The Refutation of All Heresies.
Chapter I.—Thales His Physics and Theology Founder of Greek Astronomy.
Chapter III.—Empedocles His Twofold Cause Tenet of Transmigration.
Chapter IV.—Heraclitus His Universal Dogmatism His Theory of Flux Other Systems.
Chapter V.—Anaximander His Theory of the Infinite His Astronomic Opinions His Physics.
Chapter IX.—Parmenides His Theory of “Unity ” His Eschatology.
Chapter X.—Leucippus His Atomic Theory.
Chapter XI.—Democritus His Duality of Principles His Cosmogony.
Chapter XII.—Xenophanes His Scepticism His Notions of God and Nature Believes in a Flood.
Chapter XIII.—Ecphantus His Scepticism Tenet of Infinity.
Chapter XIV.—Hippo His Duality of Principles His Psychology.
Chapter XV.—Socrates His Philosophy Reproduced by Plato.
Chapter XVIII.—The Stoics Their Superiority in Logic Fatalists Their Doctrine of Conflagrations.
Chapter XX.—The Academics Difference of Opinion Among Them.
Chapter XXII.—The Druids Progenitors of Their System.
Chapter I.—System of the Astrologers Sidereal Influence Configuration of the Stars.
Chapter II.—Doctrines Concerning Æons The Chaldean Astrology Heresy Derivable from It.
Chapter VI.—Zodiacal Influence Origin of Sidereal Names.
Chapter VII.—Practical Absurdity of the Chaldaic Art Development of the Art.
Chapter IX.—Further Astronomic Calculations.
Chapter X.—Theory of Stellar Motion and Distance in Accordance with Harmony.
Chapter XI.—Theory of the Size of the Heavenly Bodies in Accordance with Numerical Harmonies.
Chapter XII.—Waste of Mental Energy in the Systems of the Astrologers.
Chapter XVI.—Type of Those Born Under Taurus.
Chapter XVII.—Type of Those Born Under Gemini.
Chapter XVIII.—Type of Those Born Under Cancer.
Chapter XIX.—Type of Those Born Under Leo.
Chapter XX.—Type of Those Born Under Virgo.
Chapter XXI.—Type of Those Born Under Libra.
Chapter XXII.—Type of Those Born Under Scorpio.
Chapter XXIII.—Type of Those Born Under Sagittarius.
Chapter XXIV.—Type of Those Born Under Capricorn.
Chapter XXV.—Type of Those Born Under Aquarius.
Chapter XXVI.—Type of Those Born Under Pisces.
Chapter XXVII.—Futility of This Theory of Stellar Influence.
Chapter XXIX.—Display of Different Eggs.
Chapter XXX.—Self-Slaughter of Sheep.
Chapter XXXI.—Method of Poisoning Goats.
Chapter XXXII.—Imitations of Thunder, and Other Illusions.
Chapter XXXIII.—The Burning Æsculapius Tricks with Fire.
Chapter XXXIV.—The Illusion of the Sealed Letters Object in Detailing These Juggleries.
Chapter XXXVI.—Mode of Managing an Apparition.
Chapter XXXVII.—Illusive Appearance of the Moon.
Chapter XXXVIII.—Illusive Appearance of the Stars.
Chapter XXXIX.—Imitation of an Earthquake.
Chapter XL.—Trick with the Liver.
Chapter XLI.—Making a Skull Speak.
Chapter XLII.—The Fraud of the Foregoing Practices Their Connection with Heresy.
Chapter XLIV.—Egyptian Theory of Nature Their Amulets.
Chapter XLV.—Use of the Foregoing Discussions.
Chapter XLVII.—Opinions of the Heretics Borrowed from Aratus.
Chapter XLIX.—Symbol of the Creature And of Spirit And of the Different Orders of Animals.
Chapter L.—Folly of Astrology.
Chapter V.—Explanation of the System of the Naasseni Taken from One of Their Hymns.
Chapter VI.—The Ophites the Grand Source of Heresy.
Chapter VII.—The System of the Peratæ Their Tritheism Explanation of the Incarnation.
Chapter IX.—System of the Peratæ Explained Out of One of Their Own Books.
Chapter XII.—Compendious Statement of the Doctrines of the Peratæ.
Chapter XIII.—The Peratic Heresy Not Generally Known.
Chapter XVII.—The Sethian Doctrines to Be Learned from the “Paraphrase of Seth.”
Chapter XVIII.—The System of Justinus Antiscriptural and Essentially Pagan.
Chapter XIX.—The Justinian Heresy Unfolded in the “Book of Baruch.”
