THE NARRATIVE OF THE IMPIOUS

fables of the Valentinians. CHAPTER I.

They say that in those heights which can neither be seen with eyes nor named, there is a certain perfect, pre-existing Aeon eternal being. They call him Proarche First Beginning, Propator First Father, and Bythos the Depth. They claim that, since he was incomprehensible, invisible, eternal, and unbegotten, he existed in the greatest quiet and tranquility for infinite ages of time. Together with him existed Ennoia Thought, whom they also name Charis Grace and Sige Silence. Furthermore, they say this Bythos at some point intended to produce the beginning of all things from himself. This production, which he had intended in his mind, he deposited into Sige, who was with him, just as one would place a seed into a womb. She, having received this seed and becoming pregnant, gave birth to Nus Mind, who was like and equal to his parent, and was the only one capable of comprehending the magnitude of the Father. This one they call Monogenes Only-begotten, and Father, and the Beginning of all things. Together with him, they say that Veritas Truth was also produced. This is the first and original Pythagorean Quaternity group of four, which they also call the stock and root of all things. For there is Bythos and Sige, and then Nus and Veritas. When this Monogenes perceived for what reason he had been produced, he himself also brought forth Sermo the Word and Vita Life, who is the father of all who were to come after him, and the beginning and formation of the entire Pleroma fullness of the divine world. Now, from Sermo and Vita, through coupling, were born Homo Man and Ecclesia the Church. This is the original Ogdoad group of eight, from which, as if from a root and parent, all others existed. Among them, it is called by four names: Bythos and Nus, Sermo and Homo. For they claim each of them is male-female. In this way, first the Propator First Father was joined in the bond of marriage with his Ennoia, whom they also call Grace and Silence. Then Monogenes, that is Nus, was joined with Truth; Sermo with Life; and finally Homo with Ecclesia. These Aeons, produced for the glory of their parent, wished to illustrate the paternal glory from their own resources, and so they produced offspring in pairs. Specifically, after Sermo and Vita had produced Homo and Ecclesia, they brought forth ten more Aeons, whose names they say are these: Bythius Deep and Mixis Mixture, Ageratus Unaging and Henosis Unity, Autophyes Self-produced and Hedone Pleasure, Acinetus Unmoved and Syncrasis Blending, Monogenes Only-begotten and Macaria Blessedness. These are the ten Aeons they claim were born from Sermo and Vita. But Homo also produced ten Aeons Original Greek and some Latin variants specify twelve together with Ecclesia, to whom these names are given by them: Paracletus Comforter and Pistis Faith, Patricus Paternal and Elpis Hope, Metricus Maternal and Agape Love, Ainus Praise and Phronesis Prudence, Ecclesiasticus of the Church and Macariotes Happiness, Theletus Desired and Sophia Wisdom. These are the thirty Aeons of the erring men, which are enveloped as if in silence and are not known by anyone. This is their invisible and spiritual Pleroma, divided into three parts: the Ogdoad, the Decad, and the Dodecad. For this reason, they contend that the Savior (for they do not please to call him Lord) did nothing in public and in the light of men for 30 years, so that he might show the mystery of these Aeons. They also argue that in the parable of the laborers sent into the vineyard, these 30 Aeons are most clearly indicated. For they are sent partly about the first hour, partly about the third, partly about the sixth, partly about the ninth, and partly about the eleventh. Furthermore, all these hours, when combined into one, fulfill the number of thirty. For one, three, six, nine, and eleven make thirty. By the hours, they want the Aeons to be signified. And they say these are the great, wonderful, and not common...

The second column contains the original Greek text of the first chapter of Irenaeus's work, mirroring the Latin narrative provided in the first column. It describes the emanations of the Aeons from the Depth and Silence, the formation of the Ogdoad, Decad, and Dodecad, and the mathematical justification using the parable of the vineyard from the Gospel of Matthew.

SCHOLIA OF DOCTOR BILLIUS ON CHAPTER I.

Proarchen. I add this word both from the ancient interpreter and from Tertullian.
Bythum. Tertullian, in his book against the Valentinians, writes that this name was somewhat incongruously assigned by the Valentinians, who say he dwells in the heights. For Bythos Depth signifies a deep place. However, he calls it Bythus, not Bythos.
Monogenem. Tertullian says that this one should have more aptly been called Protogenes First-born than Monogenes Only-begotten, since they imagine him not as the only-begotten, but as the first-born.
Pythagorean Quaternity. Tertullian calls this the Tetrad and the four-horse chariot. He calls it Pythagorean because that philosopher held the number four in such great honor that he even made it a formula for an oath.