barlaam and ioasaph-第30部分

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There　sat　the　king　upon　his　throne；　his　son　beside　him；　as　we　have　said。　　There　beside　him　stood　these　unwise　orators　who　had　whetted　their　tongues　like　a　sharp　sword；　to　destroy　truth；　and　who　（as　saith　Esay）　conceive　mischief　and　bring　forth　iniquity。　There　were　gathered　innumerable　multitudes；　come　to　view　the　contest　and　see　which　side　should　carry　oft　the　victory。　　Then　one　of　the　orators；　the　most　eminent　of　all　his　fellows；　said　unto　Nachor；　〃Art　thou　that　Barlaam　which　hath　so　shamelessly　and　audaciously　blasphemed　our　gods；　and　hath　enmeshed　our　king's　well　beloved　son　in　the　net　of　error；　and　taught　him　to　serve　the　Crucified？〃　　Nachor　answered；　〃I　am　he；　I　am　Barlaam；　that；　as　thou　sayest；　doth　set　your　gods　at　nought：　but　the　king's　son　have　I　not　enmeshed　in　error；　but　rather　from　error　have　I　delivered　him；　and　brought　him　to　the　true　God。〃　　The　orator　replied；　〃When　the　great　and　marvellous　men；　who　have　discovered　all　knowledge　of　wisdom；　do　call　them　high　and　immortal　gods；　and　when　all　the　kings　and　honourable　men　upon　earth　do　worship　and　adore　them；　how　waggest　thou　tongue　against　them；　and；　in　brief；　how　durst　thou　be　so　mighty　brazen…faced？　　What　is　the　manner　of　thy　proof　that　the　Crucified　is　God；　and　these　be　none？〃　　Then　replied　Nachor；　disdaining　even　to　answer　the　speaker。　　He　beckoned　with　his　hand　to　the　multitude　to　keep　silence；　and　opening　his　mouth；　like　Balaam's　ass；　spake　that　which　he　had　not　purposed　to　say；　and　thus　addressed　the　king。


XXVII。

〃By　the　providence　of　God；　O　king；　came　I　into　the　world；　and　when　I　contemplated　heaven　and　earth　and　sea；　the　sun　and　moon；　and　the　other　heavenly　bodies；　I　was　led　to　marvel　at　their　fair　order。　　And；　when　I　beheld　the　world　and　all　that　therein　is；　how　it　is　moved　by　law；　I　understood　that　he　who　moveth　and　sustaineth　it　is　God。　　That　which　moveth　is　ever　stronger　than　that　which　is　moved；　and　that　which　sustaineth　is　stronger　than　that　which　is　sustained。　　Him　therefore　I　call　God；　who　constructed　all　things　and　sustaineth　them；　without　beginning；　without　end；　immortal；　without　want；　above　all　passions；　and　failings；　such　as　anger；　forgetfulness；　ignorance；　and　the　like。　By　him　all　things　consist。　　He　hath　no　need　of　sacrifice；　or　drink…offering；　or　of　any　of　the　things　that　we　see；　but　all　men　have　need　of　him。

〃Now　that　I　have　said　thus　much　concerning　God；　according　as　he　hath　granted　me　to　speak　concerning　himself；　come　we　now　to　the　human　race；　that　we　may　know　which　of　them　partake　of　truth；　and　which　of　error。　　It　is　manifiest　to　us；　O　king；　that　there　are　three　races　of　men　in　this　world：　those　that　are　worshippers　of　them　whom　ye　call　gods；　and　Jews；　and　Christians。　　And　again　those　who　serve　many　gods　are　divided　into　three　races；　Chaldeans；　Greeks　and　Egyptians；　for　these　are　to　the　other　nations　the　leaders　and　teachers　of　the　service　and　worship　of　the　gods　whose　name　is　legion。　　Let　us　therefore　see　which　of　these　hold　the　truth；　and　which　error。

