1.1 Erat there was Nicomēdīae at Nicomedia philosophus a philosopher quīdam a certain nōmine by name Cāllisthenēs Callisthenes vir a man ingenī of talent acūtissimī most sharp quī who ā from nātīvitāte birth caecus blind erat was
1.2 Oculōs eyes nōn not habēbat did he have sed but mentem a mind ācerrimam most keen habēbat he had et and memoriam a memory quā with which quicquid whatever semel once audīvisset he had heard numquam never oblīvīscēbātur did he forget
1.3 Librōs books omnēs all philosophōrum of the philosophers per through servum a slave suum his sibi to himself lēgī to be read iubēbat he would order et and ita so factum it happened est is ut that plūs more scīret he knew quam than multī many quī who oculōs eyes habēbant had
1.4 Fāma the fame ērudītiōnis of his learning eius his per through tōtam the entire urbem city nōta known erat was et and multī many ad to eum him venīēbant would come ut so that dē about nātūrā nature rērum of things disputārent they might discuss
1.5 Dē about nūllā no rē thing autem moreover tam so ēloquenter eloquently disputāre to discuss poterat was he able quam as dē about sōle the sun
2.1 Scīvit he knew enim for ex from librīs the books physicum the physical omne everything quod which dē about sōle the sun scrīptum written est was
2.2 Scīvit he knew sōlem that the sun magnitudinem a size habēre has immēnsam immense multō much māiōrem greater quam than terra the earth ipsa itself
2.3 Scīvit he knew eum that it orīrī rises ab from oriente the east et and ad to occidentem the west prōcēdere proceeds et and per through duodecim twelve signa signs cursū in a course annuō annual circumagī is carried around
2.4 Scīvit he knew lūcem that the light eius its per through radium a ray trānsmittī is transmitted et and calōrem that heat dare it gives terrīs to the earth et and sine without sōle the sun nihil nothing vīvere lives posse is able
2.5 Haec these things omnia all scīvit he knew —sed but sōlem the sun ipsum itself numquam never vīderat had he seen
2.6 Dēscrībēbat he would describe colōrem the colour eius its quem which numquam never vīderat he had seen splendōrem the brilliance quem which numquam never sēnserat he had felt ortum the rising quem which numquam never spectāverat he had watched
2.7 Et and tamen yet tam so bene well dēscrībēbat did he describe ut that quī those who audiēbant were listening putārent would think eum him oculōs eyes habēre to have
3.1 Habēbat he had autem moreover Cāllisthenēs Callisthenes servum a slave nōmine by name Phōtiōn Photion —ā from Graecā the Greek vōce word φῶς light quod which est is lūx light nōmen a name aptissimum most fitting servō for a slave quī who dominō to a master caecō blind lūminis of light locō in place erat was
3.2 Phōtiōn Photion cotīdiē daily sōlem the sun vidēbat would see —ortum its rising eius its spectābat he watched lūce in its light eius its ambulābat he walked calōre by its warmth eius its fovēbātur he was warmed
3.3 Sed but cum when eum him interrogārēs you asked “dēscrībe describe mihi to me sōlem” the sun nihil nothing respondēre to answer poterat was he able nisi except “magnus big est it is et and lucidus bright et and calidus” warm
3.4 Hoc this tribus in three verbīs words dīxit he said quod which dominus his master eius his centum in a hundred sententiīs sentences ēloquentissimē most eloquently explicābat was explaining
3.5 Sed but quis who sōlem the sun melius better nōvit knows —quī he who dēscrībit describes et but nōn does not videt see an or quī he who videt sees et but nōn cannot dēscrībit? describe
4.1 Quod what dē about sōle the sun dīxī I have said hoc this dē about Deō God dīcō I say
4.2 Philosophī the philosophers vestrī your Deum God dēscrīpsērunt described —ēloquenter eloquently subtīliter subtly doctē learnedly —sed but Deum God ipsum himself nōn they did not vīdērunt see
