Ἐπειδὴ ἀνεκαθήραμεν τῷ λόγῳ τὸν θεόλογον, οἷόν
τε εἶναι χρὴ διελθόντες, καὶ οἷστισι φιλοσοφητέον, καὶ
ἡνίκα, καὶ ὅσον·—ὅτι ὡς οἷόν τε καθαροῖς, ἵνα φωτὶ καταλαμβάνηται
φῶς· καὶ τοῖς ἐπιμελεστέροις, ἵνα μὴ ἄγονος
ἦ εἰς ἄγονον χώραν ἐμπίπτων ὁ λόγος· καὶ ὅταν γαλήνην 
ἔχωμεν ἔνδον ἀπὸ τῆς ἔξω περιφορᾶς, ὥστε μή, καθάπερ
οἱ λυττῶντες, τῷ πνεύματι διακόπτεσθαι· καὶ ὅσον ἐχωρήσαμεν,
ἢ χωρούμεθα· —ἐπειδὴ ταῦτα οὕτω, καὶ ἐνεώσαμεν
ἑαυτοῖς θεῖα νεώματα, ὥστε μὴ σπείρειν ἐπ’ ἀκάνθαις, καὶ
τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς ὡμαλίσαμεν, τῆ γραφῇ τυπωθέντες 
τε καὶ τυπώσαντες· φέρε, τοῖς τῆς θεολογίας ἤδη προσβῶμεν
λόγοις, προστησάμενοι τοῦ λόγου τὸν πατέρα, καὶ
 1. 1 ἐπειδὴ] ἔπει ’δε be ’Or. I’ || 3 καθαροῖς] -ον d1 || 7
be: λύζοντες d2 ǁ 8 ἐπειδὴ] ἔπει ’δε ef || 11 τοις τῆς θεολ.] om τῆς d:
ομ τῆς θεολ. c1 
 1. Having spoken of the conditions
under which theological subjects
jects should be treated, we proceed to
our theological enquiry itself, invoking
the assistance of the Trinity. 
 1. ἀνεκαθήραμεν] lit. ’cleaned up’;
a ref. to the passage of Plato quoted
above p. 11. 
 3. φωτὶ καταλαμβάνηται φῶς] cf.
John i 5; but Gr.'s interpretation of
his text is a very doubtful one. 
 4. ἐπιμελεστέροις] ‘among thougthful
men,’ Ἄγονος=ἄκαρπος Mark iv
19. 
 6. περιφορᾶς] cf. Oral, in Ful. 1
§ 100 πλοῦτον, εὐκλείαν, εὐκλείαν,
δυναστείαν, ἃ τῆς κάτω περιφορᾶς of Gr. 's.
ἐστὶ καὶ ὀνειρώδους τέρψεως. Hesych.
renders the word by ἢ κατὰ
κίνησις—‘whirl.’ Cp. Plat. Rep. 10
p. 616; Eccl. ii 2. 
 7. τῷ πνεῦμ’. διακόπτεσθαι] ‘be
stopped for want of breath.’ 
 ib. ἐχωρήσαμεν, ἢ χωρούμεθα] Our
limits are fixed by our own capacity
and by that of those whom we address. 
 8. ἐνεώσαμεν...ἀκάνθαις] Jer. iv 3. 
 10. τὸ πρόσ’. τ. γ. ὡμαλίσαμεν]
Is. xxviii 25. 
 12 προστησάμενοι τ. λ.] ’making
God the προστάτης, or patron, of
the ’;—a favourite expression
of Gr's. 

 
τὸν υἱόν, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, περὶ ὧν ὁ λόγος, ὥστε
τὸν μὲν εὐδοκεῖν, τὸν δὲ συνεργεῖν, τὸ δὲ ἐμπνεῖν· μᾶλλον
δὲ μίαν ἐκ τῆς μιᾶς θεότητος γενέσθαι τὴν ἔλλαμψιν
ἑνικῶς διαιρουμένην, καὶ συναπτομένην διαιρέτως, ὃ καὶ
 παράδοξον. Ἀνιόντι δέ μοι προθύμως ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος, ἢ τό γε
ἀληθέστερον εἰπεῖν, προθυμουμένῳ τε ἅμα καὶ ἀγωνιῶντι,
τὸ μὲν διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα, τὸ δὲ διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν, ἵνα τῆς
νεφέλης εἴσω γένωμαι, καὶ θεῷ συγγένωμαι τοῦτο γὰρ
 κελεύει θεός), εἰ μέν τις Ἀαρών, συνανίτω καὶ στηκέτω
πλησίον, κἂν ἔξω μένειν τῆς νεφέλης δέῃ, τοῦτο δεχόμενος.
