Against fate-talk (Philoc. 19)
Fate-language that cancels counsel and commandment is refused; Scripture’s warnings assume real choice under providence.
Greek
1. Περὶ μὲν οὖν τοῦ Ἀντινόου ἤ τινος ἄλλου τοιούτου, εἴτε παρʼ Αἰγυπτίοις εἴτε παρʼ Ἕλλησι, πίστις ἐστὶν, ἵνʼ οὕτως ὀνομάσω, ἀτυχής· περὶ δὲ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἤτοι δόξασα ἂν εἶναι εὐτυχὴς ἢ καὶ βεβασανισμένως ἐξητασμένη, δοκοῦσα μὲν εὐτυχὴς παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς βεβασανισμένως δὲ ἐξητασμένη παρὰ πάνυ ὀλιγωτάτοις. κἂν λέγω δέ τινα πίστιν εἶναι, ὡς ἄν οἱ πολλοὶ ὀνομάσαιεν, εὐτυχῆ· καὶ περὶ ταύτης ἀναφέρω τὸν λόγον ἐπὶ τὸν εἰδότα θεὸν τὰς αἰτίας τῶν ἑκάστῳ μεμερισμένων ἐπιδημοῦντι τῷ βίῳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. καὶ Ἕλληνες δὲ φήσουσι καὶ ἐν τοῖς νομιζομένοις εἶναι σοφωτάτοις κατὰ πολλὰ τὴν εὐτυχίαν εἶναι αἰτίαν, οἶον περὶ διδασκάλων τοιῶνδε καὶ τοῦ περιπεσεῖν τοῖς κρείττοσιν, ὄντων καὶ τῶν τὰς ἐναντίας αἱρέσεις διδασκόντων, καὶ περὶ ἀνατροφῆς τῆς ἐν βελτίοσι. πολλοῖς γὰρ καὶ τὰ τῆς ἀνατροφῆς ἐν τοιούτοις γεγένηται ὡς μηδὲ φαντασίαν ἐπιτραπῆναι τῶν κρειττόνων λαβεῖν, ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ καὶ ἐκ πρώτης ἡλικίας ἤτοι ἐν παιδικο…
About this text
Origen’s Philocalia (Greek anthology). SERIES on this page: §§1–27 (sampled bookends).
English follows Robinson 1893 Greek. George Lewis 1911 was not used as wording. Philocalia SERIES CLOSEOUT §§1–27.
Witnesses
- Copy-text J. A. Robinson, Cambridge 1893 — Greek (Greek · Philocalia §§1–27 SERIES)
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.