Bodily difference of seed and child
So that this may be seen, let us first look bodily at the difference of seed and child. Clearly a seed holds the reasons of the sower still quiet and stored within it.
But a child comes to be when the seed has changed and worked the matter around it, having been formed and made ready for birth.
Greek
Ἵν᾽ οὖν ταῦτα θεωρηθῇ, ἴδωμεν πρῶτον σωματικῶς σπέρματος καὶ τέκνου διαφοράν. καὶ σαφές γε ὅτι τὸ μὲν σπέρμα τινὸς ἔχει τοὺς λόγους τοῦ σπείραντος ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἔτι ἡσυχάζοντας καὶ ἀποκειμένους.
τὸ δὲ τέκνον, μεταβαλόντος τοῦ σπέρματος καὶ ἐργασαμένου τὴν περικειμένην αὐτῷ ὕλην, μορφωθὲν καὶ εἰς γένεσιν εὐτρεπισθὲν ὑφίσταται.
About this text
Origen’s Commentary on John, Book 20 (later tomoi). Complete on this page: §§1–44.
English follows Preuschen, Origenes Werke IV (GCS 10, 1903). Heine FOTC was not used as wording. This page is Book 20 §§1–44 of the later books (13, 19, 20, 28, 32).
Witnesses
- Copy-text Preuschen, Origenes Werke IV = GCS 10 (1903) (Greek · Book 20 §§1–44)
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.