Chapter XX.—The Cosmogony of Justinus an Allegorical Explanation of Herodotus’ Legend of Hercules.
Chapter XXII.—Oath Used by the Justinian Heretics The Book of Baruch The Repertory of Their System.
Chapter XXIII.—Subsequent Heresies Deducible from the System of Justinus.
Chapter III.—Story of Apsethus the Libyan.
Chapter V.—Simon Appeals to Scripture in Support of His System.
Chapter VI.—Simon’s System Expounded in the Work, Great Announcement Follows Empedocles.
Chapter VII.—Simon’s System of a Threefold Emanation by Pairs.
Chapter X.—Simon’s Explanation of the First Two Books of Moses.
Chapter XI.—Simon’s Explanation of the Three Last Books of the Pentateuch.
Chapter XII.—Fire a Primal Principle, According to Simon.
Chapter XIII.—His Doctrine of Emanation Further Expanded.
Chapter XVI.—Heresy of Valentinus Derived from Plato and Pythagoras.
Chapter XVII.—Origin of the Greek Philosophy.
Chapter XVIII.—Pythagoras’ System of Numbers.
Chapter XIX.—Pythagoras’ Duality of Substances His “Categories.”
Chapter XX.—Pythagoras’ Cosmogony Similar to that of Empedocles.
Chapter XXI.—Other Opinions of Pythagoras.
Chapter XXII.—The “Sayings” Of Pythagoras.
Chapter XXIII.—Pythagoras’ Astronomic System.
Chapter XXVI.—Valentinus’ Explanation of the Existence of Christ and the Spirit.
Chapter XXVII.—Valentinus’ Explanation of the Existence of Jesus Power of Jesus Over Humanity.
Chapter XXVIII.—The Valentinian Origin of the Creation.
Chapter XXIX.—The Other Valentinian Emanations in Conformity with the Pythagorean System of Numbers.
Chapter XXXI.—Further Doctrines of Valentinus Respecting the Æons Reasons for the Incarnation.
Chapter XXXII.—Valentinus Convicted of Plagiarisms from Plato.
Chapter XXXIII.—Secundus’ System of Æons Epiphanes Ptolemæus.
Chapter XXXIV.—System of Marcus A Mere Impostor His Wicked Devices Upon the Eucharistic Cup.
Chapter XXXV.—Further Acts of Jugglery on the Part of Marcus.
Chapter XXXVI.—The Heretical Practices of the Marcites in Regard of Baptism.
Chapter XXXVIII.—Marcus’ System of Letters.
Chapter XXXIX.—The Quaternion Exhibits “Truth.”
Chapter XL.—The Name of Christ Jesus.
Chapter XLI.—Marcus’ Mystic Interpretation of the Alphabet.
Chapter XLII.—His System Applied to Explain Our Lord’s Life and Death.
Chapter XLIII—Letters, Symbols of the Heavens.
Chapter XLIV.—Respecting the Generation of the Twenty-Four Letters.
Chapter XLV.—Why Jesus is Called Alpha.
Chapter XLVI.—Marcus’ Account of the Birth and Life of Our Lord.
Chapter XLVIII.—Their Cosmogony Framed According to These Mystic Doctrines of Letters.
Chapter XLIX.—The Work of the Demiurge Perishable.
Chapter L.—Marcus and Colarbasus Refuted by Irenæus.
Chapter II.—The System of Basilides Derived from Aristotle.
Chapter III.—Sketch of Aristotle’s Philosophy.
Chapter IV.—Aristotle’s General Idea.
Chapter V.—Nonentity as a Cause.
Chapter VI.—Substance, According to Aristotle The Predicates.
Chapter IX.—Basilides Adopts the Aristotelian Doctrine of “Nonentity.”
Chapter X.—Origin of the World Basilides’ Account of the “Sonship.”
Chapter XI.—The “Great Archon” Of Basilides.
Chapter XII.—Basilides Adopts the “Entelecheia” Of Aristotle.
Chapter XIII.—Further Explanation of the “Sonship.”
Chapter XVI.—The System of Saturnilus.
Chapter XVIII.—Source of Marcionism Empedocles Reasserted as the Suggester of the Heresy.
Chapter XIX.—The Heresy of Prepon Follows Empedocles Marcion Rejects the Generation of the Saviour.
Chapter XXI.—The System of Cerinthus Concerning Christ.
Chapter XXII.—Doctrine of the Ebionæans.
Chapter XXIII.—The Heresy of Theodotus.
Chapter XXIV.—The Melchisedecians The Nicolaitans.
Chapter XXV.—The Heresy of Cerdon.
Chapter XXVI.—The Doctrines of Apelles Philumene, His Prophetess.
Chapter I.—Heresies Hitherto Refuted Opinions of the Docetæ.
Chapter IV.—Docetic Doctrine Derived from the Greek Sophists.
Chapter V.—Monoïmus Man the Universe, According to Monoïmus His System of the Monad.
Chapter VI.—Monoïmus’ “Iota ” His Notion of the “Son of Man.”
Chapter VII.—Monoïmus on the Sabbath Allegorizes the Rod of Moses Notion Concerning the Decalogue.
Chapter XI.—The Quartodecimans.
Chapter XII.—The Montanists Priscilla and Maximilla Their Prophetesses Some of Them Noetians.
Chapter III.—Noetianism an Offshoot from the Heraclitic Philosophy.
Chapter IV.—An Account of the System of Heraclitus.
Chapter VIII.—Sect of the Elchasaites Hippolytus’ Opposition to It.
Chapter IX.—Elchasai Derived His System from Pythagoras Practised Incantations.
Chapter X.—Elchasai’s Mode of Administering Baptism Formularies.
Chapter XI.—Precepts of Elchasai.
Chapter XII.—The Heresy of the Elchasaites a Derivative One.
Chapter XIII.—The Jewish Sects.
Chapter XIV.—The Tenets of the Esseni.
Chapter XV.—The Tenets of the Esseni Continued.
Chapter XVI.—The Tenets of the Esseni Continued.
Chapter XVII.—The Tenets of the Esseni Continued.
Chapter XVIII.—The Tenets of the Esseni Continued.
Chapter XIX.—The Tenets of the Esseni Continued.
Chapter XX.—The Tenets of the Esseni Concluded.
Chapter XXI.—Different Sects of the Esseni.
Chapter XXII.—Belief of the Esseni in the Resurrection Their System a Suggestive One.
Chapter XXIII.—Another Sect of the Esseni: the Pharisees.
Chapter XXV.—The Jewish Religion.
Chapter XXVI.—Conclusion to the Work Explained.
Chapter II.—Summary of the Opinions of Philosophers.
Chapter III.—Summary of the Opinions of Philosophers Continued.
Chapter IV.—Summary of the Opinions of Philosophers Continued.
Chapter XV.—Marcion and Cerdo.
Chapter XXI.—The Phrygians or Montanists.
Chapter XXII.—The Phrygians or Montanists Continued.
Chapter XXIII.—Noetus and Callistus.
Chapter XXVI.—Jewish Chronology.
Chapter XXVII.—Jewish Chronology Continued.
Chapter XXVIII.—The Doctrine of the Truth.
Chapter I.—Recapitulation; Characteristics of Heresy; Origin of the Name Naasseni; The System of the Naasseni.
I think that in the four preceding books I have very elaborately explained the opinions propounded by all the speculators among both Greeks and Barbarians, respecting the Divine Nature and the creation of the world; and not even have I omitted297 This passage occurs in Sextus Empiricus. Miller has ἀποκαλύψας for παραλείψας. This, however, can bear no intelligible meaning, except we add some other word, as thus: “not even have I failed to disclose.” Schneidewin’s correction of ἀποκαλύψας into παραλείψας is obviously an improvement. the consideration of their systems of magic. So that I have for my readers undergone no ordinary amount of toil, in my anxiety to urge many forward into a desire of learning, and into stedfastness of knowledge in regard of the truth. It remains, therefore, to hasten on to the refutation of the heresies; but it is for the purpose of furnishing this (refutation) that we have put forward the statements already made by us. For from philosophers the heresiarchs deriving298 Or, “the knowledge of.” Μεταλαβόντες; some read μετασχόντες, which it is presumed might be rendered, “sharing in the opinions which gave occasion to these heterodox doctrines.” starting-points, (and) like cobblers patching together, according to their own particular interpretation, the blunders of the ancients, have advanced them as novelties to those that are capable of being deceived, as we shall prove in the following books. In the remainder (of our work), the opportunity invites us to approach the treatment of our proposed subjects, and to begin from those who have presumed to celebrate a serpent,299 Horoscope (from ὥρα σκοπός) is the act of observing the aspect of the heavens at the moment of any particular birth. Hereby the astrologer alleged his ability of foretelling the future career of the person so born. The most important part of the sky for the astrologer’s consideration was that sign of the Zodiac which rose above the horizon at the moment of parturition. This was the “horoscope ascendant,” or “first house.” The circuit of the heavens was divided into twelve “houses,” or zodiacal signs. i.e., ὄφις. This term has created the title “Ophites,” which may be regarded as the generic denomination for all the advocates of this phase of Gnosticism. the originator of the error (in question), through certain expressions devised by the energy of his own (ingenuity). The priests, then, and champions of the system, have been first those who have been called Naasseni,300 Or, “difference.” The heresy of the Naasseni is adverted to by the other leading writers on heresy in the early age of the Church. See St. Irenæus, i. 34; Origen, Contr. Cels., vi. 28 (p. 291 et seq. ed. Spenc.); Tertullian, Præscr., c. 47; Theodoret, Hæretic. Fabul., i. 14; Epiphanius, Advers. Hæreses., xxv. and xxxvii.; St. Augustine, De Hæres., xvii.; Jerome, Comment. Epist. ad Galat., lib. ii. The Abbe Cruice reminds his readers that the Naasseni carried their doctrines into India, and refers to the Asiatic Researches (vol. x. p. 39). being so denominated from the Hebrew language, for the serpent is called naas301 Or, “during.” The Hebrew word is נָחָשׁ (nachash). (in Hebrew). Subsequently, however, they have styled themselves Gnostics, alleging that they alone have sounded the depths of knowledge. Now, from the system of these (speculators), many, detaching parts, have constructed a heresy which, though with several subdivisions, is essentially one, and they explain precisely the same (tenets); though conveyed under the guise of different opinions, as the following discussion, according as it progresses, will prove.
