Chapter 27

"I, O king, came into the world by the providence of God; and beholding the heaven and the earth and the sea, the sun and the moon and the rest, I marvelled at their ordering. And seeing the world and all that is in it, that it is moved by necessity, I understood that the one who moves and sustains it is God; for everything that moves is stronger than what is moved, and what sustains is stronger than what is sustained. Him, then, I say to be God, who established all things and sustains them, without beginning and everlasting, immortal and self-sufficient, above all the passions and defects — anger and forgetfulness and ignorance and the rest. Through him all things subsist. He has no need of sacrifice or libation, nor of any visible thing; but all things have need of him. These things having been so said concerning God, so far as it was given me to speak of him, let us come also to the human race, that we may see which of them share in the truth and which in error.

For it is plain to us, O king, that there are three races of men in this world: among whom are the worshippers of those you call gods, and the Jews, and the Christians. And these in turn, who worship many gods, are divided into three races: Chaldeans and Greeks and Egyptians; for these became the originators and teachers to the rest of the nations of the worship and adoration of the gods of many names. Let us see, then, which of these share in the truth and which in error. The Chaldeans, who did not know God, went astray after the elements and began to worship the creation rather than the One who created them; and making certain figures of these, they named them representations of the heaven and the earth and the sea, of the sun and the moon, and of the rest of the elements or luminaries, and, shutting them up in temples, they bow down and call them gods, and keep them securely lest they be stolen by robbers. And they did not understand that what keeps is greater than what is kept, and the maker is greater than what is made; for if their gods are powerless concerning their own preservation, how will they grant preservation to others? Into great error, then, the Chaldeans went astray, worshipping dead and useless images. And it comes to me to marvel, O king, how those called their philosophers did not at all understand that the elements themselves are corruptible. But if the elements are corruptible and subject to necessity, how are they gods?

And if the elements are not gods, how are the images, which were made in their honour, gods? Let us come, then, O king, to the elements themselves, that we may show concerning them that they are not gods, but corruptible and changeable, brought forth from nothing by the command of the truly existing God, who is incorruptible and unchangeable and invisible; but he himself sees all things, and, as he wills, alters and transforms them. What, then, shall I say concerning the elements? Those who suppose the heaven to be a god are in error. For we see it turning and moving by necessity, and composed of many parts; whence it is also called a kosmos (an ordered world). But a kosmos is the construction of some craftsman; and what is constructed has a beginning and an end. And the heaven moves by necessity with its luminaries; for the stars, borne in order and at intervals from sign to sign, some set, some rise, and at their seasons make their course, to bring about summers and winters, as has been appointed them by God; and they do not transgress their own bounds, by an inexorable necessity of nature, together with the heavenly order. Whence it is plain that the heaven is not a god, but a work of God. And those who suppose the earth to be a goddess are in error. For we see it abused by men and mastered and worked and made useless. For if it is baked, it becomes dead; for nothing grows from a potsherd. And further, if it is too much soaked,

both it and its fruits perish. And it is trodden under by men and the rest of the animals, defiled with the blood of the slain, dug through, becomes a tomb of dead bodies. These things being so, it is not possible that the earth is a goddess, but a work of God for the use of men. And those who suppose the water to be a god are in error. For it too was made for the use of men, and is mastered by them, defiled and corrupted, and altered by being boiled and changed in colour, and frozen by the cold, and brought to the washing of all unclean things. Therefore it is impossible that the water is a god, but it is a work of God. And those who suppose the fire to be a god are in error. For it too was made for the use of men, and is mastered by them, carried about from place to place for the boiling and roasting of all kinds of meats, and even of dead bodies. And it perishes in many ways, being quenched by men. Therefore it is not possible that the fire is a god, but it is a work of God. And those who suppose the breath of the winds to be a goddess are in error; for it is plain that it serves another, and was fashioned by God for the sake of men, for the conveying of ships and the gathering of grain, and for their other needs; it waxes and wanes by the command of God. Therefore the breath of the winds is not held to be a goddess, but a work of God. And those who suppose the sun to be a god are in error. For we see it moving by necessity and turning, and passing from sign to sign,

