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Of the Manichaeans

Alexander of Lycopolis

Chapter 15

About this work

Author: Alexander of Lycopolis

Chapter XV.—The Lust and Desire of Sentient Things; Demons; Animals Sentient; So Also the Sun and the Moon and Stars; The Platonic Doctrine, Not the Christian.

Whence, then, come pleasure and desire? For

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these

are

the

principal

evils

that

they

talk

of

and

hate

.

Nor

does

matter

appear

to

be

anything

else

.

That

these

things

,

indeed

,

only

belong

to

animals

which

are

endowed

with

sense

,

and

that

nothing

else

but

that

which

has

sense

perceives

desire

and

pleasure

,

is

manifest

.

For

what

perception

of

pleasure

and

pain

is

there

in

a

plant

?

What

in

the

earth

,

water

,

or

air

?

And

the

demons

,

if

indeed

they

are

living

beings

endowed

with

sense

,

for

this

reason

,

perhaps

,

are

delighted

with

what

has

been

instituted

in

regard

to

sacrifices

,

and

take

it

ill

when

these

are

wanting

to

them

;

but

nothing

of

this

sort

can

be

imagined

with

respect

to

God

.

Therefore

those

who

say

,

“

Why

are

animals

affected

by

pleasure

and

pain

?

”

should

first

make

the

complaint

,

“

Why

are

these

animals

endowed

with

sense

,

or

why

do

they

stand

in

need

of

food

?

”

For

if

animals

were

immortal

,

they

would

have

been

set

free

from

corruption

and

increase

;

such

as

the

sun

and

moon

and

stars

,

although

they

are

endowed

with

sense

.

They

are

,

however

,

beyond

the

power

of

these

,

and

of

such

a

complaint

.

But

man

,

being

able

to

perceive

and

to

judge

,

and

being

potentially

wise

,

—

for

he

has

the

power

to

become

so

,

—

when

he

has

received

what

is

peculiar

to

himself

,

treads

it

under

foot

.