Chapter VII.—Aristotle’s Cosmogony; His “Psychology;” His “Entelecheia;” His Theology; His Ethics; Basilides Follows Aristotle.

But concerning Substance, the statements now made will suffice. But not only is Substance denominated genus, species, (and) individual, but also matter, and form, and privation. There is, however, (as regards the substance,) in these no difference, even though the division be allowed to stand. Now, inasmuch as Substance is of this description, the arrangement of the world has taken place according to some such plan as the following. The world is divided, according to Aristotle, into very numerous and diversified parts. Now the portion of the world which extends from the earth to the moon is devoid of foresight, guideless, and is under the sway789    Or, “is sufficient.” of that nature alone which belongs to itself. But another (part of the world which lies) beyond the moon, and extends to the surface of heaven, is arranged in the midst of all order and foresight and governance. Now, the (celestial) superficies constitutes a certain fifth substance, and is remote from all those natural elements out of which the cosmical system derives consistence. And this is a certain fifth Substance, according to Aristotle,—as it were, a certain super-mundane essence. And (this essence) has become (a logical necessity) in his system, in order to accord with the (Peripatetic) division of the world. And (the topic of this fifth nature) constitutes a distinct investigation in philosophy. For there is extant a certain disquisition, styled A Lecture on Physical (Phenomena), in which he has elaborately treated790    Or, “the question is discussed.” concerning the operations which are conducted by nature and not providence, (in the quarter of space extending) from the earth as far as the moon.  And there is also extant by him a certain other peculiar treatise on the principles of things (in the region) beyond the moon, and it bears the following inscription: Metaphysics.791    [This word, not yet technical, as with us, is thus noted as curious. Of its force see Professor Caird, Encyc. Britannic., sub voce “Metaphysic.”] And another peculiar dissertation has been (written) by him, entitled Concerning a Fifth Substance, and in this work Aristotle unfolds his theological opinions.

There exists some such division of the universe as we have now attempted to delineate in outline, and (corresponding with it is the division) of the Aristotelian philosophy. His work, however, (styled) Concerning the Soul, is obscure. For in the entire three books (where he treats of this subject) it is not possible to say clearly what is Aristotle’s opinion concerning the soul. For, as regards the definition which he furnishes of soul, it is easy (enough) to declare this; but what it is that is signified by the definition792    See Aristotle, De Anim., ii. 1. is difficult to discover. For soul, he says, is an entelecheia of a natural organic body; (but to explain) what this is at all, would require a very great number of arguments and a lengthened investigation. As regards, however, the Deity, the Originator of all those glorious objects in creation, (the nature of) this (First Cause)—even to one conducting his speculations by a more prolonged inquiry than that concerning (the soul)—is more difficult to know than the soul itself. The definition, however, which Aristotle furnishes of the Deity is, I admit, not difficult to ascertain, but it is impossible to comprehend the meaning of it. For, he says, (the Deity) is a “conception of conception;” but this is altogether a non-existent (entity). The world, however, is incorruptible (and) eternal, according to Aristotle. For it has in itself nothing faulty,793    Literally, “out of tune.” inasmuch as it is directed by Providence and Nature. And Aristotle has laid down doctrines not only concerning Nature and a cosmical system, and Providence, and God,794    These works must be among Aristotle’s lost writings (see Fabricius’ Bibl. Græc., t. iii. pp. 232, 404).  We have no work of Aristotle’s expressly treating “of God.” However, the Stagyrite’s theology, such as it is, is unfolded in his Metaphysics. See Macmahon’s analysis prefixed to his translation of Aristotle’s Metaphysics, Bohn’s Classical Library. but he has written (more than this); for there is extant by him likewise a certain treatise on ethical subjects, and these he inscribes Books of Ethics.795    Aristotle composed three treatises on ethical subjects: (1) Ethics to Nicomachus; (2) Great Morals; (3) Morals to Eudemus. But throughout these he aims at rendering the habits of his hearers excellent from being worthless. When, therefore, Basilides has been discovered, not in spirit alone, but also in the actual expressions and names, transferring the tenets of Aristotle into our evangelical and saving doctrine, what remains, but that, by restoring what he has appropriated from others, we should prove to the disciples of this (heretic) that Christ will in no wise profit them, inasmuch as they are heathenish?