εἰ δέ τις Ναδάβ, ἢ Ἀβιούδ, ἢ τῆς γερουσίας, ἀνίτω μέν,
ἀλλὰ στηκέτω πόρρωθεν, κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν τῆς καθάρσεως.
εἰ δέ τις τῶν πολλῶν καὶ ἀναξίων ὕψους τοιούτου καὶ
 θεωρίας, εἰ μὲν ἄναγνος πάντῃ, μηδὲ προσίτω, οὐ γὰρ
ἀσφαλές· εἰ δὲ πρόσκαιρα γοῦν ἡγνισμένος, κάτω μενέτω,
καὶ μόνης ἀκουέτω τῆς φωνῆς καὶ τῆς σάλπιγγος, τῶν
ψιλῶν τῆς εὐσεβείας ῥημάτων· καπνιζόμενόν τε τὸ ὄρος
βλεπέτω καὶ καταστραπτόμενον, ἀπειλήν τε ὁμοῦ καὶ
 θαῦμα τοῖς ἀνιέναι μὴ δυναμένοις. εἰ δέ τις θηρίον ἐστὶ
 3 τῆς μιας] μιᾶς τῆς d 2. 8 ασθενειαν] ἀλήθειαν cd ’Or. I1’ ||
15 προσίτω οὐ γὰρ] προσιτετω οὐδὲ γὰρ ’Or. I’ ǁ 18 καπνιζόμενον τε] και
καπν. c: om τε e || 19 βλεπέτω] ’in nonnullis βλεπων’ 
 4. ἑνικῶς ἑνικῶς κτλ.] ‘an illumination
which, though one, comes
in three different modes, and which,
though coming in different modes, is
united.’ 
 2. Like Moses, Gr. is called up
the mountain to converse with
He invites his hearers to join
him as far as may be permitted, like
Aaron or the elders. ’Beasts’ are
warned away. 
 6. ἀνιόντι] Ex. xix 3 foil. 
 7. ἀγωνιῶντι] ‘filled with anxious
fear.’ 
 8. ἵνα] depends upon ἀνιόντι.
τῆς νεφέλης Ex. xxiv 18. 
 10. Ἀαρών] Ex. xix 24. 
 11 τοῦτο] sc. ἔξω μένειν. Gr.
infrequently uses δέχεσθαι m tne
sense of ’accepting’’ a situation, i.e.
not rebelling against it. 
 12. Ναδάβ κτλ.] Ex. xxiv 1. 
 13. κ. τ. ἀξίαν τ. καθάρσεως] ‘acinto
cording to the degree of his purification.’
Cp. Ex. xix 22. 
 16. πρόσκαιρα γ. ἡγν.] Ex. xix
14, 15. 
 18. τ. φιλῶν τ. εὐσ. ῥημάτων] Cp.
Deut. iv 12 (Heb. xii 19). They
are to hear τὰ ψιλὰ ῥ’. as distinguished
from attempting to understand
depths of their meaning. 
 20. θη̣ρίον] Ex. xix 13. Cp. Greg.
Moral, vi 27 ’bestia montem tangit,
cum mens irrationabilibus desideriis
subdita ad contemplationis alta se
erigit: sed lapidibus percutitur, quia
summa non sustinens ipsis superni
ponderis ictibus necatur.’ 

