A lengthy note on Hebrews 9.24 (into heaven itself).

[Peter Kirby]

Side note here [more of a note to self, but useful to anyone else hunting or curious]:

I'm looking for αὐτὸς in the predicate position with the articular noun, in agreement with Hebrews 9:24. So that means:

ὁ οὐρανὸς αὐτὸς
αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανὸς

τοῦ οὐρανοῦ αὐτοῦ
αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ

τῷ οὐρανῷ αὐτῷ
αὐτῷ τῷ οὐρανῷ

τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν
αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν

[Ben C. Smith]

If it makes you feel any better, Ben, I get what you're saying here. It's an astute observation and not without merit.

Thanks, man.

I'm also inclined to credit you for the OP's thesis on Heb 9:24, but I am currently dredging up some references from the TLG to see if they shed any light on "heaven itself" (αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανός, etc.). Maybe it'll only confirm your thesis, but that itself would be interesting.

Dredge away. If there are counter-examples, I want to know about them. (I found the examples I used with the free version of the TLG, but I was not exhaustive.)

Ben.

[Ben C. Smith]

Side note here [more of a note to self, but useful to anyone else hunting or curious]:

I'm looking for αὐτὸς in the predicate position with the articular noun, in agreement with Hebrews 9:24. So that means:

ὁ οὐρανὸς αὐτὸς
αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανὸς

τοῦ οὐρανοῦ αὐτοῦ
αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ

τῷ οὐρανῷ αὐτῷ
αὐτῷ τῷ οὐρανῷ

τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν
αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν

I believe that is correct.

[Peter Kirby]

If there are counter-examples, I want to know about them. (I found the examples I used with the free version of the TLG, but I was not exhaustive.)

Sure thing. I'm not really looking for counter-examples. I think we can take a survey of the use of the phrase and attempt to reason on the basis of that, independent of its use in Hebrews. This provides the background knowledge from which we may then reason about the passage in Hebrews.

[Bernard Muller]

to Ben,

Our author does not specify that he would not be a temple priest if on earth; he says that he would not be a priest if on earth. In other words, if Jesus ever visited earth, according to this epistle, he was not a priest there, according to this verse, if the Levites were around to do their duties. Unless you can show that, at the time of his death, the Levites were not around to do their duties, Jesus was not a priest on earth before or during his death. He may have been on earth, but he was not a priest.

In Jesus' days, Jewish priests were temple of Jerusalem priests. Are you saying because Jesus would not be an old covenant priest, he could not have been the high priest of the new covenant sacrificing himself on earth?
By the way, in Jesus' days, the priests were not selected among Levites.

Cordially, Bernard

[Ben C. Smith]

to Ben,

Our author does not specify that he would not be a temple priest if on earth; he says that he would not be a priest if on earth. In other words, if Jesus ever visited earth, according to this epistle, he was not a priest there, according to this verse, if the Levites were around to do their duties. Unless you can show that, at the time of his death, the Levites were not around to do their duties, Jesus was not a priest on earth before or during his death. He may have been on earth, but he was not a priest.

In Jesus' days, Jewish priests were temple of Jerusalem priests. Are you saying because Jesus would not be an old covenant priest, he could not have been the high priest of the new covenant sacrificing himself on earth?

I am not saying it; the author of Hebrews is saying it; I am reading it.

Ben.

[Ben C. Smith]

By the way, in Jesus' days, the priests were not selected among Levites.

Not sure what you are saying here. Are you referring to the statement by Josephus to the effect that, starting with Herod and continuing through Archelaus and then the Romans, the high priests were no longer descended from the most distinguished families of old, but were rather appointed by rulers from families that were, as he puts it, merely priestly? (But surely even merely priestly families would be Levites.)

Ben.

[Peter Kirby]

Here are the references in Christian writings.




Novum Testamentum, Epistula Pauli ad Hebraeos Chapter 9, section 24, line 3
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν,




"PHILOSOPHERS"



Joannes Philoponus Phil., De opificio mundi Page 132, line 21 [6th century]
ὥστε καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανός

Joannes Philoponus Phil., In Aristotelis physicorum libros commentaria Volume 17, page 727, line 18
τὸ γὰρ γεγενῆσθαι τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κίνησιν καὶ περιφορὰν οὐκ ἄλλῳ τινὶ γνωρίζομεν ἢ αὐτῷ τῷ οὐρανῷ·

Joannes Philoponus Phil., In Aristotelis physicorum libros commentaria Volume 17, page 727, line 19
τὸ γὰρ γεγενῆσθαι τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κίνησιν καὶ περιφορὰν οὐκ ἄλλῳ τινὶ γνωρίζομεν ἢ αὐτῷ τῷ οὐρανῷ·

Joannes Philoponus Phil., De aeternitate mundi Page 519, line 20
ὡς ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων οἴεται τὸ πᾶν συνεστάναι καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν,

Joannes Philoponus Phil., De opificio mundi Page 218, line 22
ὅτι μὴ τὸν ἀέρα νῦν σημαίνει τὸ κατὰ τὸ στερέωμα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἵπτασθαι, ἀλλ' αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν,

Joannes Philoponus Phil., De opificio mundi Page 256, line 1
οὐδὲ γὰρ καὶ ἀγγέλων ἄρχει καὶ φωστήρων καὶ αὐτοῦ   τοῦ οὐρανοῦ·

Joannes Philoponus Phil., In Aristotelis physicorum libros commentaria Volume 17, page 615, line 19
p. 213b23 <Καὶ ἐπεισιέναι αὐτῷ τῷ οὐρανῷ ἐκ τοῦ ἀπείρου πνεύματος,




"GEOGRAPHERS AND SECULAR HISTORIANS"

Joannes Laurentius Lydus Hist., De ostentis Section 6, line 25 [6th century]
Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ὅτε κατ' αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν <ἐκ-πύρωσις> ἔδοξε γίνεσθαι,

Cosmas Indicopleustes Geogr., Topographia Christiana Book 4, section 9, line 3 [6th century]
τὸ στερέωμα μέσα μέσοις ἐξηπλωμένον κατὰ τὸ ὕψος συνδέδεται αὐτῷ τῷ οὐρανῷ,

Cosmas Indicopleustes Geogr., Topographia Christiana Book 7, section 13, line 12
ἀλλ' ἀεὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ οὐρανῷ καταπαύοντας.

Cosmas Indicopleustes Geogr., Topographia Christiana Book 8, section 20, line 9
μετ' οὐ πολὺ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸ σχῆμα λέγει οὕτως·

Cosmas Indicopleustes Geogr., Topographia Christiana Book 9, section 5, line 8
αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ μηδόλως κινουμένου ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν ἐπὶ δυσμάς,

Cosmas Indicopleustes Geogr., Topographia Christiana Book 3, section 85, line 9
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν.

