On Fate

work by Bardesanes

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July 1, 2026

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Bardesanes, a Syrian Gnostic, wrote The Dialogue of Destiny, or The Book of the Laws of the Countries. This work, the oldest in Syriac literature, challenged the fatalism of Greek philosophers, particularly their belief in astrological influence on human destiny. Bardesanes, a Christian convert, mingled Gnostic teachings with his faith, rejecting the idea that the supreme God created Satan or evil. He believed these originated from a hierarchy of deities. Bardesanes and his son Harmonius also authored Syriac hymns, contributing significantly to early Syriac poetry and music.1

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nonfictional prose
Dialogues
…Syriac, rendered into English as On Fate, are on the subject of the laws of the country. A hundred years earlier, Lucian, who was also Syrian, proved himself a master of flowing and ironical Greek prose in his satirical dialogues. The Italian Renaissance writer Pietro Aretino (1492–1556) proved himself the…
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…Syriac, rendered into English as On Fate, are on the subject of the laws of the country. A hundred years earlier, Lucian, who was also Syrian, proved himself a master of flowing and ironical Greek prose in his satirical dialogues. The Italian Renaissance writer Pietro Aretino (1492–1556) proved himself the…
Read More