Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. X: The Apology of Aristides · Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. X: The Apology of Aristides

THE APOLOGY OF	THE APOLOGY OF
ARISTIDES	ARISTIDES THE PHILOSOPHER.
AS IT IS PRESERVED IN THE HISTORY OF	Translated from the Syriac.
BARLAAM AND JOSAPHAT.
Translated from the Greek.	ARISTIDES.
	Here follows the defence which Aristides the
	philosopher made before Hadrian the King on behalf
	of reverence for God.
	. . . All-powerful Caesar Titus Hadrianus Antoninus,
	venerable and merciful, from Marcianus Aristides,
	an Athenian philosopher. 1
	I. I, O King, by the grace of God came into this
	world; and when I had considered the heaven and the
I. I, O King in the providence
	earth and the seas, and had surveyed the sun and
of God came into the world; and
	the rest of creation, I marvelled at the beauty of the
when I had considered the heaven
	world. And I perceived that the world and all that
and the earth, the sun and the moon
	is therein are moved by the power of another; and
and the rest, I marvelled at their
	I understood that he who moves them is God, who
orderly arrangement.
	is hidden in them, and veiled by them. And it is
	manifest that that which causes motion is more
And when I saw that the universe
	powerful than that which is moved. But that I
and all that is therein is moved by
	should make search concerning this same mover of
necessity, I perceived that the mover
	all, as to what is his nature (for it seems to me,
and controller is God.
	he is indeed unsearchable in his nature), and that
	I should argue as to the constancy of his government,
For everything which causes motion
	so as to grasp it fully,----this is a vain effort
is stronger than that which is
	for me; for it is not possible that a man should fully
moved, and that which controls is
	comprehend it. I say, however, concerning this
stronger than that which is controlled.
	mover of the world, that he is God of all, who made
	all things for the sake of mankind. And it seems to
	me that this is reasonable, that one should fear God
	and should not oppress man.
	I say, then, that God is not born, not made, an
	ever-abiding nature without beginning and without
The self-same being, then, who
	end, immortal, perfect, and incomprehensible.
first established and now controls
	Now when I say that he is "perfect," this means
the universe----him do I affirm to be
	that there is not in him any defect, and he is not in
God
who is without beginning and without end,	need of anything but all things are in need of him.
immortal and self-sufficing, above all	And when I say that he is "without beginning," this
passions and infirmities, above	means that everything which has beginning has also
anger and forgetfulness	an end, and that which has an end may be brought
and ignorance and the rest.	to an end. He has no name, for everything which
	has a name is kindred to things created. Form he
	has none, nor yet any union of members; for whatsoever
	possesses these is kindred to things fashioned.
	He is neither male nor female.5 The heavens do
Through Him too all things consist.	not limit him, but the heavens and all things, visible
He requires not sacrifice and	and invisible, receive their bounds from him.
libation nor any one of the things	Adversary he has none, for there exists not any stronger
that appear to sense; but all men	than he. Wrath and indignation he possesses not,
stand in need of Him.	for there is nothing which is able to stand against
	him. Ignorance and forgetfulness are not in his
	nature, for he is altogether wisdom and understanding;
	and in Him stands fast all that exists.
	He requires not sacrifice and libation, nor even one of
	things visible; He requires not aught from any, but
	all living creatures stand in need of him.
II. Having thus spoken concerning	II. Since, then, we have addressed you concerning
God, so far as it was possible for	God, so far as our discourse can bear upon him, let
me to speak of Him,2 let us next	us now come to the race of men, that we may know
proceed to the human race, that we	which of them participate in the truth of which we
may see which of them participate in	have spoken, and which of them go astray from it.
the truth and which of them in
	This is clear to you, O King, that there are four
error.
	classes of men in this world:----Barbarians and Greeks,
For it is clear to us, O King,3 that	Jews and Christians. The Barbarians, indeed, trace
there are three4 classes of men in	the origin of their kind of religion from Kronos and
this world; these being the worshippers	from Rhea and their other gods; the Greeks, however,
of the gods acknowledged	from Helenos, who is said to be sprung from
among you, and Jews, and Christians.	Zeus. And by Helenos there were born Aiolos and
Further they who pay homage	Xuthos; and there were others descended from
to many gods are themselves divided	Inachos and Phoroneus, and lastly from the Egyptian
into three classes, Chaldaeans	Danaos and from Kadmos and from Dionysos.
namely, and Greeks, and Egyptians;
	The Jews, again, trace the origin of their race from
for these have been guides and preceptors
	Abraham, who begat Isaac, of whom was born Jacob.
to the rest of the nations in
	And he begat twelve sons who migrated from Syria
the service and worship of these
	to Egypt; and there they were called the nation of
many-titled deities.
	the Hebrews, by him who made their laws; and at
	length they were named Jews.
	The Christians, then, trace the beginning of their
	religion from Jesus the Messiah; and he is named
	the Son of God Most High. And it is said that God
	came down from heaven, and from a Hebrew virgin
	assumed and clothed himself with flesh; and the Son
	of God lived in a daughter of man. This is taught
	in the gospel, as it is called, which a short time ago
	was preached among them; and you also if you will
	read therein, may perceive the power which belongs
	to it. This Jesus, then, was born of the race of the
	Hebrews; and he had twelve disciples in order that
	the purpose of his incarnation 6 might in time be
	accomplished. But he himself was pierced by the Jews,
	and he died and was buried; and they say that after
	three days he rose and ascended to heaven. Thereupon
	these twelve disciples went forth throughout
	the known parts of the world, and kept showing his
	greatness with all modesty and uprightness. And
	hence also those of the present day who believe that
	preaching are called Christians, and they are become
	famous.
	So then there are, as I said above, four classes of
	men:----Barbarians and Greeks, Jews and Christians.
	Moreover the wind is obedient to God, and fire to
	the angels; the waters also to the demons and the
	earth to the sons of men.7
III. Let us see then which of them	III. Let us begin, then, with the Barbarians, and
participate in truth and which of	go on to the rest of the nations one after another,
them in error.	that we may see which of them hold the truth as to
	God and which of them hold error.
The Chaldaeans, then, not knowing
God went astray after the elements	The Barbarians, then, as they did not apprehend
and began to worship the	God, went astray among the elements, and began to
creation more than their Creator.	worship things created instead of their Creator;8
And of these they formed certain	and for this end they made images and shut them
shapes and styled them a representation	up in shrines, and lo! they worship them, guarding
of the heaven and the earth and	them the while with much care, lest their gods be
the sea, of the sun too and the moon	stolen by robbers. And the Barbarians did not observe
and the other primal bodies or	that that which acts as guard is greater than
luminaries. And they shut them up	that which is guarded, and that every one who
together in shrines, and worship	creates is greater than that which is created. If
them, calling them gods, even though	it be, then, that their gods are too feeble to see to
they have to guard them securely	their own safety, how will they take thought for the
for fear they should be stolen by	safety of men? Great then is the error into which
robbers. And they did not perceive	the Barbarians wandered in worshipping lifeless
that anything which acts as guard	images which can do nothing to help them. And
is greater than that which is guarded,	I am led to wonder, O King, at their philosophers,
and that he who makes is greater	how that even they went astray, and gave the name
than that which is made. For if	of gods to images which were made in honour of
their gods are unfit to look after	the elements; and that their sages did not perceive
their own safety, how shall they	that the elements also are dissoluble and perishable.
bestow protection upon others?	For if a small part of an element is dissolved or destroyed,
Great then is the error into which the	the whole of it may be dissolved and destroyed.
Chaldaeans wandered in adoring	If then the elements themselves are dissolved
lifeless	and destroyed and forced to be subject to another
and good-for-nothing images.
	that is more stubborn than they, and if they are
And it occurs to me as surprising,	not in their nature gods, why, forsooth, do they call
O King, how it is that their so-called	the images which are made in their honour, God?
philosophers have quite failed to	Great, then, is the error which the philosophers
observe that the elements themselves	among them have brought upon their followers.
are perishable. And if the elements
are perishable and subject to necessity,
how are they gods? And if the
elements are not gods, how do the
images made in their honour come
to be gods?
IV. Let us proceed then, O King,	IV. Let us turn now, O King, to the elements in
to the elements themselves that we	themselves, that we may make clear in regard to
may show in regard to them that	them, that they are not gods, but a created thing,
they are not gods, but perishable and	liable to ruin and change, which is of the same nature
mutable, produced out of that	as man; whereas God is imperishable and unvarying,
which did not exist at the command	and invisible, while yet He sees, and overrules,
of the true God, who is indestructible	and transforms all things.
and immutable and invisible;
yet
He sees all things and as He
wills, modifies and changes things.