Cosmas Indicopleustes Geogr., Topographia Christiana Book 5, section 28, line 13
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν.

Cosmas Indicopleustes Geogr., Topographia Christiana Book 7, section 87, line 7
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν»,

Cosmas Indicopleustes Geogr., Topographia Christiana Book 7, section 93, line 8
ἕτεροι δὲ ἀεὶ ἄναρχον καὶ ἀτελεύτητον αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν φασιν εἶναι καὶ ἐν γενέσει καὶ ἐν φθορᾷ ἀεὶ διάγειν τὸν κόσμον,

Cosmas Indicopleustes Geogr., Topographia Christiana Book 5, section 21, line 11
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν νῦν ἐμφανισθῆναι τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ»,

Cosmas Indicopleustes Geogr., Topographia Christiana Book 1, section 7, line 1
Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν ὁμόχρουν ἑαυτῷ θεώμεθα·

Georgius Syncellus Chronogr., Ecloga chronographica Page 175, line 5 [9th century]
ὡς ἐπιστήμης ἕνεκεν τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν φέρειν πεφήμισται.

Michael Psellus Polyhist., Theologica Opusculum 50, line 89
Ἐπεὶ δὲ πολλοὺς ᾔδει τῶν φιλοσόφων μηδὲν ὑπὲρ τὸ φαινόμενον περὶ τοῦ θείου δοξάσαντας, ἀλλ' αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν οἰηθέντας θεὸν ἄναρχόν τε καὶ ἀτελεύτητον,

Michael Psellus Polyhist., Theologica Opusculum 49, line 153
πρὸς γὰρ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν περιορισθήσεται καὶ τὸ πῦρ.

Michael Glycas Astrol., Hist., Annales Page 418, line 17
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν νῦν ἐμφανισθῆναι τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ θεοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν.



"THEOLOGIANS"



Origenes Theol., Commentarii in evangelium Joannis (lib. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 13) Book 13, chapter 42, section 280, line 2 [3rd century]
Τάχα δὲ καὶ πάντα τὰ αἰσθητὰ μέχρι γε αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ αἱ λευκαί εἰσιν χῶραι ἕτοιμοι πρὸς θερισμὸν τοῖς ἐπαίρουσιν τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς,



Eusebius Scr. Eccl., Theol., Commentaria in Psalmos Volume 23, page 420, line 44 [4th century]
ἥτις ἐστὶ μήτηρ ἡμῶν. Ὄρος δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπάξιον αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανός.

Eusebius Scr. Eccl., Theol., Demonstratio evangelica Book 3, chapter 3, section 14, line 2
γεννητὸν καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ ἥλιον καὶ σελήνην καὶ ἄστρα καὶ τὸν σύμπαντα κόσμον πρὸς τοῦ τῶν ὅλων ποιητοῦ γεγονότα ἀποφηνάμενοι.

Eusebius Scr. Eccl., Theol., Praeparatio evangelica Book 11, chapter 37, section 2, line 4
ἀλλ' ἱκανὴν ἴσχειν αὐτὴν εἶναι τὴν ὁμοιότητα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ αὐτοῦ αὑτῷ πάντη καὶ τῆς γῆς αὐτῆς τὴν ἰσορροπίαν·

Eusebius Scr. Eccl., Theol., De ecclesiastica theologia Book 3, chapter 3, section 53, line 2
πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὶν γενέσθαι αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὰ ἐπέκεινα οὐρανοῦ τά τε ἐν οὐρανῷ πάντα (ἐξ ἑνὸς γὰρ τὰ πάντα περιληπτικῶς δεδήλωται) ἦν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ,

Eusebius Scr. Eccl., Theol., Commentaria in Psalmos Volume 23, page 149, line 54
ὁ οὐρανὸς αὐτὸς,




Gregorius Nyssenus Theol., Orationes viii de beatitudinibus Volume 44, page 1272, line 23
κἂν μὴ πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀποβλέψωσιν ἀτενὲς,

Gregorius Nyssenus Theol., Contra Eunomium Book 2, chapter 1, section 77, line 2
τί δ' ἄν τις εἴποι τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι,

Gregorius Nyssenus Theol., In Ecclesiasten (homiliae 8) Volume 5, page 320, line 12
ὅτι μὴ τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν ἐποίησεν ὑπωρόφιον μηδὲ τὰς τοῦ ἡλίου ἀκτῖνας ἔχει τῷ ὀρόφῳ καὶ αὐτὰς ἐντεκτήνασθαι.



Basilius Scr. Eccl., De vita et miraculis sanctae Theclae libri ii [Sp.] Book 2, section 24, line 17
οὐ μικρὰ ζημιώσει μὲν αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰς κάλλος,

Basilius Scr. Eccl., Homilia in assumptionem domini Volume 28, page 1100, line 9
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν νῦν ἐμφανισθῆναι τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν.

Basilius Theol., Adversus Eunomium (libri 5) Volume 29, page 668, line 14
ἔτι δὲ καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἡ εἰκὼν τῷ βραχεῖ μέτρῳ τῆς κόρης ἡμῶν περιέχεται·



Ephraem Syrus Theol., Encomium in magnum Basilium Page 353, line 7
ὁ τῶν πονηρῶν σφηκῶν κατα- φρονεῖν διδάσκων ἡμᾶς καὶ τὴν πτῆσιν ποιεῖσθαι εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν·

Ephraem Syrus Theol., De compunctione Page 376, line 8
Εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐν παρρησίᾳ πολλῇ εἰσέρχῃ ἀκωλύτως.

Ephraem Syrus Theol., Encomium in magnum Basilium Page 344, line 12
Εἶδον ἐκεῖ τὸν χρηστὸν καὶ σωτήριον λόγον πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν πιστῶς κορυφούμενον,



Athanasius Theol., Orationes tres contra Arianos Volume 26, page 97, line 8
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν νῦν ἐμφανισθῆναι τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. Εἰ δὲ νῦν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰσῆλθεν ὁ Χριστὸς,

Athanasius Theol., Orationes tres contra Arianos Volume 26, page 97, line 10
εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν νῦν ἐμφανισθῆναι τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. Εἰ δὲ νῦν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰσῆλθεν ὁ Χριστὸς,



Didymus Caecus Scr. Eccl., Commentarii in Job (12.1-16.8a) (partim in catenis) Papyrus page or catena fragment 392, line 14
ἄστρα συνκρίσει θεοῦ φωτὸς ὄντος καὶ σκοτίαν οὐκ ἔχοντος οὐδεμίαν ⌊κα[ὶ] αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανὸς ο[ὐ] καθαρός ἐστ[ι]ν,

Didymus Caecus Scr. Eccl., De trinitate (lib. 2.1-7) [Sp.] Chapter 7, section 6,1, line 5
καὶ γὰρ ὁ οὐρανὸς αὐτὸς καὶ ὁ ἥλιος πρὸς τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ καθαρότητα οὐκ ἄμεμπτοι.



Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., De diabolo tentatore (homiliae 1-3) Vol 49, pg 261, ln 34
ἀλλ' ἕτεροι τὸν Ποιητὴν ἀφέντες, αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν προσεκύνησαν·

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., Expositiones in Psalmos Vol 55, pg 161, ln 46
Ἀναλογισώμεθα πόσα δι' ἡμᾶς ἐποίησεν, αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν,

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., Expositiones in Psalmos Vol 55, pg 496, ln 50
καὶ ἀναπτῆναι λοιπὸν πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν,

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In epistulam ad Colossenses (homiliae 1-12) Vol 62, pg 345, ln 56
Ὅρα πῶς αὐτοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν μετέστησεν.

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In sanctum Stephanum protomartyrem [Sp.] Vol 59, pg 504, ln 48
καὶ τὸν Θεόν; Εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἠκόντισε τὰ βέλη·

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In Joannem (homiliae 1-88) Vol 59, pg 30, ln 10
ὡς καὶ πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν ἀθρόον ἡμᾶς ἐπᾶραι,

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In Acta apostolorum (homiliae 1-55) Vol 60, pg 175, ln 51
ἀλλ' εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν ἀφικνουμένη·

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In epistulam i ad Corinthios (homiliae 1-44) Vol 61, pg 118, ln 53
εἰς δὲ τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν μετὰ ἀδείας καὶ τρυφῆς καὶ μέθης καὶ πλεονεξίας καὶ κακίας ἁπάσης τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰςάγεσθαι ἀξιοῖς;

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., Eclogae i-xlviii ex diversis homiliis [Sp.] Vol 63, pg 825, ln 5
καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν πολυπραγμονεῖν οὐχ ἡγεῖτο τόλμαν;

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In Genesim (sermones 1-9) Vol 54, pg 614, ln 32
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν·

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In epistulam ad Ephesios (homiliae 1-24) Vol 62, pg 66, ln 14
ἀνέλκει πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν·

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In epistulam ad Hebraeos (homiliae 1-34) Vol 63, pg 158, ln 59
ταύτην ἔκτεινον κἂν εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν·

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., Catechesis de juramento (series prima) Pg 156, ln 1
ἀλλ' εἰς   αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν,

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., De laudibus sancti Pauli apostoli (homiliae 1-7) Homily 1, section 6, line 7
μᾶλλον δὲ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν,

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., De laudibus sancti Pauli apostoli (homiliae 1-7) Homily 2, section 5, line 15
ὡς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν,

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., De laudibus sancti Pauli apostoli (homiliae 1-7) Homily 4, section 18, line 26
ἡ δὲ λαμπρὰ τῆς ἀληθείας φλὸξ ἀνῄει φαιδρὰ καὶ ὑψηλὴ πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν,

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In epistulam ad Philippenses (homiliae 1-15) Vol 62, pg 261, ln 8
τὸν οὐρανὸν ἂν αὐτὸν ἐκληρονομήσαμεν ἀπὸ πλούτου.

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In epistulam ad Ephesios (homiliae 1-24) Vol 62, pg 56, ln 25
καὶ αὐτοῦ δὲ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ·

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In epistulam i ad Corinthios (homiliae 1-44) Vol 61, pg 313, ln 37
αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανός.

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., Adversus oppugnatores vitae monasticae (lib. 1-3) Vol 47, pg 384, ln 12
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων,

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., De proditione Judae (homiliae 1-2) Vol 49, pg 385, ln 2
Κἀκείνη μὲν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ πυθμένος τῆς κακίας εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνῆλθεν·

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In ascensionem (sermo 2) [Sp.] Vol 52, pg 794, ln 55
καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνήχθημεν·

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In ascensionem (sermo 2) [Sp.] Vol 52, pg 796, ln 31
ὁ δὲ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν,

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., De Anna (sermones 1-5) Vol 54, pg 645, ln 41
ἀλλὰ πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἑαυτὸν μετοικίσας,

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In Joannem (homiliae 1-88) Vol 59, pg 385, ln 8
ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν διανοῖξαι δύναται.

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., Eclogae i-xlviii ex diversis homiliis [Sp.] Vol 63, pg 634, ln 57
κἂν εἰς αὐτὸν ἀναγάγῃς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν,

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., Eclogae i-xlviii ex diversis homiliis [Sp.] Vol 63, pg 754, ln 52
ἐὰν βουλώμεθα καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβῆναι.

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., Eclogae i-xlviii ex diversis homiliis [Sp.] Vol 63, pg 843, ln 57
καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν,

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In sanctum Stephanum (homilia 1) [Sp.] Vol 63, pg 931, ln 55
καὶ τῷ οἰκείῳ κάλλει πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἁμιλλώμενος.

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., Catecheses ad illuminandos 1-8 (series tertia) Catechesis 2, section 24, line 2
Εἶτα μετὰ τοῦτο κατὰ τὸν τῆς νυκτὸς καιρὸν ὁλόκληρον ἀποδύσας τὸ ἱμάτιον καὶ καθάπερ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰσάγειν μέλλων διὰ τῶν τελουμένων οὕτως ἅπαν τὸ σῶμα ἀλείφεσθαι παρασκευάζει τῷ ἐλαίῳ ἐκείνῳ τῷ πνευματικῷ

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In Christi ascensionem [Sp.] Line 13
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνῆλθεν·

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In pentecosten (sermo 1) [Sp.] Vol 52, pg 806, ln 54
αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ δυνατώτερος·

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In epistulam i ad Corinthios (homiliae 1-44) Vol 61, pg 92, ln 45
κἂν ἐν σταθερᾷ μεσημβρίᾳ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸ μέσον ἑστηκότες ὦσιν,

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In Psalmos 101-107 [Sp.] Vol 55, pg 659, ln 74
οὐχ ὡς ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ,

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., Interpretatio in Danielem prophetam [Sp.] Vol 56, pg 208, ln 19
ὅτι δημιουργός ἐστιν αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ,

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., Commentarius in Job Pg 186, ln 30
ἀλλ' ἐν σεαυτῇ συντριβήσεταί σου τὰ κύματα. πάλιν ἐντεῦθεν ἐπὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν εἵλκυσε πρότερον ἐκ τῶν κάτω διαλεχθείς·

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., In epistulam i ad Timotheum (homiliae 1-18) Vol 62, pg 595, ln 17
καὶ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν μεγάλα βλασφημοῦσαν.

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., Expositiones in Psalmos Vol 55, pg 492, ln 24
πάλιν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἐπὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν μετατίθησιν.

