Traduction
Masquer
The Refutation of All Heresies
Chapter XXXIV.--System of Marcus; A Mere Impostor; His Wicked Devices Upon the Eucharistic Cup.
A certain other teacher among them, Marcus, 1 an adept in sorcery, carrying on operations 2 partly by sleight of hand and partly by demons, deceived many from time to time. This (heretic) alleged that there resided in him the mightiest power from invisible and unnameable places. And very often, taking the Cup, as if offering up the Eucharistic prayer, and prolonging to a greater length than usual the word of invocation, he would cause the appearance of a purple, and sometimes of a red mixture, so that his dupes imagined that a certain Grace descended and communicated to the potion a blood-red potency. The knave, however, at that time succeeded in escaping detection from many; but now, being convicted (of the imposture), he will be forced to desist from it. For, infusing secretly into the mixture some drug that possessed the power of imparting such a colour (as that alluded to above), uttering for a considerable time nonsensical expressions, he was in the habit of waiting, (in expectation) that the (drug), obtaining a supply of moisture, might be dissolved, and, being intermingled with the potion, might impart its colour to it. The drugs, however, that possess the quality of furnishing this effect we have previously mentioned in the book on magicians. 3 And here we have taken occasion to explain how they make dupes of many, and thoroughly ruin them. And if it should prove agreeable to them to apply their attention with greater accuracy to the statement made by us, they will become aware of the deceit of Marcus.
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Concerning Marcus, see Irenaeus, i. 12-18; Tertullian, Praescript., c. l.; Epiphanius, Haer., xxxiv.; Theodoret, Haeret. Fab., i. 9; St. Augustine, Haer., c. xiv.; and St. Jerome's 29th Epistle. ↩
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energon: Bunsen reads dron, which has the same meaning. Cruice reads aioron, but makes no attempt at translation. Miller's reading is doron, which is obviously corrupt, but for which dolon has been suggested, and with good show of reason. ↩
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[The lost book upon the Witch of Endor, possibly. "Against the Magi" is the title of the text, and is taken to refer to book iv. cap. xxviii. p. 35, supra: the more probable opinion. ↩
Traduction
Masquer
Widerlegung aller Häresien (BKV)
39.
Ein anderer ihrer Lehrer, Markus, welcher, der Magie kundig, bald mit Gaukelei, bald mit Hilfe der Dämonen vorging, täuschte viele. Er behauptete, in ihm sei die größte, von den unsichtbaren und unnennbaren Orten kommende Kraft. Oft nahm er einen Kelch, als ob er die Eucharistie feiere, dehnte die Epiklese ziemlich weit aus und bewirkte, daß die Mischung bald purpurn und rot aussah, so daß es den Irregeführten erschien, als ob eine Gnade herabkomme und dem S. 178 Tranke eine blutartige Kraft gebe1. Der Schwindler wurde damals von vielen nicht durchschaut, jetzt aber überwiesen, wird er es aufgeben. Er ließ nämlich einen Stoff, der diese Färbefähigkeit hatte, heimlich in die Mischung fallen und wartete eine Zeitlang, Possen treibend, bis dieser, mit der Flüssigkeit in Verbindung gebracht, sich aufgelöst und durch die Mischung den Trank gefärbt hatte. Die Mittel, die das bewirken können, haben wir vorher in dem Buch2 über die Zauberer besprochen und auseinandergesetzt, daß sie durch Täuschung viele verführen; solche werden aber, wenn ihnen daran liegt, das Gesagte genauer zu studieren, den Betrug des Markus durchschauen.
