The tree, then, from which comes this fruit of mixed knowledge, is among those things which are forbidden; and that fruit is combined of opposite qualities, which has the serpent to commend it, it may be for this reason, that the evil is not exposed in its nakedness, itself appearing in its own proper nature-for wickedness would surely fail of its effect were it not decked with some fair colour to entice to the desire of it him whom it deceives-but now the nature of evil is in a manner mixed, keeping destruction like some snare concealed in its depths, and displaying some phantom of good in the deceitfulness of its exterior. The beauty of the substance seems good to those who love money: yet "the love of money is a root of all evil ": and who would plunge into the unsavoury mud of wantonness, were it not that he whom this bait hurries into passion thinks pleasure a thing fair and acceptable? so, too, the other sins keep their destruction hidden, and seem at first sight acceptable, and some deceit makes them earnestly sought after by unwary men instead of what is good.

Οὐκοῦν τὸ ξύλον͵ ἀφ' οὗ [200] ἡ σύμμικτος γνῶσις καρποφορεῖται͵ τῶν ἀπηγορευμένων ἐστί. Μέμικται δὲ διὰ τῶν ἐναντίων ὁ καρπὸς ἐκεῖνος͵ ὁ συνήγορον ἔχων ἑαυτοῦ τὸν ὄφιν͵ τάχα κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦτον͵ ὅτι οὐ γυμνὸν πρόκειται τὸ κακὸν αὐτὸ ἐφ' ἑαυτοῦ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν φύσιν φαινόμενον. ῏Η γὰρ ἂν ἄπρακτος ἦν ἡ κακία͵ μηδενὶ προσκεχρωσμένη καλῷ τῷ πρὸς ἐπιθυμίαν αὐτῆς ἐφελκομένῳ τὸν ἀπατώμενον. Νυνὶ δὲ σύμμικτός πώς ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ κακοῦ φύσις͵ ἐν μὲν τῷ βάθει τὸν ὄλεθρον͵ οἷόν τινα δόλον ἐγκεκρυμμένον ἔχουσα͵ ἐν δὲ τῇ κατὰ τὸ φαινόμενον ἀπάτῃ καλοῦ τινα φαντασίαν παραδεικνύουσα. Καλὸν δοκεῖ τοῖς φιλαργύροις ἡ τῆς ὕλης εὔχροια, ἀλλὰ ῥίζα πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἡ φιλαργυρία γίνεται. Τίς δ' ἂν ἐπὶ τὸν δυσώδη βόρβορον τῆς ἀκολασίας κατώλισθεν͵ εἰ μὴ τὴν ἡδονὴν καλόν τι καὶ αἱρετὸν ᾤετο ὁ τῷ δελέατι τούτῳ πρὸς τὸ πάθος κατασυρόμενος; Οὕτω καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἐγκεκρυμμένην ἔχοντα τὴν διαφθοράν͵ αἱρετὰ παρὰ τὴν πρώτην δοκεῖ͵ διά τινος ἀπάτης τοῖς ἀνεπισκέπτοις ἀντ' ἀγαθοῦ σπουδαζόμενα.