Preparation for the Gospel 6.7.1–6.8.39

Eusebius of Caesarea · Preparation for the Gospel · ca. 313–324 · Caesarea · 83 passages

Greek text: Dindorf, Eusebii Opera 1 (Greek text: W. Dindorf, Eusebii Caesariensis Opera 1–2 (Leipzig: Teubner, 1867), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: E. H. Gifford, Eusebii Pamphili Evangelicae Praeparationis libri XV (Oxford, 1903), vol. 3 (English).

Preparation 6, chapter 7

6.7.1Dindorf 1:291

“ Σὲ οὖν ἐν Δελφοῖς καθῆσθαι μὴ δυνάμενον, μηδʼ εἰ βούλοιο, σιωπᾶν. ὁ δʼ Ἀπόλλων ἄρα ὁ τοῦ Δῖός υἱὸς νυνὶ βούλεται, οὐχ ὅτι βούλεται, ἀλλʼ ὅτι ὑπʼ ἀνάγκης εἰς τὸ βουληθῆναι τέτακται.

“ Se oun en Delphois kathēsthai mē dynamenon, mēdʼ ei bouloio, siōpan. ho dʼ Apollōn ara ho tou Dios huios nyni bouletai, ouch hoti bouletai, allʼ hoti hypʼ anankēs eis to boulēthēnai tetaktai.

"You, then, sitting at Delphi, cannot keep silent even if you wished. So Apollo, the son of Zeus, now wills, not because he wills, but because he has been appointed by necessity to will.

Notes and citation

Summary: Oenomaus mocks Apollo as compelled even in his willing.

Chapter 7 quotes Oenomaus of Gadara, The Detection of Impostors.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.1 (Dindorf 1:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Dindorf's Teubner text (1867; digital text First1KGreek, CC BY-SA 4.0), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of E. H. Gifford (1903); differences checked against the Greek.

6.7.2Dindorf 1:291–292

δοκῶ δέ μοι τὰ λοιπὰ πάντα παρεὶς, ἐπειδὴ εἰς τοῦτον τὸν λόγον οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως ὑπήχθην, οἰκεῖόν τι καὶ ἀξιοζήτητον ζητήσειν πρᾶγμα. ἀπόλωλε γὰρ, τό γ ἐπὶ τοῖς σοφοῖς, ἐκ τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου βίου, ἀπόλωλεν, εἴτε οἴακά τις αὐτὸ εἴτε ἕρμα εἴτε κρηπῖδα ὀνομάζων χαίρει, τῆς ἡμετέρας ζωῆς ἡ ἐξουσία, ἣν ἡμεῖς μὲν αὐτοκράτορα τῶν ἀναγκαιοτάτων τιθέμεθα, Δημόκριτος δέ γε, εἰ μή τι ἠπάτημαι, καὶ Χρύσιππος, ὁ μὲν δοῦλον, ὁ δὲ ἡμίδουλον ἐπινοεῖ τὸ κάλλιστον τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἐπιδεῖξαι.

dokō de moi ta loipa panta pareis, epeidē eis touton ton logon ouk oidʼ hopōs hypēchthēn, oikeion ti kai axiozētēton zētēsein pragma. apolōle gar, to g epi tois sophois, ek tou anthrōpinou biou, apolōlen, eite oiaka tis auto eite herma eite krēpida onomazōn chairei, tēs hēmeteras zōēs hē exousia, hēn hēmeis men autokratora tōn anankaiotatōn tithemetha, Dēmokritos de ge, ei mē ti ēpatēmai, kai Chrysippos, ho men doulon, ho de hēmidoulon epinoei to kalliston tōn anthrōpinōn epideixai.

I think I shall leave everything else aside, since I have somehow been led into this subject, and inquire into a matter that is close to us and worth inquiring into. For, as far as the sages are concerned, it has perished from human life, perished, whether one likes to call it the rudder or the ballast or the foundation of our life: our own authority, which we set as sovereign over the most necessary things, but which Democritus, unless I am mistaken, and Chrysippus mean to show, the one as a slave, the other as half a slave, though it is the finest of human things.

Notes and citation

Summary: Oenomaus complains that Democritus and Chrysippus have made human freedom a slave or half-slave.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (misread ending in the digital text; misread letter in the digital text; wrong accent in the digital text): ἓρμα → ἕρμα; Δημόχριτος → Δημόκριτος; ἡμίδουλου → ἡμίδουλον.

Extrabiblical texts: Democritus (Democritus (fragments); allusion); Chrysippus (Chrysippus; allusion); Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.2 (Dindorf 1:291–292; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.3Dindorf 1:292

ἀλλὰ τούτων μὲν λόγος τοσοῦτος, ὅσον ἄν τις ἀξιώσειεν ἄνθρωπος ὢν ἀνθρωπίνοις· εἰ δʼ ἤδη καὶ τὸ θεῖον ἡμῶν καταστρατεύεται, παπαῖ, οἷα πεισόμεθα.

alla toutōn men logos tosoutos, hoson an tis axiōseien anthrōpos ōn anthrōpinois; ei dʼ ēdē kai to theion hēmōn katastrateuetai, papai, hoia peisometha.

But the account of these men is worth as much as one might think, being a man, of human views. But if the divine too now makes war on us, alas, what shall we suffer!

Notes and citation

Summary: Human philosophers' views matter little, but it is worse if the gods deny our freedom.

Oenomaus.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.3 (Dindorf 1:292; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.4Dindorf 1:292

ἀλλʼ οὐκ εἰκὸς, οὐδὲ δίκαιον, ἀπὸ γοῦν τούτων τεκμαιρομένοις ἡμῖν ἐχθρὲ περικτιόνεσσι, φίλʼ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν, εἴσω τὸ προβόλαιον ἔχων πεφυλαγμένος ἧσο.

allʼ ouk eikos, oude dikaion, apo goun toutōn tekmairomenois hēmin echthre periktionessi, philʼ athanatoisi theoisin, eisō to probolaion echōn pephylagmenos hēso.

But it is neither likely nor just, at least as we judge from these words: 'Hated by your neighbors, dear to the immortal gods, keep your spear within and sit on guard.'

Notes and citation

Summary: Oenomaus cites Apollo's oracle to the Argives telling them to stay on guard.

Oenomaus. The oracle given to the Argives is also in Herodotus, Histories 7.148.

Extrabiblical texts: Herodotus, Hist. 7.148 (Herodotus, Histories; quotation); Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.4 (Dindorf 1:292; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.5Dindorf 1:292

τί γὰρ, φησὶν ὁ Ἀργεῖος, εἰ βουλοίμην, ἔξεστί μοι, καὶ δύναμαι, εἴ μοι δόξειεν, ἧσθαι καὶ πεφυλάχθαι; ἔξεστιν, εἴποις ἂν, καὶ δύνασαι· ἢ πῶς ἄν σοι τοῦτʼ ἐγὼ προσέταττον;

ti gar, phēsin ho Argeios, ei bouloimēn, exesti moi, kai dynamai, ei moi doxeien, hēsthai kai pephylachthai? exestin, eipois an, kai dynasai; ē pōs an soi toutʼ egō prosetatton?

For what, says the Argive, if I wish, am I allowed, and am I able, if I so decide, to sit and be on guard? You are allowed, you would say, and you are able; or how could I give you this command?

Notes and citation

Summary: An oracle's command implies the hearer is free to obey or not.

Oenomaus.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.5 (Dindorf 1:292; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.6Dindorf 1:292

Χείρωνος φίλε τέκνον ἀγακλειτοῖο Κάρυστε, Πήλιον ἐκπρολιπὼν Εὐβοίας ἄκρον ἱκέσθαι, ἔνθʼ ἱερὰν χώραν κτίζειν σοι θέσφατόν ἐστιν. ἀλλʼ ἴθι. μηκέτι μέλλε.

Cheirōnos phile teknon agakleitoio Karyste, Pēlion ekprolipōn Euboias akron hikesthai, enthʼ hieran chōran ktizein soi thesphaton estin. allʼ ithi. mēketi melle.

'Carystus, dear son of glorious Chiron, leave Pelion and go to the headland of Euboea, where it is decreed that you shall found a holy land. Go now; delay no longer.'

Notes and citation

Summary: Oenomaus quotes an oracle ordering Carystus to found a city in Euboea.

Oenomaus.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.6 (Dindorf 1:292; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.7Dindorf 1:292

ἦ γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπῳ τί ἐστιν, ὦ Ἄπολλον, καὶ βουληθῆναι Πήλιον ἐκπρολιπεῖν κύριός εἰμι ἐγώ; καὶ μὴν ἤκουον παρὰ πολλῶν καὶ σοφῶν ὅτι εἴ μοι πέπρωται Εὐβοίας ἄκρον ἱκέσθαι καὶ ἱερὰν χώραν κτίζειν, καὶ ἕξομαι καὶ καθιῶ, εἴτε λέγοις εἴτε μὴ, καὶ εἴτε βουλοίμην εἴτε μή. εἰ δέ με δεῖ καὶ βουληθῆναι ὅ τι μοι ἀνάγκη ἐστὶ καὶ εἰ μὴ βουλοίμην βουληθῆναι, ἀλλὰ σὺ, ὦ Ἄπολλον, πιστεύεσθαι δικαιότερος.

ē gar hōs alēthōs epʼ anthrōpǭ ti estin, ō Apollon, kai boulēthēnai Pēlion ekprolipein kyrios eimi egō? kai mēn ēkouon para pollōn kai sophōn hoti ei moi peprōtai Euboias akron hikesthai kai hieran chōran ktizein, kai hexomai kai kathiō, eite legois eite mē, kai eite bouloimēn eite mē. ei de me dei kai boulēthēnai ho ti moi anankē esti kai ei mē bouloimēn boulēthēnai, alla sy, ō Apollon, pisteuesthai dikaioteros.

Is there really something in a man's power, Apollo, and am I master of willing to leave Pelion? And yet I used to hear from many wise men that if it is fated for me to reach the headland of Euboea and found a holy land, I shall go there and settle, whether you speak or not, and whether I will or not. And if I must also will what is necessary for me, and will it even if I do not will it, still you, Apollo, have the better claim to be believed.

Notes and citation

Summary: Oenomaus shows that the oracle's command contradicts the doctrine of fate.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray letters in the digital text; wrong accent in the digital text): Ἂπολλον → Ἄπολλον; χώραν ’ρᾶν κτίζειν → χώραν κτίζειν.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.7 (Dindorf 1:292; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.8Dindorf 1:292–293

ἔοικα δή σοι μᾶλλον προσέξειν. ἄγγειλον Παρίοις, Τελεσίκλεες, ὥς σε κελεύω νήσῳ ἐν Ἠερίῃ κτίζειν εὐδείελον ἄστυ. Ἀγγέλω, νὴ Δία, φήσει τάχα που τις τετυφωμένος, ἢ σὲ ἐλέγχων, κἂν μὴ κελεύσῃς ’ πέπρωται γάρ. καὶ ἔστι Θάσος μὲν ἡ Ἠερία νῆσος· ἥξουσι δʼ ἐπʼ αὐτὴν Παρίοι, Ἀρχιλόχου τοῦ ἐμοῦ υἱοῦ φράσαντος ὅτι ἡ νῆσος αὕτη πρὶν Ἠερία ἐκαλεῖτο. σὺ οὖν, δεινὸς γὰρ ἐπεξελθεῖν, οὐκ ἀνέξῃ, οἶμαι, αὐτοῦ οὕτως ὄντος ἀχαρίστου καὶ θρασέος, ὃς, εἰ μὴ σὺ μηνῦσαι αὐτῷ ἐβουλήθης, οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἤγγειλεν, οὐδʼ ἂν Ἀρχίλοχος ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ Παρίους ἐξενάγησεν, οὐδʼ ἂν οἱ Παρίοι Θάσον ᾤκησαν.

eoika dē soi mallon prosexein. angeilon Pariois, Telesiklees, hōs se keleuō nēsǭ en Ēerię̄ ktizein eudeielon asty. Angelō, nē Dia, phēsei tacha pou tis tetyphōmenos, ē se elenchōn, kan mē keleusę̄s ’ peprōtai gar. kai esti Thasos men hē Ēeria nēsos; hēxousi dʼ epʼ autēn Parioi, Archilochou tou emou huiou phrasantos hoti hē nēsos hautē prin Ēeria ekaleito. sy oun, deinos gar epexelthein, ouk anexę̄, oimai, autou houtōs ontos acharistou kai thraseos, hos, ei mē sy mēnysai autǭ eboulēthēs, ouk an pote ēngeilen, oudʼ an Archilochos ho huios autou Parious exenagēsen, oudʼ an hoi Parioi Thason ǭkēsan.

I think I had better attend to you. 'Tell the Parians, Telesicles, that I bid you found a city clear to see in the misty island.' 'I shall tell them, by Zeus,' perhaps someone puffed up would say, or someone refuting you, 'even if you do not bid me; for it is fated.' And Thasos is the misty island; and the Parians will come to it, when Archilochus, my son, explains that this island was formerly called the Misty. You, then, being quick to punish, will not, I suppose, put up with him, so ungrateful and bold, who would never have told them if you had not chosen to reveal it to him; nor would Archilochus his son have led the Parians out as colonists, nor would the Parians have settled Thasos.

Notes and citation

Summary: Oenomaus ridicules the oracle to Telesicles about colonizing Thasos.

Oenomaus. Telesicles was the father of the poet Archilochus, who is said to have led the Parian colony to Thasos.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Latin-shaped final letter in the digital text; stray mark in the digital text; wrong accent in the digital text): Τελεσίκλεεσ → Τελεσίκλεες; ἐλέγχων, ) → ἐλέγχων,; οὐδʼ ἂν οἷ Παρίοι → οὐδʼ ἂν οἱ Παρίοι.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.8 (Dindorf 1:292–293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.9Dindorf 1:293

οὐκ οἶδʼ οὖν εἰ σὺ λέγεις μὲν ταῦτα, οὐκ οἶσθα δὲ ἃ λέγεις. ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ σχολὴν ἄγειν ἐοίκαμεν καὶ μακρὰ διαλέγεσθαι, ὁ δὲ λόγος οὐ πάρεργος, ἐκεῖνό μοι λέγε· ἴσως γὰρ καὶ ὀλίγα ἐκ πολλῶν ἀρκεῖ·)

ouk oidʼ oun ei sy legeis men tauta, ouk oistha de ha legeis. allʼ epei scholēn agein eoikamen kai makra dialegesthai, ho de logos ou parergos, ekeino moi lege; isōs gar kai oliga ek pollōn arkei;)

I do not know, then, whether you say these things without knowing what you say. But since we seem to be at leisure and to be having a long discussion, and the subject is not a minor one, tell me this; for perhaps a few things out of many are enough.

Notes and citation

Summary: Oenomaus begins a longer argument with Apollo.

Oenomaus.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.9 (Dindorf 1:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.10Dindorf 1:293

ἆρά γέ τί ἐσμεν ἐγώ τε καὶ σύ; φαίης ἄν. τοῦτο δὲ ὁπόθεν ἴσμεν; τῷ ποτʼ ἄρα τοῦτο εἰδέναι ἐκρίναμεν; ἢ οὐκ ἄλλο ἱκανὸν οὕτως ὡς ἡ συναίσθησίς τε καὶ ἀντίληψις ἡμῶν αὐτῶν;

ara ge ti esmen egō te kai sy? phaiēs an. touto de hopothen ismen? tǭ potʼ ara touto eidenai ekrinamen? ē ouk allo hikanon houtōs hōs hē synaisthēsis te kai antilēpsis hēmōn autōn?

Are you and I something? You would say so. And how do we know this? By what did we judge that we know it? Or is nothing else as adequate as our awareness and perception of ourselves?

Notes and citation

Summary: We know we exist by our awareness of ourselves.

Oenomaus.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.10 (Dindorf 1:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.11Dindorf 1:293

τί δʼ; ὅτι ζῷά ἐσμεν πῶς ποτʼ ἄρα ἐξεύρομεν; πῶς δʼ ὅτι καὶ ζῴων, ὡς μὲν ἂν ἐγὼ εἴποιμι, ἄνθρωποι, καὶ ἀνθρώπων ὁ μὲν γόης, ὁ δὲ γόητος ἀπελεγκτής· ὡς δʼ ἂν σὺ, ὁ μὲν ἄνθρωπος, ὁ δὲ θεὸς, καὶ ὁ μὲν μάντις, ὁ δὲ συκοφάντης; καὶ ἔστω γέ σοι οὕτως ἔχον, ἐάνπερ ἔγωγε ἁλῶ.

ti dʼ? hoti zǭa esmen pōs potʼ ara exeuromen? pōs dʼ hoti kai zǭōn, hōs men an egō eipoimi, anthrōpoi, kai anthrōpōn ho men goēs, ho de goētos apelenktēs; hōs dʼ an sy, ho men anthrōpos, ho de theos, kai ho men mantis, ho de sykophantēs? kai estō ge soi houtōs echon, eanper egōge halō.