setting and rising, to warm the plants and shoots for the use of men, and further having divisions of its course with the rest of the stars, and being much less than the heaven, and failing of its light, and having no sovereignty of its own. Therefore the sun is not held to be a god, but a work of God. And those who suppose the moon to be a goddess are in error. For we see it moving by necessity and turning, and passing from sign to sign, setting and rising for the need of men, and being less than the sun, waxing and waning and having eclipses. Therefore the moon is not held to be a goddess, but a work of God. And those who suppose man to be a god are in error. For we see him moving by necessity, and nourished and growing old, even against his will. And at one time he rejoices, at another he grieves, having need of food and drink and clothing. And he is given to anger and jealousy and desire, and to regret, and has many defects. And he perishes in many ways, by the elements and by animals, and by the death that lies upon him. It is not possible, then, that man is a god, but a work of God. Into great error, then, the Chaldeans went astray, after their own desires. For they worship the corruptible elements and the dead images, and do not perceive that they are making these into gods.

Let us come, then, to the Greeks, that we may see whether they have any understanding concerning God. The Greeks, then, who say they are wise, became more foolish than the Chaldeans, introducing that many gods had come into being, some male, some female, the makers of all kinds of passions and of every sort of lawless deed. Whence the Greeks, O king, introduced ridiculous and foolish and impious words, calling those gods who are no gods, according to their wicked desires, so that, having these as advocates of their wickedness, they might commit adultery, plunder, murder, and do the most dreadful things. For if their gods did such things, how shall they too not do the like? From these practices of error, then, it came about that men have continual wars, and slaughters, and bitter captivities. But if we are willing to come in our discourse to each of their gods, you will see great absurdity. The first introduced among them before all is the god called Kronos, and to him they sacrifice their own children — he who had many children by Rhea, and going mad devoured his own children. And they say that Zeus cut off his members and threw them into the sea, whence Aphrodite is fabled to be born.

So Zeus bound his own father and threw him into Tartarus. Do you see the error and licentiousness they introduce against their god? Is it possible, then, for a god to be bound and mutilated? Oh, the folly! Who of those that have understanding would say these things? Second is introduced Zeus, whom they say reigned over their gods, and transformed himself into animals, that he might commit adultery with mortal women. For they introduce him transformed into a bull for Europa, and into gold for Danae, and into a swan for Leda, and into a satyr for Antiope, and into a thunderbolt for Semele; then that from these were born many children: Dionysus, and Zethus and Amphion, and Heracles, and Apollo and Artemis, and Perseus, Castor and Helen and Polydeuces, and Minos, and Rhadamanthus,

and Sarpedon, and the nine daughters whom they named the Muses. Then likewise they introduce the tale of Ganymede. So it came about, O king, that men imitate all these things, and become adulterers and given to unnatural lust, and workers of other dreadful deeds, in imitation of their god. How, then, is it possible for a god to be an adulterer or a pederast or a father-slayer? Together with this they also introduce a certain Hephaestus as a god, and him lame, holding a hammer and tongs, and working as a smith for the sake of food. So then he is needy; which it is not possible — that a god should be lame and have need of men. Then they introduce Hermes as a god, lustful and a thief and grasping and a sorcerer, and crook-handed and an interpreter of words. Which it is not possible — that a god should be such. And they introduce Asclepius as a god, being a physician and preparing drugs and the compounding of plasters, for the sake of food (for he was needy); but afterward he was struck by a thunderbolt by Zeus on account of Tyndareus son of Lacedaemon, and died. But if Asclepius, being a god and struck by a thunderbolt, could not help himself, how will he help others? Ares is introduced as a god, a warrior and jealous,