What then shall I say concerning the
elements?
They err who believe that the
sky is a god. For we see that it
revolves and moves by necessity and
is compacted of many parts, being
thence called the ordered universe
(Kosmos). Now the universe is the
construction of some designer; and
that which has been constructed
has a beginning and an end. And
the sky with its luminaries moves
by necessity. For the stars are
carried along in array at fixed intervals
from sign to sign, and, some setting,
others rising, they traverse their
courses in due season so as to mark
off summers and winters, as it has
been appointed for them by God;
and obeying the inevitable necessity
of their nature they transgress not
their proper limits, keeping company
with the heavenly order.
Whence
it is plain that the sky is
not a
god but rather a work of
God.
They erred also who believed the
	Those then who believe concerning the earth that
earth to be a goddess. For we see
	it is a god have hitherto deceived themselves, since
that it is despitefully used and
	it is furrowed and set with plants and trenched; and
tyrannized over by men, and is furrowed
	it takes in the filthy refuse of men and beasts and
and kneaded and becomes of
	cattle. And at times it becomes unfruitful, for if
no account. For if it be burned
	it be burnt to ashes it becomes devoid of life, for
with fire, it becomes devoid of life;
	nothing germinates from an earthen jar. And besides
for nothing will grow from the
	if water be collected upon it, it is dissolved
ashes. Besides if there fall upon it
	together with its products. And lo! it is trodden
an excess of rain it dissolves away,
	under foot of men and beast, and receives the bloodstains
both it and its fruits. Moreover it
	of the slain; and it is dug open, and filled with
is trodden under foot of men and
	the dead, and becomes a tomb for corpses. But it is
the other creatures; it is dyed with
	impossible that a nature, which is holy and worthy
the blood of the murdered; it is dug
	and blessed and immortal, should allow of any one
open and filled with dead bodies and
	of these things. And hence it appears to us that the
becomes a tomb for corpses. In face
	earth is not a god but a creation of God.
of all this, it is inadmissible that
the earth is a goddess but rather it is
a work of God for the use of men.
V. They also erred who believed	V. In the same way, again, those erred who believed
the water to be a god. For it, too,
	the waters to be gods. For the waters were
has been made for the use of men,
	created for the use of man, and are put under his
and is controlled by them; it is
	rule in many ways. For they suffer change and
defiled and destroyed and suffers
	admit impurity, and are destroyed and lose their
change on being boiled and dyed
	nature while they are boiled into many substances.
with colours; and it is congealed by
	And they take colours which do not belong to them;
the frost, and polluted with blood,
	they are also congealed by frost and are mingled and
and is introduced for the washing of	permeated with the filth of men and beasts, and with
all unclean things. Wherefore it is	the blood of the slain. And being checked by skilled
impossible that water should be a	workmen through the restraint of aqueducts, they
god, but it is a work of God.	flow and are diverted against their inclination, and
	come into gardens and other places in order that they
They also err who believe that fire
	may be collected and issue forth as a means of fertility
is a god. For fire was made for the
	for man, and that they may cleanse away every
use of men, and it is controlled by
	impurity and fulfil the service man requires from
them, being carried about from
place	them. Wherefore it is impossible that the waters
to place for boiling and roasting	should be a god, but they are a work of God and a
all kinds of meat, and even for	part of the world.
(the
burning of) dead bodies. Moreover	In like manner also they who believed that fire
it is extinguished in many	is a god erred to no slight extent. For it, too, was
ways,
	created for the service of men, and is subject to them
being quenched through man's
agency.	in many ways:----in the preparation of meats, and as a
So it cannot be allowed that	means of casting metals, and for other ends whereof
fire
	your Majesty is aware. At the same time it is
is a god, but it is a work of God.
	quenched and extinguished in many ways.
They also err who think the blowing
	Again they also erred who believed the motion of
of the winds is a goddess. For
it	the winds to be a god. For it is well known to us
is clear that it is under the dominion	that those winds are under the dominion of another,
of another; and for the sake of	at times their motion increases, and at times it
man
	fails and ceases at the command of him who controls
it has been designed by God for
	them. For they were created by God for the sake of
the transport of ships and the
	men, in order to supply the necessity of trees and
conveyance of grain and for man's
	fruits and seeds; and to bring over the sea ships
other
wants. It rises too and falls at the	which convey for men necessaries and goods from
bidding of God, whence it is concluded	places where they are found to places where they are
that the blowing of the winds	not found; and to govern the quarters of the world.
is not
	And as for itself, at times it increases and again
a goddess but only a work of
God.	abates; and in one place brings help and in another
	causes disaster at the bidding of him who rules it.
	And mankind too are able by known means to confine
	and keep it in check in order that it may fulfil for
	them the service they require from it. And of itself
	it has not any authority at all. And hence it is impossible
	that the winds should be called gods, but
	rather
	a thing made by God.
VI. They also err who believe the	VI. So also they erred who believed that the sun
sun to be a god. For we see that it	is a god. For we see that it is moved by the compulsion
moves by necessity and revolves and	of another, and revolves and makes its journey,
passes from sign to sign, setting	and proceeds from sign to sign, rising and setting
and rising so as to give warmth to	every day, so as to give warmth for the growth of
plants and tender shoots for the use	plants and trees, and to bring forth into the air
of man.	wherewith it (sunlight) is mingled every growing
Besides it has its part in common	thing which is upon the earth. And to it there belongs
with the rest of the stars, and is	by comparison a part in common with the rest
	of
much smaller than the sky; it suffers
	the stars in its course; and though it is one in its
eclipse of its light and is not the
	nature it is associated with many parts for the supply
subject of its own laws. Wherefore
	of the needs of men; and that not according to its
it is concluded that the sun is not a
	own will but rather according to the will of him who
god, but only a work of God. They
	rules it. And hence it is impossible that the sun
also err who believe that the moon is
	should be a god, but the work of God; and in like
a goddess. For we see that it moves
	manner also the moon and the stars.
by necessity and revolves and passes
from sign to sign, setting and rising
for the benefit of men; and it is less
than the sun and waxes and wanes
and has eclipses. Wherefore it is
concluded that the moon is not a
goddess but a work of God.
VII. They also err who believe that	VII. And those who believed of the men of the
man 9 is a god. For we see that he	past, that some of them were gods, they too were
is moved by necessity, and is made	much mistaken. For as you yourself allow, O King,
to grow up, and becomes old even	man is constituted of the four elements and of a soul
though he would not. And at one	and a spirit (and hence he is called a microcosm),10
time he is joyous, at another he is	and without any one of these parts he could not consist.
grieved when he lacks food and	He has a beginning and an end, and he is born
	and
drink and clothing. And we see
	dies. But God, as I said, has none of these
that he is subject to anger and jealousy
	things in his nature, but is uncreated and imperishable.
and desire and change of purpose
	And hence it is not possible that we should
and has many infirmities. He	set
is
	up man to be of the nature of God:----man, to
destroyed too in many ways by
	whom at times when he looks for joy, there comes
means of the elements and animals,
	trouble, and when he looks for laughter there comes
and by ever-assailing death. It cannot
	to him weeping,----who is wrathful and covetous and
be admitted, then, that man is a
god,	envious, with other defects as well. And he is destroyed
but only a work of God.	in many ways by the elements and also by the
	animals.
Great therefore is the error into
which the Chaldaeans wandered,	And hence, O King, we are bound to recognize the
following after their own desires.	error of the Barbarians, that thereby, since they did
	not find traces of the true God, they fell aside from
For they reverence the perishable
	the truth, and went after the desire of their imagination,
elements and lifeless images, and do
	serving the perishable elements and lifeless
not perceive that they themselves
	images, and through their error not apprehending
make these things to be gods.
	what the true God is.
VIII. Let us proceed then to the	VIII. Let us turn further to the Greeks also, that
Greeks, that we may see whether	we may know what opinion they hold as to the true
they have any discernment concerning	God. The Greeks, then, because they are more subtle
God. The Greeks, indeed,	than the Barbarians, have gone further astray than
though they call themselves wise	the Barbarians; inasmuch as they have introduced
proved more deluded than the Chaldaeans	many fictitious gods, and have set up some of them
in alleging that many gods	as males and some as females; and in that some of
have come into being, some of them	their gods were found who were adulterers, and did
male, some female, practised masters	murder, and were deluded, and envious, and wrathful
in every passion and every variety of	and passionate, and parricides, and thieves, and
folly. [And the Greeks themselves	robbers. And some of them, they say, were crippled
represented them to be adulterers and	and limped, and some were sorcerers, and some actually
