Discourse to the Greeks (complete)

Anonymous · Discourse to the Greeks · 2nd–3rd century (disputed) · place unknown · 5 passages

Traditional ascription rejected: Transmitted under Justin's name (in the manuscripts and in Migne's Justin volume), but not his: its style, vocabulary and arguments differ from the First Apology and the Dialogue with Trypho, and Eusebius does not list it among his works. Migne prints it as Justin's Discourse to the Greeks (Λόγος πρὸς Ἕλληνας), a short attack on the immorality of the Greek gods and an invitation to the Christian teaching. A few scholars have defended it as Justin's; most do not.

Greek text: PG 6.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1 (1885).

Chapter 1

1PG 6:229a–232a

Μὴ ὑπολάβητε, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἕλληνες, ἄλογον ἢ ἀνεπίκριτον εἶναί μου τὸν ἐκ τῶν ὑμετέρων ἐθῶν χωρισμόν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἂν αὐτοῖς εὖρον ὅσιον ἦ θεοφιλές, Αὖτὰ γὰρ τὰ τῶν ποιητῶν ὑμῶν συνθέματα, μανίας καὶ ἀκρασίας ἐστὶ μνημεῖα. Τῷ γὰρ ἓν παιδείᾳ παρʼ ὑμῖν προῦχοντι φοιτῶν τις, πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἐστὶν ἀργαλεώτατος. Πρῶτα μὲν γὰρ φασι τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονα τοῦ ἆδελφοῦ ἀκρασίᾳ ἐπιτεταμένῃ, λύσσῃ, καὶ ἀκατασχέτῳ ἐπιθυμίᾳ συνεργοῦντα, καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα πρὸς θυσίαν ἐκδόντα, καὶ πᾶσαν ταράξαι τὴν Ἐλλάδα, ’ἱνα ῥύσηται τὴν Ἑλένην, ἀπὸ λέπρου ποιμένος ἡρπασμένην, Ὁπότε δὲ καὶ τοῦ πολέμου κατασχόντος αἰχμαλώτους ἤγαγον, αὐτὸς Ἀγαμέμνων ὑπὸ Χρυσηίδος … Βρισηίδος ἕνεκεν ἔχθραν ἤρατο. Αὒτὸς δὲ Πηληϊάδης, χειρωσάμενος, Πολυξένης ὁ ἥρως ὑμῶν δοῦλος ἦν, ὑπὸ Ἀμαζόνος νεκρᾶς νενίκητο· τὰ θεότευκτα ὅπλα ἀποδυσάμενος, νυμφικὴν στολὴν ἐνδυσάμενος, φίλτρων θῦμα ἐγίνετο ἐν τῷ τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος νηῷ. Ὀ γὰρ Ἰθακὴσιος Λαερτιάδης ὲκ κακίας ἀρετὴν ἐνεπορεύσατο. Ὅτι δὲ ἀγαθῆς φρονήσεως ἄμοιρος ἦν, ὁ κατὰ [τὰς] Σειρῆνας διάπλους ἐδήλωσεν, ὃτι μὴ ἠδυνήθη φρονῆσαι ἐμφράξαι τὴν ἀκοὴν. ’0 Τελαμώνιος Αἴας, ὃ τὸ ἑπταβόειον φέρων σάκος, διὰ τὴν πρὸς Ὀδυσσέα περὶ τῶν ὅπλων κρίσιν ἡττηθεὶς ὑπὸ μανίας ἡλίσκετο, Ταῦτα παιδεύεσθαι οὐ θέλω. Ου γὰρ τοιαύτης ἀρετῆς ἐπιδικάζομαι, ἵνα τοῖς Ὀμήρου μύθοις πείθωμαι. ’Ἔστι γὰρ ἠ πᾶσα ῥαψῳδία, Ἰλιάδος τε καὶ Ὀδυσσείας ἀρχὴ καὶ τέλος, γυνή-

Mē hypolabēte, ō andres Hellēnes, alogon ē anepikriton einai mou ton ek tōn hymeterōn ethōn chōrismon. Ouden gar an autois euron hosion ē theophiles, Auta gar ta tōn poiētōn hymōn synthemata, manias kai akrasias esti mnēmeia. Tǭ gar hen paideią parʼ hymin prouchonti phoitōn tis, pantōn anthrōpōn estin argaleōtatos. Prōta men gar phasi ton Agamemnona tou adelphou akrasią epitetamenę̄, lyssę̄, kai akataschetǭ epithymią synergounta, kai tēn thygatera pros thysian ekdonta, kai pasan taraxai tēn Ellada, ’hina rhysētai tēn Helenēn, apo leprou poimenos hērpasmenēn, Hopote de kai tou polemou kataschontos aichmalōtous ēgagon, autos Agamemnōn hypo Chrysēidos … Brisēidos heneken echthran ērato. Autos de Pēlēïadēs, cheirōsamenos, Polyxenēs ho hērōs hymōn doulos ēn, hypo Amazonos nekras nenikēto; ta theoteukta hopla apodysamenos, nymphikēn stolēn endysamenos, philtrōn thyma egineto en tǭ tou Apollōnos nēǭ. O gar Ithakēsios Laertiadēs ek kakias aretēn eneporeusato. Hoti de agathēs phronēseōs amoiros ēn, ho kata [tas] Seirēnas diaplous edēlōsen, hoti mē ēdynēthē phronēsai emphraxai tēn akoēn. ’0 Telamōnios Aias, ho to heptaboeion pherōn sakos, dia tēn pros Odyssea peri tōn hoplōn krisin hēttētheis hypo manias hēlisketo, Tauta paideuesthai ou thelō. Ou gar toiautēs aretēs epidikazomai, hina tois Omērou mythois peithōmai. ’Esti gar ē pasa rhapsǭdia, Iliados te kai Odysseias archē kai telos, gynē-

