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| Chapter XII.—The doctrines of the followers of Ptolemy and Colorbasus. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Chapter XII.—The doctrines of the
followers of Ptolemy and Colorbasus.
1. But the followers of
Ptolemy say2805
2805 We here
follow the Greek as preserved by Hippolytus (Philosoph., vi. 38).
The text followed by Epiphanius (Hær., xxxiii. 1) does not so
well agree with the Latin. | that he [Bythus] has two consorts, which they also name Diatheses
(affections), viz., Ennœa and Thelesis. For,
as they affirm, he first conceived the thought of producing something,
and then willed to that effect. Wherefore, again, these two affections,
or powers, Ennœa and Thelesis, having
intercourse, as it were, between themselves, the production of Monogenes
and Aletheia took place
according to conjunction. These two came forth as types and images of the
two affections of the Father,—visible representations of those
that were invisible,—Nous
(i.e., Monogenes)
of Thelesis, and Aletheia of Ennœa, and accordingly the image resulting
from Thelesis was masculine,2806
2806 The text is here hopelessly corrupt; but the general
meaning seems to be that given above. | while that from Ennœa
was feminine. Thus Thelesis (will) became, as it were, a faculty of
Ennœa (thought). For Ennœa continually yearned after offspring; but she
could not of herself bring forth that which she desired. But when the
power of Thelesis (the faculty of will) came upon her, then she brought
forth that on which she had brooded.
2. These fancied beings2807
2807 This sentence exists only in the Latin
version, and we can give only a free translation. | (like the
Jove of Homer, who is represented2808 as passing an
anxious sleepless night in devising plans for honouring Achilles and
destroying numbers of the Greeks) will not appear to you, my dear friend,
to be possessed of greater knowledge than He who is the God of the
universe. He, as soon as He thinks, also performs what He has willed; and
as soon as He wills, also thinks that which He has willed; then thinking
when He wills, and then willing when He thinks, since He is all thought,
[all will, all mind, all light,]2809
2809 These words are found in Epiphanius, but omitted
in the old Latin version. The Latin gives “sense” instead of
“light.” | all eye, all ear, the one entire
fountain of all good things.
3. Those of them, however, who are
deemed more skilful than the persons who have just been mentioned, say
that the first Ogdoad was not produced gradually, so that one Æon was
sent forth by another, but that all2810
2810 The text is here very uncertain. Some propose to read
six Æons instead of all. | the Æons were
brought into existence at once by Propator and his Ennœa. He (Colorbasus) affirms
this as confidently as if he had assisted at their birth. Accordingly, he
and his followers maintain that Anthropos and Ecclesia were not
produced,2811
2811 Here again the
text is corrupt and obscure. We have followed what seems the most
probable emendation. | as others hold, from Logos and Zoe; but,
on the contrary, Logos and Zoe from Anthropos and Ecclesia. But they
express this in another form, as follows: When the Propator conceived the
thought of producing something, he received the name of Father.
But because what he did produce was true, it was named Aletheia.
Again, when he wished to reveal himself, this was termed Anthropos.
Finally, when he
produced those whom he had previously thought of, these were named
Ecclesia. Anthropos, by speaking, formed Logos: this is the first-born
son. But Zoe followed upon Logos; and thus the first Ogdoad was
completed.
4. They have much
contention also among themselves respecting the Saviour. For some
maintain that he was formed out of all; wherefore also he was
called Eudocetos, because the whole Pleroma was well pleased
through him to glorify the Father. But others assert that he was produced
from those ten Æons alone who sprung from Logos and Zoe, and that on
this account he was called Logos and Zoe, thus preserving the ancestral
names.2812
2812 Harvey justly
remarks, that “one cause of perplexity in unravelling the
Valentinian scheme is the recurrence of similar names at different points
of the system, e.g., the Enthymesis of Sophia was called Sophia and
Spiritus; and Pater, Arche, Monogenes, Christus, Anthropos, Ecclesia,
were all of them terms of a double denomination.” |
Others, again, affirm that he had his being from those twelve Æons who
were the offspring of Anthropos and Ecclesia; and on this account he
acknowledges himself the Son of man, as being a descendant of Anthropos.
Others still, assert that he was produced by Christ and the Holy Spirit,
who were brought forth for the security of the Pleroma; and that on this
account he was called Christ, thus preserving the appellation of the
Father, by whom he was produced. And there are yet others among them who
declare that the Propator of the whole, Proarche, and Proanennoetos is
called Anthropos; and that this is the great and abstruse mystery,
namely, that the Power which is above all others, and contains all in his
embrace, is termed Anthropos; hence does the Saviour style himself the
“Son of man.”E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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