EN XVIa: ἐπίστησον μή (or εἰ μή)

The expression ἐπίστησον εἰ, or ἐπίστησον μή, or ἐπίστησον εἰ μή, calling for the reader’s attention, is characteristic of Origen and Didymus, who both used it and appear extremely keen to apply the elegant rhetorical construction (thirty-one instances in the former, forty-six in the latter). Eusebius used it only once. Origen may have taken it up from Plutarch. Later still, Proclus followed suit. Consequently, use of this simple construction is generally a strong indication that either Origen or Didymus is the author of a certain text. Since Cassian himself never used either of those constructions, it is certain that he quotes from Didymus’ Commentary on the Apocalypse.

EN XVIb: ἐφαρμόζει τὸ ὄνομα

The expression τὸ ὄνομα ἐφαρμόζειν (‘this name applies to’) comes from Aristotle. Alexander of Aphrodisias, who was preceded by Philo, characteristically used it. Origen took it up, which comes as no surprise, since Alexander was the author from whom Origen had learnt almost everything he knew about Aristotle, and above all the notion of homonyms. It was then natural for Gregory of Nyssa to follow. Theodoret fails to use it, even though it occurs in a theologian he admired, namely Theodore of Mopsuestia. On the other hand, that Didymus used this is one more strong indication that this Scholion quotes ad verbum from his Commentary on the Apocalypse.