Do not suppose, men of Greece, that my separation from your customs is unreasoning or undiscerning. For I found nothing in them holy or pleasing to God. For the very compositions of your poets are memorials of madness and incontinence. Whoever goes to school with the one most eminent in education among you is the most troubled of all men. For first they say that Agamemnon, aiding his brother's licentiousness, madness, and unrestrained desire, gave even his daughter readily to be sacrificed, and threw all Greece into turmoil to rescue Helen, carried off by a leprous shepherd. And when, in the course of the war, they had brought back captives, Agamemnon himself (was overcome) by Chryseis, … and took up enmity for Briseis's sake. And the son of Peleus himself, having subdued …, your hero, was the slave of Polyxena and was conquered by a dead Amazon; putting off the god-made armour and putting on a bridal robe, he became a sacrifice of love-charms in the temple of Apollo. And the Ithacan son of Laertes made a trade of virtue out of vice. That he was without good sense his voyage past the Sirens showed, because he could not use his sense to stop his ears. Ajax son of Telamon, who carried the shield of seven ox-hides, was seized by madness when defeated in the judgment against Odysseus over the armour. In these things I do not wish to be educated. For I do not aspire to such virtue as to believe the myths of Homer. For the whole rhapsody, the beginning and the end of the Iliad and the Odyssey, is a woman.

Notes and citation

Summary: The author left Greek ways because Homer's heroes are slaves of lust, deceit, and madness.

The scan is damaged in the sentences on Agamemnon and Achilles; lost words are shown as "…" (the sense: Agamemnon was overcome by Chryseis and quarrelled with Thetis's son over Briseis; Achilles, who had crossed the river, overthrown Troy and subdued Hector). The leprous shepherd is Paris.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR; OCR: Latin letters for Greek words; OCR: digits and Latin letters for Greek words; OCR; words lost): ἄνιπίκριτον εἷναί μου τὸν ἑκ τῶν → ἀνεπίκριτον εἶναί μου τὸν ἐκ τῶν; συνθέματα, Nam: ul ἀκρασίας → συνθέματα, μανίας καὶ ἀκρασίας; ίστὶν ἂργαλεώτπτος Πριῖιτιστα → ἐστὶν ἀργαλεώτατος. Πρῶτα; ἀκρισίᾳ ἑπιτετςιμένῃ → ἀκρασίᾳ ἐπιτεταμένῃ; τὴν θυγατέρι πρὸς Θυσίαν 556011"σαντα, 80Mt,_xal πᾶσαν → τὴν θυγατέρα πρὸς θυσίαν ἐκδόντα, καὶ πᾶσαν; ρύσηται τῆξ Ἑλένην, ἀπὸ λέπρου ποιμένοξ ἠρ- Ᾰιτασμὲνην → ῥύσηται τὴν Ἑλένην, ἀπὸ λέπρου ποιμένος ἡρπασμένην; Ὀπότε δὲ κιὶ τοῦ ’πολέμδυ κάτασχόνέος → Ὁπότε δὲ καὶ τοῦ πολέμου κατασχόντος; ’Λγκμὲμνων ὑπὸ Χρυν Βρισηίδος → Ἀγαμέμνων ὑπὸ Χρυσηίδος … Βρισηίδος; ὑπὸ ’Δμαζόνος → ὑπὸ Ἀμαζόνος; ψὶλτρων θῦμα → φίλτρων θῦμα; ἐνεπορεέσατο, "Ott δὲ ἀγαθῆς φρονήσεως ὅμηρος ἦν → ἐνεπορεύσατο. Ὅτι δὲ ἀγαθῆς φρονήσεως ἄμοιρος ἦν; ἒδήλωσσν → ἐδήλωσεν; ἔπταβόειν → ἑπταβόειον; ὲπιόικάζομαι, ιῗνα → ἐπιδικάζομαι, ἵνα; Ὀδυσαείας ἁρχὴ → Ὀδυσσείας ἀρχὴ.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Ps.-Justin, Or. Graec. 1 (PG 6:229a–232a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ps-justin-oratio/1/#p-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrected where the OCR is clearly wrong; corrections logged), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of ANF 1 (1885); differences checked against the Greek.