murderers, wrathful and envious	went mad, and some played on lyres, and some
and passionate, slayers of fathers	were given to roaming on the hills, and some even
and brothers, thieves and robbers,	died, and some were struck dead by lightning, and
crippled and limping, workers in	some were made servants even to men, and some
magic, and victims of frenzy. Some	escaped by flight, and some were kidnapped by men,
of them died (as their account goes),	and some, indeed, were lamented and deplored by
and some were struck by thunderbolts,	men. And some, they say, went down to Sheol,
and became slaves to men,	and some were grievously wounded, and some transformed
and were
	themselves into the likeness of animals to
fugitives, and they mourned
and	seduce the race of mortal women, and some polluted
lamented, and changed themselves	themselves 12 by lying with males. And some, they
into animals for wicked and	say, were wedded to their mothers and their sisters
shameful ends.] 11	and their daughters. And they say of their gods
	that they committed adultery with the daughters of
Wherefore, O King, they are ridiculous
	men; and of these there was born a certain race
and absurd and impious
tales that	which also was mortal. And they say that some of
the Greeks have introduced, giving	the females disputed about beauty, and appeared
the name of gods to	before men for judgment. Thus, O King, have the
those who
	Greeks put forward foulness, and absurdity, and
are not gods, to suit their
unholy	folly about their gods and about themselves, in that
desires, in order that, having	they have called those that are of such a nature
them as patrons of vice, they might	gods, who are no gods. And hence mankind have
commit adultery and robbery and	received incitements to commit adultery and fornication,
do murder and other shocking deeds.	and to steal and to practise all that is offensive
For if their gods did such deeds why	and hated and abhorred. For if they who are called
should not they also do them?	their gods practised all these things which are written
	above, how much more should men practise
So that from these misguided
	them----men, who believe that their gods themselves
practices it has been the lot of
	practised them. And owing to the foulness of this
mankind to have frequent wars and
	error there have happened to mankind harassing
slaughters and bitter captivities.
	wars, and great famines, and bitter captivity, and
	complete desolation. And lo! it was by reason of
	this alone that they suffered and that all these things
	came upon them; and while they endured those
	things they did not perceive in their mind that for
	their error those things came upon them.
IX. But, further, if we be minded	IX. Let us proceed further to their account of
to discuss their gods individually,	their gods that we may carefully demonstrate all that
you will see how great is the absurdity;	is said above. First of all, the Greeks bring forward
for instance, how Kronos is	as a god Kronos, that is to say Chiun 13 (Saturn).
brought forward by them as a god	And his worshippers sacrifice their children to him,
above all, and they sacrifice their	and they burn some of them alive in his honour.
own children to him. And he had	And they say that he took to him among his wives
many sons by Rhea, and in his madness	Rhea, and begat many children by her. By her too
devoured his own offspring.	he begat Dios, who is called Zeus. And at length he
And
	(Kronos) went mad, and through fear of an oracle
they say that Zeus cut off his
	that had been made known to him, he began to devour
members and cast them into the sea,
	his sons. And from him Zeus was stolen away
whence Aphrodite is said in fable
	without his knowledge; and at length Zeus bound
to be engendered. Zeus, then, having
	him, and mutilated the signs of his manhood, and
bound his own father, cast him
	flung them into the sea. And hence, as they say in
into Tartaros. You see the error
	fable, there was engendered Aphrodite, who is called
and brutality which they advance
	Astarte. And he (Zeus) cast out Kronos fettered
against their god? Is it possible,
	into darkness. Great then is the error and ignominy
then, that a god should be manacled
	which the Greeks have brought forward about the
and mutilated? What absurdity!
	first of their gods, in that they have said all this
Who with any wit would ever say so?
	about him, O King. It is impossible that a god
Next Zeus is introduced, and they
	should be bound or mutilated; and if it be otherwise,
say that he was king of their gods,
	he is indeed miserable.
and that he changed himself into
animals that he might debauch mortal	And after Kronos they bring forward another god
women.	Zeus. And they say of him that he assumed the
	sovereignty, and was king over all the gods. And
For they allege that he transformed
	they say that he changed himself into a beast and
himself into a bull for Europe,
	other shapes in order to seduce mortal women, and to
and into gold for Danae, and
	raise up by them children for himself. Once, they
into a swan for Leda, and into a
	say, he changed himself into a bull through love of
satyr for Antiope, and into a thunderbolt
	Europe and Pasiphae.14 And again he changed himself
for Semele. Then by these
there
	into the likeness of gold through love of Danae,
were many children, Dionysos
	and to a swan through love of Leda, and to a man
and Zethus and Amphion and
	through love of Antiope, and to lightning through
Herakles and Apollo and Artemis and
	love of Luna,15 and so by these he begat many children.
Perseus, Kastor and Helenes and
Polydeukes and Minos and Rhadamanthys	For by Antiope, they say, that he begat Zethus
and Sarpedon, and the nine	and Amphion, and by Luna Dionysos, by Alcmena
daughters whom they called the	Hercules, and by Leto, Apollo and Artemis, and
Muses. Then too they bring forward	by Danae, Perseus, and by Leda, Castor and Polydeuces,
statements about the matter of	and Helene and Paludus,16 and by Mnemosyne
Ganymedes.	he begat nine daughters whom they styled the Muses,
	and by Europe, Minos and Rhadamanthos and Sarpedon.
Hence it happened, O King, to
	And lastly he changed himself into the likeness
mankind to imitate all these things
	of an eagle through his passion for Ganydemos
and to become adulterous men and
	(Ganymede) the shepherd.
lascivious women, and to be workers
of other terrible iniquities, through	By reason of these tales, O King, much evil has
the imitation of their god. Now	arisen among men, who to this day are imitators of
how is it possible that a god should	their gods, and practise adultery and defile them-
be an adulterer or an obscene person	selves with their mothers and their sisters, and by
or a parricide?	lying with males, and some make bold to slay even
	their parents. For if he who, is said to be the chief
	and king of their gods do these things how much
	more should his worshippers imitate him? And
	great is the folly which the Greeks have brought
	forward in their narrative concerning him. For it is
	impossible that a god should practise adultery or
	fornication or come near to lie with males, or kill his
	parents; and if it be otherwise, he is much worse
	than a destructive demon.
X. Along with him, too, they	X. Again they bring forward as another god
bring forward one Hephaistos as a	Hephaistos. And they say of him, that he is lame,
god, and they say that he is lame	and a cap is set on his head, and he holds in his
and wields a hammer and tongs,	hands firetongs and a hammer; and he follows the
working as a smith for his living.	craft of iron working, that thereby he may procure
	the necessaries of his livelihood. Is then this god so
Is he then badly off? But it cannot
	very needy? But it cannot be that a god should be
be admitted that a god should be
	needy or lame, else he is very worthless.
a cripple, and besides be dependent
on mankind.	And further they bring in another god and call
	him Hermes. And they say that he is a thief,17 a
Then they bring forward Hermes
	lover of avarice, and greedy for gain, and a magician
as a god, representing him to be lustful,
	and mutilated and an athlete, and an interpreter of
and a thief, and covetous, and a
	language. But it is impossible that a god should be
magician (and maimed) and an interpreter
	a magician or avaricious, or maimed, or craving for
of language. But it cannot
	what is not his, or an athlete. And if it be otherwise,
be admitted that such an one is a
	he is found to be useless.
god.
	And after him they bring forward as another god
They also bring forward Asklepios
	Asklepios. And they say that he is a physician and
as a god who is a doctor and prepares
	prepares drugs and plaster that he may supply the
drugs and compounds plasters
	necessaries of his livelihood. Is then this god in
for the sake of a living. For he was
	want? And at length he was struck with lightning
badly off. And afterwards he was
	by Dios on account of Tyndareos of Lacedaemon, and
struck, they say, with a thunderbolt
	so he died. If then Asklepios were a god, and, when
by Zeus on account of Tyndareos,
	he was struck with lightning, was unable to help himself,
son of Lacedaimon; and so was
	how should he be able to give help to others?
killed. Now if Asklepios in spite
	But that a divine nature should be in want or be
of his divinity could not help himself
	destroyed by lightning is impossible.
when struck by lightning, how
will he come to the rescue of others?	And again they bring forward another as a god,
	and they call him Ares. And they say that he is a
Again Ares is represented as a
	warrior, and jealous, and covets sheep and things
god, fond of strife and given to
	which are not his. And he makes gain by his arms.
jealousy, and a lover of animals and
	And they say that at length he committed adultery
other such things. And at last while
	with Aphrodite, and was caught by the little boy
corrupting Aphrodite, he was bound
	Eros and by Hephaistos the husband of Aphrodite.
by the youthful Eros and by Hephaistos.
	But it is impossible that a god should be a warrior or
How then was he a god who
	bound or an adulterer.
was subject to desire, and a warrior,
and a prisoner and an adulterer?	And again they say of Dionysos that he forsooth!
	is a god, who arranges carousals by night, and teaches
They allege that Dionysos also is