Joannes Chrysostomus Scr. Eccl., Expositiones in Psalmos Vol 55, pg 339, ln 8
καὶ πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν ἱστῶσα τοῦτον.


Apollinaris Theol., Fragmenta in Psalmos (in catenis) Fragment 164, line 20 [which Apollinaris?]
ἱδρύεσθαι δὲ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν ὑπὸ δικαιοσύνης καὶ κρίματος οἷον ἐπί τινος ἐρείσματος λέγων.


Palladius Scr. Eccl., Historia Lausiaca (recensio G) Vita 22, section 9, line 9 [5th century]
ὃς καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐδυσφήμει.


Cyrillus Theol., Glaphyra in Pentateuchum Volume 69, page 512, line 44
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν νῦν ἐμφανισθῆναι τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν.

Cyrillus Theol., Commentarius in Isaiam prophetam Volume 70, page 357, line 48
καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανὸς,

Cyrillus Theol., Quod unus sit Christus Aubert page 762, line 36
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν,

Cyrillus Theol., Thesaurus de sancta consubstantiali trinitate Volume 75, page 329, line 45
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν,

Cyrillus Theol., Commentarii in Joannem Volume 2, page 619, line 7
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν,

Cyrillus Theol., Glaphyra in Pentateuchum Volume 69, page 621, line 9
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν νῦν ἐμφανισθῆναι τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν,


Theodoretus Scr. Eccl., Theol., Interpretatio in xiv epistulas sancti Pauli Volume 82, page 745, line 8
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν,

Theodoretus Scr. Eccl., Theol., Epistulae: Collectio Sirmondiana (epistulae 96-147) Epistle 147, line 359
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν,

Theodoretus Scr. Eccl., Theol., Interpretatio in xiv epistulas sancti Pauli Volume 82, page 752, line 11
ἀλλὰ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν.

Theodoretus Scr. Eccl., Theol., Interpretatio in xiv epistulas sancti Pauli Volume 82, page 761, line 5
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν.

Theodoretus Scr. Eccl., Theol., Graecarum affectionum curatio Book 4, section 48, line 7
Καίτοι φησὶν αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν πρὸς τὸ νοητὸν δημιουργῆσαι παράδειγμα.

Theodoretus Scr. Eccl., Theol., Quaestiones in Octateuchum Page 123, line 9
οὐκ ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ,



Romanus Melodus Hymnographus, Cantica Hymn 16, section 17, line 3 [6th century]
γῆν πατῶ οὐκέτι,    ἀλλ' αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν·




Joannes Damascenus Scr. Eccl., Theol., Orationes de imaginibus tres Section 2,22, line 41
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν.

Joannes Damascenus Scr. Eccl., Theol., Commentarii in epistulas Pauli [Dub.] Volume 95, page 972, line 55
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν·

Joannes Damascenus Scr. Eccl., Theol., De immaculato corpore [Sp.] Volume 95, page 405, line 33
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν,

Joannes Damascenus Scr. Eccl., Theol., Commentarii in epistulas Pauli [Dub.] Volume 95, page 973, line 4
ὅσῳ αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανὸς τοῦ ναοῦ.



Theodorus Studites Scr. Eccl., Theol., Epistulae Epistle 301, line 9
ὁ οὐρανὸς αὐτὸς θυμηδίας πεπλήρωται,



Photius Lexicogr., Scr. Eccl., Theol., Bibliotheca Codex 222, Bekker page 205a, line 26
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν,

Photius Lexicogr., Scr. Eccl., Theol., Bibliotheca Codex 280, Bekker page 539a, line 23
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν,

Photius Lexicogr., Scr. Eccl., Theol., Fragmenta in epistulam ad Hebraeos (in catenis) Page 648, line 17
εἰσῆλθεν εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν·

Photius Lexicogr., Scr. Eccl., Theol., Bibliotheca Codex 241, Bekker page 330a, line 15
Οἰκεῖν δὲ τοὺς Γυμνοὺς ὑπαιθρίους φησὶ καὶ ὑπὸ τῷ οὐρανῷ αὐτῷ,






Anna Comnena Hist., Alexias Book 2, chapter 7, section 7, line 12
Τὸ δέ γε λοιπὸν τοῦ στρατοῦ διαδεξάμενον τὴν εὐφημίαν σχεδὸν ἐς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνέπεμπον τὰς φωνάς.





Eustathius Philol., Scr. Eccl., Commentarium in Dionysii periegetae orbis descriptionem Section epist, line 250 [12th century]
ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν συναγαγοῦσα κατασμικρύνει,




Concilia Oecumenica (ACO), Concilium universale Ephesenum anno 431 Tom�volum�part 1,1,5, page 52, line 20
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν νῦν ἐμφανισθῆναι τῶι προσώπωι τοῦ θεοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν.




Catenae (Novum Testamentum), Catena in epistulam ad Hebraeos (e cod. Paris. Coislin. 204) Page 276, line 33
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν νῦν ἐμ.

Catenae (Novum Testamentum), Supplementum et varietas lectionis ad catenam in evangelium sancti Lucae (e cod. Oxon. Bodl. Laud. 33) Page 429, line 32
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν,

Catenae (Novum Testamentum), Catena in epistulam ad Hebraeos (e cod. Paris. Coislin. 204) Page 227, line 25
ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν,

Catenae (Novum Testamentum), Catena in Joannem (catena integra) (e codd. Paris. Coislin. 23 + Oxon. Bodl. Auct. T.1.4) Page 325, line 29
μόνος γὰρ τῶν ἄλλων δένδρων ἀνατείνεται μὲν πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν,

[Peter Kirby]

Here are the references in non-Christian writings.

"PHILOSOPHERS"

Plato Phil., Respublica Stephanus page 516, section a, line 8 [4th century BC]
ἐκ δὲ τούτων τὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν νύκτωρ ἂν ῥᾷον θεάσαιτο,

Plato Phil., Phaedo Stephanus page 109, section a, line 3
ἀλλὰ ἱκανὴν εἶναι αὐτὴν ἴσχειν τὴν ὁμοιότητα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ αὐτοῦ ἑαυτῷ πάντῃ καὶ τῆς γῆς αὐτῆς τὴν ἰσορροπίαν·

Xenocrates Phil., Testimonia, doctrina et fragmenta Fragment 83, line 5 [4th century BC]
δοξαστὴν δὲ καὶ σύνθετον τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ·

Posidonius Phil., Fragmenta Fragment 336b, line 4 [1st century BC]
εἰ μὴ κρατήσειεν αὐτῶν ὁ ἥλιος καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἄστρα ὅσα ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανός.

