2. On the Son
1. ON FIRST PRINCIPLES though not other in point ofGodhead, the Word ofGod. He, the livigg image ofhis Father, is alone Son ofthe one who is without beginning, unique Son of the only God, equal in excellence, so that the one should remain entirely Father, while the Son should be the founder of the universe who steers its course, at once the strength and understanding of the Father. There is one Spirit, God from the good God.
Be gone, all you on whom the Spirit has not left his mark to make you proclaim his Godhead, those who are instead evil to the core and who sport an evil tongue, only half-enlightened, full of ill-will, minds taught merely by themselves, like a hidden spring or a lamp lost in dark recesses.
2. On the Son WE shall sing first of the Son, revering the blood which cleanses our passions. For it is needful that even a mortal man should assist heavenly beings, because of a tongue at war with Godhead, a malicious and self-destructive tongue.
Nothing ever existed before the great Father. For he who contains the universe and is dependent on the Father knows this, the one who is sprung from the great Father, the Word of God, the timeless Son, the image ofthe original, a nature equal to his who begot him. For the Father's glory is his great Son and he was manifested in a way known only to the Father and to the Son made known by him. For there was nothing which came close to Godhead. Yet this is as clear to all mortal beings as it is to me, that it is wrong to ascribe to Godhead anything relating to human birth, like flux or shameful sundering. For if I experience passion in the act ofgeneration (being bound to flesh), one who is totally uncompounded and bodiless is quite free of such passion. Where natures are so far apart, is it surprising if modes of B'. MEPI YIOY etot duces, Ti 76 Gata Kai et yevrvyores GAAat; ei xpévos éoriv €ueio mapoitepos, ot 7pé Adyaio
6 xp6vos, ov yevérns EoT dxypovos. Huos avapyos n¢ Ilarip, Gedtntos tréprepov ob 7 AcAoiTas, THs Kai Ilarpés Yidés, €ywv Ilarép' dypovov apyjy, ws ddos HeAioto péyav wepixaddAéa KiKdAov
(ef xai eidea mavTa KdTw peydAoto Bevin), é6gpa xe uy 7 [latpds nai Yiéos alév é6vTwy peconyd orpoartes, droppi~wpev dvaxta
Yiév Ilatpés dvaxtos. 6 yap tapos éati Oeoio, 9] xpOvos He HéAnats, ewoi TuAEis OedtyTOS.
404, wes Oeds, ws yevérns, yevérns péyas. ef 5é péyiotov [Tatpi 76 2H tw' Exew Kedvis GedtyTos adoppjv, ovx Wooor peydAoio Ilatpés yervijpatt cenTa@ roinv pilav éxew. tH 7) Oedv elpye Oeoio. ov yap amdérpothk Ilatpés é€yvws [div. 4 8° "ayévytos" guwvy "yévvnois re [latpés G0", ot Bedtyros émAero eidea b1000 (tis ExAacer;), audi 5' exeivyy auddrep' éxrés édvra, diiats 6' dxéactos Enovye. ei pev bx) yévvnow exer Adyos, otre Tlarip mt capkés, doapkos ew, émdé£erat (ovmoTE TéGCOV avOpwrawy véos €ativ draabados ws Té voyjaat), kai Oedv Yidv éyers, yevyjropos a&é.ov evyos. ei 0 érinpa dépwv Ilazpds weyddAou PedryT paiidiws, Kevedv te S€05 mpanidecat yapdoawr, 405, = rv ev drrapvijcato, Bados 8 és xtigpara Xptoroy, audotépwr Gedryta kabuBpioas, w Keveddpov, tov ev [laidds Guepoas, 6 5' ov Qeds, cizep Erb Oy. mav yap 6 wy wor env, Auréy Td8€, Kav Tt Oeoio
Tois weydAoian Adyouct pévy, Kai Eurredov etn. tis bé Adyos, cé peév Evbev ddopunbérta, dépiore, tois Xptorow rabéecot Oedv werérerta yevéobar,
17 yerrioees L, yertjoves S 18 éueio] €uoio Bill.
19 dvdpyos QL] dvdpxov [1Va' sine initio Pater Syr.
20 yev C*MaVa 22 péya CuCo 26 6] ov L 30 oy] off Morel.
32 dyévyros CLVaCuVIS] dyévwnros MaNVaMbCo 33 te WLCVa"] 6é re MaNVa" —sdro TILCVa'"] do' MaNVa, daw Co 34 dist. Holford-Strevens 36 vex LVa] éyou cett.
38 ws 76 QL] Gere 11 39 vidv] ofov L Execs] execu Bill.