 
πονηρὸν καὶ ἀνήμερον καὶ ἀνεπίδεκτον πάντῃ λόγων
θεωρίας καὶ θεολογίας, μὴ ἐμφωλευέτω ταῖς ὕλαις κακούργως
καὶ κακοηθῶς, ἵνα τινὸς λάβηται δόγματος ἢ ῥήματος,
ἀθρόως προσπηδῆσαν, καὶ σπαράξῃ τοὺς ὑγιαίνοντας λόγους
ταῖς ἐπηρείαις, ἀλλ’ ἔτι πόρρωθεν στηκέτω, καὶ ἀποχωρείτω 
τοῦ ὄρους, ἢ λιθοβοληθήσεται, καὶ συντριβήσεται, καὶ
ἀπολεῖται κακῶς κακός· λίθοι γὰρ τοῖς θηριώδεσιν οἱ
ἀληθεῖς λόγοι καὶ στερροί. εἴτε πάρδαλις εἴη, συναποθνησκέτω
τοῖς ποικίλμασιν· εἴτε λέων ἁρπάζων καὶ ὠρυόμενος
καὶ ζητῶν ἥντινα βρῶσιν ποιήσεται τῶν ἡμετέρων 
ψυχῶν ἢ λέξεων· εἴτε σῦς καταπατῶν τοὺς καλούς τε καὶ
διαυγεῖς μαργαρίτας τῆς ἀληθείας· εἴτε λύκος Ἀραβικὸς
καὶ ἀλλόφυλος, ἢ καὶ τούτων ὀξύτερος τοῖς σοφίσμασιν·
εἴτε ἀλώπηξ, δολερά τις ψυχὴ καὶ ἄπιστος, καὶ ἄλλοτε
ἄλλη, τοῖς καιροῖς καὶ ταῖς χρείαις συμμορφουμένη, ἢν 
νεκρὰ τρέφει καὶ ὀδωδότα σώματα, ἢ ἀμπελῶνες μικροί,
 1 om ἀνήμερον καὶ e ǁ 3 ῥήματος η δόγματος f || 7 κακὸς κάκως c ||
10 ποιήσεται] -σηται d 
 1. ἀνεπίδεκτον π. λόγων θ. κ. θ.]
‘altogether incapable of taking in the
words of contemplation and theology,’
2. μὴ ἐμφωλευέτω] from φωλεός
‘a den’; ‘let him not lurk in the
’ which Gr. imagines to clothe
the base of the hill. 
 4. ἀθρόως] ’all at once’; explained
by Suid. = ταχέχως: otherwise it would
be in accordance with the etymology
to understand it of the animal gathering
itself up for the spring. Cp.
§ 21. 
 ib. τ. ὑγιαίν. λόγους] 1 Tim. vi 3,
2 Tim. i 13. 
 5. ταῖς ἐπηρείαις] ‘abuse’; cp.
ἐπηρεάζομεν above i 6. 
 ib. ἔτι πόρρωθεν] a kind of com-
parative= πορρωτέρω. Cp. v 5 μικρὸν
ἄνωθεν. 
 8. στερροί] Cp. above i 3. 
 9. τοῖς ποικίλμασιν] Jer. xiii 23. 
 ib. λέων...ὠρυόμενος] 1 Pet. v 8. 
 11. σῦς καταπατῶν] Matt, vii 6. 
 12. λύκος Ἀραβικός] Hab. i 8
(LXX.); cp. Zeph. iii 3. The words
κ. ἀλλόφυλος (i.e. ‘or Philistine’)
seem to be added to emphasize
mystic interpretation of Ἀραβικός. 
 15. τοῖς καιροῖς κ. τ. χρείαις συμμ.]
‘shifting shape according to opportunities
and necessities.’ 
 16. ἀμπελῶνες μ] Cant, ii 15
ἀλώπεκας μικροὺς ἀφανίζοντας ἀμπελῶνας.
Gr. joins μικροὺς with ἀμπ.
instead of ἀλώπ., understanding the
sentence to denote the meanness of
the ‘foxes’ (i.e. jackals), which did
not venture to attack the large vineyeards,
and spoiled the small ones
instead. 

