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The first human, he who was shaped by the hand of God and formed in the image and likeness of the Creator and Founder; he was also deemed worthy of a dwelling in Paradise. He could justly be called the first wise man, since he was the first likeness created and an image wrought by God, and also because he had a full share of all the graces that exist. And all the senses of the body and the soul he possessed in a pure and unadulterated state. For rays of a certain sort, so to speak, flashed from the soul of that man, rays teeming with divine thoughts and energies, and they coursed through all nature, accurately and unerringly anticipating the particular virtue of each thing. Those who judged him were not men, who often make judgments in an erroneous fashion, but the God of everything, who makes every decision and judgment correctly, and, before his mind was stirred to action, by the soul, which labors over such things and gives birth to ideas. And as Scripture says: "God made all the domesticated and wild animals and the things that crawl and the winged things, and he brought them before Adam to see what he would call them, and whatever Adam called them, that was their name."[1] And what is more perfectly clear than this statement and this testimony? What more sublime than this wisdom and this discrimination? He gave names to nature itself, as though prescribing the essence of each animal, without practice, without prior consideration, with no preparatory effort at the things which people take pains to learn. And although many, nay, innumerable species were brought before him no one has managed to change the name even of some insignificant animal, nor did anyone manage to attain even a fraction of his great wisdom and discrimination. Instead all humans scattered across the entire earth continue following his pronouncements unaltered. And the first-born one's surpassing judgment in all things did not stop there, but also extended to the varieties of seeds and plants and the uses of roots and herbs. And whatever in the way of prevention and treatment nature assigned to each of the living things he determined and made clear. He, the first to see woman, spoke about her not as with a human mouth. As though he were echoing some divine pronouncement he uttered incisively that celebrated and awe-inspiring saying: "this now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She will be called woman, because she was taken out of her man."