Therefore, on that voyage of his, Plato could neither have seen Jeremiah, who was dead so long before, nor have read those same scriptures which had not yet been translated into the Greek language, of which he was a master, unless, indeed, we say that, as he was most earnest in the pursuit of knowledge, he also studied those writings through an interpreter, as he did those of the Egyptians,--not, indeed, writing a translation of them (the facilities for doing which were only gained even by Ptolemy in return for munificent acts of kindness,(4) though fear of his kingly authority might have seemed a sufficient motive), but learning as much as he possibly could concerning their contents by means of conversation.What warrants this supposition are the opening verses of Genesis: "In the beginning God made the heaven and earth.And the earth was invisible, and without order; and darkness was over the abyss: and the Spirit of God moved over the waters."(1) For in the Timaeus, when writing on the formation of the world, he says that God first united earth and fire; from which it is evident that he assigns to fire a place in heaven.This opinion bears a certain resemblance to the statement, "In the beginning God made heaven and earth." Plato next speaks of those two intermediary elements, water and air, by which the other two extremes, namely, earth and fire, were mutually united; from which circumstance he is thought to have so understood the words, "The Spirit of God moved over the waters."For, not paying sufficient attention to the designations given by those scriptures to the Spirit of God, he may have thought that the four elements are spoken of in that place, because the air also is called spirit.(2) Then, as to Plato's saying that the philosopher is a lover of God, nothing shines forth more conspicuously in those sacred writings.But the most striking thing in this connection, and that which most of all inclines me almost to assent to the opinion that Plato was not ignorant of those writings, is the answer which was given to the question elicited from the holy MOses when the words of God were conveyed to him by the angel; for, when he asked what was the name of that God who was commanding him to go and deliver the Hebrew people out of Egypt, this answer was given: "I am who am; and thou shalt say to the children of Israel, He who is sent me unto you;"(3) as though compared with Him that truly is, because He is unchangeable, those things which have been created mutable are not,--a truth which Plato zealously held, and most diligently commended.And I know not whether this sentiment is anywhere to be found in the books of those who were before Plato, unless in that book where it is said, "I am who am; and thou shalt say to the children of Israel, who is sent me unto you."CHAP.12.--THAT EVEN THE PLATONISTS, THOUGH THEY SAY THESE THINGS CONCERNINGTHE
ONE TRUE GOD, NEVERTHELESS THOUGHT THAT SACRED RITES WERE TO BE PERFORMEDIN
HONOR OF MANY GODS.
But we need not determine from what source he learned these things,--whether it was from the books of the ancients who preceded him, or, as is more likely, from the words of the apostle:
"Because that which is known of God, has been manifested among them, for God hath manifested it to them.For His invisible things from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by those things which have been made, also His eternal power and Godhead."(4) From whatever source he may have derived this knowledge, then, I think I have made it sufficiently plain that I have not chosen the Platonic philosophers undeservedly as the parties with whom to discuss; because the question we have just taken up concerns the natural theology,--the question, namely, whether sacred rites are to be performed to one God, or to many, for the sake of the happiness which is to be after death.I have specially chosen them because their juster thoughts concerning the one God who made heaven and earth, have made them illustrious among philosophers.
This has given them such superiority to all others in the judgment of posterity, that, though Aristotle, the disciple of Plato, a man of eminent abilities, inferior in eloquence to Plato, yet far superior to many in that respect, had rounded the Peripatetic sect,--so called because they were in the habit of walking about during their disputations,--and though he had, through the greatness of his fame, gathered very many disciples into his school, even during the life of his master; and though Plato at his death was succeeded in his school, which was called the Academy, by Speusippus, his sister's son, and Xenocrates, his beloved disciple, who, together with their successors, were called from this name of the school, Academics; nevertheless the most illustrious recent philosophers, who have chosen to follow Plato, have been unwilling to be called Peripatetics, or Academics, but have preferred the name of Platonists.Among these were the renowned Plotinus, Iamblichus, and Porphyry, who were Greeks, and the African Apuleius, who was learned both in the Greek and Latin tongues.All these, however, and the rest who were of the same school, and also Plato himself, thought that sacred rites ought to be performed in honor of many gods.
CHAP.13.--CONCERNING THE OPINION OF PLATO, ACCORDING TO WHICH HE DEFINEDTHE GODS
AS BEINGS ENTIRELY GOOD AND THE FRIENDS OF VIRTUE.