 
τῶν μεγάλων διαπεφευγότων· εἴτε τι ἄλλο τῶν ὠμοβόρων,
καὶ ἀποβλήτων τῷ νόμῳ, καὶ οὐ καθαρῶν εἰς βρῶσίν τε
καὶ ἀπόλαυσιν. βούλεται γὰρ τούτων ἀπ’ ἀποχωρήσας ὁ
λόγος οὕτω πλαξὶ στερραῖς καὶ λιθίναις ἐγγράφεσθαι, καὶ
 ταύταις ἀμφοτέρωθεν, διά τε τὸ φαινόμενον τοῦ νόμου καὶ
τὸ κρυπτόμενον· τὸ μὲν τοῖς πολλοῖς καὶ κάτω μένουσι,
τὸ δὲ τοῖς ὀλίγοις καὶ ἄνω φθάνουσιν. Τί τοῦτο ἔπαθον, ὦ φίλοι καὶ μύσται καὶ τῆς
ἀληθείας συνερασταί; ἔτρεχον μὲν ὡς θεὸν καταληψόμενος,
 μένος, καὶ οὕτως ἀνῆλθον ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος, καὶ τὴν νεφέλην
διέσχον, εἴσω γενόμενος ἀπὸ τῆς ὕλης καὶ τῶν ὑλικῶν, καὶ
εἰς ἐμαυτὸν ὡς οἷόν τε συστραφείς. ῥαφείς. ἐπεὶ δὲ προσέβλεψα,
μόλις εἶδον θεοῦ τὰ ὀπίσθια· καὶ τοῦτο τῆ πέτρᾳ σκεπασθείς,
 3. 8 om μύσται καὶ d || 9 ἔτρεχον] εἶχον ac ‘ Reg. a tres Colb. Or. I ’ ǁ
10 ἀνῆλθον] ἀπῆλθον e 
 1. ὠμοβόρων] = ὠμηστής ‘devouring
raw flesh,’ The Law does
expressly forbid the eating of such
animals on that ground; but it appears
to be the reason for the prohibition
of most of the birds enumerated
in Lev. xi, Deut. xiv. 
 4. οὕτω] resumes the preceding
clause—like sic demum; ’not
it has got rid of these.’ 
 ib. πλαξὶ...λιθίναις] Ex. xxiv 12.
Α somewhat difficult turn in the
application of the narrative. Gr.,
or rather his λόγος as identified with
him, has ascended the mountain,
with a view to having impressed upon
him, or upon it, the teaching of God,
as the Commandments were upon
the tables of stone. The epithets
στερραῖς κ. θ. are intended to convey
the thought of something —
no transient impression. 
 5. ἀμφοτέρωθεν] Ex. xxxii 15.
Again a somewhat fantastic application.
One side of the tables is
seen—one part of the λόγος is
—by every one; but there is a
reverse which only few can read,
viz. those who succeed in reaching
the mountain top φθάνουσιν). This
use of φθάνειν is familiar in the
Ν. T. 
 3. When he has reached the appointed
spot, he can only see the ‘back
parts’ of God. 
 8. μύσται] Those who are initiated
into the mysteries. 
 9. καταληψόμενος] ‘as if I were
about to apprehend God.’ 
 11. διέσχον] ‘penetrated’: cf. Horn.
Il. v 99 ἀντικρὺ δὲ διέσχε. Gr. uses
it § 31 of penetrating through the
veil of the Tabernacle. 
 ib. ὕλης] ’matter.’ 
 12. συστραφείς] ‘having gathered
myself up’: cp. Plat. Rep. 1 p. 336
συστρέψας ἑαυτὸν ὥσπερ θηρίον ἧκεν
ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς. 
 13. τὰ ὀπίσθια] Ex. xxxiii 23. 
 ib. τῇ πέτρᾳ σκεπασθείς] Ex.
xxxiii 23 σκ. τῇ χειρί μου. This interpretation
of the ‘ cleft in the rock,’
made familiar to Englishmen by
’s hymn, is very ancient.
Cp. Iren. IV xx 9 ‘uidebit...in altitudine
petrae, hoc est, in eo qui est
secundum hominem eius aduentu,’
The Incarnation gives an assured
point from which we may observe
and study God, without being overwelmed
by the greatness of the
revelation. The glories of the Divine
Nature are tempered for us, as it
were, by the Human Life which
encompasses us as we look out from
it to the Divine. By the Incarnation,
our field of contemplation is at once
restricted and made clear. 