and a lover of flocks and of certain other things; but afterward, while committing adultery with Aphrodite, he was bound by the infant Eros and by Hephaestus. How, then, is he a god, who is lustful and a warrior and bound and an adulterer? And they introduce Dionysus as a god, holding nocturnal feasts and a teacher of drunkenness, and carrying off the wives of his neighbours, and raving and fleeing; but afterward he was slaughtered by the Titans. If, then, Dionysus, being slaughtered, could not help himself, but was also raving and drunken and a runaway, how could he be a god? And they introduce Heracles as having become drunk and gone mad, and slaughtered his own children, then consumed by fire and so died. How, then, could he be a god, a drunkard and a slayer of his own children, and burned up? Or how will he help others, being unable to help himself? And they introduce Apollo as a god, jealous, and further holding a bow and a quiver, and at times a lyre and a flute, and prophesying to men for hire. So then he is needy; which it is not possible — that a god should be needy and jealous and a lyre-player. And they introduce Artemis as his sister, a huntress, and that she has a bow with a quiver, and roams over the mountains alone with the dogs,

that she may hunt a deer or a boar. How, then, will such a woman be a goddess, a huntress and roaming with the dogs? And Aphrodite too they say is a goddess, an adulteress. For at one time she had Ares as a lover, at another Anchises, at another Adonis, whose death too she weeps, seeking her lover; and they say she even goes down to Hades, to buy back Adonis from Persephone. Have you seen, O king, a folly greater than this — to introduce as a goddess one who commits adultery and laments and weeps? And they introduce Adonis as a god, a huntsman, and that he died violently, struck by a boar, unable to help himself in his misery. How, then, will the adulterer and huntsman and one violently dead take thought for men? All these things, and many such, and many far more shameful and wicked, the Greeks introduced, O king, concerning their gods — things which it is not lawful to speak, nor to bring at all to remembrance; whence men, taking occasion from their gods, practised every lawlessness and licentiousness and impiety, defiling earth and air with their dreadful deeds.

But the Egyptians, being more stupid and senseless than these, went astray worse than all the nations. For they were not content with the objects of worship of the Chaldeans and the Greeks, but introduced still further that irrational animals, both of the land and of the water, and plants and shoots, are gods; and they were defiled in every madness and licentiousness worse than all the nations on earth. For from the beginning they worshipped Isis, who had as brother and husband Osiris, who was slaughtered by his brother Typhon. And for this reason Isis flees with Horus her son to Byblos in Syria, seeking Osiris, bitterly lamenting, until Horus grew up and killed Typhon. So then neither was Isis able to help her own brother and husband; nor was Osiris, slaughtered by Typhon, able to lay hold of himself; nor did Typhon the brother-slayer, perishing by Horus and Isis, find means to deliver himself from death. And being known by such misfortunes, they themselves were held to be gods by the senseless Egyptians.

Who, not being content even with these or with the rest of the objects of worship of the nations, introduced the irrational animals also as gods. For some of them worshipped the sheep, some the goat, others the calf and the pig, others the raven and the hawk and the vulture and the eagle, and others the crocodile, some the cat and the dog, and the wolf and the ape, and the serpent and the asp, and others the onion and the garlic and thorns, and the rest of created things. And the wretches do not perceive, concerning all these, that they are powerless. For seeing their gods eaten by other men, and burned and slaughtered and rotting, they did not understand concerning them that they are not gods. Into great error, then, went astray both the Egyptians and the Chaldeans and the Greeks, introducing such gods, and making images of them, and deifying the dumb and senseless idols. And I marvel how, seeing their gods sawn and hewn by the craftsmen, and made old by time and dissolved and melted down, they did not consider concerning them that they are not gods. For when they are powerless concerning their own preservation, how will they take thought for men? But their poets and philosophers, both of the Chaldeans and Greeks and Egyptians, wishing by their poems and writings to glorify the gods among them, the more uncovered their shame and set it forth naked before all. For if the body of man, being of many parts, casts off none of its own

members, but, having an indissoluble union with all its members, is in concord with itself, how shall there be in the nature of a god such strife and discord? For if the gods were of one nature, a god ought not to pursue a god, nor slaughter, nor do evil; but if the gods were pursued and slaughtered by gods, and seized and struck by thunderbolts, there is no longer one nature, but divided minds, all of them evil-doing, so that none of them is a god. It is plain, then, O king, that all the natural philosophy concerning the gods is error. And how did the wise and learned among the Greeks not understand that those who lay down laws are judged by their own laws? For if the laws are just, their gods are certainly unjust, having done lawless things — mutual slaughters and sorceries, and adulteries and thefts and lyings with males. But if they did these things well, then the laws are unjust, having been composed against the gods. But now the laws are good and just, praising the good and forbidding the evil; while the deeds of their gods are lawless. Their gods, then, are lawless, and all liable to death, and impious are those who introduce such gods. For if the stories about them are mythical, they are nothing but mere words; but if natural, then those who did and suffered these things are no longer gods; and if allegorical, they are myths and nothing else.

