Ad Tatianum de anima per capita disputatio

OF OUR FATHER AMONG THE SAINTS GREGORY, BISHOP OF NEOCAESAREA IN PONTUS, SURNAMED THE WONDERWORKER, TO

TATIAN, A SUMMARY DISCOURSE CONCERNING THE SOUL

You bade us, O wonderful Tatian, to delineate and send to you a discourse concerning the soul, with effective proofs; and you thought it worthy to do this without using the testimonies of the Scriptures; which is and happens to be, for those who wish to think piously, a true teaching more demonstrative than any human reasoning; for you said that you did not seek this for your own full conviction, having already been taught to attend to the divine Scriptures and traditions, and not to have your mind shaken by the sophistries of human arguments; but for the refutation of the opinion of the heterodox, who do not endure to be persuaded by the Scriptures, but with a certain cleverness try to pervert those unaccustomed to such arguments. Therefore we were led to readily obey this command of yours, holding back nothing as if inexperienced in this kind of construction of arguments, but taking courage in your goodwill towards us; for you know to set forth for the common good those things which you judge to be well, but those which seem to have been said less than is fitting, these you allow to pass by and be concealed, doing both out of your grace and friendship towards us. Knowing this, therefore, with all confidence I have set about the exposition. And I shall make the discourse using a certain order and sequence, which even those skilled in these matters have employed for those who wish to inquire into something with knowledge. First of all, then, I will lay down by what criterion the soul is naturally apprehended; then, by what means it is shown to exist; then next, whether it happens to be a substance, or an accident; then, following these, whether it is a body, or incorporeal; then, whether it is simple, or composite; then again, whether it is mortal, or immortal; and finally, whether it is rational, or irrational. For these things are especially accustomed to be investigated in a discourse concerning the soul, as being most essential and able to characterize its particular nature. And for proofs for the confirmation of the things to be examined, we shall use common notions, to which the matters at hand are naturally suited to bear trustworthy witness. But for the sake of brevity and utility, we shall now use only those syllogisms which have proof for the necessary point of the inquiry; so that the thoughts, having become clear and easy to accept, may create in us a certain readiness for a response to those who oppose us. We shall therefore begin the discourse from here.

What the criterion for apprehending the soul is. I.

All existing things are either known by sense or apprehended by intellect. And that which falls under sense has sensation as a sufficient proof; for at the moment of impact, it also creates in us an impression of the subject. But that which is apprehended by the intellect is known not from itself, but from its activities. Therefore the soul, being unknowable from itself, will reasonably be known from its effects.

Whether the soul exists. II.

Our body, when it is moved, is moved either from without or from within. And that it is not moved from without is clear from the fact that it is moved neither by being pushed nor by being pulled, like inanimate things. And again, being moved from within, it is not moved naturally, like fire. For that does not cease from being moved, so long as it is fire; whereas the body, having become dead, is motionless though it is a body. Therefore, if it is moved neither from without, like inanimate things, nor naturally, like fire, it is clear that it is moved by a soul, which also provides it with life. If, therefore, the soul is shown to provide life to our body, the soul will also be known in itself from its activities.

Ad Tatianum de anima per capita disputatio

ΤΟΥ ΕΝ ΑΓΙΟΙΣ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ ΗΜΩΝ ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΥ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΥ ΤΗΣ ΝΕΟΚΑΙΣΑΡΕΙΑΣ ΠΟΝΤΟΥ, ΕΠΩΝΥΜΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΘΑΥΜΑΤΟΥΡΓΟΥ, ΠΡΟΣ

ΤΑΤΙΑΝΟΝ ΠΕΡΙ ΨΥΧΗΣ ΛΟΓΟΣ ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΩ∆ΗΣ

