Traduction Masquer
Against the Valentinians

Chapter X.--Another Account of the Strange Aberrations of Sophia, and the Restraining Services of Horus. Sophia Was Not Herself, After All, Ejected from the Pleroma, But Only Her Enthymesis.

But some dreamers have given another account of the aberration ¹ and recovery of Sophia. After her vain endeavours, and the disappointment of her hope, she was, I suppose, disfigured with paleness and emaciation, and that neglect of her beauty which was natural to one who ² was deploring the denial of the Father,--an affliction which was no less painful than his loss. Then, in the midst of all this sorrow, she by herself alone, without any conjugal help, conceived and bare a female offspring. Does this excite your surprise? Well, even the hen has the power of being able to bring forth by her own energy. ³ They say, too, that among vultures there are only females, which become parents alone. At any rate, she was another without aid from a male, and she began at last to be afraid that her end was even at hand. She was all in doubt about the treatment ⁴ of her case, and took pains at self-concealment. Remedies could nowhere be found. For where, then, should we have tragedies and comedies, from which to borrow the process of exposing what has been born without connubial modesty? While the thing is in this evil plight, she raises her eyes, and turns them to the Father. Having, however, striven in vain, as her strength was failing her, she falls to praying. Her entire kindred also supplicates in her behalf, and especially Nus. Why not? What was the cause of so vast an evil? Yet not a single casualty ⁵ befell Sophia without its effect. All her sorrows operate. Inasmuch as all that conflict of hers contributes to the origin of Matter. Her ignorance, her fear, her distress, become substances. Hereupon the Father by and by, being moved, produces in his own image, with a view to these circumstances ⁶ the Horos whom we have mentioned above; (and this he does) by means of Monogenes Nus, a male-female (Aeon), because there is this variation of statement about the Father's ⁷ sex. They also go on to tell us that Horos is likewise called Metagogius, that is, "a conductor about," as well as Horothetes (Setter of Limits). By his assistance they declare that Sophia was checked in her illicit courses, and purified from all evils, and henceforth strengthened (in virtue), and restored to the conjugal state: (they add) that she indeed remained within the bounds ⁸ of the Pleroma, but that her Enthymesis, with the accruing ⁹ Passion, was banished by Horos, and crucified and cast out from the Pleroma,--even as they say, Malum foras! (Evil, avaunt!) Still, that was a spiritual essence, as being the natural impulse of an Aeon, although without form or shape, inasmuch as it had apprehended nothing, and therefore was pronounced to be an infirm and feminine fruit. ¹⁰

Edition Masquer
Adversus Valentinianos

10

[1] sed quidam exitum Sophia et restitutionem aliter somniaverunt: post inritos conatus et spei deiectionem deformatam eam; (pallore, credo, et macie et incuria. proprie utique patrem non minus denegatum dolebat quam amissum.) dehinc in illo maerore ex semetipsa sola nulla opera coniugii concepit et procreat feminam. miraris hoc? et gallina sortita est de suo parere, sed et vultures feminas tantum aiunt. [2] et tamen sine masculo mater et metuere postremo ne finis quoque insisteret, haerere de ratione casus, curare de occultatione. remedia nusquam: ubi enim iam tragoediae atque comoediae a quibus forma mutuaretur exponendi quod citra pudorem natum? dum in malis res est, suscipit convertit ad patrem, sed incassum enisa et vires deserebant, in preces succedit. tota enim propinquitas pro ea supplicat, vel maxime Nus. (quid? in causa mali tanti?) nullus tamen Sophiae exitus vacuit: [3] omnes aerumnae eius operantur, siquidem et illa tunc conflictatio in materiae originem pervenit. ignorantia, pavor, maeror substantiae fiunt. ibi demum pater motus aliquando quem supra diximus Horon per Monogenem Nun in haec promit in imagine sua femina-marem, quia et de patris sexu ita variant. adiciunt autem Horon etiam Metagogea (circumductorem) vocari et Horotheten. [4] huius praedicant opera et repressam ab inlicitis et purgatam a malis et dienceps confirmatam Sophiam et coniugio restitutam, et ipsam quidem in Pleromatis censu remansisse, Enthymesin vero eius et illam appendicem passionem ab Horo relegatam et crucifixam et extra eum factam — [5] malum, quod aiunt, foras. spiritalem tamen substantiam illam ut naturalem quendam impetum Aeonis sed informem et inspeciatam, quatenus nihil adprehendisset, ideoque fructum infirmum et feminam pronuntiatam.