Or we may argue thus again. What do you mean by Unbegotten and Begotten, for if you mean the simple fact of being unbegotten or begotten, these are not the same; but if you mean Those to Whom these terms apply, how are They not the same? For example, Wisdom and Unwisdom are not the same in themselves, but yet both are attributes of man, who is the same; and they mark not a difference of essence, but one external to the essence. Are immortality and innocence and immutability also the essence of God? If so God has many essences and not one; or Deity is a compound of these. For He cannot be all these without composition, if they be essences.

ἢ οὕτω πάλιν· πῶς λέγεις τὸ ἀγέννητον καὶ τὸ γεννητόν; εἰ μὲν γὰρ τὴν ἀγεννησίαν αὐτὴν καὶ τὴν γέννησιν͵ οὐ ταὐτόν· εἰ δὲ οἷς ὑπάρχει ταῦτα͵ πῶς οὐ ταὐτόν; ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸ ἄσοφον καὶ τὸ σοφὸν ἀλλήλοις μὲν οὐ ταὐτά͵ περὶ ταὐτὸν δέ͵ τὸν ἄνθρωπον· καὶ οὐκ οὐσίας τέμνει͵ περὶ δὲ τὴν αὐτὴν οὐσίαν τέμνεται. ἢ καὶ τὸ ἀθάνατον͵ καὶ τὸ ἄκακον͵ καὶ τὸ ἀναλλοίωτον οὐσία Θεοῦ. ἀλλ΄ εἰ τοῦτο͵ πολλαὶ οὐσίαι Θεοῦ͵ καὶ οὐ μία. ἢ σύνθετον ἐκ τούτων τὸ θεῖον. οὐ γὰρ ἀσυνθέτως ταῦτα͵ εἴπερ οὐσίαι.