Well then, how did we find out that we are living creatures? And how that among living creatures we are, as I would say, human beings, and among human beings one is an impostor and the other an exposer of impostors; or, as you would say, one is a man and the other a god, one a prophet and the other a slanderer? And let it be so for you, if I am convicted.

Notes and citation

Summary: Self-perception tells us what we are, whatever our dispute.

Oenomaus.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.11 (Dindorf 1:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.12Dindorf 1:293

πῶς δʼ ὅτι διαλεγόμεθα ἐν τῷ παρόντι ἐγνώκαμεν; τί φής; ἆρʼ οὐκ ὀρθῶς ἐκρίναμεν τὴν ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἀντίληψιν τῷ πάντων ἐγγυτάτῳ πράγματι αὐτῷ; δῆλον ὅτι. οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἄλλο αὐτοῦ οὔτε ἀνώτερον οὔτε πρεσβύτερον οὔτε πιστότερον.

pōs dʼ hoti dialegometha en tǭ paronti egnōkamen? ti phēs? arʼ ouk orthōs ekrinamen tēn hēmōn autōn antilēpsin tǭ pantōn engytatǭ pragmati autǭ? dēlon hoti. ou gar ēn allo autou oute anōteron oute presbyteron oute pistoteron.

And how have we come to know that we are conversing at present? What do you say? Did we not rightly judge our perception of ourselves by that very thing, which is nearest of all? Clearly so. For there was nothing else higher than it, nor older, nor more trustworthy.

Notes and citation

Summary: Self-perception is the most immediate and trustworthy criterion.

Oenomaus.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.12 (Dindorf 1:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.13Dindorf 1:293–294

ἐπεὶ εἰ μὴ οὕτως ἕξει, μήτε ἄρα ὥς σέ τις εἰς Δελφοὺς παραγενέσθω λοιπὸν ὄνομα Ἀλκμαίων, ἀπεκτονὼς τὴν μητέρα, καὶ οἴκοθεν ἐλαυνόμενος καὶ οἴκαδε ἐπιθυμῶν. οὐ γὰρ οἶδεν οὔτʼ εἰ ἔστι τι αὐτὸς τὸ παράπαν, οὔτε εἰ οἴκοθεν ἐλαύνεται, οὔτʼ εἰ οἴκαδε ἐπιθυμεῖ· ἀλλʼ εἰ καὶ μαίνεται ὁ Ἀλκμαίων καὶ ὑπονοεῖ τὰ μὴ ὄντα, ὅ γε Πύθιος οὐ μαίνεται. μηδὲ λέγε οὕτως νόστον δίζηαι πατρίην ἐς γαῖαν ἱκέσθαι Αμφιαρηιάδη. οὐδὲ γὰρ σὺ οἶσθά πω εἰ σέ τις ἐρωτᾷ Ἀμφιαρηιάδης, οὐδʼ εἰ σὺ τὶ εἶ ὁ ἐρωτώμενος, καὶ λέγειν ἔχων περὶ ὧν τις ἐρωτᾷ.

epei ei mē houtōs hexei, mēte ara hōs se tis eis Delphous paragenesthō loipon onoma Alkmaiōn, apektonōs tēn mētera, kai oikothen elaunomenos kai oikade epithymōn. ou gar oiden outʼ ei esti ti autos to parapan, oute ei oikothen elaunetai, outʼ ei oikade epithymei; allʼ ei kai mainetai ho Alkmaiōn kai hyponoei ta mē onta, ho ge Pythios ou mainetai. mēde lege houtōs noston dizēai patriēn es gaian hikesthai Amphiarēiadē. oude gar sy oistha pō ei se tis erōtą Amphiarēiadēs, oudʼ ei sy ti ei ho erōtōmenos, kai legein echōn peri hōn tis erōtą.

For if it will not be so, then let no one named Alcmaeon come to you at Delphi any more, having killed his mother, driven from home and longing for home. For he does not know whether he himself is anything at all, nor whether he is driven from home, nor whether he longs for home. Yet even if Alcmaeon is mad and imagines what does not exist, the Pythian at least is not mad. And do not say, 'You seek a return, to reach your fatherland, son of Amphiaraus.' For you do not yet know whether a son of Amphiaraus is questioning you, or whether you who are questioned are anything, and have something to say about what someone asks.

Notes and citation

Summary: Without trust in self-perception, even the Delphic consultation of Alcmaeon would be meaningless.

Oenomaus. Alcmaeon, son of Amphiaraus, killed his mother Eriphyle.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong accent in the digital text): εἲ σέ → εἰ σέ.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.13 (Dindorf 1:293–294; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.14Dindorf 1:294

μηδὲ Χρύσιππος ἄρα ὁ τὴν ἡμιδουλείαν εἰσάγων, ὅ τί ποτέ ἐστιν αὐτὸ τοῦτο οὐκ εἰδὼς, ἀπαντάτω εἰς τὴν Στοὰν, μηδʼ οἰέσθω ἀπαντήσεσθαι τοὺς βλέννους ἐκείνους ὡς αὐτὸν ἀκουσομένους τὸν Οὖτιν ’ μηδὲ διατεινέσθω περὶ μηδενὸς καταστὰς πρὸς μὲν Ἀρκεσίλαον παρόντα, πρὸς δὲ Ἐπίκουρον οὐ παρόντα.

mēde Chrysippos ara ho tēn hēmidouleian eisagōn, ho ti pote estin auto touto ouk eidōs, apantatō eis tēn Stoan, mēdʼ oiesthō apantēsesthai tous blennous ekeinous hōs auton akousomenous ton Outin ’ mēde diateinesthō peri mēdenos katastas pros men Arkesilaon paronta, pros de Epikouron ou paronta.

Then let not Chrysippus either, who brings in half-slavery without knowing what this very thing is, go to the Stoa, nor suppose that those simpletons will meet him to hear Nobody himself; nor let him take his stand and argue about nothing against Arcesilaus, who is present, and against Epicurus, who is not.

Notes and citation

Summary: Without self-perception Chrysippus could not even teach or debate.

Oenomaus. "Nobody" (Οὖτις) is Odysseus's false name in Homer, Odyssey 9.366.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): ἡμιδου- λείαν → ἡμιδουλείαν.

Extrabiblical texts: Chrysippus (Chrysippus; allusion); Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.14 (Dindorf 1:294; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.15Dindorf 1:294

τί γάρ ἐστιν ὁ Ἀρκεσίλαος, τί δὲ ὁ Ἐπίκουρος, ἢ τί ἡ Στοὰ, ἢ τί οἱ νέοι, ἢ τίς ὁ Οὖτις, οὒτ οἶδεν οὔτε οἷος εἰδέναι ’ πολὺ γὰρ· πρότερον οὐδʼ εἰ αὐτός τί ἐστιν οἶδεν.

ti gar estin ho Arkesilaos, ti de ho Epikouros, ē ti hē Stoa, ē ti hoi neoi, ē tis ho Outis, out oiden oute hoios eidenai ’ poly gar; proteron oudʼ ei autos ti estin oiden.

For what Arcesilaus is, or what Epicurus is, or what the Stoa is, or what the young men are, or who Nobody is, he neither knows nor is able to know; much less, before that, does he know whether he himself is anything.

Notes and citation

Summary: Chrysippus would not know anything, not even himself.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong breathing in the digital text): οἶ νέοι → οἱ νέοι; οἶος εἰδέναι → οἷος εἰδέναι.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.15 (Dindorf 1:294; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.16Dindorf 1:294

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἀνέξεσθε οὔτε ὑμεῖς οὔτε ὁ Δημόκριτος, εἰ λέγοι τις ταῦτα ’ οὐ γὰρ εἶναι πιστότερον μέτρον οὑ λέγω ’ οὐδʼ εἰ δοκεῖ καὶ ἄλλα τινὰ εἶναι, τούτῳ γʼ ἂν παρισωθείη ’ ἢ παρισωθείη μὲν ἂν, ὑπερβάλλοι δὲ οὐκ ἄν.

allʼ ouk anexesthe oute hymeis oute ho Dēmokritos, ei legoi tis tauta ’ ou gar einai pistoteron metron hou legō ’ oudʼ ei dokei kai alla tina einai, toutǭ gʼ an parisōtheiē ’ ē parisōtheiē men an, hyperballoi de ouk an.

But neither you nor Democritus will bear it if anyone says this; for there is no measure more trustworthy than the one I speak of; and even if there seem to be some others, they could not be put on a level with it; or if they could be put on a level, they could not surpass it.

Notes and citation

Summary: No criterion is more trustworthy than self-perception.

Oenomaus.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.16 (Dindorf 1:294; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.17Dindorf 1:294

οὐκοῦν, φήσειεν ἄν τις, ὦ Δημόκριτε, καὶ σὺ, ὦ Χρύσιππε, καὶ σὺ, ὦ μάντι, ἐπειδὴ ἀγανακτεῖτε εἴ τις ἐθελήσαι παρελέσθαι τὴν ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ἀντίληψιν — οὐ γὰρ ἔτι τὰς πολλὰς ἐκείνας βίβλους εἶναι — φέρε καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀνταγανακτήσωμεν.

oukoun, phēseien an tis, ō Dēmokrite, kai sy, ō Chrysippe, kai sy, ō manti, epeidē aganakteite ei tis ethelēsai parelesthai tēn hymōn autōn antilēpsin — ou gar eti tas pollas ekeinas biblous einai — phere kai hēmeis antaganaktēsōmen.

Well then, someone might say, Democritus, and you, Chrysippus, and you, prophet, since you are indignant if anyone wants to take away your own perception of yourselves (for then all those many books would no longer exist), come, let us be indignant in turn.

Notes and citation

Summary: Oenomaus turns the philosophers' indignation back on them.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong accent in the digital text): ὠ μάντι → ὦ μάντι.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.17 (Dindorf 1:294; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.18Dindorf 1:294–295

τί δή ποτε; ἔνθα μὲν ἂν ὑμῖν δοκῇ, ἔσται τοῦτο καὶ πιστότατον καὶ πρεσβύτατον, ἔνθα δʼ ἂν μὴ δοκῇ, ἐκεῖ καταδυναστεύσει τι λεληθὸς αὐτοῦ εἱμαρμένη πεπρωμένη, διαφορὰν ἑκάστῳ ὑμῶν ἔχουσα, τῷ μὲν ἐκ θεοῦ, τῷ δὲ ἐκ τῆς τῶν μικρῶν ἐκείνων σωμάτων τῶν φερομένων κάτω καὶ ἀναπαλλομένων ἄνω καὶ περιπλεκομένων καὶ διαλυομένων καὶ διισταμένων καὶ παρατιθεμένων ἐξ ἀνάγκης;

ti dē pote? entha men an hymin dokę̄, estai touto kai pistotaton kai presbytaton, entha dʼ an mē dokę̄, ekei katadynasteusei ti lelēthos autou heimarmenē peprōmenē, diaphoran hekastǭ hymōn echousa, tǭ men ek theou, tǭ de ek tēs tōn mikrōn ekeinōn sōmatōn tōn pheromenōn katō kai anapallomenōn anō kai periplekomenōn kai dialyomenōn kai diistamenōn kai paratithemenōn ex anankēs?

Why, indeed? Where it suits you, this will be most trustworthy and oldest; but where it does not suit you, there some hidden fate, a destiny, will overpower it, differing for each of you: for one it comes from God, for the other from those little bodies borne downward and bouncing upward, entangling and separating, standing apart and lying side by side, by necessity?

Notes and citation

Summary: The philosophers appeal to self-perception when it suits them and to fate when it does not.

Oenomaus. The "little bodies" are Democritus's atoms.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (garbled repeated syllables in the digital text; line-end hyphen left in the digital text): πρεσβύταττον, τατὸν, → πρεσβύτατον,; διαλυο- μένων → διαλυομένων; ἀνάγ- κης → ἀνάγκης.

Extrabiblical texts: Democritus (Democritus (fragments); allusion); Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.18 (Dindorf 1:294–295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.19Dindorf 1:295

ἰδοὺ γὰρ ᾧ τρόπῳ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἀντειλήμμεθα, τούτῳ καὶ τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν αὐθαιρέτων καὶ βιαίων. οὐ λέληθε δὲ ἡμᾶς ὅσον τὸ μεταξὺ τοῦ βαδίζειν καὶ τοῦ ἄγεσθαι, οὐδὲ ὅσον τοῦ αἱρεῖσθαι καὶ τοῦ ἀναγκάζεσθαι.

idou gar hǭ tropǭ hēmōn autōn anteilēmmetha, toutǭ kai tōn en hēmin authairetōn kai biaiōn. ou lelēthe de hēmas hoson to metaxy tou badizein kai tou agesthai, oude hoson tou haireisthai kai tou anankazesthai.

For see: in the same way as we perceive ourselves, we perceive also what is voluntary in us and what is forced. It does not escape us how great the difference is between walking and being led, or between choosing and being compelled.

Notes and citation

Summary: We perceive the difference between free and forced action as directly as our own existence.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): ἀναγ- κάζεσθαι → ἀναγκάζεσθαι.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.19 (Dindorf 1:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.20Dindorf 1:295

ὧν δὲ ἕνεκα ταῦτα προσήνεγκα τῷ λόγῳ; ὅτι σε ἐκπέφευγεν, ὦ μάντι, ὧν κύριοί ἐσμεν ἡμεῖς, καὶ ὁ τὰ πάντα εἰδὼς ταῦτά γε οὐκ ἂν εἰδείης, ὧν τὰ πείσματα ἀνῆπται ἐκ τῆς ἡμετέρας βουλήσεως.

hōn de heneka tauta prosēnenka tǭ logǭ? hoti se ekpepheugen, ō manti, hōn kyrioi esmen hēmeis, kai ho ta panta eidōs tauta ge ouk an eideiēs, hōn ta peismata anēptai ek tēs hēmeteras boulēseōs.

And why have I brought these things into the discussion? Because, prophet, the things of which we are masters have escaped you, and you who know all things would not know these, whose cables are fastened to our own will.

Notes and citation

Summary: The prophet cannot know what depends on our will.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong accents in the digital text): ὃτι σε ἐκπέφευγεν, ὠ μάντι → ὅτι σε ἐκπέφευγεν, ὦ μάντι.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.20 (Dindorf 1:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.21Dindorf 1:295

αὕτη δέ γε ἐφαίνετο οὐκ ὀλίγων οὖσα πραγμάτων ἀρχή ὃν δὲ ἡ ἀρχὴ, ἥτις ἦν τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα αἰτία, ἐκπέφευγεν, ἦ πού γε τὰ μετὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν εἰδείη ἂν οὗτος.

hautē de ge ephaineto ouk oligōn ousa pragmatōn archē hon de hē archē, hētis ēn tōn meta tauta aitia, ekpepheugen, ē pou ge ta meta tēn archēn eideiē an houtos.

And this will was plainly the beginning of not a few things. And one whom the beginning has escaped, which was the cause of what followed, would hardly know what comes after the beginning.

Notes and citation

Summary: Not knowing the will, which begins many events, the prophet cannot know what follows.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong accent in the digital text): ἠ πού → ἦ πού.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.21 (Dindorf 1:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.22Dindorf 1:295

ἀναίσχυντος δηλαδὴ ὁ Λαΐῳ προμαντευόμενος ὅτι αὐτὸν ἀποκτενεῖ ὁ φύς. ἤμελλε γάρ που ὁ φὺς κύριος ἔσεσθαι τῆς ἑαυτοῦ βουλήσεως, καὶ οὔτε τις Ἀπόλλων οὔτε τις αὐτοῦ ὑπέρτερος ἐξικνεῖσθαι ἱκανὸς οὐδεμιᾷ δυνάμει ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν οὔτε ὕπαρξις οὔτε γενέσεως ἀνάγκη

anaischyntos dēladē ho Laïǭ promanteuomenos hoti auton apoktenei ho phys. ēmelle gar pou ho phys kyrios esesthai tēs heautou boulēseōs, kai oute tis Apollōn oute tis autou hyperteros exikneisthai hikanos oudemią dynamei hōn ouk estin oute hyparxis oute geneseōs anankē

Shameless, plainly, was the one who prophesied to Laius that his son would kill him. For the son was surely going to be master of his own will, and neither any Apollo nor anyone higher than he could reach, by any power, things that have neither existence nor the necessity of coming to be.