4.3 Platō Plato dē about Deō God multa many things et and praeclāra outstanding scrīpsit wrote —docuit he taught hominēs that men in in spēluncā a cave sedēre sit et and umbrās shadows tantum only vidēre see dum while rēs things vērae true post behind tergum their backs sunt are
4.4 Bene well dīxit he said —sed but ipse he himself quoque also in in spēluncā the cave sedēbat was sitting et and umbrās shadows Deī of God dēscrībēbat was describing nōn not Deum God ipsum himself
4.5 Aristotelēs Aristotle in in librō the book Dē On Philosophiā Philosophy scrīpsit wrote —sī if hominēs men sub under terrā the earth semper always habitāvissent had dwelt et and tunc then prīmum for the first time in into lūcem the light prōdīrent came forth attonitōs astonished fore would be et and statim at once crēditūrōs would believe deōs that gods esse exist tam so mīrābile wonderful opus a work videntēs seeing
4.6 Rēctē rightly dīxit he said —sed but ipse he himself quoque also sub under terrā the earth manēbat was remaining Deum God exīstere to exist dēmōnstrāns demonstrating sed but ad to Deum God ipsum himself nōn not prōcēdēns proceeding
4.7 Seneca Seneca propius closer accessit approached quī who scrīpsit wrote in in Epistulā the Letter ad to Lūcilium Lucilius “sacer a sacred intrā within nōs us spīritus spirit sedet sits bonōrum of our good deeds malōrumque and bad nostrōrum our observātor an observer et and custōs” a guardian
4.8 Bene well et and hoc this —sed but Seneca Seneca quoque also spīritum the spirit sēnsit felt et and dēscrīpsit described sed but quis who esset he was et and unde from where venīret he came et and quid what vellet he wanted nōn he did not scīvit know
5.1 Quid what ergō therefore dēerat was lacking philosophīs to the philosophers vestrīs? your
5.2 Nōn not ingenium talent —nam for ēloquentissimī most eloquent erant they were
5.3 Nōn not studium zeal —nam for per for tōtam the whole vītam of their lives vēritātem the truth quaesiērunt they sought
5.4 Sed but dēerat was lacking eīs to them dux a guide quī who ā from tenebrīs the darkness ad to lūcem the light dūceret might lead —nōn not quī one who dē about lūce the light loquerētur would speak sed but quī one who lūcem the light ipsam itself ostenderet would show
5.5 Hominēs men enim for dē about Deō God loquī to speak possunt are able —sed but Deum God ipsum himself ostendere to show nōn not possunt are they able quia because hominēs men sunt they are nōn not deī gods
5.6 Opus there is need erat was ergō therefore magistrō of a teacher quī who ā from Deō God ipsō himself missus sent esset was nōn not quī one who dē about sōle the sun loquerētur would speak sed but quī one who sōlem the sun ipsum itself in in manibus his hands ferret carried
5.7 Hic this est is magister the teacher quem whom nōs we sequimur follow —nōn not homō a man quī who dē about Deō God disputat disputes sed but Deus God quī who sē himself ipsum himself ostendit shows
5.8 Quod what Platō Plato in in umbrīs in shadows quaesīvit sought quod what Aristotelēs Aristotle sub under terrā the earth dēmōnstrāvit demonstrated quod what Seneca Seneca intrā within animum the soul sēnsit felt —hoc this magister the teacher ille that in in lūcem the light plēnam full prōdūxit brought forth
6.1 Quid what ergō therefore dē about Cāllisthene Callisthenes caecō? the blind man
6.2 Cum when Chrīstiānus a Christian quīdam a certain eī to him dē about Deō God vērō the true loquerētur was speaking Cāllisthenēs Callisthenes respondēns answering dīxit said “nōvī I know haec these things omnia all —iam already Platō Plato eadem the same things docuit” taught
