Chap. xii.—The doctrines of the followers of Ptolemy and Colorbasus.
1. But the followers of Ptolemy say[1] that he [Bythos] has two consorts, which they also name Diatheses (affections), viz. Ennœa and Thelesis. For, as they affirm, he first conceived the thought of producing something, and then willed to that effect. Wherefore, again, these two affections, or powers, Ennœa and Thelesis, having intercourse, as it were, between themselves, the production of Monogenes and Aletheia took place according to conjunction. These two came forth as types and images of the two affections of the Father,—visible representations of those that were invisible,—Nous (i.e. Monogenes) of Thelesis, and Aletheia of Ennoea, and accordingly the image resulting from Thelesis was masculine,[2] while that from Ennœa was feminine. Thus Thelesis (will) became, as it were, a faculty of Ennœa (thought). For Ennœa continually yearned after offspring; but she could not of herself bring forth that which she desired. But when the power of Thelesis (the faculty of will) came upon her, then she brought forth that on which she had brooded.
2. These fancied beings[3] (like the Jove of Homer, who is represented[4] as passing an anxious sleepless night in devising plans for honouring Achilles and destroying numbers of the Greeks) will not appear to you, my dear friend, to be possessed of greater knowledge than He who is the God of the universe. He, as soon as He thinks, also performs what He has willed; and as soon as He wills, also thinks that which He has willed; then thinking when He wills, and then willing when He thinks, since He is all thought, [all will,
- ↑ We here follow the Greek as preserved by Hippolytus (Philosoph. vi. 38). The text followed by Epiphanius (Hær. xxxiii. 1) does not so well agree with the Latin.
- ↑ The text is here hopelessly corrupt; but the general meaning seems to be that given above.
- ↑ This sentence exists only in the Latin version, and we can give only a free translation.
- ↑ Iliad, ii. 1, etc.