	drunkenness, and carries off women who do not
a god who holds nightly revels and
	belong to him. And at length, they say, he went mad
teaches drunkenness, and carries off
	and dismissed his handmaidens and fled into the
the neighbours' wives, and goes
	desert; and during his madness he ate serpents.
mad and takes to flight. And at
	And at last he was killed by Titanos. If then
last he was put to death by the
	Dionysos were a god, and when he was being killed
Titans. If then Dionysos could not
	was unable to help himself, how is it possible that he
save himself when he was being
	should help others?
killed, and besides used to be mad,
and drunk with wine, and a fugitive,	Herakles next they bring forward and say that he
how should he be a god?	is a god, who hates detestable things, a tyrant,18
	and warrior and a destroyer of plagues. And of him
They allege also that Herakles got
	also they say that at length he became mad and killed
drunk and went mad and cut the
	his own children, and cast himself into a fire and
throats of his own children, then he
	died. If then Herakles is a god, and in all these
was consumed by fire and so died.
	calamities was unable to rescue himself, how should
Now how should he be a god, who
	others ask help from him? But it is impossible
was drunk and a slayer of children
	that a god should be mad, or drunken or a slayer of
and burned to death? or how will
	his children, or consumed by fire.
he come to the help of others, when
he was unable to help himself?
	XI. And after him they bring forward another
XI. They represent Apollo also as
	god and call him Apollon. And they say that he is
a jealous god, and besides as the
	jealous and inconstant, and at times he holds the
master of the bow and quiver, and
	bow and quiver, and again the lyre and plectron.
sometimes of the lyre and flute, and as
	And he utters oracles for men that he may receive
divining to men for pay? Can he
	rewards from them. Is then this god in need of
then be very badly off? But it
	rewards? But it is an insult that all these things
cannot be admitted that a god should
	should be found with a god. And after him they bring forward as a goddess
be in want, and jealous, and a
	Artemis, the sister of Apollo; and they say that she
harping minstrel.
They represent Artemis also as his	was a huntress and that she herself used to carry a
sister, who is a huntress and has a	bow and bolts, and to roam about upon the mountains,
bow with a quiver; and she roams	leading the hounds to hunt stags or wild boars
alone upon the hills with the dogs	of the field. But it is disgraceful that a virgin maid
to hunt the stag or the wild boar.	should roam alone upon the hills or hunt in the
How then should such a woman,	chase for animals. Wherefore it is impossible that
who hunts and roams with her dogs,	Artemis should be a goddess.
be a divine being?
	Again they say of Aphrodite that she indeed is a
Even Aphrodite herself they affirm	goddess. And at times she dwells with their gods,
to be a goddess who is adulterous.	but at other times she is a neighbour to men. And
For at one time she had Ares	once she had Ares as a lover, and again Adonis who
as a paramour, and at another time	is Tammuz. Once also, Aphrodite was wailing and
Anchises and again Adonis, whose	weeping for the death of Tammuz, and they say that
death she also laments, feeling the	she went down to Sheol that she might redeem
want of her lover. And they say	Adonis from Persephone, who is the daughter of
that she even went down to Hades	Sheol (Hades). If then Aphrodite is a goddess and
to purchase back Adonis from	was unable to help her lover at his death, how will
Persephone. Did you ever see, O King,	she find it possible to help others? And this cannot
greater folly than this, to bring forward	be listened to, that a divine nature should come to
as a goddess one who is adulterous	weeping and wailing and adultery.
and given to weeping and
	And again they say of Tammuz that he is a god.
wailing?
	And he is, forsooth! a hunter and an adulterer. And
And they represent that Adonis	they say that he was killed by a wound from a wild
is a hunter god, who came to a	boar, without being able to help himself. And if he
violent end, being wounded by a wild	could not help himself, how can he take thought for
boar and having no power to help	the human race? But that a god should be an adulterer
himself in his distress. How then	or a hunter or should die by violence is
will one who is adulterous and a	impossible.
hunter and mortal give himself any
	Again they say of Rhea that she is the mother of
concern for mankind?
	their gods. And they say that she had once a lover
All this and much more of a like	Atys, and that she used to delight in depraved men.
nature, and even far more disgraceful	And at last she raised a lamentation and mourned
and offensive details, have the	for Atys her lover. If then the mother of their gods
Greeks narrated, O King, concerning	was unable to help her lover and deliver him from
their gods;----details which it is	death, how can she help others? So it is disgraceful
not proper either to state or for a	that a goddess should lament and weep and take
moment to remember. And hence	delight in depraved men.
mankind, taking an impulse from
	Again they introduce Kore and say that she is a
their gods, practised all lawlessness
	goddess, and she was stolen away by Pluto, and could
and brutality and impiety, polluting
	not help herself. If then she is a goddess and was
both earth and air by their awful
	unable to help herself how will she find means to
deeds.
	help others? For a god who is stolen away is very
	powerless.
	All this, then, O King, have the Greeks brought
	forward concerning their gods, and they have invented
	and declared it concerning them. And hence
	all men received an impulse to work all profanity and
	all defilements; and hereby the whole earth was corrupted.
XII. The Egyptians, again, being	XII. The Egyptians, moreover, because they are
more stupid and witless than these	more base and stupid than every people that is on the
have gone further astray than all the	earth, have themselves erred more than all. For the
nations. For they were not content	deities (or religion) of the Barbarians and the Greeks
with the objects of worship of the	did not suffice for them, but they introduced some
Chaldaeans and the Greeks, but in	also of the nature of the animals, and said thereof
addition to these brought forward	that they were gods, and likewise of creeping things
also brute creatures as gods, both	which are found on the dry land and in the waters.
land and water animals, and plants	And of plants and herbs they said that some of them
and herbs; and they were defiled	were gods. And they were corrupted by every kind
with all madness and brutality more	of delusion and defilement more than every people
deeply than all the nations on the	that is on the earth. For from ancient times they
earth.	worshipped Isis, and they say that she is a goddess
	whose husband was Osiris her brother. And when
For originally they worshipped
	Osiris was killed by Typhon his brother, Isis fled with
Isis, who had Osiris as brother and
	Horos her son to Byblus in Syria, and was there for a
husband. He was slain by his own
	certain time till her son was grown. And he contended
brother Typhon; and therefore Isis
	with Typhon his uncle, and killed him. And
with Horos her son fled for refuge to
	then Isis returned and went about with Horos her son
Byblus in Syria, mourning for Osiris
	and sought for the dead body of Osiris her lord,
with bitter lamentation, until Horos
	bitterly lamenting his death. If then Isis be a goddess,
grew up and slew Typhon. So that
	and could not help Osiris her brother and lord, how
neither had Isis power to help her
	can she help another? But it is impossible that a
own brother and husband; nor could
	divine nature should be afraid, and flee for safety, or
Osiris defend himself when he was
	should weep and wail; or else it is very miserable.
being slain by Typhon; nor did Typhon,
the slayer of his brother, when	And of Osiris also they say that he is a serviceable
he was perishing at the hands of	god. And he was killed by Typhon and was unable
Horos and Isis, find means to rescue	to help himself. But it is well known that this
himself from death. And though	cannot be asserted of divinity. And further, they say
they were revealed in their true	of his brother Typhon that he is a god, who killed his
character by such mishaps, they	brother and was killed by his brother's son and by his
	bride, being unable to help himself. And how, pray,
were believed to be very gods by the
	is he a god who does not save himself?
simple Egyptians, who were not satisfied
even with these or the other	As the Egyptians, then, were more stupid than the
deities of the nations, but brought	rest of the nations, these and such like gods did not
forward also brute creatures as gods.	suffice for them. Nay, but they even apply the name
For some of them worshipped the	of gods to animals in which there is no soul at all.
sheep, and some the goat; another	For some of them worship the sheep and others the
tribe (worshipped) the bull and the	calf; and some the pig and others the shad fish; and
pig; others again, the raven and the	some the crocodile and the hawk and the fish and the
hawk, and the vulture and the eagle;	ibis and the vulture and the eagle and the raven.
and others the crocodile; and some	Some of them worship the cat, and others the turbot-
the cat and the dog, and the wolf and	fish, some the dog, some the adder, and some the asp,
the ape, and the dragon and the asp;	and others the lion; and others the garlic and onions
and others the onion and the garlic	and thorns, and others the tiger and other such
and thorns and other created things.	things. And the poor creatures do not see that all
And the poor creatures do not perceive	these things are nothing, although they daily witness
about all these that they are	their gods being eaten and consumed by men and also
utterly helpless. For though they	by their fellows; while some of them are cremated,
see their gods eaten by men of other	and some die and decay and become dust, without
tribes, and burnt as offerings and	their observing that they perish in many ways. So
