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 Second Book.

10. But if any quibbler, from the fact that I said that God is the Maker and Creator of all things, thinks that I said that He is also Creator of Christ, let him observe that I first called Him Father, in which word the Son also is at the same time expressed.119 Ibid., 4. 20. For after I called the Father the Creator, I added, Neither is He the Father of those things whereof He is Creator, if He who begot is properly understood to be a Father (for we will consider the latitude of this word Father in what follows). Nor is a maker a father, if it is only a framer who is called a maker. For among the Greeks, they who are wise are said to be makers of their books. The apostle also says, “a doer (scil. maker) of the law.”120 Rom. ii. 13; James iv. 12. The Greek word ποιητής meaning either maker or doer, causes the ambiguity here and below. Moreover, of matters of the heart, of which kind are virtue and vice, men are called doers (scil. makers); after which manner God said, “I expected that it should make judgment, but it made iniquity.”121 Isa. v. 7.

11. That neither must this saying be thus blamed;122 Athanasius adds (ut supra, 4. 21), that Dionysius gave various replies to those that blamed him for saying that God is the Maker of Christ, whereby he cleared himself. for he says that he used the name of Maker on account of the flesh which the Word had assumed, and which certainly was made. But if any one should suspect that that had been said of the Word, even this also was to be heard without contentiousness. For as I do not think that the Word was a thing made, so I do not say that God was its Maker, but its Father. Yet still, if at any time, discoursing of the Son, I may have casually said that God was His Maker, even this mode of speaking would not be without defence. For the wise men among the Greeks call themselves the makers of their books, although the same are fathers of their books. Moreover, divine Scripture calls us makers of those motions which proceed from the heart, when it calls us doers of the law of judgment and of justice.