Some Hair-Splitting Use of Words in Which His Opponent Had Indulged.

Chapter XXVII.—Some Hair-Splitting Use of Words in Which His Opponent Had Indulged.

But you next praise your eyebrows, and toss back your head, and beckon with your finger, in characteristic disdain, ⁶³⁸⁵ and say: There is the was, looking as if it pointed to an eternal existence,—making its subject, of course, unbegotten and unmade, and on that account worthy of being supposed to be Matter. Well now, for my own part, I shall resort to no affected protestation, ⁶³⁸⁶ but simply reply that “was” may be predicated of everything—even of a thing which has been created, which was born, which once was not, and which is not your Matter. For of everything which has being, from whatever source it has it, whether it has it by a beginning or without a beginning, the word “was” will be predicated from the very fact that it exists. To whatever thing the first tense ⁶³⁸⁷ of the verb is applicable for definition, to the same will be suitable the later form ⁶³⁸⁸ of the verb, when it has to descend to relation. “Est” (it is) forms the essential part ⁶³⁸⁹ of a definition, “erat” (it was) of a relation.  Such are the trifles and subtleties of heretics, who wrest and bring into question the simple meaning of the commonest words. A grand question it is, to be sure, ⁶³⁹⁰ whether “the earth was,” which was made! The real point of discussion is, whether “being without form, and void,” is a state which is more suitable to that which was created, or to that of which it was created, so that the predicate (was) may appertain to the same thing to which the subject (that which was) also belongs. ⁶³⁹¹

Footnotes

492:6385

Implied in the emphatic tu.

492:6386

Sine u lo lenocinio pronunciationis.

492:6387

Prima positio: the first inflection perhaps, i.e. the present tense.

492:6388

Declinatio: the past tense.

492:6389

Caput.

492:6390

Scilicet.

492:6391

This seems to be the meaning of the obscure passage, “Ut ejusdem sit Erat cujus et quod erat.”