Chapter XI.—The “Great Archon” Of Basilides.

When, therefore, a first and second ascension of the Sonship took place, and the Holy Spirit itself also remained after the mode mentioned, the firmament was placed between the super-mundane (spaces) and the world. For existing things were distributed by Basilides into two continuous and primary divisions, and are, according to him, denominated partly in a certain (respect) world, and partly in a certain (respect) super-mundane (spaces). But the spirit, a line of demarcation between the world and super-mundane (spaces), is that which is both holy, and has abiding in itself the savour of Sonship. While, therefore, the firmament which is above the heaven is coming into existence, there burst forth, and was begotten from the cosmical Seed, and the conglomeration of all germs, the Great Archon (and) Head of the world, (who constitutes) a certain (species of) beauty, and magnitude, and indissoluble power.808    Or, “unspeakable power.” For, says he, he is more ineffable than ineffable entities, and more potent than potent ones, and more wise than wise ones, and superior to all the beautiful ones whatever you could mention. This (Archon), when begotten, raised Himself up and soared aloft, and was carried up entire as far as the firmament. And there He paused, supposing the firmament to be the termination of His ascension and elevation, and considering that there existed nothing at all beyond these. And than all the subjacent (entities) whatsoever there were among them which remained mundane, He became more wise, more powerful, more comely, more lustrous, (in fact,) pre-eminent for beauty above any entities you could mention with the exception of the Sonship alone, which is still left in the (conglomeration of) all germs. For he was not aware that there is (a Sonship) wiser and more powerful, and better than Himself.  Therefore imagining Himself to be Lord, and Governor, and a wise Master Builder, He turns Himself to (the work of) the creation of every object in the cosmical system. And first, he deemed it proper not to be alone, but made unto Himself, and generated from adjacent (entities), a Son far superior to Himself, and wiser. For all these things had the non-existent Deity previously determined upon, when He cast down the (conglomeration of) all germs. Beholding, therefore, the Son, He was seized with astonishment, and loved (Him), and was struck with amazement. For some beauty of this description appeared809    Or, “was produced unto.” to the Great Archon to belong to the Son, and the Archon caused Him to sit on his right (hand). This is, according to these (heretics), what is denominated the Ogdoad, where the Great Archon has his throne. The entire celestial creation, then, that is, the Æther, He Himself, the Great Wise Demiurge formed. The Son, however, begotten of this (Archon), operates in Him, and offered Him suggestions, being endued with far greater wisdom than the Demiurge Himself.

[23] Ἐπεὶ οὖν γέγονε πρώτη καὶ δευτέρα ἀναδρομὴ τῆς υἱότητος καὶ μεμένηκεν αὐτοῦ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον τὸν εἰρημένον τρόπον, στερέωμα τῶν ὑπερκοσμίων καὶ τοῦ κόσμου μεταξὺ τεταγμένον_διῄρηται γὰρ ὑπὸ Βασιλείδου τὰ ὄντα εἰς δύο τὰς προεχεῖς καὶ πρώτας διαιρέσεις, καὶ καλεῖται κατ' αὐτὸν τὸ μέν τι κόσμος, τὸ δέ τι ὑπερκόσμια: τὸ δὲ μεταξὺ τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τῶν ὑπερκοσμίων [τεταγμένον καλεῖ] μεθόριον Πνεῦμα [τοῦτο], ὅπερ ἐστὶ καὶ ἅγιον καὶ τῆς υἱότητος ἔχει μένουσαν ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὴν ὀσμήν_, [γενηθ]έντος οὖν [οὕτως] τοῦ στερεώματος, ὅ ἐστιν ὑπεράνω τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, διέσφυξεν καὶ ἐγεν[ν]ήθη ἀπὸ τοῦ κοσμικοῦ σπέρματος καὶ τῆς πανσπερμίας τοῦ σωροῦ ὁ μέγας ἄρχων, ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ κόσμου, κάλλος τε καὶ μέγεθος ἡ δύναμις [λα]ληθῆναι μὴ δυναμένη: ἀρρήτων γάρ, φησίν, ἐστὶν ἀρρητότερος καὶ δυνατῶν δυνατώτερος καὶ σοφῶν σοφώτερος καὶ ὅ τι ἂν εἴπῃς τῶν καλῶν παντὸς κρείττων. Οὗτος [οὖν] γεννηθεὶς ἐπῆρεν ἑαυτὸν καὶ μετεώρισε καὶ ἠνέχθη [ὅλος] ἄνω μέχρι τοῦ στερεώματος [ἔστη], τῆς δὴ ἀναδρομῆς καὶ τοῦ ὑψώματος τὸ στερέωμα τέλος εἶναι νομίσας καὶ μηδὲν εἶναι μετὰ ταῦτα ὅλως [μὴ δὲ εἶναι] ἐπινοήσας. ἐγένετο μὲν [γὰρ τῶν] ὑποκειμένων πάντων_ὅσα ἦν λοιπὸν κοσμικά_σοφώτερος, δυνατώτερος, ἐκπρεπέστερος, φωτεινότερος, παν[τὸς] ὅ τι ἂν εἴπῃς [τῶν] καλῶν διαφέρων, χωρὶς μόνης τῆς ὑπολελειμμένης υἱότητος ἔτι ἐν τῇ πανσπερμίᾳ: ἠγνόει γὰρ ὅτι ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ σοφωτέρα καὶ δυνατωτέρα καὶ κρείττων. νομίσας οὖν αὐτὸς εἶναι κύριος καὶ δεσπότης καὶ «σοφὸς ἀρχιτέκτων», τρέπεται εἰς τὴν καθ' ἕκαστα κτίσιν τοῦ κόσμου. καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ἠξίωσε μὴ εἶναι μόνος, ἀλλὰ ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ καὶ ἐγέννησεν ἐκ τῶν ὑποκειμένων υἱόν, ἑαυτοῦ πολὺ κρείττονα καὶ σοφώτερον. _ταῦτα δὲ ἦν πάντα προβεβουλευμένος ὁ οὐκ ὢν θεός, ὅτε τὴν πανσπερμίαν κατεβάλε[το]. _ ἰδὼν οὖν τὸν υἱόν, ἐθαύμασε καὶ ἠγάπησε καὶ κατεπλάγη: τοιοῦτον γάρ τι κάλλος ἐπε[φαί]νετο [τοῦ] υἱοῦ τῷ μεγάλῳ ἄρχοντι. καὶ ἐκάθισεν αὐτὸν ἐκ δεξιῶν [αὑτοῦ] ὁ ἄρχων: [καὶ] αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ κατ' αὐτοὺ[ς] Ὀγδοὰς λεγομένη, ὅπου ἐστὶν ὁ μέγας ἄρχων καθήμενος. πᾶσαν οὖν τὴν ἐπουράνιον κτίσιν, τουτέστι τὴν αἰθέριον, αὐτὸς εἰργάσατο ὁ δημιουργός, ὁ μέγας [καὶ] σοφός: ἐνήργει δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ ὑπετίθετο ὁ υἱὸς ὁ τούτου γενόμενος, ὢν αὐτοῦ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ πολὺ σοφώτερος.