, or the day before, or at any previous time), so the meaning of “not being” expresses non-existence equally at every time, whether one speaks of it in reference to what is earlier or to what is later. For any of the things that do not exist867    Reading τῶν μὴ ὑφεστώτων, as the sense seems to require, unless we connect τῶν ὑφεστώτων with οὐκ ἔστιν. In this case the sense will be practically the same, but the sentence will be extremely involved. The point which S. Gregory desires to enforce is that “not being,” or “non-existence,” is one and the same thing, whether it is regarded as past, present, or future, and that it is, in any of these aspects, an idea which we cannot without impiety attach to the Divine Person of the Son. is no more in a state of “not being” now than if it were non-existent before, but the idea of “not being” is one applied to that which “is not” at any distance of time. And for this reason, in speaking of living creatures, while we use different words to denote the dissolution into a state of “not being” of that which has been, and the condition of non-existence of that which has never had an entrance into being, and say either that a thing has never come into being at all, or that which was generated has died, yet by either form of speech we equally represent by our words “non-existence.” For as day is bounded on each side by night, yet the parts of the night which bound it are not named alike, but we speak of one as “after night-fall,” and of the other as “before dawn,” while that which both phrases denote is night, so, if any one looks on that which is not in contrast to that which is, he will give different names to that state which is antecedent to formation and to that which follows the dissolution of what was formed, yet will conceive as one the condition which both phrases signify—the condition which is antecedent to formation and the condition following on dissolution after formation. For the state of “not being” of that which has not been generated, and of that which has died, save for the difference of the names, are the same,—with the exception of the account which we take of the hope of the resurrection. Now since we learn from Scripture that the Only-begotten God is the Prince of Life, the very life, and light, and truth, and all that is honourable in word or thought, we say that it is absurd and impious to contemplate, in conjunction with Him Who really is, the opposite conception, whether of dissolution tending to corruption, or of non-existence before formation: but as we extend our thought in every direction to what is to follow, or to what was before the ages, we nowhere pause in our conceptions at the condition of “not being,” judging it to tend equally to impiety to cut short the Divine being by non-existence at any time whatever. For it is the same thing to say that the immortal life is mortal, that the truth is a lie, that light is darkness, and that that which is is not. He, accordingly, who refuses to allow that He will at some future time cease to be, will also refuse to allow that He “once was not,” avoiding, according to our view, the same impiety on either hand: for, as no death cuts short the endlessness of the life of the Only-begotten, so, as we look back, no period of nonexistence will terminate His life in its course towards eternity, that that which in reality is may be clear of all community with that which in reality is not. For this cause the Lord, desiring that His disciples might be far removed from this error (that they might never, by themselves searching for something antecedent to the existence of the Only-begotten, be led by their reasoning to the idea of non-existence), saith, “I am in the Father, and the Father in Me868    S. John xiv. 10,” in the sense that neither is that which is not conceived in that which is, nor that which is in that which is not. And here the very order of the phrase explains the orthodox doctrine; for because the Father is not of the Son, but the Son of the Father, therefore He says, “I am in the Father,” showing the fact that He is not of another but of Him, and then reverses the phrase to, “and the Father in Me,” indicating that he who, in his curious speculation, passes beyond the Son, passes also beyond the conception of the Father: for He who is in anything cannot be found outside of that in which He is: so that the man who, while not denying that the Father is in the Son, yet imagines that he has in any degree apprehended the Father as external to the Son, is talking idly. Idle too are the wanderings of our adversaries’ fighting about shadows touching the matter of “ungeneracy,” proceeding without solid foundation by means of nonentities. Yet if I am to bring more fully to light the whole absurdity of their argument, let me be allowed to spend a little longer on this speculation. As they say that the Only-begotten God came into existence “later,” after the Father, this “unbegotten” of theirs, whatever they imagine it to be, is discovered of necessity to exhibit with itself the idea of evil. Who knows not, that, just as the non-existent is contrasted with the existent, so with every good thing or name is contrasted the opposite conception, as “bad” with “good,” “falsehood” with “truth,” “darkness” with “light,” and all the rest that are similarly opposed to one another, where the opposition admits of no middle term, and it is impossible that the two should co-exist, but the presence of the one destroys its opposite, and with the withdrawal of the other takes place the appearance of its contrary?