Sextus Empiricus Phil., Adversus mathematicos Book 7, section 147, line 6 [2nd century AD]
[quoting Xenocrates] δοξαστὴν δὲ καὶ σύνθετον τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ·

Sextus Empiricus Phil., Adversus mathematicos Book 10, section 35, line 2
πῶς οὐ καταγέλαστόν ἐστι λέγειν τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν ἑαυτοῦ τόπον εἶναι;

Alexander Phil., In Aristotelis metaphysica commentaria Page 200, line 22 [3rd century AD]
ἀλλ' οὐδὲ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ,

Alexander Phil., In Aristotelis metaphysica commentaria Page 696, line 3
κινούμενος δὲ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ προσεχῶς ὁ οὐρανὸς αὐτὸς τὰ ἄλλα κινεῖ.

Plotinus Phil., Enneades Ennead 2, chapter 1, section 5, line 19 [3rd century AD]
Ἡμεῖς δὲ πλασθέντες ὑπὸ τῆς διδομένης παρὰ τῶν ἐν οὐρανῷ θεῶν ψυχῆς καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατ' ἐκείνην καὶ σύνεσμεν τοῖς σώμασιν·

Plotinus Phil., Enneades Ennead 2, chapter 1, section 1, line 12
τὰ δ' ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανὸς κατὰ τὸ τόδε ἕξει τὸ ἀεί;

Claudius Aelianus Soph., Varia historia Book 12, section 41, line 6 [3rd century AD]
ὁ πόνος αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ψαύσει.

Iamblichus Phil., Protrepticus Page 80, line 8 [4th century AD]
[quoting Plato] ἐκ δὲ τούτων τὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν νύκτωρ ἂν ῥᾷον θεάσαιτο,

Himerius Soph., Declamationes et orationes Oration 48, line 149 [4th century AD]
ὅτε μετὰ τῶν θεῶν περὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν ἐστρέφετο·

Syrianus Phil., In Aristotelis metaphysica commentaria Page 82, line 32 [5th century]
ἐν αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ οὐρανῷ ὁ ζῳδιακὸς καὶ ὁ ἰσημερινὸς καὶ ὁ μεσημβρινὸς εἰ τύχοι καὶ οἱ ὁρίζοντες διχοτομοῦσιν ἀλλήλους,

Hermias Phil., In Platonis Phaedrum scholia Page 146, line 6 [5th century AD]
τὰς δέ τινας καὶ μέσας ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ αὐτῷ,

Proclus Phil., In Platonis Timaeum commentaria Volume 3, page 50, line 24 [5th century AD]
τὸ γὰρ <αὐτὸς αὐτῷ> ὁ οὐρανὸς λέγει τῷ παραδείγματι.

Proclus Phil., In Platonis Cratylum commentaria Section 110, line 83
καὶ δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Οὐρανὸς πάντα μὲν τὰ δεύτερα πληροῖ τῶν οἰκείων ἀγαθῶν,

Proclus Phil., Theologia Platonica (lib. 1-5) Volume 4, page 18, line 12
καὶ μετὰ ταύτην εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ <τὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ νῶτον,

Proclus Phil., Theologia Platonica (lib. 1-5) Volume 4, page 24, line 14 ζʹ
 Μετὰ δὲ <τὸν ὑπερουράνιον τόπον> καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἡ <ὑπουράνιός> ἐστιν <ἁψίς.

Proclus Phil., Theologia Platonica (lib. 1-5) Volume 4, page 24, line 16
ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ οὐρανῷ,

Proclus Phil., In Platonis Parmenidem Page 800, line 4
καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς αὐτὸς,

Simplicius Phil., In Aristotelis physicorum libros commentaria Volume 10, page 1334, line 37 [6th century AD]
τῆς φθορᾶς μεταλαβὼν λόγον καὶ διὰ τοῦτο φθείρεσθαι τὸν οὐρανὸν φανταζόμενος ἀπαυθαδίζεται λοιπὸν πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν,

Simplicius Phil., In Aristotelis quattuor libros de caelo commentaria Volume 7, page 375, line 27
Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ διὰ τὴν ταχεῖαν τοῦ αἰθερίου σώματος δίνησιν ἐλαττου- μένης τῆς κατὰ τὴν οἰκείαν ῥοπὴν βαρεῖαν οὖσαν φορᾶς αὐτοῦ τε τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς ἥ τε τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κύκλῳ κίνησις ἀίδιος μένει καὶ ἡ τῆς γῆς ἐν τῷ μέσῳ στάσις,

Simplicius Phil., In Aristotelis physicorum libros commentaria Volume 10, page 1179, line 26
ὅτε καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανός (ὡς οὗτός φησι,

Simplicius Phil., In Aristotelis quattuor libros de caelo commentaria Volume 7, page 247, line 27
τὰ δὲ πέριξ αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανός.

Simplicius Phil., In Aristotelis quattuor libros de caelo commentaria Volume 7, page 238, line 1
τὸ δὲ πέριξ αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανός·

Simplicius Phil., In Aristotelis physicorum libros commentaria Volume 9, page 589, line 1
τῶν δὲ μορίων αὐτοῦ τὰ μὲν κύκλῳ τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ οὐρανῷ·

Simplicius Phil., In Aristotelis quattuor libros de caelo commentaria Volume 7, page 45, line 14
καὶ ὅτι ὁ οὐρανὸς αὐτὸς κινεῖται κύκλῳ καὶ οἱ ἐν αὐτῷ κύκλοι.

Simplicius Phil., In Aristotelis physicorum libros commentaria Volume 10, page 1117, line 17
οὐδὲν ἡγούμενος νεανικὸν ἀνθρώποις μόνοις βασκαίνειν καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν καὶ τὸν ὅλον κόσμον τὴν ἑαυτοῦ βασκανίαν ἐκτείνων,

Anonymi In Aristotelis Categorias Phil., Paraphrasis categoriarum Page 19, line 9
τίνος γὰρ ὁ ἥλιος ἐπιδεκτικὸς ἐναντιότητος ἔσται ἢ αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανός,

Asclepius Phil., In Aristotelis metaphysicorum libros A-Z commentaria Page 172, line 4 [6th century AD]
ἀλλ' οὐδὲ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ αἵ τε κύκλῳ γινόμεναι καὶ αἱ κατὰ ἕλικας τοιαῦται,





"NON-PHILOSOPHERS"

Lucianus Soph., De sacrificiis Section 13, line 10 [2nd century AD]
ἡ δὲ κνῖσα θεσπέσιος καὶ ἱεροπρεπὴς χωρεῖ ἄνω καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἠρέμα διασκίδναται.

