Homilies and Songs, Volume 1 (1905) - Page 25

It is confirmed:

Under the influence of Platonic doctrines, especially those that pertain to the distinction of souls, certain Syrian Authors, among whom is Saint Jacob Aphrahat, called ḥakkīmā pārsāyā the Wise Persian, who lived in the 4th century, believed that the Holy Spirit, bestowed upon man in baptism, returns to God from whom it had come after a mortal sin, with the animal soul remaining in the body. Yet nothing similar is found in Narsai. Therefore.

Add that he himself also refutes in several places the pre-existence of souls according to the mind of Plato: Original Syriac: "The body is first composed of a likeness in a clean place; and after the body sees in the head and starts within it."

Furthermore, the existence of three souls admitted by the Philosopher of the Academy is expressly rejected by our Author, as can be seen in the homily d-ʿal haymānūtā concerning the faith. (See vol. II, p. 238 et sqq.)

Finally, under the influence of the ideas of Peripatetic philosophy, Narsai, in his homily on the functions of the angels ʿālmā d-zaddīqā ḥazyā the world of the righteous/visible, teaches that to each of the angels some part of the stars is committed, and also that a part in the governance of the world is attributed to them, which is what Aristotle feels about intermediate spirits (1) (See vol. II, p. 222 et sqq.)

§ 4

SOURCES OF NARSAI'S THEOLOGY AND

ITS PROPAGATION.

1°: Ebedjesu also says in his catalog that Ihibas of Kumi and Probus translated the commentaries of the Interpreter (Theodore of Mopsuestia) from the Greek language into Syriac (2) (in the school of Edessa).

2°: Barhebræus reports (at the time when Narsai was in Edessa) that Mana translated the works of Theodore from Greek into Syriac (3).

(1) metaph. Lib. XII, text. 44.
(2) Assem. B. O. III, I, p. 85.
(3) Chroni. Eccle. II, p. 55. The praised Duval in his work: "Littérature Syriaque" (p. 316, No. 2) said: "Barhebræus. Chroni. Eccle. I. 55 (read, II, 55) attributes the translation of Theodore's commentaries to Mana, whom he calls Magna, to Narsai and to Acacius". But erroneously. Here is the complete text.