Now these points being conceded to us, the further point is also clear to any one, that, as Moses says darkness was before the creation of light, so also in the case of the Son (if, according to the heretical statement, the Father “made Him at that time when He willed”), before He made Him, that Light which the Son is was not; and, light not yet being, it is impossible that its opposite should not be. For we learn also from the other instances that nothing that comes from the Creator is at random, but that which was lacking is added by creation to existing things. Thus it is quite clear that if God did make the Son, He made Him by reason of a deficiency in the nature of things. As, then, while sensible light was still lacking, there was darkness, and darkness would certainly have prevailed had light not come into being, so also, when the Son “as yet was not,” the very and true Light, and all else that the Son is, did not exist. For even according to the evidence of heresy, that which exists has no need of coming into being; if therefore He made Him, He assuredly made that which did not exist. Thus, according to their view, before the Son came into being, neither had truth come into being, nor the intelligible Light, nor the fount of life, nor, generally, the nature of any thing that is excellent and good. Now, concurrently with the exclusion of each of these, there is found to subsist the opposite conception: and if light was not, it cannot be denied that darkness was; and so with the rest,—in place of each of these more excellent conceptions it is clearly impossible that its opposite did not exist in place of that which was lacking. It is therefore a necessary conclusion, that when the Father, as the heretics say, “had not as yet willed to make the Son,” none of those things which the Son is being yet existent, we must say that He was surrounded by darkness instead of Light, by falsehood instead of truth, by death instead of life, by evil instead of good. For He Who creates, creates things that are not; “That which is,” as Eunomius says, “needs not generation”; and of those things which are considered as opposed, the better cannot be non-existent, except by the existence of the worse. These are the gifts with which the wisdom of heresy honours the Father, by which it degrades the eternity of the Son, and ascribes to God and the Father, before the “production” of the Son, the whole catalogue of evils!

And let no one think to rebut by examples from the rest of creation the demonstration of the doctrinal absurdity which results from this argument. One will perhaps say that, as, when the sky was not, there was no opposite to it, so we are not absolutely compelled to admit that if the Son, Who is Truth, had not come into existence, the opposite did exist. To him we may reply that to the sky there is no corresponding opposite, unless one were to say that its non-existence is opposed to its existence. But to virtue is certainly opposed that which is vicious (and the Lord is virtue); so that when the sky was not, it does not follow that anything was; but when good was not, its opposite was; thus he who says that good was not, will certainly allow, even without intending it, that evil was. “But the Father also,” he says869    The words are probably those of the imaginary objector; but they may be a citation from Eunomius., “is absolute virtue, and life, and light unapproachable, and all that is exalted in word or thought: so that there is no necessity to suppose, when the Only-begotten Light was not, the existence of that darkness which is His corresponding opposite.” But this is just what I say, that darkness never was; for the light never “was not,” for “the light,” as the prophecy says, “is always in the light870    The reference is probably to Ps. xxxvi. 9..” If, however, according to the heretical doctrine, the “ungenerate light” is one thing, and the “generated light” another, and the one is eternal, while the other comes into existence at a later time, it follows of absolute necessity that in the eternal light we should find no place for the establishment of its opposite; (for if the light always shines, the power of darkness has no place in it;) and that in the case of the light which comes into being, as they say, afterwards, it is impossible that the light should shine forth save out of darkness; and the interval of darkness between eternal light and that which arises later will be clearly marked in every way.871    i.e.the “later light” must have arisen from darkness; therefore darkness must have intervened between the “eternal light” and the “later light.” For there would have been no need of the making of the later light, if that which was created had not been of utility for some purpose: and the one use of light is that of the dispersion by its means of the prevailing gloom. Now the light which exists without creation is what it is by nature by reason of itself; but the created light clearly comes into being by reason of something else. It must be then that its existence was preceded by darkness, on account of which the light was of necessity created, and it is not possible by any reasoning to make plausible the view that darkness did not precede the manifestation of the Only-begotten Light,—on the supposition, that is, that He is believed to have been “made” at a later time. Surely such a doctrine is beyond all impiety! It is therefore clearly shown that the Father of truth did not make the truth at a time when it was not; but, being the fountain of light and truth, and of all good, He shed forth from Himself that Only-begotten Light of truth by which the glory of His Person is expressly imaged; so that the blasphemy of those who say that the Son was a later addition to God by way of creation is at all points refuted.

