Folia Theologica 19. (2008)
Perendy László: Judging Philosophers - Theophilus of Antioch on Hellenic inconsistency
JUDGING PHILOSOPHERS 187 his invocation of the demons? For what purpose was he willing to die? What kind of reward did he hope to receive after death?" (Ill 2) 0eoùç yàp cpTjoavxeç eîvai náXxv eiç oùSèv aùxoùç Tjyfjaavxo. Oi pèv yàp èË, àxôpcûv aùxoùç ëcpaaav auveoxâvai pS’ au xcûpeîv eiç âxôpouç, Kai prjSév nXeîov àvQpœncov SùvaoGai xoùç Geoùç cpaoiv. IHàxcüV 8é, Geoùç eincov eîvai, ùâxkoùç aùxoùç ßoùÄ,exal ouviaxâv. IIuGayopaç 8é, xoaaùxa |j.oxGf|oaç nepi Geœv Kai xtjv avco Kàxco nopeiav nonjaâpevoç, ëo%axov ôpiÇei (pùoiv (àïSiav) Kai aùxopaxiopôv eîvai cpijoiv xcûv nàvxcov Geoùç (x’) àvGpci)7iœv pijSèv (ppovxiÇeiv. "After saying that gods exist, once more they reduced them to nothing. For some said that they were composed of atoms, or on the other hand that they return to atoms [Diels, Dox. 589,8]; and they say that the power of the gods is no greater than that of men. Plato, who said that gods exist, wanted them to consist of matter. And Pythagoras, who went through such great labours over the gods and made his way up and down, finally defines their nature and says that everything was produced spontaneously [ibid., 589,9-10: Epicurus]; the gods do not take thought for men [ibid., 572,6: Epicurus]." (Ill 7) Ti 5’ oùyî Kai Kpixiaç Kai npcoxayôpaç ó AßSrpixrig Àiycov "Eïxe àp’ eioiv Geoi, où Sùvapai nepi aùxcov Àiyevv, oùxe ônoîoi eioiv ôrjÀôûGai- | noXXà. yàp éoxiv xà Kco^ùovxà |_ie"; "And what of Critias, and Protagoras the Abderite who said: 'Whether or not there are gods, I cannot say anything about them or explain their nature; for there are many things that hinder me' [cf. Sext. Emp. Adv. Mat. ix. 56]?" (Ill 7)4 nXáxcov 5é, ô xooaùxa eincov népi povapyiaç Geoù Kai \|/uxfjç ávGpcónoi), (páoKcov àGàvaxov eîvai xijv n/uyriv, oùk aùxôç ùoxe- pov eùpioKexai èvavxia éaoxcp Àùycov, xàç pèv y/uyàç pexép- XeoGai eiç èxépouç âvGpcônouç, èvicov 8è Kai eiç aXoya Çœa %copeîv (QéXcov); Hcùç où Seivôv Kai âGépixov Sôypa aùxoù xoîç ye voùv eyouoiv (pavfjoexai, ïva ő noxe àvGpconoç naAiv ëoxai iùKoç íj kùcûv ij ovoç TJ aXXo xi aXoyov kxtjvoç; Toùxcp àKÔA,oi)Ga 4 Sext. Emp. Adv. Mat. is the abbreviation for Sextus Empiricus, Adversus mathematicos.