slain as victims and mouldering in	the Egyptians have not observed that such things
decay, they have not perceived that	which are not equal to their own deliverance, are not
they are not gods.	gods. And if, forsooth, they are weak in the case of
	their own deliverance, whence have they power to
	help in the case of deliverance of their worshippers?
	Great then is the error into which the Egyptians
	wandered;----greater, indeed, than that of any people
	which is upon the face of the earth.
XIII. So the Egyptians and the	XIII. But it is a marvel, O King, with regard to
Chaldaeans and the Greeks made a	the Greeks, who surpass all other peoples in their
great error in bringing forward such	manner of life and reasoning, how they have gone astray
beings as gods, and in making images	after dead idols and lifeless images. And yet they see
of them, and in deifying dumb and	their gods in the hands of their artificers being sawn
senseless idols.	out, and planed and docked, and hacked short, and
	charred, and ornamented, and being altered by them
And I wonder how they saw their
	in every kind of way. And when they grow old, and
gods sawn out and hacked and
	are worn away through lapse of time, and when they
docked by the workmen, and besides
	are molten and crushed to powder, how, I wonder,
aging with time and falling to
	did they not perceive concerning them, that they are
pieces, and being cast from metal,
	not gods? And as for those who did not find deliverance
and yet did not discern concerning
	for themselves, how can they serve the distress of men?
them that they were not gods.
	But even the writers and philosophers among them
For when they have no power to
	have wrongly alleged that the gods are such as are
see to their own safety, how will they
	made in honour of God Almighty. And they err in
take forethought for men?
	seeking to liken (them) to God whom man has not at
But further, the poets and philosophers,	any time seen nor can see unto what He is like.
alike of the Chaldaeans and	Herein, too (they err) in asserting of deity that any
the Greeks and the Egyptians, while	such thing as deficiency can be present to it; as when
they desired by their poems and	they say that He receives sacrifice and requires burnt-
writings to magnify the gods of their	offering and libation and immolations of men, and
countries, rather revealed their	temples. But God is not in need, and none of these
shame, and laid it bare before all	things is necessary to Him; and it is clear that men
men. For if the body of man while	err in these things they imagine.
consisting of many parts does not cast
	Further their writers and their philosophers represent
off any of its own members, but
	and declare that the nature of all their gods
preserving an unbroken unity in all its
	is one. And they have not apprehended God our
members, is harmonious with itself,
	Lord who while He is one, is in all. They err
how shall variance and discord be
	therefore. For if the body of a man while it is many
so great in the nature of God?
	in its parts is not in dread, one member of another,
For if there had been a unity of	but, since it is a united body, wholly agrees with
nature among the gods, then one	itself; even so also God is one in His nature. A
god ought not to have pursued or	single essence is proper to Him, since He is uniform
slain or injured another. And if	in His nature and His essence; and He is not afraid
the gods were pursued by gods, and	of Himself. If then the nature of the gods is one,
slain, and kidnapped and struck	it is not proper that a god should either pursue or slay
with lightning by them, then there is	or harm a god. If, then, gods be pursued and wounded
no longer any unity of nature, but	by gods, and some be kidnapped and some struck
divided counsels, all mischievous.	dead by lightning, it is obvious that the nature of
So that not one of them is a god.	their gods is not one. And hence it is known, O
It is clear then, O King, that all	King, that it is a mistake when they reckon and
their discourse on the nature of the	bring the natures of their gods under a single
gods is an error.	nature. If then it becomes us to admire a god
	which is seen and does not see, how much more
But how did the wise and erudite
	praiseworthy is it that one should believe in a nature
men of the Greeks not observe that
	which is invisible and all-seeing? And if further it
inasmuch as they make laws for
	is fitting that one should approve the handiworks of
themselves they are judged by their
	a craftsman, how much more is it fitting that one
own laws? For if the laws are
	should glorify the Creator of the craftsman?
righteous, their gods are altogether
unrighteous, as they have committed	For behold! when the Greeks made laws they did
transgressions of laws, in slaying	not perceive that by their laws they condemn their
one another, and practising sorceries,	gods. For if their laws are righteous, their gods
and adultery and thefts and	are unrighteous, since they transgressed the law in
intercourse with males. If they	killing one another, and practising sorcery, and
were right in doing these things,	committing adultery, and in robbing and stealing,
then the laws are unrighteous, being	and in lying with males, and by their other practises
framed contrary to the gods. Whereas	as well. For if their gods were right in doing
in fact, the laws are good and	all these things as they are described, then the laws
just, commending what is good and	of the Greeks are unrighteous in not being made
forbidding what is bad. But the	according to the will of their gods. And in that case
deeds of their gods are contrary to	the whole world is gone astray.
law. Their gods, therefore, are
	For the narratives about their gods are some of
lawbreakers, and all liable to the
	them myths, and some of them nature-poems (lit:
punishment of death; and they are
	natural----fusikai/), and some of them hymns and
impious men who introduce such
	elegies. The hymns indeed and elegies are empty
gods. For if the stories about them
	words and noise. But these nature-poems, even if
be mythical, the gods are nothing
	they be made as they say, still those are not gods who
more than mere names; and if the
	do such things and suffer and endure such things.
stories be founded on nature, still
	And those myths are shallow tales with no depth
they who did and suffered these
	whatever in them.
things are no longer gods; and if
the stories be allegorical, they are
myths and nothing more.
It has been shown then, O King,
that all these polytheistic objects of
worship are the works of error and
perdition. For it is not right to give
the name of gods to beings which
may be seen but cannot see; but one
ought to reverence the invisible and
all-seeing and all-creating God.
XIV. Let us proceed then, O King,	XIV. Let us come now, O King, to the history of
to the Jews also, that we may see	the Jews also, and see what opinion they have as to
what truth there is in their view of	God. The Jews then say that God is one, the
God. For they were descendants of	Creator of all, and omnipotent; and that it is not
Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and	right that any other should be worshipped except this
migrated to Egypt. And thence God	God alone. And herein they appear to approach the
brought them forth with a mighty	truth more than all the nations, especially in that
hand and an uplifted arm through	they worship God and not His works. And they
Moses, their lawgiver; and by many	imitate God by the philanthropy which prevails
wonders and signs He made known	among them; for they have compassion on the poor,
His power to them. But even they	and they release the captives, and bury the dead, and
proved stubborn and ungrateful, and	do such things as these, which are acceptable before
often served the idols of the nations,	God and well-pleasing also to men,----which (customs)
and put to death the prophets and	they have received from their forefathers.
	Nevertheless they too erred from true knowledge.
just men who were sent to them.
	And in their imagination they conceive that it is God
Then when the Son of God was
	they serve; whereas by their mode of observance it is
pleased to come upon the earth, they
	to the angels and not to God that their service is
received him with wanton violence
	rendered:----as when they celebrate sabbaths and the
and betrayed him into the hands of
	beginning of the months, and feasts of unleavened
Pilate the Roman governor; and
	bread, and a great fast; and fasting and circumcision
paying no respect to his good deeds
	and the purification of meats, which things, however,
and the countless miracles he
	they do not observe perfectly.
wrought among them, they demanded
a sentence of death by the cross.
And they perished by their own
transgression; for to this day they
worship the one God Almighty, but
not according to knowledge. For
they deny that Christ is the Son of
God; and they are much like to the
heathen, even although they may
seem to make some approach to the
truth from which they have removed
themselves. So much for the Jews.
	XV. But the Christians, O King, while they went
XV. Now the Christians19 trace
	about and made search,20 have found the truth; and
their origin from the Lord Jesus
	as we learned from their writings, they have come
Christ. And He is acknowledged by
	nearer to truth and genuine knowledge than the rest
the Holy Spirit to be the son of the
	of the nations. For they know and trust in God, the
most high God, who came down
	Creator of heaven and of earth, in whom and from
from heaven for the salvation of
	whom are all things, to whom there is no other god
men. And being born of a pure
	as companion, from whom they received commandments
virgin, unbegotten and immaculate,
	which they engraved upon their minds and
He assumed flesh and revealed himself
	observe in hope and expectation of the world which is
among men that He might recall
	to come. Wherefore they do not commit adultery nor
them to Himself from their wandering
	fornication, nor bear false witness, nor embezzle what
after many gods. And having accomplished
	is held in pledge, nor covet what is not theirs. They
His wonderful dispensation,
	honour father and mother, and show kindness to
by a voluntary choice He tasted
	those near to them; and whenever they are judges,
death on the cross, fulfilling an