Τὸ δὲ κατασκευάζειν αὐτὸν ἀγέννητον παρ' ἡμῶν λέγεσθαι τὸν μονογενῆ θεὸν ἴσον ἐστὶ τῷ λέγειν ὅτι καὶ γεννητὸν εἶναι τὸν πατέρα διοριζόμεθα. τῆς γὰρ αὐτῆς ἀτοπίας, μᾶλλον δὲ βλασφημίας ἑκάτερον: ὥστε εἰ μὲν συκοφαντεῖν ἔγνωκε, προστιθέτω καὶ τὸ ἕτερον ἔγκλημα, μηδενὸς φειδόμενος δι' ὧν ἂν ᾖ δυνατὸν χαλεπώτερον ἐκτραχύνειν καθ' ἡμῶν τοὺς ἀκούοντας. εἰ δὲ τὸ ἕτερον τούτων διὰ τὸ περιφανὲς τῆς συκοφαντίας οὐκ αἰτιᾶται, ἀφιέτω καὶ τὸ λειπόμενον: ἴσον γὰρ εἰς ἀσέβειαν, καθὼς εἴρηται, καὶ τὸν υἱὸν ἀγέννητον λέγειν καὶ γεννητὸν τὸν πατέρα. εἰ μὲν οὖν εὑρίσκεταί τις ἐν τοῖς παρ' ἡμῶν γεγραμμένοις φωνὴ τοιαύτη, δι' ἧς ἀγέννητος ὁ υἱὸς ὀνομάζεται, καθ' ἡμῶν αὐτῶν τὴν ἐσχάτην ψῆφον ἐξοίσομεν: εἰ δὲ ψευδεῖς αἰτίας τε καὶ συκοφαντίας κατ' ἐξουσίαν συμπλάσσει, τὸ δοκοῦν ἐπὶ διαβολῇ τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς δογμάτων λογοποιῶν, γένοιτ' ἂν ἴσως τοῖς γε νοῦν ἔχουσι καὶ αὕτη τῆς ἐν ἡμῖν εὐσεβείας ἀπόδειξις, ὅτι τῆς ἀληθείας ἡμῶν ὑπερμαχούσης τὸ ψεῦδος εἰς κατηγορίαν τοῦ δόγματος ἡμῶν προεστήσατο, ἀλλοτρίαν τοῦ ἡμετέρου λόγου κατασκευάζων τὴν τῆς ἀσεβείας γραφήν. ἀλλ' ἔστιν ἐν συντόμῳ πρὸς τὰς αἰτίας ταύτας ἀπολογήσασθαι. ὡς γὰρ ἡμεῖς τὸν ἀγεννήτως εἶναι λέγοντα τὸν μονογενῆ θεὸν ἐπάρατον κρίνομεν, οὕτω κἀκεῖνος ἐπαράσθω τὸν μὴ εἶναί ποτε τὸν ἐν ἀρχῇ ὄντα διοριζόμενον. ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ τοιούτου δειχθήσεται τρόπου ὅ τε κατὰ ἀλήθειαν καὶ ὁ συκοφαντικῶς τὰς αἰτίας ἐπάγων. εἰ δὲ ἡμεῖς ἀρνούμεθα τὰ ἐγκλήματα, καὶ πατέρα λέγοντες τῇ φωνῇ υἱὸν συνεπινοοῦμεν, καὶ υἱὸν ὀνομάσαντες ἀληθῶς εἶναί φαμεν ὃ λέγεται, γεννητῶς ἐκ τοῦ ἀγεννήτου φωτὸς ἀπαυγασθέντα, πῶς οὐ πρόδηλος ἡ συκοφαντία τῶν ἀγέννητον λέγειν ἡμᾶς τὸν μονογενῆ θρυλούντων; οὐ μὴν ἐπειδὴ γεννητῶς αὐτὸν εἶναί φαμεν, τὸ μὴ εἶναι αὐτόν ποτε διὰ τούτου παραδεξόμεθα. τίς γὰρ οὐκ οἶδεν ὅτι ἄμεσός ἐστιν ἡ κατὰ τὸ σημαινόμενον ἐναντίωσις τοῦ ὄντος καὶ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος, ὥστε τὴν τοῦ ἑτέρου τῶν εἰρημένων θέσιν ἀναίρεσιν τοῦ ἐναντίου γίνεσθαι πάντως, καὶ ὅτι καθάπερ τὸ εἶναι κατὰ πάντα χρόνον