The Oration of Eusebius 16
16.1 Chapter XVI
1. And now the time is come for us to proceed to the demonstration of these things; if indeed such truths require demonstration, and if the aid of testimony be needful to confirm the certainty of palpable facts. Such testimony, however, shall be here given; and let it be received with an attentive and gracious ear.
Ἀλλὰ γὰρ τοῦτων ὧδε ἐχόντων, ὥρα καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς ἀπο- δείξεις ἐλθεῖν, εἰͅ δὴ ἀποδείξεως δεῖ τῆς τούτων ἀληθείας, καὶ εἰ δὴ ἐναργῶν πραγμάτων ἀναγκαῖον πιστώσασθαι τὰς μαρτυρίας· δέχου δὲ ταύτας εὐγνώμονα τῷ λόγῳ τὴν ἀκοὴν παρασκευάσας.
16.2
2. Of old the nations of the earth, the entire human race, were variously distributed into provincial, national, and local governments, subject to kingdoms and principalities of many kinds. The consequences of this variety were war and strife, depopulation and captivity, which raged in country and city with unceasing fury. Hence, too, the countless subjects of history, adulteries, and rapes of women; hence the woes of Troy, and the ancient tragedies, so known among all peoples.
διᾴρητο μὲν πάντα τὰ πάλαι ἐπὶ γῆς ἔθνη, καὶ τὸ πᾶν τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος εἰς ἐπαρχίας καὶ ἐθναρχίας καὶ τοπαρχίας τυραννίδας τε καὶ πολυαρχίας κατετέτμητο, ἐξ ὧν μάχαι συνεχεῖς καὶ πόλεμοι δημώσεις τε καὶ ἀνδραποδισμοὶ κατ᾿ ἀγροὺς καὶ κατὰ πόλεις οὔποτ᾿ αὐτοὺς διελίμπανον, ἱστοριῶν τε ὑποθέσεις μυρίαι, μοιχεῖαί τε καὶ γυναικῶν ἁρπαγί, ἔνθεν τὰ Ἰλίου κακὰ καὶ αἱ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώ- ποις μνημονευόμεναι τῶν παλαιῶν τραγῳδίαι.
16.3
3. The origin of these may justly be ascribed to the delusion of polytheistic error. But when that instrument of our redemption, the thrice holy body of Christ, which proved itself superior to all Satanic fraud, and free from evil both in word and deed, was raised, at once for the abolition of ancient evils, and in token of his victory over the powers of darkness; the energy of these evil spirits was at once destroyed. The manifold forms of government, the tyrannies and republics, the siege of cities, and devastation of countries caused thereby, were now no more, and one God was proclaimed to all mankind.
τούτων δ' οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοις τὰς αἰτίας τῇ πολυθέῳ πλάνῃ προσγράφων. ὡς δὲ τὸ σωτήριον ὄργανον, αὐτὸ δὴ τὸ πανάγιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ σῶμα, τὸ κρεἱττον ἁπάσης δαιμονικῆς πλάνης καὶ ἐνεργείας ὀφθὲν κακίας τε τῆς δι' ἔργων καὶ λόγων ἀλλότριον, νικητήριον τρόπαιον κατὰ δαιμόνων παλαιῶν τε κακῶν ἀποτρόπαιον ἀνυψοῦτο, ἐλύετό τε αὐτίκα πάντα δαιμόνων ἔργα καὶ οὐκέτ’ ἠσαν τοπαρχίαι καὶ πολυαρχίαι. τυραννίδες τε καὶ δημοκρατίαι, αἱ τε διὰ ταῦτα συνιστάμεναι κατὰ πόλεις καὶ κατὰ χώρας δᾐώσεις καὶ πολιορκίαι, ἀλλὰ θεὸς μὲν xE; εἰς πάντας ἐκηρύττετο·
16.4
4. At the same time one universal power, the Roman empire, arose and flourished, while the enduring and implacable hatred of nation against nation was now removed: and as the knowledge of one God, and one way of religion and salvation, even the doctrine of Christ, was made known to all mankind; so at the self-same period, the entire dominion of the Roman empire being vested in a single sovereign, profound peace reigned throughout the world. And thus, by the express appointment of the same God, two roots of blessing, the Roman empire, and the doctrine of Christian piety, sprang up together for the benefit of men.