 
τῷ σαρκωθέντι δι’ ἡμᾶς θεῷ Λόγῳ· καὶ μικρὸν διακύψας,
οὐ τὴν πρώτην τε καὶ ἀκήρατον φύσιν, καὶ ἑαυτῇ, λέγω δὴ
τῆ τριάδι, γινωσκομένην, καὶ ὅση τοῦ πρώτου καταπετάσματος
εἴσω μένει καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν Χερουβὶμ συγκαλύπτεται,
ἀλλ’ ὅση τελευταία καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς φθάνουσα. ἡ δέ ἐστιν, 
ὅσα ἐμὲ γινώσκειν, ἡ ἐν τοῖς κτίσμασι καὶ τοῖς ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ
προβεβλημένοις καὶ διοικουμένοις μεγαλειότης, ἤ, ὡς ὁ
θεῖος Δαβὶδ ὀνομάζει, μεγαλοπρέπεια. ταῦτα γὰρ θεοῦ
τὰ ὀπίσθια, ὅσα μετ’ ἐκεῖνον ἐκείνου γνωρίσματα, ὥσπερ
αἱ καθ’ ὑδάτων ἡλίου σκιαὶ καὶ εἰκόνες ταῖς σαθραῖς ὄψεσι 
 1 om θέω acd ǁ 6 ὅσα] ὡς ‘Reg. a’ 
 1. διακύψας] ‘peering through
the aperture,’ Εἶδον must be
again before φύσιν. 
 2. τὴν πρώτην] In ref. to Ex.
xxxiii 20 οὐ δυνήσῃ ἰδεῖν μου τὸ πρόσωπον.
Ἀκήρατος practically, if not
etymologically, = ἀκέραιος ‘pure,’
‘unmixed.’ Cp. Arist. de Mundo
ii 5 στοιχεῖον ἅκ. τε καὶ θεῖον. Gr.
adds λ. δ. τῇ τριάδι lest he should
suggest the Sabellian notion of a
self-conscious Nature distinct from
the Persons in whom it resides. 
 3. τ. πρώτου καταπ.] i.e. as reckoned
from the seat of the Divine
Presence, not as in Heb. ix 3 in the
order of human approach. 
 4. ὁ. τ. χερουβὶμ σηκ.] It seems
more natural to suppose that Gr.
refers to the Cherubim covering the
Mercy Seat (Ex. xxv 20 [19]), than
to the decoration of the veil (Ex.
xxvi 31). Cp. Ezek. xxviii 14, 16,
where, however, there is nothing in
most texts of the LXX. to represent
’covering.’ 
 5. τελευταία] to recall τὰ ὀπίσθια.
Φθάνουσα as above. 
 id. ἢ δέ] Gr. does not of course
mean to distinguish sharply between
the πρώτη and τελευταία φύσις, as
if they were separate natures. He
means the expressed and unexpressed
parts or aspects of the same nature.
The danger of misunderstanding is
not felt in Greek, where words like
πρῶτος, μέσος and the like, are commonly
monly used in a partitive sense; e.g.
ὁ πρῶτος ποὺς ’the front of the foot.’ 
 6. ὅσα ἐμὲ γινώσκειν] sc. πάρεστι.
ib. ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ] sc. τοῦ θεοῦ, to be
supplied from θεοῦ τὰ ὀπίσθια above. 
 8. μεγαλοπρέπεια] used of God
nine times in the Pss.; μεγαλειότης is
not. Prob. Gr. refers esp. to Ps.
viii 2 (1), ciii (civ) 1 (in some texts),
cx (cxi) 3, or cxliv (cxlv) 5, 12, where
the word is used in connexion with
God's works. Gr. prefers the word
because it expresses Dot the abstract
quality, like μεγαλειότης, but the impression
produced by its manifesta-
tion. 
 9. ὅσα μετ’ ἐκεῖνον ἐκ. γνωρ.] ‘all
the indications of Himself which He
has lift behind Him,’ Elias
pares Wisd. xiii 5. 
 10. σαθραῖς ὄψεσι] Cp. i 3. 

 
παραδεικνῦσαι τὸν ἥλιον, ἐπεὶ μὴ αὐτὸν προσβλέπειν οἷόν
τε, τῷ ἀκραιφνεῖ τοῦ φωτὸς νικῶντα τὴν αἴσθησιν. οὕτως
οὖν θεολογήσεις, κἂν ἦς Μωυσῆς καὶ Φαραὼ θεός, κἂν
μέχρι τρίτου κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον οὐρανοῦ φθάσῃς, καὶ
 ἀκούσῃς ἄρρητα ῥήματα· κἂν ὑπὲρ ἐκεῖνον γένη, ἀγγελικῆς
τινὸς ἢ ἀρχαγγελικῆς στάσεως τε καὶ τάξεως ἠξιωμένος.
