Refutation of All Heresies, Vol. 2

In Sa?maria, by magic arts, he was refuted by the Apostles and hav?ing been laid under a curse, as it is written in the Acts, p. 267. he afterwards in desperation designed these things Meaning he fabricated this doctrine. until, having come to Rome, he withstood the Apostles. Peter opposed him when he was deceiving many by sorceries. He at length, coming into [the place], A lacuna in the text; possibly Persia. taught while sitting under a plane tree. Finally, his refutation being very near through the effluxion of time His old age made his claims to divinity absurd., he said that if he were buried alive, he would rise again the third day. He gave orders that a grave should be dug by his disciples and bade them bury him. They did as he commanded, and he remains there to this day; for he was not the Christ. This is Simon’s story. Taking hints from this, Valentinus calls the same things by other names. For Nous (Mind) and Aletheia (Truth), Logos (Word) and Zoe (Life), Anthropos (Man) and Ecclesia (Church) are Simon’s six roots: Nous-Epinoia, Phone-Onoma (Voice-Name), Logismos-Enthymesis (Reasoning-Intent). Since we have sufficiently set forth Simon’s fable-making, let us see what Valentinus says.

2. Concerning Valentinus.

21. The heresy of Valentinus, then, exists, having a p. 268.