Laws counteract the fate (1)

Text
Bardesanes, Book of the Laws of Countries:
To this Bardesanes said: “Because of the fact that people do not lead their lives in the same manner, you are convinced that they do not sin through their natural constitution. Now you will also feel convinced, that they do not by any means sin because of their personal Fate, if we can show you that the same decision of Fate, that is of the Rulers, does not cause all people to act in the same manner, but that we have liberty to dispose over ourselves, so that we are not slaves of physical nature, nor determined by the guidance of the Rulers. … Have you read the books of the Babylonian Chaldeans, in which it is described what influence the stars in their constellations exercise upon the horoscopes of men? And the books of the Egyptians, in which all the different things that may befall people are described?” Awida replied: “I have read books on the Chaldean doctrine, but I do not know which are Babylonian, and which are Egyptian.” Bardesanes said: “The doctrine of both countries is the same.” To this Awida said: “It is known that it is so.” Then Bardesanes said: “Now listen, and try to understand that not all people over the whole world do that which the stars determine by their Fate and in their sectors, in the same way. For men have established laws in each country by that liberty given them from God, for this gift counteracts the Fate of the Rulers, who have appropriated something not given to them.”

Source (list of abbreviations) (source links will open in a new browser window)
Bardesanes, Book of the Laws of Countries

Bibliography

Amar Annus

URL for this entry: http://www.aakkl.helsinki.fi/melammu/database/gen_html/a0001362.php