Opposite Opinions in My Commentaries

Besides, you bring against yourself a charge that no one has brought against you, and make excuses where no one has accused you. You say you have read these words in my letter: “I want to know who gave you permission, when translating a book, to remove some things, change others, and add still others.” And you go on to answer yourself and to speak against me: “I say this to you: who, I ask, gave you permission in your commentaries to set down some things from Origen, some from Apollinaris, and some of your own, instead of all from Origen, or all from yourself, or all from someone else?” All this while, aiming at something else, you have been bringing a very serious charge against yourself. You have forgotten the old proverb, that liars should have good memories. You say that in my commentaries I have set down some things from Origen, some from Apollinaris, and some of my own. If, then, the things I have set down under the names of others are the words of Apollinaris and of Origen, what becomes of the charge you fasten on me, that when I say “Another says this,” or “The following is someone’s guess,” that “another” or “someone” means me? Between Origen and Apollinaris there is a vast difference of interpretation, of style, and of doctrine. When I set down conflicting opinions on the same passage, am I to be supposed to accept both of the contradictory views? But more of this later. [a]