Chapter IV.—Further Use Made of the System of the Phrygians; Mode of Celebrating the Mysteries; The Mystery of the “Great Mother;” These Mysteries Have a Joint Object of Worship with the Naasseni; The Naasseni Allegorize the Scriptural Account of the Garden of Eden; The Allegory Applied to the Life of Jesus.

The Phrygians, however, further assert that the father of the universe is “Amygdalus,” not a tree, he says, but that he is “Amygdalus” who previously existed; and he having in himself the perfect fruit, as it were, throbbing and moving in the depth, rent his breasts, and produced his now invisible, and nameless, and ineffable child, respecting whom we shall speak.  For the word “Amyxai” signifies, as it were, to burst and sever through, as he says (happens) in the case of inflamed bodies, and which have in themselves any tumour; and when doctors have cut this, they call it “Amychai.” In this way, he says, the Phrygians call him “Amygdalus,” from which proceeded and was born the Invisible (One), “by whom all things were made, and nothing was made without Him.”416    Or, “the cold atmosphere.”    John i. 3. And the Phrygians say that what has been thence produced is “Syrictas” (piper), because the Spirit that is born is harmonious. “For God,” he says, “is Spirit; wherefore,” he affirms, “neither in this mountain do the true worshippers worship, nor in Jerusalem, but in spirit. For the adoration of the perfect ones,” he says, “is spiritual, not carnal.”417    Or, “manifestation.”    John iv. 21. The Spirit, however, he says, is there where likewise the Father is named, and the Son is there born from this Father. This, he says, is the many-named, thousand-eyed Incomprehensible One, of whom every nature—each, however, differently—is desirous. This, he says, is the word of God, which, he says, is a word of revelation of the Great Power.  Wherefore it will be sealed, and hid, and concealed, lying in the habitation where lies the basis of the root of the universe, viz. Æons, Powers, Intelligences, Gods, Angels, delegated Spirits, Entities, Nonentities, Generables, Ingenerables, Incomprehensibles, Comprehensibles, Years, Months, Days, Hours, (and) Invisible Point from which418    Or, “manifestation.”    ἐξ ἧς or ἑξῆς, i.e., next. what is least begins to increase gradually. That which is, he says, nothing, and which consists of nothing, inasmuch as it is indivisible—(I mean) a point—will become through its own reflective power a certain incomprehensible magnitude. This, he says, is the kingdom of heaven, the grain of mustard seed,419    Or, “reasonable.”    Matt. xiii. 31, 32; Mark iv. 31, 32; Luke xiii. 19. the point which is indivisible in the body; and, he says, no one knows this (point) save the spiritual only. This, he says, is what has been spoken: “There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.”420    Or, “but the motion…is whirled on with velocity.”    Ps. xix. 3.

They rashly assume in this manner, that whatsoever things have been said and done by all men, (may be made to harmonize) with their own particular mental view, alleging that all things become spiritual. Whence likewise they assert, that those exhibiting themselves in theatres,—not even these say or do anything without premeditation. Therefore, he says, when, on the people assembling in the theatres, any one enters clad in a remarkable robe, carrying a harp and playing a tune (upon it, accompanying it) with a song of the great mysteries, he speaks as follows, not knowing what he says:  “Whether (thou art) the race of Saturn or happy Jupiter,421    This rendering of the passage may be deduced from Sextus Empiricus.    The passage following obviously was in verse originally. It has been restored to its poetic form by Schneidewin. or mighty Rhea, Hail, Attis, gloomy mutilation of Rhea. Assyrians style thee thrice-longed-for Adonis, and the whole of Egypt (calls thee) Osiris, celestial horn of the moon; Greeks denominate (thee) Wisdom; Samothracians, venerable Adam; Hæmonians, Corybas; and them Phrygians (name thee) at one time Papa, at another time Corpse, or God, or Fruitless, or Aipolos, or green Ear of Corn that has been reaped, or whom the very fertile Amygdalus produced—a man, a musician.” This, he says, is multiform Attis, whom while they celebrate in a hymn, they utter these words: “I will hymn Attis, son of Rhea, not with the buzzing sounds of trumpets, or of Idæan pipers, which accord with (the voices of) the Curetes; but I will mingle (my song) with Apollo’s music of harps, ‘evoe, evan,’ inasmuch as thou art Pan, as thou art Bacchus, as thou art shepherd of brilliant stars.”