ἐν ταὐτῷ δὲ καὶ βασιλεία μία τοῖς πᾶσιν ἡ Ῥωμαίων ἐπήνθει, ἀνῄρητό τε ἀθρόως ἡ ἐξ αἰῶνος ἄσπειστος καὶ ἀκατάλλακτος τῶν ἐθνῶν ἔχθρα. ὡς δὲ ἑνὸς θεοῦ γνῶσις πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις παρεδίδοτο καὶ τρόπος εἶς εὐσεβείας σωτήριός τε ἡ Χρι- στοῦ διδασκαλία, κατὰ ταῦτα καὶ βασιλέως ἑνὸς ὑφ' ἕνα καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον καθ' ὅλης τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῆς ὑποστάντος εἰρήνη βαθεῖα τὰ σύμπαντα διελάμβανεν· ὁμοῦ τε καὶ ὑφ’ ἑνὶ καιρῶ ὥνπερ ἐξ ἑνὸς Μου νεύματος ἀνεφύοντο εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἀγαθῶν δύο βλαστοί, ἥ τε Ῥωμαίων ἀρχὴ καὶ ἡ εὐσεβὴς διδασκαλία.
16.5
5. For before this time the various countries of the world, as Syria, Asia, Macedonia, Egypt, and Arabia, had been severally subject to different rulers. The Jewish people, again, had established their dominion in the land of Palestine. And these nations, in every village, city, and district, actuated by some insane spirit, were engaged in incessant and murderous war and conflict. But two mighty powers, starting from the same point, the Roman empire, which henceforth was swayed by a single sovereign, and the Christian religion, subdued and reconciled these contending elements.
πρό γε μὴν ταύτης οἱ μὲν ἀφωρισμένως Συρίας ἐκράτουν, οἱ δὲ τῆς Ἀσίας ἐβασίλευον, ἄλλοι δὲ Μακεδονίας, τὴν δὲ Αἴγυπτον ἀποτεμόντες ἕτεροι κατεῖχον, καὶ χώραν τὴν Ἀράβων ὡσαύτως ὡσαύτως ναὶ μὴν καὶ Παλαιστινῶν τὸ Ἰουδαίων ἐκράτει γένος, καὶ κατὰ κώμας τε καὶ πόλεις καὶ κατὰ πάντα τόπον ὥσπερ ὑπό τινος παραπληθίας κατ' ἀλλήλων φονῶντες καὶ δαιμονῶντες ἀληθῶς πολέμοις καὶ μάχαις ἐσχόλαζον.
ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἀθρόως ἅπαντα ὥσπερ ἀπὸ νύσσης μιᾶς δύο μεγάλαι προελθοῦσαι δυνάμεις ἡμέρωσάν τε καὶ εἰς φιλίαν συνήγαγον. ἥ τε Ῥωμαίων ἀρχὴ μόναρχος ἐξ ἐκείνου φανθεῖσα καὶ ἡ τοῦ Χριστοῦ διδασκαλία, ὁμοῦ καὶ κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ συνακμάσασαι ἀλλήλαις.
16.6
6. Our Saviour’s mighty power destroyed at once the many governments and the many gods of the powers of darkness, and proclaimed to all men, both rude and civilized, to the extremities of the earth, the sole sovereignty of God himself. Meantime the Roman empire, the causes of multiplied governments being thus removed, effected an easy conquest of those which yet remained; its object being to unite all nations in one harmonious whole; an object in great measure already secured, and destined to be still more perfectly attained, even to the final conquest of the ends of the habitable world, by means of the salutary doctrine, and through the aid of that Divine power which facilitates and smooths its way.
ἡ μέν γε τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν δύναμις τὰς τῶν δαιμόνων πολυαρχίας τε καὶ πολυθείας καθεῖλε, μίαν βασιλείαν θεοῦ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις Ἑλλησί τε καὶ βαρβάροις καὶ μέχρι μέχρι τῶν ἐσχατιῶν τῆς γῆς κηρύττουσα·
ἡ δὲ Ῥωμαίων ἀρχή, ὡς ἂν προκαθῃρημένων τῶν τῆς αἰτιῶν, τὰς ὁρωμένας ἐχειροῦτο, εἰς μίαν ἕνωσιν καὶ συμφωνίαν τὸ Πᾶν γένος ουνάπτειν σπεύδουσα, καὶ τὰ πολλὰ μὲν παντοίων ἐθνῶν συναγαγοῦσα, μέλλουσα δὲ ὅσον οὔπω καὶ αὐτῶν ἄχρι τῶν ἄκρων τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐφάπτεσθαι, τῆς σωτηρίου διδασκαλίας σὺν θεϊκῇ δυνάμει προεξευμαριζούσης αὐτῇ τὰ πάντα καὶ ὁμαλὰ καθιστώσης.
16.7
7. And surely this must appear a wondrous fact to those who will examine the question in the love of truth, and desire not to cavil at these blessings. The falsehood of demon superstition was convicted: the inveterate strife and mutual hatred of the nations was removed: at the same time One God, and the knowledge of that God, were proclaimed to all: one universal empire prevailed; and the whole human race, subdued by the controlling power of peace and concord, received one another as brethren, and responded to the feelings of their common nature. Hence, as children of one God and Father, and owning true religion as their common mother, they saluted and welcomed each other with words of peace. Thus the whole world appeared like one well-ordered and united family: each one might journey unhindered as far as and whithersoever he pleased: men might securely travel from West to East, and from East to West, as to their own native country: in short, the ancient oracles and predictions of the prophets were fulfilled, more numerous than we can at present cite, and those especially which speak as follows concerning the saving Word. “He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.” And again, “In his days shall righteousness spring up; and abundance of peace.” “And they shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into sickles: and nation shall not take up sword against nation, neither shall they learn to war any more.”
τοῦτό γέ τοι ἂν εἴη τὸ μέγα θαῦμα τοῖς φιλαλήθως τὸν νοῦν ἐφιστῶσι καὶ μὴ τοῖς καλοῖς βασκαίνειν ἐθέλουσιν· ὁμοῦ τε γὰρ ἡ τῶν δαιμόνων ἀπηλέγχετο πλάνη, ὁμοῦ καὶ ἡ ἐξ αἰῶνος ἔχθρα καὶ μάχη τῶν ἐθνῶν διελύετο, καὶ πάλιν ὁμοῦ θεὸς εἶς καὶ μία τούτου γνῶσις εἰς πάντας ἐκηρύττετο, ὁμοῦ καὶ βασιλεία μία ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐκρατύνετο, καὶ τὸ πᾶν ὁμοῦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος εἰς εἰρήνην καὶ φιλίαν μεθηρμόζετο, ἀδελφούς τε ὡμολόγουν ἀλλήλους οἱ πάντες καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν ἐγνώριζον΄. αὐτίκα γοῦν ὥσπερ ἐξ ἑνὸς φύντες πατρὸς ἑνός τε θεοῦ οἷα παῖδες καὶ μητρὸς μιᾶς, τῆς ἀληθοῦς εύσεβείας, εἰρηνικῶς ἀλλήλους ἠσπάζοντό τε καὶ ἀπελάμβανον, ὡς μη- δὲν ἀποδεῖν ἐξ ἐκείνου τὴν σύμπασαν οἰκουμένην μιᾶς εὐνομουμένης οἰκετείας τε καὶ συγγενείας, ἐξεῖναί τε πορείας ὅτῳ φίλον στέλλεσθαι ἀποδημεῖν τε ὅπη τις θέλοι σὺη πάγῃ ῥᾳστώνῃ, καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἀπὸ δυσμῶν ἀκινδύνως ἐπὶ τὰ ἑῷα παριέναι, τοὺς δὲ ἐνθένδε πάλιν ἐκεῖσε ὡς ἐπὶ πατρίδας οἰκείας στέλλεσθαι, πληροῦμαί τε παλαιῶν χρησ- μῶν λόγια καὶ προφητῶν ἀναφωνήσεις, μυρίας μὲν καὶ ἄλλας ἅς οὐ νῦν παρατίθεσθαι σχολή, ἀτὰρ δὲ καὶ τὰς ἀμφὶ τοῦ σωτηρίου λόγου ὡδέ πη βοώσας· κατακυριεύσει ἀπὸ θαλάσσης ἕως θαλάσσης, καὶ ἀπὸ ποταμῶν ἕως περάτων τῆς οἰκουμένης.“ καὶ αἶθες· „ἀνατελεῖ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ δικαιοσύνη καὶ πλῆθος εἰρήνης.“ „ καὶ συγκό- ψουσι τὰς μαχαίρας αὐτῶν εἰς ἄροτρα, καὶ τὰς ζιβύνας εἰς δρέπανα. καὶ οὐ μὴ λήψεται ἔθνος ἐπ' ἔθνος μάχαιραν, καὶ οὐ μὴ μάθωσιν ἔτι πολεμεῖν."
