Folia Theologica 19. (2008)

Perendy László: Judging Philosophers - Theophilus of Antioch on Hellenic inconsistency

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PERENDY, László

also the insight that the presence of God can be observed in his creatures. He also points out that the terms Xóyoq èvôtàGexoç and Xôyoç TtfXxpoptKÔç also come from Stoicism.25 He thinks that in Theophilus' mind the Àôyoç is impersonal: it is just an attribute to the Father, like his wisdom, strength, and power. Wallace-Hadrill says it is doubtful if Theophilus knew about the Stoic origin of these statements.26

Epicurus

’'Evtot jj£v xfjç Zxoaç àpvoûvxat | Kai xô èE, öXov 0eôv (àcpGap- xov) eîvat, rj, ei Kai ëaxiv, |xr|8evôç cpaotv cppovxtÇetv xôv Geôv 7iXf)v éanxotr Kai xaüxa pèv 7iavxeÀ,ciùç 'ETUKOúpou Kai XpuaÍTt- nov f| àvota àçîiecpfivaxo.

"Some of the Stoics absolutely deny the existence of God or assert that if God exists he takes thought for no one but himself. Such views certainly exhibit the folly of Epicurus and Chrysippus alike." (II 4)

Ti yàp Kai àXr|0èç eíprjKacnv;

’'H xi GcxpéX,r|Gav Et)ptnt8r|v Kai ZocpoKÀia Kai xoùç À.ot7toùç xpaycoôioypdcpouç ai xpaycpôiat, [...] rj ’EnÍKoupov xô SoypaxiÇetv jxf) eîvat 7tpôvotav [...];

"What truth did they speak? Or what did their tragedies avail for Euripides and Sophocles and the other tragic poets [...]? or the dogmatic denial of providence for Epicurus?" (Ill 2)

Tivt ouv aûxcov Tuaxebacopev, OíVcbpovt xcp KcopiKco, Xeyovxr Oi yàp Geôv aeßovxeq èÀmSaç KaÀ,àç ëyouotv eiç acoxrptav,

rj oîç npoeipfiKapev Eűrpépcp Kai ’EntKoúpcp Kai IToGayàpa Kai xotç Aotnotç àpvoupévotç eîvat Geooeßetav Kai npóvotav àçvat- ponatv;

"Which of them, then, shall we believe [cf. II. 8]? Philemon the comic poet, who says [fr. 181 Kock]:

25 See also M. Mühl, Der Xóyoç èvStâBexoç und npocpoptKÔç von der älteren Stoa bis zur Synode von Sirmium 351, in Archiv für Begriffsgeschichte 7, Bonn, 1962, 7-56.

26 D. S. Wallace-Hadrill, Christian Antioch, Cambridge, 1982,103.