Lucianus Soph., Pro imaginibus Section 8, line 13
ὁ δὲ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὑπὲρ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβιβάζεις τὴν γυναῖκα,

Pseudo-Apollodorus Myth., Bibliotheca (sub nomine Apollodori) Chapter 1, section 40, line 7 [2nd century AD]
τοιοῦτος ὢν ὁ Τυφὼν καὶ τηλικοῦτος ἡμμένας βάλλων πέτρας ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν μετὰ συριγμῶν ὁμοῦ καὶ βοῆς ἐφέρετο·

Theon Phil., De utilitate mathematicae Page 132, line 24 [2nd century AD]
ὁ δὲ ζῳδιακὸς τῷ μὲν μεγέθει δέδοται καὶ τῇ κατ' αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν θέσει,

Theon Math., Commentaria in Ptolemaei syntaxin mathematicam i-iv Page 427, line 11 [2nd century AD]
αὕτη δὲ ἐξέπεσεν ἂν καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ·

Claudius Ptolemaeus Math., Syntaxis mathematica Volume 1,1, page 24, line 2
αὐτὴ δὲ τάχιστα τέλεον ἂν ἐκπεπτώκει καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ.

Claudius Ptolemaeus Math., Syntaxis mathematica Volume 1,2, page 534, line 2 [2nd century AD]
ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ οὐρανῷ φύσεων καὶ τῆς τῶν κινήσεων ἀμεταβλησίας·

Flavius Philostratus Soph., Vita Apollonii Chapter 6, section 6, line 14 [3rd century AD]
καλύβης μὲν οὖν ἢ οἰκίας οὐδὲν αὐτοὶ δέονται ζῶντες ὑπαίθριοι καὶ ὑπὸ τῷ οὐρανῷ αὐτῷ,

Cassius Dio Hist., Historiae Romanae Book 7, chapter 30, section 3, line 1 [3rd century AD]
μόνοι δὲ ἡμεῖς ἄνω τε ὁρῶμεν καὶ τῷ οὐρανῷ αὐτῷ ὁμιλοῦμεν,

Cassius Dio Hist., Historiae Romanae Book 75, chapter 4, section 7, line 1
καὶ πῦρ αἰφνίδιον νυκτὸς ἐν τῷ ἀέρι τῷ πρὸς βορρᾶν τοσοῦτον ὤφθη ὥστε τοὺς μὲν τὴν πόλιν ὅλην τοὺς δὲ καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν καίεσθαι δοκεῖν.

Cassius Dio Hist., Historiae Romanae (Xiphilini epitome) Dindorf-Stephanus page S305, line 20
καὶ πῦρ αἰφνίδιον νυκτὸς ἐν τῷ ἀέρι τῷ πρὸς βορρᾶν τοσοῦτον ὤφθη ὥστε τοὺς μὲν τὴν πόλιν ὅλην τοὺς δὲ καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν καίεσθαι δοκεῖν.

Joannes Stobaeus Anthologus, Anthologium Book 1, chapter 31, section 8, line 6 [5th century AD]
εἰ μὴ κρατήσειεν αὐτῶν ὁ ἥλιος καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἄστρα ὅσα ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανός.

Joannes Stobaeus Anthologus, Anthologium Book 1, chapter 49, section 58, line 64
ἀλλ' ἱκανὴν εἶναι αὐτὴν ἴσχειν τὴν ὁμοιότητα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ αὐτοῦ αὑτῷ πάντῃ καὶ τῆς γῆς αὐτῆς τὴν <ἰσορροπίαν>·

[Peter Kirby]

I started finding translations for the non-Christian references... this is how far I got.

"PHILOSOPHERS"

Plato Phil., Respublica Stephanus page 516, section a, line 8 [4th century BC]
ἐκ δὲ τούτων τὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν νύκτωρ ἂν ῥᾷον θεάσαιτο,

“Then there would be need of habituation, I take it, to enable him to see the things higher up. And at first he would most easily discern the shadows and, after that, the likenesses or reflections in water2 of men and other things, and later, the things themselves, and from these he would go on to contemplate the appearances in the heavens and heaven itself (ἐκ δὲ τούτων τὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν), more easily by night, looking at the light of the stars and the moon, than by day the sun and the sun's light.”

Plato Phil., Phaedo Stephanus page 109, section a, line 3
ἀλλὰ ἱκανὴν εἶναι αὐτὴν ἴσχειν τὴν ὁμοιότητα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ αὐτοῦ ἑαυτῷ πάντῃ καὶ τῆς γῆς αὐτῆς τὴν ἰσορροπίαν·

“I am convinced, then,” said he, “that in the first place, if the earth is round and in the middle of the heavens, it needs neither the air nor any other similar force to keep it from falling, but its own equipoise and the homogeneous nature of the heavens on all sides (τὴν ὁμοιότητα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ αὐτοῦ ἑαυτῷ πάντῃ) suffice to hold it in place; for a body which is in equipoise and is placed in the center of something which is homogeneous cannot change its inclination in any direction, but will remain always in the same position. This, then, is the first thing of which I am convinced.”

Xenocrates Phil., Testimonia, doctrina et fragmenta Fragment 83, line 5 [4th century BC]
δοξαστὴν δὲ καὶ σύνθετον τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ·

Xenocrates says that there are three forms of existence (ousia), the sensible, the intelligible, and that which is composite [of these two], the opinable (doxaste); and of these the sensible is that which exists below the heaven, the intelligible is that which belongs to all things outside the heaven, and the opinable and composite is that of the heaven itself; for it is visible by sense-perception, but intelligible by means of astronomy.

Posidonius Phil., Fragmenta Fragment 336b, line 4 [1st century BC]
Ἀρριανός φησι τὴν ὁμίχλην τῇ μὲν πρὸ νέφους ξυνίστασθαι πρὶν ἐξαναστῆναι, ἐπὶ πολὺ δὲ ἀπὸ νέφους ἐκχυθέντος καὶ σκεδασθέντος· γίγνεται δὲ ταῦτα, εἰ μὴ κρατήσειεν αὐτῶν ὁ ἥλιος καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἄστρα ὅσα ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανός.

