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Fragmenta

(a)II testo del Pap. Ox. 1778-ARIST. 5,3; 6,1. Cfr. GRENFELL-HUNT, Ox.

Pap. XV (1922), n. 1778. 6 lines lost

impious... living... the blowing of the winds to be God, they are deceived. For it is clear to us that it serves another; for sometimes it increases, and sometimes it ceases. Therefore it is compelled by someone ······· · ·· ·· · ξ̣ε̣ι̣ ······· ν̣ω̣ν̣α̣ ·· · α̣ ·······λ̣··· ··· 4 lines lost ········ ε̣λ ··· ι̣ ······ ν̣των τ̣ων ······· νων̣τ · from sign to sign being carried day by day, both setting and rising to warm the shoots and the plants for the use of men. Since also having divisions with the rest of the stars and being smaller than the pole of heaven, it waxes and wanes and has eclipses and has no sovereignty. Wherefore it is not considered that the sun is God. (b)II testo del Pap. Lond. 2486-ARIST. 15,5-16,1 (testo sir.15,3-16,1). Cfr. H. J. MILNE, in J. Th. St. (1924) 74-77. persuading even their enemies to do good. And their women are pure and virgins, and they do not expose their infants; and their men are continent from all unlawful intercourse and impurity. But rather also the women are likewise continent. For they hold fast to a great hope of the future. But also, if they have slaves or maids or children, they persuade them to become Christians, so that they may have them well-disposed; and when they become so, they call them brothers, being without distinction. They do not worship foreign gods. They are meek and gentle and modest and truthful, and they love one another. They do not overlook a widow, and they rescue an orphan. He who has supplies to him who has not, without envy. When they see strangers, they bring them under their own roof and rejoice over him as over a true brother. For they do not call themselves brothers according to the flesh but according to the spirit. And if they see a poor person who has died, contributing as each one is able, they bury him lavishly. And if they hear of any who are condemned or imprisoned on account of the name of Christ, contributing they send to them what they need; and if possible, they rescue them. And if someone is a slave or poor, they fast for two or even three days, and what they were about to set for themselves, they send to them, thinking themselves to be gladdened, as they themselves have been called to gladness. And they keep the commandments of God securely, living holily and justly, and as the Lord God commanded them. They give thanks to him in the morning and at every hour, in all food and drink and the other good things. And if a pious person from among them dies, they rejoice and give thanks, and they pray for him, and they escort him as one going on a journey. And when a child is born to them, they give thanks to God. And if it passes away as an infant, they give very great thanks that it has departed without sin. But if one dies having sins, they weep as for him going away to punishment. These then, O king, are their precepts. As they themselves having need of God ask from him, and so they pass through this world until the completion of the times, because God has subjected all things to them as slaves. Therefore they are thankful to him, and through them the whole administration and the creation came to be. Truly, then, they have found

1.1 I, O king, by the providence of God came into this world; and having observed the heaven and the earth and the sea, the sun and the moon and the rest, I marveled at the arrangement of these. 1.2 And seeing the world and all things in it, that it is moved by necessity, I understood that the one who moves and holds it together is God. All

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Fragmenta

(a)II testo del Pap. Ox. 1778-ARIST. 5,3; 6,1. Cfr. GRENFELL-HUNT, Ox.