Chapter 2

2PG 6:232a–233d

Ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ Ἡσίοδος μεθʼ ’Όμηρον ’Ἔργα τε καὶ Ἡμέρας συνέγραψε, τις αὔτοῦ τῇ ληρώδει θεογονίᾳ συμβήσεται; Φασὶ [γὰρ] Κρόνον τὸν Οὐρανοῦ παῖδα, τῆς ἀρχῆς καθελεῖν τὸν πατέρα, καὶ τῶν σκήπτρων λαβέσθαι· καὶ διευλαβηθέντα τὸ ὅμοιον παθεῖν, τεκνοφαγεῖν ἑλέσθαι· τῇ δὲ τῶν Κουρήτων ἐπινοίᾳ τὸν Δία κλαπέντα καὶ λαθόντα, δεσμοῖς καθεῖρξαι τὸν πατέρα, καὶ διανείμασθαι, ὡς λόγος, Πλουτέα τὴν καθʼ ᾅδου μοῖραν λαχεῖν, Ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν Πλουτεύς τὴν Κόρην ἥρπασε καὶ ἡ Δήμητρα ἀλωμένη κατὰ τὰς ἐρήμους, τὸ τέκνον ἐζήτει, Καὶ τοῦτον τὸν μῦθον εἰς ὕψος ἤγαγε τὸ ἐν Ἐλευσῖνι πῦρ. Πάλιν ὁ Ποσειδῶν Μελανίππην μὲν ᾔσχυνεν ὑδρευομένην, ὄχλῳ δὲ Νηρηίδων οὐκ ὀλίγων (Η) κατεχρήσατο · ὧν τὰ ὀνόματα ἐὰν διηγώμεθα, πολὺ πλῆθος λόγων κατατρίψομεν, ’0 μὶν οὖν Ζεὺς,, μοιχὸς πολλαχῆ, ἐπʼ Ἀντιόπῃ μὲν ὡς σάτυρος, καὶ Δανάῃ χρυσὸς, καὶ ἔπʼ Εὐρώπῃ ταῦρος ἦν · ἐπτεροῡτο δὲ παρὰ Λήδᾳ, ’0 γὰρ Σεμέλης ἔρως, καὶ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀκρασίαν ἤλεγξε, καὶ τῆς Σεμέλης τὸν ζῆλον. Τὸν γὰρ Φρύγα Γανυμήδην, φασὶν, εἰς τὸ οἰνοχοεῖν ἀνήρπασε, Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν οἱ Κρονίδαι ἐποίησαν, Ὀ γᾶρ μεγαλώνυμος ὑμὼν ὸ Λητοΐδης, ὁ μαντικὴν ἐπαγγειλάμενος, ἑαυτὸν ἤλεγξεν ὅτι ψεύδεται, Δάφνην ἐδίωκεν, ἣν οὗ κατέλαβε · καὶ τῷ ερομένῳ uinci: Αἰακίδῃ σκεύοντι τὸν αὐτοῦ θάνατον οὒκ ἐμαντεύσατο. Ἀθηνᾶς γὰρ τὸ ἀνδρικὸν σιγῶ, καὶ Διονύσου τὸ θηλυκὸν, καὶ Ἀφροδίτης τὸ πορνικόν, Ἀνάγνωτε τῷ Διῒ, ἄνδρες ’Ελληνες, τὸν κατὰ πατραλοιῶν νόμον, καὶ τὸ μοιχείας πρόστιμον, καὶ τὴν παιδεριστίας αἰσχρότητα. Διδάξατε Ἀθηνᾶν καὶ ’Ἀρτεμιν τὰ τῶν γυναικῶν ἔργα, καὶ Διόνυσον τὰ ἆνδρῶν. Τί σεμνὸν ἐπιδείκνυται γυνὴ ὅπλοις κεκοσμημένη. ἀνὴρ δὲ κυμβάλοις καὶ στέμμασι καὶ ἐσθῆτι γυναικείᾳ καλλωπιζόμενος, καὶ ὀργιῶν σὺν ἀγέλη γυναικῶν ;

Allʼ epei Hēsiodos methʼ ’Omēron ’Erga te kai Hēmeras synegrapse, tis autou tę̄ lērōdei theogonią symbēsetai? Phasi [gar] Kronon ton Ouranou paida, tēs archēs kathelein ton patera, kai tōn skēptrōn labesthai; kai dieulabēthenta to homoion pathein, teknophagein helesthai; tę̄ de tōn Kourētōn epinoią ton Dia klapenta kai lathonta, desmois katheirxai ton patera, kai dianeimasthai, hōs logos, Ploutea tēn kathʼ hądou moiran lachein, Allʼ ho men Plouteus tēn Korēn hērpase kai hē Dēmētra alōmenē kata tas erēmous, to teknon ezētei, Kai touton ton mython eis hypsos ēgage to en Eleusini pyr. Palin ho Poseidōn Melanippēn men ę̄schynen hydreuomenēn, ochlǭ de Nērēidōn ouk oligōn (Ē) katechrēsato ; hōn ta onomata ean diēgōmetha, poly plēthos logōn katatripsomen, ’0 min oun Zeus,, moichos pollachē, epʼ Antiopę̄ men hōs satyros, kai Danaę̄ chrysos, kai epʼ Eurōpę̄ tauros ēn ; epterouto de para Lēdą, ’0 gar Semelēs erōs, kai autou tēn akrasian ēlenxe, kai tēs Semelēs ton zēlon. Ton gar Phryga Ganymēdēn, phasin, eis to oinochoein anērpase, Kai tauta men hoi Kronidai epoiēsan, O gar megalōnymos hymōn o Lētoïdēs, ho mantikēn epangeilamenos, heauton ēlenxen hoti pseudetai, Daphnēn ediōken, hēn hou katelabe ; kai tǭ eromenǭ uinci: Aiakidę̄ skeuonti ton autou thanaton ouk emanteusato. Athēnas gar to andrikon sigō, kai Dionysou to thēlykon, kai Aphroditēs to pornikon, Anagnōte tǭ Diï, andres ’Ellēnes, ton kata patraloiōn nomon, kai to moicheias prostimon, kai tēn paideristias aischrotēta. Didaxate Athēnan kai ’Artemin ta tōn gynaikōn erga, kai Dionyson ta andrōn. Ti semnon epideiknytai gynē hoplois kekosmēmenē. anēr de kymbalois kai stemmasi kai esthēti gynaikeią kallōpizomenos, kai orgiōn syn agelē gynaikōn ?