Notes and citation

Summary: The oracle to Laius was shameless, since his son's act depended on his own will.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; word split by a stray mark in the digital text): Λαί· ῳ → Λαΐῳ; προμαντευόμε- νος → προμαντευόμενος; ἱκα- νὸς → ἱκανὸς.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.22 (Dindorf 1:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.23Dindorf 1:295

ἐκεῖνο γὰρ δὴ τὸ καταγελαστότατον ἀπάντων, τὸ μίγμα καὶ ἡ σύνοδος τοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τι εἶναι, καὶ εἱρμὸν οὐδὲν ἧττον εἶναι. προσεοικέναι γὰρ αὐτὸν, ὡς λέγουσιν οἱ σοφώτεροι, τῷ Εὐριπιδείῳ λόγῳ ’

ekeino gar dē to katagelastotaton apantōn, to migma kai hē synodos tou kai epi tois anthrōpois ti einai, kai heirmon ouden hētton einai. proseoikenai gar auton, hōs legousin hoi sophōteroi, tǭ Euripideiǭ logǭ ’

For that is the most ridiculous thing of all: the mixture and combination of saying both that something is in human power and that there is nonetheless a chain of causes. For, as the wiser ones say, it is like the story in Euripides.

Notes and citation

Summary: Oenomaus mocks the attempt to combine free will with a chain of fated causes.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (doubled comma in the digital text): σοφώτεροι,, → σοφώτεροι,.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.23 (Dindorf 1:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.24Dindorf 1:295

τεκνῶσαι μὲν γὰρ ἐθελήσαι τὸν Λάϊον, κύριον εἶναι τὸν Λάϊον, καὶ τοῦτο ἐκπεφευγέναι τὴν Ἀπολλωνίαν ὄψιν ’ τεκνώσαντι δʼ αὐτῷ ἐπεῖναι ἀνάγκην ἄφυκτον ὑπὸ τοῦ φύντος αὐτὸν ἀποθανεῖν ’ οὕτως οὑν τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ μελλοντι ἀνάγκην παρέχειν τῷ μάντει τὴν τοῦ γενησομένου προαίσθησιν.

teknōsai men gar ethelēsai ton Laïon, kyrion einai ton Laïon, kai touto ekpepheugenai tēn Apollōnian opsin ’ teknōsanti dʼ autǭ epeinai anankēn aphykton hypo tou phyntos auton apothanein ’ houtōs houn tēn epi tǭ mellonti anankēn parechein tǭ mantei tēn tou genēsomenou proaisthēsin.

For Laius, they say, was master of whether he would choose to beget a child, and this escaped Apollo's sight; but once he had begotten one, an inescapable necessity lay on him of dying at the hands of his son. In this way, then, the necessity attached to the future gave the prophet his foreknowledge of what would happen.

Notes and citation

Summary: The compromise view: Laius was free to beget, but once he did, his death was necessary.

Oenomaus, referring to Euripides, Phoenician Women 18–20.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (misread letter in the digital text): Ἀπολλωνίαν ὄφιν → Ἀπολλωνίαν ὄψιν.

Extrabiblical texts: Euripides, Phoen. 18–20 (Euripides (plays and fragments); allusion); Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.24 (Dindorf 1:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-24). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.25Dindorf 1:295–296

ἦν δέ που καὶ ὁ φὺς τῆς ἰδίας βουλήσεως κύριος, ὥσπερ ὁ φύσας, καὶ ὡς ἐκεῖνος τοῦ τεκνῶσαι καὶ μὴ, οὕτως οὗτος τοῦ ἀποκτεῖναι καὶ μή. τοιαῦτα δὲ ὑμῶν τὰ μαντεύματα πάντα· καὶ ὁ Εὐριπίδειος Ἀπόλλων τοῦτʼ ἐκεῖνο ἦν ὃ ἔλεγεν, τὸ καὶ πᾶς σὸς οἶκος βήσεται διʼ αἵματος.

ēn de pou kai ho phys tēs idias boulēseōs kyrios, hōsper ho physas, kai hōs ekeinos tou teknōsai kai mē, houtōs houtos tou apokteinai kai mē. toiauta de hymōn ta manteumata panta; kai ho Euripideios Apollōn toutʼ ekeino ēn ho elegen, to kai pas sos oikos bēsetai diʼ haimatos.

But surely the son, like the father, was master of his own will, and just as the father was master of begetting or not, so the son was of killing or not. All your prophecies are like this; and this is just what the Apollo of Euripides was saying: 'And your whole house shall walk through blood.'

Notes and citation

Summary: The son too was free, so the oracle's prediction cannot be necessary.

Oenomaus, quoting Euripides, Phoenician Women 20.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong breathing in the digital text): οὕτος → οὗτος.

Extrabiblical texts: Euripides, Phoen. 20 (Euripides (plays and fragments); quotation); Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.25 (Dindorf 1:295–296; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.26Dindorf 1:296

ὅτι πήρωσις μὲν ἔσται αὐτοχειρίᾳ τοῦ φύντος ἐπὶ γάμῳ μητρὸς καὶ τυραννίδι, ἣν παρέλαβεν ἐπʼ αἰνίγματος λύσει, παίδων δὲ ἀλληλοκτόνοι σφαγαὶ ἐπὶ φυγῇ μὲν ἐκ τῆς ἀρχῆς τοῦ ἑτέρου, τοῦ δὲ ἑτέρου πλεονεξίᾳ, καὶ γάμῳ τοῦ φυγάδος ἐν Ἄργει, καὶ στόλῳ στρατηγῶν ἑπτὰ καταγελάστων καὶ συμβολῇ· ὣν ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ ἐξουσίας διαιρουμένων πῶς ἂν εἴη σοι ἐξεπίστασθαι ἢ ὁ εἱρμὸς συνδεῖν δύναιτο;

hoti pērōsis men estai autocheirią tou phyntos epi gamǭ mētros kai tyrannidi, hēn parelaben epʼ ainigmatos lysei, paidōn de allēloktonoi sphagai epi phygę̄ men ek tēs archēs tou heterou, tou de heterou pleonexią, kai gamǭ tou phygados en Argei, kai stolǭ stratēgōn hepta katagelastōn kai symbolę̄; hōn epi pollas archas kai exousias diairoumenōn pōs an eiē soi exepistasthai ē ho heirmos syndein dynaito?

That is, that there will be a self-inflicted blinding of the son because of his marriage to his mother and the kingship he received for solving the riddle; and slaughters of the sons by each other's hand, because of the banishment of one from the throne and the greed of the other, the marriage of the exile in Argos, the expedition of seven ridiculous generals, and the battle. Since these depend on many beginnings and powers, how could you know them thoroughly, or how could the chain bind them together?

Notes and citation

Summary: The Theban story turns on many free decisions, which no chain of fate could bind.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray mark in the digital text): ἐξεπίστασθαι) → ἐξεπίστασθαι.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.26 (Dindorf 1:296; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.27Dindorf 1:296

εἰ γὰρ αὑτοῦ κύριος ὢν μὴ ἐβουλήθη τυραννεῖν ὁ Οἰδίπους, ἢ τοῦτο βουληθεὶς καὶ πράξας γαμεῖν τὴν Ἰοκάστην οὐ προείλετο, ἢ γήμας μὴ ἐτετύφωτο μηδʼ ἦν δύσθυμος καὶ δυσάρεστος, πῶς ἂν τὰ καθʼ ἕκαστα ἐπράχθη; πῶς δʼ ἂν τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἥψατο; πῶς δʼ ἂν τοῖς παισὶν ἐπηράσατο τὴν Εὐριπίδου καὶ τὴν σὴν ἀράν;

ei gar hautou kyrios ōn mē eboulēthē tyrannein ho Oidipous, ē touto boulētheis kai praxas gamein tēn Iokastēn ou proeileto, ē gēmas mē etetyphōto mēdʼ ēn dysthymos kai dysarestos, pōs an ta kathʼ hekasta eprachthē? pōs dʼ an tōn ophthalmōn hēpsato? pōs dʼ an tois paisin epērasato tēn Euripidou kai tēn sēn aran?

For if Oedipus, being master of himself, had not wished to be king, or, having wished and done this, had not chosen to marry Jocasta, or, having married her, had not been puffed up, nor been bad-tempered and hard to please, how would the particular events have happened? How would he have laid hands on his eyes? How would he have laid on his sons the curse of Euripides, and yours?

Notes and citation

Summary: Each turn of the Oedipus story depended on Oedipus's own choices.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong accent in the digital text): ἓκαστα → ἕκαστα.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.27 (Dindorf 1:296; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.28Dindorf 1:296

τά τε ἑξῆς τούτων τίνα ἂν τρόπον ἐγεγόνει, μὴ πρότερον αἰτιῶν γιγνομένων ἢ σὺ τὶ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων λέγειν ἠδύνασο; πάλιν δʼ αὖ εἰ συμβάντες οἱ παῖδες ἄμα ἐβασίλευον, ἢ εἰ συνθέμενοι παρὰ μέρος ἔμενον ἐπὶ τοῖς συγκειμένοις, ἢ εἰ ὁ ἀπελαθεὶς ἔγνω μὴ εἰς Ἄργος, ἀλλʼ εἰς Λιβύην ἢ εἰς Περραιβοὺς ἀπελθεῖν, ἢ εἰσελθὼν ἐπὶ τὸ Ἀργὸς ἔγνω ταριχοπωλεῖν, καὶ μὴ πλουσίαν λαβεῖν γυναῖκα,

ta te hexēs toutōn tina an tropon egegonei, mē proteron aitiōn gignomenōn ē sy ti peri tōn mellontōn legein ēdynaso? palin dʼ au ei symbantes hoi paides ama ebasileuon, ē ei synthemenoi para meros emenon epi tois synkeimenois, ē ei ho apelatheis egnō mē eis Argos, allʼ eis Libyēn ē eis Perraibous apelthein, ē eiselthōn epi to Argos egnō tarichopōlein, kai mē plousian labein gynaika,

And how would what followed have come about, unless causes came to be first, before you could say anything about the future? And again, if the sons had come to terms and reigned together, or if by agreement they had kept to the arrangement of ruling in turn, or if the exiled one had decided to go not to Argos but to Libya or to the Perrhaebians, or, having gone to Argos, had decided to sell salt fish and not to take a rich wife,

Notes and citation

Summary: Oenomaus lists choices the sons of Oedipus might have made differently.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong accent in the digital text): εἰς Ἂργος → εἰς Ἄργος.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.28 (Dindorf 1:296; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.29Dindorf 1:296–297

ἀλλὰ χερνῆτίν τινα ἢ καπηλιν, ἢ εἰ ὁ Ἄδραστος μὴ ἔδωκε τὴν θυγατέρα αὐτῷ, ἢ εἰ ὁ μὲν ἔδωκεν, ὁ δʼ οὐκ ἐπεθύμησε τῆς οἴκαδε ὁδοῦ, ἢ εἰ ἐπιθυμήσας ἐκράτησεν ἑαυτοῦ ἢ εἰ μὴ προσέσχεν αὐτῷ δεομένῳ συμμαχίας ὁ Ἄδραστος, ἢ εἰ τῷ Ἀδράστῳ μήτε ὁ Ἀμφιάραος μήτε ὁ Τυδεὺς μηδὲ τῶν ἄλλων ταξιάρχων ἕκαστος ἠκολούθουν, ἢ εἰ οἱ μὲν συνηκολούθουν, ὁ δὲ ἐλθὼν οὐκ ἐμάχετο τῷ ἀδελφῷ, ἀλλʼ ἢ συμβὰς ἐβασίλευσεν ἅμα αὐτῷ ἢ μὴ βουλομένῳ ἀνεχώρησε, πεισθεὶς Εὐριπίδῃ λέγοντι ἀσύνετα δʼ ἦλθες καὶ σὺ πορθήσων πάτραν,

alla chernētin tina ē kapēlin, ē ei ho Adrastos mē edōke tēn thygatera autǭ, ē ei ho men edōken, ho dʼ ouk epethymēse tēs oikade hodou, ē ei epithymēsas ekratēsen heautou ē ei mē proseschen autǭ deomenǭ symmachias ho Adrastos, ē ei tǭ Adrastǭ mēte ho Amphiaraos mēte ho Tydeus mēde tōn allōn taxiarchōn hekastos ēkolouthoun, ē ei hoi men synēkolouthoun, ho de elthōn ouk emacheto tǭ adelphǭ, allʼ ē symbas ebasileusen hama autǭ ē mē boulomenǭ anechōrēse, peistheis Euripidę̄ legonti asyneta dʼ ēlthes kai sy porthēsōn patran,

but some laboring woman or a tavern-keeper; or if Adrastus had not given him his daughter; or if he had given her, but Polynices had not desired the road home; or if, having desired it, he had mastered himself; or if Adrastus had paid no heed to him when he asked for an alliance; or if neither Amphiaraus nor Tydeus nor any of the other commanders had followed Adrastus; or if they had followed, but Polynices on arrival had not fought his brother, but had either come to terms and reigned with him or, if the brother was unwilling, had withdrawn, persuaded by Euripides saying, 'And you too have come senselessly to sack your fatherland';

Notes and citation

Summary: Every stage of the Seven against Thebes depended on free decisions.

Oenomaus, quoting Euripides, Phoenician Women 570.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong accent in the digital text): ἢ εἰ ὁ Ἂδραστος → ἢ εἰ ὁ Ἄδραστος.

Extrabiblical texts: Euripides, Phoen. 570 (Euripides (plays and fragments); quotation); Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.29 (Dindorf 1:296–297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-29). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.30Dindorf 1:297

ἢ εἰ οὗτος μὲν μὴ, ὁ δʼ ἕτερος, τῶν Εὐριπιδείων ἀκούσας σοφιστευμάτων ἐκείνων τῶν ἄλλων εἶθʼ ἥλιος μὲν νύξ τε δουλεύει βροτοῖς, σὺ δʼ οὐκ ἀνέξῃ δωμάτων ἔχειν ἴσον; πῶς ἂν συστάντες ἐμάχοντο καὶ Λαΐου πᾶν δῶμα ἔβη διʼ αἵματος;

ē ei houtos men mē, ho dʼ heteros, tōn Euripideiōn akousas sophisteumatōn ekeinōn tōn allōn eithʼ hēlios men nyx te douleuei brotois, sy dʼ ouk anexę̄ dōmatōn echein ison? pōs an systantes emachonto kai Laïou pan dōma ebē diʼ haimatos?

or if not he, but the other had listened to those other clever sayings of Euripides, 'Then sun and night serve mortals, and will you not bear to have an equal share of the house?', how would they have come together to fight, and the whole house of Laius have walked through blood?

Notes and citation

Summary: Had Eteocles listened to reason, the brothers would not have fought.

Oenomaus, quoting Euripides, Phoenician Women 546–547.

Extrabiblical texts: Euripides, Phoen. 546–547 (Euripides (plays and fragments); quotation); Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.30 (Dindorf 1:297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-30). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.31Dindorf 1:297

ἀλλὰ μὴν, φήσεις, γέγονε ταῦτα. γέγονεν· ἀλλὰ σὺ ποίᾳ ὁδῷ εἰσῆλθες εἰς τὴν τούτων εἴδησιν; ἢ οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὡς πυκνὰ διακέκοφε τὸ ὅλον δρᾶμα ἡ ἐν ἡμῖν τοῖς τὸ δρᾶμα συμπληροῦσι δύναμις; οὕτω δὲ καὶ ἣν βούλει ὑπόθεσιν λαβὼν διατεμῶ τὸν εἱρμὸν ὑμῶν, ἀποφανῶ τε ἀδύνατον ὄντα.

alla mēn, phēseis, gegone tauta. gegonen; alla sy poią hodǭ eisēlthes eis tēn toutōn eidēsin? ē ouch horąs hōs pykna diakekophe to holon drama hē en hēmin tois to drama symplērousi dynamis? houtō de kai hēn boulei hypothesin labōn diatemō ton heirmon hymōn, apophanō te adynaton onta.