On account of these and such like reasons, these constantly attend the mysteries called those of the “Great Mother,” supposing especially that they behold by means of the ceremonies performed there the entire mystery. For these have nothing more than the ceremonies that are performed there, except that they are not emasculated: they merely complete the work of the emasculated. For with the utmost severity and vigilance they enjoin (on their votaries) to abstain, as if they were emasculated, from intercourse with a woman. The rest, however, of the proceeding (observed in these mysteries), as we have declared at some length, (they follow) just as (if they were) emasculated persons.  And they do not worship any other object but Naas, (from thence) being styled Naasseni. But Naas is the serpent from whom, i.e., from the word Naas, (the Naassene) says, are all that under heaven are denominated temples (Naous). And (he states) that to him alone—that is, Naas—is dedicated every shrine and every initiatory rite, and every mystery; and, in general, that a religious ceremony could not be discovered under heaven, in which a temple (Naos) has no existence; and in the temple itself is Naas, from whom it has received its denomination of temple (Naos). And these affirm that the serpent is a moist substance, just as Thales also, the Milesian, (spoke of water as an originating principle,) and that nothing of existing things, immortal or mortal, animate or inanimate, could consist at all without him. And that all things are subject unto him, and that he is good, and that he has all things in himself, as in the horn of the one-horned bull;422    Deut. xxxiii. 17. so as that he imparts beauty and bloom to all things that exist according to their own nature and peculiarity, as if passing through all, just as (“the river) proceeding forth from Edem, and dividing itself into four heads.”423    Gen. ii. 10.

They assert, however, that Edem is the brain, as it were, bound and tightly fastened in encircling robes, as if (in) heaven. But they suppose that man, as far as the head only, is Paradise, therefore that “this river, which proceeds out of Edem,” that is, from the brain, “is divided into four heads,424    Gen. ii. 11–14. and that the name of the first river is called Phison; this is that which encompasseth all the land of Havilath: there is gold, and the gold of that land is excellent, and there is bdellium and the onyx stone.” This, he says, is the eye, which, by its honour (among the rest of the bodily organs), and its colours, furnishes testimony to what is spoken. “But the name of the second river is Gihon: this is that which compasseth the land of Ethiopia.” This, he says, is hearing, since Gihon is (a tortuous stream), resembling a sort of labyrinth. “And the name of the third is Tigris. This is that which floweth over against (the country of) the Assyrians.” This, he says,425    Or, “they say.” is smelling, employing the exceedingly rapid current of the stream (as an analogy of this sense). But it flows over against (the country of) the Assyrians, because in every act of respiration following upon expiration, the breath drawn in from the external atmosphere enters with swifter motion and greater force. For this, he says, is the nature of respiration. “But the fourth river is Euphrates.” This, they assert, is the mouth, through which are the passage outwards of prayer, and the passage inwards of nourishment. (The mouth) makes glad, and nurtures and fashions the Spiritual Perfect Man. This, he says, is “the water that is above the firmament,”426    Gen. i. 7. concerning which, he says, the Saviour has declared, “If thou knewest who it is that asks, thou wouldst have asked from Him, and He would have given you to drink living, bubbling water.”427    John iv. 10. Into this water, he says, every nature enters, choosing its own substances; and its peculiar quality comes to each nature from this water, he says, more than iron does to the magnet, and the gold to the backbone428    κερκίς. This word literally means the rod; or, in later times, the comb fixed into the ἱστός (i.e., the upright loom), for the purpose of driving the threads of the woof home, thus making the web even and close. It is, among other significations, applied to bones in the leg or arm. Cruice and Schneidewin translate κερκίς by spina, a rendering adopted above. The allusion is made again in chap. xii. and chap. xvi. In the last passage, κέντρον (spur) is used instead of κερκίς of the sea falcon, and the chaff to the amber.

