Refutation of All Heresies, Vol. 2

p. 260.

the beginning of the desire for generation comes from fire. For instance, the desire for mutable generation Refers to the state of being subject to repeated physical changes is called "being inflamed" with love. But fire, from being one, turns into two. In the man, he says, the blood, which is hot and yellow as fire, is depicted as turning into seed; but in the woman, the same blood turns into milk. From the "turning" in the male comes generation, and from that in the female comes the nourishment of that which is generated. This is a play on the Greek words tropē (turning) and trophē (nutriment) This, he says, is the flaming sword turning about to guard the path to the Tree of Life. For the blood is turned into seed and milk, and the same power becomes the father and mother of those who are nourished, itself lacking nothing and being sufficient unto itself. But the Tree of Life is guarded, he says, through the turning of the flaming sword, which is the Seventh Power, which comes from itself, which contains all things, and which lies stored up in the six powers. For if the flaming sword did not turn about, that fair tree would perish and be destroyed. But if the Logos, which is lying stored up potentially therein, is turned into seed and milk, being lord of its proper place—where a Logos of souls is begotten—then from the smallest spark it will become great and increase in every sense, and will be a boundless power, unchangeable in the age which changes not, until it is in the Boundless Aeon.

18. By this argument, then, Simon avowedly became a god to those of no understanding, like Apsethus the Libyan; he was said to be begotten and subject to suffering when he existed potentially, but became impassible and unbegotten when he was made in perfect semblance, and becoming perfect, he came