Folia Theologica 19. (2008)
Perendy László: Judging Philosophers - Theophilus of Antioch on Hellenic inconsistency
208 PERENDY, László xoùoiv, 7iei0ó|i£voi 5óy|j.aoiv paxaioiç Sià n\ávr\c, nazponapaóó- zov (Kai) yvcopriç àauvéxou "We have shown from the very histories they composed that in their own writings the names of the so-called gods are names of men, as we have made clear above [i. 9; n. 2-7], And their images, which are fashioned every day up to the present time, are idols, the works of men's hands [Ps. 113: 12; II]. The multitude of foolish men worships these, but they reject the Maker and Fashioner of the universe, the Nourisher of all breath, in obedience to vain doctrines because of the hereditary error of their unintelligent opinion." (II 34) 0£oùç yàp 9fjaavxeç eîvai náAxv eiç oùSèv aùxoùç r|yf|Gavxo. Oi pèv yàp èÇ àxôpcov amoùç ëcpaaav ouveaxâvai f]8’ au ycopeîv eiç âxôpooç, Kai pr|8èv ítXeíov ávOpcímcov SùvacOai xoùç 0eox>ç qxxatv. ITVaxcov 8é, 0eoùç eincbv eîvai, ùàikoùç aùxoùç ßox>\exai cimoxav. nu0ayôpaç Sé, xoaaùxa pox0fjGaç 7tepî 0eœv Kai xpv avco Káxco Tiopeíav 7iovrjaà|j£Voç, ëôyaxov ópí^ei cpúaiv (àï8iav) Kai aùxopaxiGpôv eîvai cpr|Giv xcov navxcov 0eoùç (x’) âv0pdo7ioov p.r|8è cppovxi^eiv. "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., 589,910: Epicurus]; the gods do not take thought for men [ibid., 572,6: Epicurus]." (Ill 7) Robert M. Grant - relying on the observations by Harry Austryn Wolfson - reminds us that already Philo had three different views about the origin of the true statements in Greek philosophy. He thought that sometimes they derived their views from the Old Testament; sometimes they used "their native reason". He admitted that on few occasions philosophers might have received the truth as divine inspiration.35 35 R. M. Grant, Early Christianity..., 90.