8 ταῦτα προὐλέγετο καὶ φωναῖς Ἑβραίων ἐξ αἰῶνος μακροῦ προεκηρύττετο· ταῦτα τοῖς ἔργοις καθ’ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ὁρώμενα τῶν παλαιῶν φωνῶν πιστοῦται τὰς μαρτυρίας. σὺ δὲ δὴ εἰ ποθεῖς
ἑτέρων ἀποδείξεων περιουσίας, μὴ λόγοις ἀλλ’ ἔργοις ταύτας λάμβανε. διάνοιξον τῆς σαυτοῦ διονοίας τοὺρ ὀφθαλμούς, καὶ τοῦ λογισμοῦ τὰς πύλας ἀναπέτασον, πολύ τε ἐπισχὼν παρὰ σαυτῷ λόγισαι, αὐτός τε σαυτὸν ἐρώτα, καὶ ὡς παρ' ἑτέρου πυνθάνου, ὧδέ πη τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων φύσιν διερευνώμενος· τίς πώποτε τῶν ἐξ αἰῶνος βασιλεὺς ἢ ἄρχων ἢ φιλόσοφος ἢ νομοθέτης ἢ προφήτης Ἑλληνικὸς ἢ βάρβαρος τοσοῦτον ἀρετῆς ἀπηνέγκατο, οὔτι γε μετὰ θάνατον ἀλλ’ ἔτι ζῶν καὶ ἐμπνέων καὶ πολλὰ δυνάμενος, ὡς πάντων τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς ἀνθρώπων ἀκοὴν καὶ γλῶτταν ἐμπλῆσαι τῆς αὐτοῦ προσηγορίας; ἀλλὰ τοῦτό γε οὐδεὶς ἢ μόνος εἷς ὁ ἡμέτερος σωτὴρ μετὰ τὴν κατὰ τοῦ θανάτου νίκην διεπράξατο, τοῖς αὐτοῦ γνωρίμοις λόγον εἰπὼν καὶ ἔργῳ τελέσας, „πορευθέντες γοῦν μαθητεύσατε Πάντα τὰ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου“ φήσας αὐτοῖς. προειπών τε καὶ μενος, ὡς ἄρα δεῖ τὸ εὐαγγἐλιον αὐτοῦ κηρυχθῆναι ἐν ὄλῃ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ εἰς μαρτύριον πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ἅμα λόγῳ τοὔργον ἐπήγαγεν. αὐτίκα δ' οὑν καὶ οὐκ εἰς μακρὸν ἡ σύμπασα οἰκουμένη τῶν αὐτοῦ λόγων ἐπληροῦτο.