But since Hesiod after Homer wrote the Works and Days, who will agree with his drivelling theogony? For they say that Cronus, the son of Uranus, cast his father down from his rule and seized the sceptre; and that, being on his guard against suffering the same, he chose to eat his children; but that Zeus, stolen away and hidden by the device of the Curetes, bound his father in chains and divided (the rule), as the story goes, Pluto obtaining the portion of Hades. But Pluto carried off the Maiden, and Demeter, wandering through the deserts, searched for her child. And this myth the fire at Eleusis raised to great heights. Again, Poseidon disgraced Melanippe as she drew water, and abused a crowd of Nereids, not a few, whose names, if we were to recount them, would waste a great quantity of words. Zeus was an adulterer in many ways: with Antiope as a satyr, with Danaë as gold, and with Europa a bull; and he grew wings for Leda. The love of Semele convicted both his incontinence and Semele's jealousy. And they say he carried off the Phrygian Ganymede to pour his wine. These things the sons of Cronus did. And your far-famed son of Leto, who professed prophecy, convicted himself of lying: he pursued Daphne and did not catch her, and to his beloved … he did not foretell his death. I pass over in silence the manliness of Athena, the womanishness of Dionysus, and the harlotry of Aphrodite. Read to Zeus, men of Greece, the law against parricide, and the penalty for adultery, and the shamefulness of pederasty. Teach Athena and Artemis the works of women, and Dionysus those of men. What dignity does a woman show adorned with weapons, or a man prettified with cymbals and garlands and women's clothing, and celebrating orgies with a herd of women?

Notes and citation

Summary: Hesiod's gods commit parricide, rape, adultery, and pederasty, and their roles are absurdly confused.

Hesiod, Theogony 453–506. The name of Apollo's beloved (Hyacinthus, in other editions) is garbled in the scan and shown as "…". Several words are read by sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR; OCR: Latin letters for a Greek word): ἒπεὶ ιΗσίθδικε → ἐπεὶ Ἡσίοδος; Ὀμέρας → Ἡμέρας; συνβήσεταις → συμβήσεται;; Οὖρα νου παῖδα, τῆς ἀρχῆς καθελελν τὸν πατέρα, καὶτῶν → Οὐρανοῦ παῖδα, τῆς ἀρχῆς καθελεῖν τὸν πατέρα, καὶ τῶν; τεκ-ιοφαγεῖν → τεκνοφαγεῖν; καθεἶρξαι τὸν πατέρα, ναὶ διαείμασθκι → καθεῖρξαι τὸν πατέρα, καὶ διανείμασθαι; Πλουτέα τὴν γαθ ᾅδου → Πλουτέα τὴν καθʼ ᾅδου; Ἀθηνᾷς γὰρ τὸ ἀνδρικὸν σιγῶ, καὶ Διονύσου to θηλυκὸν, καὶ Ἀφροδίτης τὸ πορ-ιικόν → Ἀθηνᾶς γὰρ τὸ ἀνδρικὸν σιγῶ, καὶ Διονύσου τὸ θηλυκὸν, καὶ Ἀφροδίτης τὸ πορνικόν; τὸν κατὰ πατριleui»; νόμον → τὸν κατὰ πατραλοιῶν νόμον.

Extrabiblical texts: Hesiod, Theog. 453-506 (Hesiod, Theogony; allusion)

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Ps.-Justin, Or. Graec. 2 (PG 6:232a–233d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ps-justin-oratio/1/#p-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 3

