Chapter XXXVIII.—The Teachings of the Greek Poets and Philosophers Confirmatory of Those of the Hebrew Prophets.

But what matters it whether they were before or after them? Certainly they did at all events utter things confirmatory of the prophets. Concerning the burning up of the world, Malachi the prophet foretold: “The day of the Lord cometh as a burning oven, and shall consume all the wicked.”105    Mal. iv. 1. And Isaiah: “For the wrath of God is as a violent hail-storm, and as a rushing mountain torrent.”106    Isa. xxx. 30. The Sibyl, then, and the other prophets, yea, and the poets and philosophers, have clearly taught both concerning righteousness, and judgment, and punishment; and also concerning providence, that God cares for us, not only for the living among us, but also for those that are dead: though, indeed, they said this unwillingly, for they were convinced by the truth. And among the prophets indeed, Solomon said of the dead, “There shall be healing to thy flesh, and care taken of thy bones.”107    Prov. iii. 8. And the same says David, “The bones which Thou hast broken shall rejoice.”108    Ps. li. 8. And in agreement with these sayings was that of Timocles:—

And the writers who spoke of a multiplicity of gods came at length to the doctrine of the unity of God, and those who asserted chance spoke also of providence; and the advocates of impunity confessed there would be a judgment, and those who denied that there is a sensation after death acknowledged that there is. Homer, accordingly, though he had said,—

says in another place:—

And again:—

And as regards the others whom you have read, I think you know with sufficient accuracy how they have expressed themselves. But all these things will every one understand who seeks the wisdom of God, and is well pleasing to Him through faith and righteousness and the doing of good works. For one of the prophets whom we already mentioned, Hosea by name, said, “Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.”112    Hos. xiv. 9. He, then, who is desirous of learning, should learn much.113    We have adopted the reading of Wolf in the text. The reading of the mss. is, “He who desires to learn should desire to learn.” Perhaps the most satisfactory emendation is that of Heumann, who reads φιλομυθεῖν instead of φιλομαθεῖν: “He who desires to learn should also desire to discuss subjects, and hold conversations on them.” In this case, Theophilus most probably borrows his remark from Aristotle, Metaphysic. i. c. 2. Endeavour therefore to meet [with me] more frequently, that, by hearing the living voice, you may accurately ascertain the truth.

Καὶ τί γὰρ ἤτοι ἔσχατοι ἢ καὶ πρῶτοι ἐγένοντο; πλὴν ὅτι γοῦν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀκόλουθα τοῖς προφήταις εἶπον. περὶ μὲν οὖν ἐκπυρώσεως Μαλαχίας ὁ προφήτης προείρηκεν· “Ἰδοὺ ἡμέρα ἔρχεται κυρίου ὡς κλίβανος καιόμενος, καὶ ἀνάψει πάντας τοὺς ἀσεβεῖς.” καὶ Ἠσαΐας· “Ἥξει γὰρ ὀργὴ θεοῦ [ὡς πῦρ καὶ] ὡς χάλαζα συγκαταφερομένη βίᾳ καὶ ὡς ὕδωρ σῦρον ἐν φάραγγι.” Τοίνυν Σίβυλλα καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ προφῆται, ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ οἱ ποιηταὶ καὶ φιλόσοφοι καὶ αὐτοὶ δεδηλώκασιν περὶ δικαιοσύνης καὶ κρίσεως καὶ κολάσεως· ἔτι μὴν καὶ περὶ προνοίας, ὅτι φροντίζει ὁ θεὸς οὐ μόνον περὶ τῶν ζώντων ἡμῶν ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν τεθνεώτων, καίπερ ἄκοντες ἔφασαν· ἠλέγχοντο γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας. καὶ τῶν μὲν προφητῶν Σολομὼν περὶ τῶν τεθνηκότων εἶπεν· “Ἔσται ἴασις ταῖς σαρξὶν καὶ ἐπιμέλεια τῶν ὀστέων.” τὸ δ' αὐτὸ καὶ ∆αυίδ· “Ἀγαλλιάσεται ὀστᾶ τεταπεινωμένα.” τούτοις ἀκόλουθα εἴρηκεν καὶ Τιμοκλῆς, λέγων· Τεθνεῶσιν ἔλεος ἐπιεικὴς θεός. καὶ περὶ πλήθους οὖν θεῶν οἱ συγγραφεῖς εἰπόντες καθῆλθον εἰς μοναρχίαν, καὶ περὶ ἀπρονοησίας λέγοντες εἶπον περὶ προνοίας καὶ περὶ ἀκρισίας φάσκοντες ὡμολόγησαν ἔσεσθαι κρίσιν, καὶ οἱ μετὰ θάνατον ἀρνούμενοι εἶναι αἴσθησιν ὡμολόγησαν. Ὅμηρος μὲν οὖν εἰπών· Ψυχὴ δ' ἠΰτ' ὄνειρος ἀποπταμένη πεπότηται, ἐν ἑτέρῳ λέγει· Ψυχὴ δ' ἐκ ·εθέων πταμένη Ἄϊδόσδε βεβήκει, καὶ πάλιν· Θάπτε με ὅττι τάχιστα πύλας Ἀΐδαο περήσω. Τὰ δὲ περὶ τῶν λοιπῶν, οὓς ἀνέγνωκας, ἡγοῦμαί σε ἀκριβῶς ἐπίστασθαι ᾧ τρόπῳ εἰρήκασιν. ταῦτα δὲ πάντα συνήσει πᾶς ὁ ζητῶν τὴν σοφίαν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ εὐαρεστῶν αὐτῷ διὰ πίστεως καὶ δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἀγαθοεργίας. καὶ γάρ τις εἶπεν προφήτης ὧν προεγράψαμεν, ὀνόματι Ὠσηέ· “Τίς σοφὸς καὶ συνήσει ταῦτα, συνετὸς καὶ γνώσεται; ὅτι εὐθεῖαι αἱ ὁδοὶ τοῦ κυρίου, καὶ δίκαιοι εἰσελεύσονται ἐν αὐταῖς, οἱ δὲ ἀσεβεῖς ἀσθενήσουσιν ἐν αὐταῖς.” χρὴ οὖν τὸν φιλομαθῆ καὶ φιλομαθεῖν. πειράθητι οὖν πυκνότερον συμβαλεῖν, ὅπως καὶ ζώσης ἀκούσας φωνῆς ἀκριβῶς μάθῃς τἀληθές.