---
title: "Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian and Origen"
author: "Various Church Fathers"
translator: "S. Thelwall and others; A. Cleveland Coxe (ed.)"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Church Fathers"
section: 41 of 199
url: https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/41/
cite: "Various Church Fathers, tr. S. Thelwall and others; A. Cleveland Coxe (ed.), Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian and Origen, section 41. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/41/"
---

# Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian and Origen

*Various Church Fathers, tr. S. Thelwall and others; A. Cleveland Coxe (ed.)*

Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian, and Origen's On First Principles and Against Celsus.

## 41. Genesis · 2 of 5

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/41/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/41/#p-N

[¶0] With sleep irriguous He doth perfuse;

[¶1] That from his left rib woman softlier

[¶2] 45 May formed be, and that by mixture twin

[¶3] His substance may add firmness to her limbs.

[¶4] To her the name of “Life”—which is called “Eve”—

[¶5] Is given: wherefore sons, as custom is,

[¶6] Their parents leave, and, with a settled home,

[¶7] 50 Cleave to their wives.

[¶8] The seventh came, when God

[¶9] At His works’ end did rest, decreeing it

[¶10] Sacred unto the coming ages’ joys.

[¶11] Straightway—the crowds of living things deployed

[¶12] Before him—Adam’s cunning skill (the gift

[¶13] 55 Of the good Lord) gives severally to all

[¶14] The name which still is permanent. Himself,

[¶15] And, joined with him, his Eve, God deigns address

[¶16] “Grow, for the times to come, with manifold

[¶17] Increase, that with your seed the pole and earth

[¶18] 60 Be filled; and, as Mine heirs, the varied fruits

[¶19] Pluck ye, which groves and champaigns render you,

[¶20] From their rich turf.” Thus after He discoursed,

[¶21] In gladsome court a paradise is strewn,

[¶22] And looks towards the rays of th’ early sun.

[¶23] 65 These joys among, a tree with deadly fruits,

[¶24] Breeding, conjoined, the taste of life and death,

[¶25] Arises. In the midst of the demesne

[¶26] Flows with pure tide a stream, which irrigates

[¶27] Fair offsprings from its liquid waves, and cuts

[¶28] 70 Quadrified paths from out its bubbling fount

[¶29] Here wealthy Phison, with auriferous waves,

[¶30] Swells, and with hoarse tide wears conspicuous gems,

[¶31] This prasinus, that glowing carbuncle,

[¶32] By name; and raves, transparent in its shoals,

[¶33] 75 The margin of the land of Havilath.

[¶34] Next Gihon, gliding by the Æthiops,

[¶35] Enriches them. The Tigris is the third,

[¶36] Adjoined to fair Euphrates, furrowing

[¶37] Disjunctively with rapid flood the land

[¶38] 80 Of Asshur. Adam, with his faithful wife,

[¶39] Placed here as guard and workman, is informed

[¶40] By such the Thunderer’s speech: “Tremble ye not

[¶41] To pluck together the permitted fruits

[¶42] Which, with its leafy bough, the unshorn grove

[¶43] 85 Hath furnished; anxious only lest perchance

[¶44] Ye cull the hurtful apple, which is green