[19] Ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τῆς οὐσίας ἀρκέσει τὰ λεγόμενα [τὸ] νῦν. οὐ μόνον δὲ ἡ οὐσία καλεῖται [τὸ] γένος, εἶδος, ἄτομον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὕλη καὶ εἶδος καὶ στέρησις: διαφέρει δὲ οὐδέ[ν], ἐν το[ῖς α]ὐτοῖς μενούσης τῆς τομῆς. τοιαύτης δὲ οὔσης τῆς οὐσίας, ἔστιν ἡ τοῦ κόσμου διαταγὴ γεγενημένη κατ' αὐτὸν τοιοῦτόν τινα τρόπον. ὁ κόσμος ἐστὶ κατ' Ἀριστοτέλην διῃρημένος εἰς μέρη πλείονα καὶ (δ)ι(άφορα: καὶ ἔ)στι (τ)οῦ κόσμου [τὸ μὲν] μέρος τοῦθ', ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς μέχρι τῆς σελήν(ης), ἀπρονόητον, ἀκυβέρνητον, ἀρκούμενον μόνῃ τῇ φύσει τῇ ἑαυτοῦ: τὸ δὲ μετὰ τὴν σελήνην [μέρος] μέχρι τῆς ἐπιφανείας τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐν πάσῃ τάξει καὶ προνοίᾳ καὶ κυβερνήσει [ἐστὶ] τεταγμένον. ἡ δ' ἐπιφάνεια [τοῦ οὐρανοῦ], πέμπτη τις οὖσα οὐσία, φυσικῶν [ἐστιν] ἀπηλλαγμένη στοιχείων πάντων, ἀφ' ὧν ὁ κόσμος τὴν σύστασιν ἔχει, καὶ ἔστιν αὕτη [τίς] ἡ πέμπτη κατὰ τὸν Ἀριστοτέλην οὐσία οἱονεὶ οὐσία τις ὑπερκόσμιος. Καὶ γέγονεν αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν διαίρεσιν τοῦ κόσμου καὶ ὁ [περὶ] τῆς φιλοσοφίας διῃρημένος λόγος. Φυσικὴ γάρ τις ἀκρόασις αὐτῷ γέγονεν, ἐν ᾗ πεπόνηται περὶ τῶν φύσει καὶ οὐ προνοίᾳ διοικουμένων ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς μέχρι τῆς σελήνης πραγμάτων. γέγονε δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ Μετὰ τὰ φυσικὰ περὶ τῶν μετὰ [τὴν] σελήνην ἰδία τις ἄλλη οὕτως ἐπιγραφομένη πραγματεία λόγων. γέγονε δὲ αὐτῷ [καὶ] περὶ [τῆς] πέμπτης οὐσίας ἴδιος λόγος, ὅς ἐστιν αὐτῷ θεολογούμενος. τοιαύτη τίς [ἐστι] καὶ ἡ διαίρεσις τῶν λόγων, ὡς τύπῳ περιλαβεῖν, [τῆς] κατ' Ἀριστοτέλην φιλοσοφίας. (Ὁ) δὲ Περὶ ψυχῆς αὐτῷ λόγος ἐστὶν ἀσαφής: ἐν τρισὶ γὰρ συγγράμ[μ]ασιν ὅλοις οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν σαφῶς ὅ τι φρονεῖ περὶ ψυχῆς Ἀριστοτέλης. ὃν γὰρ ἀποδίδωσι [περὶ] τῆς ψυχῆς ὅρον ἔστιν εἰπεῖν ῥᾴδιον, τὸ δὲ ὑπὸ [τοῦ] ὅρου δεδηλωμένον ἐστὶ δυσεύρετον. ἔστι γάρ, φησί, ψυχὴ φυσικοῦ σώματος ὀργανικοῦ ἐντελέχεια: ἣ τίς ποτ' ἔστι[ν εὑρεῖν], λόγων [πάνυ πολλῶν] δεῖται καὶ μεγάλης ζητήσεως. ὁ δὲ θεός, ὁ πάντων τούτων τῶν ὄντων καλῶν αἴτιος, οὗτος τῆς ψυχῆς ἐστι [πάνυ πολλῶν], καὶ [ἐν] μακροτέρῳ λόγῳ θεωροῦντι, γνωσθῆναι χαλεπώτερος. ὁ γὰρ ὅρος, ὃν Ἀριστοτέλης ἀποδίδωσι περὶ τοῦ θεοῦ, χαλεπὸς μὲν οὐκ ἔστι[ν εἰπεῖν], γνωσθῆναι [νοηθῆναι] δ' ἔστιν ἀμήχανος. νόησις γάρ, φησίν, ἐστὶ νοήσεως: ὅπερ ἐστί: παντάπασιν οὐκ ὤν. ὁ δὲ κόσμος ἄφθαρτος [καὶ] ἀίδιος κατ' Ἀριστοτέλην ἐστίν: οὐδὲν γὰρ ἔχει πλημμελὲς ἐν αὑτῷ, προνοίᾳ καὶ φύσει κυβερνώμενος. καταβέβληται δὲ Ἀριστοτέλης οὐ μόνον περὶ φύσεως καὶ κόσμου καὶ προνοίας καὶ θεοῦ λόγους, ἀλλὰ γὰρ γέγονεν αὐτῷ καὶ πραγματεία τις λόγων ἠθικῶν: ἐπιγράφε[ται] δὲ ταῦτα Ἠθικὰ βιβλία, δι' ὧν σπουδαῖον ἐκ φαύλου τὸ τῶν ἀκροωμένων ἦθος ἐργάζεται. Ἐὰν [οὖν] ὁ Βασιλείδης εὑρεθῇ μὴ τῇ δυνάμει μόνῃ ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς λόγοις αὐτοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὀνόμασι τὰ τοῦ Ἀριστοτέλους δόγματα εἰς τὸν εὐαγγελικὸν καὶ σωτήριον ἡμῶν λόγον μεθαρμοζόμενος, τί λείψει ἢ τὰ ἀλλότρια ἀποδόντας [ἡμᾶς] ἐπιδεικνύναι τοῖς τούτου μαθηταῖς ὅτι ἐθνικοὺς ὄντας αὐτοὺς «Χριστὸς οὐδὲν ὠφελήσει».