But if any one, he says, is blind from birth, and has never beheld the true light, “which lighteneth every man that cometh into the world,”429    John i. 9; ix. 1. by us let him recover his sight, and behold, as it were, through some paradise planted with every description of tree, and supplied with abundance of fruits, water coursing its way through all the trees and fruits; and he will see that from one and the same water the olive chooses for itself and draws the oil, and the vine the wine; and (so is it with) the rest of plants, according to each genus. That Man, however, he says, is of no reputation in the world, but of illustrious fame in heaven, being betrayed by those who are ignorant (of his perfections) to those who know him not, being accounted as a drop from a cask.430    Isa. xl. 15. We, however, he says, are spiritual, who, from the life-giving water of Euphrates, which flows through the midst of Babylon, choose our own peculiar quality as we pass through the true gate, which is the blessed Jesus. And of all men, we Christians alone are those who in the third gate celebrate the mystery, and are anointed there with the unspeakable chrism from a horn, as David (was anointed), not from an earthen vessel,431    1 Sam. x. 1; xvi. 13. he says, as (was) Saul, who held converse with the evil demon432    1 Sam. xvi. 14. of carnal concupiscence.

[9] Ἔτι δὲ οἱ Φρύγες λέγουσι τὸν πατέρα τῶν ὅλων εἶναι ἀμύγδαλον: οὐχὶ δένδρον, φησίν, ἀλλ' εἶναι ἀμύγδαλον ἐκεῖνον τὸν προόντα, ὃς ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὸν τέλειον καρπόν, οἱονεὶ διασφύζοντα καὶ κινούμενον ἐν βάθει, διήμυξε τοὺς κόλπους αὑτοῦ καὶ ἐγέννησε τὸν ἀόρατον καὶ ἀκατονόμαστον [καὶ] ἄρρητον παῖδα ἑαυτοῦ, περὶ οὗ λαλοῦμεν. ἀμύξαι γάρ, [φησίν,] ἐστὶ(ν) οἱονεὶ ῥῆξαι καὶ διατεμεῖν: καθάπερ [γάρ], φησίν, ἐπὶ τῶν φλεγμαινόντων σωμάτων καὶ ἐχόντων ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τινα συστροφήν, [ἃς] ἀμυχὰς οἱ ἰατροὶ λέγουσιν ἀνατεμόντες, οὕτως, φησί, Φρύγες τὸν [πατέρα] ἀμύγδαλον καλοῦσιν, ἀφ' οὗ προῆλθε καὶ ἐγεννήθη ὁ ἀόρατος, «δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδέν». Συρικτὰν δέ φασιν εἶναι Φρύγες τὸν ἐκεῖθεν γεγεννημένον, ὅτι πνεῦμα ἐναρμόνιόν ἐστι, [φησί,] τὸ γεγεννημένον: «πνεῦμα» γάρ, φησίν, ἐστὶν «ὁ θεός»: διό, φησίν, «οὔτε ἐν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ προσκυνοῦσιν οὔτε ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ» «οἱ ἀληθινοὶ προσκυνηταί», ἀλλὰ «ἐν πνεύματι»: πνευματικὴ γάρ, φησίν, ἐστὶ τῶν τελείων ἡ προσκύνησις, οὐ σαρκική. τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα, φησίν, ἐκεῖ ὅπου καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὀνομάζεται, [καὶ] ὁ υἱὸς ἐκ τούτου τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκεῖ γεννώμενος. οὗτος, φησίν, ἐστὶν ὁ πολυώνυμος μυριόμματος ἀκατάληπτος, οὗ πᾶσα φύσις, ἄλλη δὲ ἄλλως ὀρέγεται. [καὶ] τοῦτο, φησίν, ἐστὶ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅ, φησίν, ἐστὶ ῥῆμα Ἀποφάσεως τῆς μεγάλης δυνάμεως. διὸ ἔσται ἐσφραγισμένον καὶ κεκρυμμένον καὶ κεκαλυμμένον, κείμενον ἐν τῷ οἰκητηρίῳ οὗ ἡ ῥίζα τῶν ὅλων τεθεμελίωται [ἀπό τε]_αἰώνων δυνάμεων ἐπινοιῶν, θεῶν ἀγγέλων πνευμάτων ἀπεσταλμένων, ὄντων μὴ ὄντων, γεγονότων [ἀ]γενήτων, καταληπτῶν ἀκαταλήπτων, ἐνιαυτῶν μηνῶν ἡμερῶν ὡρῶν_, στιγμὴ ἀμέριστος [οὖσα], ἐξ ἧς, [φησίν,] ἐνάρχεται τὸ ἐλάχιστον αὐξῆσαι κατὰ μέρος. ἣ [γάρ,] μηδὲν οὖσα, φησί, καὶ ἐκ μηδενὸς συνεστῶσα [στιγμὴ ἀμέριστος οὖσα], γενήσεται ἑαυτῆ[ς] ἐπινοίᾳ μέγεθός τι ἀκατάληπτον. αὕτη, φησίν, ἐστὶν «ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν», «ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σινάπεως», ἡ ἀμέριστος ἐνυπάρχουσα τῷ σώματι στιγμή, ἣν οἶδε, φησίν, οὐδεὶς [ἀλλ'] ἢ οἱ πνευματικοὶ μόνοι. τοῦτο, φησίν, ἐστὶ τὸ εἰρημένον: «οὐκ εἰσὶ λόγοι οὐδὲ λαλιαί, ὧν οὐχὶ ἀκούονται αἱ φωναὶ αὐτῶν». Ταῦθ' οὕτως σχεδιάζουσι, τὰ ὑπὸ πάντων ἀνθρώπων λεγόμενά τε καὶ γινόμενα πρὸς [τὸν] ἴδιον νοῦν πνευματικῶς φάσκοντες πάντα γίνεσθαι: ὅθεν καὶ τοὺς [ἐν τοῖς] θεάτροις ἐπιδεικνυμένους λέγουσι μη[δ'] αὐτοὺς ἀπρονοήτως τι λέγειν ἢ ποιεῖν. τοιγαροῦν, φησίν, ἐπὰν συνέλθῃ ὁ δῆμος ἐν τοῖς θεάτροις, εἰσιών τις ἠμφιεσμένος στολὴν ἔξαλλον, κιθάραν φέρων καὶ ψάλλων, οὕτως λέγει ᾄδων τὰ μεγάλα μυστήρια, οὐκ εἰδὼς ἃ λέγει: Εἴτε Κρόνου γένος, εἴτε Διὸς μάκαρ, εἴτε Ῥέας, μέγα χαῖρε [θεός], τὸ κατηφὲς ἄκουσμα Ῥέας Ἄττι: σὲ κα λοῦσι μὲν Ἀσσύριοι τριπόθητον Ἄ δωνιν, ὅλη δ' Αἴγυπτος Ὄσιριν, ἐπ ουράνιον Μηνὸς κέρας Ἑλλη νὶς σοφία, Σαμόθρᾳκες Ἀδάμ[να] σε βάσμιον, Αἱμόνιοι Κορύβαντα, καὶ οἱ Φρύγες ἄλλοτε μὲν Πάπαν, ποτὲ δ' [αὖ] νέκυν ἢ θεὸν ἢ τὸν ἄκαρπον ἢ αἰπόλον ἢ χλοερὸν στάχυν ἀμη θέντ' ἢ [τ]ὸν πολύκαρπον ἔτικτεν ἀ μύγδαλος, ἀνέρα συρικτάν. Τοῦτον [οὖν καὶ τοιοῦτόν] φησιν εἶναι [τὸν] πολύμορφον Ἄττιν, ὃν ὑμνοῦντες λέγουσιν οὕτως: Ἄττιν ὑμνήσω τὸν Ῥείης, οὐ [κ]ωδώνων σὺμ βόμβοις, οὐδ' αὐλῷ [τῶν] Ἰδαίων Κουρήτων [σὺμ] μυκητᾷ, ἀλλ' εἰς Φοιβείαν μίξω μοῦσαν φορμίγγων: εὐοῖ, εὐάν, ὡς