	they judge uprightly. They do not worship idols
august dispensation. And after
	(made) in the image of man; and whatsoever they
three days He came to life again and
	would not that others should do unto them, they do
ascended into heaven. And if you
	not to others; and of the food which is consecrated
would read, O King, you may judge
	to idols they do not eat, for they are pure. And their
the glory of His presence from the
	oppressors they appease (lit: comfort) and make
holy gospel writing, as it is called
	them their friends; they do good to their enemies;
among themselves. He had twelve
	and their women, O King, are pure as virgins, and
disciples, who after His ascension to
	their daughters are modest; and their men keep
heaven went forth into the provinces
	themselves from every unlawful union and from all
of the whole world, and declared His
	nncleanness, in the hope of a recompense to come in
greatness. As for instance, one of
	the other world. Further, if one or other of them
them traversed the countries about
	have bondmen and bondwomen or children, through
us, proclaiming the doctrine of the
	love towards them they persuade them to become
truth. From this it is, that they
	Christians, and when they have done so, they call
who still observe the righteousness
	them brethren without distinction. They do not
enjoined by their preaching are
	worship strange gods, and they go their way in all
called Christians.
	modesty and cheerfulness. Falsehood is not found
And these are they who more than	among them; and they love one another, and from
all the nations on the earth have	widows they do not turn away their esteem; and they
found the truth. For they know	deliver the orphan from him who treats him harshly.
God, the Creator and Fashioner of	And he, who has, gives to him who has not, without
all things through the only-begotten	boasting. And when they see a stranger, they take
Son and the Holy Spirit21; and beside	him in to their homes and. rejoice over him as a very
Him they worship no other God.	brother; for they do not call them brethren after the
They have the commands of the	flesh, but brethren after the spirit and in God. And
Lord Jesus Christ Himself graven	whenever one of their poor passes from the world,
upon their hearts; and they observe	each one of them according to his ability gives heed
them, looking forward to the resurrection	to him and carefully sees to his burial. And if they
of the dead and life in the	hear that one of their number is imprisoned or
world
	afflicted on account of the name of their Messiah, all of
to come. They do not commit
	them anxiously minister to his necessity, and if it
adultery nor fornication, nor
	is possible to redeem him they set him free. And if
bear false witness, nor covet the
	there is among them any that is poor and needy, and
things of others; they honour father
	if they have no spare food, they fast two or three
and mother, and love their neighbours;
	days in order to supply to the needy their lack of
they judge justly, and they
	food. They observe the precepts of their Messiah
never do to others what they would
	with much care, living justly and soberly as the Lord
not wish to happen to themselves;
	their God commanded them. Every morning22 and
they appeal to those who injure
	every hour they give thanks and praise to God for
them, and try to win them as friends;
	His loving-kindnesses toward them; and for their food
they are eager to do good to their
	and their drink they offer thanksgiving to Him.
enemies; they are gentle and easy
	And if any righteous man among them passes from
to be entreated; they abstain from
	the world, they rejoice and offer thanks to God; and
all unlawful conversation and from
	they escort his body as if he were setting out from
all impurity; they despise not the
	one place to another near. And when a child has
widow, nor oppress the orphan; and
	been born to one of them, they give thanks to God;
he that has, gives ungrudgingly for
	and if moreover it happen to die in childhood, they
the maintenance of him who has
	give thanks to God the more, as for one who has
not.
	passed through the world without sins. And further
If they see a stranger, they take	if they see that any one of them dies in his ungodliness
him under their roof, and rejoice	or in his sins, for him they grieve bitterly, and
over him as over a very brother; for	sorrow as for one who goes to meet his doom.
they call themselves brethren not
after the flesh but after the spirit.
And they are ready to sacrifice
their lives for the sake of Christ; for
they observe His commands without
swerving, and live holy and just
lives, as the Lord God enjoined upon
them.
And they give thanks unto Him
every hour, for all meat and drink
and other blessings.
	XVI. Such, O King, is the commandment of the
	law of the Christians, and such is their manner of
	life. As men who know God, they ask from Him
	petitions which are fitting for Him to grant and for
	them to receive. And thus they employ their whole
	lifetime. And since they know the loving-kindnesses
	of God toward them, behold! for their sake the glorious
	things which are in the world flow forth to view.
	And verily, they are those who found the truth when
	they went about and made search for it; and from
	what we considered, we learned that they alone come
	near to a knowledge of the truth. And they do
	not proclaim in the ears of the multitude the kind
	deeds they do, but are careful that no one should
	notice them; and they conceal their giving just as
	he who finds a treasure and conceals it. And they
	strive to be righteous as those who expect to behold
	their Messiah, and to receive from Him with great
	glory the promises made concerning them. And as
	for their words and their precepts, O King, and their
	glorying in their worship, and the hope of earning
	according to the work of each one of them their
	recompense which they look for in another world,----
	you may learn about these from their writings. It
	is enough for us to have shortly informed your
	Majesty concerning the conduct and the truth of
	the Christians. For great indeed, and wonderful is
	their doctrine to him who will search into it and
	reflect upon it. And verily, this is a new people, and
	there is something divine (lit: a divine admixture)
	in the midst of them.
XVI. Verily then, this is the way
	Take, then, their writings, and read therein,
of the truth which leads those who
	and lo! you will find that I have not put forth these
travel therein to the everlasting
	things on my own authority, nor spoken thus as
kingdom promised through Christ
	their advocate; but since I read in their writings I
in the life to come. And that you
	was fully assured of these things as also of things
may know, O King, that in saying
	which are to come. And for this reason I was constrained
these things I do not speak at my
	to declare the truth to such as care for it
own instance, if you deign to look
	and seek the world to come. And to me there is
into the writings of the Christians,
	no doubt but that the earth abides through the
you will find that I state nothing
	supplication of the Christians. But the rest of the
beyond the truth. Rightly then,
	nations err and cause error in wallowing before the
did thy son23 apprehend, and
	elements of the world, since beyond these their mental
justly was he taught to serve the
	vision will not pass. And they search about as if in
living God and to be saved for the
	darkness because they will not recognize the truth;
age that is destined to come upon
	and like drunken men they reel and jostle one
us. For great and wonderful are
	another and fall.
the sayings and deeds of the Christians;
for they speak not the words
of men but those of God. But the
rest of the nations go astray and
deceive themselves; for they walk
in darkness and bruise themselves
like drunken men.
XVII. Thus far, O King, extends	XVII. Thus far, O King, I have spoken; for concerning
my discourse to you, which has been
	that which remains, as is said above,24 there
dictated in my mind by the Truth.25	are
Wherefore let thy foolish sages	found in their other writings things which are
	hard
cease their idle talk against the
	to utter and difficult for one to narrate,----which
Lord; for it is profitable for you to
	are not only spoken in words but also wrought out in
worship God the Creator, and to give
	deeds.
ear to His incorruptible words, that
ye may escape from condemnation	Now the Greeks, O King, as they follow base
and punishment, and be found to be	practises in intercourse with males, and a mother and a
heirs of life everlasting.	sister and a daughter, impute their monstrous
	impurity in turn to the Christians. But the Christians
	are just and good, and the truth is set before their
	eyes, and their spirit is long-suffering; and, therefore,
	though they know the error of these (the
	Greeks),
	and are persecuted by them, they bear and
	endure
	it; and for the most part they have compassion
	on them, as men who are destitute of knowledge.
	And on their side, they offer prayer that
	these
	may repent of their error; and when it happens
	that one of them has repented, he is ashamed
	before the Christians of the works which were done
	by him; and he makes confession to God, saying,
	I did these things in ignorance. And he purifies his
	heart, and his sins are forgiven him, because he
	committed them in ignorance in the former time, when
	he used to blaspheme and speak evil of the true
	knowledge of the Christians. And assuredly the
	race of the Christians is more blessed than all the
	men who are upon the face of the earth.
	Henceforth let the tongues of those who utter
	vanity and harass the Christians be silent; and
	hereafter let them speak the truth. For it is of serious
	consequence to them that they should worship the
	true God rather than worship a senseless sound.
	And verily whatever is spoken in the mouth of the
	Christians is of God; and their doctrine is the
	gateway of light. Wherefore let all who are without the
	knowledge of God draw near thereto; and they will
	receive incorruptible words, which are from all time
	and from eternity. So shall they appear before the
	awful judgment which through Jesus the Messiah is
	destined to come upon the whole human race.
	The Apology of Aristides the Philosopher is finished.

