▾
Hippolytus of Rome, The Refutation of All Heresies
⎗←→⎘
▾
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 XXVIII.—The Doctrine of the Truth.
The first and only (one God),1055 The margin of the ms. has the words “Origen and Origen’s opinion.” This seemed to confirm the criticism which ascribes The Refutation to Origin. But even supposing Origen not the author, the copyer of the ms. might have written Origen’s name on the margin, as indicating the transcriber’s opinion concerning the coincidence of creed between Origen and the author of The Refutation. The fact, however, is that the doctrine of eternal punishment, asserted in the concluding chapter of The Refutation, was actually controverted by Origen. See translator’s Introductory Notice. [See also Wordsworth (a lucid exposition), p. 20, etc., and infra, cap. xxix. note 5.] both Creator and Lord of all, had nothing coeval with Himself; not infinite chaos, nor measureless water, nor solid earth, nor dense air, not warm fire, nor refined spirit, nor the azure canopy1056 ὀροφήν (Scott). The ms. has μορφήν. of the stupendous firmament. But He was One, alone in Himself. By an exercise of His will He created things that are, which antecedently had no existence, except that He willed to make them. For He is fully acquainted with whatever is about to take place, for foreknowledge also is present to Him. The different principles, however, of what will come into existence, He first fabricated, viz., fire and spirit, water and earth, from which diverse elements He proceeded to form His own creation. And some objects He formed of one essence, but others He compounded from two, and others from three, and others from four. And those formed of one substance were immortal, for in their case dissolution does not follow, for what is one will never be dissolved. Those, on the other hand, which are formed out of two, or three, or four substances, are dissoluble; wherefore also are they named mortal. For this has been denominated death; namely, the dissolution of substances connected. I now therefore think that I have sufficiently answered those endued with a sound mind, who, if they are desirous of additional instruction, and are disposed accurately to investigate the substances of these things, and the causes of the entire creation, will become acquainted with these points should they peruse a work of ours comprised (under the title), Concerning the Substance of the Universe.1057 Here we have another reference intimately bearing on the authorship of The Refutation. What follows corresponds with a fragment having a similar title to that stated above, first published by Le Moyne, and inserted in Fabricius (i. pp. 220–222) as the work of Hippolytus. Photius mentions this work, and gives an extract from it corresponding with what is furnished by Hippolytus. Photius, however, mentions that the book On the Substance of the Universe was said to be written by Josephus, but discovers in marginal notes the ascription of it to Caius. But Caius cannot be the writer, since Photius states that the author of The Labyrinth affirmed that he had written On the Substance of the Universe. Now Hippolytus informs us that he is author of The Labyrinth. Hippolytus thus refers to three of his works in The Refutation: (1) ἕτεραι βίβλοι, i.e., on Chronology; (2) Concerning the Substance of the Universe; (3) Little Labyrinth. Except Hippolytus and Photius refer to different works in speaking of The Labyrinth, the foregoing settles the question of the authorship of The Refutation. [See the case of Caius stated, Wordsworth, cap. iv. p. 27, etc.] I consider, however, that at present it is enough to elucidate those causes of which the Greeks, not being aware, glorified, in pompous phraseology, the parts of creation, while they remained ignorant of the Creator. And from these the heresiarchs have taken occasion, and have transformed the statements previously made by those Greeks into similar doctrines, and thus have framed ridiculous heresies.
[32] Θεὸς εἷς, ὁ πρῶτος καὶ μόνος καὶ ἁπάντων ποιητὴς καὶ κύριος, σύγχρονον ἔσχεν οὐδέν: οὐ χάος ἄπειρον, οὐχ ὕδωρ ἀμέτρητον, οὐ γῆν στερράν, οὐκ ἀέρα πυκνόν, οὐ πῦρ θερμόν, οὐ πνεῦμα λεπτόν, οὐκ οὐρανοῦ μεγάλου κυανέαν ὀροφήν: ἀλλ' ἦν εἷς, μόνος [ἐφ'] ἑαυτοῦ. ὃς θελήσας ἐποίησε τὰ ὄντα, οὐκ ὄντα πρότερον πλὴν ὅτε [αὐτὸς] ἠθέλησε ποιεῖν. ὃς ἔμπειρος ὢν τῶν ἐσομένων_πάρεστι γὰρ αὐτῷ καὶ πρόγνωσις_, διαφόρους τέ[σσαρας] τοῖς ἐσομένοις ἀρχὰς πρότερον ἐδημιούργει_ πῦρ καὶ πνεῦμα, ὕδωρ καὶ γῆν_, ἐξ ὧν διάφορον τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κτίσιν ἐποίει, καὶ τὰ μὲν μονοούσια, τὰ δὲ ἐκ δύο, τὰ δὲ ἐκ τριῶν, τὰ δὲ ἐκ τεσσάρων συνεδέσμει. καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐξ ἑνὸς ἀθάνατα ἦν_λύσις γὰρ [αὐτοῖς] οὐ παρακολουθεῖ: τὸ γὰρ ἓν οὐ λυθήσεται πώποτε_, τὰ δὲ ἐκ δύο ἢ τριῶν ἢ τεσσάρων λυτά. διὸ καὶ θνητὰ ὀνομάζεται: θάνατος γὰρ τοῦτο κέκληται, ἡ τῶν δεδεμένων λύσις. Ἱκανὸν οὖν νῦν [ἐστι ταῦτα] τοῖς εὗ φρονοῦσιν ἀποκεκρίσθαι_οἳ εἰ φιλομαθήσουσι καὶ τὰς τούτων οὐσίας καὶ τὰς αἰτίας τῆς κατὰ [τὸ] πᾶν δημιουργίας ἐπιζητήσουσιν, εἴσονται ἐντυχόντες ἡμῶν [τῇ] βίβλῳ περιεχούσῃ Περὶ τῆς τοῦ παντὸς οὐσίας: _τὸ δὲ νῦν ἱκανὸν [δοκεῖ] εἶναι ἐκθέσθαι τὰς αἰτίας. ἃς οὐ γνόντες Ἕλληνες κομπῷ τῳ λόγῳ τὰ μέρη τῆς κτίσεως ἐδόξασαν, τὸν κτίσαντα ἀγνοήσαντες. [ἀφ'] ὧν ἀφορμὰς σχόντες οἱ αἱρεσιάρχαι, ὁμοίοις λόγοις τὰ ὑπ' ἐκείνων προειρημένα μετασχηματίσαντες, αἱρέσεις καταγελάστους συνεστήσαντο.