On Faith against the Arians
De fide contra Arianos
The Man of Christ as the Way§1
1For the beginning of the most beautiful paths of righteousness has become for us the man of Christ, bringing us toward the best of delights. He joins himself solemnly to the Spirit, leads us into paradise, and restores the law to its proper home.
Therefore also Christ said: 'I am the way and the truth and the life' (John 14:6). By the name of the way, he indicates an enclosure according to man, which is made up of bodily and visible things; for the way became a part of the earth and a perceptible ground.
But the name of the truth and the life is the nature of the Father; for the truth is an intelligible thing that is not perceived either by eyes or by touch.
Greek · §1
De fide contra Arianos (fragmenta) 63 Ἀρχὴ γάρ τοι τῶν καλλίστων τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὁδῶν γεγένηται ἡμῖν ὁ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τοῖς κρείττοσι τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων προσάγων ἡμᾶς. Σεμνοπρεπῶς προσαρμόττει τῷ Πνεύματι, ξεναγεῖ εἰς τὸν παράδεισον, εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀποκαθίστησι νομήν. ∆ιὸ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἔλεγεν· ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ ἡ ζωή. Τῷ μὲν οὖν ὀνόματι τῆς ὁδοῦ τὴν κατὰ ἄνθρωπον δηλοῖ περιβολὴν, ὅπερ ἔστι τῶν σωματικῶν καὶ τῶν ὁρατῶν· γῆς γάρ τι μόριον ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ αἰσθητὸν ἔδαφος καθέστηκε· τὸ δὲ ὄνομα τῆς ἀληθείας <καὶ> τῆς ζωῆς τὴν τοῦ Πατρὸς φύσιν· ἡ γὰρ ἀλήθεια πρᾶγμά τι νοητὸν οὔτε ὄμμασιν οὔτε ἁφῇ ὑποπίπτον.
The Beginning of the Paths of Justice§2
2For the beginning of the most beautiful paths of righteousness has become for us the man of Christ, bringing us to the best of delights. He joins himself solemnly to the Spirit, and will lead us into paradise, into the [...].
Greek · §2
De fide contra Arianos (fragmenta) 63 Ἀρχὴ γάρ τοι τῶν καλλίστων τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὁδῶν γεγένηται ἡμῖν ὁ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τοῖς κρείττοσι τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων προσάγων ἡμᾶς. Σεμνοπρεπῶς προσαρμόττει τῷ Πνεύματι, ξεναγεῖ εἰς τὸν παράδεισον, εἰς τὴν
The Way as a Human Enclosure§3
3They restore the opinion to its domestic sphere. Therefore also Christ was saying: I am the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6).
By the name of the way, then, he indicates an enclosure according to man, which is of the bodily and the visible things; for the way is a part of the earth and [...].
Greek · §3
οἰκείαν ἀποκαθίστησι νομήν. ∆ιὸ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἔλεγεν· ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ ἡ ζωή. Τῷ μὲν οὖν ὀνόματι τῆς ὁδοῦ τὴν κατὰ ἄνθρωπον δηλοῖ περιβολὴν, ὅπερ ἔστι τῶν σωματικῶν καὶ τῶν ὁρατῶν· γῆς γάρ τι μόριον ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ
The Nature of Truth and Life§4
4He established a perceptible foundation. And the name of truth and of life is the nature of the Father. For truth is an intelligible thing that is not perceived by eyes or by touch.
Greek · §4
αἰσθητὸν ἔδαφος καθέστηκε· τὸ δὲ ὄνομα τῆς ἀληθείας <καὶ> τῆς ζωῆς τὴν τοῦ Πατρὸς φύσιν· ἡ γὰρ ἀλήθεια πρᾶγμά τι νοητὸν οὔτε ὄμμασιν οὔτε ἁφῇ ὑποπίπτον.