Pap. XV (1922), n. 1778. 6 lines lost

μιαιρος ζοντες την των ανε μων πνοην ˉθˉν ειναι πλανωνται φανερα γαρ εστιν ημιν οτι δουλευει ετερω ποτε μεν γαρ α̣υξ̣ει ποτε δε ληγει ουκουν αναγ καζεται ϋπο τινος ······· · ·· ·· · ξ̣ε̣ι̣ ······· ν̣ω̣ν̣α̣ ·· · α̣ ·······λ̣··· ··· 4 lines lost ········ ε̣λ ··· ι̣ ······ ν̣των τ̣ων ······· νων̣τ · σημειου εις σημειον καθ' ημεραν φερομε νον δυνοντα τε και ανατελλοντα του θερμαινειν τα βλα στα και τα φυτα εις την χρησιν των αν θρωπων επει καιμε ρισμους εχοντα με τα των λοιπων αστε ρων και ελαττονα οντα του ουρανου πολου αυξει δε και μειουται και εκλιψις εχει και μηδεμιαν αυτοκρατειαν εχον τα διο ου νενομισται τον ηλιον ειναι ˉθˉν (b)II testo del Pap. Lond. 2486-ARIST. 15,5-16,1 (testo sir.15,3-16,1). Cfr. H. J. MILNE, in J. Th. St. (1924) 74-77. πειθοντες και τους εχθρους ευποιησαι και αι γυ ναικες αυτων αγναι και παρθενοι εισιν και ταις γαστρασιν ουκ υποτιθεασιν οι δε ανδρες αυτων εγκρατευονται απο πασης συνουσιας ανομου και ακαθαρσιας μαλλον δε και αι γυναικες ομοιως εγκρατευονται ελπιδος γαρ μεγαλης αντεχονται της μελλουσης αλλα και δουλους η παιδισκας εαν εχωσιν η τεκνα πει θουσιν αυτους χρειστιανους γενεσθαι ινα ε χωσιν ευνους και οταν γενωνται τοιουτοι αδελφους καλουσιν αυτους αμεριστοι οντες θεους αλλοτριους ου προσκυνουσιν πραεις και επιεικεις και αιδημονες και αψευδεις εισιν και αλληλους αγαπωσιν χηραν ουκ υπερορωσιν ορφανον δε σωζουσιν ο εχων τω μη εχοντι ανεπιφθονως χορηγουσιν ξενους ινα ειδωσιν υπο την ιδιαν στεγην εις αγουσιν και χαιρουσιν επ' αυτω ως επι αδελ φω αληθινω ου γαρ κατα σαρκα αδελφους εαυτους καλουσιν αλλα κατα ψυχην τελευτ ωντα δε πενητα εαν ειδωσιν καθ' εκας τος δυνανται αφθονως συμβαλλομενοι θαπτουσιν καταδικασθεντας δε η φυλακισθεντας εαν ακουσωσιν ενεκεν του ονοματος του ˉχˉυ κατακεκριμενους συμβαλλομενοι πεμπουσιν αυτοις α χρειαν εχουσιν ει δυνα τον και ρυονται ει δε τις δουλος εστιν η πενης νηστευουσιν ημερας ˉβ η και ˉγ και οτι μελλουσιν εαυτοις τειθεναι πεμπουσιν εκεινοις οιομε νοι αυτοι ευφρανεσθαι ως αυτοι επ ευφρασιαν κεκλησθαι και τα προσταγματα του ˉθˉυ ασφα λως φυλαττουσιν οσιως και δικαιως ζωντες και ως ˉκˉς ο ˉθˉς αυτοις προσεταξεν ευχα ριστουσιν αυτω κατα πρωιας και πασαν ωραν εν παντι βροτω και ποτω και τοις λοιποις αγα θοις εαν δε και αποθανη τις ευσεβης εξ αυτων χαιρουσιν και ευχαριστουσιν και προς ευχονται περι αυτου και προπεμπουσιν ως αποδημουντα επαν δε τεκνον γεννηθη αυτοις ευχαριστουσιν τω ˉθˉω εαν δε νηπιον εξελθη υπερευχαριστουσιν οτι αναμαρτητον απηλθεν εαν δε αμαρτιας τις εχων απο θανη κλαιουσιν ως επι κολασιν απερ χομενου αυτου ταυτα ουν ω βασιλευ τα δογματα αυτων εισιν ως χρειαν αυτοι εχοντες του ˉθˉυ αιτουνται παρ αυτου και ου τως διαπερωσιν τον κοσμον τουτον με χρι τελειωσεως χρονων οτι ο ˉθˉς αυτοις παν τα υπεταξεν δουλα ευχαριστοι ουν εισιν αυτω και δι αυτους η συμπασα διοικησις εγι νετο και η κτισις οντως ουν αυτοι ευρον

1.1 Ἐγώ, βασιλεῦ, προνοίᾳ θεοῦ ἦλθον εἰς τόνδε τὸν κόσμον· καὶ θεωρήσας τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν, ἥλιόν τε καὶ σελήνην καὶ τὰ λοιπά, ἐθαύμασα τὴν διακόσμησιν τούτων. 1.2 ἰδὼν δὲ τὸν κόσμον καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ πάντα, ὅτι κατὰ ἀνάγκην κινεῖται, συνῆκα τὸν κινοῦντα καὶ διακρατοῦντα εἶναι θεόν. πᾶν