Testimonia

{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c006\">As Celsus, however, is of opinion that it matters nothing\r\nwhether the highest being be called Jupiter, or Zen, or Adonai,\r\nor Sabaoth, or Ammoun (as the Egyptians term him), or Pappæus\r\n(as the Scythians entitle him), let us discuss the point\r\nfor a little, reminding the reader at the same time of what\r\nhas been said above upon this question, when the language of\r\nCelsus led us to consider the subject. And now we maintain\r\nthat the nature of names is not, as Aristotle supposes, an enactment\r\nof those who impose them.<a id=\"r987\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f987\"><sup>[987]</sup></a> For the languages which\r\nare prevalent among men do not derive their origin from men,\r\nas is evident to those who are able to ascertain the nature of\r\nthe charms which are appropriated by the inventors of the languages\r\ndifferently, according to the various tongues, and to the\r\nvarying pronunciations of the names, on which we have spoken\r\nbriefly in the preceding pages, remarking that when those names\r\nwhich in a certain language were possessed of a natural power\r\nwere translated into another, they were no longer able to accomplish\r\nwhat they did before when uttered in their native tongues.\r\nAnd the same peculiarity is found to apply to men; for if we\r\nwere to translate the name of one who was called from his\r\nbirth by a certain appellation in the Greek language into the\r\nEgyptian or Roman, or any other tongue, we could not make\r\nhim do or suffer the same things which he would have done or\r\nsuffered under the appellation first bestowed upon him. Nay,\r\neven if we translated into the Greek language the name of\r\nan individual who had been originally invoked in the Roman\r\ntongue, we could not produce the result which the incantation\r\nprofessed itself capable of accomplishing had it preserved the\r\nname first conferred upon him. And if these statements are\r\ntrue when spoken of the names of <i>men</i>, what are we to think\r\nof those which are transferred, for any cause whatever, to\r\nthe <i>Deity</i>? For example, something is transferred<a id=\"r988\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f988\"><sup>[988]</sup></a> from the\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_316\">316</span>name Abraham when translated into Greek, and something is\r\nsignified by that of Isaac, and also by that of Jacob; and\r\naccordingly, if any one, either in an invocation or in swearing\r\nan oath, were to use the expression, “the God of Abraham,”\r\nand “the God of Isaac,” and “the God of Jacob,” he would\r\nproduce certain effects, either owing to the nature of these\r\nnames or to their powers, since even demons are vanquished and\r\nbecome submissive to him who pronounces these names; whereas\r\nif we say, “the god of the chosen father of the echo, and the\r\ngod of laughter, and the god of him who strikes with the heel,”<a id=\"r989\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f989\"><sup>[989]</sup></a>\r\nthe mention of the name is attended with no result, as is the\r\ncase with other names possessed of no power. And in the same\r\nway, if we translate the word “Israel” into Greek or any\r\nother language, we shall produce no result; but if we retain it\r\nas it is, and join it to those expressions to which such as are\r\nskilled in these matters think it ought to be united, there\r\nwould then follow some result from the pronunciation of the\r\nword which would accord with the professions of those who\r\nemploy such invocations. And we may say the same also of\r\nthe pronunciation of “Sabaoth,” a word which is frequently\r\nemployed in incantations; for if we translate the term into\r\n“Lord of hosts,” or “Lord of armies,” or “Almighty” (different\r\nacceptations of it having been proposed by the interpreters),\r\nwe shall accomplish nothing; whereas if we retain\r\nthe original pronunciation, we shall, as those who are skilled in\r\nsuch matters maintain, produce some effect. And the same observation\r\nholds good of Adonai. If, then, neither “Sabaoth”\r\nnor “Adonai,” when rendered into what appears to be their\r\nmeaning in the Greek tongue, can accomplish anything, how\r\nmuch less would be the result among those who regard it as\r\na matter of indifference whether the highest being be called\r\nJupiter, or Zen, or Adonai, or Sabaoth!</p>","headings":["The writings of Origen, Vol. 2 of 2","BOOK V.","Chapter XLV."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg70693-paragraph-372"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"d65a1013d2206aa8658b1a668222bd748da3b72e498509cf7ee969fd855d329f","edition_title":"The writings of Origen, Vol. 2 (of 2)","edition_translators":["Frederick Crombie","W. H. Cairns"],"edition_year":1872,"explicit_reference_candidates":[],"headings":[],"id":"pg70693-f987","license_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html","public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"original-editor-translator-note","review_required":["work and recension attribution","original-work chronology","Bible reference numbering and citation kind","English edition rights and attribution"],"review_status":"needs_review","rights_evidence":"Project Gutenberg metadata: Public domain in the USA. Existing 1872 English edition; listed translators died 1889 and 1872. Electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"f987","source_ebook":70693,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f987\">\n<p class=\"c007\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r987\">987</a>.  </span><span lang=\"grc\">ὅτι ἡ τῶν ὀνομάτων φύσις οὐ θεμένων εἰσὶ νόμοι.</span></p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"76ed9a9fd752c1d5095189e38fe3dcbbea0fd23d6be719db17360e4da14552fa","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70693/pg70693-images.html#f987","text_sha256":"b30c1017c2e78cbf79cc62859dc609ea9910d7c3df51e3f3ee485f5600dfc7af","verified":false,"work_id":null}

references: [] | work_id: | origin: existing-private-derived-record | source: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70693/pg70693-images.html#f987