16.8
8. These words, predicted ages before in the Hebrew tongue, have received in our own day a visible fulfillment, by which the testimonies of the ancient oracles are clearly confirmed. And now, if thou still desire more ample proof, receive it, not in words, but from the facts themselves. Open the eyes of thine understanding; expand the gates of thought; pause awhile, and consider; inquire of thyself as though thou wert another, and thus diligently examine the nature of the case. What king or prince in any age of the world, what philosopher, legislator, or prophet, in civilized or barbarous lands, has attained so great a height of excellence, I say not after death, but while living still, and full of mighty power, as to fill the ears and tongues of all mankind with the praises of his name? Surely none save our only Saviour has done this, when, after his victory over death, he spoke the word to his followers, and fulfilled it by the event, saying to them, “Go ye, and make disciples of all nations in my name.” He it was who gave the distinct assurance, that his gospel must be preached in all the world for a testimony to all nations, and immediately verified his word: for within a little time the world itself was filled with his doctrine.
16.9
9. How, then, will those who caviled at the commencement of my speech be able to reply to this? For surely the force of ocular testimony is superior to any verbal argument. Who else than he, with an invisible and yet potent hand, has driven from human society like savage beasts that ever noxious and destructive tribe of evil spirits who of old had made all nations their prey, and by the motions of their images had practiced many a delusion among men? Who else, beside our Saviour, by the invocation of his name, and by unfeigned prayer addressed through him to the Supreme God, has given power to banish from the world the remnant of those wicked spirits to those who with genuine and sincere obedience pursue the course of life and conduct which he has himself prescribed? Who else but our Saviour has taught his followers to offer those bloodless and reasonable sacrifices which are performed by prayer and the secret worship of God?
τί οὖν ἔχοι ἂν πρὸς τοῦτο εἰπεῖν ἡ κατ' ἀρχὰς τοῦ λόγου ἡμῖν ἐπιμεμψάμενος, ὁπότε παντὸς λόγου κρείττων ἡ διὰ τῆς ὄφεως τυγχάνει μαρτυρία; ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ προτέρου μεταβάς, ἐλθὲ καὶ ἐφ' ἕτερον καὶ σκέψαι παρὰ σαυτῷ· τίς πώποτε ἐκ τοῦ παντὸς αἰῶνος νόμους εὐσεβεῖς καὶ σώφρονας λόγῳ μόνῳ δίχα πάσης γραφῆς διαταξάμενος, τούτους διὰ τῶν αὐτοῦ φοιτητῶν ἀπὸ περάτων γῆς καὶ εἰς ἄκρα τῆς ὅλης οἰκουμένης, διδασκαλεῖα παν- ταχοῦ γῆς ἀνοίξας, εἰς ἐπήκοον ἀνθρώποις πᾶσι βαρβάροις ὁμοῦ καὶ Ἕλλησιν ἀναγινώσκεσθαι ῥᾳδίως ἐκράτυνεν; ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν εὕροις ἐπιζητήσας ἄλλον. καὶ τοῦτο δὴ μόνου τοῦ ἡμετέρου σωτῆρος ἔργον ἠν. ὅ δὴ μετὰ τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ πεπραγμένον τῆς ἐνθέου ζωῆς τε καὶ δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ παραστατικὸν ἂν εἴη. ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τοῦτο πείθει τὸν ἀπειθῆ. οὐκοῦν ἡμῖν αὐτὸς λεγέτω ποθοῦσι μαθεῖν, τίς ποτε ἄλλος τῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ βοηθέντων ἔθη βάρβαρα καὶ ἀνήμερα βαρβάρων ἐθνῶν τοῖς φιλανθρωποτάτοις αὐτοῦ παρέλυσε νόμοις, ὡς μηκέτι τοὺς αὑτῷ μαθητευομένους ἐν Σ̓κύθαις άνθρωποβορεῖν, μηδ' ἐν Πέρσαις μητρογαμεῖν, μηδ’ ἄλλους κυοὶ παραβάλλειν τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς, μηδ’ ἑτέρους ἀγχόνῃ παραδιδόναι τοὺς 7
ρακότας, μηδ’ ἕτερα τούτων ἀδελφὰ ὠμὰ καὶ θηριώδη παρ' ἐτέροις ἐπιτελεῖσθαι. ἀλλὰ μικρὰ ταῦτα τυγχάνει δείγματα τῆς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν μετὰ τὸν θάνατον ἐνθέου ζωῆς. θέα δὴ καὶ ἕτερα τούτων μείζω, σκεψάμενος τίς πώποτε ἐν ἀνθρώποις τοσούτοις δὴ χρόνοις ὑπὸ πάι των ἀνθρώπων, ἀρχόντων τε καὶ βασιλέων, πολιτῶν τε καὶ στρατοπέδων, δήμων τε καὶ Μνῶν, πολεμηθεὶς καὶ εἰς ἀεὶ πολεμού- μενος τὴν ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον ἀρετὴν ἐπεδείξατο. ὡς ἀνθεῖν ὁσημέραι καὶ νεάζειν διὰ παντὸς τοῦ βίου. τίς δὲ καὶ ἄλλος τῶν ἐξ αἰῶνος ὁμοίως τῷ ἡμετέρῳ σωτῆρι ἔθνος τὸ μηδ’ ἀκουσθὲν ἄλλοτέ ποτε ἐπ' ὀνόματι τῷ αὐτοῦ συστήσασθαι βουληθείς, τοῦτο οὐκ ἐν γωνίᾳ ποι γῆς λεληθὼς ἀλλὰ καθ' ὅλης τῆς ὑφ' ἥλιον ἱδρύσατο, δυνάμει θεϊκῆς ἐξουσίας πέρας ἐπιθεὶς τῷ αὐτοῦ βουλήματι; θεὸν δὲ μόνον τὸν ἐπέκεινα οὐρανοῦ καὶ τοῦ παντὸς κόσμου γνωρίζειν τε καὶ σέβειν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τίς πωποτε διδάξαι προὔθετο; κἄπειτα τοιοῦτον προθέμενος σκοπὸν εἰς ἔργον ἤγαγε τὸ κατόρθωμα, μόνον οὐχὶ δι' αὐτῆς ἐνεργείας φιλόθεον ἀποφήνας τὸ πεπραγμένον· ὅ δὴ καὶ μάλιστα πᾶν ἄθυρον ἀπέφραξε στόμα, ὅτι δὴ τὸν ἀνωτάτω κηρύξας θεὸν καὶ τοῦτον μόνον ἀληθῆ γνωρίζειν τοῖς πᾶσιν ἔθνεσιν ἐγκελευσάμενος, ὡς ἂν τὰ φίλα τῷ θεῷ βουληθείς, τῆς πρὸς αὐτοῦ τοῦ πρεσβευομένου συνεργίας τε καὶ βοηθείας ἠξιώθη.
τὰ δ' ἐπὶ τῷ τοιούτῳ κηρύγματι συμπαραληφθέντα μαθήματα καὶ πᾶσιν εἰς ἐπήκοον παραδοθέντα ἔργῳ τε κρατυνθέντα ὁποῖα τυγχάνει; θέα καὶ σκέψαι. ἥ τίς καὶ ἄλλος τῶν πώποτε, τὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ψυχὰς λογικῷ φωτὶ καταλάμψας, καταγελάσαι τῆς πατρίου πλάνης αὐτοὺς παρεσκεύασεν, ὡς μηκέτι λίθοις καὶ ξύλοις μήδ' ἀψύχῳ ὕλῃ τὴν Θείαν περιάπτειν προσηγορίαν. Αἰγυπτίους δὲ τοὺς πάντων δεισιδαιμονεστάτους, ἀφ' ὧν καὶ εἰς Ἕλληνας τὰ τῆς πολυθέου πλάνης προῆλθεν, τίς ἄλλος πλὴν τοῦ ἡμετέρου σωτῆρος μηκέτ' ἀφρονεῖν ἔπεισεν, μηδἐ γε θηρσὶ καὶ ἑρπετοῖς καὶ ζώων ἀλόβων τοῖς ἀτιμοτάτοις τὴν σεβάσμιον ἀπονέμειν τιμήν, μόνον δὲ τὸν ἐπὶ πάντων γνωρίζειν θεόν, καὶ διὰ παντοίων θανάτων ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀγωνίζεσθαι. τίς δὲ ἐξ αἰῶνος τὸ βλαπτικὸν καὶ ὀλέθριον δαιμόνων φῦλον, τὸ πάλαι πᾶσαν ἀνθρώπων φύσιν ἐπινεμόμενον καὶ διὰ τῆς τῶν ξοάνων κινήσεως πολλὰς ἐν ἀνθρώποις γοητείας ἐπιδεικνύμενον, ἀοράτῳ καὶ κραταιᾷ χειρὶ οἷα θῆρας δεινοὺς τῆς