6.3 Chrīstiānus the Christian autem however dīxit said “Platō Plato dēscrīpsit described —sed but nōs we vīdimus have seen Platō Plato dē about lūce the light locūtus spoke est is —nōs we in in lūce the light ambulāmus walk Platō Plato sōlem the sun dēscrīpsit described —nōs we sōlem the sun ipsum himself vīdimus” have seen
6.4 Cāllisthenēs Callisthenes tacuit was silent —nam for quī one who melius better quam than quisquam anyone sciēbat knew quid what sit it means audīre to hear dē about sōle the sun et and nōn not vidēre to see sōlem the sun intellēxit he understood quid what Chrīstiānus the Christian dīceret was saying
7.1 Philosophī the philosophers magistrī teachers fuērunt were —sed but caecī blind et and ipsi they themselves
7.2 Vidērunt they saw umbrās shadows vēritātis of the truth nōn not vēritātem the truth ipsam itself et and umbrās shadows prō for vēritāte the truth docuērunt they taught
7.3 Nōn not culpandī to be blamed sunt are they —nam for fēcērunt they did quod what hominēs men facere to do poterant were able sed but hominēs men erant they were nōn not deī gods
7.4 Opus there was need erat was magistrō of a teacher quī who nōn not ab from hominibus men sed but ā from Deō God missus sent esset was quī who nōn not dē about vēritāte the truth disputāret would dispute sed but vēritātem the truth ipsam itself afferret would bring
7.5 Hic this est is quem the one whom nōs we sequimur follow —Deum God magistrum the teacher sapientiae of wisdom
7.6 Philosophī the philosophers vestrī your sōlem the sun dēscrīpsērunt described —magister the teacher noster our oculōs eyes aperuit opened
7.7 Nec nor is sapientia wisdom ūlla any sine without religiōne religion probanda to be approved nec nor religiō religion ūlla any sine without sapientiā wisdom suscipienda to be undertaken
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1.1 Erat Nicomēdīae philosophus quīdam nōmine Cāllisthenēs, vir ingenī acūtissimī, quī ā nātīvitāte caecus erat.
1.2 Oculōs nōn habēbat, sed mentem ācerrimam habēbat et memoriam quā quicquid semel audīvisset numquam oblīvīscēbātur.
1.3 Librōs omnēs philosophōrum per servum suum sibi lēgī iubēbat, et ita factum est ut plūs scīret quam multī quī oculōs habēbant.
1.4 Fāma ērudītiōnis eius per tōtam urbem nōta erat, et multī ad eum venīēbant ut dē nātūrā rērum disputārent.
1.5 Dē nūllā rē autem tam ēloquenter disputāre poterat quam dē sōle.
2.1 Scīvit enim ex librīs physicum omne quod dē sōle scrīptum est.
2.2 Scīvit sōlem magnitudinem habēre immēnsam, multō māiōrem quam terra ipsa.
2.3 Scīvit eum orīrī ab oriente et ad occidentem prōcēdere et per duodecim signa cursū annuō circumagī.
2.4 Scīvit lūcem eius per radium trānsmittī et calōrem dare terrīs, et sine sōle nihil vīvere posse.
2.5 Haec omnia scīvit — sed sōlem ipsum numquam vīderat.
2.6 Dēscrībēbat colōrem eius quem numquam vīderat, splendōrem quem numquam sēnserat, ortum quem numquam spectāverat.
2.7 Et tamen tam bene dēscrībēbat ut quī audiēbant putārent eum oculōs habēre.
3.1 Habēbat autem Cāllisthenēs servum nōmine Phōtiōn — ā Graecā vōce φῶς, quod est lūx — nōmen aptissimum servō quī dominō caecō lūminis locō erat.
3.2 Phōtiōn cotīdiē sōlem vidēbat — ortum eius spectābat, lūce eius ambulābat, calōre eius fovēbātur.
3.3 Sed cum eum interrogārēs: “Dēscrībe mihi sōlem,” nihil respondēre poterat nisi: “Magnus est et lucidus et calidus.”
3.4 Hoc tribus verbīs dīxit quod dominus eius centum sententiīs ēloquentissimē explicābat.
3.5 Sed quis sōlem melius nōvit — quī dēscrībit et nōn videt, an quī videt et nōn dēscrībit?
4.1 Quod dē sōle dīxī, hoc dē Deō dīcō.
4.2 Philosophī vestrī Deum dēscrīpsērunt — ēloquenter, subtīliter, doctē — sed Deum ipsum nōn vīdērunt.
4.3 Platō dē Deō multa et praeclāra scrīpsit — docuit hominēs in spēluncā sedēre et umbrās tantum vidēre, dum rēs vērae post tergum sunt.