[2] He, moreover, is the one who assesses each thing and establishes rules, precise standards, and incontestable boundaries for all. His are the crafts and letters, his are rational and non-rational sciences, his are prophethoods, priesthoods, purifications and laws both written and unwritten; his are all discoveries and doctrines and whatever needs and regimens are essential for life. He is the first representation of mankind, the image summoned from God; all image-making among men starts out from him as a model, though more and more they sink to a level inferior to his blessed and God-like image, which had no starting point upon which one who molded or painted images after him might depend; to such an extent that the Abomination, the Apostate, the deceiving Devil toppled him from his original foundation and position and caused him to be borne headfirst into pit-like and unlit places which reach all the way down to the joyless recesses of Hades. And from this point human nature became caricatured and falsified and was stamped with the shapings and designs of the Tyrant. From this source that bastard wisdom had its beginnings, for divine wisdom had made its escape and had flown up toward heaven, whence it had previously started out. Whence the Imposter expropriated the name of God and dealt it out it in many directions, giving himself different names, such as "Kronos" and "Zeus", and -- the most wicked thing of all -- the Criminal even had the gall to drag down the blessed and ineffable nature [of God] and associate it with names that were female and unworthy of respect, such as those "Rheas" and "Aphrodites" and "Athenas" and thousands of others, and into strange forms and shapes of illogical things which the Creator of Evil and the Hatcher of Heresy invented and carved out. Hence the wretched tales of the Egyptians about Osiris and Typhon and Isis, and the chicanery of the Persian Magi, and the gymnosophistry and impertinent fantasies of the Brahmans, the fabled sayings of the Skythians and the orgies of the Thracians and the flutes and Corybantes of the Phyrgians. Hence the deceitful and damaging astrology of the Chaldaeans. Hence poetry, the midwife of lies, the pretentious diction of Greek storytelling. Hence Orpheus and Homer and that portrayer of improper begettings, Hesiod. Hence the reputation of Thales and the glorious Pythagoras and Socrates the wise and Plato, the much-ballyhooed pride of the Academy of the Athenians. Hence the Parmenideses and the Protagorases and the Zenos. Hence the Stoas, and the Areopaguses and the Epicureans. Hence the dirges and breast-beatings of the tragedians and the jestings and raillery of the comics. Hence the dishonest divinations of Loxias the liar[3] and the remaining shenanigans and omen-mongering of Greek sophistication. And lest I prolong my essay by getting caught up in rotten and malodorous myths, the Imposter, having taken the burden of the entirety of creation on himself, and having taken man under his control as though he were a slave, went through all that is below