Τὸν περὶ ψυχῆς σοι λόγον ἐκέλευσας ἡμῖν, ὦ θαυμάσιε Τατιανὲ, μετ' ἐνεργουσῶν ἀποδείξεων διαχαράξασιν ἀποστεῖλαι· καὶ ταῦτα ἠξίους ποιεῖν, μὴ ταῖς τῶν Γραφῶν μαρτυρίαις χρησαμένους· ὅπερ ἔστι τε καὶ τοῖς εὐσεβῶς φρονεῖν ἐθέλουσιν ἀληθὴς τυγχάνει διδασκαλία παντὸς ἀνθρωπίνου λογισμοῦ ἀποδεικτικωτέρα· ἔφης γὰρ μὴ πρὸς τὴν ἐαυτοῦ πληροφορίαν τοῦτο ἐπιζητεῖν, πεπαιδευμένος ἤδη ταῖς θείαις προσανέχειν Γραφαῖς καὶ παραδόσεσι, καὶ μὴ στροφαῖς τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων λόγων δονεῖσθαι τὴν διάνοιαν· ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἀνατροπὴν τῆς τῶν ἑτεροδό ξων γνώμης, οἳ πείθεσθαι ταῖς Γραφαῖς οὐκ ἀνέχον ται· δεινότητι δέ τινι περιτρέπειν τοὺς ἀήθεις τῶν τοιούτων λόγων πειρῶνται. ∆ιὸ ἑτοίμως ὑπακοῦσαι τῷδε σῷ ἐπιτάγματι προήχθημεν, μηδὲν ὑποστειλά μενοι ὡς ἄπειροι τῆς τοιᾶσδε κατασκευῆς τῶν λό γων, ἀλλὰ τῇ σῇ περὶ ἡμᾶς εὐνοίᾳ θαῤῥήσαντες· καὶ γὰρ οἶδας ἃ μὲν καλῶς ἔχειν δοκιμάζεις, ταῦτα εἰς τὸ κοινὸν προτιθέναι· τὰ δὲ ἔλαττον τοῦ δέοντος δοκοῦντα εἰρῆσθαι, ταῦτα παρέπεσθαι καὶ ἀποκρύ πτεσθαι. ἑκάτερα χάριτι τῇ πρὸς ἡμᾶς καὶ φιλίᾳ ποιῶν. Ταῦτα οὖν εἰδὼς, μετὰ πάσης πεποιθήσεως ὡρμήθην ἐπὶ τὴν ἔκθεσιν. Ποιήσομαι δὲ τὸν λόγον τάξει τινὶ καὶ ἀκολουθίᾳ χρησάμενος, ἥνπερ καὶ οἱ περὶ ταῦτα δεινοὶ κατεχρήσαντο πρὸς τοὺς ἐπιστημό νως ζητεῖν τι ἐθέλοντας. Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ἁπάντων ὑποθήσομαι, τίνι κριτη 10.1140 ρίῳ πέφυκεν ἡ ψυχὴ καταλαμβάνεσθαι· ἔπειτα, δι' ὧν δείκνυται ὑπάρχουσα· εἶθ' ἑξῆς, εἰ οὐσίᾳ τυγχάνει οὖσα, ἢ συμβεβηκός· εἶτα τούτοις ἀκολούθως, εἰ σῶμά ἐστιν, ἢ ἀσώματος· ἔπειτα, εἰ ἁπλῆ, ἢ σύν θετος· εἶτ' αὖθις, εἰ θνητὴ, ἢ ἀθάνατος· τελευταῖον δὲ, εἰ λογικὴ, ἢ ἄλογος. Ταῦτα γὰρ μάλιστα ἐν τῷ περὶ ψυχῆς ζητεῖσθαι εἴωθε λόγῳ, ὡς κυριώτατα καὶ δυνάμενα αὐτῆς τὴν ἰδιότητα χαρακτηρίζειν. Ἀποδείξεσι δὲ πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἐξετασθησομένων βεβαίωσιν, ταῖς κοιναῖς χρη σόμεθα ἐννοίαις, αἷς τὸ ἀξιόπιστον τὰ ἐν χερσὶ πράγ ματα μαρτυρεῖν πέφυκε. Συντομίας δὲ χάριν καὶ τοῦ χρησίμου, μόνοις τοῖς πρὸς τὸ ἀναγκαῖον τοῦ ζητου μένου ἔχουσι τὴν ἀπόδειξιν, τὰ νῦν χρησόμεθα συλ λογισμοῖς· ὅπως σαφῆ τε καὶ εὐπαράδεκτα τὰ νοήματα γενόμενα, ἑτοιμότητά τινα ἡμῖν ἐμποιήσῃ πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀνθισταμένων ἀπάντησιν. Ἀρξόμεθα οὖν τοῦ λόγου ἐντεῦθεν.

Τίνι τὸ καταληπτικὸν κριτήριον τῆς ψυχῆς. Αʹ. Πάντα τὰ ὄντα, ἢ αἰσθήσει γνωρίζεται, ἢ νοήσει καταλαμβάνεται. Καὶ τὸ μὲν αἰσθήσει ὑποπί πτον, ἱκανὴν ἀπόδειξιν ἔχει τὴν αἴσθησιν· ἄμα γὰρ τῇ προσβολῇ, καὶ τὴν φαντασίαν ἡμῖν ἐμποιεῖ τοῦ ὑποκειμένου. Τὸ δὲ νοήσει καταλαμβανόμενον, οὐκ ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῶν ἐνεργειῶν γνωρίζεται. Ἡ τοίνυν ψυχὴ ἄγνωστος οὖσα ἐξ ἑαυτῆς, ἐκ τῶν ἀπο τελεσμάτων εἰκότως γνωσθήσεται.

Εἰ ἔστιν ἡ ψυχή. Βʹ. Τὸ σῶμα ἡμῶν κινούμενον, ἢ ἔξωθεν, ἢ ἔνδο θεν κινεῖται. Καὶ ὅτι μὲν ἔξωθεν οὐ κινεῖται, δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ μήτε ὠθούμενον, μήτε ἑλκόμενον κινεῖσθαι, ὡς τὰ ἄψυχα. Καὶ ἔνδοθεν δὲ πάλιν κινούμενον, οὐ φυσικῶς κινεῖται, ὡς τὸ πῦρ. Ἐκεῖνο γὰρ οὐ παύ εται τοῦ κινεῖσθαι, εἰς ὄσον ἐστὶ πῦρ· ὥσπερ τὸ σῶμα νεκρὸν γεγενημένον, ἀκινητεῖ σῶμα ὄν. Οὐκ οῦν εἰ μήτε ἔξωθεν κινεῖται, ὡς καὶ ἄψυχα, μήτε φυσικῶς ὡς τὸ πῦρ, δῆλον ὅτι ὑπὸ ψυχῆς κινεῖται τῆς καὶ τὸ ζῇν αὐτῷ παρεχούσης. Εἰ τοίνυν τῷ σώ ματι ἡμῶν ἡ ψυχὴ δείκνυται τὸ ζῇν παρέχουσα, ἔσται καὶ καθ' ἑαυτὴν ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκ τῶν ἐνεργειῶν γνωριζομένη.