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Translated from the Greek original by Frederick Crombie.
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This Part: 128 Pages
Page 92
Chapter XV.
Celsus, in the next place, as one who has heard the subject of humility greatly talked about, [4357] but who has not been at the pains to understand it, [4358] would wish to speak evil of that humility which is practised among us, and imagines that it is borrowed from some words of Plato imperfectly understood, where he expresses himself in the Laws as follows: "Now God, according to the ancient account, having in Himself both the beginning and end and middle of all existing things, proceeds according to nature, and marches straight on. [4359] He is constantly followed by justice, which is the avenger of all breaches of the divine law: he who is about to become happy follows her closely in humility, and becomingly adorned." [4360] He did not observe, however, that in writers much older than Plato the following words occur in a prayer: "Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty, neither do I walk in great matters, nor in things too wonderful for me; if I had not been humble," [4361] etc. Now these words show that he who is of humble mind does not by any means humble himself in an unseemly or inauspicious manner, falling down upon his knees, or casting himself headlong on the ground, putting on the dress of the miserable, or sprinkling himself with dust. But he who is of humble mind in the sense of the prophet, while "walking in great and wonderful things," which are above his capacity--viz., those doctrines that are truly great, and those thoughts that are wonderful--"humbles himself under the mighty hand of God."
[4357] hos periechetheis ta peri tapeinophrosunes.
[4358] me epimelos auten noesas.
[4359] eutheia perainei kata phusin paraporeuomenos.
[4360] Plato, de Legibus, iv. p. 716.
[4361] Ps. cxxxi. 1, 2 (LXX.). The clause, "If I had not been humble," seems to belong to the following verse.
Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/origen/contra-celsum-3.asp?pg=92