3PG 6:233d–236d

Τὸν γὰρ τριέσπερον Ἀλκείδην, τῶν ἀγώνων ἡγήτορα ᾀδόμενον, τὸν τοῦ Διὸς υἱὸν, ὃς κατέπεφνε λέοντα, καὶ πολύκρανον ὤλεσεν ὕδραν. σῦν δʼ ἄγριον ἀκάματον ὁ νεκρώσας, ὄρνιθας δʼ ἀνδροδόρους ἱπταμένας καθελεῖν ὁ δυνηθεὶς, καὶ κύνα τρικάρηνον ἐξ ᾅδου ἀναγαγὼν, Αὐγείου δʼ ὀχυρὸν τεῖχος σκυβάλων καθελεῖν ὁ δυνηθεὶς, ταύρους δὲ καὶ ἔλαφον ἀνελὼν, ὧν μυξωτῆρες ἔπνεον πῦρ, καὶ καρπὸν χρύσεον στελέχους ἔλαβεν, ἑρπετὸν ἰοβόλον ἀνελών (καὶ Ἀχελῷον τίνος ἕνεκεν ἔκτανεν, οὐ θέμις εἰπεῖν, καὶ τὸν ξενοκτόνον Βούσιριν)· καὶ ὅρη πηδήσας, ἵνα λάβῃ ὕδωρ ἔναρθρον φωνὴν ἀποδιδὸν, ὡς λόγος· ὁ τὰ τοσαῦτα καὶ τοιαῦτα καὶ τηλικαῦτα δρᾶσαι δυνηθεὶς, ὼς νήπιος ὑπὸ σατύρων κατακυμβαλισθεὶς, καὶ ὑπὸ γυναικείου ἔρωτος ἡττηθεὶς, ὑπὸ Λυδῆς γελώσης κατὰ γλουτῶν τυπτόμενος ἥδετο. Καὶ τέλος, τὸν Νέσσειον χιτῶνα ἀποδύσασθαι μὴ δυνηθεὶς, πυρὰν αὑτοῦ αὐτὸς ποιήσας, τὲλος ἔλαβε τοῦ βίου. Θέτω τὸ ζῆλος Ἥφαιστος, καὶ μὴ φθονείτω εἰ πρεσβύτης ὢν καὶ κυλλὸς τὸν πόδα μεμίσητο, Ἄρης δὲ πεφίλητο, νέος ὢν καὶ ὡραῖος. Ἐπεὶ οὖν, ἄνδρες Ἕλληνες, οἱ μὲν θεοὶ ὑμῶν ὑπὸ ἀκρασίας ἠλέγχθησαν, ἄνανδροι δὲ οἱ ἥρωες ὑμῶν, ὡς αἱ παρʼ ὑμῖν δραματουργοὶ ἱστορίαι ἐδήλωσαν, τὰ μὲν Ἀτρέως ἄγη, Θυέστου λέχη, καὶ Πελοπιδῶν μύση, καὶ Δαναὸν φθόνῳ φονεύοντα, καὶ ἀτεκνοῦντα μεμεθυσμένον· καὶ τὰ Θυέστεια δεῖπνα Ἑριννύες ἤρτυον. Καὶ Πρόκνη μέχρι νῦν ἐπτερωμένη γοᾷ, καὶ ταύτης ἀδελφὴ γλωσσότμητος τέτριγεν ἡ Κεκροπίς. Τὰ γὰρ Οἱδιπόδου κέντρα τί δεῖ καὶ λέγειν; καὶ τὸν Λαΐου φόνον, καὶ μητρὸς γάμον, καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὑτοῦ καὶ τέκνων ἅμα ἁλληλοκτονίαν;

Ton gar triesperon Alkeidēn, tōn agōnōn hēgētora ądomenon, ton tou Dios huion, hos katepephne leonta, kai polykranon ōlesen hydran. syn dʼ agrion akamaton ho nekrōsas, ornithas dʼ androdorous hiptamenas kathelein ho dynētheis, kai kyna trikarēnon ex hądou anagagōn, Augeiou dʼ ochyron teichos skybalōn kathelein ho dynētheis, taurous de kai elaphon anelōn, hōn myxōtēres epneon pyr, kai karpon chryseon stelechous elaben, herpeton iobolon anelōn (kai Achelǭon tinos heneken ektanen, ou themis eipein, kai ton xenoktonon Bousirin); kai horē pēdēsas, hina labę̄ hydōr enarthron phōnēn apodidon, hōs logos; ho ta tosauta kai toiauta kai tēlikauta drasai dynētheis, ōs nēpios hypo satyrōn katakymbalistheis, kai hypo gynaikeiou erōtos hēttētheis, hypo Lydēs gelōsēs kata gloutōn typtomenos hēdeto. Kai telos, ton Nesseion chitōna apodysasthai mē dynētheis, pyran hautou autos poiēsas, telos elabe tou biou. Thetō to zēlos Hēphaistos, kai mē phthoneitō ei presbytēs ōn kai kyllos ton poda memisēto, Arēs de pephilēto, neos ōn kai hōraios. Epei oun, andres Hellēnes, hoi men theoi hymōn hypo akrasias ēlenchthēsan, anandroi de hoi hērōes hymōn, hōs hai parʼ hymin dramatourgoi historiai edēlōsan, ta men Atreōs agē, Thyestou lechē, kai Pelopidōn mysē, kai Danaon phthonǭ phoneuonta, kai ateknounta memethysmenon; kai ta Thyesteia deipna Herinnyes ērtyon. Kai Proknē mechri nyn epterōmenē goą, kai tautēs adelphē glōssotmētos tetrigen hē Kekropis. Ta gar Hoidipodou kentra ti dei kai legein? kai ton Laïou phonon, kai mētros gamon, kai tēn tōn adelphōn hautou kai teknōn hama hallēloktonian?

