3281. The old man that I saw [3275] is adored by them as their god - for this is how they take it that he who rules all things would look-whom they therefore want to emulate, and so be like the old man with a gray beard. And when they were told that he does not rule the universe, and that he could be led to them to confess this, they wanted to see him, and to hear him; and when he was shown to them, he told them it was he who had been above my head and directed everything that I was writing. He admitted before them that he is nothing, realizing that he was controlled by another most high one (he wants to say for the sake of his own spirits that he was ruled by one higher than himself); however, because this is their nature, it is allowed them. But in this way they are brought by a shorter route to the adoration of the Lord, Who rules the universe. And to show them that he was himself, he spoke to them according to
3281. That old [vetustus] man, who was seen is adored by them, as their god; to wit; they apprehend that so seems he who rules all things; to whom, therefore, they wish to be similar; thus [to be] old with a gray beard; and when they were told that such [a personage] does not rule the universe, and that he could have been conducted to them, in order to confess it, they therefore wished to see and hear him, and when he was shown them, he told them that he was a thief, who [is] above my head, and directed the things which I wrote. He confessed before them, that he told them he was thief, who [is] above my head, and directed the things which I wrote. He confessed before them, that he is nothing, and perceives himself to be ruled by another Supreme [being]; he wishes to say that he was ruled, on account of his spirits, one superior to himself; but inasmuch as they are of such a nature [this] is permitted them; but thus they are brought by a shorter way to worship of the Lord who rules the universe; and that he might demonstrate to them, that it was he himself, he spoke with them, according to the inmost life of their nature.
3281. Vetustus iste qui visus, ab iis adoratur ut eorum deus, ita nempe capiunt quod videatur is qui regit omnia, cui ideo similes esse volunt, ita vetusti cum barba grisea, et cum diceretur iis, quod talis non regat universum, et quod potuisset ad eos adduci, ut fateretur illud, eum itaque volebant videre, et audire, cumque iis ostensus, eis dixit, quod is esset 1
, qui supra caput meum, et regeret ea, quae scriberem, confessus coram iis, quod nihil sit, qui se percipit regi a supremo alio (vult dicere propter spiritus ejus quod regeretur a superiori se), sed quia tales, permittitur iis; sed per viam breviorem sic feruntur ad adorationem Domini, Qui regit universum, utque demonstraret iis, quod ipsemet esset,
(3282.) cum iis secundum eorum naturae vitam intimam loquutus, sic ut intraret cogitatione sua, ita idearum loquela prorsus in interiorem eorum vitam, quam mihi quoque percipere dabatur, et sic quod intima tunc eorum, dicens quod is non esset supremus, cum percipiebant vitam ejus, a quo vitam suam habere dicebant, tunc fassi sunt, quod is esset; ita loquutum cum iis, quod adhuc meliores reddi queant: talem itaque barbatum adorant, sed cognoscunt eum ex vita; percipere datum, quod plures sint, et quidem [quod] omnes qui tales, qui iis infundere possint similem vitam, putent esse eorum deum, quod iis dictum.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has esset; in J.F.I. Tafel's edition fur esset