The Soul's Need for Form and the First Body
Having been gripped by a certain form, souls are incomplete, just like those who have fallen ill with the disease of phrenitis. Moreover, the body of the first-molded one, once it had been shaped, lay there dead, breathless, and motionless, even though its limbs were perfectly regulated by proportion and it was appropriately adorned in form and beauty, so that it was indeed produced by that same maker as the first prototype image and the most powerful likeness imprinted from the most wonderful icon; yet it remained insensate, voiceless, and breathless.
But when God breathed creatively into its face, immediately it received motion; and from that breath, it begins to walk, to breathe, and to speak, to reason, to act, and to govern. Sleep is a common passion of both body and soul.
Greek
λελωβημένου τινὸς μορίου ἀτελεῖς ἔχουσι τὰς ψυχὰς, ὥσπερ οἱ τὴν φρενίτιδα ἀρρωστήσαντες νόσον. Ἀμέλει καὶ τὸ τοῦ πρωτοπλάστου σῶμα σχηματισθὲν ἔκειτο νεκρὸν, ἄπνουν, ἀκίνητον μέλεσιν μὲν καὶ ἁρμονίᾳ ῥερυθμισμένον ἄκρως, μορφῇ τε καὶ κάλλει κεκοσμημένον ἐμπρεπῶς ἅτε δὴ καὶ παρ' αὐτοῦ πλάστου γεννηθὲν τοῦ Θεοῦ πρωτότυπον ἄγαλμα καὶ τῆς θεσπεσιωτάτης εἰκόνος ἐκτυπωθὲν ἀφομοίωμα κράτιστον, ἀναίσθητον δὲ καὶ ἄφωνον καὶ ἄπνουν· ὡς δὲ εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ δημιουργικῶς ἐνεφύσησεν ὁ Θεὸς, αὐτίκα τὴν κίνησιν εἴληφεν· ἐξ ἐκείνου δὲ βαδίζει καὶ ἀναπνεῖ καὶ φθέγγεται, ἄρχει λογίζεται πράττει διοικεῖ. 6 Κοινὸν σώματος καὶ ψυχῆς πάθος ὕπνος.
About this text
On the Soul against the Philosophers attributed to Eustathius of Antioch.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 18 (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.