ταὐτόν ἐστιν, ἐν ᾧπερ ἄν τις ὑφεστάναι τι τῶν ὄντων ὑπόθηται (οὐ γὰρ μᾶλλον νῦν ἔστιν οὐρανὸς καὶ ἄστρα καὶ ἥλιος καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν ὄντων ἢ χθὲς καὶ πρώην καὶ ἐν παντὶ τῷ προάγοντι χρόνῳ), τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ τοῦ μὴ εἶναι τὸ σημαινόμενον ἐπίσης ἐν παντὶ τὸ ἀνύπαρκτον ἔχει, εἴτε κατὰ τὸ πρότερόν τις εἴτε κατὰ τὸ ὕστερον λέγοι. οὐ γὰρ μᾶλλον νῦν τι τῶν ὑφεστώτων οὐκ ἔστιν ἢ εἰ πρότερον ἀνύπαρκτον ἦν, ἀλλὰ εἷς ὁ τοῦ μὴ εἶναι λόγος ἐπὶ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος ἐν παντὶ χρονικῷ διαστήματι. διὸ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ζῴων τήν τε τοῦ γεγονότος εἰς τὸ μὴ ὂν ἀνάλυσιν καὶ τοῦ μηδέπω τὴν εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι πάροδον ἐσχηκότος ὀνόμασι μὲν διαφόροις τὴν ἀνυπαρξίαν σημαίνομεν, ἢ μὴ γεγενῆσθαι τὴν ἀρχὴν ἢ τεθνάναι τὸ γενόμενον λέγοντες, ἐπίσης δὲ δι' ἑκατέρας φωνῆς τὸ ἀνύπαρκτον παριστῶμεν τῷ λόγῳ. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ ἡμέρα νυκτὶ περιέχεται καθ' ἑκάτερον μέρος, λέγεται δὲ οὐχ ὡσαύτως τὰ περιέχοντα, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν μετὰ τὴν ἑσπέραν, τὸ δὲ πρὸ τοῦ ὄρθρου, νὺξ δὲ τὸ δηλούμενόν ἐστι κατ' ἀμφότερα, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον εἰ ἐκ τοῦ παραλλήλου πρὸς τὸ ὂν ἀντιθεωροίη τις τὸ μὴ ὄν, κατονομάσει μὲν διαφόρως τό τε πρὸ τῆς συστάσεως καὶ τὸ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ συστάντος διάλυσιν, ἓν δὲ νοήσει δι' ἀμφοτέρων τὸ σημαινόμενον [τό τε πρὸ τῆς συστάσεως καὶ τὸ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ συστάντος διάλυσιν]. τὸ γὰρ μὴ εἶναι τοῦ τε μὴ γεννηθέντος καὶ τοῦ τεθνηκότος πλὴν τῆς διαφορᾶς τῶν ὀνομάτων ἴσον ἐστὶν ὑπεξῃρημένου τοῦ κατὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς ἀναστάσεως λόγου. ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἀρχηγὸν ζωῆς καὶ αὐτοζωὴν τὸν μονογενῆ θεὸν παρὰ τῆς γραφῆς μεμαθήκαμεν καὶ φῶς καὶ ἀλήθειαν καὶ πᾶν ὅτιπέρ ἐστιν ἐν ὀνόματι καὶ νοήματι τίμιον, ἄτοπον καὶ δυσσεβὲς εἶναί φαμεν τῷ ὄντως ὄντι συνθεωρεῖν καὶ τὸ ἐξ ἐναντίου νοούμενον, ἢ διάλυσιν εἰς φθορὰν ἢ ἀνυπαρξίαν πρὸ τῆς συστάσεως, ἀλλὰ πανταχόθεν πρὸς τὸ ἐφεξῆς καὶ πρὸς τὸ προαιώνιον ἐπεκτείνοντες ἑαυτῶν τὴν διάνοιαν οὐδαμοῦ πρὸς τὸ μὴ ὂν ταῖς ἐννοίαις λήγομεν, ἴσον εἰς ἀσέβειαν κρίνοντες οἱῳδήποτε χρόνῳ δι' ἀνυπαρξίας περικόπτειν τὸ θεῖον. ταὐτὸν γάρ ἐστιν καὶ θνητὴν εἰπεῖν τὴν ἀθάνατον ζωὴν καὶ ψευδῆ τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ σκοτεινὸν τὸ φῶς καὶ μὴ εἶναι τὸ ὄν. ὁ τοίνυν τὸ μὴ ἔσεσθαί ποτε μὴ διδοὺς οὐδὲ τὸ μὴ εἶναί ποτε συνθήσεται κατὰ τὸν ἡμέτερον λόγον, τὴν αὐτὴν ἀτοπίαν φεύγων καθ' ἑκάτερον μέρος: ὡς γὰρ τὸ ἀτελεύτητον τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ μονογενοῦς οὐκ ἐπικόπτει θάνατος, οὕτως οὐδὲ κατὰ τὸ ἄνω ἡ ἀνυπαρξία στήσει πρὸς τὸ ἀΐδιον αὐτοῦ τὴν ζωὴν προϊοῦσαν, ὡς ἂν πανταχόθεν καθαρεύοι τὸ ὄντως ὂν τῆς πρὸς τὸ μὴ ὂν κοινωνίας. διὰ τοῦτο πόρρω γίνεσθαι τῆς τοιαύτης πλάνης τοὺς μαθητὰς θέλων ὁ κύριος, ὡς ἂν μή ποτε καὶ αὐτοὶ τὸ πρεσβύτερον τῆς τοῦ μονογενοῦς ὑποστάσεως ἀναζητοῦντες πρὸς τὸ ἀνύπαρκτον τοῖς λογισμοῖς ἀπενεχθεῖεν. Ἐγώ, φησίν, ἐν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί, ὡς οὔτε τοῦ μὴ ὄντος ἐν τῷ ὄντι νοουμένου οὔτε τοῦ ὄντος ἐν τῷ μὴ ὄντι. καὶ αὐτὴ δὲ ἡ τοῦ λόγου τάξις τὸ εὐσεβὲς ἑρμηνεύει τοῦ δόγματος. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ υἱοῦ ὁ πατήρ, ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ὁ υἱός, διὰ τοῦτο πρῶτόν φησιν Ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρί, δεικνὺς τὸ μὴ ἄλλως ἀλλ' ἐξ ἐκείνου εἶναι, εἶτα ἀναστρέφει τὸν λόγον ὅτι Καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί, σημαίνων ὅτι ὁ ὑπερβὰς τὸν υἱὸν τῇ πολυπραγμοσύνῃ καὶ τὴν περὶ τοῦ πατρὸς ἔννοιαν συμπαρέρχεται. ὁ γὰρ ἔν τινι ὢν ἔξω τοῦ ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν εὑρεθῆναι οὐ δύναται: ὥστε μάταιος ὁ ἐν τῷ υἱῷ μὲν εἶναι τὸν πατέρα μὴ ἀντιλέγων, ἔξω δὲ τοῦ υἱοῦ κατειληφέναι τι τοῦ πατρὸς φανταζόμενος, καὶ μάτην διαπλανᾶται τῶν πολεμούντων ἡμῖν ἡ περὶ τὸ ῥῆμα τῆς « ἀγεννησίας » σκιαμαχία διὰ τῶν ἀνυπάρκτων κενεμβατοῦσα.