ἀνθρώπων ἀπεδίωξεν ἀγέλης; τίς δ' ἕτερος ὡς ὁ ἡμέτερος σωτὴρ διὰ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν ἐπικλήσεως καθαρωτάταις εὐχαῖς ταῖς δι’ αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸν τῶν ὅλων θεὸν ἀναπεμπομέναις τὰ λείψανα τῶν πονηρῶν πνευμάτων ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀπελαύνειν ἐπ' ἐξουσίας ἔδωκεν τοῖς καθαρῶς καὶ ἀπλάστως μετερχομένοις τὸν βίον τῆς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ παρακοθείσης φιλοσοφίας; ἀναίμους δὲ καὶ λογικὰς θυσίας τὰς δι’ εὐχῶν καὶ ἀπορρήτου θεολογίας τοῖς αὐτοῦ θιασώταις τίς ἐπιτελεῖν παρέδωκεν ἄλλος ἢ μόνος ὁ ἡμέτερος σωτήρ;
16.10
10. Hence is it that throughout the habitable world altars are erected, and churches dedicated, wherein these spiritual and rational sacrifices are offered as a sacred service by every nation to the One Supreme God. Once more, who but he, with invisible and secret power, has suppressed and utterly abolished those bloody sacrifices which were offered with fire and smoke, as well as the cruel and senseless immolation of human victims; a fact which is attested by the heathen historians themselves? For it was not till after the publication of the Saviour’s Divine doctrine, about the time of Hadrian’s reign, that the practice of human sacrifice was universally abandoned.
διὸ καθ' ὅλης τῆς ἀνθρώπων οἰκουμένης θυσιαστήρια ουνέστη ἐκκλησιῶν τε ἀφιερώματα, νοερῶν τε καὶ λογικῶν θυσιῶν ἱεροπρεπεῖς λειτουργίαι μόνῳ τῷ παμβασιλεῖ θεῷ πρὸς ἁπάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν ἀναπεμπόμεναι. τὰς δὲ δι' αἱμάτων καὶ λύθρων καπνοῦ τε καὶ πυρὸς ἐπιτελουμέναις θυσίας τάς τε ὠμὰς ἐκείνας καὶ μανιώδεις ἀνδροκτασίας τε καὶ ἀνθρωποθυσίας τίς ἀφανεῖ τε καὶ ἀοράτῳ δυνάμει σβεσθῆναι καὶ μηκέτι ὑπάρχειν παρεσκεύασεν, ὡς μαρτυρεῖσθαι πρὸς αὐτῆς γε τῆς Ἑλλήνων ἱστορίας; ἐπειδὴ οὐ πρότερον ἀλλ’ ἢ μετὰ τὴν ἔνθεον τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν διδασκαλίαν κατὰ τοὺς Ἀδριανοῦ χρόνους πᾶσαι αἱ πανταχοῦ γῆς κατελύθησαν ἀνθρωποθυσίαι.
16.11
11. Such and so manifest are the proofs of our Saviour’s power and energy after death. Who then can be found of spirit so obdurate as to withhold his assent to the truth, and refuse to acknowledge his life to be Divine? Such deeds as I have described are done by the living, not the dead; and visible acts are to us as evidence of those which we cannot see. It is as it were an event of yesterday that an impious and godless race disturbed and confounded the peace of human society, and possessed mighty power. But these, as soon as life departed, lay prostrate on the earth, worthless as dung, breathless, motionless, bereft of speech, and have left neither fame nor memorial behind. For such is the condition of the dead; and he who no longer lives is nothing: and how can he who is nothing be capable of any act? But how shall his existence be called in question, whose active power and energy are greater than in those who are still alive? And though he be invisible to the natural eye, yet the discerning faculty is not in outward sense. We do not comprehend the rules of art, or the theories of science, by bodily sensation; nor has any eye yet discerned the mind of man. Far less, then, the power of God: and in such cases our judgment is formed from apparent results.