But, you will say, these things happened. They did; but by what road did you come to know them? Or do you not see how often the power within us who fill out the drama has cut through the whole drama? In this way, too, taking any plot you like, I shall cut through your chain and show that it is impossible.

Notes and citation

Summary: Human power repeatedly interrupts any supposed chain of events.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): δύνα- μις → δύναμις.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.31 (Dindorf 1:297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-31). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.32Dindorf 1:297

ἀλλὰ σὺ τὰ τῆς ὑποθέσεως ἔσχατα εἰδέναι λέγεις, ἡ δὲ ὑπόθεσις ἐκ διακοπῆς εἱρμοῦ δυνάμεως ὅλη συντέτακται.

alla sy ta tēs hypotheseōs eschata eidenai legeis, hē de hypothesis ek diakopēs heirmou dynameōs holē syntetaktai.

But you say you know the last parts of the plot, while the whole plot is made up of interruptions of the chain's power.

Notes and citation

Summary: The outcome cannot be foreknown since the plot is made of free interruptions.

Oenomaus.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.32 (Dindorf 1:297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-32). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.33Dindorf 1:297

ἢ ὃ λέγω οὐ συνίης; ἀλλὰ καθʼ ἑκάστην ὑπόθεσιν, ὠ μάντι, τὰ ζῷα ἢ ὀλίγας πολλάκις ἀρχὰς ποιούμενα, ἢ πολλὰς ἐν αὐτῇ. αἱ δὲ ἀρχαὶ ἀεὶ τὰ μέχρις αὐτῶν διακόψασαι αὐτὰ ἄλλα προάγουσι πράγματα· τὰ δʼ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον προχωρεῖν δύναται, ἐφʼ ὅσον ἂν μὴ ἄλλη ποθὲν ἐπιστᾶσα ἀρχὴ τὰ μετʼ αὐτὴν μὴ τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἀκολουθεῖν, ἀλλʼ ἑαυτῇ κελεύσῃ.

ē ho legō ou syniēs? alla kathʼ hekastēn hypothesin, ō manti, ta zǭa ē oligas pollakis archas poioumena, ē pollas en autę̄. hai de archai aei ta mechris autōn diakopsasai auta alla proagousi pragmata; ta dʼ epi tosouton prochōrein dynatai, ephʼ hoson an mē allē pothen epistasa archē ta metʼ autēn mē tois emprosthen akolouthein, allʼ heautę̄ keleusę̄.

Or do you not understand what I mean? In each plot, prophet, living creatures make sometimes few beginnings, sometimes many within it. And beginnings always cut off what led up to them and bring forward other events; and these can go forward only so far as another beginning, arising from somewhere, does not order what follows it to follow what went before, but to follow itself.

Notes and citation

Summary: Every free act is a new beginning that redirects the course of events.

Oenomaus.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.33 (Dindorf 1:297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-33). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.34Dindorf 1:297

εἴη δʼ ἂν ἀρχὴ καὶ ὄνος καὶ κύων καὶ ψύλλα. οὐ γὰρ παραιρήσει οὐδὲ τῆς ψύλλης, μὰ τὸν Ἀπόλλω, τὴν ἐξουσίαν· ἀλλʼ ὁρμήσει τινὰ ἰδίαν ὁρμὴν ἡ ψύλλα, ἣ καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις πράγμασιν ἐνίοτε συμπλακεῖσα ἀρχὴν ἑαυτὴν παρέξεταί τινος ὁδοῦ. σὺ δὲ χρώμενος οὐκ αἴσθῃ τῷ γένει τούτῳ.

eiē dʼ an archē kai onos kai kyōn kai psylla. ou gar parairēsei oude tēs psyllēs, ma ton Apollō, tēn exousian; allʼ hormēsei tina idian hormēn hē psylla, hē kai tois anthrōpinois pragmasin eniote symplakeisa archēn heautēn parexetai tinos hodou. sy de chrōmenos ouk aisthę̄ tǭ genei toutǭ.

And a donkey, a dog, or a flea could be a beginning. For you will not take away, by Apollo, even the flea's power; the flea will move with an impulse of its own, and sometimes, becoming entangled in human affairs, it will provide the beginning of some course of events. And you, though you deal with this class of things, do not perceive it.

Notes and citation

Summary: Even animals initiate events, which the prophet overlooks.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (repeated syllable in the digital text): ψύλλης, λης, → ψύλλης,.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.34 (Dindorf 1:297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-34). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.35Dindorf 1:297–298

Τρηχῖνʼ ἐξεῖλες πόλιν Ἡρακλέος θείοιο, ὦ Λοκρέ· σοὶ δὲ Ζεὺς ἄλλας δῶκʼ ἠδʼ ἔτι δώσει. τί φῄς; οὐ γὰρ ἐπέπρωτο ὑφʼ ὑμῶν ἐξαιρεθῆναι αὐτήν; καὶ τί αἴτιοι ἡμεῖς, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ἡ ὑμετέρα ἀνάγκη; οὐ δίκαια ποιεῖς, ὦ Ἄπολλον, οὐδʼ ὀρθῶς ἐπιτιμᾷς τοῖς οὐδὲν ἀδικοῦσιν ἡμῖν.

Trēchinʼ exeiles polin Hērakleos theioio, ō Lokre; soi de Zeus allas dōkʼ ēdʼ eti dōsei. ti phę̄s? ou gar epeprōto hyphʼ hymōn exairethēnai autēn? kai ti aitioi hēmeis, allʼ ouch hē hymetera anankē? ou dikaia poieis, ō Apollon, oudʼ orthōs epitimąs tois ouden adikousin hēmin.

'You destroyed Trachis, the city of divine Heracles, O Locrian; but Zeus has given you ruin, and will give yet more.' What do you say? Was it not fated that it should be destroyed by you? Then why are we to blame, and not your necessity? You do not act justly, Apollo, nor do you rightly rebuke us who do no wrong.

Notes and citation

Summary: Oenomaus asks why Apollo rebukes the Locrians if Trachis's fall was fated.

Oenomaus. The digital text reads ἄλλας ("others"); the sense and the reference to "your curses" (ἄταις) in 6.7.37 require ἄτας ("ruin, curses"), which is translated.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (misread letter in the digital text; wrong accent in the digital text): ὠ Λοκρέ → ὦ Λοκρέ; ὑμετἐρα → ὑμετέρα; δέκαια → δίκαια.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.35 (Dindorf 1:297–298; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-35). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.36Dindorf 1:298

ὁ δὲ Ζεὺς οὗτος, ἡ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀνάγκης ἀνάγκη, τί ἡμᾶς τίννυται, ἀλλʼ οὐκ, εἴπερ ἄρα, ἑαυτὸν, ὅτι τοιαύτην κατέδειξεν εἶναι τὴν ἀνάγκην; τί δὲ καὶ ἀπειλεῖ ἡμῖν; ἢ τί ἡμεῖς, ὡς ὄντες τούτου κύριοι, λιμώττομεν; ἀλλὰ καὶ ἤτοι ἀνοιγισθήσεται πρὸς ἡμῶν, ἢ οὔ· ὁπότερον δʼ ἂν ᾖ, τοῦτο πέπρωται.

ho de Zeus houtos, hē tēs hymeteras anankēs anankē, ti hēmas tinnytai, allʼ ouk, eiper ara, heauton, hoti toiautēn katedeixen einai tēn anankēn? ti de kai apeilei hēmin? ē ti hēmeis, hōs ontes toutou kyrioi, limōttomen? alla kai ētoi anoigisthēsetai pros hēmōn, ē ou; hopoteron dʼ an ę̄, touto peprōtai.

And this Zeus, the necessity of your necessity, why does he punish us, and not, if anyone, himself, for having made necessity to be such? And why does he even threaten us? Or why do we suffer famine, as though we were masters of this? Either the city will be resettled by us or not; whichever it is, that is fated.

Notes and citation

Summary: If all is fated, Zeus should punish himself, not the people.

Oenomaus.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.36 (Dindorf 1:298; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-36). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.37Dindorf 1:298

λῆξον δὴ, ὦ Ζεῦ λιμοποιὲ, τοῦ θυμοῦ· ἔσται γὰρ ὃ πέπρωται, καὶ τοῦτο προστέτακται ποιεῖν ὁ σὸς εἱρμός· ἡμεῖς δὲ πρὸς τοῦτον οὐδέν ἐσμεν. παῦσαι δὲ καὶ σὺ, ὦ Ἄπολλον, μάταια χρησμῳδῶν· ἔσται γὰρ ὃ δεῖ, ἔσται, κἂν σὺ σιωπᾷς. ἡμεῖς δὲ, ὦ Ζεῦ καὶ Ἄπολλον, τί πάθωμεν, οὐδὲν ὄντες αἴτιοι τῆς ὑμετέρας νομοθετήσεως, τουτέστιν ἀναγκοθετήσεως; τί δʼ ἡμῖν καὶ ταῖς ὑμετέραις ἄταις, ἃς αὐτοὶ ἔχειν δίκαιοί ἐστε ὑπὲρ ὧν ἡμεῖς ἠναγκάσθημεν;

lēxon dē, ō Zeu limopoie, tou thymou; estai gar ho peprōtai, kai touto prostetaktai poiein ho sos heirmos; hēmeis de pros touton ouden esmen. pausai de kai sy, ō Apollon, mataia chrēsmǭdōn; estai gar ho dei, estai, kan sy siōpąs. hēmeis de, ō Zeu kai Apollon, ti pathōmen, ouden ontes aitioi tēs hymeteras nomothetēseōs, toutestin anankothetēseōs? ti dʼ hēmin kai tais hymeterais atais, has autoi echein dikaioi este hyper hōn hēmeis ēnankasthēmen?

Cease your anger, then, Zeus, maker of famine; for what is fated will be, and your chain has been ordered to do this; we are nothing against it. And you too, Apollo, stop uttering vain oracles; for what must be will be, even if you keep silent. But we, Zeus and Apollo, what are we to suffer, who are in no way the cause of your legislation, that is, your necessity-making? What have we to do with your curses, which you yourselves deserve to bear for what we were compelled to do?

Notes and citation

Summary: Oenomaus tells Zeus and Apollo that, on their own doctrine, the blame is theirs.

Oenomaus.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.37 (Dindorf 1:298; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-37). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.38Dindorf 1:298

Οἰταῖοι, μὴ σπεύδετʼ ἀτασθαλίῃσι νόοιο. ἀλλʼ οὐ σπεύδομεν, ὦ Ἄπολλον, ἀλλʼ ἐλαυνόμεθα, οὐδὲ ἀτασθαλίαις, ἀλλὰ τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ ἀνάγκῃ.

Oitaioi, mē speudetʼ atasthalię̄si nooio. allʼ ou speudomen, ō Apollon, allʼ elaunometha, oude atasthaliais, alla tę̄ hymeterą anankę̄.

'Men of Oeta, do not hasten in the recklessness of your minds.' But we do not hasten, Apollo; we are driven, and not by recklessness but by your necessity.

Notes and citation

Summary: Oenomaus answers another oracle: the people are driven by necessity, not folly.

Oenomaus.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.38 (Dindorf 1:298; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-38). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.39Dindorf 1:298

τὸν δὲ Λυκοῦργον ἐκεῖνον πῶς, ὦ Ἄπολλον, ἐπαινεῖς, ὃς οὐκ ἦν ἀγαθὸς, οὔτε ἑκὼν οὔθʼ ἑλόμενος, ἀλλὰ ἄκων; εἴπερ που καὶ γίνεταί τις ἀγαθὸς ἄκων. ἔοικε δὲ ὃ νῦν ποιεῖτε, ὡς εἴ τις τοὺς μὲν καλοὺς τὰ σώματα ἐπαινοίη καὶ γεραίροι, τοὺς δὲ αἰσχροὺς ψέγοι καὶ κολάζοι.

ton de Lykourgon ekeinon pōs, ō Apollon, epaineis, hos ouk ēn agathos, oute hekōn outhʼ helomenos, alla akōn? eiper pou kai ginetai tis agathos akōn. eoike de ho nyn poieite, hōs ei tis tous men kalous ta sōmata epainoiē kai gerairoi, tous de aischrous psegoi kai kolazoi.

And how, Apollo, do you praise that Lycurgus, who was not good willingly or by choice, but unwillingly, if anyone ever becomes good unwillingly? What you are doing now is like someone praising and honoring those with beautiful bodies, and blaming and punishing the ugly.

Notes and citation

Summary: Praising Lycurgus makes no sense if his virtue was fated.

Oenomaus.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.39 (Dindorf 1:298; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-39). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.40Dindorf 1:298–299

δίκαια γὰρ εἴποιεν ἂν πρὸς ὑμᾶς οἱ πονηροὶ, ὅτι οὐκ ἐπετρέψατε ἡμῖν, ὦ θεοὶ, ἀγαθοῖς γίνεσθαι, οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐβιάσασθε εἶναι πονηρούς· οἵ τε ἀγαθοὶ, εἰ ἐξηγκωνισμένοι περιπατοῖεν, οὐκ ἐπιτρέψει τις αὐτοῖς, ἀλλὰ φήσει, ὦ Χρύσιππέ τε καὶ Κλέανθες καὶ ὅσοι τούτου τοῦ χοροῦ, ὑμεῖς γὰρ πεποίησθε εἶναι ἀγαθοί, ἐγὼ μὲν ἀρετὴν ἐπαινῶ, ὑμᾶς δὲ τοὺς ἐναρέτους οὐκ ἐπαινῶ.

dikaia gar eipoien an pros hymas hoi ponēroi, hoti ouk epetrepsate hēmin, ō theoi, agathois ginesthai, ou monon de, alla kai ebiasasthe einai ponērous; hoi te agathoi, ei exēnkōnismenoi peripatoien, ouk epitrepsei tis autois, alla phēsei, ō Chrysippe te kai Kleanthes kai hosoi toutou tou chorou, hymeis gar pepoiēsthe einai agathoi, egō men aretēn epainō, hymas de tous enaretous ouk epainō.

For the wicked could justly say to you, 'You did not allow us, gods, to become good; and not only that, but you forced us to be wicked.' And as for the good, if they walked about with their arms akimbo, no one would allow it, but would say, 'Chrysippus and Cleanthes and all of that chorus, you have been made to be good. I praise virtue, but I do not praise you virtuous men.'

Notes and citation

Summary: On the doctrine of fate the wicked are excused and the good deserve no praise.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (capital letter inside a word in the digital text; line-end hyphen left in the digital text; stray mark in the digital text; wrong accent in the digital text): ὢ Χρύσιππέ → ὦ Χρύσιππέ; ἀγαθοὶ, ) → ἀγαθοί,; ἐπαΙνῶ → ἐπαινῶ; ὑμὰς → ὑμᾶς; περιπα- τοῖεν → περιπατοῖεν.

Extrabiblical texts: Chrysippus (Chrysippus; allusion); Cleanthes (Cleanthes (fragments); allusion); Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.40 (Dindorf 1:298–299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-40). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.41Dindorf 1:299

ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν Ἐπίκουρον, ὃν σὺ πολλὰ, ὦ Χρύσιππε, ἐβλασφήμησας, ἐγὼ τό γε ἐπὶ σοὶ ἀφίημι τῶν ἐγκλημάτων. τί γὰρ πάθῃ ὃς οὐχ ἑκὼν ἦν μαλακὸς οὐδὲ ἄδικος, ὥσπερ πολλάκις αὐτὸν ἐλοιδόρησας;

alla kai ton Epikouron, hon sy polla, ō Chrysippe, eblasphēmēsas, egō to ge epi soi aphiēmi tōn enklēmatōn. ti gar pathę̄ hos ouch hekōn ēn malakos oude adikos, hōsper pollakis auton eloidorēsas?

And Epicurus too, whom you, Chrysippus, reviled so much, I acquit of the charges, at least so far as you are concerned. For what is he to suffer, who was not willingly soft or unjust, as you often abused him?