Μᾶλλον δὲ εἰ χρὴ πᾶσαν εἰς τὸ ἐμφανὲς ἀγαγεῖν τὴν ἀτοπίαν τοῦ λόγου, μικρὸν ἔτι συγχωρηθήτω προσδιατρίψαι τῷ θεωρήματι. τοῦ γὰρ μονογενοῦς θεοῦ ὕστερον μετὰ τὸν πατέρα γεγεννῆσθαι παρ' αὐτῶν λεγομένου, εὑρίσκεται κατ' ἀνάγκην τὸ ἀγέννητον αὐτῶν, ὅ τι ποτὲ καὶ εἶναι φαντάζονται, τῶν κακῶν τὴν ἔννοιαν συνεμφαῖνον. τίς γὰρ οὐκ οἶδεν ὅτι ὥσπερ τῷ ὄντι τὸ μὴ ὂν ἀντιδιαιρεῖται, οὕτω καὶ παντὶ ἀγαθῷ πράγματί τε καὶ ὀνόματι τὸ ἐξ ἐναντίου νοούμενον, οἷον τῷ καλῷ τὸ κακὸν καὶ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ τὸ ψεῦδος, τῷ φωτὶ τὸ σκότος καὶ πάντα ὅσα τούτοις ὁμοιοτρόπως πρὸς τὸ ἐναντίον ἀλλήλοις ἀντικαθίσταται, ἐφ' ὧν ἄμεσός ἐστιν ἡ ἐναντίωσις καὶ οὐκ ἐνδέχεται κατὰ ταὐτὸν τὰ δύο μετ' ἀλλήλων εἶναι, ἀλλ' ἥ τε παρουσία τοῦ ἑνὸς ὑπεξαιρεῖ τὸ ἀντίθετον καὶ ἐν τῇ τοῦ ἑτέρου ὑποχωρήσει γίνεται τοῦ ἐναντίου ἡ γένεσις. τούτων δὲ ἡμῖν οὕτω διωμολογημένων κἀκεῖνο παντὶ δῆλόν ἐστιν, ὅτι ὥσπερ φησὶ Μωϋσῆς σκότος εἶναι πρὸ τῆς τοῦ φωτὸς κτίσεως, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ, εἰ κατὰ τὸν λόγον τῆς αἱρέσεως τότε ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ ὅτε ἠθέλησε, πρὶν ποιῆσαι αὐτὸν οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνο τὸ φῶς, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ὁ υἱός. φωτὸς δὲ μήπω ὄντος οὐκ ἐνδέχεται μὴ τὸ ἀντικείμενον εἶναι. καὶ γὰρ διὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐμάθομεν ὅτι οὐδὲν εἰκῇ τῶν παρὰ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ γεγονότων ἐστίν, ἀλλὰ τὸ λεῖπον ἐπεισάγεται τοῖς οὖσι διὰ τῆς κτίσεως. δῆλον οὖν ἐστι πάντως ὅτι εἴπερ ἐποίησε τὸν υἱὸν ὁ θεός, διὰ τὸ λείπειν τῇ φύσει τῶν ὄντων ἐποίησεν. ὥσπερ οὖν τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ φωτὸς λείποντος σκότος ἦν καί, εἰ μὴ ἐγεγόνει τὸ φῶς, ἐπεκράτει πάντως τὸ σκότος, οὕτως καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ μήπω ὄντος αὐτό τε τὸ ἀληθινὸν φῶς καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἐστὶν ὁ υἱὸς οὔπω ἦν. τὸ γὰρ ὂν καὶ κατὰ τὴν τῆς αἱρέσεως μαρτυρίαν τοῦ γενέσθαι οὐ δέεται. οὐκοῦν εἰ ἐποίησε, τὸ μὴ ὂν πάντως ἐποίησε. πρὶν οὖν γενέσθαι