All things come from earth and to earth return.
Ἐκ γαίης γὰρ πάντα, καὶ εἰς γῆν πάντα τελευτᾷ.
Xenophanes, DK21 B27; Sextus Empiricus, Adversus mathematicos 10.313
Xenophanes of Colophon
@xenophanes · 10 excerpts
But if oxen, horses or lions had hands, or could draw with their hands and perform the works that men do, horses would draw images of gods like horses, and oxen like oxen, and would make the gods’ bodies like the form each kind itself had.
ἀλλ’ εἰ χεῖρας ἔχον βόες ⟨ἵπποι τ’⟩ ἠὲ λέοντες
ἢ γράψαι χείρεσσι καὶ ἔργα τελεῖν ἅπερ ἄνδρες,
ἵπποι μέν θ’ ἵπποισι βόες δέ τε βουσὶν ὁμοίας
καί ⟨κε⟩ θεῶν ἰδέας ἔγραφον καὶ σώματ’ ἐποίουν
τοιαῦθ’ οἷόν περ καὐτοὶ δέμας εἶχον ⟨ἕκαστοι⟩.
Xenophanes, fragment 15 (DK21 B15), preserved by Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5.109.3; Greek text ed. Diels (1903), p.54, with editorial supplements in angle brackets.
Men think the gods are born like themselves, and have their own clothes, voice and body.
ἀλλ’ οἱ βροτοὶ δοκοῦσι γεννᾶσθαι θεούς,
τὴν σφετέρην δὲ ἐσθῆτα ἔχειν φωνήν τε δέμας τε.
DK21 B14; Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5.109.2
He is not like mortals in body or mind.
οὔ τι δέμας θνητοῖσιν ὁμοίιος οὐδὲ νόημα.
DK21 B23, line 2; Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5.109.1
One god, greatest among gods and men.
Εἷς θεός, ἔν τε θεοῖσι καὶ ἀνθρώποισι μέγιστος.
Xenophanes, DK21 B23, line 1; Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5.109.1
All things come from earth and to earth return.
Ἐκ γαίης γὰρ πάντα, καὶ εἰς γῆν πάντα τελευτᾷ.
Sextus Empiricus, Against the Mathematicians 10.313
But if oxen or lions had hands, so as to paint with their hands and make works of art as men do, horses would paint the forms of the gods like horses, and oxen like oxen, and would make their bodies just like the bodies they themselves have.
Ἀλλ’ εἴ τοι χεῖρας γ’ εἶχον βόες ἠὲ λέοντες,
ὡς γράψαι χείρεσσι καὶ ἔργα τελεῖν ἅπερ ἄνδρες,
ἵπποι μέν θ’ ἵπποισι, βόες δέ τε βουσὶν ὁμοίας
καί κε θεῶν ἰδέας ἔγραφον καὶ σώματ’ ἐποίουν
τοιαῦθ’ οἷόν περ καὶ αὐτοὶ δέμας εἶχον ὁμοῖον.
Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5.109.3
But mortals deem that the gods are begotten as they are, and have clothes like theirs, and voice and form.
Ἀλλ’ οἱ βροτοὶ δοκοῦσι γεννᾶσθαι θεούς,
τὴν σφετέρην δὲ ἐσθῆτα ἔχειν φωνήν τε δέμας τε.
Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5.109.2
He is not like mortals in body or mind.
οὔ τι δέμας θνητοῖσιν ὁμοίιος οὐδὲ νόημα.
DK21 B23, line 2; Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5.109.1
One god, the greatest among gods and men, neither in form like unto mortals nor in thought.
Εἷς θεός, ἔν τε θεοῖσι καὶ ἀνθρώποισι μέγιστος,
οὔ τι δέμας θνητοῖσιν ὁμοίιος οὐδὲ νόημα.
Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5.109.1