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| Basilides Adopts the Aristotelian Doctrine of “Nonentity.”
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Chapter
IX.—Basilides Adopts the Aristotelian Doctrine of
“Nonentity.”
Since, therefore, “nothing”
existed,—(I mean) not matter, nor substance, nor what is
insubstantial, nor is absolute, nor composite,817
| 817
This emendation is made by Abbe Cruice. The ms. has “incomposite,” an obviously untenable
reading. | (nor conceivable, nor inconceivable,
(nor what is sensible,) nor devoid of senses, nor man, nor angel, nor a
god, nor, in short, any of those objects that have names, or are
apprehended by sense, or that are cognised by intellect, but (are) thus
(cognised), even with greater minuteness, still, when all things are
absolutely removed,—(since, I say, “nothing”
existed,) God, “non-existent,”—whom Aristotle styles
“conception of conception,” but these (Basilidians)
“non-existent,”—inconceivably, insensibly,
indeterminately, involuntarily, impassively, (and) unactuated by
desire, willed to create a world. Now I employ, he says, the
expression “willed” for the purpose of signifying (that he
did so) involuntarily, and inconceivably, and insensibly. And by
the expression “world” I do not mean that which was
subsequently formed according to breadth and division, and which stood
apart; nay, (far from this,) for (I mean) the germ of a world.
The germ, however, of the world had all things in itself. Just as
the grain of mustard comprises all things simultaneously, holding them
(collected) together within the very smallest (compass), viz., roots,
stem, branches, leaves, and innumerable gains which are produced from
the plant, (as) seeds again of other plants, and frequently of others (still), that are produced
(from them). In this way, “non-existent” God made the
world out of nonentities, casting and depositing some one Seed that
contained in itself a conglomeration of the germs of the world.
But in order that I may render more clear what it is those (heretics)
affirm, (I shall mention the following illustration of theirs.)
As an egg of some variegated and particoloured bird,—for instance
the peacock, or some other (bird) still more manifold and
particoloured,—being one in reality, contains in itself numerous
forms of manifold, and particoloured, and much compounded substances;
so, he says, the nonexistent seed of the world, which has been
deposited by the non-existent God, constitutes at the same time the
germ of a multitude of forms and a multitude of substances.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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