The Temptation of Joseph
But you were sold to a man as an eunuch, yet you were honored because of your position in the state, and this man's wife was enamored of your beauty. A divine law, claiming to be God, had foretold: 'You shall not commit adultery' (Exodus 20:14); so how, being driven by impulse, did you disregard the unwritten command of the law?
But you feared your master — a man in name and seeming, yet branded as the husband of a wanton wife (for how was it possible for a eunuch to take a wife in lawful marriage? But she, living in the same house, being clearly the mistress of his household, seemed to guard the mere name of his guardianship).
Therefore, were you practicing a pure conscience toward the one you possessed, not wishing to let what is called by name be used in practice, but rather seeking to avenge the law according to nature for yourself?
Greek
In Joseph (fragmenta) ΛΟΓΟΣ ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΙΩΣΗΦ 72 Ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἀνδρὶ μὲν ἐπράθης εὐνούχῳ, πολιτείᾳ δὲ προὔχων ἐτιμήθης, ἠράσθη σου τῆς εὐμορφίας ἡ τούτου γυνή. Θεῖος οὐ δήπου προέγραφεν νόμος φάσκων· οὐ μοιχεύσεις, πόθεν ὁρμώμενος ἐπίταγμα νόμου περιεποίεις ἄγραφον; Ἀλλὰ δεσπότην ἐδεδοίκεις, ὀνόματι καὶ τῷ δοκεῖν ἄνδρα γυναικὸς ἐπιγραφόμενον ἀσῴτου (πῶς γὰρ οἷόν τε ἦν ἀνθρώπῳ σπάδοντι γυναῖκα νομίμου γάμου συζυγίᾳ λαβεῖν; ἀλλὰ συνοικοῦσα δῆλον καὶ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ προστάτις οὖσα τοὔνομα μόνον τῆς κηδεμονίας ἐδόκει φρουρεῖν). Ἄρ' οὖν ἐταμιεύου καθαρᾷ συνειδήσει τῷ κτησαμένῳ συνεῖναι, μηδὲ τὸ λεγόμενον ὀνόματι πρᾶγμα χρᾶναι βουληθείς, ἑαυτῷ δὲ φυσικὸν ἐκδικῆσαι νόμον,
About this text
On Joseph attributed to Eustathius of Antioch.
Original English Translation — new OET from PG 18 Greek.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 18 (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.