〃The　Chaldeans；　which　knew　not　God；　went　astray　after　the　elements　and　began　to　worship　the　creature　rather　than　their　Creator；　and　they　made　figures　of　these　creatures　and　called　them　likenesses　of　heaven；　and　earth　and　sea；　of　sun　and　moon；　and　of　the　other　elements　or　luminaries。　　And　they　enclose　them　in　temples；　and　worship　them　under　the　title　of　gods；　and　guard　them　in　safety　lest　they　be　stolen　by　robbers。　　They　have　not　understood　how　that　which　guardeth　is　ever　greater　than　that　which　is　guarded；　and　that　the　maker　is　greater　than　the　thing　that　is　made；　for；　if　the　gods　be　unable　to　take　care　of　themselves；　how　can　they　take　care　of　others？　　Great　then　is　the　error　that　the　Chaldeans　have　erred　in　worshipping　lifeless　and　useless　images。　　And　I　am　moved　to　wonder；　O　king；　how　they；　who　are　called　philosophers　among　them；　fail　to　understand　that　even　the　very　elements　are　corruptible。　　But　if　the　elements　are　corruptible　and　subject　to　necessity；　how　are　they　gods？　　And　if　the　elements　are　not　gods；　how　are　the　images；　created　to　their　honour；　gods？

〃Come　we　then；　O　king；　to　the　elements　themselves；　that　we　may　prove　concerning　them；　that　they　are　not　gods；　but　corruptible　and　changeable　things；　brought　out　of　non…existence　by　the　command　of　him　who　is　God　indeed；　who　is　incorruptible；　and　unchangeable；　and　invisible；　but　yet　himself　seeth　all　things；　and；　as　he　willeth；　changeth　and　altereth　the　same。　　What　then　must　I　say　about　the　elements？

〃They；　who　ween　that　the　Heaven　is　a　god；　are　in　error。　　For　we　see　it　turning　and　mowing　by　law；　and　consisting　of　many　parts；　whence　also　it　is　called　Cosmos！　　Now　a　‘Cosmos'　is　the　handiwork　of　some　artificer；　and　that　which　is　wrought　by　handiwork　hath　beginning　and　end。　　And　the　firmament　is　moved　by　law　together　with　its　luminaries。　　The　stars　are　borne　from　Sign　to　Sign；　each　in　his　order　and　place：　some　rise；　while　others　set：　and　they　run　their　journey　according　to　fixed　seasons；　to　fulfil　summer　and　winter；　as　it　hath　been　ordained　for　them　by　God；　nor　do　they　transgress　their　proper　bounds；　according　to　the　inexorable　law　of　nature；　in　common　with　the　heavenly　firmament。　　Whence　it　is　evident　that　the　heaven　is　not　a　god；　but　only　a　work　of　God。

〃They　again　that　think　that　the　Earth　is　a　goddess　have　gone　astray。　　We　behold　it　dishonoured；　mastered；　defiled　and　rendered　useless　by　mankind。　　If　it　be　baked　by　the　sun；　it　becometh　dead；　for　nothing　groweth　from　a　potsherd。　　And　again；　if　it　be　soaked　overmuch；　it　rotteth；　fruit　and　all。　　It　is　trodden　under　foot　of　men　and　the　residue　of　the　beasts：　it　is　polluted　with　the　blood　of　the　murdered；　it　is　digged　and　made　a　grave　for　dead　bodies。　This　being　so；　Earth　can　in　no　wise　be　a　goddess；　but　only　the　work　of　God　for　the　use　of　men。

〃They　that　think　that　Water　is　a　god　have　gone　astray。　　It　also　hath　been　made　for　the　use　of　men。　　It　is　under　their　lordship：　it　is　polluted；　and　perisheth：　it　is　altered　by　boiling；　by　dyeing；　by　congealment；　or　by　being　brought　to　the　cleansing　of　all　defilements。　　Wherefore　Water　cannot　be　a　god；　but　only　the　work　of　God。

〃They　that　think　that　Fire　is　a　god　are　in　error。　　It　too　was　made　for　the　use　of　men。　　It　is　subject　to　their　lordship；　being　carried　about　from　place　to　place；　for　the　seething　and　roasting　of　all　manner　of　meats；　yea；　and　for　the　burning　of　dead　corpses。　Moreover；　it　perisheth　in　divers　ways；　when　it　is　quenched　by　mankind。　　Wherefore　Fire　cannot　be　a　god；　but　only　the　work　of　God。

〃They　that　think　that　the　breath　of　the　Winds　is　a　goddess　are　in　error。　　This；　as　is　evident；　is　subject　to　another；　and　hath　been　prepared　by　God；　for　the　sake　of　mankind；　for　the　carriage　of　ships；　and　the　conveyance　of　victuals；　and　for　other　uses　of　men；　it　riseth　and　falleth　according　to　the　ordinance　of　God。　Wherefore　it　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　the　breath　of　the　Winds　is　a　goddess；　but　only　the　work　of　God。

