PHILOSOPHUMENA
BOOK VI
SIMON MAGUS, VALENTINUS, AND THEIR FOLLOWERS
1. p. 242 Cruicc.These are the contents of the 6th (book) of the Refutation of all Heresies.
2. What Simon has dared, and that his doctrine is confirmed (by quotations) from magicians and poets.
3. What Valentinus has laid down, and that his doctrine is not framed from the Scriptures, but from those of the Platonists and Pythagorists.
4. And what is thought by Secundus, Ptolemy and Heracleon, and how they have used as their own, but with different words, the thoughts of those whom the Greeks (think) wise.
5. What has been held by Marcus and Colarbasus [and their disciples] and that some of them gave heed to magic arts and Pythagorean numbers.
6. Now such opinions as belong to those who have taken their principles from the serpent[1] and, when the time arrived, of their own accord brought their doctrines into light, we have set forth in the Book before this, being the p. 423Vth of the Refutation of all Heresies. Here, however, I will not keep silence as to the opinions of those who come after (them),[2] but will leave not one unrefuted, if it be possible- ↑ He of course refers to the Ophites, whence it is clear that he included Justinus among them. His language may imply that all these serpent-worshipping sects had been in existence some time before, but did not begin to write their doctrines until they had taken on a veneer of Christianity. This is very probable, but there is not as yet any convincing proof that this was the case.
- ↑ Here again it is very difficult to say whether τῶν ἀκολούθων means those who follow in point of time or in the pages of the book.
