Hippolytus of Rome, The Refutation of All Heresies

Employing these (as analogies), Euphrates the Peratic, and Acembes131 [These were: Periander of Corinth, b.c. 585; Pittacus of Mitylene, b.c. 570; Thales of Miletus, b.c. 548: Solon of Athens, b.c. 540; Chilo of Sparta, b.c. 597; Bias of Priene; Cleobulus of Lindus, b.c. 564.] Or, “Celbes,” or “Ademes.” The first is the form of the name employed in book v. c, viii.; the second in book x. c. vi. [Consult Bunsen, vol. i. p. 35, always interesting and ingeniously critical; nobody should neglect his work. But for a judicial mind, compare Dr. Wordsworth, p. 182.] the Carystian, and the rest of the crowd of these (speculators), imposing names different from the doctrine of the truth, speak of a sedition of Æons, and of a revolt of good powers over to evil (ones), and of the concord of good with wicked (Æons), calling them Toparchai and Proastioi, and very many other names. But the entire of this heresy, as attempted by them, I shall explain and refute when we come to treat of the subject of these (Æons). But now, lest any one suppose the opinions propounded by the Chaldeans respecting astrological doctrine to be trustworthy and secure, we shall not hesitate to furnish a brief refutation respecting these, establishing that the futile art is calculated both to deceive and blind the soul indulging in vain expectations, rather than to profit it. And we urge our case with these, not according to any experience of the art, but from knowledge based on practical principles. Those who have cultivated the art, becoming disciples of the Chaldeans, and communicating mysteries as if strange and astonishing to men, having changed the names (merely), have from this source concocted their heresy. But since, estimating the astrological art as a powerful one, and availing themselves of the testimonies adduced by its patrons, they wish to gain reliance for their own attempted conclusions, we shall at present, as it has seemed expedient, prove the astrological art to be untenable, as our intention next is to invalidate also the Peratic system, as a branch growing out of an unstable root.

[2] Τούτοις χρησάμενοι Εὐφράτης ὁ Περατ(ικὸς) καὶ Ἀκεμβὴς ὁ Καρύστιος καὶ ὁ λοιπὸς τούτων χορός, τῷ λό(γ)ῳ τ(ῷ) τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπονομάσαντες, αἰώνων στάσιν καὶ ἀποστασίας ἀγαθ(ῶν) δυνάμεων εἰς κακὰ καὶ συμφωνίας ἀγαθῶν μετὰ πονηρῶν προσαγορεύουσι, καλοῦντες τοπάρχας καὶ προαστείους καὶ ἄλλα πλεῖστα ὀνόματα: ὧν πᾶσαν τὴν ἐπικεχειρημένην αἵρεσιν ἐκθήσομαι καὶ διελέγξω, ἐπὰν εἰς τὸν περὶ τούτων λόγον φθάσωμεν. νυνὶ δέ, μή ποτέ τις νομίσῃ πιστὰ εἶναι καὶ ἀσφαλῆ τ(ὰ) τοῖς Χαλδαίοις νενομισμένα περὶ τὴν ἀστρολογικὴν (μ)άθη(σιν), οὐκ ὀκνήσομεν τὸν πρὸς τούτους ἔλεγχον δι' ὀλίγων παραθεῖναι, ἐπιδεικνύντες ματαίαν τὴν τέχνην καὶ πλανᾶν μᾶλλον καὶ ἐξ(α)φανίζειν ψυχὴν δυναμένην ἐλπίζουσαν μάταια ἢ ὠφελεῖν. οἷς οὐ κατὰ τέχνης ἐμπειρίαν ἐ(π)έχομεν, ἀλλ' ἐκ (τῆς) τῶν Π[ε]ρατικῶν λόγω(ν γνώσ)εως: οἳ ταύτην τὴ(ν) μάθησιν ἠσκηκότες, Χαλδαίων γενόμενοι ὁμιληταί, ὡς ξένα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις καὶ θαυμάσια μεταδιδόντες μυστήρια, τοῖς ὀνόμασιν ἐναλλάξαντες αἵρεσι(ν ἔ)νθεν συνεστήσαντο. ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ τὴν τῶν ἀστρολόγων τέχνην ὡς δυνατὴν νομίσαντες ταῖς τε παρ' αὐτῶν μαρτυρίαις χρώμενο(ι τ)ὰ ἐπιχειρούμενα δι' αὑτῶν πιστεύεσθαι θέλουσι, τανῦν καθὼς ἔδοξε τὴν ἀστρολογικὴν ἐπιδείξομεν ἀσύστατον, αὖθις μέλλοντες καὶ τὴν Περατικὴν ἀκυροῦν, ὡς κλάδον ἐκ ῥίζης ἀσυστάτου πεφυκυῖαν.