〃They　that　think　that　the　Sun　is　a　god　are　in　error。　　We　see　him　moving　and　turning　by　law；　and　passing　from　Sign　to　Sign；　setting　and　rising；　to　warm　herbs　and　trees　for　the　use　of　men；　sharing　power　with　the　other　stars；　being　much　less　than　the　heaven；　and　falling　into　eclipse　and　possessed　of　no　sovranty　of　his　own。　Wherefore　we　may　not　consider　that　the　Sun　is　a　god；　but　only　the　work　of　God。

〃They　that　think　that　the　Moon　is　a　goddess　are　in　error。　　We　behold　her　moving　and　turning　by　law；　and　passing　from　Sign　to　Sign；　setting　and　rising　for　the　use　of　men；　lesser　than　the　sun；　waxing　and　waning；　suffering　eclipse。　　Wherefore　we　do　not　consider　that　the　Moon　is　a　goddess；　but　only　the　work　of　God。

〃They　that　think　that　Man　is　a　god　are　in　error。　　We　see　man　moving　by　law；　growing　up；　and　waxing　old；　even　against　his　will。　Now　he　rejoiceth；　now　he　grieveth；　requiring　meat　and　drink　and　raiment。　　Besides　he　is　passionate；　envious；　lustful；　fickle；　and　full　of　failings：　and　he　perisheth　in　many　a　way；　by　the　elements；　by　wild　beasts；　and　by　the　death　that　ever　awaiteth　him。　　So　Man　cannot　be　a　god；　but　only　the　work　of　God。　　Great　then　is　the　error　that　the　Chaldeans　have　erred　in　following　their　own　lusts；　for　they　worship　corruptible　elements　and　dead　images；　neither　do　they　perceive　that　they　are　making　gods　of　these。

〃Now　come　we　to　the　Greeks　that　we　may　see　whether　they　have　any　understanding　concerning　God。　　The　Greeks；　then；　professing　themselves　to　be　wise；　fell　into　greater　folly　than　the　Chaldeans；　alleging　the　existence　of　many　gods；　some　male；　others　female；　creators　of　all　passions　and　sins　of　every　kind。　Wherefore　the　Greeks；　O　king；　introduced　an　absurd；　foolish　and　ungodly　fashion　of　talk；　calling　them　gods　that　were　not；　according　to　their　own　evil　passions；　that；　having　these　gods　for　advocates　of　their　wickedness；　they　might　commit　adultery；　theft；　murder　and　all　manner　of　iniquity。　　For　if　their　gods　did　so；　how　should　they　not　themselves　do　the　like？　　Therefore　from　these　practices　of　error　it　came　to　pass　that　men　suffered　frequent　wars　and　slaughters　and　cruel　captivities。　　But　if　now　we　choose　to　pass　in　review　each　one　of　these　gods；　what　a　strange　sight　shalt　thou　see！

〃First　and　foremost　they　introduce　the　god　whom　they　call　Kronos；　and　to　him　they　sacrifice　their　own　children；　to　him　who　had　many　sons　by　Rhea；　and　in　a　fit　of　madness　ate　his　own　children。　　And　they　say　that　Zeus　cut　off　his　privy　parts；　and　cast　them　into　the　sea；　whence；　as　fable　telleth；　was　born　Aphrodite。　　So　Zeus　bound　his　own　father；　and　cast　him　into　Tartarus。　　Dost　thou　mark　the　delusion　and　lasciviousness　that　they　allege　against　their　gods？　　Is　it　possible　then　that　one　who　was　prisoner　and　mutilated　should　be　a　god？　　What　folly？　　What　man　in　his　senses　could　admit　it？

〃Next　they　introduce　Zeus；　who；　they　say；　became　king　of　the　gods；　and　would　take　the　shape　of　animals；　that　he　might　defile　mortal　women。　　They　show　him　transformed　into　a　bull；　for　Europa；　into　gold；　for　Danae；　into　a　swan；　for　Leda；　into　a　satyr；　for　Antiope；　and　into　a　thunder…bolt；　for　Semele。　　Then　of　these　were　born　many　children；　Dionysus；　Zethus；　Amphion；　Herakles；　Apollo；　Artemis；　Perseus；　Castor；　Helen；　Polydeukes；　Minos；　Rhadamanthos；　Sarpedon；　and　the　nine　daughters　whom　they　call　the　Muses。

〃In　like　manner　the