κἂν γὰρ οὐράνιον ἅπαν, κἂν ὑπερουράνιόν τι, καὶ πολὺ τὴν
φύσιν ὑψηλότερον ἡμῶν ἦ, καὶ ἐγγυτέρω θεοῦ, πλέον
ἀπέχει θεοῦ καὶ τῆς τελείας καταλήψεως, ἢ ὅσον ἡμῶν
 ὑπεραίρει τοῦ συνθέτου καὶ ταπεινοῦ καὶ κάτω βρίθοντος
κράματος. Ἀρκτέον οὖν οὕτω πάλιν. θεὸν νοῆσαι μὲν
χαλεπόν· φράσαι δὲ ἀδύνατον, ὥς τις τῶν παρ’ Ἕλλησι
θεολόγων ἐφιλοσόφησεν,—οὐκ ἀτέχνως ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν, ἵνα καὶ
 κατειληφέναι δόξη τῷ χαλεπὸν εἰπεῖν, καὶ διαφύγῃ τῷ
ἀνεκφράστῳ τὸν ἔλεγχον. ἀλλὰ φράσαι μὲν ἀδύνατον, ὡς
ὁ ἐμὸς λόγος, νοῆσαι δὲ ἀδυνατώτερον. τὸ μὲν γὰρ νοηθὲν
 1 προσβλέπειν] βλέπειν ‘Reg. a’ || 3 Φαραω] του Φ. bdef ǁ 4
κατα τον Παυλον bef ǁ 5 ἐκεῖνον] -νους bef || 6 om ἠξιωμένος ac || 7 καν
γαρ] om γὰρ a ǁ om τι e || 8 om ἤμων d || η καὶ] ἢ om καὶ f 4. 14 ἴνα
καὶ] ἴνα τὸ b || 15 τὼ χαλεπὸν] τὸ χαλ. bd: τὼ suprascr. c || 16 om μεν c 
 2. ἀκραιφνεῖ]=ἀκεραίῳ ‘unmitigated,’
‘untempered.’ 
 3. Φαραὼ θεός] Ex. vii 1. 
 4. κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον] 2 Cor. xii
2. Φθάσῃς as above. 
 10. ὑπεραίρει] used intransitively
from Aristotle downwards. 
 ib. κάτω βρίθοντος κρ.] Wisd. ix
15. For κράματος see i 7. 
 4. To form an adequate con-
ception of God is even more impossible
than to express it when formed. It
is doubtful whether even angels can
do it. 
 12. ἀρκτέον] from ἄρχεσθαι: ‘we
must begin ’ The hopes with
which he had begun at first ὡς θεὸν
καταληψόμενος) have proved fallacious. 
 13. ὥς τις τῶν παρ᾿ Ἕ. θεολόγων]
The reference appears to be to
Timaeus 28 Ε τὸν μὲν οὖν ποιητὴν
καὶ πατέρα τοῦ παντὸς εὑρεῖν τὸ ἔργον,
καὶ εὕροντα εἰς πάντας ἀδύνατον λέγειν.
No approval is conveyed by the expression
θεολόγων τις. Cp. v 16. 
 14. οὐκ ἀτέχνως] Plato thus art-
fully insinuates, in Gr.'s opinion,
that he has himself apprehended
what he says is so difficult to appre
hend, and at the same time escapes
exposure by saying that it is inexpressible
τῷ (ἀνεκφρ.). 
 17. ἀδυνατώτερον] because if only
the conception could be formed, expression
would be comparatively
easy. Cp. Novatian de Trin. § 4
nomen Dei edici non potest, quolacious.
niam non potest nee concipi. 