τοσούτων ἐναργῶν ἀποδείξεων τὴν μετὰ τὸν θάνατον ἀρετήν τε καὶ δύναμιν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν πατουμένων, τίς οὕτω σιδήρεος τὴν ψυχήν, ὡς μὴ συμμαρτυρεῖν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ καὶ τὴν ἔνθεον αὐτοῦ ζωὴν ὁμολογεῖν; ζώντων γὰρ ἄλλ' οὐ νεκρῶν τὰ κατορθώματα, ὄφεις τε ἀδήλων φαοὶν εἶναι τὰ φαινόμενα. αὐτίκα δ’ οὖν χθὲς καὶ πρώην θεομάχων γένος τὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων βίον ἐκύκα, ἠγέν τε καὶ ἀπῆγεν καὶ πολλὰ ἴσχυεν. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀπηλλάγη, ἐ δὴ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐπὶ γῆς σκυβάλων έκβλητότερον, ἄπνουν ἀκίνητον ἄναυδον, καὶ οὐκέτ’ αὐτῶν λόγος οὐδείς, οὐ μνήμη· φύσις γαρ αυτη νεκρῶν, καὶ ὁ μηκέτ' ὢν οὐδεὶς ἐστιν. ὁ δὲ μηδεὶς ὤν xE; πράξειέν τι; ὁ δ’ ἐνεργῶν καὶ πράττων καὶ πλείονα τῶν ζώντων δυνάμενος πῶς ἂν ὑποληφθείη μὴ ὤν; εἰ δ' ἀφανὴς εἴη σαρκὸς ὀφθαλμοῖς, ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐν αἰσθήσει τὸ κριτήριον, οὐδὲ τεχνικοὺς λογους οὐδ’ ἐπιστημονικὰς Θεωρίας αἰσθήσει σωμάτων καταμανθάνομεν, οὐδὲ νοῦν τὸν ἐν ἀνθρώποις μήτι γε θεοῦ δύναμιν εἶδεν τις πώποτε
ἀφθαλμοῖς, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῶν ἔργων τὰ τοιάδε πέφυκεν ἐπινοεῖσθαι.
16.12
12. Even thus are we bound to judge of our Saviour’s invisible power, and decide by its manifest effects whether we shall acknowledge the mighty operations which he is even now carrying on to be the works of a living agent; or whether they shall be ascribed to one who has no existence; or, lastly, whether the inquiry be not absurd and inconsistent in itself. For with what reason can we assert the existence of one who is not? Since all allow that that which has no existence is devoid of that power, and energy, and action, for these are characteristics of the living, but the contrary is characteristic of the dead.
διὸ δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἡμετέρου σωτῆρος τὴν ἀφανῆ δύναμιν αὐτοῦ προσή- κοι ἂν ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἐπισκοπεῖν καὶ διακρίνειν, εἴτε χρὴ ζῶντος ὁμολογεῖν τὰ εἰσέτι δεῦρο πρὸς αὐτοῦ κατορθούμενα, εἴτε καὶ μὴ ὄντος εἶναι λέγειν· ἢ μωρὸν καὶ ἀσύστατον τὸ ἐρώτημα· τὸν γὰρ μὴ ὄντα πῶς ἄν τις εὐλόγως εἴποι ἂν εἶναι; τὸ γὰρ μὴ ὃν πάσαις ψήφοις οὐκ εἶναι ἀποπέφανται οὐδέ τι δύνασθαι οὔτ' ἐνεργεῖν οὔτε πράττειν. αὕτη γὰρ φύσις νεκρῶν ζώντων δὲ ἡ ἐναντία.