heaven and patrolled the earth and kept watch over everything like a hen on her eggs, as he himself says in his lying fashion. He thought that it was necessary to set his throne above the clouds of heaven and to be equal to the Highest One. But the only begotten Son of God, the primordial Word, took pity on mankind since it had been deceived by the serpent, removed himself from the lap of the Father and became flesh by the Holy Spirit and by the Holy Virgin and Mother of God, Mary. He defeated his rival through the hallowed cross and through his suffering and went down to the lowest reaches of the earth and from there dragged back the fallen first-formed one, restoring the primordial beauty to his image and the original worth to his nature. And at that point the entire regime and conformity of the Tyrant vanished, as the light of piousness beamed more brightly than the rays of the sun on the entirety of creation. From this light the godly wisdom once again shone through and gave voice to the tongues of the fishermen and made the unwise teachers of the wise. From this came the birth of thunder, as follows: "In the beginning was the word."[4] It flashed forth from heavenly clouds and thundered and brought light to the entire inhabited world. And through this light Paul is carried to the Third Heaven and sees the unseeable and hears the unspoken sayings and speeds across the entire earth like a bird bringing the Gospel of Jesus in mid air. Thence Peter named Christ the son of the living God, and he is entrusted with the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, so that he may open the entrance to the divine palace for those who believe and lock it against those who do not. Thence flocks of martyrs cast down idols and hasten readily toward their death, displaying their wounds as crowns and their blood as robes of purple, beautiful in victory. The first-formed one should be considered the one who directs this writing, in my opinion and judgment at any rate, as a river the spring and the sea, and roots and branches and shoots, and as the one who originates all human nature, the beginning offerings and the first-fruits.
From Adam until the flood: 2242 years; from the flood until the building of the tower [sc. of Babel], 525 years; from the building of the tower until Abraham, 425. From Abraham until the Exodus of the sons of Israel from Egypt, 430. From the Exodus until the building of the Temple of Solomon, 757 years. From the building of the temple until the captivity of Israel, 425. Altogether 4880 years.[5] From the captivity until king Alexander [sc. the Great], 318. From Alexander until Christ our God, 303. Altogether 5500 years.[6] From Christ until Constantine the Great, 318. From Constantine until Michael son of Theophilos, 555. The whole span altogether 6375 years.[7] From Michael to Romanos son of Constantine Porphyrogennetos ... years.[8] From Porphyrogennetos to the death of John Tzimiskes ... years.[9]