Notes and citation

Summary: On Chrysippus's own view Epicurus cannot be blamed.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): ἐγκλη- μάτων → ἐγκλημάτων.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.41 (Dindorf 1:299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-41). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.42Dindorf 1:299

εὐτάκτων θνητῶν βιοτῇ θεοὶ ἵλαοι εἰσιν, εὐσεβέων θʼ ἁγίας θυσίας τιμάς τε δέχονται. δοκεῖτε δέ μοι οὐκ ἂν ταῦτα λέγειν, μὴ πεπεισμένοι ὅτι οὐκ ἄκοντες, ἀλλὰ βουλόμενοι χωροῦσιν ἐφʼ ἃ χωροῦσιν. ἃ δʼ ἂν βουληθῶσιν, οὔτε θεὸς οὔτε ἄνθρωπος σοφιστὴς, οὕτω προεληλεγμένων, τολμήσει λέγειν ὅτι ὑποτέτακται· ἢ λόγους μὲν οὐκέτι πρὸς αὐτὸν ποιησόμεθα, σκῦτος δέ τι τῶν εὐτόνων λαβόντες, ὡς ἐπʼ ἀνάγωγον παῖδα, τὰς πλευρὰς εὖ μάλα καταξανοῦμεν αὐτοῦ.’

eutaktōn thnētōn biotę̄ theoi hilaoi eisin, eusebeōn thʼ hagias thysias timas te dechontai. dokeite de moi ouk an tauta legein, mē pepeismenoi hoti ouk akontes, alla boulomenoi chōrousin ephʼ ha chōrousin. ha dʼ an boulēthōsin, oute theos oute anthrōpos sophistēs, houtō proelēlegmenōn, tolmēsei legein hoti hypotetaktai; ē logous men ouketi pros auton poiēsometha, skytos de ti tōn eutonōn labontes, hōs epʼ anagōgon paida, tas pleuras eu mala kataxanoumen autou.’

'The gods are gracious to the life of orderly mortals, and receive the holy sacrifices and honors of the devout.' It seems to me you would not say this unless you were persuaded that people go where they go not unwillingly but willingly. And what they will, neither god nor human sophist, once so refuted beforehand, will dare to say is subject to necessity; or else we shall argue with him no longer, but, taking a stout strap, as for an unruly boy, we shall give his ribs a good thrashing."

Notes and citation

Summary: Oenomaus concludes that the oracles themselves presuppose free will.

Oenomaus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (garbled accents in the digital text; line-end hyphen left in the digital text): θʼ αγἶ́ας → θʼ ἁγίας; λαβόν- τες → λαβόντες.

Extrabiblical texts: Oenomaus (Oenomaus of Gadara, Detection of Impostors; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.42 (Dindorf 1:299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-42). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.43Dindorf 1:299

Τοσαῦτα πρὸς τὸν χρησμῳδὸν ὁ Οἰνόμαος ἀπετείνατο. σὺ δʼ ἀλλʼ εἰ μὴ τῷ τοιῷδε χαίρεις, λαβῶν ἀνάγνωθι τὰ ἐκ τῶν ἄλλων φιλοσόφων περὶ εἱμαρμένης οὐ μόνον τῶν προπαρατεθέντων χρησμῶν ἀνατρεπτικὰ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων καθόλου περὶ τοῦ δόγματος ἐπινοουμένων.

Tosauta pros ton chrēsmǭdon ho Oinomaos apeteinato. sy dʼ allʼ ei mē tǭ toiǭde chaireis, labōn anagnōthi ta ek tōn allōn philosophōn peri heimarmenēs ou monon tōn proparatethentōn chrēsmōn anatreptika, alla kai tōn allōn katholou peri tou dogmatos epinooumenōn.

So much did Oenomaus argue at length against the oracle-giver. But if you do not take pleasure in this sort of thing, take and read what other philosophers have said about fate, which overturns not only the oracles quoted above but all the other notions held about the doctrine in general.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius turns from Oenomaus to other philosophers against fate.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): λα- βῶν → λαβῶν.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.43 (Dindorf 1:299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-43). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.7.44Dindorf 1:299–300

ἐπειδὴ γὰρ μὴ μόνον ἀμαθεῖς καὶ ἰδιῶται, ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ παιδείᾳ καὶ φιλοσοφίᾳ μέγα φρονήσαντες πλείους κατεσύρησαν ὁμόσε τῷ δόγματι, ἡγοῦμαι δεῖν ἀναγκαίως τὰς αὐτῶν τῶν φιλοσόφων πρὸς σφὰς αὐτοὺς ἀντιρρήσεις ἐκθέσθαι εἰς ἀκριβῆ τοῦ προβλήματος διάσκεψιν. πρῶτα δὴ οὑν σοι παραναγνώσομαι ἀπὸ τῶν Διογενιανοῦ τὰ περὶ εἱμαρμένης, ὧδέ πως τῷ Χρυσίππῳ ἀντειρημένα

epeidē gar mē monon amatheis kai idiōtai, ēdē de kai epi paideią kai philosophią mega phronēsantes pleious katesyrēsan homose tǭ dogmati, hēgoumai dein anankaiōs tas autōn tōn philosophōn pros sphas autous antirrēseis ekthesthai eis akribē tou problēmatos diaskepsin. prōta dē houn soi paranagnōsomai apo tōn Diogenianou ta peri heimarmenēs, hōde pōs tǭ Chrysippǭ anteirēmena

For since not only the unlearned and ordinary people, but also very many who prided themselves on education and philosophy, have been swept along together into this doctrine, I think it necessary to set out the philosophers' own rebuttals of one another, for an exact examination of the problem. First, then, I shall read to you from Diogenianus what he says about fate in answer to Chrysippus, as follows:

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius introduces Diogenianus's reply to Chrysippus on fate.

Diogenianus, a second-century Peripatetic; his work against Chrysippus survives only in Eusebius.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): φι- λοσοφίᾳ → φιλοσοφίᾳ; αὐ- τῶν → αὐτῶν.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.7.44 (Dindorf 1:299–300; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-7-44). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Preparation 6, chapter 8

6.8.1Dindorf 1:300

‘‘Ἄξιον δὲ ἐπὶ τούτοις ἅπασι παραθέσθαι καὶ τὰ δοκοῦντα Χρυσίππῳ τῷ στωικῷ περὶ τοῦ λόγου τοῦδε. οὗτος γὰρ ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ Περὶ εἱμαρμένης βιβλίῳ βουλόμενος δεικνύναι τὸ δὴ πάνθʼ ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης καὶ τῆς εἱμαρμένης κατειλῆφθαι, μαρτυρίοις ἄλλοις τέ τισι χρῆται καὶ τοῖς οὑτωσὶ παρʼ Ὁμήρῳ τῷ ποιητῇ λεγομένοις ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ μὲν κὴρ ἀμφέχανε στυγερὴ, ἥπερ λάχε γεινόμενόν περ.

‘‘Axion de epi toutois hapasi parathesthai kai ta dokounta Chrysippǭ tǭ stōikǭ peri tou logou toude. houtos gar en tǭ prōtǭ Peri heimarmenēs bibliǭ boulomenos deiknynai to dē panthʼ hypo tēs anankēs kai tēs heimarmenēs kateilēphthai, martyriois allois te tisi chrētai kai tois houtōsi parʼ Homērǭ tǭ poiētę̄ legomenois allʼ eme men kēr amphechane stygerē, hēper lache geinomenon per.

"After all this it is worth setting out also the views of Chrysippus the Stoic on this subject. For in the first book of his On Fate, wishing to show that all things are held fast by necessity and fate, he uses, among other testimonies, the words spoken thus by the poet Homer: 'But hateful doom has gaped about me, the doom that was allotted me even at my birth.'

Notes and citation

Summary: Diogenianus reports that Chrysippus cited Homer to prove all things are fated.

Chapter 8 quotes Diogenianus, a Peripatetic, against Chrysippus. The verse is Homer, Iliad 23.78–79.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; wrong breathings in the digital text): οὕτος γὰρ έν → οὗτος γὰρ ἐν; λό- γου → λόγου.

Extrabiblical texts: Chrysippus, On Fate 1 (Chrysippus; quotation); Homer, Il. 23.78–79 (Homer, Iliad; quotation); Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.1 (Dindorf 1:300; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.2Dindorf 1:300

καὶ ὕστερον αὖτε τὰ πείσεται ἅσσα οἱ αἶσα γεινομένῳ ἐπένησε λίνῳ, ὅτε μιν τέκε μήτηρ· καὶ Μοῖραν δʼ οὔ τινά φημι πεφυγμένον ἔμμεναι ἀνδρῶν. οὐ θεωρῶν ὅτι τὰ ἀλλαχοῦ πάλιν παρὰ τῷ ποιητῇ λεγόμενα τούτοις ἄντικρυς ἠναντίωται, οἷς καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ βιβλίῳ χρῆται, βουλόμενος συνιστᾶν τὸ καὶ παρʼ ἡμὰς πολλὰ γίνεσθαι, οἷον τὸ αὐτοὶ γὰρ σφετέρῃσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὄλοντο. καὶ τὸ ὢ πόποι, οἷον δή νυ θεοὺς βροτοὶ αἰτιόωνται. ἐξ ἡμέων γάρ φασι κάκ ἔμμεναι, οἱ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ σφῇσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὑπὲρ μόρον ἄλγεʼ ἔχουσι.

kai hysteron aute ta peisetai hassa hoi aisa geinomenǭ epenēse linǭ, hote min teke mētēr; kai Moiran dʼ ou tina phēmi pephygmenon emmenai andrōn. ou theōrōn hoti ta allachou palin para tǭ poiētę̄ legomena toutois antikrys ēnantiōtai, hois kai autos en tǭ deuterǭ bibliǭ chrētai, boulomenos synistan to kai parʼ hēmas polla ginesthai, hoion to autoi gar spheterę̄sin atasthalię̄sin olonto. kai to ō popoi, hoion dē ny theous brotoi aitioōntai. ex hēmeōn gar phasi kak emmenai, hoi de kai autoi sphę̄sin atasthalię̄sin hyper moron algeʼ echousi.

And: 'Afterward he shall suffer whatever Fate spun for him with her thread at his birth, when his mother bore him.' And: 'No man, I say, has escaped his Fate.' He did not see that what is said elsewhere by the poet is directly opposed to these, words which he himself uses in his second book when he wants to establish that many things also come about through us, such as 'For they perished by their own recklessness,' and 'Alas, how mortals blame the gods! For they say evils come from us; but they themselves by their own recklessness have sorrows beyond what is fated.'

Notes and citation

Summary: Diogenianus notes that Homer also says people suffer through their own recklessness, which Chrysippus himself used.

Diogenianus. Homer, Iliad 20.127–128; 6.488; Odyssey 1.7; 1.32–34.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong breathing in the digital text): οἶς καὶ αὐτὸς → οἷς καὶ αὐτὸς; οἶον τὸ → οἷον τὸ.

Extrabiblical texts: Homer, Il. 20.127–128 (Homer, Iliad; quotation); Homer, Il. 6.488 (Homer, Iliad; quotation); Homer, Od. 1.7 (Homer, Odyssey; quotation); Homer, Od. 1.32–34 (Homer, Odyssey; quotation); Chrysippus, On Fate 2 (Chrysippus; quotation); Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.2 (Dindorf 1:300; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.3Dindorf 1:300

ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα τῷ πάντα γίνεσθαι καθʼ εἱμαρμένην ἠναντίωται. οὐ μὴν οὐδʼ ἐκεῖνο συνιδεῖν ἠδυνήθη, τὸ μηδαμῶς τὸν Ὅμηρον μηδʼ ἐν ἐκείνοις τοῖς ἔπεσι συμμαρτυρεῖν αὐτοῦ τῷ δόγματι. οὐ γὰρ τὸ πάντα γίνεσθαι καθʼ εἱμαρμένην, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τό τινα κατʼ ἐκείνην συμβαίνειν ἐξ αὐτῶν ὑποβάλλων εὑρεθήσεται.

tauta gar kai ta toiauta tǭ panta ginesthai kathʼ heimarmenēn ēnantiōtai. ou mēn oudʼ ekeino synidein ēdynēthē, to mēdamōs ton Homēron mēdʼ en ekeinois tois epesi symmartyrein autou tǭ dogmati. ou gar to panta ginesthai kathʼ heimarmenēn, alla mallon to tina katʼ ekeinēn symbainein ex autōn hypoballōn heurethēsetai.

For these and similar words are opposed to the claim that all things come about by fate. Nor could he see that Homer does not support his doctrine even in those other verses. For he will be found to suggest from them not that all things come about by fate, but rather that some things happen according to it.

Notes and citation

Summary: Homer's verses imply only that some things are fated, not all.

Diogenianus.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.3 (Dindorf 1:300; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.4Dindorf 1:300–301

τὸ γὰρ ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ μὲν κὴρ ἀμφέχανε στυγερὴ, ἥτις λάχε γεινόμενόν περ, οὐχ ὅτι πάντα κατὰ τὴν κῆρα συμβαίνει λέγοιτο ἂν, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸ τὸ τεθνήξεσθαι· καὶ γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς παντὶ γεννητῷ ζῴῳ θανεῖν καθείμαρται.

to gar allʼ eme men kēr amphechane stygerē, hētis lache geinomenon per, ouch hoti panta kata tēn kēra symbainei legoito an, allʼ auto to tethnēxesthai; kai gar hōs alēthōs panti gennētǭ zǭǭ thanein katheimartai.

For 'But hateful doom has gaped about me, the doom that was allotted me even at my birth' would not be said to mean that everything happens according to doom, but only death itself; and indeed it is truly fated for every living creature that is born to die.

Notes and citation

Summary: Homer's 'doom' refers only to the fact of death.

Diogenianus. Homer, Iliad 23.78–79.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong accent in the digital text): οὖχ ὅτι → οὐχ ὅτι.

Extrabiblical texts: Homer, Il. 23.78–79 (Homer, Iliad; quotation); Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.4 (Dindorf 1:300–301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.5Dindorf 1:301

ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τὸ ὕστερον αὖτε τὰ πείσεται ἅσσα οἱ αἶσα γεινομένῳ ἐπένησε λίνῳ, ὅτε μιν τέκε μήτηρ, τὸ αὐτὸ βούλεται. οὐ γὰρ ὅτι πάντα αὐτῷ τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα καθʼ εἱμαρμένην συμβήσεται λέγει, ἀλλʼ ὅτι κατʼ ἀνάγκην αὐτῷ τινὰ συμβήσεται. ἡ γὰρ τοῦ ἅσσα διαστολὴ τί ποτε ἕτερον ἢ τοῦτο σημαίνει; πολλὰ δὲ κατʼ ἀνάγκην ἡμῖν, εἰ καὶ μὴ πάντα, ἐπίκειται.

alla mēn kai to hysteron aute ta peisetai hassa hoi aisa geinomenǭ epenēse linǭ, hote min teke mētēr, to auto bouletai. ou gar hoti panta autǭ ta meta tauta kathʼ heimarmenēn symbēsetai legei, allʼ hoti katʼ anankēn autǭ tina symbēsetai. hē gar tou hassa diastolē ti pote heteron ē touto sēmainei? polla de katʼ anankēn hēmin, ei kai mē panta, epikeitai.

Again, 'Afterward he shall suffer whatever Fate spun for him with her thread at his birth, when his mother bore him' means the same. For it does not say that everything that follows will happen to him by fate, but that certain things will happen to him by necessity. For what else does the qualification 'whatever' signify than this? Many things, if not all, lie upon us by necessity.

Notes and citation

Summary: Homer's 'whatever' limits fate to certain things.

Diogenianus. Homer, Iliad 20.127–128.

Extrabiblical texts: Homer, Il. 20.127–128 (Homer, Iliad; quotation); Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.5 (Dindorf 1:301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.6Dindorf 1:301

καὶ τὸ Μοῖραν δʼ οὔ τινά φημι πεφυγμένον ἔμμεναι ἀνδρῶν, ἄριστα εἴρηται. τίς γὰρ ἂν δύναιτο τὰ κατʼ ἀνάγκην παντὶ ζῴῳ συγκυροῦντα διαφυγεῖν; ὥστʼ οὐχ ὅπως σύμψηφον ἂν ἔχοι τὸν Ὅμηρον Χρύσιππος ἐν τῷ πάντα καθʼ εἱμαρμένην γίνεσθαι νομίζειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐναντιούμενον, εἴ γε ἐκεῖνος μὲν ὅτι πολλὰ γίνεται παρʼ ἡμᾶς σαφῶς καὶ πολλάκις εἴρηκε, τὸ δʼ ὅτι κατὰ ἀνάγκην πάντα συμβαίνει, οὐδαμοῦ ῥητῶς λέγων ἂν εὑρεθείη.

kai to Moiran dʼ ou tina phēmi pephygmenon emmenai andrōn, arista eirētai. tis gar an dynaito ta katʼ anankēn panti zǭǭ synkyrounta diaphygein? hōstʼ ouch hopōs sympsēphon an echoi ton Homēron Chrysippos en tǭ panta kathʼ heimarmenēn ginesthai nomizein, alla kai enantioumenon, ei ge ekeinos men hoti polla ginetai parʼ hēmas saphōs kai pollakis eirēke, to dʼ hoti kata anankēn panta symbainei, oudamou rhētōs legōn an heuretheiē.