Πάν, ὡς Βακχεύς, ὡς ποιμὴν λευκῶν ἄστρων. Διὰ τούτους καὶ τοὺς τοιούτους λόγους παρεδρεύουσιν οὗτοι τοῖς λεγομένοις Μητρὸς μεγάλης μυστηρίοις, μάλιστα καθορᾶν νομίζοντες διὰ τῶν ἐκεῖ δρωμένων τὸ ὅλον μυστήριον [αὑτῶν]. οὐδὲν δὲ ἔχουσι πλέον οὗτοι τῶν ἐκεῖ δρωμένων, πλὴν ὅτι οὔκ εἰσιν ἀποκεκομμένοι, μόνον [δὲ] τὸ ἔργον τῶν ἀποκεκομμένων ἐκτελοῦσιν_πάνυ γὰρ πικρῶς καὶ πεφυλαγμένως παραγγέλλουσιν ἀπέχεσθαι, ὡσ[ὰν] ἀποκεκομμένοι, τῆς πρὸς γυναῖκα ὁμιλίας: _τὸ δὲ λοιπόν [ἔργον], ὡς εἰρήκαμεν διὰ πολλῶν, ὥσπερ οἱ ἀπόκοποι δρῶσι. Τιμῶσι δὲ οὐκ ἄλλο τι ἢ τὸν νάας οὗτοι, Να[α]σσηνοὶ καλούμενοι. νάας δέ ἐστιν ὁ ὄφις: ἀφ' οὗ φασι πάντας εἶναι τοὺς ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν προσαγορευομένους ναοὺς [ἀπὸ τοῦ νάας], κἀκείνῳ μόνῳ τῷ νάας ἀνακεῖσθαι πᾶν ἱερὸν καὶ πᾶσαν τελετὴν καὶ πᾶν μυστήριον, καὶ καθόλου μὴ δύνασθαι τελετὴν εὑρεθῆναι ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἐν ᾗ ναὸς οὐκ ἔστι καὶ ὁ νάας ἐν αὐτῷ, ἀφ' οὗ ἔλαχε ναὸς καλεῖσθαι. Εἶναι δὲ τὸν ὄφιν λέγουσιν οὗτοι τὴν ὑγρὰν οὐσίαν, καθάπερ καὶ Θαλῆς [ἔφη] ὁ Μιλήσιος, καὶ μηδὲν δύνασθαι τῶν ὄντων ὅλως, ἀθανάτων ἢ θνητῶν, [τῶν] ἐμψύχων ἢ ἀψύχων, συνεστηκέναι χωρὶς αὐτοῦ. ὑποκεῖσθαι δὲ αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα, καὶ εἶναι αὐτὸν ἀγαθόν, καὶ ἔχειν πάντων ἐν αὑτῷ, ὥσπερ «ἐν κέρατι ταύρου μονοκέρωτος», τὸ κάλλος [τῶν ἄλλων], καὶ τὴν ὡραιότητα ἐπιδιδόναι πᾶσι τοῖς οὖσι κατὰ φύσιν τὴν ἑαυτῶν καὶ οἰκειότητα. οἱονεὶ διὰ πάντων ὁδεύοντα, ὥσπερ «[ποταμὸν] ἐκπορευόμενον ἐξ Ἐδὲμ [ποτίζειν τὸν παράδεισον]» καὶ «σχιζόμενον εἰς ἀρχὰς τέσσαρας». Ἐδὲμ δὲ εἶναι λέγουσι τὸν ἐγκέφαλον, οἱονεὶ δεδεμένον καὶ κατεσφιγμένον ἐν τοῖς περικειμένοις χιτῶσιν ὥσπερ οὐρανοῖς, παράδεισον [δὲ] εἶναι νομίζουσι τὸν μέχρι μόνης τῆς κεφαλῆς ἄνθρωπον. ἐξερχόμενον οὖν τοῦτον τὸν ποταμὸν ἐξ Ἐδέμ_τουτέστιν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐγκεφάλου_«ἀφορίζεσθαι εἰς ἀρχὰς τέσσαρας: καλεῖσθαι δὲ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πρώτου ποταμοῦ Φεισών: οὗτος ὁ κυκλῶν πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν Εὐϊλάτ: ἐκεῖ οὖν ἐστι τὸ χρυσίον: τὸ δὲ χρυσίον τῆς γῆς ἐκείνης καλόν: καὶ ἐκεῖ ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθραξ καὶ [ὁ] λίθος ὁ πράσινος»: οὗτος, φησίν, [ἐστὶν] ὀφθαλμός, τῇ τιμῇ καὶ τοῖς χρώμασι μαρτυρῶν τῶν λεγομένων. τὸ δὲ «ὄνομα τοῦ δευτέρου ποταμοῦ Γεών: οὗτος ὁ κυκλῶν πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν Αἰθιοπίας»: οὗτος, φησίν, ἐστὶν ἀκοή, λαβυρινθώδης τις ὤν. καὶ ὄνομα «τῷ τρίτῳ [ποταμῷ] Τίγρις: οὗτος [ἐστὶν] ὁ πορευόμενος κατέναντι Ἀσσυρίων»: οὗτος, φησίν, ἐστὶν ὄσφρησις, ὀξυτάτῃ χρώμενος τῇ φορᾷ τοῦ ῥεύματος: πορεύεται δὲ κατέναντι Ἀσσυρίων, ὅτι, [φησίν,] ἐκπνέοντι τῷ πνεύματι κατὰ τὴν ἀναπνοὴν τὸ ἔξωθεν, ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀέρος [ἀνα]συρόμενον, ὀξύτερον καὶ βιαιότερον ἐπεισέρχεται πνεῦμα: ἀναπνοῆς γάρ, φησίν, αὕτη [ἡ] φύσις. «ὁ δὲ ποταμὸς ὁ τέταρτος Εὐφράτης»: τοῦτον λέγουσιν [εἶναι] στόμα, δι' οὗ ἡ τῆς προσευχῆς ἔξοδος καὶ ἡ τῆς τροφῆς εἴσοδος: [ὃς] εὐφραίνει καὶ τρέφει καὶ χαρακτηρίζει τὸν πνευματικὸν τέλειον ἄνθρωπον. Τοῦτο, φησίν, ἐστὶ «τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ὑπεράων τοῦ στερεώματος», περὶ οὗ, φησίν, εἴρηκεν ὁ σωτήρ: «εἰ ᾔδεις τίς ἐστιν ὁ αἰτῶν, σὺ ἂν ᾔτησας παρ' αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔδωκεν ἄν σοι πιεῖν ζῶν ὕδωρ ἁλλόμενον». ἐπὶ τοῦτο, φησί, τὸ ὕδωρ πᾶσα φύσις ἔρχεται τὰς ἑαυτῆς οὐσίας ἐκλέγουσα, καὶ προσέρχεται ἑκάστῃ φύσει ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος τούτου τὸ οἰκεῖον, φησί, μᾶλλον ἢ [ὁ] σίδηρος τῇ Ἡρακλείᾳ λίθῳ καὶ ὁ χρυσὸς τῇ τοῦ θαλασσίου ἱέρακος κερκίδι καὶ τὸ ἄχυρον τῷ ἠλέκτρῳ. εἰ δέ τις, φησίν, ἐστὶ «τυφλὸς ἐκ γενετῆς» καὶ μὴ τεθεαμένος «[τὸ] φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον», δι' ἡμῶν, [φησίν,] ἀναβλεψάτω καὶ ἰδέτω οἱονεὶ διά τινος παραδείσου συμφύτου καὶ πολυσπερμάτου ὕδωρ διερχόμενον διὰ πάντων τῶν φυτῶν καὶ τῶν σπερμάτων, καὶ ὄψεται ὅτι ἐξ ἑνὸς καὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ὕδατος ἐκλέγεται καὶ ἐπισπᾶται ἡ ἐλαία τὸ ἔλαιον καὶ ἡ ἄμπελος τὸν οἶνον καὶ τῶν ἄλλων κατὰ γένος ἕκαστον φυτῶν. ἔστι δέ, φησίν, ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος ἄτιμος ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ πολύτιμος ὑπὸ τῶν οὐκ εἰδότων τοῖς οὐκ εἰδόσιν αὐτόν, «λελογισμένος ὥσπερ σταγὼν ἀπὸ κάδου» οἵτινες ἐσμέν, φησίν, οἱ πνευματικοί, οἱ ἐκλεγόμενοι ἀπὸ τοῦ «ζῶντος ὕδατος» τοῦ ῥέοντος Εὐφράτου διὰ τῆς Βαβυλῶνος μέσης τὸ οἰκεῖον, [οἱ] διὰ τῆς πύλης ὁδεύοντες [τῆς] ἀληθινῆς, ἥτις ἐστὶν Ἰησοῦς ὁ μακάριος. καὶ ἐσμέν, [φησίν,] ἐξ ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων ἡμεῖς Χριστιανοὶ μόνοι, [οἱ] ἐν τῇ τρίτῃ πύλῃ ἀπαρτίζοντες τὸ μυστήριον καὶ χριόμενοι ἐκεῖ ἀλάλῳ χρίσματι ἐκ κέρατος, ὡ[ς] Δαβίδ, οὐκ [ἐξ] ὀστρακίνου φακοῦ, φησίν, ὡς ὁ Σαούλ, ὁ συμπολιτευόμενος τῷ πονηρῷ δαίμονι, [τῷ] «τῆς σαρκικῆς ἐπιθυμίας».