 
τάχα ἂν λόγος δηλώσειεν, εἰ καὶ μὴ μετρίως, ἁλλ’ ἀμυδρῶς
γε, τῷ μὴ πάντη τὰ ὦτα διεφθαρμένῳ καὶ νωθρῷ τὴν
διάνοιαν. τὸ δὲ τοσοῦτον πρᾶγμα τῇ διανοίᾳ περιλαβεῖν
πάντως ἀδύνατον καὶ ἀμήχανον, μὴ ὅτι τοῖς καταβεβλακευμένοις,
καὶ κάτω νεύουσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς λίαν ὑψηλοῖς 
τε καὶ φιλοθέοις, καὶ ὁμοίως πάσῃ γεννητῇ φύσει, καὶ οἷς
ὁ ζόφος οὗτος ἐπιπροσθεῖ καὶ τὸ παχὺ τοῦτο σαρκίον
πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ἀληθοῦς κατανόησιν. οὐκ οἶδα δέ, εἰ μὴ καὶ
ταῖς ἀνωτέρω καὶ νοεραῖς φύσεσιν, αἳ διὰ τὸ πλησίον εἶναι
θεοῦ, καὶ ὅλῳ τῷ φωτὶ καταλάμπεσθαι, τυχὸν ἂν καὶ 
τρανοῖντο, εἰ καὶ μὴ πάντη, ἀλλ’ ἡμῶν γε τελεώτερόν τε
καὶ ἐκτυπώτερον, καὶ ἄλλων ἄλλαι πλεῖον ἢ ἔλαττον,
κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς τάξεως. Τοῦτο μὲν οὖν ἐνταῦθα κείσθω· τὸ δὲ ἡμέτερον,
 1 τάχα ἀν’] + καὶ e ǁ 4 καταβεβλακευμενοις] κατεβλ. acf ‘duo Colb. Or. 1’ ||
6 γεννητὴ] γενητὴ abc || 11 p, τε c 
 1. εἰ καὶ μὴ μ., ἀλλ’ ἀμ’. γε] μετρίως
is here a word of approbation, ‘if
not satisfactorily, yet dimly at any
rate.’ 
 4. μὴ ὅτι] ‘not to speak ’ cp.
§ 11. Καταβεβλ. from βλάξ, which
is thought to be a collateral form of
μαλακός, ‘slack,’ ‘enfeebled,’ ‘enervated.’ 
 6. γεννητῇ] not= γενητὴ ‘created,’
for Gr. goes on to speak of the
higher created intelligences as a separate
class afterwards; but strictly
‘begotten’ or ‘born,’ i.e. existing under
physical conditions, the effect of
which is described in the following
clause. 
 7. ἐπιπροσθεῖ] The verb is formed
from the adv. ἐπίπροσθεν: ‘to be in
front of,’ so ‘get in the way of.’
Wyttenbach collects many instances
of its use in his note on Plut. de
Recta And. Ratione p. 41 C. 
 ib. σαρκίον] the diminutive ex-
presses depreciation. 
 8. πρός] ‘in reference to,’
it comes to a matter οf.’ 
 ib. οὐκ οἴδα δέ, εἰ μὴ] of course indicates
Gr.’s opinion that it is impossible.
This was the general
opinion. Cp. Chrys. Horn, de Incomprehensibili
iii 1 τὸν ἀνεξιχνίαστον
ἀγγέλοις, τὸν ἀνεξερεύνητον ἀρχαγγέλοις,
τὸν ἀθέατον τοῖς σεραφίμ, τὸν
ἀκατανόητον τοῖς χερουβίμ, τὸν ἀόρατον
ἀρχαῖς καἰ ἐξουσίαις λαὶ δυνάμεσι καὶ
ἁπλῶς πάση τῇ κτίσει. 
 10. τυχὸν ἂν καὶ τρανοῖντο] Τρανόω,
a favourite word of Gr.'s, usually
= ‘to make plain’ (e.g. § 20).
as τρανός is sometimes used in the
more active sense of ‘clear,’ i.e. of
penetrating intelligence (e.g. Wisd.
vii 22), it seems best to understand
τρανοῖντο here in that way, ‘gifted
with insight and intelligence.’ 
 12. ἐκτυπώτερον] ‘ more expressly,’
’distinctly.’ 
 5. The works of God are beyond
our present comprehension, much
more Himself; we can only affirm
for certain that He exists. 
 14. κείσθω] ‘be dropped.’ He
not wish to pursue the question with
regard to the superior intelligences:
τὸ δὲ ἠμ’. ‘but as concerning us.’ 

