1240Book I 1240Preface. 1242It is hard that an old friend with whom I had been reconciled should attack me in a book secretly circulated among his disciples. 1244Others have translated Origen. Why does he single me out? 1245He gave me fictitious praise in his Preface to the Περὶ ᾽Αρχῶν. Now, since I defend myself, he writes 3 books against me as an enemy. 1246He spoke of me as united in faith with him; but what is his faith? Why are his books kept secret? I can meet any attack. 1247He spoke of me as united in faith with him; but what is his faith? Why are his books kept secret? I can meet any attack. 1248I translated the Περὶ ᾽Αρχῶν because you demanded it, and because his translation slurred over Origen's heresies. 1249My translation put away ambiguities, and showed the real character of the book, and of the previous translation. 1250My translation of Origen's Commentaries created no excitement; his first translation, of Pamphilus' Apology, roused all Rome to indignation. 1251But the work was really Eusebius's, who tells us that Pamphilus wrote nothing. 1252After the condemnation of Origen by Theophilus and Anastasius, it would be wise in Rufinus to give up this pretended defence. 1253I had praised Eusebius as well as Origen only as writers; and was forced to condemn them as heretics. Why should this be taken amiss? 1255I wrote a friendly letter to Rufinus, which my friends kept back. 1256There is nothing to blame in my getting the help of a Jew in translating from the Hebrew. 1257There is nothing strange in my praising Origen before I knew the Περὶ ᾽Αρχῶν. 1258The accusations seem inconsistent, but I knew them only by report. 1259The office of a commentator. 1260We must distinguish methods of writing, and not expect a vulgar simplicity in the various compositions of cultured men. 1262My assertion was true, that Origen permitted the use of falsehood. 1264The accusation about a mistranslation of Ps. ii is easily explained. 1265In the difficulties of the translator and the commentator we must get help where we can. xxvii