Глава XLI. О форме

Form (μορφη) is a substance formed and specialized by essential differences (διαφορα); this, precisely, is the lowest form. Thus, a substance formed and specialized by the signs of an animate and sentient body and constituting an animal, if we add to it the signs of rationality and mortality, will constitute the species of man. This lowest form is called form as formed substance. The Holy Fathers attach the name of substance, nature, and form to the lowest form, asserting that substance, nature, form - the lowest form are one and the same. Therefore, individuals subordinate to the same lower species are called consubstantial, having one nature, one species, one genus and one form. They call the lowest species different in essence, nature, species, genus and form. Indeed, it is impossible that one species in relation to another species, one nature in relation to another nature, or substance, should not be different in essence, and in nature, and in form. It should be noted that from two substances or natures one complex cannot be formed; for it is impossible for one and the same thing to contain formative differences of opposite properties. But from different natures one hypostasis (ὑποστασις) can be formed: thus a person is composed of soul and body. Although the nature of people is called one, nevertheless, each individual person is not called a being of one nature. The complex nature of people is called one because all the complex hypostases of people are reduced to one type. But each individual person is not called a being of a single nature, since each hypostasis of people consists of two natures, namely: soul and body; Moreover, it preserves them in itself unmerged, proof of which is the separation that occurs as a result of death. You might be interested in: