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Translated from the Greek original by Frederick Crombie.
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This Part: 128 Pages
Page 36
And the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city and the tower. Therefore is the name of it called Confusion; [4179] because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." [4180] In the treatise of Solomon, moreover, on "Wisdom," and on the events at the time of the confusion of languages, when the division of the earth took place, we find the following regarding Wisdom: "Moreover, the nations in their wicked conspiracy being confounded, she found out the righteous, and preserved him blameless unto God, and kept him strong in his tender compassion towards his son." [4181] But on these subjects much, and that of a mystical kind, might be said; in keeping with which is the following: "It is good to keep close the secret of a king," [4182] --in order that the doctrine of the entrance of souls into bodies (not, however, that of the transmigration from one body into another) may not be thrown before the common understanding, nor what is holy given to the dogs, nor pearls be cast before swine. For such a procedure would be impious, being equivalent to a betrayal of the mysterious declarations of God's wisdom, of which it has been well said: "Into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter, nor dwell in a body subject to sin." [4183] It is sufficient, however, to represent in the style of a historic narrative what is intended to convey a secret meaning in the garb of history, that those who have the capacity may work out for themselves all that relates to the subject. (The narrative, then, may be understood as follows.)
[4179] sunchusis.
[4180] Cf. Gen. xi. 5-9.
[4181] Cf. Wisd. of Sol. x. 5.
[4182] Cf. Tobit xii. 7.
[4183] Cf. Wisd. of Sol. i. 4.
Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/origen/contra-celsum-3.asp?pg=36