Arrian says the mist there before a pile of clouds combines before the dissolution, but on many from a pile of clouds pours out and disperses; so this came into being, if their sun and so many other stars in heaven and heaven itself has not prevailed. (lazy gloss)

Sextus Empiricus Phil., Adversus mathematicos Book 7, section 147, line 6 [2nd century AD]
[quoting Xenocrates] δοξαστὴν δὲ καὶ σύνθετον τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ·

Sextus Empiricus Phil., Adversus mathematicos Book 10, section 35, line 2
πῶς οὐ καταγέλαστόν ἐστι λέγειν τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν ἑαυτοῦ τόπον εἶναι;

When we come to the Heaven itself, however, according to Aristotle, it is not in place but abides within itself and in its own proper selfhood; for since place is the extreme limit of the containing body, and according to this philosopher nothing exists outside Heaven so that its limit should be the place of Heaven, it is necessary that Heaven, being contained by nothing, should existed in itself and be contained within its own limits, and not exist in place. Hence Heaven is not existence anywhere; for that which exists anywhere both exists itself and its "where" is other than it, but Heaven has no other thing besides and outside of itself; and on this account, as existing itself within itself, it will not be anywhere. - And so far as regards these statements of the Peripatetics, it seems likely that the First God is the place of all things. For according to Aristotle the First God is the limit of Heaven. Either, then, God is something other than the Heaven's limit, or God is just that limit. And if He is other than Heaven's limit, something else will exist outside Heaven, and its limit will be the place of Heaven, and thus the Aristotelians will be granting that Heaven is contained in place; but this they will not tolerate, as they are opposed to both these notions, - both that anything existes outside of Heaven and that Heaven is contained in place. And if God is identical with Heaven's limit, since Heaven's limit is the place of all things within Heaven, God - according to Aristotle - will be the place of all things; and this, too, is itself a thing contrary to sense. - Also, in general, if the limit of the enclosing body is the place of the enclosed, this limit is either a body or incorporeal. And if it is a body, since every body must be in a place, place will be in a place and will no longer be place; but if the limit of the containing body is incorporeal, since the limit of every body is a surface, the place of each body will be a surface, which is absurd. - Also, in general, how it other than ridiculous to say that Heaven is itself its own place (τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν ἑαυτοῦ τόπον εἶναι)? For in this case the same thing will be both the container and the contained, and the same thing both one and two, both body and incoproreal. For in so far as it is the same thing it will be one, but in so far as it is both container and contained it will be two; and in so far as it is contained it will be body, but in so far as it is container, incorporeal; for it is place. But the same thing cannot be conceived as at once both one and two, both body and incorporeal; so then, neither with this conception of it does the apprehension of place have an easy course.

Alexander Phil., In Aristotelis metaphysica commentaria Page 200, line 22 [3rd century AD]
ἀλλ' οὐδὲ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ,

Nor are the motions of [bodies] in the heaven, nor even the motions of the heaven itself, some of which occur in a circular manner and others in the form of spirals, such as the astronomer assumes them to be. For the astronomer assumes lines, the spiral and the circle, which are lengths without breadth, and posits that motions occur in accord with these; but among sensible things there is no length without breadth. Further, they assume that the stars are certain points, and have the status (logos) of points in the heaven; but a point is something which has no parts, and none of the stars is such a thing.

Alexander Phil., In Aristotelis metaphysica commentaria Page 696, line 3
πῶς κινεῖ τὸ πρῶτον αἴτιον πάντα, ὅτι κινεῖ μὲν τὸ κυκλοφορητικὸν σῶμα ὡς ἐρώμενον καὶ ἐφετόν. κινούμενος δὲ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ προσεχῶς ὁ οὐρανὸς αὐτὸς τὰ ἄλλα κινεῖ.

How was set in motion the first responsible for all, that the circulation of the body flows and functions. Yet the mover by causing heaven itself set in motion the rest. (lazy gloss)

Plotinus Phil., Enneades Ennead 2, chapter 1, section 1, line 12 [3rd century AD]
τὰ δ' ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανὸς κατὰ τὸ τόδε ἕξει τὸ ἀεί;

When we say that the universe has always existed before and will always exist, although it has a body, if we refer the cause of its everlasting existence to the will of God, then, first of all, we may quite likely be speaking the truth, but we are not giving any sort of a clear explanation. Next, the preservation of the form in the changing of the elements and the passing away of the living beings on earth may perhaps make us think that the same happens with the All, that God's will is able as the body continually fleets and flows to impose the same form now on one thing and now on another, so that it is not the single individual thing which lasts for ever but the unity of form; for why should the things of earth have only an everlasting duration of form, while the things in heaven and the heaven itself (τὰ δ' ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ οὐρανὸς) have an everlasting duration of particular individuals? But if we say that the cause why the heaven does not pass away is that it contains everything and there is nothing it can change into or anything outside which could fall upon it and destroy it, then by this argument we shall grant indestructibility to the Whole and the All, but since our sun and the substance of the other stars are parts, and not each of them a whole and all, the argument will give no assurance that they will last for ever; they will have only permanence of form, and the same will apply to fire and such-like things, and even to the whole universe itself. For there is nothing to prevent it, even if it is not being destroyed by something from outside, from having its own continual destruction as its parts destroy each other, and so being permanent only in form; as its substratum is in continual flux and its form comes from elsewhere it will be in the same state as every living thing, man and horse and the rest; man and horse always exist, but not the same man and horse. So there will not be one permanent part of the universe, like the heaven, while the things on earth pass away, but all will be alike, differing only in the time they last; for we can grant that the things in heaven last longer. If then we admit that both the whole and the parts are permanent in this way, our doctrine will be less difficult: or rather we shall have got completely out of our difficulty, if it can be shown that the will of God is adequate to hold the All together in this way and manner.

Plotinus Phil., Enneades Ennead 2, chapter 1, section 5, line 19
Ἡμεῖς δὲ πλασθέντες ὑπὸ τῆς διδομένης παρὰ τῶν ἐν οὐρανῷ θεῶν ψυχῆς καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατ' ἐκείνην καὶ σύνεσμεν τοῖς σώμασιν·

How then do the parts in heaven last, but down here the elements and living things do not last? Because, Plato says, the heavenly things derive their being from God, but the living things down here from the gods derived from him;1 and it is not lawful for the things which derive their being from him to perish.2 This amounts to saying that the heavenly soul (and our souls too) comes next in order after the maker of the universe; from the heavenly soul comes out an image of it and so to speak flows down from above and makes the living things on earth. Since, then, this kind of soul tries to imitate the soul up there but is unable to because it is using worse bodies for its making and is working in a worse place, and since the ingredients which it takes for its composition are unwilling to endure, the living things here cannot last for ever and the bodies are not as effectively mastered by soul as if the other (heavenly) soul ruled them directly. But if the heaven must last as a whole, then its parts, the stars in it, must last too; how could it last if they do not last as well? (The things under heaven are no longer part of heaven; if we assumed that they were, then heaven would not stop at the moon.) We, however, are formed by the soul given from the gods in heaven and heaven itself (τῶν ἐν οὐρανῷ θεῶν ψυχῆς καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ), and this soul governs our association with our bodies.

Claudius Aelianus Soph., Varia historia Book 12, section 41, line 6 [3rd century AD]
ὁ πόνος αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ψαύσει.

Protogenes the Painter, as is said, bestowed seven years in drawing Ialysus, at last perfected the Piece : which Apelles seeing, at first stood mute, struck with admiration of the wonerful sight ; then looking off from it, said, "Great is the work and the workman ; but the grace is not equal to the pains bestowed upon it ; which if this man could have given it, the work would have reached to Heaven (ὁ πόνος αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ψαύσει)."