It has been shown, then, O king, that all these objects of polytheistic worship are works of error and ruin. It is not right, then, to name as gods things visible and that do not see; but the invisible One, who made all, must be worshipped as God. Let us come, then, O king, to the Jews also, that we may see what they too hold concerning God. For these, being descendants of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, sojourned in Egypt. And from there God led them out with a mighty hand and an uplifted arm through Moses their lawgiver, and made known to them his own power by many wonders and signs. But they too, showing themselves thankless and useless, often served the objects of worship of the nations, and killed the prophets and righteous men sent to them. Then, when the Son of God was pleased to come to earth, they outraged him, and betrayed him to Pilate the governor of the Romans, and condemned him to the cross, not reverencing his benefactions and the countless miracles which he worked among them. Therefore they perished by their own lawlessness. For even now they worship God the only Almighty, but not according to knowledge; for they deny Christ the Son of God, and are like the nations, even though they seem somehow to approach the truth, from which they have removed themselves far. So much concerning the Jews. But the Christians trace their genealogy from the Lord Jesus Christ. And he is confessed to be the Son of the Most High God, who, in the Holy

Spirit, came down from heaven for the salvation of men, and being born of a holy Virgin without seed and without corruption took flesh, and appeared to men, that he might recall them from the polytheistic error. And having completed his wondrous dispensation, he tasted death by the cross by his own will, according to a great dispensation; but after three days he rose again and ascended into heaven. The glory of his coming you may learn, O king, from the holy Scripture called by them the Gospel, if you will read it. He had twelve disciples, who, after his ascension into heaven, went out into the provinces of the world, and taught his greatness; just as one of them went round our regions, preaching the doctrine of the truth. Whence those who still serve the righteousness of their preaching are called Christians. And these are they who, beyond all the nations of the earth, have found the truth; for they know God, the Maker and Creator of all things, in the only-begotten Son and the Holy Spirit, and they worship no other god besides him. They have the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ himself engraved on their hearts, and they keep these, awaiting the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come. They do not commit adultery, they do not fornicate, they do not bear false witness, they do not covet the goods of others, they honour father and mother, and love their neighbours, they judge justly, whatever they do not wish to happen to themselves they do not do to another, they comfort those who wrong them and make them their friends, they are eager to do good to their enemies, they are gentle and forbearing, they abstain from all unlawful intercourse and from all uncleanness,

they do not overlook the widow, they do not grieve the orphan; he who has supplies ungrudgingly to him who has not; if they see a stranger, they bring him under their roof, and rejoice over him as over a true brother; for they call one another brothers not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. They are ready to give up their souls for Christ; for they keep his commandments securely, living holily and justly, as the Lord God commanded them, giving thanks to him at every hour in all food and drink and the rest of their good things. Truly, then, this is the road of truth, which leads those who travel it to the eternal kingdom, promised by Christ in the life to come. And that you may know, O king, that I do not say these things of myself, by looking into the Scriptures of the Christians you will find that I say nothing beyond the truth. Well, then, did your son understand, and justly was he taught to serve the living God and to be saved unto the age that is to come. For great and wondrous are the things said and done by the Christians; for they speak not the words of men, but those of God. But the rest of the nations are deceived and deceive themselves; for walking in darkness they dash against one another like drunken men. Thus far is my discourse to you, O king, dictated in my mind by the truth. Therefore let your senseless wise men cease their idle babbling against the Lord; for it is profitable for you to worship God the Maker and

to give ear to his incorruptible words, that, escaping judgement and punishment, you may be shown to be heirs of imperishable life."