Also [sc. attested is the adjective] Adamiaios, [meaning he who is descended] from Adam.

̓Αδάμ: ὁ πρω̂τος ἄνθρωπος, ὁ χειρὶ θεου̂ πλασθεὶς καὶ κατὰ τὴν εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν μορφωθεὶς του̂ δημιουργου̂ τε καὶ κτίσαντος, ὁ καὶ τιμηθεὶς τὴν εἰς παράδεισον οἴκησιν. οὑ̂τος δικαίως ἂν πρω̂τος καλοι̂το σοφὸς ὡς πρωτόκτιστον ἄγαλμα καὶ εἰκὼν οὐ̂σα θεόγραφος, ὡς τω̂ν χαρίτων ὅλων ὑπάρχων ἀνάπλεως καὶ πάντα καθαρὰ καὶ ἀκίβδηλα περιφέρων τὰ ψυχη̂ς τε καὶ σώματος αἰσθητήρια. μαρμαρυγαὶ γάρ τινες, ὡς εἰπει̂ν, ἐκ τη̂ς ἐκείνου ψυχη̂ς ἀπαστράπτουσαι καὶ θείων ἐννοιω̂ν τε καὶ ἐνεργειω̂ν πλήθουσαι κατὰ πα̂σαν εἰσέτρεχον φύσιν εὐστόχως καὶ ἀναμαρτήτως τὸ οἰκει̂ον ἑκάστης πλεονέκτημα φθάνουσαι. ὃς οὐ παρὰ ἀνθρώπων ἐδοκιμάσθη τω̂ν τὰς κρίσεις πολλάκις ἐπισφαλω̂ς ποιουμένων, ἀλλὰ παρὰ του̂ τω̂ν ὅλων θεου̂ του̂ πα̂σαν γνω̂σιν καὶ κρίσιν ὀρθω̂ς ποιουμένου καὶ πρὸ του̂ τὰς ἐννοίας κινηθη̂ναι παρὰ τη̂ς ὠδινούσης τὰ τοιαυ̂τα ψυχη̂ς καὶ ἀποτικτούσης νοήματα. καὶ ᾑ̂ φησιν ἡ γραφή: ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς πάντα τὰ κτήνη καὶ τὰ θηρία καὶ τὰ ἑρπετὰ καὶ πετεινὰ καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐτὰ πρὸς τὸν ̓Αδὰμ ἰδει̂ν, τί καλέσει αὐτά. καὶ ὃ ἐκάλεσεν ̓Αδὰμ, του̂το ὄνομα αὐτῳ̂. τί τη̂ς φωνη̂ς ταύτης καὶ μαρτυρίας ἀριδηλότερον; τί τη̂ς σοφίας ταύτης καὶ διαγνώσεως ὑψηλότερον; ἐκάλεσεν ὀνόματα τὴν φύσιν αὐτὴν καὶ τὴν ὑπόστασιν ἑκάστου ζῴου ὥσπερ ὑπογραφόμενος, οὐ μελετήσας, οὐ προσκεψάμενος, οὐδέν τι προπεπονθὼς τω̂ν ὅσα μεταμανθάνουσιν ἄνθρωποι. καὶ πολλω̂ν καὶ ἀναρίθμων γενεω̂ν παραδραμουσω̂ν οὐκ ἴσχυσεν οὐδεὶς ὑπαλλάξαι κἂν του̂ τυχόντος ζῴου τὸ ὄνομα, οὐδὲ τη̂ς ἐκείνου δράξασθαι μεγαλονοίας καὶ διαγνώσεως. μα̂λλον μὲν οὐ̂ν μένουσιν ἅπαντες οἱ κατὰ πα̂σαν ἐσπαρμένοι τὴν γη̂ν ἄνθρωποι τοι̂ς ἐκείνου στοιχου̂ντες ἀμεταθέτοις θεσπίσμασι. καὶ οὐδὲ μέχρι τούτων ἔστη του̂ πρωτογόνου ἀνθρώπου τὸ ὑπερβάλλον ἐν πα̂σιν ἀξίωμα, ἀλλὰ καὶ σπερμάτων καὶ φυτω̂ν διαφορὰς ῥιζω̂ν τε καὶ βοτανω̂ν δυνάμεις, καὶ ὅσα εἰς ἀντίληψιν καὶ θεραπείαν ἡ φύσις ἑκάστῳ προσαρμόττει τω̂ν ζῴων, διέκρινέ τε καὶ ἐσάφησεν. οὑ̂τος καὶ τὴν γυναι̂κα πρω̂τος ἰδὼν οὐχ ὥσπερ ἐκ στόματος ἀνθρωπίνου περὶ ταύτης ἐφθέγξατο, ἀλλ' ὡς ἔκ τινος θείας ὀμφη̂ς ἐνηχούμενος εὐστόχως τὸ πολυύμνητον ἐκει̂νο καὶ θαυμαστὸν ἀπεφοίβασε λόγιον: του̂το νυ̂ν ὀστου̂ν ἐκ τω̂ν ὀστέων μου καὶ σὰρξ ἐκ τη̂ς σαρκός μου. αὕτη κληθήσεται γυνὴ, ὅτι ἐκ του̂ ἀνδρὸς αὐτη̂ς ἐλήφθη. οὑ̂τος τοίνυν ἐστὶν ὁ δοκιμάσας ἕκαστα καὶ πα̂σι κανόνας καὶ στάθμας ἀκριβει̂ς καὶ ὅρους ἀναντιρρήτους ἐναρμο- σάμενος. τούτου τέχναι καὶ γράμματα, τούτου ἐπιστη̂μαι λογικαί τε καὶ ἄλογοι, τούτου προφητει̂αι, ἱερουργίαι