Iamblichus Phil., Protrepticus Page 80, line 8 [4th century AD]
[quoting Plato] ἐκ δὲ τούτων τὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανὸν νύκτωρ ἂν ῥᾷον θεάσαιτο,

Himerius Soph., Declamationes et orationes Oration 48, line 149 [4th century AD]
ὅτε μετὰ τῶν θεῶν περὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν ἐστρέφετο·

I shall now address the leader of the Muses after first saying a few words about his soul, in order that you may see the man contained, as if in a mirror, in what I say about a divine and blessed soul. This is the nature of his divine and newly initiated soul: it always aims for the best and greatest pursuits. Once it attended on God, often beholding the plain of truth in heaven's revolution and being filled with the spectacle of heaven's wonders. Then it encountered misfortune: its wings fell off, and, clothed in a body, it had to accept life in this earthly zone. Yet even though it has descended for a while to a fortune quite the opposite of that which it had previously enjoyed, and despite having forgotten the wonders of heaven, it does not remain completely wingless here, nor does it spend its life here in ignorance. When it sees somthing good and beautiful on earth, it is stirred up and carried in memory to the things it once saw when it was at large in heaven itself (περὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν) with the gods. When moved by something here, it turns its attention to heavenly things, seeks after that region, and focuses on what [truly] exists.

Syrianus Phil., In Aristotelis metaphysica commentaria Page 82, line 32 [5th century]
ἐν μὲν γὰρ τῇ οὐρανίᾳ φέρε ψυχῇ τὸ πάντας τοὺς ἐν σφαίρᾳ μεγίστους κύκλους διχοτομεῖν ἀλλήλους προϋπάρχει δραστηρίως καὶ δημιουργικῶς, ὥσπερ ἐν
ἡμῖν γνωστικῶς μόνον, ἐν αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ οὐρανῷ ὁ ζῳδιακὸς καὶ ὁ ἰσημερινὸς καὶ ὁ μεσημβρινὸς εἰ τύχοι καὶ οἱ ὁρίζοντες διχοτομοῦσιν ἀλλήλους, τῆς μὲν ψυχῆς ἑνιαίως τὰ πάντα καὶ περιλαβούσης ταῖς ἑαυτῆς διανοήσεσι καὶ δημιουργούσης, τοῦ δὲ οὐρανίου σώματος μεμερισμένως ὧν δεῖται μόνον ὑποδεξαμένου.

(translation?)

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Flavius Philostratus Soph., Vita Apollonii Chapter 6, section 6, line 14 [3rd century AD]
καλύβης μὲν οὖν ἢ οἰκίας οὐδὲν αὐτοὶ δέονται ζῶντες ὑπαίθριοι καὶ ὑπὸ τῷ οὐρανῷ αὐτῷ,

The Nile is the chief object of their worship, for they regard this river as land and water at once. They have no need, however, of hut or dwelling, because they live in the open air directly under the heaven itself (τῷ οὐρανῷ αὐτῷ), but they have built an hospice to accommodate strangers, and it is a portico of no great size, about equal in length to those of Elis, beneath which the athletes await the sound of the midday trumpet.

Cassius Dio Hist., Historiae Romanae Book 7, chapter 30, section 3, line 1 [3rd century AD]
μόνοι δὲ ἡμεῖς ἄνω τε ὁρῶμεν καὶ τῷ οὐρανῷ αὐτῷ ὁμιλοῦμεν,

There is no mortal creature either better or stronger than man. Do you not see that all the rest go bent downwards and look forever toward the earth and accomplish nothing save what is connected with their nourishment and the propagation of their species (for to these pursuits they have been condemned even by Nature herself), 3 while we alone gaze upwards and associate with heaven itself (τῷ οὐρανῷ αὐτῷ), despising the things on the earth and dwelling with the very gods, whom we believe to be similar to ourselves inasmuch as we are both their offspring and creation, not earthly, but heavenly. And for this reason we both paint and fashion those very beings according to our own forms; for, if I may speak somewhat boldly, man is p233naught else than a god with mortal body, and a god naught else than a man without body and consequently immortal. 4 That is why we surpass all other creatures.

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of some interest...

Basil, Homily 3

3. In the second place, does the firmament that is called heaven differ from the firmament that God made in the beginning? Are there two heavens? The philosophers, who discuss heaven, would rather lose their tongues than grant this. There is only one heaven,1462 they pretend; and it is of a nature neither to admit of a second, nor of a third, nor of several others. The essence of the celestial body quite complete constitutes its vast unity. Because, they say, every body which has a circular motion is one and finite. And if this body is used in the construction of the first heaven, there will be nothing left for the creation of a second or a third. Here we see what those imagine who put under the Creator’s hand uncreated matter; a lie that follows from the first fable. But we ask the Greek sages not to mock us before they are agreed among themselves. Because there are among them some who say there are infinite heavens and worlds.1463 When grave demonstrations shall have upset their foolish system, when the laws of geometry shall have established that, according to the nature of heaven, it is impossible that there should be two, we shall only laugh the more at this elaborate scientific trifling. These learned men see not merely one bubble but several bubbles formed by the same cause, and they doubt the power of creative wisdom to bring several heavens into being! We find, however, if we raise our eyes towards the omnipotence of God, that the strength and grandeur of the heavens differ from the drops of water bubbling on the surface of a fountain. How ridiculous, then, is their argument of impossibility! As for myself, far from not believing in a second, I seek for the third whereon the blessed Paul was found worthy to gaze.1464 And does not the Psalmist in saying “heaven of heavens”1465 give us an idea of their plurality? Is the plurality of heaven stranger than the seven circles through which nearly all the philosophers agree that the seven planets pass,—circles which they represent to us as placed in connection with each other like casks fitting the one into the other? These circles, they say, carried away in a direction contrary to that of the world, and striking the æther, make sweet and harmonious sounds, unequalled by the sweetest melody.1466 And if we ask them for the wit
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ness of the senses, what do they say? That we, accustomed to this noise from our birth, on account of hearing it always, have lost the sense of it; like men in smithies with their ears incessantly dinned. If I refuted this ingenious frivolity, the untruth of which is evident from the first word, it would seem as though I did not know the value of time, and mistrusted the intelligence of such an audience.
But let me leave the vanity of outsiders to those who are without, and return to the theme proper to the Church. If we believe some of those who have preceded us, we have not here the creation of a new heaven, but a new account of the first. The reason they give is, that the earlier narrative briefly described the creation of heaven and earth; while here scripture relates in greater detail the manner in which each was created. I, however, since Scripture gives to this second heaven another name and its own function, maintain that it is different from the heaven which was made at the beginning; that it is of a stronger nature and of an especial use to the universe.