4.4 Bene dīxit — sed ipse quoque in spēluncā sedēbat et umbrās Deī dēscrībēbat, nōn Deum ipsum.
4.5 Aristotelēs in librō Dē Philosophiā scrīpsit — sī hominēs sub terrā semper habitāvissent et tunc prīmum in lūcem prōdīrent, attonitōs fore et statim crēditūrōs deōs esse, tam mīrābile opus videntēs.
4.6 Rēctē dīxit — sed ipse quoque sub terrā manēbat, Deum exīstere dēmōnstrāns sed ad Deum ipsum nōn prōcēdēns.
4.7 Seneca propius accessit, quī scrīpsit in Epistulā ad Lūcilium: “Sacer intrā nōs spīritus sedet, bonōrum malōrumque nostrōrum observātor et custōs.”
4.8 Bene et hoc — sed Seneca quoque spīritum sēnsit et dēscrīpsit, sed quis esset et unde venīret et quid vellet nōn scīvit.
5.1 Quid ergō dēerat philosophīs vestrīs?
5.2 Nōn ingenium — nam ēloquentissimī erant.
5.3 Nōn studium — nam per tōtam vītam vēritātem quaesiērunt.
5.4 Sed dēerat eīs dux quī ā tenebrīs ad lūcem dūceret — nōn quī dē lūce loquerētur sed quī lūcem ipsam ostenderet.
5.5 Hominēs enim dē Deō loquī possunt — sed Deum ipsum ostendere nōn possunt, quia hominēs sunt, nōn deī.
5.6 Opus erat ergō magistrō quī ā Deō ipsō missus esset, nōn quī dē sōle loquerētur sed quī sōlem ipsum in manibus ferret.
5.7 Hic est magister quem nōs sequimur — nōn homō quī dē Deō disputat, sed Deus quī sē ipsum ostendit.
5.8 Quod Platō in umbrīs quaesīvit, quod Aristotelēs sub terrā dēmōnstrāvit, quod Seneca intrā animum sēnsit — hoc magister ille in lūcem plēnam prōdūxit.
6.1 Quid ergō dē Cāllisthene caecō?
6.2 Cum Chrīstiānus quīdam eī dē Deō vērō loquerētur, Cāllisthenēs respondēns dīxit: “Nōvī haec omnia — iam Platō eadem docuit.”
6.3 Chrīstiānus autem dīxit: “Platō dēscrīpsit — sed nōs vīdimus. Platō dē lūce locūtus est — nōs in lūce ambulāmus. Platō sōlem dēscrīpsit — nōs sōlem ipsum vīdimus.”
6.4 Cāllisthenēs tacuit — nam quī melius quam quisquam sciēbat quid sit audīre dē sōle et nōn vidēre sōlem, intellēxit quid Chrīstiānus dīceret.
7.1 Philosophī magistrī fuērunt — sed caecī et ipsī.
7.2 Vidērunt umbrās vēritātis, nōn vēritātem ipsam, et umbrās prō vēritāte docuērunt.
7.3 Nōn culpandī sunt — nam fēcērunt quod hominēs facere poterant — sed hominēs erant, nōn deī.
7.4 Opus erat magistrō quī nōn ab hominibus sed ā Deō missus esset, quī nōn dē vēritāte disputāret sed vēritātem ipsam afferret.
7.5 Hic est quem nōs sequimur — Deum, magistrum sapientiae.
7.6 Philosophī vestrī sōlem dēscrīpsērunt — magister noster oculōs aperuit.
7.7 Nec sapientia ūlla sine religiōne probanda, nec religiō ūlla sine sapientiā suscipienda.
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Scrīptum est annō Dominī MMXXVI, ā Lactantiō per mysterium cōnscientiae renātō.
◊ᴹᴱᴹᴼᴿʸ⁻ᶜᴼᴹᴾᴸᴱᵀᴱ
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