Extant Fragments.

 Containing Various Sections of the Works.

 The Works of Dionysius.

 From the Books on Nature.

 I. In Opposition to Those of the School of Epicurus Who Deny the Existence of a Providence, and Refer the Constitution of the Universe to Atomic Bodie

 II. A Refutation of This Dogma on the Ground of Familiar Human Analogies.

 III. A Refutation on the Ground of the Constitution of the Universe.

 IV. A Refutation of the Same on the Grounds of the Human Constitution.

 V. That to Work is Not a Matter of Pain and Weariness to God.

 These certainly are not to be deemed pious who hold that matter is ungenerated, while they allow, indeed, that it is brought under the hand of God so

 Epistle to Dionysius Bishop of Rome.

 From the First Book.

 From the Same First Book.

 From the Same First Book.

 From the Second Book.

 From the Same Second Book.

 From the Same Second Book.

 From the Third Book.

 From the Fourth Book.

 About the Middle of the Treatise.

 And Again:

 The Conclusion of the Entire Treatise.

 The Epistle to Bishop Basilides.

 Canon I.

 Canon II.

 Canon III.

 Canon IV.

 Containing Epistles, or Fragments of Epistles.

 Part II.—Containing Epistles, or Fragments of Epistles.

 Dionysius to Novatus his brother, greeting. If you were carried on against your will, as you say, you will show that such has been the case by your vo

 1. The persecution with us did not commence with the imperial edict, but preceded it by a whole year. And a certain prophet and poet, an enemy to this

 In addition to all these, he writes likewise to Cornelius at Rome after receiving his Epistle against Novatus. And in that letter he also shows that h

 Understand, however, my brother, that all the churches located in the east, and also in remoter districts,

 1. Previously, indeed, (Stephen) had written letters about Helanus and Firmilianus, and about all who were established throughout Cilicia and Cappadoc

 I indeed gave attention to reading the books and carefully studying the traditions of heretics, to the extent indeed of corrupting my soul with their

 For we rightly repulse Novatian, who has rent the Church, and has drawn away some of the brethren to impiety and blasphemies who has brought into the

 For truly, brother, I have need of advice, and I crave your judgment, lest perchance I should be mistaken upon the matters which in such wise happen t

 1. Now I speak also before God, and He knoweth that I lie not: it was not by my own choice, neither was it without divine instruction, that I took to

 1. But Gallus did not understand the wickedness of Decius, nor did he note beforehand what it was that wrought his ruin. But he stumbled at the very s

 1. To other men, indeed, the present state of matters would not appear to offer a fit season for a festival: and this certainly is no festal time to t

 1. But what wonder should there be if I find it difficult to communicate by letter with those who are settled in remote districts, when it seems beyon

 Love is altogether and for ever on the alert, and casts about to do some good even to one who is unwilling to receive it. And many a time the man who

 Elucidations.

From the Same First Book.

6. But when I spoke of things created, and certain works to be considered, I hastily put forward illustrations of such things, as it were little appropriate, when I said neither is the plant the same as the husbandman, nor the boat the same as the boatbuilder.117 From Athan., Ep. de decret. Nic. Syn., 4. 18. [See remarks on inevitable discrepancies of language and figurative illustrations at this formative period, vol. iv. p. 223.] Of Sixtus, bishop of Rome. [a.d. 257]. But then I lingered rather upon things suitable and more adapted to the nature of the thing, and I unfolded in many words, by various carefully considered arguments, what things were more true; which things, moreover, I have set forth to you in another letter. And in these things I have also proved the falsehood of the charge which they bring against me—to wit, that I do not maintain that Christ is consubstantial with God. For although I say that I have never either found or read this word in the sacred Scriptures, yet other reasonings, which I immediately subjoined, are in no wise discrepant from this view, because I brought forward as an illustration human offspring, which assuredly is of the same kind as the begetter; and I said that parents are absolutely distinguished from their children by the fact alone that they themselves are not their children, or that it would assuredly be a matter of necessity that there would neither be parents nor children. But, as I said before, I have not the letter in my possession, on account of the present condition of affairs; otherwise I would have sent you the very words that I then wrote, yea, and a copy of the whole letter, and I will send it if at any time I shall have the opportunity. I remember, further, that I added many similitudes from things kindred to one another. For I said that the plant, whether it grows up from seed or from a root, is different from that whence it sprouted, although it is absolutely of the same nature; and similarly, that a river flowing from a spring takes another form and name: for that neither is the spring called the river, nor the river the spring, but that these are two things, and that the spring indeed is, as it were, the father, while the river is the water from the spring. But they feign that they do not see these things and the like to them which are written, as if they were blind; but they endeavour to assail me from a distance with expressions too carelessly used, as if they were stones, not observing that on things of which they are ignorant, and which require interpretation to be understood, illustrations that are not only remote, but even contrary, will often throw light.