Fathers

Homilies on Genesis, Homilia II · §2

Apelles’ objection and the geometric cubit

Apelles, Marcion’s pupil, objected that so brief a space could not hold so many kinds of animals and a year’s food. The answer: Moses, trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, set a geometric cubit — by the solid cubit’s “power” the spaces enlarge. So the ark could hold the world’s seeds for restoration.

Latin

Apelles Marcionis discipulus obiecit spatium breve tot genera animalium cibosque anni non capere. Respondetur: Moyses omni sapientia Aegyptiorum eruditus cubitum geometricum posuit — virtute cubiti solidi spatia crescunt. Ita arca totius mundi germina reparanda capere potuit.

About this text

Origen’s Homilia II on Genesis (Rufinus’s Latin). Complete on this page: §§1–6.

English follows Baehrens, Origenes Werke VI (GCS 29, 1920), Rufinus’s Latin of Homilia II. Heine FOTC 71 was not used as wording. This page is Homilia II §§1–6 (closeout).

Witnesses

  • Copy-text Baehrens, Origenes Werke VI = GCS 29 (1920) (Latin · Homilia II §§1–6)

English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.