For the three-nights' son of Alcmene, sung as leader in the contests, the son of Zeus, who slew the lion and destroyed the many-headed hydra; who put to death the wild, tireless boar, and was able to bring down the man-eating birds in their flight, and brought the three-headed dog up from Hades; who was able to clear the strong walls of Augeas of dung, and killed the bulls and the stag whose nostrils breathed fire; who took the golden fruit from the tree, having slain the poisonous serpent (and why he killed Achelous it is not lawful to say, and the guest-killing Busiris), and leaped over mountains to get water that gave out an articulate voice, as the story goes: he who was able to do so many such great deeds, like a child was stunned with cymbals by satyrs, and overcome by love of a woman, and delighted to be struck on the buttocks by a laughing Lydian woman. And at last, unable to put off the tunic of Nessus, he made his own pyre and so ended his life. Let Hephaestus set aside his jealousy and not begrudge it, if he was hated as old and lame of foot, while Ares was loved as young and handsome. Since, then, men of Greece, your gods have been convicted of incontinence, and your heroes are unmanly, as the histories on which your dramas are built have shown: the curse of Atreus, the bed of Thyestes, the pollution of the Pelopids, Danaus murdering out of envy and, drunk (with rage), making (Aegyptus) childless; and the Furies prepared the Thyestean banquets. And Procne, turned into a bird, laments to this day, and her sister, the daughter of Cecrops, shrills with her tongue cut out. And why should one even speak of the goads of Oedipus, the murder of Laius, the marriage with his mother, and the mutual slaughter of those who were at once his brothers and his children?

Notes and citation

Summary: Heracles' labours end in shameful subjection to women, and Greek tragedy is full of crimes among gods and heroes.

"Three-nights'": Heracles was conceived in a night prolonged threefold. The sentence beginning "Since, then" is left incomplete in the Greek. Several words are garbled in the scan and read by sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR; OCR: Latin letters): ἆγώε νων ἡγήτορα → ἀγώνων ἡγήτορα; τΥν δʼ ἄγριον ἀκάματον ὁ νεκρώσας → σῦν δʼ ἄγριον ἀκάματον ὁ νεκρώσας; σκυβόιλων → σκυβάλων; ἓπνεον ’κῦρεxui. καρπὸν οχρύσεον στελέχους ἔλαβεν, ὲρπετὲν → ἔπνεον πῦρ, καὶ καρπὸν χρύσεον στελέχους ἔλαβεν, ἑρπετὸν; κατακυμὸαλισθεὶς → κατακυμβαλισθεὶς; ἀπώύσατθαι → ἀποδύσασθαι; Θέτω τὸ ζῆλος ”Ηφαιστος → Θέτω τὸ ζῆλος Ἥφαιστος; xui κυλλὸς → καὶ κυλλὸς; Ἀρρης δὲ πεφίλητο → Ἄρης δὲ πεφίλητο; ὴλέγχθησαν → ἠλέγχθησαν; ὲπτερωμένη → ἐπτερωμένη; xai. τὸν Λαΐου φόνον, καὶ μητρὺς γάμον → καὶ τὸν Λαΐου φόνον, καὶ μητρὸς γάμον.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Ps.-Justin, Or. Graec. 3 (PG 6:233d–236d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ps-justin-oratio/1/#p-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 4

4PG 6:236d–237b

Καὶ τὰς πανηγύρεις ὑμῶν μεμίσηκα. Ἀμετροι γὰρ ἐκεῖ πλησμοναὶ, καὶ αὐλοὶ γλαφυροὶ, ἐκκαλούμενοι πρὸς οἰστρώδεις κινήσεις ’ καὶ μύρων περίεργοι χρίσεις, καὶ στεφάνων περιθέσεις. Καὶ [τῷ] τοσούτῳ σωρῷ τῶν κακῶν τὴν αἰδῶ περιγράφετε· καὶ νοῦν πληροῦσθε, ὑπὸ ἀκρασίας ἐκβακχευόμενοι · καὶ ταῖς ἀνοσίοις καὶ λυσσώδεσι χρᾶσθαι εἰώθατε μίξεσιν. Εἴποιμι δʼ ἂν ὑμῖν ἔτι καὶ τοῦτο· τί ἀγανακτεῖς, ’Ἕλλην ὢν, πρὸς τὸ τέκνον σου, εἰ τὸν Δία μιμούμενος ἐπιβουλεύει σοι, καί σου τὸν γάμον σεσύληκε ; Τί τοῦτον ἐχθρὸν ἡγῇ, τὸν δὲ ὅμοιον αὐτῷ σέβῃ; Τί δὲ μέμφῃ σου τὴν γυναῖκα ἀκολάστως ζῶσαν, τὴν δὲ Ἀφροδίτην ναοῖς τετίμηκας, Καὶ εὶ μὲν ταῦτα ὑφʼ ἑτέρων ἧν εἰρημένα, κατηγορία ἔδοξεν εἶνάι ψιλὴ, καὶ οὔκ ἀλήθεια. Νὖν δὲ ταῦτα οἱ ὑμέτεροι ᾅδουσι ποιηταὶ, καὶ αἱ παρʼ ὑμῖν κεκράγασιν ἱστορίαι,

