Translation
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Against Heresies
6.
Some of his disciples, too, addicting themselves 1 to the same practices, have deceived many silly women, and defiled them. They proclaim themselves as being "perfect," so that no one can be compared to them with respect to the immensity of their knowledge, nor even were you to mention Paul or Peter, or any other of the apostles. They assert that they themselves know more than all others, and that they alone have imbibed the greatness of the knowledge of that power which is unspeakable. They also maintain that they have attained to a height above all power, and that therefore they are free in every respect to act as they please, having no one to fear in anything. For they affirm, that because of the "Redemption" 2 it has come to pass that they can neither be apprehended, nor even seen by the judge. But even if he should happen to lay hold upon them, then they might simply repeat these words, while standing in his presence along with the "Redemption:" "O thou, who sittest beside God, 3 and the mystical, eternal Sige, thou through whom the angels (mightiness), who continually behold the face of the Father, having thee as their guide and introducer, do derive their forms 4 from above, which she in the greatness of her daring inspiring with mind on account of the goodness of the Propator, produced us as their images, having her mind then intent upon the things above, as in a dream,-- behold, the judge is at hand, and the crier orders me to make my defence. But do thou, as being acquainted with the affairs of both, present the cause of both of us to the judge, inasmuch as it is in reality but one cause." 5
Now, as soon as the Mother hears these words, she puts the Homeric 6 helmet of Pluto upon them, so that they may invisibly escape the judge. And then she immediately catches them up, conducts them into the bridal chamber, and hands them over to their consorts.
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We here follow the rendering of Billius, "in iisdem studiis versantes." Others adhere to the received text, and translate peripolizontes "going about idly." ↩
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Grabe is of opinion that reference is made in this term to an imprecatory formula in use among the Marcosians, analogous to the form of thanksgiving employed night and morning by the Jews for their redemption from Egypt. Harvey refers the word to the second baptism practised among these and other heretics, by which it was supposed they were removed from the cognizance of the Demiurge, who is styled the "judge" in the close of the above sentence. ↩
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That is, Sophia, of whom Achamoth, afterwards referred to, was the emanation. ↩
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The angels accompanying Soter were the consorts of spiritual Gnostics, to whom they were restored after death. ↩
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The syntax in this long sentence is very confused, but the meaning is tolerably plain. The gist of it is, that these Gnostics, as being the spiritual seed, claimed a consubstantiality with Achamoth, and consequently escaped from the material Demiurge, and attained at last to the Pleroma. ↩
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Rendering the wearer invisible. See Il., v. 844. ↩
Translation
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Gegen die Häresien (BKV)
6.
S. 43Auch manche ihrer Wanderprediger haben viele Weiblein verführt, verdorben. Sie gaben sich für die Vollkommenen aus, niemand könne ihnen an Größe der Erkenntnis gleichkommen, kein Paulus und kein Petrus und keiner von den andern Aposteln; sie wüßten mehr als alle und sie allein hätten die große, unsagbare Gnosis getrunken; sie ständen in der Höhe über aller Kraft, deswegen sei ihnen erlaubt, alles zu tun, und niemand brauchten sie zu fürchten. Durch die Erlösung seien sie für den Richter unangreifbar und unsichtbar. Sollte er sie aber auch ergreifen, so würden sie mit dem Lösebrief vor ihn hintreten und zu ihm sprechen: „O du Beisitzerin Gottes und der geheimnisvollen voräonischen Stille, du Führerin und Leiterin der allezeit das Antlitz ihres Gottes schauenden Majestäten, zu der diese hin aufziehen ihre Gestalten und die du auch uns durch die Güte des Vorvaters als deren Vorbilder und durch die Kraft deiner Vorstellung erzeugtest, indem du damals wie im Traume eine Vorstellung der Oberwelt hattest— siehe, der Richter ist nahe, und sein Herold befiehlt mir, mich zu verteidigen. Du kennst ja die Sache von uns beiden, gib dem Richter Rechenschaft für uns beide, denn unser beider Sache ist ja eine!“ Auf diese Worte setzt die Mutter schleunig den homerischen Helm des Hades ihnen auf, und so entkommen sie ungesehen dem Richter. Und auf der Stelle werden sie emporgehoben, in das Brautgemach geführt und ihren Geliebten übergeben.
