I N D E X

That Orpheus followed Moses original: "Moſi" in his description of creation. That Phanes A primeval deity in Orphic tradition is the Sun. In Orpheus's writings, Love itself is the divine wisdom desiring to create. That the Gods, namely the celestial stars, were born from Chaos and the Ocean.

XI That Homer and Hesiod venerated this Theology; they sang of the origin of the world and its principles in a similar way to those who came before. Homer said that earth and water were the first things created. Hesiod affirmed and sang that first there was Chaos—that is, earth and water—and the entirety of creation.

XII Parmenides and Thales confessed that there was a creation. Among them, Love is the eternal God. Thales said that God alone is eternal. He called the world a divine workmanship. Thales said that night preceded day, just as Moses described darkness before light. He called those primordial Mosaic waters the "principle," but the "Mind" Greek: Nous was the creator.

XIII The Natural Philosophers, according to Plutarch, confessed the creation of the world, the beginning of which was from the earth: the ethereal substance was the first to be separated from the waters.

XIV Aratus confesses that the highest God placed the stars in the firmament of heaven, just as Moses describes. Ovid sang the same.

XV Aristotle was forced by reason to confess the creation of the world. In the context of eternity, either souls are mortal, or they cannot ascend into heaven, as they would always be animating bodies. He shows that the most serious errors in Philosophy follow from these points. Aristotle ought not to have disagreed with his predecessors regarding the creation of the world. The words of Aristotle, placed in various locations, prove that he confessed a creation, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

XVI From the sayings of orators and poets, the beginning of the arts, of speech, and of the human race is proven.

XVII Plotinus openly confesses—contrary to what Proclus contends—that time was created; with its condition follows also the creation of the heavens and the world.

XVIII Porphyry wrote openly and clearly concerning the beginning of time. Iamblichus confesses by many arguments that all things were born: he who preaches, in agreement with Moses, that man was made by divine power. Likewise, that the celestial orders were discovered by the most divine Word original: "Verbo", likely referring to the Logos. And that he condemns this world, asserting that one must flee from it.

XIX Crantor the Platonist condemned the present life, and preferred non-existence and death to it. From this follows the disapproval of the Eternity of the world. The same is inferred from Aristotle.

XX Epictetus and Arrian confess that men were created by God and introduced into the world as spectators of divine works.

XXI From the opinions of Plutarch concerning the world and its Principles. Those matters in which some have erred, concerning prime matter and the "evil soul." Responses against the slanders of Lucretius, which he poured out while defending recklessness and chance against providence.

XXII The vain slanders of Lucretius against the creation of the world and the order of things are dissolved. It is proved that he necessarily felt providence was within things; that God made all things for our sake: those things which Epicurus thought harmful or superfluous, possessed the highest providence.

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B O O K E I G H T

CHAPTER I Concerning Angels, and that nature which mediates between the supreme God and men, and that the ancient Philosophers also spoke of these: And concerning the true