Annotation CLXVIII

”The Word was.” — John 1:1

The stars ensouled.

Origen, in the first tome on John, touching on his own peculiar dogma concerning the ensoulment of the stars, writes thus: “The firstborn of all creation, on account of the greatest honor which he attributed to man, was made a man indeed — not, however, any [one] of those living beings which are in heaven: but that star which appeared in the East was made both second, and minister, and servant to Jesus — either like the other stars, or perhaps even more excellent, since it was the sign of him who is more excellent than all.” Consult the preceding book, Annotation 108 [the print gives “107”, an error of the press: the annotation on the stars as living beings is the 108th].