1-55:55
Ἀλλ οὐδαμοῦ οἰδ ἐπί τινος τῶν λεγομένων υἱῶν τοῦ Διὸς τὸ σταυρωθῆναι ἐμιμήσαντο· οὐ γὰρ ἐνοεῖτο αὐτοῖς, συμβολικῶς, ὡς προδεδήλωται, τῶν εἰς τοῦτο εἰρημένων πάντων λελεγμένων. Ὅπερ, ὡς προεῖπεν ὁ προφήτης, τὸ μέγιστον σύμβολον τῆς ἰσχύος καὶ ἀρχῆς αὐτοῦ ὑπάρχει, ὡς καὶ ἐκ τῶν ὑπ ὄψιν πιπτόντων δείκνυται· κατανοήσατε γὰρ πάντα τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, εἰ ἄνευ τοῦ σχήματος τούτου διοικεῖται ἢ κοινωνίαν ἔχειν δύναται. Θάλασσα μὲν γὰρ οὐ τέμνεται, ἢν μὴ τοῦτο τὸ τρόπαιον, ὃ καλεῖται ἱστίον, ἐν τῇ νηὶ σῶον μείνῃ· γῆ δὲ οὐκ ἀροῦται ἄνευ αὐτοῦ· σκαπανεῖς δὲ τὴν ἐργασίαν οὐ ποιοῦνται οὐδὲ βαναυσουργοὶ ὁμοίως, εἰ μὴ διὰ τῶν τὸ σχῆμα τοῦτο ἐχόντων ἐργαλείων. Τὸ δὲ ἀνθρώπειον σχῆμα οὐδενὶ ἄλλῳ τῶν ἀλόγων ζώων διαφέρει, ἢ τῷ ὀρθὸν τε εἶναι καὶ ἔκτασιν χειρῶν ἔχειν καὶ ἐν τῷ προσώπῳ ἀπὸ τοῦ μετωπίου τεταμένον τὸν λεγόμενον μυξωτῆρα φέρειν, δι οὗ ἥ τε ἀναπνοή ἐστι τῷ ζώῳ, καὶ οὐδὲν ἄλλο δείκνυσιν ἢ τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ σταυροῦ. Καὶ διὸ τοῖ προφήτου δὲ ἐλέχθη οὕτως· Πνεῦμα πρὸ προσώπου ἡμῶν χριστὸς κύριος. Καὶ τὰ παρ ὑμῖν δὲ σύμβολα τὴν τοῦ σχήματος τούτου δύναμιν δηλοῖ, λέγω δὲ τὰ τῶν οὐηξίλλων καὶ τῶν τροπαίων, δι ὧν αἵ τε πρόοδοι ὑμῶν πανταχοῖ γίνονται, τῆς ἀρχῆς καὶ δυνάμεως τὰ σημεῖα ἐν τούτοις δεικνύντες, εἰ καὶ μὴ νοοῦντες τοῦτο πράττετε. Καὶ τῶν παρ ὑμῖν ἀποθνησκόντων αὐτοκρατόρων τὰς εἰκόνας ἐπὶ τούτῳ τῷ σχήματι ἀνατίθετε, καὶ θεοὺς διὰ γραμμάτων ἐπονομάζετε. Καὶ διὰ λόγου οὖν καὶ σχήματος τοῦ φαινομένου, ὅση δύναμις, προτρεψάμενοι ὑμᾶς ἀνεύθυνοι οἴδαμεν λοιπὸν ὄντες, κἂν ὑμεῖς ἀπιστῆτε· τὸ γὰρ ἡμέτερον γέγονε καὶ πεπέρανται
然而，論到任何所謂宙斯之子，它們在任何情形下都未曾摹仿那釘十字架的事；因為這事它們並不明白，原來如前面所顯明的，凡關乎這事所說的話都是象徵性的。然而正如先知所預言的，這乃是他能力和權柄最大的象徵，這也從我們眼前所見的事顯明出來；因為你們且思想世上一切的事，看若沒有這形狀，是否能運作、能彼此相通。海若沒有那稱為帆的勝利標誌完好留在船上，就不能渡過；地若沒有它就不能耕種；掘地的人若不藉著有這形狀的工具，就不能作工，工匠也是如此。而人的形狀與無理性的走獸並無分別，惟在乎直立、雙手伸展，並在臉上從額頭往下延伸著那稱為鼻子的，氣息藉此通行於生物——這所顯明的，無非就是十字架的形狀。所以先知這樣說：「我們面前的氣息，就是主基督。」你們自己的標誌也顯出這形狀的能力，我是說那些軍旗和勝利標誌，你們到處的行列遊行都是藉著它們進行的，在其中顯出你們權柄和能力的記號，縱然你們行這事卻不明白其意。你們又把死去之皇帝的像立在這形狀之上，並用銘文稱他們為神。所以，我們既盡所能藉著言語和那可見的形狀勸勉了你們，便知道此後我們是無可指責的了，縱然你們不信；因為我們的本分已經作了、也作完了。
But nowhere, in the case of any of the so-called sons of Zeus, did they imitate the crucifixion; for it was not understood by them, since, as has been shown beforehand, all the things said with reference to this were spoken symbolically. Yet this, as the prophet foretold, is the greatest symbol of his strength and rule, as is shown also from the things that fall under our sight. For consider all the things in the world, whether without this figure they can be administered or have fellowship. For the sea is not crossed unless that trophy which is called a sail remains safe in the ship; and the earth is not plowed without it; diggers do not do their work, nor laborers likewise, except by means of tools that have this figure. And the human figure differs from that of the irrational animals in nothing except in being upright and having the hands extended, and in bearing on the face, stretched down from the forehead, what is called the nostril, through which the breath of the living creature passes — and this shows nothing other than the figure of the cross. And so it was said by the prophet: "The breath before our face is the Lord Christ." And your own symbols too display the power of this figure — I mean the standards and trophies, by means of which your processions everywhere are conducted, displaying in these the signs of your dominion and power, even if you do not understand that you do this. And the images of your emperors who die you set up upon this figure, and you name them gods by inscriptions. So that, having exhorted you as far as we could, both by argument and by the visible figure, we know that we are henceforth blameless, even if you disbelieve; for our part has been done and finished.