41 S€os] vdov CVa, corr. Va?
42 BdAAos L, Badns S™ 43 dudorépwv QLCOS™] duddrepov II praeter Co, dudorépow VI, amborum Syr.
45 mor'qvedd. aAvrévy QL] atraéy II 46 Aéyos Ls eévg] pévor S*, péver V1, corr. VP 2. ON THE SON generation also differ? If time precedes my human existence, time is not prior to the Word whose begetter is timeless. When there existed the Father who is without beginning, the Father who left nothing beyond his Godhead, then there also existed the Son of the Father, having that Father as his timeless beginning, as light originates from that beautiful great circle ofthe sun (though all images fall short ofthe great God), lest interposing anything between Father and Son, both everlasting beings, we should sever the royal Son from the royal
Father. For what is prior to God, be it time or will, is to me a division ofGodhead. As God, as progenitor, he is a mighty progenitor. But ifit is a great thing for the Father to have no point of origin for his noble
Godhead, it is no lesser glory for the revered offspring of the great Father to come from such a root. So do not sever God from God. You have not recognized the Son apart from the Father. The expressions
'ingenerate' and 'generation from the Father' do not constitute two different forms ofGodhead (who invented that notion?), but both are externals around Godhead. But to my mind, the nature ofGodhead is indivisible. If the Word indeed experiences generation, the Father, who is free of flesh, will take on nothing which pertains to flesh.
(Never would a human mind be foolhardy enough to imagine such a thing.) Then you have God the Son also, a worthy source ofpride to his Father who begot him.
But if idly seeking to find favour with the Godhead of the mighty Father, meaning to strike into people's hearts an empty awe, you should deny generation and consign Christ to the realm of creatures, dishonouring, empty-minded person that you are, the Godhead of both Father and Son, then you have robbed the Father of his Son, while the Son is not God, ifhe has been created. For everything which once lacked existence is subject to dissolution again into nothing, even if it should maintain some place in the mighty plans ofGod and were to be firmly established. For what reason would you, my friend, having a creaturely origin, hereafter become God through the sufferings of MEPI YIOY rév 8' Und Seanad dépew, cai adv Kadéew éuddovdAov dovAostvns yepdeoat tyzwpevor avri Oeoio; ei piv Erevéev Everta Oeds péyas Gpyavov éabAdv (xaAKxeds Ws pacoripa wovnoduevos 51' duagtav), ws Kev én" Apyeydvowo Qeod yeipi xreatioon, wd' dv cai Xptoroio wéAot xriats ovpavioo
406, moAAdv dpetorépy, xeivns Adyos ef wep Exnti ov Keivn Xporoio. tis dv rade pvOyoaito; ef 8° br ccd" Urédexro reois mabéecow apHywy, rotvexa Kai GedryTt peyakA€i wérp' émBijoets,
HActev Os a" €Aénper; éuoi bé re A€iov dyntds: ovire Tt ydp Gedrytos dnébece, kai p' €adwoer, inrnp Svaddmorow éem«vibas wabéecawy. qv Bpotés, dAAd Beds: AaBid yévos, aAAddporo mAdoTHS. capkopdpos pév, aTap Kai CwpaToS ExTOs. untpos, napbevixis 5€- wepiypadgos, aAX' auétpnzos. kai ddtvy pw edexto, Mayois 5€ re ryyepdvevev dotip, Swpogdpo: 8' dp' €Bav, cai yowvar' Exapwav. ws Bpords AAD' én' dyava, imépaxebe 8' cis GBdpactos wElpaoTHY Tptocoiat TaAaiomacw: eloap UTéaTN, Opéwe bé xtAcd das, Fdwp 7' els ofvor duce.
Aovoato, dad' éxdbnpev duapradas, aAN €Box Oy mvetpart Bpovrains dwris dao Yids Avdpyou: ws Boords trvov Edexto, kai ws Beds eivace T6vTOV. yovva Kdmev, mapérors 5é wévos Kai yotvar' Ern€ev. evéatotis 6° €odxovoe Actalomévwv dpevnvar; nv Ovos, apytepeds S€éAunmdAos, dAAad eds wep. ain' dvébyxe Oew, kéapmov 5° éxdbynpev Gravra.
Kai oraupés pu detpe, mayy 5° HAowow duaprtas.
GAA ri po. ra Exacta Aéyerw; vexvecow eviyOn, éypeto 8 Ex vextwy, vexpovs 6° dvéyeipe maporler. et xeiva Bporéns mevins, 65€ mAotros dodpKou:
50 detBeoio L, corr. Bill. in comm.
51 uv advav MaN 53 Geod QLVCo Syr.] deot SMb, Beds CuS', fefov VI* 54 wéAn Ma, wéAce N 55 moAAw VIF 59 te] ye edd.
= dynrés] dyamynras SMb 61 dvaddoow L 63 avrap VaS, corr. S?
65 pw] we» CuVICo* Cosmas Hyeuovedew SMb, Hyepovever S* 66 dwpoddpos SMb 67 inépoxyefe CMaNCuCoMb Cosmas} Urépoye** (rasura) HV1, iadvoyede S, izépoye#' LVa
8' ws] ws LVa 69 7' eis] 5° eis Ma, eis Va Jo GAN éxdbypev QL] dAAa xaOypev Il, dAAa xd@apeyr Bill.