Kai tas panēgyreis hymōn memisēka. Ametroi gar ekei plēsmonai, kai auloi glaphyroi, ekkaloumenoi pros oistrōdeis kinēseis ’ kai myrōn periergoi chriseis, kai stephanōn peritheseis. Kai [tǭ] tosoutǭ sōrǭ tōn kakōn tēn aidō perigraphete; kai noun plērousthe, hypo akrasias ekbakcheuomenoi ; kai tais anosiois kai lyssōdesi chrasthai eiōthate mixesin. Eipoimi dʼ an hymin eti kai touto; ti aganakteis, ’Hellēn ōn, pros to teknon sou, ei ton Dia mimoumenos epibouleuei soi, kai sou ton gamon sesylēke ? Ti touton echthron hēgę̄, ton de homoion autǭ sebę̄? Ti de memphę̄ sou tēn gynaika akolastōs zōsan, tēn de Aphroditēn naois tetimēkas, Kai ei men tauta hyphʼ heterōn hēn eirēmena, katēgoria edoxen einai psilē, kai ouk alētheia. Nyn de tauta hoi hymeteroi hądousi poiētai, kai hai parʼ hymin kekragasin historiai,

And I have come to hate your festivals. For there are immoderate surfeits there, and subtle flutes calling out to frenzied movements, and elaborate anointings with perfumes, and the putting on of garlands. With such a heap of evils you erase shame, and you are filled with it in mind, maddened by incontinence; and you are accustomed to practise unholy and frenzied unions. And I would say this further to you: why are you, a Greek, indignant with your son if, imitating Zeus, he plots against you and has despoiled your marriage? Why do you think him your enemy, yet worship the one who is like him? And why do you blame your wife for living licentiously, yet have honoured Aphrodite with temples? If these things had been said by others, it would have seemed a bare accusation and not the truth. But as it is, your own poets sing these things, and your histories cry them aloud.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: Greek festivals breed excess and licentiousness; Greeks condemn in their families what they honour in their gods.

Migne prints "the" (τῷ) in square brackets. Several words are garbled in the scan and read by sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR; OCR: joined words): περίεργοιχρίσεις → περίεργοι χρίσεις; τοσούτῳ σε)φῷ → τοσούτῳ σωρῷ; περιγράφετε ἰ καὶ νοῦν πληρουσθε, ὑπὸ ὰκρασίας ἐκέαιιχευόμενοι → περιγράφετε· καὶ νοῦν πληροῦσθε, ὑπὸ ἀκρασίας ἐκβακχευόμενοι; ἁνοσίιις → ἀνοσίοις; αὖπῷ σέβῃ → αὐτῷ σέβῃ; γυιαϊκιι ἀκολάστως ζῶσαν, τὴ δὲ → γυναῖκα ἀκολάστως ζῶσαν, τὴν δὲ.

Topics: Ethics, Marriage

Cite (SBL): Ps.-Justin, Or. Graec. 4 (PG 6:236d–237b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ps-justin-oratio/1/#p-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 5

5PG 6:237b–240d

’Ελθετε λοιπὸν, ἄνδρες ’Ελληνες, καὶ σοφίᾳ ἀπαραμιλλήτῳ κοινωνήσατε · καὶ θείῳ λὸγῳ παιδεύθητε, καὶ μάθετε, βασιλέα ἄφθαρτον · καὶ τούτους τοὺς ἥρωας ἐπίγνωτε οὐχ ὅτε λαῶν φόνον ἐργαζομένους. Αὖτὸς γὰρ ἡμῶν, οὐ βούλεται σωμάτων ἀλκὴν, καὶ τύπων εὗμορφίαν, οὐδὲ εὐγενείας φρύαγμα. ἀλλὰ ψυχήν τε καθαρὰν, ὁσιότητι τετειχισμένην, ἤδη δὲ διηνεκῶς ἐπιστατῶν ἡμῖν ὁ θεῖος Λόγος, καὶ τὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἡμῶν συνθήματα, πράξεις θείας, ὡς διὰ Λόγου δυνάμεως εἰς ψυχὴν διικνουμένης, (ὡς σάλπιγξ εἰρηνικῆς ψυχῆς πολεμουμένης, ὦ παθῶν δεινῶν φυγαδευτήριον, ὢ πυρὸς ἐμψύχου σβεστικὸν διδασκάλιον) ἥτις οὗ ποιητὰς ποιεῖ, οὗ φιλοσόφους κατα. σκευάζει, οὐδὲ ῥήτορας δεινούς· ἀλλὰ, παιδεύουσα, ποιεῖ τοὺς θνητοὺς ἀθανάτους, τοὺς βροτοὺς θεοὺς, ἐκ γῆς δὲ μετοικίζει εἰς τοὺς ὑπὲρ ’Ὄλυμπον ὅρους. Ἔλθετε, παιδεύθητε · γένεσθε ὡς ἐγώ · ὅτι κὰγῶ ἥμην ὡς ὑμεῖς, Ταῦτα με εἷλε, τό τε τῆς παιδείας ἔνθεον καὶ τὸ τοῦ Λόγου δυνατόν · ὅτι καθάπερ ἐπαοιδὸς ἀγαθὸς, ἐκ φωλεοῦ ἐξερπύσαι ποιησας, φυγαδεύει δεινὸν ἑρπετόν · οὕτως ὁ Λόγος ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς μυχῶν τὰ δεινὰ τῆς αἰσθήσεως ἆπελαύνει πάθη · πρῶτον ἐπιθυμίαν, διʼ ἧς πᾶν δεινὸν ' ι ν- 1 γ ι ν ὃμοια του-τοις, ιιπιθυμιις ουν απελιθείτης, ευς ἠ ulva/ﬁ καὶ γαληνιῶσα γίνεται, Περιὶιθεῐπ τῶν περὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτῆς κακῶν περιῤῥεόνν, ἆπέρχεται πρὸς τὸν ποιήσαντι αὑτήν, Δεῖ γὰρ οκατιστιθῆναι ὅθεν ἀπέστη, ὅθεν τις ἒγένετο, ἦ

