Origen of Alexandria, Against Celsus

He next returns to the subject of the Seven ruling Demons,1362 Cf. Spencer’s note, as quoted in Benedictine edition. whose names are not found among Christians, but who, I think, are accepted by the Ophites. We found, indeed, that in the diagram, which on their account we procured a sight of, the same order was laid down as that which Celsus has given. Celsus says that “the goat was shaped like a lion,” not mentioning the name given him by those who are truly the most impious of individuals; whereas we discovered that He who is honoured in holy Scripture as the angel of the Creator is called by this accursed diagram Michael the Lion-like. Again, Celsus says that the “second in order is a bull;” whereas the diagram which we possessed made him to be Suriel, the bull-like. Further, Celsus termed the third “an amphibious sort of animal, and one that hissed frightfully;” while the diagram described the third as Raphael, the serpent-like. Moreover, Celsus asserted that the “fourth had the form of an eagle;” the diagram representing him as Gabriel, the eagle-like. Again, the “fifth,” according to Celsus, “had the countenance of a bear;” and this, according to the diagram, was Thauthabaoth,1363 “Nescio, an hæresium Scriptores hujus Thauthabaoth, Erataoth, Thaphabaoth, Onoeles, et Thartharaoth, usquam meminerint. Hujus generis vocabula innumera invenies apud Epiphan., Hær., 31, quæ est Valentinianorum, pp. 165–171.”—Spencer. the bear-like. Celsus continues his account, that the “sixth was described as having the face of a dog;” and him the diagram called Erataoth. The “seventh,” he adds, “had the countenance of an ass, and was named Thaphabaoth or Onoel;” whereas we discovered that in the diagram he is called Onoel, or Thartharaoth, being somewhat asinine in appearance. We have thought it proper to be exact in stating these matters, that we might not appear to be ignorant of those things which Celsus professed to know, but that we Christians, knowing them better than he, may demonstrate that these are not the words of Christians, but of those who are altogether alienated from salvation, and who neither acknowledge Jesus as Saviour, nor God, nor Teacher, nor Son of God.

Εἶθ' ἑξῆς ἐπαναλαμβάνει τὰ περὶ τῶν ἑπτὰ ἀρχόν των δαιμόνων, μηδαμῶς μὲν ὑπὸ Χριστιανῶν ὀνομαζομένων οἶμαι δ' ὑπὸ Ὀφιανῶν παραλαμβανομένων. Καὶ εὕρομέν γε ἐν ᾧ καὶ ἡμεῖς δι' ἐκείνους ἐκτησάμεθα διαγράμματι τὴν τάξιν ὁμοίως ἐκκειμένην οἷς ὁ Κέλσος ἐξέθετο. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Κέλσος ἔλεγε τὸν πρῶτον ἰδέᾳ λέοντος μεμορφωμένον, οὐκ ἐκθέμενος, τίνα αὐτὸν ὀνομάζουσιν οἱ ἀληθῶς δυσσεβέ στατοι· ἡμεῖς δὲ εὕρομεν ὅτι τὸν ἐν ταῖς ἱεραῖς γραφαῖς εὐφημούμενον ἄγγελον τοῦ δημιουργοῦ, τοῦτον τὸ μιαρὸν ἐκεῖνο διάγραμμα ἔλεγεν εἶναι Μιχαὴλ τὸν λεοντοειδῆ. Πάλιν τ' αὖ ὁ μὲν Κέλσος ἔφασκε τὸν ἑξῆς καὶ δεύτερον εἶναι ταῦρον· ὃ δ' εἴχομεν διάγραμμα τὸν Σουριὴλ ἔλεγεν εἶναι τὸν ταυροειδῆ. Εἶτα ὁ μὲν Κέλσος τρίτον ἀμφίβιόν τινα καὶ φρικῶδες ἐπισυρίζοντα· τὸ δὲ διάγραμμα τρίτον Ῥαφαὴλ ἔλεγεν εἶναι δρακοντοειδῆ. Πάλιν τε αὖ ὁ μὲν Κέλσος τὸν τέταρτον ἀετοῦ ἔφασκεν ἔχειν μορφήν· τὸ δὲ διάγραμμα Γαβριὴλ ἔλεγεν εἶναι τὸν ἀετοειδῆ. Εἶθ' ὁ μὲν Κέλσος τὸν πέμπτον ἔφασκεν εἶναι ἄρκου πρόσωπον ἔχοντα· τὸ δὲ διάγραμμα τὸν Θαυθαβαὼθ ἔφασκεν εἶναι τὸν ἀρκοειδῆ. Εἶθ' ὁ μὲν Κέλσος τὸν ἕκτον κυνὸς πρόσωπον ἔλεγεν ἱστορεῖσθαι ἔχειν παρ' ἐκείνοις· τὸ δὲ διάγραμμα ἔφασκεν εἶναι αὐτὸν Ἐραθαώθ. Εἶθ' ὁ μὲν Κέλσος τὸν ἕβδομον ἔφασκεν ὄνου ἔχειν πρόσωπον, καὶ ὀνομάζεσθαι αὐτὸν Θαφα βαὼθ ἢ Ὀνοήλ· ἡμεῖς δ' ἐν τῷ διαγράμματι εὕρομεν ὅτι οὗτος καλεῖται Ὀνοὴλ ἢ Θαρθαραώθ, ὀνοειδής τις τυγχάνων. Ἔδοξε δὲ καὶ ἡμῖν ἀκριβῶς ἐκθέσθαι τὰ τοιαῦτα, ἵνα μὴ δοκῶμεν ἀγνοεῖν ἃ Κέλσος ἐπηγγέλλετο εἰδέναι· ἀλλὰ καὶ παραστήσωμεν ἀκριβέστερον ἐκείνου αὐτὰ ἐγνωκότες οἱ Χριστιανοί, ὡς οὐ Χριστιανῶν λόγους ἀλλὰ πάντῃ ἀλλοτρίων σωτηρίας καὶ οὐδαμῶς ἐπιγραφομένων Ἰησοῦν ἢ σωτῆρα ἢ θεὸν ἢ διδάσκαλον ἢ υἱὸν θεοῦ.