71 vids] warpds VICo 77 pw] pev Bill. deipev L 80 «i xeiva CMaNCuVISL Syr.] éxeitva VaMbCo, av xeiva N", xdxeiva coni. Caill.
Bporéns|] Bporéos Bill. d8e) 76 5e LL dodpwov TIN?L Syr.] dvdpyou Q 2. ON THE SON Christ, should you throw him in chains and call him your fellow-slave, one respected by the privileges of servitude rather than ofGod? If the great God created him later in time to be his reliable instrument (as a smith might fashion a hammer merely to make a cart), that he might have me as his own, made by the hand of the divine first author, then creation would be far superior to the heavenly Christ, since the Word would have been brought into existence for its sake, rather than creation for the sake of Christ. Who would fabricate such a tale?
But if his reason for submitting to a body was to help your sinful passions, you will subject to limitation even the Godhead in all its glory. Was it an offence that he showed mercy to you? I find him the more admirable. For he stripped off none ofhis Godhead in bringing my salvation, a physician who descended to the world ofevil-smelling passions. He was mortal, yet God, of the seed of David, but still the moulder ofAdam's form. He bore flesh, yet existed outside a body. He is son ofa mother, yet she is a virgin. He was subject to limitation, yet beyond measure. A manger received him, while the Magi were led by a star, as they came bringing gifts and bending their knees in worship.
As a mortal man he came to the struggle, yet unconquered he prevailed over the tempter in the threefold conflict. Food was laid before him, yet he it was who fed thousands and turned water into wine. He was baptized, but himself cleansed sins and was proclaimed
Son of the Eternal by the thundering voice of the Spirit. As a human being he took sleep, while as God he lulled the sea to sleep. He bent his knees in weariness, but to the knees of the palsied he restored strength. He prayed. Yet who was it who heard the supplications ofthe weak? He was both sacrifice and High Priest, an offerer of sacrifice, yet God. He dedicated his blood to God and cleansed the whole world. Even whena cross raised him up, it was sin which was fixed by its nails.
But why should I review each detail? He mingled with the dead but was raised from the dead, raising some who had previously died. If those are aspects of mortal poverty, here is found the wealth of the pH ot ye tois Bporéovoww atiudlew GedryTakeivn € yOovinu popdqy épixvdéa redxet, iv, col y' edpevéwr, popdwoaro &dMros Yids. y. [leot Ivetuatoc 408, Qvpeé, zi dybdvets; cai Tvedparos evyos ded, nde réuns pvOoror 6 uh dtors Ex7das EFnKe.
IIvedpa péya tpopéwper, 6 wor Oeds, @ Ocdv éyvwy, 6s Oeds €orw Evavta, Kai bs Oedv éevOdde revyetnavabevés, aloAddwpov, ayvis turnua xopelns, ovpaviwy xfoviwv te depéaBiov, UWiGdwxor, ITazpo$ev épyopnevor, Pciov pévos, adroxéAevotov, ote ITdis (uotvos yap évds [dis éobAds apiorov),
409, ott" €xrés DedryTos devdéos, GAN 6uddo€ov.
Gotts 6° év ceAideco Geomvedatoto vépoLo ITveiaros odpaviowo AaPeiv 7oéet Bedty7Aa, moAAds pév muKivds Te TpiBous eis Ev cuviotaas étherat, Hv €éAnoat, xai ei re [vedparos dyvot cipvoev7 Kpadin, Kai of véos G€0 bédopKer. ei b€ yupry wobec Pwviv OedryTOs Epavvijs, toTw p22) mvuTov 7oféwy Adyav. ov yap €wKel, Ly 7w THS Xptotoio Bporwy wAEdévecat daveions, dy0os dyew xpadinaw adavporatnaw ameorov. ovdeé yap dpyouévorn reAcrotéporo Adyoto
Katpés. tis 8° duvdpoiaw €r' 6upacw FH mupds avyds deifev GAas 7 GwrTds amAnotoTépoto Képeccer; Awiov, jv KaTad pixpdy dyns tuptGadAréas avyds,
4) TwWS Kai yAuKEepoio ddous mHyds Tt yaAdedys. ws yap [latpds dvaxtos 6Anv beérnTa mpodaivwy 81 rois in codd. suis om. rest. Bill. dtyialors Morel.
Bedzms)] xeivy V1 Caill. revxes QL Syr.] revyecw Va mrepi vio Adyos B CuVl, subscriptionem omittunt ceteri tit. epi wvedpatos MaNSMb, zwepi rot rvevuaros Va, wepi mvetuaros 8: exe C, Adyos y'sepi tod dyiov mvevparos CuVICo, I ITepi rod dyiov mvedparos Caill., zepi ro dyiov mvetuaros Adyos y' Bill., inscriptionem om. L
§ aloAddwpov IT] cAsiddwpor QL 7 pévos] obévos MaN 13 €béAn L 14 xapdin L xai of) xai ef Cail, 20 mupés] apés SMbCus, corr. S*, warpés Bill., qui wupds coniecit