Hortatory Address to the Greeks

But since, you men of Greece, the matters of the true religion don't lie in the poetic forms, nor in the culture which is highly valued among you, pay less attention to the exactness of poetry and language; and listen without arguing to the words of the Sibyl. Recognize the great benefits she will provide by clearly predicting the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. He, being the Word of God and inseparable from Him in power, took on man, who was made in the image and likeness of God, and restored the knowledge of the religion of our ancient forefathers, which people abandoned through the deceitful advice of the envious devil, turning to the worship of those who were not gods.

And if you still hesitate and are stopped from believing regarding the creation of man, believe those you previously thought right to listen to, and know that your own oracle, when asked to praise the Almighty God, in the middle of the hymn said, “Who formed the first of men, and called him Adam.” This hymn is kept by many we know, for the conviction of those unwilling to believe the truth which everyone bears witness to. If therefore, you men of Greece, you do not value the false ideas about those that are not gods more than your own salvation, believe, as I said, the most ancient and respected Sibyl, whose books are preserved worldwide.

Through some kind of powerful inspiration, she teaches us in her oracles about those called gods, who have no existence, and clearly prophesies about the predicted coming of our Savior Jesus Christ and all the things He would do. Knowing these things will be your necessary preparation for studying the prophecies of the sacred writers. If anyone thinks they have learned about God from the most ancient of those you call philosophers, let them listen to Ammon and Hermes: Ammon, who in his discourse about God calls Him wholly hidden, and Hermes, who clearly says, “that it is difficult to comprehend God, and that it is impossible even for the person who can comprehend Him to explain Him to others.” From every perspective, therefore, it's clear that in no other way than from the prophets, who teach us through divine inspiration, is it possible to learn anything about God and the true religion.