Those Holy Scriptures, moreover, which bear the name of Moses, introduce
the first men as hearing divine voices and oracles, and beholding
sometimes the angels of God coming to visit them. For it was probable
that in the beginning of the world’s existence human nature would be
assisted to a greater degree [than afterwards], until progress had been
made towards the attainment of understanding and the other virtues, and
the invention of the arts, and they should thus be able to maintain life
of themselves, and no longer stand in need of superintendents, and of
those to guide them who do so with a miraculous manifestation of the
means which subserve the will of God. Now it follows from this, that it
is false that “in the beginning men were captured and devoured by wild
beasts, while wild beasts were very seldom caught by men.” And from
this, too, it is evident that the following statement of Celsus is
untrue, that “in this way God rather subjected men to wild beasts.” For
God did not subject men to wild beasts, but gave wild beasts to be a
prey to the understanding of man, and to the arts, which are directed
against them, and which are the product of the understanding. For it was
not without the help of God[787] that men desired for themselves the
means of protection against wild beasts, and of securing the mastery
over them.
Footnote 787:
οὐ γὰρ ἀθεεί.