¹ The superscription seems to be duplicate in the Syriac. It is absent from the Greek as we have it; the Armenian has " To the Emperor Caesar Hadrian trom Aristides." Various explanations are offered,

(a) Both emperors, as colleagues, may be meant. In support of this the Syriac adjectives for "venerable and merciful" are marked plural; the phrase "Your majesty" occurring later has a plural suffix; and two Imperatives, "Take and read," are plural. On the other hand "O King" occurs constantly in the singular; and the emperors were colleagues only for a few months in the year A.D. 138.

(b) The longer heading is the true one----the shorter being due perhaps to a scribe who had a collection of works to copy. In that case the word "Hadrian" has been selected from the full title of Antonine, and the two adjectives "venerable and merciful" are proper names, Augustus Pius. (Harris.)

(c) The shorter heading has the support of Eusebius and the Armenian version; and the translator into Syriac may have amplified.

[Syriac] Almighty is separated from the word for "God" by a pause, and is not an attribute which a Christian would care to apply to a Roman emperor. pantokra&twrmay have been confounded with au)tokra&wr. Raabe supplies [Syriac] giving the sense "qui Imperium (poetatem) habet," as an epithet of Caesar. If ... [Syriac] ="Renewed, or dedicated again to. . . Antoninus Pius," could be read, both headings might be retained.