κατ' αὐτοὺς τὸν υἱὸν οὐδὲ ἡ ἀλήθεια δηλονότι ἐγεγόνει οὔτε τὸ νοητὸν φῶς οὔτε ἡ πηγὴ τῆς ζωῆς οὔτε τινὸς καθόλου καλοῦ τε καὶ ἀγαθοῦ φύσις. ἀλλὰ μὴν τούτων ἑκάστου τῇ ὑπεξαιρέσει τὸ ἐξ ἐναντίου νοούμενον παρυφίσταται, καὶ φωτὸς μὴ ὄντος οὐκ ἔστι μὴ σκότος εἶναι, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὡσαύτως ἀνθ' ἑκάστου τῶν πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον νοουμένων, ὅταν μὴ παρῇ τι τούτων, οὐκ ἐνδέχεται μὴ τὸ ἐναντίον πάντως εἶναι ἀντὶ τοῦ λείποντος. ἀνάγκη οὖν πᾶσα, ὡς ἔμελλε θέλειν ὁ πατὴρ τὸν υἱὸν „ποιῆσαι„ κατὰ τὸν τῆς αἱρέσεως λόγον, μηδενὸς ὄντος τῶν ὅσα ὁ υἱός ἐστιν, πάντα τὰ ἐναντία περὶ αὐτὸν εἶναι λέγειν, ἀντὶ τοῦ φωτὸς τὸ σκότος, ἀντὶ τῆς ἀληθείας τὸ ψεῦδος, ἀντὶ τῆς ζωῆς τὸν θάνατον, ἀντὶ τοῦ καλοῦ τὸ κακόν. ὁ γὰρ κτίζων τὰ μὴ ὄντα κτίζει: « τῷ γὰρ ὄντι », καθώς φησιν ὁ Εὐνόμιος, « οὐ δεῖ γεννήσεως ». τῶν δὲ κατὰ ἀντίθεσιν θεωρουμένων οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλως τὰ κρείττω μὴ εἶναι ἢ ἐκ τοῦ τὰ χείρονα εἶναι. ταῦτα τοίνυν ἡ σοφία τῆς αἱρέσεως δωροφορεῖ τῷ πατρὶ δι' ὧν ἀτιμάζει τοῦ υἱοῦ τὸ ἀΐδιον, τὸν τῶν κακῶν κατάλογον πρὸ τῆς τοῦ υἱοῦ ἀναδείξεως προσάγουσα τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρί.
Καὶ μηδεὶς ἐκ τῆς ἄλλης κτίσεως ἀνατρέπειν οἰέσθω τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἀκολουθίας ταύτης ἀναδειχθεῖσαν ἀτοπίαν τοῦ δόγματος. ἐρεῖ γάρ τις ἴσως ὅτι ὥσπερ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ μὴ ὄντος οὐδὲν ἐναντίον τούτῳ, οὕτως καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ μήπω γενομένου, ὅς ἐστιν ἀλήθεια, οὐ πάντως ἀναγκαζόμεθα τὸ ἐναντίον εἶναι συντίθεσθαι. πρὸς ὃν ἔστιν εἰπεῖν ὅτι οὐρανῷ μὲν τὸ ἀντικείμενον ἔστιν οὐδέν, εἰ μὴ ἄρα τῷ εἶναι αὐτὸν τὸ μὴ εἶναί τις λέγοι ἀντίθετον. τῇ δὲ ἀρετῇ τὸ κατὰ κακίαν πάντως ἀντικαθέστηκεν, ἀρετὴ δὲ ὁ κύριος, ὥστε οὐρανοῦ μὲν μὴ ὄντος οὐδὲν ἦν, ἀγαθοῦ δὲ μὴ ὄντος τὸ ἐναντίον ἦν. ὁ οὖν τὸ ἀγαθὸν λέγων μὴ εἶναι τὸ κακὸν εἶναι καὶ μὴ βουλόμενος πάντως συνθήσεται. « ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ πατήρ », φησί, « καὶ παντελής ἐστιν ἀρετὴ καὶ ζωὴ καὶ ἀπρόσιτον φῶς καὶ πάντα τὰ ὑψηλὰ νοήματά τε καὶ ὀνόματα: ὡς μὴ εἶναι ἀνάγκην, ὅτε τὸ μονογενὲς φῶς οὔπω ἦν, τὸ κατάλληλον ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου νοεῖσθαι σκότος ». ἀλλ' οὗτος ὁ ἐμός ἐστι λόγος, ὅτι οὐδέποτε σκότος ἦν. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἦν ποτε ὅτε τὸ φῶς οὐκ ἦν: ἀεὶ γὰρ ἐν τῷ φωτὶ πάντως ἐστὶ τὸ φῶς, καθὼς ἡ προφητεία λέγει. εἰ δὲ κατὰ τὸν λόγον τῆς αἱρέσεως ἄλλο τὸ ἀγέννητον καὶ ἕτερον τὸ γεννητόν ἐστι φῶς καὶ τὸ μὲν ἐξ ἀϊδίου τοῦτο δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα γενόμενον, ἀνάγκη πᾶσα τῷ μὲν ἀϊδίῳ φωτὶ μηδέποτε χώραν εὑρεῖν ἀντικαταστῆναι τὸ ἀντικείμενον: ἀεὶ γὰρ λάμποντος τοῦ φωτὸς ἡ ἐνέργεια τοῦ σκότους ἐπ' αὐτοῦ χώραν οὐκ ἔχει: ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ μετὰ ταῦτα, καθὼς ἐκεῖνοί φασι, γεγονότος ἀμήχανον εἶναι μὴ ἐκ σκότους τὸ φῶς λάμψαι, ἀλλὰ πάντῃ καὶ πάντως τοῦ τε ἀϊδίου φωτὸς καὶ τοῦ ὕστερον γενομένου σκότος τὸ μέσον διαληφθήσεται. οὐ γὰρ ἂν τῆς κατασκευῆς τοῦ μετὰ ταῦτα φωτὸς χρεία ἐγίνετο, εἰ μὴ πρός τι χρήσιμον ἦν τὸ κτιζόμενον. μία δὲ φωτὸς χρῆσις τοῦ λύεσθαι δι' αὐτοῦ τὸν ἐπικρατοῦντα ζόφον. τὸ μὲν οὖν ἀκτίστως ὂν φῶς αὐτὸ δι' ἑαυτό ἐστιν ὅπερ ἐστὶν τῇ φύσει, τὸ δὲ κτιζόμενον διά τι γίνεται πάντως. οὐκοῦν προϋπάρχειν ἀνάγκη τὸ σκότος, οὗ χάριν ἀναγκαίως δημιουργεῖται τὸ φέγγος, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδενὶ λόγῳ παραμυθήσασθαι τὸ μὴ προτερεύειν τῆς τοῦ γεννητοῦ φωτὸς ἀναδείξεως τὸ σκότος, ὅταν μετὰ ταῦτα κατεσκευάσθαι πιστεύηται. ἀλλὰ μὴν πάσης ἀσεβείας τὸ τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν ἐπέκεινα. ἄρα σαφῶς πεφανέρωται ὅτι οὐχὶ μὴ οὖσαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὁ πατὴρ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐποίησεν, ἀλλὰ πηγὴ ὢν φωτὸς καὶ ἀληθείας καὶ παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ τὸ μονογενὲς φῶς τῆς ἀληθείας ἀπηύγασε, δι' οὗ πάντοτε ἡ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ δόξα χαρακτηρίζεται, ὡς πανταχόθεν τῶν ὕστερον τῷ θεῷ διὰ κτίσεως τὸν υἱὸν προγεγενῆσθαι λεγόντων τὴν βλασφημίαν ἐλέγχεσθαι.