καὶ καθαρισμοὶ καὶ νόμοι γραπτοί τε καὶ ἄγραφοι, τούτου πάντα εὑρήματα καὶ διδάγματα, καὶ ὅσαι κατὰ τὸν βίον ἀναγκαι̂αι χρει̂αί τε καὶ δίαιται. οὑ̂τός ἐστιν ὁ πρω̂τος ἀνδριὰς, τὸ θεόκλητον ἄγαλμα, ἀφ' οὑ̂περ ἀπευθύνονται πα̂σαι ἀνθρώπων ἀγαλματουργίαι, κἂν πρὸς τὸ ἡ̂ττον μα̂λλον καὶ μα̂λλον ἐκπίπτωσιν ἐκείνου του̂ μακαρίου καὶ θεοειδου̂ς ἀπεικάσματος μηδεμίαν ἔχοντος ἀφορμὴν, ἡ̂ς ἂν ἐπιλάβοιτο ὁ μετ' ἐκει̂νον διαπλαττόμενος ἢ ζῳγραφούμενος, ἕως ὁ παλαμναι̂ος καὶ ἀποστάτης καὶ πλάνος διάβολος του̂τον ἐξεκύλισεν ἐκ τη̂ς οἰκείας ἱδρύσεώς τε καὶ στάσεως καὶ κατὰ του̂ πρανου̂ς εἴασε φέρεσθαι πρὸς βαραθρώδεις τινὰς καὶ ἀλαμπει̂ς χώρους καὶ μέχρι τω̂ν ἀμειδήτων του̂ ᾅδου κευθμώνων ἐγγίζοντας. κἀντευ̂θεν ἤρξατο φύσις ἡ τω̂ν ἀνθρώπων παραχαράττεσθαι καὶ διακιβδηλεύεσθαι καὶ τυπου̂σθαι τοι̂ς του̂ τυράννου μορφώμασί τε καὶ σχήμασιν. ἐντευ̂θεν ἡ νόθος σοφία τὰς ἀφορμὰς ἔλαβε, τη̂ς θείας δραπετευσάσης καὶ πρὸς οὐρανὸν ἀναπτάσης, ὅθεν τὸ πρότερον ἠ̂ν ἀφορμήσασα. ὅθεν ὁ πλάνος τὸ του̂ θεου̂ σφετερισάμενος ὄνομα εἰς πολλὰ κατεμέρισε, Κρόνους τε καὶ Ζη̂νας καὶ Ποσειδω̂νας ἑαυτὸν μετακαλω̂ν: καὶ τὸ δὴ πάντων ἀνοσιώτατον, εἰς ὀνόματα θήλεά τε καὶ ἄσεμνα τὴν μακαρίαν καὶ ἄρρητον συγκατασπάσαι φύσιν ὁ ἀλιτήριος κατετόλμησεν, εἴς τε τὰς ̔Ρέας ἐκείνας καὶ ̓Αφροδίτας καὶ ̓Αθηνα̂ς καὶ εἰς ἄλλας μυρίας καὶ ἀλλοκότους ἀλόγων ἰδέας τε καὶ μορφὰς, ἃς ὁ κακίας δημιουργὸς καὶ τὴν ἀποστασίαν νοσήσας ἐπέχρωσέ τε καὶ διεχάραξεν. ἐντευ̂θεν Αἰγυπτίων τὰ περὶ ̓́Οσιριν καὶ Τυφω̂να καὶ ̓́Ισιν μοχθηρὰ διηγήματα καὶ Περσω̂ν μαγικὰ μαγγανεύματα καὶ Βραχμάνων γυμνοσοφιστίαι καὶ ἄκαιροι φαντασίαι καὶ ἡ θαυμαζομένη Σκυθω̂ν ῥη̂σις καὶ τὰ Θρᾳκω̂ν ὄργια καὶ οἱ Φρυγω̂ν αὐλοὶ καὶ Κορύβαντες. ἐντευ̂θεν ἡ Χαλδαίων ἀστρονομία ἡ σφαλερά τε καὶ πολυώδυνος. ἐντευ̂θεν ἡ του̂ ψεύδους λοχεύτρια ποίησις, ἡ τω̂ν ̔Ελληνικω̂ν ληρημάτων σεμνομυθία. ἐντευ̂θεν ̓Ορφεύς τε καὶ ̔́Ομηρος καὶ ὁ τω̂ν ἀθεμίτων γονω̂ν ζῳγράφος ̔Ησίοδος. ἐντευ̂θεν ἡ Θάλητος δόξα καὶ ὁ κλεινὸς Πυθαγόρας καὶ ὁ σοφὸς Σωκράτης καὶ Πλάτων, τὸ τη̂ς ̓Αθηναίων ̓Ακαδημίας πολυθρύλητον σεμνολόγημα. ἐντευ̂θεν οἱ Παρμενίδαι καὶ Πρωταγόραι καὶ Ζήνωνες. ἐντευ̂θεν αἱ Στοαὶ καὶ οἱ ̓́Αρειοι πάγοι καὶ ̓Επικούρειοι. ἐντευ̂θεν οἱ τραγῳδω̂ν θρη̂νοι καὶ κοπετοὶ καὶ τὰ κωμικω̂ν παίγνια καὶ τωθάσματα. ἐντευ̂θεν τὰ δολερὰ του̂ Λοξίου καὶ ψευδηγόρου θεσπίσματα καὶ ἡ λοιπὴ τω̂ν ̔Ελληνικω̂ν κομψευμάτων ἐρεσχελία καὶ τερατεία. καὶ ἵνα μὴ μακρὸν ἀποτείνω τὸν λόγον εἰς σαπρούς τε καὶ ὀδωδότας μύθους ἐνασχολούμενος, πα̂σαν εἰς ἑαυτὸν τὴν κτίσιν ὁ πλάνος ἐμφορτισάμενος καὶ λαβὼν ὑπὸ χει̂ρα τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὡς ἀνδράποδον καὶ διερχόμενος τὴν ὑπ' οὐρανὸν καὶ περιπατω̂ν τὴν γη̂ν καὶ ὡς ὠὰ πάντα κατέχων, ὡς αὐτός πού φησιν ἀλαζονευόμενος, ᾤετο δει̂ν τὸν ἑαυτου̂ θρόνον θήσειν ἐπάνω τω̂ν νεφελω̂ν του̂ οὐρανου̂ καὶ ἔσεσθαι ὅμοιος τῳ̂ ̔Υψίστῳ. ἀλλ' ὁ του̂ θεου̂ μονογενὴς υἱὸς καὶ λόγος ὁ προαιώνιος οἰκτείρας τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὡς ἠπατημένον ὑπὸ του̂ δράκοντος ἐκ τω̂ν του̂ πατρὸς κόλπων ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσε καὶ σαρκωθεὶς ἐκ πνεύματος ἁγίου καὶ ἐκ τη̂ς ἁγίας παρθένου καὶ θεοτόκου Μαρίας, καὶ διὰ του̂ τιμίου σταυρου̂ καὶ του̂ πάθους αὐτου̂ καταβαλὼν τὸν ἀντίπαλον καὶ καταβὰς εἰς τὰ κατώτατα μέρη τη̂ς γη̂ς ἐκει̂θεν εἵλκυσε τὸν παραπεσόντα πρωτόπλαστον, ἀποδοὺς τῃ̂ εἰκόνι τὸ πρω̂τον κάλλος καὶ τῃ̂ φύσει τὸ ἀρχαι̂ον ἀξίωμα. κἀντευ̂θεν ἠφάνισται πα̂σα ἡ του̂ τυράννου δυναστεία καὶ συμμορφία του̂ τη̂ς εὐσεβείας φωτὸς διαυγάσαντος πάσῃ τῃ̂ κτίσει τω̂ν ἡλιακω̂ν μαρμαρυγω̂ν τηλαυγέστερον. ἐκ τούτου του̂ φωτὸς ἡ κατὰ θεὸν σοφία πάλιν διέλαμψε καὶ γλώσσας ἁλιέων ἐστόμωσε καὶ τω̂ν σοφω̂ν διδασκάλους τοὺς ἀσόφους εἰργάσατο ἐντευ̂θεν ὁ τη̂ς βροντη̂ς γόνος, τὸ: ἐν ἀρχῃ̂ ἠ̂ν ὁ λόγος, ἐξ οὐρανίων νεφελω̂ν ἀπαστράψας ἐβρόντησε, καὶ πα̂σαν τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐλάμπρυνε. κἀκ τούτου του̂ φωτὸς Παυ̂λος εἰς τρίτον οὐρανὸν ἀναφέρεται καὶ θεα̂ται τὰ ἀθέατα καὶ τω̂ν ἀρρήτων ὑπακούει λογίων καὶ διατρέχει πα̂σαν τὴν γη̂ν ὡς πτηνὸς καὶ ἀέριος τὸν ̓Ιησου̂ν εὐαγγελιζόμενος. ἐντευ̂θεν ὁ Πέτρος τὸν Χριστὸν υἱὸν θεου̂ του̂ ζω̂ντος ὠνόμασε καὶ τὰς κλει̂ς τη̂ς τω̂ν οὐρανω̂ν πιστεύεται βασιλείας, ἵνα ἀνοίγῃ μὲν τοι̂ς πιστοι̂ς, ἀποκλείῃ δὲ τοι̂ς ἀπίστοις τω̂ν θείων ἀνακτόρων τὴν εἴσοδον. ἐντευ̂θεν ἀγέλαι μαρτύρων καταβάλλουσιν εἴδωλα καὶ τρέχουσιν ἕτοιμοι πρὸς τὸν θάνατον, ὡς στεφάνους τὰς πληγὰς καὶ ὡς πορφύρας τὰ ἑαυτω̂ν αἵματα περιφέροντες οἱ καλλίνικοι. ἔστω γου̂ν ὁ πρωτόπλαστος ἀρχηγὸς του̂δε του̂ γράμματος, κατά γε τὸν ἐμὸν ὅρον καὶ λόγον, ὡς ποταμὸς πηγή τε καὶ θάλαττα καὶ ῥίζα καὶ κλάδοι καὶ ὅρπηκες καὶ πάσης ὑπάρχων τη̂ς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως ἀπαρχὴ καὶ πρωτόλειον. ὅτι ἀπὸ ̓Αδὰμ ἕως του̂ κατακλυσμου̂ ἔτη #22βσμβ#. ἀπὸ δὲ του̂ κατακλυσμου̂ ἕως τη̂ς πυργοποιί̈ας ἔτη φκε#. ἀπὸ δὲ τη̂ς πυργοποιί̈ας ἕως του̂ ̓Αβραὰμ υκε#. ἀπὸ δὲ του̂ ̓Αβραὰμ ἕως τη̂ς ἐξόδου τω̂ν υἱω̂ν ̓Ισραὴλ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου υλ#. ἀπὸ δὲ τη̂ς ἐξόδου ἕως τη̂ς οἰκοδομη̂ς του̂ Σολομωντείου ναου̂ ἔτη ψνζ#. ἀπὸ δὲ τη̂ς οἰκοδομη̂ς του̂ ναου̂ ἕως τη̂ς αἰχμαλωσίας του̂ ̓Ισραὴλ υκε#. ὁμου̂ ἔτη #22δωπ#. ἀπὸ δὲ τη̂ς αἰχμαλωσίας ἕως ̓Αλεξάνδρου βασιλέως τιη#. ἀπὸ δὲ ̓Αλεξάνδρου ἕως Χριστου̂ του̂ θεου̂ ἡμω̂ν τγ#. ὁμου̂ ἔτη #22εφ#. ἀπὸ δὲ Χριστου̂ ἕως του̂ μεγάλου Κωνσταντίνου τιη#. ἀπὸ δὲ Κωνσταντίνου μέχρι Μιχαὴλ υἱου̂ Θεοφίλου φνε#. ὁμου̂ τὰ πάντα ἔτη #22#2τοε#. ἀπὸ δὲ Μιχαὴλ ἕως ̔Ρωμανου̂ υἱου̂ Κωνσταντίνου του̂ Πορφυρογεννήτου ἔτη ... ἀπὸ δὲ του̂ Πορφυρογεννήτου ἕως τη̂ς τελευτη̂ς ̓Ιωάννου του̂ Τζιμισκη̂ ἔτη ... καὶ ̓Αδαμιαι̂ος, ἀπὸ ̓Αδάμ.

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