And 'No man, I say, has escaped his Fate' is very well said. For who could escape what by necessity befalls every living creature? So far from having Homer on his side in thinking that all things come about by fate, Chrysippus has him against him, since Homer has said clearly and often that many things come about through us, but he would nowhere be found saying explicitly that all things happen by necessity.

Notes and citation

Summary: Homer contradicts rather than supports Chrysippus.

Diogenianus. Homer, Iliad 6.488.

Extrabiblical texts: Homer, Il. 6.488 (Homer, Iliad; quotation); Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.6 (Dindorf 1:301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.7Dindorf 1:301

καὶ τῷ ποιητῇ μὲν, ἅτε οὐ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἡμῖν τῆς τῶν ὄντων φύσεως ὑπισχνουμένῳ, ἀλλὰ μιμουμένῳ πάθη τε καὶ ἤθη καὶ δόξας παντοίας ἀνθρώπων, ἁρμόττον ἂν εἴη καὶ τὰ ἐναντία λέγειν πολλάκις· φιλοσόφῳ δὲ οὔτε τὰ ἐναντία λέγειν οὔτε ποιητῇ διʼ αὐτὸ τοῦτο χρῆσθαι μάρτυρι

kai tǭ poiētę̄ men, hate ou tēn alētheian hēmin tēs tōn ontōn physeōs hypischnoumenǭ, alla mimoumenǭ pathē te kai ēthē kai doxas pantoias anthrōpōn, harmotton an eiē kai ta enantia legein pollakis; philosophǭ de oute ta enantia legein oute poiētę̄ diʼ auto touto chrēsthai martyri

And for the poet, since he does not promise us the truth about the nature of things but imitates the passions, characters, and opinions of all kinds of people, it would be fitting even to say contrary things often; but for a philosopher it is fitting neither to say contrary things nor, for that very reason, to use a poet as a witness."

Notes and citation

Summary: A poet may contradict himself, but a philosopher should not cite poets as witnesses.

Diogenianus.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.7 (Dindorf 1:301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.8Dindorf 1:301–302

Καὶ μεθʼ ἕτερά φησι “Τεκμήριον δὲ καὶ ἄλλο ἰσχυρὸν φέρειν Χρύσιππος οἴεται τῆς ἐν ἅπασιν εἱμαρμένης τὴν θέσιν τῶν τοιούτων ὀνομάτων. τήν τε γὰρ πεπρωμένην πεπερασμένην τινά φησιν εἶναι καὶ συντετελεσμένην διοίκησιν, τήν τε εἱμαρμένην, εἰρομένην τινὰ εἴτε ἐκ θεοῦ βουλήσεως εἴτε ἐξ ἧς δή ποτε αἰτίας.

Kai methʼ hetera phēsi “Tekmērion de kai allo ischyron pherein Chrysippos oietai tēs en hapasin heimarmenēs tēn thesin tōn toioutōn onomatōn. tēn te gar peprōmenēn peperasmenēn tina phēsin einai kai syntetelesmenēn dioikēsin, tēn te heimarmenēn, eiromenēn tina eite ek theou boulēseōs eite ex hēs dē pote aitias.

And after other things he says: "Chrysippus thinks he brings another strong proof of fate in all things: the coining of such names as these. For he says that 'destiny' (pepromene) is a government that is limited (peperasmene) and brought to completion, and 'fate' (heimarmene) a government strung together (eiromene), whether from the will of God or from whatever cause.

Notes and citation

Summary: Diogenianus reports Chrysippus's etymological arguments for fate.

Diogenianus. The Greek plays on the words for destiny and fate.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): Χρύσιπ- πος → Χρύσιππος; πε- περασμένην → πεπερασμένην.

Extrabiblical texts: Chrysippus, On Fate (Chrysippus; quotation); Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.8 (Dindorf 1:301–302; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.9Dindorf 1:302

ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς Μοίρας ὠνομάσθαι ἀπὸ τοῦ μεμερίσθαι καὶ κατανενεμῆσθαί τινα ἡμῶν ἑκάστω. οὕτω δὲ καὶ τὸ χρεὼν εἰρῆσθαι τὸ ἐπιβάλλον καὶ καθῆκον κατὰ τὴν εἱμαρμένην. τόν τε ἀριθμὸν τῶν Μοιρῶν τοὺς τρεῖς ὑποβάλλει χρόνους ἐν οἷς κυκλεῖται τὰ πάντα καὶ διʼ ὧν ἐπιτελεῖται.

alla kai tas Moiras ōnomasthai apo tou memeristhai kai katanenemēsthai tina hēmōn hekastō. houtō de kai to chreōn eirēsthai to epiballon kai kathēkon kata tēn heimarmenēn. ton te arithmon tōn Moirōn tous treis hypoballei chronous en hois kykleitai ta panta kai diʼ hōn epiteleitai.

And he says that the Fates (Moirai) are named from having been divided (memeristhai) and distributed to each of us; and in the same way 'what must be' (to chreon) is so called as what falls due and is proper according to fate. And he takes the number of the Fates to suggest the three times in which all things revolve and through which they are accomplished.

Notes and citation

Summary: Chrysippus derives the Fates' names and number from division and the three times.

Diogenianus.

Extrabiblical texts: Chrysippus, On Fate (Chrysippus; quotation); Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.9 (Dindorf 1:302; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.10Dindorf 1:302

καὶ Λάχεσιν μὲν κεκλῆσθαι παρὰ τὸ λαγχάνειν ἑκάστῳ τὸ πεπρωμένον, Ἄτροπον δὲ κατὰ τὸ ἄτρεπτον καὶ ἀμετάθετον τοῦ μερισμοῦ, Κλωθὼ δὲ παρὰ τὸ συγκεκλῶσθαι καὶ συνείρεσθαι τὰ πάντα, καὶ μίαν αὐτῶν τεταγμένην τινὰ εἶναι διέξοδον. ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ τὰ τούτοις παραπλήσια φλυαρῶν ἀποδεικνύναι τὴν ἐν ἅπασιν ἀνάγκην νομίζει.

kai Lachesin men keklēsthai para to lanchanein hekastǭ to peprōmenon, Atropon de kata to atrepton kai ametatheton tou merismou, Klōthō de para to synkeklōsthai kai syneiresthai ta panta, kai mian autōn tetagmenēn tina einai diexodon. tauta gar kai ta toutois paraplēsia phlyarōn apodeiknynai tēn en hapasin anankēn nomizei.

And Lachesis is so called from allotting (lanchanein) to each his destiny; Atropos from the unturnable (atrepton) and unalterable character of the allotment; and Clotho from all things being spun together (synkeklosthai) and strung together, and from their being one ordered course. By babbling these and similar things he thinks he proves necessity in all things.

Notes and citation

Summary: Chrysippus's etymologies of Lachesis, Atropos, and Clotho, which Diogenianus calls babble.

Diogenianus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (misread letter in the digital text): νομίξει → νομίζει.

Extrabiblical texts: Chrysippus, On Fate (Chrysippus; quotation); Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.10 (Dindorf 1:302; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.11Dindorf 1:302

ἐμοὶ δὲ θαυμάζειν ἔπεισιν εἰ τοιαῦτα λέγων οὐκ ᾐσθάνετο τῆς ματαιολογίας τῆς ἑαυτοῦ. ἔστω γὰρ ταύταις ταῖς ἐννοίαις κεχρημένους τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, καθὼς αὐτὸς ἐτυμολογεῖ, τὰ ὀνόματα τεθεῖσθαι τὰ ἐκκείμενα, δοξάζοντας τὰ πάντα κατειληφέναι τὴν εἱμαρμένην, καὶ ἀμεταθέτους εἶναι τὰς ἐξ αἰῶνος προκατειλημμένας ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς οὐσί τε καὶ γινομένοις αἰτίας.

emoi de thaumazein epeisin ei toiauta legōn ouk ę̄sthaneto tēs mataiologias tēs heautou. estō gar tautais tais ennoiais kechrēmenous tous anthrōpous, kathōs autos etymologei, ta onomata tetheisthai ta ekkeimena, doxazontas ta panta kateilēphenai tēn heimarmenēn, kai ametathetous einai tas ex aiōnos prokateilēmmenas en pasi tois ousi te kai ginomenois aitias.

I am moved to wonder whether, saying such things, he did not perceive his own idle talk. For let it be granted that people, using these notions, coined the names in question, as he derives them, believing that fate holds all things fast and that the causes established beforehand from eternity in all that is and comes to be are unalterable.

Notes and citation

Summary: Even granting the etymologies, they show only what people believed.

Diogenianus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): κατει- ληφέναι → κατειληφέναι.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.11 (Dindorf 1:302; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.12Dindorf 1:302

τί οὖν ἀκολουθεῖς, ὦ Χρύσιππε, πάσαις ταῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων δόξαις, καὶ οὐδεμία σοι περὶ οὐδενὸς φαίνεται διεψευσμένη, ἀλλὰ πάντες τῆς ἀληθείας εἰσὶ θεωρητικοί;

ti oun akoloutheis, ō Chrysippe, pasais tais tōn anthrōpōn doxais, kai oudemia soi peri oudenos phainetai diepseusmenē, alla pantes tēs alētheias eisi theōrētikoi?

Why then, Chrysippus, do you follow all human opinions, as though none seemed to you mistaken about anything, but all were contemplators of the truth?

Notes and citation

Summary: Diogenianus asks why Chrysippus trusts popular opinion here.

Diogenianus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (wrong accent and line-end hyphen in the digital text): ὠ Χρύ- σιππε → ὦ Χρύσιππε.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.12 (Dindorf 1:302; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.13Dindorf 1:302

πῶς οὖν οὐδένα φῂς ἄνθρωπον, ὃς οὐχὶ μαίνεσθαί σοι δοκεῖ κατʼ ἴσον Ὀρέστῃ τε καὶ Ἀλκμαίωνι, πλὴν τοῦ σοφοῦ; ἕνα δὲ ἢ δύο μόνους φὴς σοφοὺς γεγονέναι, τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους διʼ ἀφροσύνην ἐπʼ ἴσης τοῖς προειρημένοις μεμηνέναι;

pōs oun oudena phę̄s anthrōpon, hos ouchi mainesthai soi dokei katʼ ison Orestę̄ te kai Alkmaiōni, plēn tou sophou? hena de ē dyo monous phēs sophous gegonenai, tous de allous diʼ aphrosynēn epʼ isēs tois proeirēmenois memēnenai?

How then do you say that there is no one, except the sage, who does not seem to you mad, equally with Orestes and Alcmaeon? And that only one or two sages have ever existed, while the rest, through folly, are as mad as those just mentioned?

Notes and citation

Summary: Chrysippus elsewhere calls all but the sage mad.

Diogenianus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; misread word in the digital text; missing accent and dropped letter in the digital text; stray mark in the digital text): φὴ̣ς ἄνθρωπον → φῂς ἄνθρωπον; κατʼ ισον Ὀρέτῃ → κατʼ ἴσον Ὀρέστῃ; ἴνα δὲ ἢ δύο → ἕνα δὲ ἢ δύο; σο- φοῦ → σοφοῦ; προει- ρημένοις → προειρημένοις.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.13 (Dindorf 1:302; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.14Dindorf 1:302–303

πῶς δὲ ἀνασκευάζεις αὐτῶν τὰς δόξας ἐκείνας ὡς διημαρτημένας, οἷον τὰς περὶ πλούτου καὶ δόξης καὶ τυραννίδος καθόλου τε ἡδονῆς, ἅπερ ἀγαθὰ νενομίκασιν οἱ πλεῖστοι; πῶς δὲ τοὺς κειμένους νόμους ἡμαρτῆσθαι φῂς ἅπαντας καὶ τὰς πολιτείας; ἢ διὰ τί πλῆθος τοσοῦτον βιβλίων συνέγραψας, εἰ περὶ μηδενὸς εἶχον οἱ ἄνθρωποι δόξας διημαρτημένας;

pōs de anaskeuazeis autōn tas doxas ekeinas hōs diēmartēmenas, hoion tas peri ploutou kai doxēs kai tyrannidos katholou te hēdonēs, haper agatha nenomikasin hoi pleistoi? pōs de tous keimenous nomous hēmartēsthai phę̄s hapantas kai tas politeias? ē dia ti plēthos tosouton bibliōn synegrapsas, ei peri mēdenos eichon hoi anthrōpoi doxas diēmartēmenas?

And how do you refute those opinions of theirs as mistaken, such as those about wealth and fame and tyranny and pleasure in general, which most people have thought good? How do you say that all established laws and constitutions are mistaken? Or why did you write such a multitude of books, if people held mistaken opinions about nothing?

Notes and citation

Summary: Chrysippus's own writings assume most opinions are mistaken.

Diogenianus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; wrong breathing in the digital text): οἶον τὰς → οἷον τὰς; οἶ πλεῖστοι → οἱ πλεῖστοι; ἡδο- νῆς → ἡδονῆς.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.14 (Dindorf 1:302–303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.15Dindorf 1:303

οὐ γὰρ, ὅταν μὲν ταὐτὰ σοὶ δοξάζωσιν, ὀρθῶς φρονεῖν αὐτοὺς φήσομεν, ὅταν δὲ διάφορα, μαίνεσθαι.

ou gar, hotan men tauta soi doxazōsin, orthōs phronein autous phēsomen, hotan de diaphora, mainesthai.

For we shall not say that when they hold the same opinions as you they think rightly, and when different ones they are mad.

Notes and citation

Summary: Agreement with Chrysippus is no test of sanity.

Diogenianus.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.15 (Dindorf 1:303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.16Dindorf 1:303

πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲ σὺ φῂς σοφὸν εἶναι σεαυτὸν, μήτι γε ἡμεῖς, ἵνα κριτήριον ποιώμεθα τοῦ καλῶς ποτὲ ἐκείνους φρονεῖν τὸ τῇ σῇ δόξῃ συνδραμεῖν· ἔπειτʼ, εἰ καὶ τοῦτο ἦν ἀληθὲς τί λέγειν ἐχρῆν μαίνεσθαι πάντας ἐπʼ ἴσης, καὶ οὐχὶ καθὸ μὲν ἐφαίνοντο ταυτὰ σοὶ δοξάζοντες κατὰ τοῦτο αὐτοὺς ἐπαινεῖν, ὡς ὀρθοῦ τινὸς ἐπειλημμένους, καθὸ δὲ διεφώνουν ἁμαρτάνειν αὐτοὺς ὑπολαμβάνειν;

prōton men gar oude sy phę̄s sophon einai seauton, mēti ge hēmeis, hina kritērion poiōmetha tou kalōs pote ekeinous phronein to tę̄ sę̄ doxę̄ syndramein; epeitʼ, ei kai touto ēn alēthes ti legein echrēn mainesthai pantas epʼ isēs, kai ouchi katho men ephainonto tauta soi doxazontes kata touto autous epainein, hōs orthou tinos epeilēmmenous, katho de diephōnoun hamartanein autous hypolambanein?

For in the first place, not even you say that you are a sage, much less we, so that we should make agreement with your opinion the criterion of their ever thinking rightly. Next, even if this were true, what should one have said: that all are equally mad, and not rather praise them so far as they plainly held the same opinions as you, as having grasped something right, and suppose them to err so far as they disagreed?

Notes and citation

Summary: Chrysippus is inconsistent in calling all mad yet citing their opinions.

Diogenianus.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.16 (Dindorf 1:303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.17Dindorf 1:303

μαρτύριον μέντοι τῆς ἀληθείας ἱκανὸν ἡγεῖσθαι τὸ δοκοῦν ἐκείνοις οὐδὲ οὕτως ἐχρῆν φύσει, καὶ μὴ μαίνεσθαι καθάπερ σὺ οἴει, ἀλλὰ πολύ γε ἀφεστηκέναι σοφίας πᾶς ἄν τις ὁμολογήσειε.

martyrion mentoi tēs alētheias hikanon hēgeisthai to dokoun ekeinois oude houtōs echrēn physei, kai mē mainesthai kathaper sy oiei, alla poly ge aphestēkenai sophias pas an tis homologēseie.