’Elthete loipon, andres ’Ellēnes, kai sophią aparamillētǭ koinōnēsate ; kai theiǭ logǭ paideuthēte, kai mathete, basilea aphtharton ; kai toutous tous hērōas epignōte ouch hote laōn phonon ergazomenous. Autos gar hēmōn, ou bouletai sōmatōn alkēn, kai typōn heumorphian, oude eugeneias phryagma. alla psychēn te katharan, hosiotēti teteichismenēn, ēdē de diēnekōs epistatōn hēmin ho theios Logos, kai ta tou basileōs hēmōn synthēmata, praxeis theias, hōs dia Logou dynameōs eis psychēn diiknoumenēs, (hōs salpinx eirēnikēs psychēs polemoumenēs, ō pathōn deinōn phygadeutērion, ō pyros empsychou sbestikon didaskalion) hētis hou poiētas poiei, hou philosophous kata. skeuazei, oude rhētoras deinous; alla, paideuousa, poiei tous thnētous athanatous, tous brotous theous, ek gēs de metoikizei eis tous hyper ’Olympon horous. Elthete, paideuthēte ; genesthe hōs egō ; hoti kagō hēmēn hōs hymeis, Tauta me heile, to te tēs paideias entheon kai to tou Logou dynaton ; hoti kathaper epaoidos agathos, ek phōleou exerpysai poiēsas, phygadeuei deinon herpeton ; houtōs ho Logos ex autōn tōn tēs psychēs mychōn ta deina tēs aisthēseōs apelaunei pathē ; prōton epithymian, diʼ hēs pan deinon ' i n- 1 g i n homoia tou-tois, iipithymiis oun apelitheitēs, eus ē ulva/ﬁ kai galēniōsa ginetai, Periiitheip tōn peri ton trachēlon autēs kakōn perirrheonn, aperchetai pros ton poiēsanti hautēn, Dei gar okatistithēnai hothen apestē, hothen tis egeneto, ē

Come, then, men of Greece, and share in incomparable wisdom; be taught by the divine Word, and learn of the incorruptible King; and do not recognize as heroes those who work slaughter of nations. For our own Ruler, the divine Word, who is already continually set over us, does not wish for strength of body or beauty of form or the haughtiness of noble birth, but a pure soul, walled about with holiness, and the watchwords of our King, divine deeds; for through the Word power passes through into the soul. (O trumpet of peace for the soul at war! O place of refuge from terrible passions! O teaching that quenches the fire within the soul!) This teaching does not make poets, does not equip philosophers or clever orators; but by its instruction it makes mortals immortal, mortals gods, and carries them from earth to the regions beyond Olympus. Come, be taught; become as I am, for I too was as you are. These things conquered me: the divinity of the teaching and the power of the Word. For as a good charmer makes a terrible serpent creep out of its den and drives it off, so the Word drives out from the very recesses of the soul the terrible passions of sense: first desire, through which every terrible thing (is born), … and things like these. Desire, then, being driven out, the soul becomes calm and serene. And freed from the evils that flowed about its neck, it goes back to the one who made it. For it must be restored to the place from which it departed, from which it came to be, …

Gal 4:12 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 1:17 (echo, medium confidence) · 2 Pet 1:4 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Greeks should come to the divine Word, who makes mortals immortal by driving the passions from the soul and restoring it to its Maker.

"Makes … mortals gods": the author's language for the soul's share in immortality. The scan is garbled in the list of passions after "every terrible thing" (the sense: hatred, strife, envy, rivalry, anger) and breaks off at the end of the chapter; both places are shown as "…".

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR; OCR: Latin letters for a Greek word): ἐπίγνωτε οὐχ ὅτε hqu φόνον → ἐπίγνωτε οὐχ ὅτε λαῶν φόνον; οὔ βούλεαι → οὐ βούλεται; εὖγενείπις → εὐγενείας; διϊκουμὲνης → διικνουμένης; σβεστιιὸν διδασκάλων → σβεστικὸν διδασκάλιον; μετοίγει εἷς τοὺς → μετοικίζει εἰς τοὺς; "Bittius, παιδεύβητε → Ἔλθετε, παιδεύθητε; xxi τὸ τοῦ Λόγοι) δυνατόν → καὶ τὸ τοῦ Λόγου δυνατόν; καθάπερ ἐπαmea; ἀγαθὸς → καθάπερ ἐπαοιδὸς ἀγαθὸς.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Ps.-Justin, Or. Graec. 5 (PG 6:237b–240d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/ps-justin-oratio/1/#p-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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