 
οὐχ ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ θεοῦ μόνον ὑπερέχει πάντα νοῦν καὶ
κατάληψιν, οὐδὲ ὅσα τοῖς δικαίοις ἐστὶν ἐν ἐπαγγελίαις
ἀποκείμενα, τὰ μήτε ὀφθαλμοῖς ὁρατά, μήτε ὠσὶν ἀκουστά,
μήτε διανοίᾳ θεωρητά, κατὰ μικρὸν γοῦν, οὐδὲ ἡ τῆς
 κτίσεως ἀκριβὴς κατανόησις· καὶ γὰρ καὶ ταύτης πείσθητι
τὰς σκιὰς ἔχειν μόνον, ὅταν ἀκούσῃς· ὄψομαι τοὺς οὐρανούς,
ἔργα τῶν δακτύλων σου, σελήνην καὶ ἀστέρας, καὶ
τὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς πάγιον λόγον· ὡς οὐχὶ νῦν ὁρῶν, ὀψόμενος
δὲ ἔστιν ὅτε· ἀλλὰ πολὺ πρὸ τούτων ἡ ὑπὲρ ταῦτα, καὶ
 ἐξ ἧς ταῦτα, φύσις ἄληπτός τε καὶ ἀπερίληπτος· λέγω δέ,
οὐχ ὅτι ἔστιν, ἀλλ’ ἥτις ἐστίν. οὐ γὰρ κενὸν τὸ κήρυγμα
ἡμῶν, οὐδὲ ματαία ἡ πίστις ἡμῶν, οὐδὲ τοῦτό ἐστιν ὃ
δογματίζομεν· μὴ πάλιν τὴν εὐγνωμοσύνην ἡμῶν ἀθείας
λάβῃς ἀρχὴν καὶ συκοφαντίας, καὶ κατεπαρθῇς ὡς ὁμολο-
 5. 2 ἐν ἐπαγγελίαις ἐστιν d || 8 πάγιον] πανάγιον e || 10 om ταύτα φύσις
. . . .λεγω δε d 
 1. ὑπερέχει π. νοῦν] Phil, iv 7. 
 3."/> μήτε ὀφθ. ὁρατά κτλ.] 1 Cor.
ii 9. Gr. forgets, as most people do,
that St Paul adds ἡμῖν γὰρ ἀπεκάλυψεν
ὁ θ. διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος. 
 4. κατὰ μικρὸν γοῦν] Γοῦν corrects,
but limits the concession;
‘not contemplated by the mind—
well, only to small estent.’ 
 6. τὰς σκιάς] ‘the outlines.’ 
 ib. ὄψομαι κτλ.] Ps. viii 4 (3). 
 8. τ. ἐν αὐτ’. πάγιον λόγον] πάγιος
from the root of πήγνυμι, ‘firm,’
‘fixed’; ‘the well established order
that prevails among them.’
words are a paraphrase of ‘which
thou hast ordained.’ 
 ib. ὀψόμενος δὲ ἐστιν ὅτε] Gr.
calls attention to the fact that the
Ps. uses the future, not the present. 
 9. ἢ ὑπὲρ τ....φύσις] ὑπερέχει
πάντα νοῦν. It is a little odd to say,
“note only the peace of God, but
God Himself, passeth understanding.’’
We might have expected,
‘If the peace of God passeth understanding,
much more God Himself.’’ 
 10. ἄληπτός τε κ.ἀπερίλ.] ‘inapprehensible
as it is and incomprehensible.’ 
 11 οὐχ ὅτι ἐστιν, ἁλλ’ ἥτις ἐστίν]
may be taken either with ἄληπτος
κ. ἀπερίληπτος, or with the main
verb ὑπερέχει π. νοῦν. Perh. the
latter is the more forcible: ‘Ι do
not mean that the fact of its existence
passes understanding, but the
nature of it.’ 
 ib. οὐ γὰρ κενόν κτλ.] 1 Cor.
xv 14, 17. The γὰρ implies that it
would be ‘vain’ if we were unable
truly to apprehend the fact of God's
existence. 
 13. ὃ δογματίζομεν] ‘nor is that
the doctrine which I am laying
down.’ 
 ib. εὐγνωμοσύνην] Cp. εὐγνώμονος
above, i 5. It resembles ἐπιείκεια,
‘reasonableness.’ Μὴ πάλιν,
cp. i 4 μὴ πάλιν ἐπιφυέσθωσαν. 
 14. κατεπαρθῇς] ‘exalt yourself
against me.’ Cp. Cyr. Al. c. Ful. i
p. 6. 

 
γούντων τὴν ἄγνοιαν. πλεῖστον γὰρ διαφέρει τοῦ εἶναί τι
πεπεῖσθαι τὸ τί ποτέ ἐστι τοῦτο εἰδέναι.