Yet even so one ought not to regard their opinion as sufficient testimony to the truth; everyone would agree that they are, not mad as you think, but far removed from wisdom.

Notes and citation

Summary: Popular opinion, though not madness, is far from wisdom and no proof of truth.

Diogenianus. The word φύσει in the digital text is hard to construe here; translated by sense.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.17 (Dindorf 1:303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.18Dindorf 1:303

γελοίως οὖν καὶ σὺ χρήσῃ μάρτυσι τούτοις διὰ τῆς θέσεως τῶν ὀνομάτων, οὓς οὐδὲν ἂν κατά γε σύνεσιν σεαυτοῦ φήσαις διαφέρειν, εἰ μὴ ἄρα τοὺς ἐξ ἀρχῆς θεμένους ταῦτα τὰ ὀνόματα σοφοὺς εἶναι συμβέβηκεν, ὅπερ οὐδαμῶς δεῖξαι δυνήσῃ.

geloiōs oun kai sy chrēsę̄ martysi toutois dia tēs theseōs tōn onomatōn, hous ouden an kata ge synesin seautou phēsais diapherein, ei mē ara tous ex archēs themenous tauta ta onomata sophous einai symbebēken, hoper oudamōs deixai dynēsę̄.

It is ridiculous, then, for you to use as witnesses, through the coining of names, people whom you would say differ in no way from yourself in understanding, unless it happens that those who first coined these names were sages, which you will in no way be able to show.

Notes and citation

Summary: The name-givers cannot be trusted as witnesses unless they were sages.

Diogenianus.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.18 (Dindorf 1:303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.19Dindorf 1:303

ἀλλὰ γὰρ δεδόσθω σοι τοῦθʼ οὕτως ἔχειν, καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα ἐκεῖνα τίθεσθαι ὡς σὺ βούλει τὰς σημασίας ἔχοντα, καὶ μὴ κατὰ δόξας ψευδεῖς τὸ τοιοῦτον γεγονέναι· ποῦ τοίνυν διʼ αὐτῶν σημαίνεται τὰ πάντα ἁπαξαπλῶς καθʼ εἱμαρμένην εἶναι, καὶ μὴ, εἰ ἄρα, ταῦτα μόνα ὧν ἐστιν εἱμαρμένη;

alla gar dedosthō soi touthʼ houtōs echein, kai ta onomata ekeina tithesthai hōs sy boulei tas sēmasias echonta, kai mē kata doxas pseudeis to toiouton gegonenai; pou toinyn diʼ autōn sēmainetai ta panta hapaxaplōs kathʼ heimarmenēn einai, kai mē, ei ara, tauta mona hōn estin heimarmenē?

But let it be granted to you that this is so, and that those names were coined with the meanings you wish, and that this did not happen through false opinions. Where, then, do they signify that absolutely all things are by fate, and not, if anything, only those things of which there is a fate?

Notes and citation

Summary: Even granted, the names show only that some things are fated.

Diogenianus.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.19 (Dindorf 1:303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.20Dindorf 1:303–304

ὅ τε γὰρ τῶν Μοιρῶν ἀριθμὸς καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν καὶ ὁ τῆς Κλωθοῦς ἄτρακτος, καὶ τὸ ἐπειλημένον αὐτῷ νῆμα, καὶ τὸ ἐπίκλωσμα τούτου, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα τοιαῦτα λέγεται ἐν ἐκείνοις, ἐνδείκνυται τὸ ἀπαράβατον καὶ ἐξ αἰῶνος καθῆγον τῶν αἰτιῶν, ὅσα οὑτωσὶ κατηνάγκασται γενέσθαι, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλως ἔχειν κεκώλυται.

ho te gar tōn Moirōn arithmos kai ta onomata autōn kai ho tēs Klōthous atraktos, kai to epeilēmenon autǭ nēma, kai to epiklōsma toutou, kai hosa alla toiauta legetai en ekeinois, endeiknytai to aparabaton kai ex aiōnos kathēgon tōn aitiōn, hosa houtōsi katēnankastai genesthai, kai hosa allōs echein kekōlytai.

For the number of the Fates and their names, and Clotho's spindle and the thread wound on it and its spinning, and all such things said in those accounts, indicate the inviolable and eternal sequence of causes for those things that are thus compelled to happen, and that are prevented from being otherwise.

Notes and citation

Summary: The mythic images imply necessity only for some events.

Diogenianus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): κα- θῆγον → καθῆγον.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.20 (Dindorf 1:303–304; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.21Dindorf 1:304

πολλὰ δʼ ἂν εἴη τὰ τοιαῦτα· ὅσα δὲ οὐχ οὕτω γίνεται, τούτων τισὶ μὲν οἱ ἄνθρωποι θεοὺς διοικητὰς καὶ δημιουργοὺς ἐπεφήμισαν, τινῶν δὲ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς αἰτίους ὑπέλαβον, ἄλλων δὲ αὖ πάλιν τὴν φύσιν, ἄλλων τὴν τύχην.

polla dʼ an eiē ta toiauta; hosa de ouch houtō ginetai, toutōn tisi men hoi anthrōpoi theous dioikētas kai dēmiourgous epephēmisan, tinōn de hēmas autous aitious hypelabon, allōn de au palin tēn physin, allōn tēn tychēn.

Such things may be many; but of those that do not come about in this way, people have ascribed some to gods as their governors and makers, have supposed us ourselves to be the cause of others, and again nature of others, and chance of others.

Notes and citation

Summary: Popular opinion ascribes events to gods, to us, to nature, or to chance, not all to fate.

Diogenianus.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.21 (Dindorf 1:304; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.22Dindorf 1:304

ἧς τὸ εὐμετάβολον καὶ ἄστατον καὶ νῦν μὲν οὕτω, νῦν δὲ οὕτως ἔχον ἐνδείξασθαι βουλόμενοι, εἰδωλοποιήσαντες τὸ ποιὸν τοῦτο σύμπτωμα τῶν πραγμάτων, ἐπὶ σφαίρας βεβηκυῖαν τὴν τύχην ἔδειξαν.

hēs to eumetabolon kai astaton kai nyn men houtō, nyn de houtōs echon endeixasthai boulomenoi, eidōlopoiēsantes to poion touto symptōma tōn pragmatōn, epi sphairas bebēkuian tēn tychēn edeixan.

Wishing to show how changeable and unstable chance is, now one way and now another, they made an image of this sort of coincidence of events and depicted Fortune standing on a ball.

Notes and citation

Summary: Fortune on a ball pictures chance's instability.

Diogenianus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): ἔδει- ξαν → ἔδειξαν.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.22 (Dindorf 1:304; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.23Dindorf 1:304

ἢ οὐχὶ δεδόξασται παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις καὶ ταῦτα; καὶ γὰρ εἴ ποτε συνταράττουσι τὰ αἴτια, καὶ ὅσα μὲν καθʼ εἱμαρμένην ἢ κατὰ τύχην γίνεται, ταῦτα ἐκ θείας δυνάμεως γίνεσθαι νομίζουσιν, ὅσα δὲ παρʼ ἡμᾶς, ταῦτα καθʼ εἱμαρμένην, ἀλλʼ ὅτι γε πάντα τὰ αἴτια ταῦτα ἐν τοῖς οὖσιν εἶναι δοξάζουσι παντί που δῆλον.

ē ouchi dedoxastai para tois anthrōpois kai tauta? kai gar ei pote syntarattousi ta aitia, kai hosa men kathʼ heimarmenēn ē kata tychēn ginetai, tauta ek theias dynameōs ginesthai nomizousin, hosa de parʼ hēmas, tauta kathʼ heimarmenēn, allʼ hoti ge panta ta aitia tauta en tois ousin einai doxazousi panti pou dēlon.

Or are these not also held by people? For even if they sometimes confuse the causes, and think that what happens by fate or by chance happens by divine power, and what happens through us happens by fate, still it is surely plain to everyone that they believe all these causes to exist among things.

Notes and citation

Summary: People, though confused, believe in several kinds of causes, not fate alone.

Diogenianus.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.23 (Dindorf 1:304; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.24Dindorf 1:304

ὥστε οὐδὲ τὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὑπολήψεις, οὐδὲ τὰς θέσεις τῶν τοιούτων ὀνομάτων συμμαρτυρεῖν τῇ Χρυσίππου δόξῃ συμβέβηκε.”

hōste oude tas tōn anthrōpōn hypolēpseis, oude tas theseis tōn toioutōn onomatōn symmartyrein tę̄ Chrysippou doxę̄ symbebēke.”

So neither people's assumptions nor the coining of such names turns out to support Chrysippus's opinion."

Notes and citation

Summary: Neither opinion nor etymology supports Chrysippus.

Diogenianus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): ὀνο- μάτων → ὀνομάτων.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.24 (Dindorf 1:304; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-24). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.25Dindorf 1:304

Τούτοις ἑξῆς ἐπιλέγει “Ἐν μὲν οὖν τῷ πρώτῳ Περὶ εἱμαρμένης βιβλίῳ τοιαύταις τισὶν ἀποδείξεσιν κέχρηται, ἐν δὲ τῷ δευτέρῳ λύειν πειρᾶται τὰ ἀκολουθεῖν δοκοῦντα ἄτοπα τῷ λόγῳ τῷ πάντα κατηναγκάσθαι λέγοντι, ἅπερ καὶ ἡμεῖς κατʼ ἀρχὰς ἐτίθεμεν· οἷον τὸ ἀναιρεῖσθαι διʼ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐξ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν προθυμίαν περὶ ψόγους τε καὶ ἐπαίνους καὶ προτροπὰς καὶ πάνθʼ ὅσα παρὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν αἰτίαν γινόμενα φαίνεται.

Toutois hexēs epilegei “En men oun tǭ prōtǭ Peri heimarmenēs bibliǭ toiautais tisin apodeixesin kechrētai, en de tǭ deuterǭ lyein peiratai ta akolouthein dokounta atopa tǭ logǭ tǭ panta katēnankasthai legonti, haper kai hēmeis katʼ archas etithemen; hoion to anaireisthai diʼ autou tēn ex hēmōn autōn prothymian peri psogous te kai epainous kai protropas kai panthʼ hosa para tēn hēmeteran aitian ginomena phainetai.

Next after this he adds: "In the first book of On Fate, then, he uses proofs of this kind; but in the second he tries to answer the absurdities that seem to follow from the doctrine that all things are compelled, which we too set out at the beginning: for instance, that it does away with our own eagerness concerning blame and praise and exhortation, and with everything that appears to happen through our own cause.

Notes and citation

Summary: Diogenianus turns to Chrysippus's second book, which answers the objections to fatalism.

Diogenianus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Latin letter inside a Greek word in the digital text): Ἐv μὲν → Ἐν μὲν.

Extrabiblical texts: Chrysippus, On Fate 2 (Chrysippus; quotation); Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.25 (Dindorf 1:304; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.26Dindorf 1:304

φησὶν οὖν ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ βιβλίῳ τὸ μὲν ἐξ ἡμῶν πολλὰ γίνεσθαι δῆλον εἶναι, οὐδὲν δὲ ἧττον συγκαθειμάρθαι καὶ ταῦτα τῇ τῶν ὅλων διοικήσει.

phēsin oun en tǭ deuterǭ bibliǭ to men ex hēmōn polla ginesthai dēlon einai, ouden de hētton synkatheimarthai kai tauta tę̄ tōn holōn dioikēsei.

He says, then, in the second book that it is plain that many things come about from us, but that these are no less co-fated with the government of the universe.

Notes and citation

Summary: Chrysippus says acts from us are also co-fated.

Diogenianus, reporting Chrysippus.

Extrabiblical texts: Chrysippus, On Fate 2 (Chrysippus; quotation); Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.26 (Dindorf 1:304; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.27Dindorf 1:304–305

κέχρηταί τε παραδείγμασι τοιούτοις τισί. τὸ γὰρ μὴ ἀπολεῖσθαι, φησὶ, θοἰμάτιον οὐχ ἁπλῶς καθείμαρτο, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τοῦ φυλάττεσθαι, καὶ τὸ ἐκ τῶν πολεμίων σωθήσεσθαι τόνδε τινὰ μετὰ τοῦ φεύγειν αὐτὸν τοὺς πολεμίους· καὶ τὸ γενέσθαι παῖδας μετὰ τοῦ βούλεσθαι κοινωνεῖν γυναικί.

kechrētai te paradeigmasi toioutois tisi. to gar mē apoleisthai, phēsi, thoimation ouch haplōs katheimarto, alla meta tou phylattesthai, kai to ek tōn polemiōn sōthēsesthai tonde tina meta tou pheugein auton tous polemious; kai to genesthai paidas meta tou boulesthai koinōnein gynaiki.

And he uses examples of this kind. That the cloak would not be lost, he says, was not fated simply, but together with its being guarded; and that this man would be saved from the enemy, together with his fleeing the enemy; and that children would be born, together with being willing to lie with a woman.

Notes and citation

Summary: Chrysippus's examples of co-fated outcomes: the guarded cloak, flight from enemies, begetting children.

Diogenianus, reporting Chrysippus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; misread letter in the digital text): ιοιούτοις → τοιούτοις; ἀπολεῖ- σθαι → ἀπολεῖσθαι; σω- θήσεσθαι → σωθήσεσθαι.

Extrabiblical texts: Chrysippus, On Fate 2 (Chrysippus; quotation); Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.27 (Dindorf 1:304–305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.28Dindorf 1:305

ὥσπερ γὰρ, φησὶν, λέγοντός τινος Ἡγήσαρχον τὸν πύκτην ἐξελεύσεσθαι τοῦ ἀγῶνος πάντως ἄπληκτον, ἀτόπως ἄν τις ἠξίου καθιέντα τὰς χεῖρας τὸν Ηγήσαρχον μάχεσθαι, ἐπεὶ ἄπληκτον αὐτὸν καθείμαρτο ἀπελθεῖν, τοῦ τὴν ἀπόφασιν ποιησαμένου διὰ τὴν περιττοτέραν τἀνθρώπου πρὸς τὸ μὴ πλήττεσθαι φυλακὴν τοῦτο εἰπόντος, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἔχει.

hōsper gar, phēsin, legontos tinos Hēgēsarchon ton pyktēn exeleusesthai tou agōnos pantōs aplēkton, atopōs an tis ēxiou kathienta tas cheiras ton Ēgēsarchon machesthai, epei aplēkton auton katheimarto apelthein, tou tēn apophasin poiēsamenou dia tēn perittoteran tanthrōpou pros to mē plēttesthai phylakēn touto eipontos, houtō kai epi tōn allōn echei.

For just as, he says, if someone said that Hegesarchus the boxer would certainly leave the contest unhit, it would be absurd to expect Hegesarchus to fight with his hands down because it was fated that he would come away unhit, since the one who made the declaration said this because of the man's exceptional guard against being hit, so it is with other things.

Notes and citation

Summary: Chrysippus's example of the boxer Hegesarchus.

Diogenianus, reporting Chrysippus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; wrong accent in the digital text): τοὐ τὴν → τοῦ τὴν; ἐξελεύσε- σθαι → ἐξελεύσεσθαι; τἀν- θρώπου → τἀνθρώπου; εἰ- πόντος → εἰπόντος.

Extrabiblical texts: Chrysippus, On Fate 2 (Chrysippus; quotation); Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.28 (Dindorf 1:305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.29Dindorf 1:305

πολλὰ γὰρ μὴ δύνασθαι γενέσθαι χωρὶς τοῦ καὶ ἡμᾶς βούλεσθαι καὶ ἐκτενεστάτην γε περὶ αὐτὰ προθυμίαν τε καὶ σπουδὴν εἰσφέρεσθαι, ἐπειδὴ μετὰ τούτου, φησὶν, αὐτὰ γενέσθαι καθείμαρτο.

polla gar mē dynasthai genesthai chōris tou kai hēmas boulesthai kai ektenestatēn ge peri auta prothymian te kai spoudēn eispheresthai, epeidē meta toutou, phēsin, auta genesthai katheimarto.

For many things cannot come about without our also willing them and bringing the most strenuous eagerness and effort to them, since it was fated, he says, that they should come about together with this.

Notes and citation

Summary: Many fated outcomes require our will and effort.

Diogenianus, reporting Chrysippus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): βού- λεσθαι → βούλεσθαι.