¹ The Greek might be rendered, "so far as there was room for me to speak of Him," i.e., the attributes of the Deity are not further relevant to the discussion----as the translator into Syriac takes it. The Armenian adopts the other meaning, viz., the theme is beyond man's power to discuss. As translated by F. C. Conybeare, the Armenian is in these words: "Now by the grace of God it was given me to speak wisely concerning Him. So far as I have received the faculty I will speak, yet not according to the measure of the inscrutability of His greatness shall I be able to do so, but by faith alone do I glorify and adore Him."

² The "King" in the Greek is Abenner, the father of Josaphat; in the Syriac, as in the Greek originally, he is the Roman Emperor. Hadrian.

³ The Armenian and Syriac agree to giving four races, which was probably the original division. To a Greek, men were either Greeks or Barbarians: to a Greek Christian it would seem necessary to add two new peoples, Jews and Christians. The Greek calls the Barbarians "Chaldaeans." This change of classification is probably the cause of the omission in the Greek of the preliminary accounts of the four classes. The Greek blends the summaries with the fuller accounts.

⁴ The Armenian adds, "For that which is subject to this distinction is moved by passions."

¹ Literally: "a certain dispensation of his." The Greek term oi0konomi/a, "dispensation," suggests to the translator into Syriac the idea of the Incarnation, familiar, as it seems, by his time. Professor Sachau reads the equivalent of qaumasth& instead of [Syriac] (tij). In the translation given [Syriac] is taken adverbially=aliquamdiu.

² This irrelevant sentence is found in the Armenian version also, and therefore was probably in the original Greek. It seems to be an obiter dictum.Men fall into four groups, and, by the way, so do the elements, air, fire, earth, and water; and the powers that govern them. One quaternion suggests others.

³ Cf. Rom. i. 25 and Col. ii. 8.

¹ "I do not think it out of place here to mention Antinous of our day [a slave of the Emperor Hadrian], whom all, not- withstanding they knew who and whence he was, yet affected to worship as a god."----Justin Martyr quoted in Eusebius Hist. Bk. IV., c. 8.

² Or "and hence the world also gets its name ko&smoj." The Syriac is the equivalent of the Greek "dio_ kai\ ko&smoj kalei=tai,', which occurs (Chap. IV.) in discussing the supposed divinity of the sky or heaven.

¹ The passage in brackets occurs earlier in "Barlaam and Josaphat," and is restored to its place by J. A. Robinson.

² Professor Nöldeke's emendation, [Syriac], in place of [Syriac] ="they were reviled," is adopted in the translation given.

³ Cf. Amos v. 26, "Chiun, your star god," and Acts vii. 43.

¹ Pasiphae's unnatural passion for Taurus is not in the Greek mythology charged to Zeus.

² The visit of Zeus to Semele (not Selene) is evidently referred to. Selh&nh Luna would give the Syriac [Syriac]

³ Professor Rendel Harris pronounces "Paludus" a vox nihili,and explains its presence as due to a corrupt repetition of the pre- ceding Polydeuces. The Syriac word in the text suggests Pollux----the Latin equivalent of Polydeuces. Clytemnestra is the name re- quired.

⁴ Adopting Professor Harris's emendation [Syriac] = kle/pthj instead of [Syriac]=vir.

¹ Tyrant," [Syriac] seems out of place when connected with Herakles. Perhaps [Syriac] =ebrius, which occurs at the close of the paragraph, should be read here. Cf. also the Greek.

¹ This, the "Christological" passage, occurs earlier in the Syriac. Chap. ii.

² The same two words are used of Isis. The Christians are unlike her in finding what they sought.

¹ The Armenian agrees with the Greek against the Syriac. "Una cum Spiritu Sancto " Arm.

² Cf. Pliny's letter to the Emperor Trajan, A.D. 112, " The Christians are wont to meet at dawn on an appointed day, and to sing a hymn to Christ as God."

¹ The reference is to Josaphat, son of Abenner, who was taught to be a Christian by the monk Barlaam.

¹ The Christian Scriptures are previously referred to as a source of information, not as containing difficulties. cf 2 Peter iii. 16.

²Nachor, the fictitious monk who represented Barlaam, intended to make a weak defence of Christianity, but, according to the story, he was constrained to speak what he had not intended. It is evidently the author's intention to make it an instance of "suggestio verborum" or plenary inspiration, in the case of the fictitious monk.