These (Naasseni), then, according to the system302 ἀποτέξεως; some would read ἀποτάξεως. παρὰ τὸν αὐτῶν λόγον. Bernaysius suggests for these words, πατέρα τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ. Schneidewin regards the emendation as an error, and Bunsen partly so. The latter would read, πατέρα τὸν αὐτῶν Λόγον, i.e., “The Naasseni honour the Father of all existent things, the Logos, as man and the Son of Man.” advanced by them, magnify, (as the originating cause) of all things else, a man and a son of man. And this man is a hermaphrodite, and is denominated among them Adam; and hymns many and various are made to him. The hymns303 The passage is given more explicitly in Sextus Empiricus. (See Adversus Astrol., v. 53.) See Irenæus, Hær., i. 1. however—to be brief—are couched among them in some such form as this: “From thee (comes) father, and through thee (comes) mother, two names immortal, progenitors of Æons, O denizen of heaven, thou illustrious man.” But they divide him as Geryon304 Sextus uses almost these words. Geryon (see note, chap. iii.) is afterwards mentioned as a synonyme with Jordan, i.e., “flowing from earth” (γῆ ῥύων). into three parts. For, say they, of this man one part is rational, another psychical, another earthly. And they suppose that the knowledge of him is the originating principle of the capacity for a knowledge of God, expressing themselves thus: “The originating principle of perfection is the knowledge305 Or “lodgment” (Sextus), or “deposition.” γνῶσις,—a term often alluded to by St. John, and which gives its name “Gnosticism” to the various forms of the Ophitic heresy. The aphorism in the text is one that embodies a grand principle which lies at the root of all correct philosophy. In this and other instances it will be found that the system, however wild and incoherent in its theology, of the Naaseni and of some of the other Gnostic sects, was one which was constructed by a subtle analysis of thought, and by observation of nature. of man, while the knowledge of God is absolute perfection.” All these qualities, however—rational, and psychical, and earthly—have, (the Naassene) says, retired and descended into one man simultaneously—Jesus,306 Or, “attendants of physicians.” The Abbe Cruice remarks on this passage, that, as the statement here as regards Jesus Christ does not correspond with Origen’s remarks on the opinions of the Naasseni in reference to our Lord, the Philosophumena cannot be the work of Origen. who was born of Mary. And these three men (the Naassene) says, are in the habit of speaking (through Jesus) at the same time together, each from their own proper substances to those peculiarly their own. For, according to these, there are three kinds of all existent things—angelic, psychical, earthly; and there are three churches—angelic, psychical, earthly; and the names of these are elect, called, captive.