Extrabiblical texts: Chrysippus, On Fate 2 (Chrysippus; quotation); Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.29 (Dindorf 1:305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-29). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.30Dindorf 1:305

πάλιν οὖν κἀνταῦθα θαυμάσειέ τις ἂν τἀνθρώπου τὸ ἀθεώρητον καὶ ἀνεπιλόγιστον, καὶ τῶν ἐνεργειῶν καὶ τῆς τῶν ἰδίων λόγων ἀνακολουθίας. οἶμαι γὰρ ὅτι καθάπερ τὸ καλούμενον γλυκὺ τῷ καλουμένῳ πικρῷ συμβέβηκεν ἐναντιώτατον εἶναι, τῷ τε λευκῷ τὸ μέλαν καὶ τῷ ψυχρῷ τὸ θερμὸν, οὑτωσὶ δὲ καὶ τὸ παρʼ ἡμᾶς τῷ καθʼ εἱμαρμένην, εἴ γε καθʼ εἱμαρμένην μὲν ἐκεῖνα καλεῖν προείληφεν ὅσα καὶ ἑκόντων ἡμῶν καὶ ἀκόντων πάντως γίνεται, παρʼ ὅσα ἐκ τοῦ σπουδάζειν ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐνεργεῖν ἐπὶ τέλος ἔρχεται, ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἀμελεῖν καὶ ῥᾳθυμεῖν οὐκ ἐπιτελεῖται.

palin oun kantautha thaumaseie tis an tanthrōpou to atheōrēton kai anepilogiston, kai tōn energeiōn kai tēs tōn idiōn logōn anakolouthias. oimai gar hoti kathaper to kaloumenon glyky tǭ kaloumenǭ pikrǭ symbebēken enantiōtaton einai, tǭ te leukǭ to melan kai tǭ psychrǭ to thermon, houtōsi de kai to parʼ hēmas tǭ kathʼ heimarmenēn, ei ge kathʼ heimarmenēn men ekeina kalein proeilēphen hosa kai hekontōn hēmōn kai akontōn pantōs ginetai, parʼ hosa ek tou spoudazein hēmas kai energein epi telos erchetai, ē para to amelein kai rhąthymein ouk epiteleitai.

Here again one might wonder at the man's lack of reflection and of reasoning, both about the facts and about the inconsistency of his own arguments. For I think that just as what is called sweet is most opposed to what is called bitter, black to white, and hot to cold, so too what is through us is opposed to what is by fate; since he has already chosen to call 'by fate' those things that come about in any case, whether we will or not, and 'through us' those that reach their end because we are earnest and active, or are not accomplished because we are careless and idle.

Notes and citation

Summary: Diogenianus argues that what is up to us is the opposite of what is fated.

Diogenianus. The digital text reads παρʼ ὅσα; the sense requires something like παρʼ ἡμᾶς δὲ ὅσα ("and through us those which"), which is translated.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; wrong breathing in the digital text): ἠμῶν → ἡμῶν; μέ- λαν → μέλαν; ἐπιτε- λεῖται → ἐπιτελεῖται.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.30 (Dindorf 1:305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-30). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.31Dindorf 1:305–306

ἐὰν τοίνυν ἐκ τοῦ σπουδάζειν ἐμὲ θοιμάτιον φυλάττειν ἐκεῖνο σώζηται, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ βούλεσθαι τῇ γυναικὶ πλησιάζειν τὰ τέκνα γίγνηται, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ βούλεσθαι φεύγειν τοὺς πολεμίους τὸ μὴ ἀποθνήσκειν ὑπʼ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ διαμάχεσθαι πρὸς τὸν ἀνταγωνιστὴν ἀνδρείως φυλάττεσθαί τε αὐτοῦ τὰς τῶν χειρῶν ἐπιβολὰς τὸ ἄπληκτον ἐκ τοῦ ἀγῶνος ἀπαλλάττεσθαι, πῶς τὸ καθʼ εἱμαρμένην ἐνταῦθα σωθήσεται;

ean toinyn ek tou spoudazein eme thoimation phylattein ekeino sōzētai, kai ek tou boulesthai tę̄ gynaiki plēsiazein ta tekna gignētai, kai ek tou boulesthai pheugein tous polemious to mē apothnēskein hypʼ autōn, kai ek tou diamachesthai pros ton antagōnistēn andreiōs phylattesthai te autou tas tōn cheirōn epibolas to aplēkton ek tou agōnos apallattesthai, pōs to kathʼ heimarmenēn entautha sōthēsetai?

If, then, the cloak is saved because I am earnest in guarding it, and children are born because I am willing to approach my wife, and not dying at the enemy's hands because of the will to flee them, and leaving the contest unhit because of fighting bravely against the opponent and guarding against his blows, how will 'by fate' be preserved here?

Notes and citation

Summary: If outcomes result from our efforts, they are not by fate.

Diogenianus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): ἀπο- θνήσκειν → ἀποθνήσκειν.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.31 (Dindorf 1:305–306; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-31). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.32Dindorf 1:306

εἰ μὲν γὰρ κατʼ ἐκείνην ταῦτα συμβαίνει, παρʼ ἡμᾶς οὐκ ἂν λέγοιτο συμβαίνειν, εἰ δὲ παρʼ ἡμὰς, οὐκ ἂν κατʼ ἐκείνην δηλαδὴ, διὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι συνδραμεῖν ταῦτα ἀλλήλοις.

ei men gar katʼ ekeinēn tauta symbainei, parʼ hēmas ouk an legoito symbainein, ei de parʼ hēmas, ouk an katʼ ekeinēn dēladē, dia to mē dynasthai syndramein tauta allēlois.

For if these things happen according to fate, they could not be said to happen through us; and if through us, then clearly not according to fate, because these cannot coincide with each other.

Notes and citation

Summary: Fate and our agency cannot coincide.

Diogenianus.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.32 (Dindorf 1:306; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-32). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.33Dindorf 1:306

ἀλλὰ παρʼ ἡμᾶς μὲν ἔσται, φησὶ, περιειλημμένου μέντοι τοῦ παρʼ ἡμᾶς ὑπὸ τῆς εἱμαρμένης. καὶ πῶς, εἴποιμʼ ἂν, περιειλημμένου; εἴ γε καὶ τὸ φυλάττειν θοιμάτιον καὶ τὸ μὴ φυλάττειν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐξουσίας ἐγίνετο τῆς ἐμῆς. οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τοῦ σώζεσθαι τοῦτο δηλονότι κύριος ἂν εἴην ἐγώ.

alla parʼ hēmas men estai, phēsi, perieilēmmenou mentoi tou parʼ hēmas hypo tēs heimarmenēs. kai pōs, eipoimʼ an, perieilēmmenou? ei ge kai to phylattein thoimation kai to mē phylattein apo tēs exousias egineto tēs emēs. houtō gar kai tou sōzesthai touto dēlonoti kyrios an eiēn egō.

But it will be through us, he says, though what is through us is encompassed by fate. And how, I would ask, encompassed? If guarding the cloak and not guarding it came about from my own power, then clearly I would be master also of its being saved.

Notes and citation

Summary: If guarding is in my power, so is the outcome; fate does not encompass it.

Diogenianus.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.33 (Dindorf 1:306; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-33). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.34Dindorf 1:306

καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς δὲ τῆς διαστολῆς, ἣν ποιεῖται Χρύσιππος, δῆλον γίνεται τὸ ἀπολελύσθαι τῆς εἱμαρμένης τὴν παρʼ ἡμᾶς αἰτίαν. καθείμαρται γὰρ, φησὶ, σωθῆναι θοιμάτιον, εἰ φυλάττοις αὐτὸ, καὶ παῖδας ἔσεσθαι, εἰ καὶ σὺ βουληθείης, ἄλλως δὲ μὴ ἂν ἔσεσθαί τι τούτων. ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ὑπὸ τῆς εἱμαρμένης προκατειλημμένων οὐκ ἄν ποτε ὑποτιμήσεσι τοιαύταις χρησαίμεθα.

kai ex autēs de tēs diastolēs, hēn poieitai Chrysippos, dēlon ginetai to apolelysthai tēs heimarmenēs tēn parʼ hēmas aitian. katheimartai gar, phēsi, sōthēnai thoimation, ei phylattois auto, kai paidas esesthai, ei kai sy boulētheiēs, allōs de mē an esesthai ti toutōn. epi de tōn hypo tēs heimarmenēs prokateilēmmenōn ouk an pote hypotimēsesi toiautais chrēsaimetha.

And from the very distinction Chrysippus makes it becomes plain that the cause that lies in us is set free from fate. For it is fated, he says, that the cloak will be saved if you guard it, and that there will be children if you too are willing, but otherwise neither of these would be. But in the case of things foreordained by fate we would never use such qualifications.

Notes and citation

Summary: Chrysippus's conditional language shows our part is free of fate.

Diogenianus.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.34 (Dindorf 1:306; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-34). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.35Dindorf 1:306

οὐκ οὖν φαμὲν τεθνήξεσθαι πάντα ἄνθρωπον εἰ τόδε τι γένοιτο, μὴ τεθνήξεσθαι δὲ εἰ μὴ γένοιτο, ἀλλʼ ἁπλῶς τεθνήξεσθαι, κἂν ὁτιοῦν πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἀποθνήσκειν καθόλου γίγνοιτο· ἢ μὴ ἀλγηδόνος ἔσεσθαι δεκτικὸν ἄνθρωπόν τινα, κἂν ταδὶ πράττῃ, ἀλλὰ πάντʼ ἄνθρωπον ἀλγηδόνος εἶναι δεκτικὸν, ἐάν τε βούληται ἐάν τε μή· καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα οὑτωσὶ καὶ μὴ ἄλλως ἔχειν καθείμαρται.

ouk oun phamen tethnēxesthai panta anthrōpon ei tode ti genoito, mē tethnēxesthai de ei mē genoito, allʼ haplōs tethnēxesthai, kan hotioun pros to mē apothnēskein katholou gignoito; ē mē algēdonos esesthai dektikon anthrōpon tina, kan tadi prattę̄, alla pantʼ anthrōpon algēdonos einai dektikon, ean te boulētai ean te mē; kai hosa alla houtōsi kai mē allōs echein katheimartai.

We do not say that every man will die if this or that happens, and will not die if it does not, but simply that he will die, whatever is done to keep him from dying at all; nor that a certain man will not be capable of pain if he does such-and-such, but that every man is capable of pain whether he wills it or not; and so with all other things fated to be thus and not otherwise.

Notes and citation

Summary: Truly fated things, like death, are unconditional.

Diogenianus.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.35 (Dindorf 1:306; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-35). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.36Dindorf 1:306

ὥστε εἰ τὸ γενέσθαι τόδε τι ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν, εἰ βουληθείημεν ἡμεῖς, ἄλλως δὲ οὐχὶ, φανερὸν ὅτι τὸ ἡμὰς βουληθῆναί τε καὶ μὴ βουληθῆναι ὑπʼ οὐδεμιᾶς ἑτέρας αἰτίας προκατείχετο, ἀλλʼ ἦν αὐτεξούσιον·

hōste ei to genesthai tode ti anankaion estin, ei boulētheiēmen hēmeis, allōs de ouchi, phaneron hoti to hēmas boulēthēnai te kai mē boulēthēnai hypʼ oudemias heteras aitias prokateicheto, allʼ ēn autexousion;

So if it is necessary that something come about if we will it, but not otherwise, it is evident that our willing and not willing was not held fast beforehand by any other cause, but was self-determined.

Notes and citation

Summary: If outcomes depend on our will, our will is free.

Diogenianus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): ἄλ- λως → ἄλλως.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.36 (Dindorf 1:306; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-36). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.37Dindorf 1:306–307

εἰ δὲ τοῦτο ἀκατανάγκαστον ἦν, καὶ τὸ γενέσθαι τόδε τι δῆλον ὡς ἀπʼ αἰῶνος οὐ προκατείχετο, εἰ μή τι καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ βούλεσθαι φυλάττειν θοἰμάτιον, ἢ μὴ βούλεσθαι, παρά τινα εἱμαρμένην καὶ κατὰ αἰτίαν ἔξωθεν ἀναγκαίαν ἐγίνετο.

ei de touto akatanankaston ēn, kai to genesthai tode ti dēlon hōs apʼ aiōnos ou prokateicheto, ei mē ti kai auto to boulesthai phylattein thoimation, ē mē boulesthai, para tina heimarmenēn kai kata aitian exōthen anankaian egineto.

And if this was not compelled, then clearly the coming about of the thing was not held fast from eternity either, unless the very willing or not willing to guard the cloak also came about by some fate and by a necessary cause from outside.

Notes and citation

Summary: Unless our very willing is fated, the outcome is not fixed from eternity.

Diogenianus.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): ἀκατα- νάγκαστον → ἀκατανάγκαστον; βού- λεσθαι → βούλεσθαι.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.37 (Dindorf 1:306–307; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-37). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.38Dindorf 1:307

ἀλλʼ οὕτω τέλεον ἡ παρʼ ἡμᾶς ἐξουσιαστικὴ δύναμις ἀναιρεῖται, καὶ οὐκέτι σώζοιτο ἂν θοἰμάτιον παρὰ τὴν αἰτίαν τὴν ἐμὴν, ἢ ἀπολλύοιτο· διὸ καὶ εἴην ἂν ἐγὼ καὶ ἀπολλυμένου τούτου κατὰ λόγον ἀνεπιτίμητος, (ἄλλη γὰρ αὐτό τις ἀπώλλυεν αἰτία) καὶ σωζομένου πάλιν οὐδαμῶς ἐπαινούμενος, ὅτι μηδὲ τοῦτο εἰργαζόμην ἐγώ. σὺ δὲ ὡς σῶσαι πάντα δυνάμενος οὕτʼ ὡς ἀνετείνου τῷ λόγῳ.

allʼ houtō teleon hē parʼ hēmas exousiastikē dynamis anaireitai, kai ouketi sōzoito an thoimation para tēn aitian tēn emēn, ē apollyoito; dio kai eiēn an egō kai apollymenou toutou kata logon anepitimētos, (allē gar auto tis apōllyen aitia) kai sōzomenou palin oudamōs epainoumenos, hoti mēde touto eirgazomēn egō. sy de hōs sōsai panta dynamenos houtʼ hōs aneteinou tǭ logǭ.

But in that case the power of authority that is in us is completely abolished, and the cloak would no longer be saved or lost through my cause. So I would reasonably be blameless when it is lost (for some other cause was destroying it), and again in no way praised when it is saved, since I did not bring this about either. But you strained in your argument as though you could save everything."

Notes and citation

Summary: If our willing is fated, praise and blame vanish, which Chrysippus did not accept.

Diogenianus. The last sentence reads οὕτʼ ὡς in the digital text, apparently for οὕτως; translated accordingly.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): ἐξου- σιαστικὴ → ἐξουσιαστικὴ.

Extrabiblical texts: Diogenianus (Diogenianus, Against Chrysippus; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.38 (Dindorf 1:307; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-38). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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6.8.39Dindorf 1:307

Ταῦτα μὲν ὁ προδηλωθεὶς ἀνήρ. συνήφθω δὲ τούτοις καὶ τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν Ἀλεξάνδρου τοῦ Αφροδισιέως, ἀνδρὸς εὖ μάλα διαφανοῦς ἐν τοῖς κατὰ φιλοσοφίαν λόγοις, ὃς καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν τοῖς Περὶ εἱμαρμένης τοιαῖσδʼ ἐχρήσατο φωναῖς εἰς ἀνασκευὴν τοῦ δόγματος

Tauta men ho prodēlōtheis anēr. synēphthō de toutois kai ta apo tōn Alexandrou tou Aphrodisieōs, andros eu mala diaphanous en tois kata philosophian logois, hos kai autos en tois Peri heimarmenēs toiaisdʼ echrēsato phōnais eis anaskeuēn tou dogmatos

So much for the man already mentioned. Let there be joined to these the passages from Alexander of Aphrodisias, a man very distinguished in philosophical writing, who in his work On Fate also used such words as these to refute the doctrine:

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius introduces Alexander of Aphrodisias's On Fate.

Chapter 9 quotes Alexander of Aphrodisias, On Fate.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text; misread letter in the digital text): εἱμαρμέωης → εἱμαρμένης; φι- λοσοφίαν → φιλοσοφίαν.

Extrabiblical texts: Alexander of Aphrodisias, Fat. (Alexander of Aphrodisias, On Fate; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 6.8.39 (Dindorf 1:307; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/6-7-1/#p-6-8-39). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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