[6] Πάνυ νομίζω πεπονημένως [ἡμᾶς] τὰ δόξαντα πᾶσι τοῖς καθ' Ἕλληνάς τε καὶ βαρβάρους [φιλοσόφοις] περί τε τοῦ θείου καὶ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου δημιουργίας ἐκτεθεῖσθαι ἐν ταῖς πρὸ ταύτης τέσσαρσι βίβλοις: ὧν οὐδὲ τὰ περίεργα ἀποκαλύψας, οὐ τὸν τυχόντα πόνον ἀναδέδεγμαι τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσι, προτρεπόμενος πολλοὺς πρὸς φιλομάθ(ειαν) καὶ ἀσφάλειαν τῆς περὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν γνώσεως. περιλείπεται τοίνυν ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν αἱρέσεων ἔλεγχον ὁρμᾶν: (τ)ού(του) [γὰρ] χάριν καὶ τὰ προειρημένα ἡμῖν ἐκτεθείμεθα: ἀφ' ὧν τὰς ἀφορμὰς μετασχόντες οἱ αἱρεσιάρχαι, δίκην παλαιορράφων (συγκ)αττύσαντες πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον νοῦν, τὰ τῶν παλαιῶν σφάλματα ὡς καινὰ παρέθεσαν τοῖς πλανᾶσθαι δυναμένοις, ὡς ἐν τοῖς ἀκολούθοις δείξομεν. Τὸ λοιπὸν προκαλεῖται ἡμᾶς ὁ χρόνος ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν προκειμένων πραγματείαν χωρεῖν, ἄρξασθαι δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν τετολμηκότων τὸν αἴτιον τῆς πλάνης γενόμενον ὄφιν ὑμνεῖν διά τινων ἐφηυρημένων κατὰ [τὴν] αὐτοῦ ἐνέργειαν λόγων. οἱ οὖν ἱερεῖς καὶ προστάται τοῦ δόγματος γεγένηνται πρῶτοι [οἱ] ἐπικληθέντες Ναασσηνοί, τῇ Ἑβραΐδι φωνῇ οὕτως ὠνομασμένοι_νάας γὰρ ὁ ὄφις καλεῖται: _μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἐπεκάλεσαν ἑαυτοὺς γνωστικούς, φάσκοντες μόνοι τὰ βάθη γινώσκειν. ἐξ ὧν ἀπομερισθέντες πολλοὶ πολυσχιδῆ τὴν αἵρεσιν ἐποίησαν [οὖσαν] μίαν, διαφόροις ὀνόμασι τὰ αὐτὰ διηγούμενοι, ὡς διελέγξει προβαίνων ὁ λόγος. Οὗτοι [πρὸ] τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων παρὰ τὸν αὑτῶν λόγον τιμῶσιν ἄνθρωπον καὶ υἱὸν ἀνθρώπου: ἔστι δὲ [ὁ] ἄνθρωπος οὗτος ἀρσενόθηλυς, καλεῖται δὲ Ἀδάμας παρ' αὐτοῖς. ὕμνοι δὲ εἰς αὐτὸν γεγόνασι πολλοὶ καὶ ποικίλοι: οἱ δὲ ὕμνοι, ὡς δι' ὀλίγων εἰπεῖν, λέγονται παρ' αὐτοῖς τοιοῦτόν τινα τρόπον: «ἀπὸ σοῦ πατὴρ καὶ διὰ σὲ μήτηρ, τὰ δύο ἀθάνατα ὀνόματα, αἰώνων γονεῖς, πολῖτα οὐρανοῦ, μεγαλώνυμε ἄνθρωπε». διαιροῦσι δὲ αὐτὸν ὡς Γηρυόνην τριχῇ: ἔστι γὰρ τούτου, φασί, τὸ μὲν νοερόν, τὸ δὲ ψυχικόν, τὸ δὲ χοϊκόν, καὶ νομίζουσιν εἶναι τὴν γνῶσιν αὐτοῦ ἀρχὴν τοῦ δύνασθαι γνῶναι τὸν θεόν, λέγοντες οὕτως: «ἀρχὴ τελειώσεως γνῶσις ἀ(νθρώπου, θεοῦ) δὲ γνῶσις ἀπηρτισμένη τελείωσις». ταῦτα δὲ πάντα, φησί, τὰ νοερὰ καὶ ψυχικὰ καὶ χοϊκὰ κατεχώρησε καὶ κατῆλ(θεν εἰ)ς ἕνα ἄνθρωπον ὁμοῦ, Ἰησοῦν τὸν ἐκ τῆς Μαρίας γεγεννημένον, καὶ ἐλάλ(ουν), φησίν, ὁμοῦ κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ οἱ τρεῖς οὗτοι ἄνθρωποι ἀπὸ τῶν ἰδίων οὐσιῶν τοῖς ἰδίοις ἕκαστος. ἔστι γὰρ τῶν ὅλων τρία γένη κατ' αὐτούς, ἀγγελικόν, ψυχικόν, χοϊκόν: καὶ τρεῖς ἐκκλησίαι, ἀγγελική, ψυχική, χοϊκή: ὀνόματα δὲ αὐταῖς ἐκλεκτή, κλητή, αἰχμάλωτος.